All posts by z3u9t.icu

Rangers have a rare weekend off from competitive action as international matches take over this week ahead of a return to the Premiership against Hearts on 16 October.

Whilst Gers fans may be twiddling their thumbs waiting for their club to play again, the international break provides an opportunity for them to watch players in a different setting whilst playing for their countries.

It also affords the players a chance to show Steven Gerrard, assuming he keeps track of their international performances, that they deserve a place in the Rangers XI. One player who may have needed this boost is attacking midfielder Ianis Hagi, who has failed to register a goal or assist in his last three appearances for the Scottish giants.

The 22-year-old lined up for Romania against European giants Germany in a World Cup qualifier on Friday night and put in a superb performance to put himself firmly in Gerrard’s thoughts ahead of next weekend.

The Gers playmaker was unable to help his team to victory as Romania succumbed to a 2-1 defeat, but his performance stood out as he scored the opening goal and caught the eye with the rare moments he had on the ball throughout the match.

He stunned the home crowd with a sensational goal to open the scoring on the night. He weaved inside and out of several Germany players, nutmegging Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger, before unleashing a pinpoint left-footed effort into the bottom corner past the despairing dive of Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen. This meant that he completed 100% of his attempted dribbles in the game, picking his moment with perfection to punish Germany.

Along with his goal, Hagi put in lots of hard work defensively. As per SofaScore, he won 75% of his duels as well as making one interception, one clearance and one tackle for Romania. This shows that he was not afraid to track back and put his foot in despite playing out wide, proving that he has a willingness for the more industrious side to the game.

Gerrard will surely have been impressed with this performance from Hagi as it shows what he can do in matches where his team may not dominate possession, in the Europa League for example. The 22-year-old proved that he can produce moments of magic whilst also being disciplined defensively, which could increase his chances of starting at Ibrox next week.

AND in other news, “From what I hear”: Insider drops big Rangers injury update, Gerrard will be buzzing…

Newcastle travel to face Wolves at Molineux on Saturday as they go in search of their first Premier League win of the season.

The Magpies are yet to acquire three points in one go this term and now come up against a Wolves side with two wins from their last three in the league.

Steve Bruce’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by Watford in their last game, with Sean Longstaff scoring at Vicarage Road seven days ago.

How many changes will Bruce make to his team for today? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three changes to the side from Watford, with Fabian Schar, Jacob Murphy and Jeff Hendrick all coming in.

First of all, we believe that Bruce will revert to a 3-5-2, or 5-3-2 depending on how you view it, to match Wolves’ defensive set-up. Bruno Lage’s side lined up with three centre-backs and two central midfielders against Southampton and that could tempt Bruce into going with a similar setup to avoid being overrun in certain areas.

In order to make this tactical change, Newcastle will need to bring in a centre-back to play alongside Ciaran Clark, who we believe will start despite our article urging Bruce to drop him, and Federico Fernandez. This means Miguel Almiron could be axed from the team to facilitate another central defender, with the 27-year-old coming in for criticism for recent performances.

Changing to a 3-5-2 requires a wide player to be sacrificed and that means Joelinton or Almiron would need to be dropped to the bench for Schar to come in. We are predicting that the Paraguayan will face the axe as Joelinton, with his size and power, is more suited to playing in a front two alongside Allan Saint-Maximin.

Another change which could come as a result of the altered formation is at right wing-back. Murphy enjoyed a successful spell in that position last term, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.73 in 26 appearances, providing two goals and three assists from defence. This means that bringing him in for Javier Manquillo could be a shrewd call if Bruce opts to go with wing-backs.

Finally, in the middle of the park, Hendrick could come in for Isaac Hayden. The latter had the lowest SofaScore rating (6.8) in the Magpies’ midfield against Watford and the switch to three/five at the back could mean that Bruce doesn’t require an out-and-out defensive enforcer in there. Therefore, Hendrick could come in and be given an opportunity to show what he can do alongside Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff.

AND in other news, Time’s up: Bruce must ruthlessly axe £35k-p/w Newcastle flop today, he’s been shocking…

Everton and mediocrity appear to go hand in hand at the moment.

After the Toffees finished in tenth place last season, Rafa Benitez has hardly set the world alight when it comes to strengthening their first team.

What’s the word?

Everton have already concluded three deals this summer with Demarai Gray arriving from Bayer Leverkusen, Asmir Begovic from Bournemouth and Andros Townsend on a free transfer.

Those acquisitions will bolster their squad depth more than anything but Benitez appears to be on the verge of wrapping up a move of a similar calibre.

Recent reports dictate that the Merseyside outfit have stolen a march on Celtic in the race to sign Aurelio Buta.

The right-back plays his club football for Royal Antwerp in Belgium but Everton are set to lure him to the Premier League.

It’s thought a deal will cost as little as £3m.

How will it be received?

There is no doubting that Buta possesses immense talent and at the price tag mooted, you can’t really go wrong.

He has been described as one of the best full-backs in Belgian football by journalist Aster Nzeyimana, which will no doubt go down well with supporters.

You also can’t deny their need for more depth at right-back with Seamus Coleman’s contract expiring in a year’s time.

However, in a window where Everton have been linked to Denzel Dumfries, it would be strange if they left that interest behind.

After all, the Dutchman could be snapped up for just £15m this summer and would surely be a better investment.

He is proven on the international stage and in one of Europe’s top leagues.

You only need to recollect his form at Euro 2020 to understand why they have to sign him instead. He scored twice for the Netherlands and was a dominant force going forward.

Dumfries’ speed, energy and power were like very few full-backs in the modern game as he ran rampant on the flanks.

He looks destined to leave this month and with such a good opportunity to sign him, fans will surely be angry if they don’t chase up their interest.

Buta is adept at going forward, making 1.7 key passes per match this term, but he is not of the calibre of Dumfries.

This would be yet another strange deal to add to the collection at Goodison Park this summer.

AND in other news, Benitez could discover his new Xabi Alonso if Everton sign “complete” £35m titan…

Leeds United pair Junior Firpo and Jamie Shackleton are unlikely to be available to face Tottenham, coming after Patrick Bamford and Luke Ayling were already ruled out.

The Lowdown: Leeds take on Spurs

The Whites return to Premier League action after the international break this weekend, making the trip to Spurs on Sunday afternoon.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side drew 1-1 at home to Leicester City in their last outing and now haven’t lost in their last three league games.

Avoiding defeat against Spurs would be another positive step in the right direction, but their injury woes have not exactly eased, with Ayling and Bamford both certain to miss out, and now more worrying news emerging before the big clash.

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The Latest: Hay makes injury claim

Two more players who look likely to miss out on Sunday are Firpo and Shackleton, with Hay taking to Twitter to confirm that the pair are not ready fitness-wise:

“Firpo is doing well, just needs minutes, Bielsa says. Shackleton is in the same situation (doesn’t sound like either will be involved on Sunday).”

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The Verdict: Full-back dilemma

Should Firpo and Shackleton miss out, it leaves Leeds horribly light in the full-back department, with the latter impressing at right-back of late and making five league starts this season.

Stuart Dallas will almost certainly fill one of the full-back spots – presumably right-back – while Pascal Stuijk could fill in at left-back, as was the case against Leicester.

It’s far from ideal however, with neither player really a natural on the flanks, while Firpo’s left-foot offers proper width on that side when he is available – the Spaniard’s possible return was labelled as ‘crucial’ by Danny Mills this week, so his absence is a major concern.

In other news, one key Leeds figure is delighted with a Whites injury update. Read more here.

Liverpool are plotting a move for AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie as the club continue to search for Gini Wijnaldum’s replacement.

What’s the story?

The Reds will reportedly offer the 24-year-old a deal worth £7m-a-year in an attempt to lure the box-to-box midfielder away from San Siro, according to Italian outlet Sports Mediaset (as reported by the Daily Mirror).

However, the report claims that Jurgen Klopp and co. face a tough battle to secure Kessie’s signature, with Milan set to offer a £5m salary in order to try and keep the Ivory Coast international in Serie A.

Kessie has just one year remaining on his current contract with the Rossoneri, and talks over an extension are thought to be at an impasse.

Jurgen Klopp will love him

Following the departure of Wijnaldum, several well-known stars have been linked with a move to Anfield as Klopp attempts to adequately replace the Netherlands international.

And bringing in Kessie is a deal that makes sense for multiple reasons. The stocky dynamo has cultivated an enviable reputation during his time in Italian football, and his playing style appears to naturally suit Liverpool’s preferred approach.

The Milan ace’s mix of pace, energy, technical ability and eye for goal make him the ideal fit for Klopp’s preferred gegenpressing setup, meaning a move to English shores could be on the cards.

His impressive performances for Milan in recent years have earned several plaudits, including ex-striker Antonio Cassano, who even compared him to a previous Premier League great.

“I want Kessie in my team, he scores, he assists, he has personality, he has quality, he doesn’t lose the ball, he is intelligent. I’m watching him carefully, against Roma, he was devastating,” he said (via MilanLive).

“He reminds me of the Yaya Touré of the best times. He is a different player, but in terms of impact, he is holding Milan’s midfield alone.”

Kessie really caught the eye last season, bagging 13 goals and providing six assists in 37 top-flight appearances, achieving a highly respectable 7.15 WhoScored rating along the way.

Whether the combative midfielder can be tempted to join Liverpool remains to be seen, but the £49.5m-rated maestro has the assets required to slot straight into Klopp’s system, and could help propel the Anfield outfit back to the summit of English football.

And, in other news…Time’s up: Klopp must ruthlessly axe £10m LFC flop this summer, he’s not good enough 

With recent reports suggesting that Scott Parker’s time as Fulham manager could be coming to an end in the next few days, there is one potential replacement for the 40-year-old who could carry on the former England international’s work at Craven Cottage.

According to a report by The Telegraph, the relationship between Parker and both Shahid and Tony Khan has rather considerably broken down following Fulham’s relegation to the Championship last season, with the club’s hierarchy having been in talks with the young manager regarding his position at the club this week.

As a result of these talks, it is expected that Parker will leave the club in the coming days, possibly by mutual consent, with the 40-year-old thought to be in the running to take over from Jonathan Woodgate at Fulham’s promotion rivals Bournemouth.

And, with the Cottagers looking increasingly likely to be on a hunt for a new manager of their own in the not so distant future, there is one standout candidate who could well be Parker’s perfect successor at Craven Cottage – Steve Cooper.

Cooper can continue Parker’s project

Following a season in which Graham Potter had led his Swansea City side to a 10th place finish in the 2018/19 Championship campaign, the appointment of a coach whose only previous experience in management had been with the Liverpool and England youth sides may not filled many of the Swansea fans with confidence.

However, the 41-year-old quickly put any doubt about his managerial capabilities to bed, with the Welsh side going on to enjoy a remarkable, and rather unexpected, season under the previously unknown coach – winning 18, drawing 16 and losing 12 of their 46 Championship fixtures in Cooper’s debut season, subsequently securing a sixth-place finish.

And, although the Swans would eventually lose 3-2 on aggregate to a much-fancied Brentford side in the play-off semi-finals, there were clear signs of improvement made by the club under their new manager – not only in league position but also tactically, with Swansea conceding just eight goals from set-pieces, down from 24 under Potter in the year prior.

The following season, Cooper defied expectations once again, with Swansea winning 23, drawing 11 and losing 12 of their 46 Championship fixtures, this time finishing the season in fourth place with 80 points – 10 more than the previous year.

Their performances in the play-offs also improved, defeating Barnsley 2-1 on aggregate in the semi-final, before – extremely unfortunately – meeting Thomas Frank’s Brentford once more in the final – a game that Swansea would ultimately lose 2-1.

Away from the pitch, Cooper has also gained a reputation for being extremely adept in developing young players – something no doubt helped by the fact the 41-year-old won the U17 World Cup with England – so much so that Premier League sides now offer Swansea the opportunity to loan their youth prospects before making them available to the wider market.

As such, it would very much appear as if the appointment of the man whom Andre Ayew dubbed a “quality” manager at Fulham would not only bring the very real chance of securing an immediate return to the Premier League, but also the potential of developing a young, exciting and attacking side that could well stay in the top flight for longer than Parker managed – leading us to believe that Cooper should very much be top of Khan’s shortlist this summer.

In other news: Khan disaster: Massive Fulham development emerges that’ll surely leave fans devastated

Ange Postecoglou’s first summer as the new manager of Celtic was an extremely busy one.

Together with Dominic McKay, the Hoops boss carried out a thorough upheaval of the playing staff, with plenty of bodies coming and going.

Twelve first-team players arrived, including three on a frantic transfer deadline day, but Postecoglou was also keen to strengthen the ranks in the reserve team. They brought in the likes of Liam Shaw and Osaze Urhoghide from Sheffield Wednesday, while Joey Dawson was also recruited from the English Football League to Parkhead.

Shaw looks as though he’ll have a bright future in Glasgow, but sadly he has not been able to work his way into the manager’s plans so far. Instead, it was claimed by The Athletic this week that Dane Murray and Bosun Lawal were ahead of him in the pecking order.

Murray earned his Celtic debut in the Champions League at the beginning of the season, while Lawal was one of many signings this summer, arriving from Watford in a deal worth just £120,000.

He has made an instant impact at the club, taking on the captaincy of the B team, who have enjoyed a vibrant start to their life in the Lowland League.

A tough midfield player, he could well become the Hoops’ new Olivier Ntcham over the next few seasons.

Ntcham left Celtic this summer as he headed to Swansea following a dismal last 12 months in Scotland. The Frenchman was labelled a “disgrace” by Noel Whelan after he appeared to down tools with his performances and it was a sad way for such a talented player’s career in Scotland to end.

When he was on song, he was a fabulous asset. Discussing the midfielder in 2015 when he was still at Manchester City, The Guardian wrote: “Despite still being a teenager he already appears a powerhouse, a quality that is balanced by mobility, the ability to play the simple or clever ball, and a natural instinct to ghost into the penalty area at the right time to score.”

Genoa president Enrico Preziosi added: “I’ve been in the world of football 26 years and I’ve never seen a similar player at his age. He has an unlimited potential, and is really a fantastic talent.”

Ntcham never lived up to that potential, but in being a long-legged midfield general, Lawal has similar attributes at his disposal. The 18-year-old won’t be seen in the first team for a while and has yet to feature at senior level but he looks an incredibly promising player.

During his time with the Hornets, Watford icon Troy Deeney loved what he saw from the teenager, saying: “You know what, he’s got a little bit of [Abdoulaye] Doucoure about him.

“He can get past people effortlessly and keep striding, he has that big long stride. I thought he did really well.

“Three or four days after playing in the U23s, he played another 90 minutes and it was effortless to him.”

The tireless youngster clearly made a big impression in Hertfordshire, and by being entrusted with skipper duties in the Celtic B team, he is already making enormous strides at his new club.

Lawal is certainly one to watch.

AND in other news, Forget Montgomery: Celtic may have their next Tierney in 17 y/o who’s the “real deal”…

Leeds United have been handed a golden chance to sign Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O’Brien amid a recent transfer update.

What’s the story?

Journalist Alan Nixon had previously revealed via Twitter that O’Brien was “very near” to the top of the shortlist for Marcelo Bielsa’s side this summer as they look to strengthen their midfield options ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

And now, according to The Daily Mirror (print edition, page 64, August 22, 2021), the Terriers will sell the midfielder for around £8m.

And former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell has delivered his seal of approval over a potential late move for O’Brien this summer.

He said: “They are weaker without Kalvin Phillips in there, for sure.

“The Man United game, I thought they’d have lost without him anyway. But he is so important to them and it is massive for Leeds to have him back. But O’Brien does stiffen that midfield up. He’s a really, really good player. I think they will definitely look to strengthen.”

He’s better than Klich

In O’Brien, Leeds could find someone who could be a real upgrade on Mateusz Klich in the middle of the park, with Huddersfield Town writer Steven Chicken raving about the 22-year-old’s ability to cover ground and put his foot in.

He said: “O’Brien is a left-footed, tough-tackling central midfielder. Former Huddersfield boss Danny Cowley often praised O’Brien as being ‘like having two players’, with the midfielder receiving particular praise from his manager and fans alike for his ability and willingness to rush back and win the ball with a clean sliding tackle whenever his side were caught on the counter-attack.

“He certainly has the potential to be (a Premier League player), if he’s not already.”

Former Huddersfield goalkeeper, Matt Glennon, added to those sentiments by saying: “He closes down until the 95th, 96th minute, still running to the corners, stopping defenders, he’s got unlimited energy.

“Lewis O’Brien wants to put the hard yards in and wants to be at the very top of where he can get to. He’s one of those lads who works ridiculously hard which, for me, is your minimum in any league, but he’s got that quality, the drop of a shoulder, that strength to keep people off him, a low centre of gravity to glide past people, arm aloft when they try to knock him off the ball.”

And, when you look at the key stats between O’Brien and Klich, it’s the Terriers ace who comes out on top.

As per Whoscored, O’Brien averaged more tackles, interceptions, dribbles and fouls won per game last season than his Polish counterpart, and given the fact he is several years younger – almost a decade in fact – he should come on leaps and bounds over the coming campaigns.

His tally of three goals and three assists – compared to Klich’s four and five respectively – came in a campaign which saw him play a number of different positions including holding midfield and left-back, so there’s real potential for him to develop that end product even further.

The Whites could sign a real upgrade on Klich by landing O’Brien this summer, and the latest transfer update on his future has gifted them a golden chance to do so.

Meanwhile, Leeds are eyeing this Premier League record breaker…

Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips could be earmarked as a potential successor to Fernandinho, former Manchester City defender Steve Howey has told The Transfer Tavern.

Fernandinho is now 36 years of age and his contract at the Etihad expires next month.

It means the Premier League champions could soon find themselves searching for a long-term replacement, with Howey liking the look of Phillips.

The 25-year-old has been a key player for Marcelo Bielsa this season, making just under 30 appearances in his debut English top-flight campaign.

Presently, there is nothing to suggest that Manchester City are interested in the player. Howey, however, would not be surprised to see that change.

When Asked by TT whether Phillips could be a target for his old side if Fernandinho leaves, the retired Premier League footballer said: “He could well be.

“I actually had a conversation with Gareth Southgate about him and I said I was blown away [over] how good he was. We were at Everton and I watched Everton against Leeds and he was excellent. He ran the show.”

As well as being able to run the show, Phillips would also be capable of adding some real steel to this Manchester City side.

According to WhoScored, the England international made 2.6 tackles per game in the Premier League campaign that has just gone, the third-highest average in Leeds’ squad.

Leeds United had a fairly busy previous summer transfer window in terms of the deals that took place at Elland Road.

Not only did the Yorkshire club secure permanent deals for the likes of Dan James, Jack Harrison and Junior Firpo, but they also saw numerous players leave on loan or free transfers.

However, one player that the Whites were linked with over the summer that they will now be regretting not being able to sign is Conor Gallagher.

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Having spent last season on loan with West Bromwich Albion from his parent club Chelsea, the midfielder found himself on the move again last summer.

A report from the Daily Mail claimed that Leeds were in the mix with Crystal Palace and Newcastle United for the Englishman’s signature.

Eventually, the Chelsea youngster stayed in London but ended up at Selhurst Park with the Eagles on loan until the end of the campaign.

Unfortunately for Leeds, the 22-year-old has shown just how much of a mistake the Whites made by not making sure it was them who Gallagher joined in the summer.

With 28 league appearances to his name, the England international has scored eight goals and delivered three assists, leaving only Wilfried Zaha with more goal contributions for Patrick Vieira’s side.

One of those goals ended up being labelled as “outrageous” by Palace podcaster Dan Cook on Twitter.

As well as his efforts in front of goal, Gallagher’s overall performances have been mightily impressive as well.

So much so that WhoScored have him listed as the highest-rated player in Vieira’s squad, as well as the seventh-highest rated player in the entire Premier League excluding Liverpool and Manchester City players.

In comparison to Leeds attacker Rodrigo, the Palace loan star has made more big chances and played more passes into the final third than the Spaniard this season.

To further highlight how imposing the £17k-per-week Englishman has been in terms of creating chances, he’s racked up more shot-creating actions than the likes of Raheem Sterling, Diogo Jota, Phil Foden and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Taking all of this into account and with some of the difficult results that Leeds have picked up at times this season, having a player like Gallagher – who is now reported to have an asking price of £50m – in their ranks could have been a massive boost for the Whites.

AND in other news: Leeds heading for disaster on “wonderful” £38k-p/w “talent”, Marsch would be fuming