All posts by n8rngtd.top

Trent Alexander-Arnold became the latest Liverpool man to pick up an injury in their 1-1 draw with Manchester City recently and whilst he is on the sidelines, Neco Williams could be given the opportunity to shine.

The 19-year-old has now made 15 appearances for the senior side at Liverpool, in which he has contributed three assists, which suggests that he does hold a threat going forward.

The Liverpool Echo have suggested that Alexander-Arnold could be out for a month following his injury and whilst Jurgen Klopp will be relieved that we are currently in the international break, so he won’t be missing the 22-year-old for too long, he will need to think about who will replace the England international at right-back for his upcoming fixtures.

Whilst there may be a temptation to play the experienced James Milner there, with the 34-year-old having played as a right-back 11 times in his career, we feel that Williams should be given an opportunity to start by Klopp, especially when you consider the number of games the Reds have to play between now and Christmas.

The Welsh international is a product of Liverpool’s youth academy and has impressed in both of his Liverpool appearances in the League Cup so far this season, earning a 7.39 rating for his performance in the 7-2 win against Lincoln City, and a 7.84 rating in the 0-0 penalty loss against Arsenal in the next round.

The teenager has earned the praise of Wales boss Ryan Giggs for his recent performances for the national side, with the former Manchester United man describing his performance against Bulgaria as both “outstanding” and “brilliant” (per Sky Sports).

Therefore, Williams has clearly started the season well for club and country and perhaps deserves to start at right-back ahead of Milner, or anyone else Klopp has in mind, in Liverpool’s next fixture, which sees them take on top-of-the-table Leicester City at Anfield.

If Williams can take this opportunity, perhaps we will start to see him in Alexander-Arnold rotating on a more regular basis, to try and prevent the Englishman from picking up more muscle injuries as he did at the Etihad last weekend.

Aston Villa fans will want to forget about the squad that took them down to the Championship in 2016 but one man has thrived since that fateful campaign.

Signed for £12m under Tim Sherwood, striker Jordan Ayew quickly turned out to be one hell of a flop at Villa Park, scoring just ten times in 58 appearances, which is nearly an average of one goal every six matches.

After half a season in the Championship, the Ghana international linked up with his brother, Andre, at Swansea City in a swap deal for Neil Taylor plus the potential of £5m in add-ons.

But how is he getting on these days?

Where is Ayew now?

You’d have to say pretty well as he finds himself still plying his trade in the Premier League with top-flight rivals Crystal Palace, where he has proven to be quite a consistent option to lead the line for Roy Hodgson.

Last season alone, he scored nine goals in the league, which is one fewer than what he could manage during his entire stint in the Midlands.

According to CIES Football Observatory, the 29-year-old is valued at €20m (£18m) – over three times what Tony Xia sold him for in January 2017.

The versatile forward has also gone onto pick up a total of 58 caps for his national side, and he even beat new Arsenal star Thomas Partey to their Player of the Year award.

Hodgson has even labelled Ayew a “phenomenon,” adding: “One can’t speak highly enough of a player like that. The mere fact that he’s been there through the two seasons we’ve done quite well… his contribution has been enormous.”

Ayew has certainly thrived since his time in the Midlands, so they’ll be hoping that it doesn’t come back to sting them on Boxing Day when he makes that return to Villa Park.

AND in other news, Maupay 2.0: Smith made another transfer mistake with “fearless” £10m sensation…

West Brom will need to make the most of the January transfer window if they are to survive in the Premier League this season, but sporting and technical director Luke Dowling must make a more beneficial long-term move regardless of future division…

What’s the word?

Throughout the summer, Albion were linked with a move for Queens Park Rangers sensation Bright Osayi-Samuel with the reliable Joseph Masi at the Express & Star confirming that the 22-year-old was someone they were closely monitoring.

The attacking midfielder saw a £5m move to Belgian outfit Club Brugge collapse, which sparked interest from the Baggies as well as SPFL giants Celtic.

Football Insider then claimed in October that Osayi-Samuel rejected a new contract, meaning he’s very much likely to leave on a free at the end of the season – or perhaps on the cheap this winter.

An absolute steal for someone

This is where the West Brom hierarchy has to strike – whether that be trying to claim him in January or in the summer – either would help them out substantially.

Osayi-Samuel was perhaps QPR’s unsung hero alongside Eberechi Eze last term, the new Palace star certainly took most of the plaudits. In 34 league starts, the young dynamo scored five goals and provided eight assists.

Whilst this season, he has improved statistically, averaging more dribbles (three), shots (1.4) and key passes (1.3) per game, via WhoScored.

It’s no wonder Mark Warburton is still using him despite the contractual situation. He once dubbed his attacking maestro a “real handful” who has “sheer pace which terrifies defenders.”

Even former England boss Steve McClaren has lauded the 22-year-old, he said: “He’s going to be a real star of the future. He’s not just got speed, he’s got that end product. He can cross, get assists and can score.”

He has often been deployed on the right flank, a weak spot for Albion right now, but can also play in the middle and on the other flank too.

It seems like a no-brainer to reignite that interest when the window opens in just two months time. He’d be an absolute bargain to secure on a freebie.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Carlton Palmer lauds Albion’s “fantastic talent”…

Celtic are easily at their lowest ebb in the last ten years.

This season was supposed to be all about silverware, a tenth successive league crown and dominating Rangers once again.

However, as it turns out, they can’t even dominate the likes of Ross County.

Neil Lennon’s side were knocked out of the Champions League by Hungarian opposition and then shipped eight goals in two games against Sparta Prague as the Hoops exited the Europa League.

11 points behind the Gers in the league and now out of the Scottish Cup too, it has been a disastrous campaign.

Fans have started protesting outside Parkhead and things are getting rather messy in Glasgow from a green and white perspective.

It feels like only a matter of time before Lennon gets the boot and if they want to make full use of the January window for a new manager, they will have to get someone in soon.

It’s now only four weeks before the market opens and Celtic are already being linked with a new midfielder.

That happens to be boyhood Hoops fan James McCarthy. The Crystal Palace enforcer is out of contract at the end of the season and thus, can begin discussing terms with the Bhoys as soon as January.

It’s not a signing that catches the eye immediately, but Nick Hammond could help fix a glaring issue in the Celtic squad by bringing the 42-cap Irishman to Scotland.

First and foremost, he is in the Scott Brown mould, someone who evidently has not been at the races this season.

He might be Celtic’s captain but his performances are not indicative of that. Brown has been woeful and against Sparta last week, he was at fault for the opening goal and made the fewest touches of any player to start the game for Lennon.

Known by many in the game as a bruiser, someone who gets stuck in, that’s the exact qualities that McCarthy could replicate if he made the move across the border.

Once dubbed a “class player” by Roy Hodgson, it’s clear to see why that assessment has been delivered.

Although he is effective in defensive situations, he is also a safe and measured passer with the ability to dictate the play from the middle of the park.

In 2020/21 so far, McCarthy has managed 2.2 tackles per game. For immediate context, Brown only manages 1.5 a match. Vitally, though, the Palace titan commits fewer fouls (0.5) over the course of a game than the Celtic skipper (1.5).

Not only is McCarthy strong in the tackle but he does so by winning the ball and then moving it on. The same cannot be said for Brown, someone who is becoming a greater liability as the weeks go by.

At the age of 35, he is no spring chicken and needs replacing. This must be one of the first priorities for any new manager coming in.

It would be an ideal signing, especially on a free transfer.

In other news, Celtic must UNLEASH this player instead of Scott Brown…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Sheffield Wednesday loanee Dean Windass has reacted to Dominic Iorfa’s devastating injury blow.

Earlier this week, Owls boss Tony Pulis confirmed to reporters that the 25-year-old colossus had “done his Achilles” and will subsequently miss the remainder of the current season.

It’s the latest in a long list of setbacks for the 62-year-old and the club.

The Yorkshiremen started the season with a points deduction and now still find themselves bottom of the table, some seven points from safety.

Wednesday are also yet to win under Pulis, and the players have reportedly not been paid for the month of November, according to The Sheffield Star.

Iorfa now joins fellow central defender Aden Flint on the treatment table, whilst summer signing Chey Dunkley has appeared just twice for the club since his arrival.

Speaking to FFC, Windass said:

“He’s out for the full season now. Josh said he’s an experienced player, very comfortable on the ball at the back.

“It’s the last thing you need when you’re struggling in a dogfight, that your best players get injured. It’s just the way it is, really.

“Unfortunately, it’s a massive blow because Tony’s come out and said to Sky that it’s a bad injury for the kid. Achilles tendon snapped, so he’ll probably be out for a year.”

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers academy graduate had emerged as a regular in defence for both Pulis and the sacked Garry Monk, having started nine of ten matches in the Championship.

He has been out injured for the other nine fixtures.

Going into this weekend’s crucial encounter with Coventry at Hillsborough, Pulis is left with only two fit and senior centre-backs in the form of Dunkley and Tom Lees.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Carlton Palmer comments on Barry Bannan’s Sheffield Wednesday future…

Is today the day that Celtic finally turn their season around?

It has been a topsy-turvy 2020/21 for Neil Lennon and co but with a Scottish Cup final to contest, it’s time to bring back positivity to Parkhead.

On the chalkboard

Only a few weeks ago, Hoops supporters turned out in their droves outside Celtic Park to protest against the management.

It was understandable too. The Bhoys are 13 points behind Rangers in their quest to win a tenth successive SPFL crown in a row and they were being battered on a constant basis in Europe.

However, after the hierarchy came out and backed Lennon, he has engineered two wins in a row against Lille and Kilmarnock.

The victory over Killie marked the club’s first clean sheet since the beginning of November, and they will have to take that confidence into their Scottish Cup final clash with Hearts.

If they lose, you really do fear for Lennon and the players. It will be nothing short of disastrous.

Therefore, how can they go about ensuring victory?

The solution

To put things simply, Celtic simply have to unleash David Turnbull on Hearts.

The Scot spent a period out with COVID-19 but has now recovered and since being instated in the side, has been nothing short of outstanding.

Against St Johnstone, Celtic’s creativity was questioned severely. They drew 1-1 and Tom Rogic, the club’s attacking midfielder on the day, managed just one shot and crucially he failed to play a single key pass.

Turnbull has now taken his place and been excellent, assisting goals against both Lille and Killie. As it happens, the summer signing also found the net against the French opposition in the Europa League.

The midfielder has been playing just right of centre and was phenomenal last time out, amassing as many as six shots and eight key passes. That’s a truly ridiculous record when you consider he’s only just forced his way into Lennon’s plans, starting three times this season.

Against Lille, he managed four shots and three key passes which versus such superior opposition, is seriously impressive. It’s hardly a surprise that Lennon thinks he’s got a “real touch of class.”

Turnbull is proving to be a fabulous addition and if the Bhoys are to have any chance of winning on Sunday, they need to start him.

Forget Rogic, the 21-year-old is now their main creative spark.

AND in other news, Celtic must unleash “wonderful” ace with “explosive power” on Sunday…

Tottenham Hotspur finally return to Premier League action this afternoon after having their midweek fixture against Fulham postponed.

Jose Mourinho’s men welcome a rampant Leeds United side to north London on the back of their 5-0 drubbing of West Brom.

Last time Spurs played, they were pegged back late on by Wolves, who cancelled out their first-minute opener in the dying stages of the game thanks to Romain Saiss heading home.

The Portuguese tinkered with his formation that night, so there could be a few changes afoot given the Whites’ relentless work rate and style of play.

Here is the XI we’re predicting this lunchtime…

Mourinho may make three changes as he reverts back to a 4-3-3 of sorts.

Having dropped Toby Alderweireld and deployed a three-at-the-back formation to counter Wolves, we could see the £18m-rated Belgian return to partner Eric Dier in the middle with Sergio Reguilon and Matt Doherty continuing on each flank.

Which means Davinson Sanchez and Ben Davies return to the bench having both played either side of the England colossus.

Whilst in midfield, Harry Winks is axed for Moussa Sissoko – both Tanguy Ndombele, who bagged the opener last week, and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg remain.

The third and final switch could be out wide with Steven Bergwijn coming back into the mix, pairing Heung-min Son and Harry Kane in the attack.

There are fitness concerns over Brazilian winger Lucas Moura, so he’s unlikely to start from the off and the same goes for Carlos Vinicius too, though he isn’t going to take the place of Kane in the Premier League anytime soon.

Giovani Lo Celso is expected to still be out injured too, he may be a few weeks away from a return, whilst Gareth Bale has been ruled out with a calf problem.

Wantaway outcast Dele Alli may feature on the bench alongside the likes of Erik Lamela and Serge Aurier.

AND in other news, Levy could land a bargain in 24-cap TITAN who Mourinho once lauded an “ANIMAL”…

This has been a rotten season for Celtic and one feels that not even a few additions in the transfer market will improve things.

At the end of the day, the Hoops are 19 points behind Rangers and supporters will settle for nothing less than a tenth successive league crown.

What’s the word?

Celtic have been eyeing a few transfers this month. From Ben Pearson and Alfie Doughty in England, they are now seeking a move for someone in France.

According to Foot Mercato, Celtic have started approaches to try and sign Stade Reims winger Nathanael Mbuku.

The 18-year-old is facing fierce competition for his signature with Parma also in discussions to try and sign the Frenchman.

Lille have also expressed an interest in signing the France youth international who could cost in the region of €8m (£7.2m).

The next Edouard?

Celtic have had enormous joy when buying French players in recent years. Whether it’s Moussa Dembele or Odsonne Edouard, more often than not they’ve garnered immense success.

In Mbuku, it would surely be a similar story. In fact, he could well be the club’s new Edouard.

The Hoops striker has been linked with a move away on a regular basis but regardless of whether he stays in Glasgow or not, the teenage target could be his natural successor at Parkhead.

That’s because he’s a powerful forward capable of bullying the opposition. Although he’s scored just once this term in Ligue 1, the winger has a wonderful record at youth level and is “able to destabilise any defender,” according to his manager David Guion.

At the U17 World Cup in November 2019, he scored five goals in six outings for France, sealing his place as the second-highest goalscorer in the competition. He did so all while playing out wide.

Now, you might wonder how he could replicate Edouard given his position but it’s important to remember that he often played on the flanks when he was younger. For instance, the Bhoys talisman netted three in five games from the right-hand side while playing for PSG in the UEFA Youth League.

The striker has since progressed enormously and Neil Lennon will hope for a similar story with Mbuku if he arrives. He certainly has the talent and potential to become a big player.

AND in other news, “The only way he can stay” – EXCLUSIVE: Pundit delivers verdict on Lennon’s Celtic future…

Many Southampton fans have been buzzing at a video involving Ralph Hasenhuttl that recently emerged on social media.

Saints boss Hasenhuttl was recently asked about Danny Ings’ situation at the club’s recent press conference. He was asked about suggestions regarding the reports which suggested that the Englishman wants to play for a Champions League club in the future.

To this, Hasenhuttl replied that he is confident of keeping Ings at St. Mary’s in the summer transfer window. He also said that if Ings wants to play Champions League football, he should score 15 or 20 goals more for the Saints and help them potentially qualify for Europe.

The Athletic have stated that contract negotiations for Ings’ new deal are at a delicate stage right now, but wages aren’t an issue for him. He feels that if he signs a new contract, it would rule out the possibility of a Champions League side paying a fee what Southampton would deem acceptable. So the Englishman wants a suitable release clause to be inserted.

They have also reported that the longer the negotiations carry on, it will look increasingly unlikely that he extends his contract. He isn’t agitating for a move and he isn’t forcing his way out either.

A video involving Hasenhuttl’s comments was relayed on Twitter recently. Many Saints fans gave their opinion about the Southampton manager.

What did Southampton fans make of this Hasenhuttl video?

“Looks so proud of his answer.”

Credit: @sam_ratliffe

“Gotta love him.”

Credit: @sfcrxbbo_

“Love it from the boss.”

Credit: @Saints_Mike7167

“They said you couldn’t love Ralph anymore…”

Credit: @SaintsfcViews

“Honestly love this man.”

Credit: @NotSoWittyUN

“Reporter: ”Danny wants to play Champions League football?” Ralph: “Yeah sure, he only needs to score 10-15 more goals for us, it’s possible” LOVE HIM”

Credit: @FplLost

In other news, many Saints fans have been fu

David Moyes should urge West Ham United to complete a January transfer for AS Roma striker Edin Dzeko to solve his search for Sebastien Haller’s replacement.

What’s the word?

According to Corriere dello Sport, an intermediary has put forward Dzeko’s services as a potential option for the Irons to explore in the mid-season market after selling Haller to AFC Ajax.

Dzeko has endured a seismic falling out with Giallorossi boss Paulo Fonseca and been stripped of the captain’s armband, much to the frustrations of corners to the Stadio Olimpico dressing room.

Fonseca and Dzeko’s relationship is considered to be difficult to heal after he was exiled from the squad to face Spezia Calcio this weekend, but even more difficult to separate with the Bosnia and Herzegovina international due to him earning €7m-a-year (£120k-p/w).

Inter Milan and Juventus are also no longer thought to be keen on exploring the 34-year-old’s availability, though Everton and Manchester City have been linked with potential interest in the £7.2m-rated star by Gazzetta dello Sport, via Sport Witness.

Reports by Sky Italia also claim Dzeko is liked by Wolverhampton Wanderers, but that he would not look fondly on a move to Molineux or the London Stadium this month.

Dzeko had scored seven goals in 15 Serie A appearances this season before his omission from Saturday’s 4-3 win over Spezia, that saw Roma close the gap to Serie A leaders AC Milan to six points after the Rossoneri’s 3-0 loss at home to Atalanta.

Should West Ham target Dzeko?

West Ham have to sign a striker in the January transfer window after selling Haller to Ajax, with the decision leaving Michail Antonio as Moyes’ only recognised senior striker fresh off the 30-year-old returning from a second hamstring injury of the season.

Andriy Yarmolenko led the line and scored against Doncaster Rovers in the FA Cup on Saturday, but likely cannot be relied on to carry the burden for the remainder of the campaign after scoring just seven goals in 43 Premier League games to date.

Yet whether David Sullivan spends the cash needed to land a new centre-forward remains to be seen, as Claret & Hugh recently claimed that it is increasingly unlikely that a permanent option is acquired after missing out on some of the club’s top targets.

Dzeko would serve as an ideal stop-gap until the summer when other targets can be explored, though, and Moyes must urge not only West Ham to make a swoop but also convince the Bosnian that life at the London Stadium would not be as bad as he may think.

Former England striker Darren Bent was urging Tottenham Hotspur to sign Dzeko not that long ago, as well, as he felt the two-time Premier League winner would be the ideal foil for Harry Kane.

“He’d be a very good signing,” Bent told Football Insider. “He was great at Man City, as his goals to game ratio was crazy and up there with the very best.”

Dzeko scored 50 goals and provided 24 assists in 130 Premier League games, of which he only started 74, during a four-year spell at the Etihad Stadium.

It would also be a long-time coming for Dzeko to line up in east London, with the Irons heavily linked with the ex-Manchester City striker over the past few years after hiring his former coach Manuel Pellegrini between Moyes’ tenures.

AND in other news, West Ham consider January bid for “phenomenal” striker boasting 15 goals in 19 games.