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

Tottenham Hotspur face Bayern Munich this week in a Champions League dead rubber but how exactly can Spurs stop them?

On the chalkboard

Manager Jose Mourinho has already said that he intends to rest a number of first-team players, notably Harry Kane, because the north Londoners are confirmed to be finishing second behind the group leaders.

Of course, Bayern ran riot against Spurs in their clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, winning 7-2.

The German giants, clearly, are a fearsome force.

In their five games thus far in the Champions League, they have won all five, scoring 21 goals and conceding just four.

On average, per WhoScored, they concede just 7.6 shots per game, while taking 25.2. They average more shots on target in the Champions League per game than the total number of shots they concede.

They also dominate possession, with an average of 61.7%, and are efficient with it, notching a pass completion rate of 88.4%.

Interestingly, they average 16.4 right-footed shots throughout a game, as opposed to 6 with the left foot and 2.6 with the head. An average of 12.4 shots per game come from inside the penalty area, with 10.4 outside the box and 2.4 in the six-yard box.

Add into that the fact that Robert Lewandowski has scored 10 goals in five European outings, while Serge Gnabry has four in four, and one begins to see the kind of task Spurs are facing.

Mourinho’s produced some incredible footballing stars – how much do you know about them?

A learning experience

Spurs’ youngsters are set for a learning experience here.

Bayern are phenomenal at home – they are yet to concede at the Allianz Arena in the Champions League – and they may be out to rub salt in Spurs’ wounds after thrashing them in their own back yard.

If Mourinho commits to playing the kids across every part of the pitch, one has to imagine that they will either fight or flee.

Nevertheless, it is something of a win-win for the Premier League club’s youngsters; if they lose, then it is nothing more than a lesson, a reminder of how far they have to go; if they win, they may well be heroes.

It is time for the kids to stand up and be counted.

Meanwhile, take a look at Spurs’ potential XI against Bayern. 

Adam Forshaw’s injury at Leeds has been a puzzling situation, so much so that Phil Hay described it as strange following the club’s draw with Cardiff.

The midfielder suffered a hip injury in August and returned to play 45 minutes against Charlton in late September.

However, he hasn’t been since and it appears as though he’s really struggling with a constant niggle.

Marcelo Bielsa has previously claimed the situation is complicated but there has at least been some positive news on his recovery.

It’s been stated that he isn’t far away from a return but his battle with the sidelines has seen him take on a huge amount of flack.

Fans have called for him to be sold while some supporters have wondered whether he’ll ever play again.

Although some of those remarks may be tongue in cheek, it appears as though the constant barrage of comments has finally got to Forshaw.

The 28-year-old took to Instagram on Tuesday night to post an image of the squad out on a Christmas meal.

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

However, one supporter called him out on his injury-hit spell, to which Forshaw issued a sarcastic one-word response.

The former Middlesbrough man was a vital part of Leeds’ early season form, playing six times and registering the best pass success rate of anyone to start for the Whites in 2019/20.

Whether or not he’ll be able to continue where he left off when he returns remains to be seen. Either way, it’ll be important for certain segments of the fan base to get off his back.

In other news, Leeds have been missing their “explosive” prodigy…

Eric Dier enjoyed an excellent performance as Tottenham Hotspur managed to grind out a gritty 2-1 win over Wolves on Sunday.

On the chalkboard

Spurs needed an injury-time goal from Jan Vertonghen to take all three points away from Molineux, leaving them in a position to climb into the top four next week, should they manage to beat Chelsea.

While Vertonghen will have grabbed the headlines, Dier turned in a quietly efficient performance in the central midfield engine room.

Per WhoScored, the 25-year-old had a total of 74 touches of the ball, more than any other Spurs player.

He completed one dribble, won two aerial duels and also made four clearances throughout the 90 minutes.

Dier also registered one key pass and had one shot on goal, which unfortunately bounced off the post and out of danger.

Watch Spurs vs Brighton Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

This was more like it from the Englishman, who has thus far struggled for form under Jose Mourinho’s management, including being taken off in the first half against Olympiacos in the Champions League.

A turnaround

This could be the beginning of something big for Dier.

He picked up a rating of 6.95 against Wolves which, when coupled with his 7.62 against Burnley, points to serious improvement from the midfielder.

He had previously struggled this season – reaching a nadir of 6.4 against Brighton in the 3-0 defeat under Mauricio Pochettino.

Throughout Mourinho’s admittedly short tenure, he has repeatedly been played from the start and is finally looking like the player that the Portuguese surely hoped he’d become.

Mourinho’s produced some incredible footballing stars – how much do you know about them?

The signs for Dier, then, are very good.

Meanwhile, Spurs boss Mourinho has hailed one man for his showing against Wolves. 

West Bromwich Albion will go looking for the perfect Christmas present this afternoon, and it will surely be in the form of three points at Oakwell.

The Baggies face a trip to Barnsley as they aim to extend their run at the top of the Championship table with another result. They currently have a three-point cushion over second-placed Leeds United.

Slaven Bilic will be dealt with an interesting dilemma as first-choice centre-back Kyle Bartley is likely to be absent for this fixture.

On the Chalkboard

The stalwart defender was forced off early in the second half in their 1-1 draw against Brentford last time out with young prospect Dara O’Shea replacing him.

It was perhaps a surprise to not see the experienced Ahmed Hegazi named on the bench after the Egyptian made 40 appearances in the blue and white stripes last season, but his manager revealed he was dropped over a training ground incident.

The 28-year-old was subject to a bid from Saudi Arabia last week, but the club quickly rejected it, so it can’t be much of a coincidence that such a scenario has taken place off the field.

Therefore, it would seem wise for Bilic to keep faith in the promising Irishman as he did no wrong in the 41 minutes he was called upon.

Per SofaScore, O’Shea managed four clearances, one tackle and a passing accuracy of 88%. He also picked up the second-highest rating in the squad at 7.1.

Based on that showing alone, the 20-year-old has not only repaid the faith of his manager but has also shown that he’s more than capable of performing.

There’s probably not a better game than now either with Barnsley languishing at the wrong end of the table.

In addition, the last thing any promotion push needs is a bad egg upsetting the dressing room, and that appears to be the case with Hegazi at the minute.

Bilic claimed that he loved O’Shea and that he was the reason why the club didn’t make any more additions other than Semi Ajayi in the role, so it’s now time to back that up and play him.

And in other Baggies news, has Nathan Ferguson’s successor already been found? Read here…

According to Goal, Manchester United are set to revive their interest in Sporting CP midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

What’s the word?

The Portugal international was the subject of intense transfer speculation linking him with a move to Old Trafford over the course of the summer, but a deal failed to materialise before the end of the deadline.

Now, Goal claim Solskjaer is keen to add a creative midfielder in the January transfer window, and that with James Maddison and Christian Eriksen seemingly unlikely to join at this moment in time, attentions have turned towards Fernandes.

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The report adds that whilst United are yet to enter into talks over signing the Portuguese man, “there would be no difficulty from United’s end in raising the funds required to sign the 25-year-old should Solskjaer make it clear that he needs to be acquired in January”.

Much-needed

Make no mistake about it, signing Fernandes is an absolute must for United. Not just in terms of bringing in an extra midfield body to compensate for some of the injuries they’ve had this season like with Paul Pogba, but the sheer quality he brings to the table too.

Last season, he scored a mammoth 32 goals and laid off 18 assists, and it was no surprise to see his name linked with a move to United. And now, this campaign has seen him continue where he left off, netting 13 times and providing a further 13 assists in just 24 games across all competitions.

The Red Devils are sorely lacking from goals from midfield, particularly in the central areas. The likes of Jesse Lingard, Andreas Pereira and Juan Mata have combined for a ridiculously measly total of just three goals. That undeniably increases the burden on the likes of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford to do all the hard yards, and when the duo misfire, then United as a team look toothless too.

Quickfire Quiz: How much do you know about Man Utd’s history in the January transfer window?

A January swoop for a goal-scoring midfielder like Fernandes is an absolute necessity of the highest order for United. Ed Woodward must give the green-light for the club to open up the purse-strings to make it happen as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Manchester United fans are split on this starlet’s poor performance against Wolves in the FA Cup.

Everton have received a potential boost if they are to try and sign Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake this month, after Sky Sports reported that Chelsea are unlikely to exercise their £40m buy-back option during the January transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Telegraph reported earlier this month that the Toffees were monitoring the 24-year-old’s situation along with Premier League rivals Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, but that Frank Lampard’s men were the frontrunners due to the clause they agreed when they sold him to the Cherries in 2017.

However, Sky Sports now say that the Blues have turned their attentions to other targets this month, potentially leaving other clubs to fight for his signature before the deadline on the 31st.

The Telegraph reported at the time that other teams would likely have to bid £45m to get the Dutchman, who they say Carlo Ancelotti knows well from his time at Stamford Bridge, given Chelsea’s clause, although Eddie Howe will be unlikely to lose one of his better players as they appear to very much be in a relegation battle in the Premier League.

Brands should move now

The Dutchman admitted during the club’s AGM on Tuesday that Everton failed to sign the centre-back they wanted in Kurt Zouma during the summer transfer window, which left them with three senior options in Michael Keane, Yerry Mina and Mason Holgate – all of whom are right-footed.

They could certainly do with another should they pick up any injuries or suspensions now, and the fact that Ake is left-footed and would provide some balance to their backline is another huge positive.

Call yourself an Everton expert? How much did each of these January signings cost?

Brands also said at the AGM that a summer deal for Wilfried Zaha wasn’t possible because the Merseyside outfit aren’t able to spend £60m-£80m on one player. However, if they could get a 24-year-old Netherlands international who has played 134 Premier League games for around £45m in this day and age, that would have to be seen as a more sensible deal – indeed, they have spent a similar fee on two players before in Gylfi Sigurdsson and Richarlison.

Everton should take advantage of overcoming the Chelsea hurdle and move for Ake this month so they have a player who could partner either Mina or Holgate at the heart of the defence for years to come.

Ancelotti has reportedly followed the defender’s career closely, and it would make complete sense for the duo to be reunited before February 1 if Brands can get a deal done.

In other Everton news, Marcel Brands has dropped a solid hint as to where the Toffees could strengthen next…

The Athletic’s Southampton correspondent Carl Anka has provided a fresh update on the future of Cedric Soares.

Before Anka’s Q & A session on Friday afternoon ahead of the trip to Leicester, it seemed like common knowledge that the Portugal international was set to leave St Mary’s at the end of the campaign following an exclusive interview with The Telegraph, in which he revealed his intentions to depart at the end of his contract.

However, Anka has breathed new life into the saga surrounding the former Sporting Lisbon man.

What did he say?

When asked if, with Cedric ‘definitely’ leaving, supporters could expect long-term additions at full-back, Anka wrote:

“So here’s a thing… Cedric isn’t DEFINITELY leaving. Yesterday Hasenhuttl spoke of “possibilities” regarding contracts.

“I think any full backs signed this Jan, or indeed in the summer will be of First Team Quality so they can take over next season. But, it’s worth carrying that in the back of your mind.”

Breathes fresh life into speculation surrounding Cedric’s future

As aforesaid, it did seem like a clear-cut thing that the 28-year-old would be leaving the Saints when his contract expires at the end of the current campaign, although Anka’s response has breathed new life into the speculation.

The Athletic reporter states that Hasenhuttl spoke of ‘possibilities’ regarding contracts, so could we see Cedric actually put pen to paper on fresh terms?

Discussing that would be speculative, something that we won’t do. However, what isn’t speculative is the fact that Anka has made what appeared to be a set-in-stone situation now seem like something that could yet be a flexible one.

Cedric has made 13 Premier League appearances this season, and only he and Yan Valery are at Hasenhuttl’s disposal in terms of senior right-backs, so the Portugal international is a vital member of the squad as things stand – unless another right-back is signed, he remains a key man under the Austrian coach.

Anka’s little nugget of information has well and truly opened up the case regarding Cedric.

In other news, this one word from Carl Anka has added a new dimension to the exit talk surrounding Che Adams…

Ian Poveda to Leeds has been an incredibly interesting transfer saga.

One minute the winger is due to sign, the next he’s in Italy with his agent, and recent reports indicate that a move to Yorkshire is imminent.

We’ve heard plenty from Leeds’ side, but we’ve not seen all that much from the top journalists covering Manchester City, until now that is.

Indeed, The Athletic’s Man City correspondent has disclosed what he knows about Poveda’s potential move to Leeds.

What’s been said then?

Sam Lee was hosting a post-match Q&A session after the Manchester club’s 1-0 win over Sheffield United.

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Understandably, questions were asked about Poveda’s impending move to Leeds.

One user asked if the youngster was on his way to Elland Road, to which Lee replied:

“Don’t think anybody knows about the moment. Leeds seem to think he is, according to a colleague (don’t want to say a name in case the aggregators get a hold of it!)”

Looks good

The journalist doesn’t want to name the colleague that has told him that United are confident of landing Poveda, but with The Athletic having a wide array of reliable and reputable journalists on their books it’s safe to say that Lee’s informer may have quite a good understanding of the situation.

That being said, it’s going to be tough for the winger to break into the first-team this term ahead of £15m man Helder Costa and two-time Player of the Year winner Pablo Hernandez. However, reports indicate that both Marcelo Bielsa and Victor Orta rate him highly, so it’ll be a boost for them to land their man.

All signs point towards Poveda’s imminent arrival with Phil Hay and Adam Pope also indicating that he could be on his way.

In other news, Phil Hay has said that Leeds won’t be doing one thing this month.

Christian Eriksen is set to fly to Italy to undergo a medical at Inter Milan prior to his move to Serie A, per Football Italia.

What’s the word?

The two clubs are said to have struck a deal worth €20m (£16.8m) for the playmaker, who is set to travel to Italy on Monday.

He will then undergo his medical and sign his contract with the club, which will run until 2024. Eriksen is set to earn €8m-per-season (£6.7m) which equates to a weekly wage of £129,869.

The big fat Tottenham quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Spurs?

Inter, per the report, agreed personal terms with Eriksen a while ago but struggled to negotiate a fee with Spurs.

The deal, though, finally appears to be nearing its completion.

A happy ending

Everyone will be happy with this outcome.

First of all, the saga is finally drawing to an end, with Eriksen having first outlined his desire to leave the club in the summer, following the Champions League final defeat to Liverpool.

The Denmark international also gets his move, having made it clear he had no intention of signing a new deal.

Spurs, lastly, receive a fee for a player whose contract was set to expire at the end of the season and Inter bring in a new playmaker to aid their hunt for the Serie A title – they are currently second, three points behind Juventus.

This is one of those rare occurrences in the transfer window; a deal in which everyone wins.

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho has issued a cold update on Danny Rose.

Leeds United have already brought three players in this month, but they’re continuing to be linked with more arrivals.

One position that they’re continuously being touted with reinforcements in is at centre-back as Connor Goldson and Harold Moukoudi have been linked in recent weeks.

With the Whites conceding 16 goals in their last eight league games, perhaps they need a new defender, and one of their targets would seemingly fix one huge problem that was once again evident against Millwall.

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Leeds’ set-piece woes

Leeds’ biggest weakness is there for everyone to see.

The Whites have conceded just as many goals from set-pieces as they have conceded goals from open play this term, and efforts from dead balls make up a staggering 42 per cent of strikes that United let in.

Defending set-pieces is quite easy if you have the right personnel. More often than not the solution is to get a big presence to dominate the aerial duels, but with Leeds not having a single outfield player in their squad standing over 6 foot 1 they’ve struggled to contend with the division’s more physical sides.

Millwall were the latest team to exploit this as they scored early on from a corner at Elland Road.

Moukoudi the solution

It’d be foolish to say that Leeds should just sign a tall player to head balls away from corners all day. Potentially, it would leave the team quite unbalanced if he didn’t have the technical ability to go alongside his physical prowess.

However, it seems as if Moukoudi has a bit of everything.

The 22-year-old’s pass success rate this season is 86.7 per cent, and that’s higher than both Ben White and Liam Cooper, while he also makes more tackles per game, with 2.5, than White and Cooper who make 1.8 and 1.2 respectively.

Standing at 6 foot 3, he wins 3.2 aerial duels per game which is again more than White. Moukoudi wouldn’t only be a great defensive addition, but he’d also be a huge asset when it comes to defending set-pieces.

In other news, Leeds fans have been drooling over one man after Tuesday’s game.