All posts by n8rngtd.top

Many Aston Villa fans were livid with Dean Smith’s decision to bring on Ashley Young as a midfielder against West Ham United on Sunday.

The Villans hosted the Hammers  on Sunday but was a bad day at the office for the Midlands outfit – they lost 4-1, with Ezri Konsa receiving a red card and Jacob Ramsey being forced off injured within the first 15 minutes. As it stands, Villa are 15th in the Premier League table and just three points above the relegation zone (Sky Sports).

By the time of Ramsey’s substitution, Villa were already 1-0 down, and it only got worse from there. Instead of bringing on a natural central midfielder to replace Ramsey, Smith instead decided to call upon 36-year-old wide man Young, and it was a decision which did not turn out as he probably would have hoped.

Many Villa supporters were vocal about their displeasure with Smith’s call, and they took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts. One called for the manager to be shown the door and replaced by Graham Potter, who is currently excelling at Brighton.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about Smith’s substitution

“Can’t wait for Smith to get sacked so we can continue our progress as a club with our new owners. He deserves it purely for subbing Ashley Young on then leaving him on the pitch after the red card and subbing Buendia. Get Potter in ASAP”

Credit: @VillaWatch1

“Not just the players suffering from confidence crisis. That Ashley Young sub shows how little Deano has himself. Terrible decision. Not that Young was bad. Just shows his mindset.”

Credit: @delconnolly

“Bringing Ashley Young into midfield when you have apparently the best young centre midfielder in the country on the bench… That’s panic.”

Credit: @avfc_stef

“Bringing Ashley Young on to play in centre midfield is such a bizarre decision especially when Villa had the option to bring on the younger and more energetic Aaron Ramsey or Carney to try and press West Ham more while also offering a threat going forward, poor from Smith..”

Credit: @ElDeano_96

“If these kids aren’t a better option than a 37 year old Ashley Young playing in midfield then why are we bothering with them. I thought that was a strange decision.”

Credit: @PutinAVFC

“It didn’t take an expert to to know we needed a real good CM, not only to improve us but to strengthen to cover injuries etc. Ashley Young playing CM? It wouldn’t even happen in Championship. We bought good individuals but we didn’t buy for the team … I’m worried”

Credit: @beechy0202

In other news, ,any Aston Villa fans slammed this man’s performance against West Ham

Roberto Martinez is now reportedly being ‘pushed’ by Graeme Jones to take over as manager of Newcastle United after Unai Emery’s latest snub.

The Lowdown: Emery snub

As per journalist and La Liga expert Guillem Balague, Emery is set to reject an approach from the St. James’ Park faithful, after having doubts over their vision for the club.

It was reported by The Athletic that Emery was the favourite for the job with Eddie Howe as the alternative, but the Spaniard has now released a statement confirming he will stay at Villarreal (via Craig Hope).

Balague questioned why both managers would be on the shortlist given that they are completely different, and rightly so, as Emery has managed big names at the top of their divisions, while Howe’s experience only comes from working up the divisions with AFC Bournemouth and Burnley.

The Latest: Jones pushes for Martinez

According to Football Insider, Jones has ‘massively pushed’ for Martinez to be given the new manager role.

A source from the North East club has revealed that the interim coach has ‘made it clear’ to the board that his former co-worker at Belgium should be the permanent successor to Steve Bruce.

He believes that the Spaniard ‘can be lured’ for his current position as Belgium coach, and Martinez is seen as a ‘realistic’ target for the new owners, as experience of managing in the Premier League is ‘key’ for them.

The Verdict: As a last resort

The longer that the Tyneside outfit go without a permanent boss, the more likely it is that they will be relegated from the top flight come the end of the season.

Despite Jones coming in as interim to replace Bruce, they have still not managed to win a game yet in the division, and sit in a very worrying 19th spot in the table with a mere four points (Premier League).

With an international break coming up, the Magpies need to get someone in fast, so that they can implement their ideas properly during that break.

While Martinez could seem a good option on paper, as former Premier League boss Alex McLeish labelled him as ‘world class’ and he showed his credentials by winning the FA Cup with Wigan Athletic and guiding Belgium to first place in the official FIFA World Rankings, he does not seem to be the right fit.

Yes, he is experienced in the top flight, but recorded disappointing bottom-half finishes with Everton in his last two terms at the Merseyside club (Transfermarkt), and also took the Latics down to the Championship in 2013.

The Toon need to bring in someone with a vision to drive the club forward, not a manager who has already been beaten by the drop in England.

In other news, find out which £175,000-per-week ace has emerged as a potential NUFC January signing here!

Aston Villa look set to miss out on Erik ten Hag as the club close in on Steven Gerrard instead.

What’s been said?

A claim made by the Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield on GIVEMESPORT this week claimed that luring the Dutchman to Villa Park would be a huge coup.

However, sadly amid speculation that Gerrard is on the verge of becoming the new boss, it looks as though the Dutchman will be staying in Amsterdam at current club, Ajax.

Talking about the potential of Villa making an approach for Ten Hag, Hatfield said: “He’s someone who’s really highly coveted and I think some people see him as the next Manchester United boss.

“But if Villa could go out and get him, what a coup that would be. Is he going to give up European football now for potential European football in a year or two’s time if things go to plan? I’m not too sure.”

Fans will be gutted

Considering just how talented a manager Ten Hag quite clearly is, Hatfield’s suggestion, coupled with the ongoing developments surrounding Gerrard, is sure to have left fans gutted – although perhaps not totally surprised.

Indeed, having led Ajax to three consecutive Eredivisie titles in the last three years, as well as winning two Dutch Cups and reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League back in 2018/29, it is evident that the former Bayern Munich II coach is something of a serial winner. On top of that, he’s also been dubbed a “remarkable” manager by Pierre van Hooijdonk, highlighting his wonderful expertise and C.V.

This is perhaps why the 51-year-old has been linked with both the Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur jobs in recent weeks, and could also be a reason for Hatfield’s claim that the managerial vacancy at 16th-placed Aston Villa may be slightly below the Dutchman.

However, considering the fact that, in a recent poll ran on Football FanCast, the overwhelming majority of Villa fans said they would prefer Ten Hag to Gerrard, the news that the Rangers boss is heading to the Midlands instead could well be something the club’s fanbase do not particularly want to accept as the former appears to be a much better coach and tactician.

In other news: John Percy drops big Aston Villa manager update that should have fans buzzing

Everton could be on the verge of repeating their disastrous deal for Alex Iwobi after being linked with a transfer move for Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe.

What’s the story?

According to French outlet Jeunes Footeux (as relayed by SportWitness), the Toffees are one of several Premier League clubs interested in securing the 26-year-old’s signature, with Newcastle United and Crystal Palace also listed as potential suitors.

The report claims that the trio are hoping to conclude a short-term loan move including an option to buy Pepe at the end of the season rather than a direct transfer given his recent struggles and that the Gunners may not have any other choice than to accept those terms.

Marcel Brands must avoid

After arriving at Arsenal for a club-record £72m fee in the summer of 2019, Pepe has failed to live up to the expectations that his astronomical price tag understandably brought.

He made 31 Premier League appearances in his maiden campaign, featuring from the off on only 22 occasions and scoring just five goals along the way.

The Ivory Coast international did show shines of improvement last term, though. A healthy return of 16 goals and five assists in all competitions provided hope that Pepe could finally fulfil his potential, yet consistently impressive performances still eluded him.

One particularly frustrating display against Chelsea towards the end of 2020/21 earned criticism from BT Sport pundit Joe Cole, who lamented his work rate compared to teammate Bukayo Saka.

“He plays in fits and starts Pepe,” Cole said. “We’ve got a great angle up here and we were watching him, and he was so lacklustre. Compare him to Saka on the other side who was full of energy and was vibrant.

“Pepe was wandering, after 30 minutes we were questioning what he was on the pitch for, but he has got the quality and that’s why you pay £70m for him because he can do things like that. You just need to see it more often.”

And it appears Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was equally incensed with the versatile forward’s inconsistent showings.

In recent weeks, Pepe has found himself on the substitutes bench on a regular basis as the north London outfit have hit some good form, receiving just five minutes of top-flight action in their last three fixtures.

Therefore, it appears as though his days at the Emirates Stadium are numbered, but Everton’s hierarchy would be wise to stay away from the infuriating if talented £140,000-per-week Ivorian.

Marcel Brands has already been embarrassed by Arsenal in two previous transfer dealings with the capital club, first when he paid £20m for an ageing Theo Walcott, and then when he splashed big money to bring Iwobi to Goodison Park.

The two wingers both failed to have the desired impact following their switch to Merseyside, and Brands must avoid making the same mistake for a third time in just three years.

And, in other news…Signed for £7.1m, sold for £30m: Brands pulled off EFC masterclass with 32 y/o monster

West Ham are interested in signing Sevilla and Morocco striker Youssef En-Nesyri in the January transfer window, according to a new report from Fichajes.

The Lowdown: Potential January reinforcements

The Hammers are enjoying an excellent season so far but squad additions in the winter could help take them to another level. David Moyes’ side will hope to continue challenging for a top-four finish, but that could be a struggle without changes to the current squad.

An exciting new report has emerged regarding El-Nesyri, who scored an impressive 18 goals in La Liga last season and a further six in the Champions League and has been given the nickname ‘Hurricane Youssef’.

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The Latest: En-Nesyri linked with West Ham move

According to Fichajes, West Ham are eyeing up a move for the 24-year-old, who could be available for €50m (£42m), which would almost break the club’s record transfer fee set by £45m man Sebastien Haller.

Daniel Kretinsky’s investment in the Hammers means that funds could be available to snap up the Moroccan, who has scored 11 goals in 39 caps for his country and was the subject of an unsuccessful €35m (£29.5m) bid from the east London club during the summer transfer window.

The Verdict: Perfect mid-season addition

This is the kind of signing which would feel like a statement of intent by West Ham at a time when they are looking to complete with the most successful teams in the country.

En-Nesyri is a proven striker who has delivered in La Liga for a number of seasons now and he could provide strong competition for Michail Antonio in attack, something which is sorely lacking at the moment.

With both domestic and Europa League commitments for the Hammers over the winter and into the New Year, it could also allow Moyes to shuffle his pack more regularly. It’s hard to feel that a move for En-Nesyri wouldn’t make perfect sense.

In other news, some West Ham fans are excited about another transfer rumour. Read more here.

Many Everton fans have been left flocking to some manager news on Kasper Hjulmand.

As per Danish news outlet B.T., the Goodison Park faithful have now enquired about the Denmark national team coach, and are doing ‘concrete research’ on him in the view of him potentially succeeding Rafa Benitez.

The Spaniard is under pressure following their 4-1 loss at home to bitter rivals Liverpool in midweek, which has now seen them without a win eight games in the Premier League ahead of their visit of Arsenal on Monday night.

The poor run of form will reportedly see some supporters of the Merseyside club walk out during the 27th minute of the match in protest, due to it being 27 years now without a major trophy to their name.

Nonetheless, Hjulmand is one name on the shortlist due to his success with Denmark, in where he guided them to the semi-final of Euro 2020, as his team also became the third side to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

He also guided them to ninth spot in the official World Rankings in the process.

However, his record as a club manager is nowhere near as impressive, as he lasted just 21 games in his mist high-profile job at Mainz, and has no other experience of managing in any other major European league (Transfermarkt).

Of course, managing at club level is a lot different to the international stage, and so Toffees supporters seem split on his potential appointment.

Everton fans on Hjulmand news

These Blues flocked to the news as it was shared on Twitter:

“Don’t know much about him but he’s taken an about average Denmark team and put them in a good position. International footy is different, look at Southgate, but think it’s a decent shout.”

Credit: @1878_Shirts

“This would be amazing. Gets the best out of average players. We have a lot of average players”

Credit: @adam_drage

“Please”

Credit: @Shot_Stopper24

“Doesn’t look great on paper….. Biggest club gig was Mainz where he didn’t even last a season, started ok in the league then 1 win in 13. Lampard for me”

Credit: @keepitreal_82

“Another disaster”

Credit: @iamawayrightnow

“His record as a domestic manager is awful”

Credit: @AlmightyLard

In other news, find out what Marcel Brands news has Evertonians erupting here!

Flocking to Twitter, lots of Manchester City supporters have gone wild as a £59.3m claim emerges involving wantaway forward Ferran Torres.

Sporting director Txiki Begiristain secured his signing in the summer of 2020, with Torres moving to City for an initial £21m, arguably a bargain fee for one of Spain’s most promising stars.

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The forward, who impressed this season before his recent injury lay-off, has averaged more shots on goal per 90 than any Sky Blues player (WhoScored), often being utilised as a makeshift out-and-out centre-forward by Pep Guardiola.

Despite playing a more prominent role at Eastlands when available, big news over this last week indicates that Torres could now prematurely move back to La Liga, with reliable reporter Sam Lee of The Athletic backing the 21-year-old’s desire to join Barcelona as they eye a move.

Many updates on the situation have emerged since then but one claim from journalist Gerard Romero has had many Citizens talking.

Taking to Twitter, the Twitch reporter claimed that City have slapped a €70m (£59.3m) price tag on the player as Begiristain looks to make nearly triple what was originally paid to sign Torres. Barca are only offering €50m (£42.4m), with the Citizens showing no sign of letting their starlet leave Manchester easily.

Man City fans go wild…

The former Valencia man shone at Euro 2020 in parts, getting on the scoresheet and providing an assist for Luis Enrique’s side in their epic last 16 win over Croatia.

He’s also been playing more centrally for Spain at times this season, bagging a brace and putting in a Man of the Match display against Euro 2020 winners Italy in their 2-1 UEFA Nations League semi-final victory last month.

Thriving on both the international and club stage over 2021/22 so far, it’s little wonder that City value him at £59.3m, especially considering that he is still just 21 and has huge sell-on potential.

As City make their stance clear in negotiations, with only a sizeable fee enough to part ways, many Sky Blues have gone wild on Twitter as they praise Begiristain and the club for not being pushed around.

Check out some of their best reactions below:

“TXIKI ACTUALLY TRYING TO SELL FOR A GOOD PRICE”

Credit: @misfermo2

“Perfect”

Credit: @JDesrochers_

“Finally some good negotiations”

Credit: @MCFC_Liban

“Well this is awesome ngl”

Credit: @kae_saret

“Aaaaaah! Finally we are negotiating at right price. This will help us with balance for Striker – either in summer or Jan window”

Credit: @guraj_vaish

“Finally getting a good price for a player, in Txiki we trust”

Credit: @Irish_cityFan

“Siuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu he’s staying”

Credit: @Weezy_ef

“We might actually get a good deal”

Credit: @DabboGaming

In other news: ‘Yessss’, ‘We are back’, ‘Ain’t going nowhere’…Man City fans erupt over ‘lovely news’ out of Eastlands, find out more here.

A key Newcastle United update has emerged, regarding the club’s search for a director of football to work with Eddie Howe.

What’s the talk?

Magpies reporter Liam Kennedy has revealed that he has heard the likes of Michael Edwards, Paul Mitchell and Victor Orta mentioned as possible targets for the club’s director of football role. He has claimed that PIF will take their time with the appointment, with a number of candidates still in contention.

Speaking on the latest edition of NUFC Matters, via ThisIsFutbol, Kennedy said:

“There are other people in line. I’ve heard loads of names mentioned. Of course, we’ll have heard the lad at Liverpool, whose name escapes me at the moment [Michael Edwards]; there’s the lad [Paul] Mitchell, who used to be at Southampton who’s now at AS [Monaco], is one that is mentioned.

“I’ve heard Victor Orta mentioned – the lad at Leeds who had a meltdown the other day, I’ve seen him on Sky Sports News shouting at some fans.

“And again, it’ll be one that they take their time on, it’s a big appointment.”

Buzzing

Newcastle fans will surely be buzzing with this update from Kennedy as it illustrates the calibre the club are aiming for. They are targeting top operators and want to ensure that they get the best possible person in to fill the role, as they will be leading the club’s football operations in the long-term and this is not an appointment they can afford to get wrong.

Edwards, in particular, is an intriguing target for the Magpies given his impressive work for Liverpool. He is due to depart Anfield at the end of the season and Newcastle could hold out and wait for him to join ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The sporting director helped to build a squad capable of winning the Champions League and Premier League for the Reds, whilst having a net spend of £130m. He is also said to have convinced the club to spend the money required to land Mo Salah, who has scored 145 goals and provided 56 assists in 224 games for the Premier League side.

To illustrate his impact on Merseyside, Jurgen Klopp heaped praise on the director for the positive contributions he has made. The German head coach said:

“If we are as fortunate and blessed as we have been so far, maybe we can create more special memories for our club in this remaining time.

“He has been a constant presence during my period at LFC and his contribution to our success is clear for everyone to see.”

This highlights the standard of candidate Newcastle are eyeing, according to Kennedy, and why fans will be buzzing with someone like Edwards being under consideration.

However, it is now down to the board to go out and ensure that they are able to convince him, or one of the other targets, to make the switch and come in to help Howe and his team.

AND in other news, 98x possession lost: Howe must brutally axe NUFC’s “manager’s dream”, he’s a passenger…

With Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United side heading back to Yorkshire empty-handed despite a spirited display on Saturday afternoon, the 66-year-old will undoubtedly be questioning whether or not the decisions he made against Chelsea were correct.

One such call was the choice to leave 19-year-old Joe Gelhardt out of the Leeds starting XI, despite the centre-forward appearing to have more than done enough in recent games to suggest that he was more than worthy of a place in the manager’s initial line-up at Stamford Bridge.

Despite only being handed eight minutes to make his mark on the match, the £1.17m-rated youngster went a long way to proving that Bielsa’s call to leave him on the bench initially was in fact the wrong one.

Won 100% duels

Indeed, after being brought on for the talismanic Raphinha in the final 10 minutes, Gelhardt scored with what was his first touch of the game, sliding home Tyler Roberts’ teasing ball across the penalty area in fantastic fashion, and subsequently drawing his side level.

Aside from his immediate goalscoring impact, the £16.5k-per-week forward also won 100% of his duels, made one key pass and received a SofaScore match rating of 7.5 for his efforts against the Blues, ranking him as United’s best performer in the match despite his fleeting appearance.

As such, it is not difficult to see why The Athletic’s Phil Hay tweeted of the 19-year-old after the match that “everything about him screams class,” nor is it hard to understand why Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross dubbed the striker’s performance as “amazing” in his player ratings.

In fact, the only thing that is somewhat confusing is why Bielsa did not start Gelhardt from the off, as it is clear that the teenager is a player who can change the course of a game for the Whites. That’s a trait which, would have seen his side take a point back to Yorkshire were it not for Mateusz Klich’s silly late challenge which led to Jorginho’s match-winning penalty in the 94th minute.

In other news – Forget Llorente: “Ineffective” Leeds flop who made just 11 passes cost Bielsa dearly

Wesley Hoedt ‘probably would fit the bill’ as a Connor Goldson replacement at Rangers. 

That’s according to freelance journalist Pete O’Rourke, who was speaking to Give Me Sport.

The lowdown

Goldson is out of contract at the end of this season and Football Insider reported at the start of this month that, as per an Ibrox source, he had rejected the offer of a new deal in Glasgow. The former Brighton defender is apparently intent on testing himself in the Premier League once more.

Meanwhile, Hoedt permanently left Southampton in the summer to join Belgian outfit Anderlecht, having had loan spells at Celta Vigo, Royal Antwerp and Lazio. The 27-year-old penned a four-year contract and is valued at £3.6m by Transfermarkt.

The Dutchman has been named as a target for the Gers by the Daily Record (as relayed by Ibrox News) ahead of the winter transfer window.

The latest

O’Rourke has claimed that the Gers will be putting together a shortlist of centre-backs who they could pursue if Goldson leaves, and Hoedt may be among those lined up.

The journalist told Give Me Sport: “I’m sure they are drawing up potential replacements for Goldson, and I think Hoedt probably would fit the bill.”

The verdict

Hoedt has experience of some of Europe’s top leagues, having made 65 Serie A appearances and played 41 times in the Premier League during his career. He has also been capped six times by Netherlands, although his last international outing was in March 2017.

While Southampton ultimately decided to offload him, he won some plaudits for his displays in England. For example, Liverpool’s hugely successful manager Jurgen Klopp hailed him as a ‘really, really good player’.

For a reasonable fee at the age of 27, he could be a smart pick-up by Rangers, especially if Goldson flies the coop next year.

In other news, some Rangers fans ripped into this player against St Mirren