All posts by h716a5.icu

Besides the host nation Qatar, the 31 teams playing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualified through a rigorous process. This long journey lasted an average period of 2 years, with different qualifying rounds for these countries.

With the World Cup starting in a few days, fans are looking for the best offers to support and stake on their national sides. Some Independent sites provide a review of the best World Cup 2022 betting offers of different bookmakers to ease up the process for fans.

How the World Cup winner will emerge?

Sixty-four games will be played in 6 rounds at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, including the group stage, the round of 16, quarterfinals, semi-finals, third-place play-off, and finals.

All teams have an equal opportunity to win the tournament. Teams will play 3 group-stage games to determine those who will advance from the groups. The 2 top teams in each group will advance to the round of 16, while the 2 bottom teams will exit the tournament.

From the round of 16, the tournament will employ a knockout format. Only the winners from the round of 16 will advance to the quarterfinals. Quarterfinals winners will advance to the semi-finals.

The winners from the semi-finals will advance to the final to determine the winner of the World Cup. Losers from the semi-finals will play against each other for the third-place prize.

Teams that are likely to win the World Cup

Here are some teams that will likely win the World Cup:

Brazil

Brazil’s five-time World Cup victory makes them a favourite to win at Qatar. Brazil’s latest World Cup triumph was in 2002. The current Brazilian squad has several top players.

England

It’s been several decades since football came home. England has been closer to winning a trophy under Gareth Southgate. Finishing fourth in 2018 is a big impetus for the squad heading into the Qatar tournament.

France

France is the defending champion of the World Cup. Didier Deschamps has retained the core of the team that emerged victorious in Russia. Despite missing a few key players, France remains the favourite to win the World Cup.

Argentina

Messi’s generation has another chance to win the World Cup. Having come close to winning in 2014, Argentina is highly motivated heading into this tournament.

Belgium

Belgium’s golden generation has only managed to earn a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup. Belgium’s star-studded squad has a chance to prove their actual worth in Qatar.

Portugal

Portugal’s mix of experience and young talents sounds like a brilliant recipe for success in Qatar. The squad has played together for a while and has experienced victories at Euros 2016 and the first edition of the Nations League. Ronaldo’s leadership can drive them to another victory in Qatar.

Predicting the World Cup champion is never an easy task. Sometimes, the favourite teams may not perform as expected. Many surprises may offset the odds.

Photo from Pexels

Wolves have been linked with a move for Ajax star Mohammed Kudus and the Ghana international could be a big upgrade on Raul Jimenez in Julen Lopetegui’s side.

It was suggested during the summer that Wolves were keen on the 22-year-old and he could now be available for a bargain fee in January, with more recent reports suggesting that he would cost as little as €10m (£8.7m).

Considering Wolves have scored the fewest goals in the Premier League so far this season, it seems clear that attacking additions are needed in January if Lopetegui is to turn things around, and Kudus could be the ideal man.

The Ajax attacker has had a superb campaign thus far, contributing ten goals in all competitions for the Eredivisie side, including four goals and two assists in six Champions League appearances, which helped him to a superb 7.34 average rating from WhoScored.

Jimenez, meanwhile, failed to find the back of the net in any of his three Premier League appearances before the break, and averaged a disappointing 6.34 rating from WhoScored.

FBRef’s scouting report of Kudus emphasises just how impressive he has been from an attacking perspective, as he scores in the 99th percentile for non-penalty expected goals, pass completion and dribbles completed per 90 when compared with other forwards across Europe’s top leagues.

By comparison, Jimenez has scored in the fifth, 59th, and 43rd percentile in the same statistics, which suggests that he is no longer good enough to be relied upon as the main source of goals at Molineux.

Although the Mexico international was the top scorer and top creator in Wolves’ side last season, he managed just six goals and four assists, with the former Benfica man sadly not reaching the same levels he was showing before his fractured skull injury.

The 31-year-old has spent much of this season on the sidelines with injury but has still travelled to Qatar with Mexico for the World Cup, where Wolves fans will be hoping that he can rediscover his goalscoring touch.

However, Lopetegui might well consider tuning into Ghana’s Group H games against Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay, as Kudus’ impressive 2022/23 form suggests that he could be a “superstar” for the Black Stars.

Former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor has been giving his thoughts on a possible Villa Park move for Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha.

The Lowdown: Zaha linked with Villa

Unai Emery is after a new A-list attacker in the New Year who can play anywhere across the front three, with Zaha’s name being floated around in recent weeks.

The 30-year-old has been linked with a move to the Midlands, with Villa Park thought to be the most likely next destination for the Ivorian at this moment in time.

Ashley Preece also recently teased a potential move for the Ivory Coast forward, telling Villa supporters to ‘keep an eye on Zaha’ when it comes to possible arrivals in the Midlands.

The Latest: Agbonlahor reacts to Zaha rumours

Speaking to Football Insider regarding a possible move to Villa Park for Zaha, the club’s former captain Agbonlahor seemed excited, saying that it ‘would be a great signing’ and calling the Palace forward a ‘top player’.

The talkSPORT pundit gushed: “Wilfried Zaha is a top player. Any club in the Premier League would love to have him.

“If Villa can get him on a free transfer it would be a great signing. He is what we are missing on that left side.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/aston-villa-latest-updates-copy-2/” title=”Aston Villa latest updates! (Copy)” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Why not…

Zaha can play anywhere across the front three, so heseems to fit the mould when it comes to Emery’s attacking requirements.

He also has plenty of experience in the Premier League, contributing to 110 goals in the top flight in 291 games in the division.

Therefore, a winter swoop could be a smart idea by Villa, or else they may decide to hold out until the summer, possibly hoping to sign Zaha for free when his contract at Selhurst Park expires, making this prospective move indeed one to watch going into January 2023.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have lost ‘another senior figure’ following the exit of Dr Rob Chakraverty, according to journalist Steve Madeley.

The Lowdown: Chakraverty’s departure

The Premier League medic arrived at Molineux in the middle of the pandemic, joining after spending a four-year stint with the England national squad.

The Old Gold figure held the roles of first-team doctor and head of performance and medicine following the departure of the long-term chief Matt Perry, though the club confirmed his exit in a statement released by Jeff Shi on Sunday.

The Latest: Madeley’s reaction

Taking to Twitter, Madeley reacted to the shock behind-the-scenes exit at Wolves which came just days after the chairman appointed Matt Hobbs as the new sporting director in the start of an off-field overhaul. He wrote:

“Fair to say the “shake-up” Jeff Shi spoke of the other day is continuing. Another senior figure gone.”

The Verdict: Time for a change

Wolves find themselves rock bottom of the table after a difficult start to the season, so Fosun may feel like it’s the right time for a transformation to try and change the team’s fortunes on the pitch.

Chakraverty, however, did an excellent job in helping to move the club forward during the pandemic and improved the medical department as a whole, so he could be a big miss on the sidelines.

Shi will now be hoping that his swift decision-making has an instant impact on the matchday squad as Julen Lopetegui prepares to take his first game in charge against Everton on Boxing Day.

Everton target Boulaye Dia ‘doesn’t score enough goals’ to make the move to the Premier League, according to journalist Ed Aarons.

The Lowdown: World Cup standout

The Senegalese starlet has recently been at the World Cup having represented Aliou Cisse’s nation, where he grabbed one goal in four starts before getting knocked out in the last 16 by England.

The 26-year-old is currently out on loan at Salernitana from Villarreal but has been linked with a switch to Goodison Park once his spell ends, with a fee in the region of £17m required to secure his services.

The Latest: Aarons’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, however, Aarons claimed that Dia hasn’t been prolific enough in the final third to prove himself as a centre-forward, regardless of other areas of his game being strong.

“Dia has been good at coming deep and linking the play a little bit more. He links it up well, he’s pretty strong.

“He’s a bit of a threat in front of goal but he doesn’t score enough goals. In his career he’s not scored enough, that’s one thing he can improve on. But his link-up play has been very impressive.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-8/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Bit harsh?

Everton’s target has been dubbed a ‘handful’ for defenders by journalist Dean Jones, and looking at his numbers, claims that he’s not effective in the final third may be a little harsh.

The Oyonnax native already has eight contributions to his name this season (six goals and two assists) in just 14 appearances (Transfermarkt).

The Toffees have collectively only netted 11 times this campaign, which shows the significant impact Dia could have up top, so while he may not have the most prolific career record, he would surely be an upgrade on the struggling Neal Maupay.

West Ham United midfielder Nikola Vlasic, who is currently on loan at Torino, is not in David Moyes’ long-term plans at the club, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

The Lowdown: Vlasic’s West Ham career

The Croatian represented a relatively large outlay when he arrived at the London Stadium in August 2021, costing the Premier League club an initial £25.7m, with £7.7m in add-ons.

However, the 25-year-old has failed to live up to his price tag thus far, so much so that he was loaned out to Torino in the summer, and his West Ham career could soon be set to come to an end.

The Latest: Sheth’s comments on Vlasic

When fielded a question about whether Vlasic is set to leave the Irons for good in next summer’s transfer window, Sheth gave an ominous reply.

The journalist told GIVEMESPORT: “The deal that he’s got on loan at Torino comes with an option to buy.

“Depending on how the rest of the season goes, the number of appearances he makes and how much Torino like him will dictate whether they will take up that option.

“But it seems pretty obvious that he’s not in David Moyes’ long-term plans.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-5/” title=”West Ham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Hasn’t worked out

Despite being lauded by Moyes for his ‘first-class’ attitude in his early stages at West Ham, the £69k-per-week Vlasic has so far failed to deliver in claret and blue, scoring just once and not registering a single assist in 19 Premier League appearances last term.

Having failed to adapt to English football, the Croatian moved on loan to Torino, where he has fared much better, with six goal contributions in 15 Serie A outings so far.

This form may give Moyes hope that Il Toro are interested in making the deal permanent, with West Ham then able to recoup some of their losses on the signing of Vlasic.

That would appear to be the best scenario for all parties, given his decent form in the Serie A and his struggles with the Irons.

Rangers boss Michael Beale made it two wins from two in his tenure thus far, with the Englishman seeing his side once again come from behind to claim a stunning victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Tuesday evening.

With goals from Duk and Leighton Clarkson having given the home side the lead following Fashion Sakala’s early strike, the Old Firm outfit appeared destined to lose even more ground in the title race, having still been trailing with just minutes left on the clock.

As was the case against Hibernian last week, however, the Light Blues showed remarkable fighting spirit to turn no points into three, with substitute Scott Arfield delivering the goods with a clinical brace in stoppage time.

That much-needed result has again put the pressure back on rivals Celtic at the summit with the gap back down to just six points at present, with hopes of wrestling the title back from their Glasgow neighbours having yet to be extinguished.

That triumph was also noteworthy as it saw experienced defender Connor Goldson make his long-awaited return to action, with the 30-year-old having been absent since suffering an injury in the defeat to Liverpool back in October.

With the likes of John Souttar and Filip Helander still sidelined – and with both Leon King and Ben Davies having endured their own injury woes of late – the Ibrox giants have been particularly depleted in that department, hence the notable lift to see the former Brighton and Hove Albion man welcomed back into the fold.

Although Goldson was part of a backline that shipped two against Jim Goodwin’s men, it was a typically solid display nonetheless from the £37k-per-week man, as he showcased just why he is a “leader” for the club, as described by pundit Alan Hutton.

The imposing titan notably proved a real hero in the backline having won 100% of his aerial duels, while also recording three clearances, one interception and one block in his 90-minute outing.

Despite losing possession on ten occasions from his 94 touches, the one-time Shrewsbury Town titan did offer real quality with his ability to play out from the back, having registered three key passes and claimed one assist, after somewhat fortuitously guiding the ball to his teammate for the game’s winning goal.

Such a performance unsurprisingly saw the Wolverhampton-born brute record a 7.4 match rating, as per Sofascore, with that the second-highest rating of any Rangers player on the night, behind only the aforementioned Arfield.

As Beale himself noted, it was “fantastic” to see the central defender back in action and be able to come through the clash unscathed, while Glasgow Live’s Alan Galindo suggested it was a ‘huge boost’ for the club to have him fit and firing again.

If the club are to truly kick on the second half of the campaign, having the heroic figure of Goldson marshalling the defence will simply be imperative.

Liverpool have had their worst start to a Premier League season in a decade, with a number of injury issues mounting and much upheaval at Anfield contributing to the inconsistency on the pitch.

The Reds are currently sixth in the table after their first 14 matches prior to the World Cup break, and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping for a fresh start for his squad when they return to action in the top flight tomorrow.

Liverpool will head to Villa Park for their first league game since 12 November and will face Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, who are unbeaten in the top flight since his return to the Premier League.

Not only are the Reds back in action, but the January transfer window will reopen this time next week, and it will be interesting to see if Liverpool make moves to improve the performances on the pitch and strengthen the squad ahead of the second half of the campaign.

Injuries have been mounting in the Merseysiders’ squad over the season so far, with Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Arthur Melo currently sidelined ahead of the Boxing Day fixture, and the former two not expected back for at least the next six weeks.

As a result, Liverpool could be tempted to make a move for an attacking player in the January transfer window in order to bolster the squad following the exits of Sadio Mane, Divock Origi and Taki Minamino in the summer, combined with the ongoing injury issues.

One player who has been recently linked with a move to Anfield is Leicester City and England star James Maddison, a versatile attacking midfielder who could offer Klopp a multitude of solutions at Anfield.

Despite Leicester’s struggles this season, the 26-year-old has been undoubtedtly the standout performer in the team, and his incredible performances earned him a place in Gareth Southgate’s England World Cup squad in Qatar.

In 13 Premier League appearances so far this term, the £60m-valued ace – who was dubbed “frightening” by Rio Ferdinand – has scored seven goals, registered four assists and created three big chances, averaging three shots on goal, 2.4 key passes, 1.9 tackles, 33.6 accurate passes and 4.8 duels won per game.

Maddison has earned high praise for his outstanding performances this season, with talkSPORT’s Danny Murphy hailing the player in an analysis of the 26-year-old’s future by saying: “He’s a super talent, the only question mark over James Maddison is his application and sometimes his attitude, but his talent is up there.”

The former Liverpool midfielder continued: “Is he good enough? Yes. He’s a Champions League player. He has all of the qualities needed to play Champions League and international football.”

With that being said, the signing of Maddison would be a major coup for Liverpool if they decide that strengthening their attacking presence is crucial in the New Year, and there is no doubt that Klopp could get Anfield rocking if the Foxes maestro could perform at the same level for the Reds.

West Ham United have reportedly identified Torino’s industrious midfielder Sasa Lukic as a viable January target to lure to the London Stadium this winter.

As per Tuttosport, Hammers boss David Moyes is singling the 26-year-old out as a top winter target, and with the Torino ace reportedly available for £13m, it is a deal that certainly could cross the finish line – although with increasing interest this figure may start to creep upwards.

With Lukic’s contract with his Italian club is set to expire in the summer of 2024, meaning that unless a renewal can be agreed there will be a desire to cash in on a player that has been an ever-present in the starting line-up since arriving from Partizan Belgrade as a 19-year-old in 2016.

But the hierarchy at the east London outfit will indeed need to act swiftly if they are to take the lead in the race for the Serbian sensation, with Calciomercato claiming that Leicester City, AS Roma and Napoli are all eyeing a move. 

Imagine him and Lucas Paqueta 

Torino currently sit in ninth place in the Italian top-flight, and Lukic has been integral to the team’s success, recording an average rating of 6.95 and flourishing with his crisp passing and assured presence, serving as a pivot and offering both defensive fortification and attacking flair when an apt opportunity arises. 

He is tremendous across a variety of roles, possessing the whole gamut of requisite attributes to prosper in the Premier League.

His particular skill set could merge nicely with that of Lucas Paqueta, who has failed to live up to the £51m price tag thus far, following his move from Olympique Lyonnais in the summer.

Paqueta, a robust and industrious maestro with a keen eye for a forward pass, has recorded an average Premier League rating of 6.93, which is by no means disappointing, but there is a feeling that there is a lot more to offer, and Lukic could aid the rise to the brim of his potential at the London Stadium.

The Brazilian maestro has failed to score for the Hammers, and having clinched 11 goals and seven assists last season in France, here is evidently far more attacking prowess yet to truly be unleashed on English soil.

Lukic could attack as an anchor, an effective counterpoint at the beating heart of the West Ham squad, to entwine with Paqueta’s toolkit and form a deadly partnership, with the respective 89% and 81% passing accuracies creating an elite level of control; additionally, journalist Josh Bunting lauded the 35-cap gem as “outstanding” for his work in protecting the defensive players of his side.

With both players sturdy conductors with eyes for goals, indeed Lukic has netted 11 goals for Torino since the start of the 20/21 campaign, the dynamism from the centre could reap rewards for Moyes’ dwindling Hammers side, lifting the club away from their lowly 16th place in the Premier League and towards brighter endeavours once again.

Manchester United are believed to be contemplating whether to make a move for Barcelona forward, Memphis Depay, as the Red Devils seek a low-cost centre-forward option this month.

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell, the Dutchman could well ‘come under consideration’ for the Red Devils in the current window, with the 28-year-old seemingly an attractive prospect with just six months remaining on his existing deal at Camp Nou.

That expiring deal should ensure that the 86-cap gem is ‘available for a modest financial commitment’, as per the report, while Manchester Evening News previously suggested that the playmaker could even be available on a ‘loan basis’, as United target a temporary, short-term option this month.

As per Whitwell, Erik ten Hag’s side did hold talks with Depay’s camp regarding a possible return to Old Trafford, albeit with that move said to have been driven by the player’s representatives, rather than the Premier League outfit.

Martial upgrade

While the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo has heightened the need for a new striking addition, the recent woes of Anthony Martial have also illustrated that further firepower could well be a necessity if the club are to maintain their top-four push.

The long-serving Frenchman was something of a “no-show” in the recent win over Bournemouth – in the words of respected journalist Samuel Luckhurst – having also missed a clear-cut chance in the victory away to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend.

With Ten Hag and co having waited months to have the 27-year-old back to full fitness after an injury-plagued start to the campaign, the former Monaco man was expected to hit the ground running, although is once again proving somewhat unreliable.

Having scored just eight Premier League goals since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, Martial appears to have shown few signs of truly solidifying that centre-forward berth, hence the desire to get a new face in the door.

Turning to Depay could well be an affordable and astute upgrade as far as United are concerned, with the £177k-per-week ace likely chomping at the bit to improve upon his previous spell at the Theatre of Dreams.

The one-time PSV Eindhoven starlet scored just seven times in 53 games after joining during Louis van Gaal’s tenure back in 2015, although subsequently went on to sparkle after sealing a move to Lyon 18 months later, having scored 76 goals and registered 55 assists in 178 games in all competitions for the Ligue 1 outfit.

The once “maverick” talent – as described by club legend Rio Ferdinand – showcased far greater consistency during his time in France, while also impressing in flashes during his stint in Catalonia with 14 goals in just 41 games.

Depay may not be an out-and-out striker in the traditional sense, although he still shows a willingness to make the difference where it matters as he averages 7.32 touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, while Martial averages just 4.42 for that same metric.

The Netherlands international could also potentially offer a greater creative presence as he averages 11.61 progressive passes received per 90, while the current Red Devils man averages just 5.79 in that regard.

As such, bringing the Barcelona man back to Manchester could well be the much-needed upgrade that United are craving.