All posts by z3u9t.icu

Julen Lopetegui will take charge of his first game as Wolves manager after the World Cup and the Spaniard should consider unleashing Joe Hodge in the first team.

The 20-year-old midfielder has been earning rave reviews in the academy since joining from Manchester City and could add the physicality that Wolves’ midfield currently lacks.

Hodge could even prove to be an upgrade on Joao Moutinho at Molineux, considering the veteran midfielder has struggled for consistent form so far this season and is starting to look well past his best.

The 36-year-old’s form at Wolves has steadily declined in recent seasons, with his 6.61 average rating from WhoScored this term a significant decrease on the 7.01 rating he averaged in the 2019/20 campaign.

With the summer addition of Matheus Nunes, Wolves could be accused of having too many similar players in their midfield, as all three Portuguese players possess similar qualities and deficiencies.

Hodge, however, has already earned three appearances in the first team so is clearly on the brink of becoming a regular in the senior side, and considering the Old Gold’s shocking form so far this campaign, he deserves a chance to help turn things around.

The “midfield destroyer” – as per scout Jacek Kulig – earned a lot of praise from academy coach James Collins last season after a defeat against his old side Manchester City in the Premier League 2.

Collins said: “I can’t speak highly enough of Joe. He’s a manager’s dream in the fact that he’s got talent and ability, but also understands that to make it at the top level or any level of professional football you have to do the hard work and the hard yards.

“Nobody I know works harder than him or sticks at it, showing resilience like him. He’s getting his rewards with his performances.

“I think he’s been our standout player this season so far and because of that probably won’t spend much longer in under-21s football. He’ll either get in and around our first team or he’ll get himself a really good loan.”

Wolves need someone with energy and ability in midfield and sadly Moutinho no longer has the legs to cut it in the Premier League, as is evidenced by the fact he scores in the worst possible percentile for players dribbling past him when compared to other midfielders across Europe.

Lopetegui will no doubt have the chance to assess Hodge during the World Cup break and considering his starring performances with the U21s, for whom he has three goals already this season, the Spanish boss should consider starting him ahead of Moutinho in the Premier League.

Today marks Leeds United’s final game before the World Cup break commences and the Whites have been handed a tough draw as they travel to face Tottenham Hotspur.

Although on paper it seems like a tough fixture, Jesse Marsch’s side have cause for optimism as they have won two of their last three games including a dramatic victory at Anfield to beat Liverpool.

Admittedly, a lot of the success had this season has been against tougher opposition, with a win against Chelsea also under their belt, and an impressive display in their narrow loss to Arsenal too.

However, the Yorkshire outfit still remains just three points from the relegation zone despite sitting in a seemingly comfortable 12th.

Meanwhile, having also been dumped out of the cup in midweek, Spurs have lost three of their last four, with two of the defeats at home.

Despite overseeing a big overhaul in the summer, Marsch did leave certain positions rather bare despite earning a combined £100m fee from the sales of Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips.

One area of concern that remains is at the heart of defence, where Robin Koch has continued to occupy despite his less-than-impressive performances, leading to his omission from Germany’s World Cup squad.

If they are to snatch victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Marsch must surely drop the German, in favour of someone who has shown form of being less culpable for making mistakes.

Having featured 13 times this season, he has been an ever-present feature in a defence that has conceded 22 goals, the fifth most in the division.

Signed for £11.5m, there was a belief that the hulking defender would transform a team renowned for leaking goals.

However, over the last season and a half, he has only contributed to the problem.

During their relegation-threatened campaign last year he endured a torrid run of form which saw him handed a 6.51 average SofaScore rating for the season.

It has not been that much better this season, at just 6.70, with his own goal against Leicester City a microcosm of his recent showings.

Even when they were playing well, during the 2020/21 season, the £46k-per-week ace drew criticism from pundit David Thompson who highlighted the “terrible game” he had.  

Having lost six times whilst he has played this season, perhaps introducing someone like Diego Llorente might be a better option as it is clear that are worse off when Koch features.

West Ham United have seen a few of their players feature already at this World Cup, with Declan Rice likely to demand the most attention, having put in an impressive display as England cruised to victory,

However, it is with the lesser nations where it is arguably more impressive to see a star perform, especially when the gulf in quality is as dramatic as between Croatia and Morocco.

Whilst the European outfit reached the final of this competition just four years ago, the African nation had qualified for only their second World Cup since the turn of the century this year.

There also marked a ten-team gap between the two in the FIFA world rankings.

Despite this, in what was admittedly a poor game of football, both sides were held to a goalless draw.

This will have pleased Morocco far more, especially their staunch back four who defended like warriors to deny the likes of Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic a first win of the competition.

Whilst Dejan Lovren earned the best rating of anyone on the pitch, it was the Hammers’ centre-back Nayef Aguerd whose 7.3 rating was the most impressive of any Moroccan.

This was well-earned, as his statistics denote a player who gave his all defensively to prohibit an opposition boasting immense quality.

Throughout his 90 minutes, he managed to make three clearances, one block, one interception and one tackle, maintaining a 100% success rate in the four duels he competed in (via SofaScore).

He would also marry this with an impressive 87% pass accuracy as he looked to show a cutting edge despite his side only boasting 35% possession.

Having signed in the summer for £30m, the fee raised eyebrows after the 26-year-old had impressed for Rennes.

However, with displays like that, the monetary value will become inconsequential.

He is yet to really kickstart his career at the London Stadium, with injuries having limited him to just four appearances for the Irons.

For many, this will mark their first real chance to view their top defender in action. Should he continue to play like this, fans will be desperate for him to get back to playing under David Moyes.

West Bromwich Albion have struggled in recent times to do the necessary business for their stature, likely leading to their midtable finish last season and current underperformance this campaign too.

This culminated in Steve Bruce’s sacking, after leading his team into the relegation zone.

However, in the summer he was admittedly offered few resources with which to work. The 61-year-old did manage to bring in eight new faces for a combined fee of £1.1m, utilising the free transfer market to full effect.

Whilst this lack of investment was not solely to blame for their miserable run of form, it has certainly been a factor in their continued absence from the Premier League, where the Baggies were mainstays for nearly a decade.

For the most part, this band of new recruits have established themselves as useful members of the playing squad. However, one name stands out in particular as someone who has starred.

Another of the six free transfers, John Swift was snatched from Reading following a sensational 11-goal and 13-assist campaign.

Journalist Josh Bunting labelled the deal a “brilliant signing” of a “lovely technical player” and that has since proven to be rather accurate indeed.

The 27-year-old has taken to life at the Hawthorns with ease, and although his three goals and four assists are hardly spectacular, he has been a consistently impressive character in the West Brom midfield; so much so that he has featured in all but one of their Championship game this season.

What further exacerbates his sudden importance to the team is his average Sofascore rating of 7.21, which remains the highest out of any of his teammates.

Having assisted twice in his last two games under new man Carlos Corberan too, he now seems poised to improve upon this form further.

Despite his infinitesimal cost, his value on Transfermarkt has remained at an admirable level to further outline his continued success for his struggling side.

Although it has been higher across his career, it still remains at an admirable €4.5m (£3.8m) and could improve as he enters his prime years.

Swift is deserving of such a rating, and it seems that the “serious talent” that journalist Tom Barclay once saw is now flourishing into one of the Championship’s best players.

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is reportedly being eyed for a transfer by Barcelona manager Xavi. 

The Lowdown: Gundogan’s contract situation

As things stand, the German’s contract at the Etihad Stadium is set to expire at the end of the current season.

Across 273 appearances for the Premier League champions, the 32-year-old – who represented his country during their group stage exit from the World Cup in Qatar – has scored 51 goals, provided 35 assists and won numerous domestic trophies.

Now that the midfielder will be turning his attention back to club football in the coming weeks, it appears that he has found himself on the radar of one of Europe’s most successful clubs.

The Latest: Xavi eyeing Gundogan for Barcelona

According to recent reports from Spanish media outlet Sport (via Sport Witness), Barcelona manager Xavi sees Gundogan as his number one choice to replace Sergio Busquets once the latter’s contract at the La Liga club expires in the summer.

The report adds that Pep Guardiola wants to keep hold of the Germany midfielder and see the club offer him a new one-year deal, but would not stand in Gundogan’s way if he wants to leave City at the end of the season.

The Verdict: Man City must offer Gundogan a new deal

This season has seen the £140k-per-week midfielder score two goals, provide two assists and show why he is such an important player for City across his 12 Premier League appearances.

Specifically, only Kevin De Bruyne (45) has made more key passes than Gundogan (23), who also only has three City players above him with a higher combined total of tackles and interceptions (19).

With an overall performance rating of 7.1/10 from WhoScored, only six City players score higher, further highlighting how impressive the 32-year-old – who has been hailed as a “beautiful” player in the past by Gary Lineker – has been for the English champions.

Taking all of that into account, we feel that City should definitely offer Gundogan a new deal and do all that they can to try and convince him to continue his journey with the club.

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota’s injury is ‘complicated’ and his absence is expected to be ‘long-term’, according to an update from injury analyst Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Jota missing for a while

The Reds have again found themselves struggling with injuries this season, with Jurgen Klopp having to make do without some key players for long periods.

Jota falls into that category after being stretchered off in the 1-0 win at home to Manchester City in the Premier League in October, and he was subsequently ruled out of the World Cup.

The hope was that the 26-year-old would make a fast recovery from his knee issue but that doesn’t seem to be the case, following a new revelation.

The Latest: Long-term injury blow

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Dinnery admitted that Jota’s knee injury is a serious one and that he won’t be returning to action for a while.

The injury analyst said:

“With Diogo Jota, it is slightly more complicated and it is very much long-term.

“He will be going out to Dubai but that is purely just to continue his rehab, and for a change of scenery, get a bit of sun on his back, and psychologically it can be a bit of a boost to get away and change your environment.”

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The Verdict: Huge miss for Reds

There is no denying that this is a huge blow for Liverpool, even if they knew Jota was out for a long time already, with the Portuguese forward such a potent attacking figure at Anfield.

The 26-year-old has scored 34 goals in 93 appearances for the Reds and has the ability to pop up with crucial strikes – like those at Manchester City and Arsenal last season, for example – showcasing his ruthlessness in the final third.

Without Jota available for much of the season, Klopp desperately needs his other attackers to stay fit, with Luis Diaz hopefully back after the World Cup and Darwin Nunez continuing to improve in a Reds shirt.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag will likely have been keeping a close eye on a handful of his key men in action during England’s defeat to France on Saturday evening, with the likes of Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford having all featured in that World Cup, quarter-final showdown – as well as Raphael Varane.

Should the Dutchman have watched on as the Three Lions slipped to an agonising loss against the holders, the 52-year-old would also have been able to run the rule over a number of potential transfer targets among the Three Lions’ contingent.

One such figure whom the former Ajax boss may have been paying close attention to is Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, with the 19-year-old – who came close to making the move to Old Trafford back in 2020 – still likely a name firmly on United’s radar.

The teen “superstar” – as described by club legend Roy Keane – enjoyed a real standout tournament as a focal point of Gareth Southgate’s side, having looked as if he had “played 100 times” for the national team such was his immensity maturity, in the words of pundit Gary Neville.

With the former Birmingham City starlet seemingly edging towards a move to rivals Liverpool, however, the focus of Ten Hag’s attention could well have been on another of the club’s long-term targets in the form of Bellingham’s midfield partner, Declan Rice.

The West Ham United skipper has been linked with the Manchester outfit in recent years – including over the summer – with the 23-year-old’s latest displays for his country likely to have only caught the eye of those at the Theatre of Dreams once again.

The 39-cap machine was arguably the glue holding things together in the centre of the park for Gareth Southgate’s side having started all five games in the tournament in Qatar, notably averaging 2.2 interceptions and 1.2 tackles per game in that time.

The £60k-per-week man – who ranks in the top 7% in Europe for interceptions made among those in his position – also showed his strength in that regard on the world stage as he leads the way among players at the tournament so far with 11 interceptions in total.

A true ball-winning asset, Rice was particularly impressive in that eventual defeat at the hands of Les Bleus yesterday, with the “world-class” gem – as described by journalist Sam Inkersole – having been simply “incredible” on the night, as per journalist Sam Farley.

That ‘magnificent’ performance – as lauded by the Mirror’s John Cross – saw the Kingston-born menace win five of his eight total duels, while also showcasing his strength in possession after losing the ball on just five occasions.

Although the latter statistic may lead some to suggest the youngster played it safe when on the ball, the 6 foot 1 warrior did more than just keep things tidy after recording six passes into the final third and laying on one key pass from his defensive midfield berth.

To be able to produce such a “monstrous” display – as described by journalist James McManus – in such a pressurised encounter is a testament to Rice’s quality, with the one-time Chelsea man – like Bellingham – again producing displays that belie his relative youth.

Such performances in recent weeks have only further served to showcase just why the likes of United are so interested in his signature, with former defender Paul Parker previously stating that the commanding figure is someone who could take the club to “another level” were he to be snapped up in the near future.

With it looking as if the Hammers may be willing to cash in sooner rather than later – due to the player’s contract situation – it could well prove an opportune time for Ten Hag and co to pounce in 2023.

Arsenal might be creeping towards a sensational transfer for S.S. Lazio’s tenacious midfield marauder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, with an Italian journalist hinting that rumours are gathering steam…

What’s the talk?

Speaking to Italian radio station Radiosei (via TEAMtalk), journalist Giulio Cardone said: “Arsenal on Milinkovic? The news is that the player has changed his opinion on the English club which already tried to approach him last summer.

“If a fair proposal were to arrive this time, he would consider it. Today, the Gunners are dominating the Premier League, they will go to the Champions League, they have started a fascinating project, they have acquired a different appeal.”

The report cites a price of £66m (€75m) being required in order to prise him away.

The Serbian powerhouse will conclude his current contract with Lazio at the end of the 2023/24 season, with the wall over negotiations teetering on insurmountable.

Arsenal’s own Bellingham

Jude Bellingham is unequivocally the hottest prospect on the transfer market right now; valued at a whopping £129m by Borussia Dortmund, the 18-year-old is attracting weighted attention from the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid.

As such, a Gunners move for the maestro might prove to be a rather strenuous task, one that could be hurdled by pursuing one Milinkovic-Savic, who could forge a career at the Emirates Stadium every bit as successful as a prospective Bellingham move to one of Europe’s giants. 

The 39-cap Serbian has played 20 matches for Lazio this term, scoring five goals and assisting seven as he continues to be the glittering diamond among his peers. 

And FBref ranks Milinkovic-Savic supremely among midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues, placing him within the top 2% for goals, 1% for assists, 6% for progressive passes received and 6% for aerials won – illustrating the robust nature of his all-encompassing game. 

And Sofascore have recorded his average rating at 7.4 in the Serie A this term, where he has displayed his creative side with seven big chances created and seven assists. 

Indeed, on that evidence, they are both phenomenal box-to-box midfielders with the England sensation himself having scored nine goals and registered three assists meaning there is just one goal involvement separating the duo this term.

Furthermore, the talented teen ranks in the best 5% for goals, 14% for assists and the top 20% for progressive passes received as a marker of how alike they are.

The “magic” maestro that is Milinkovic-Savic – as dubbed by talismanic teammate Ciro Immobile – would certainly bolster Arsenal’s side, a signing of truly supreme quality to tie the midfield together and cement the side’s stature over the coming years.

And while Bellingham might move to the Premier League and flourish for one of the Gunners’ title rivals, the introduction of the Serbia international might just keep Mikel Arteta’s outfit very much alongside their peers.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Enzo Fernandez over the last few weeks and now a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to Portuguese news outlet O Jogo, Liverpool have been given priority in the transfer battle to sign the Benfica and Argentina star in 2023.

As per the report, it is claimed that the Reds are willing to match any bid the Portuguese giants receive for Fernandez and the player is prioritising a move to Anfield over any other club at the moment.

It’s thought the Reds and a number of other clubs have already made contact with a view to signing him in 2023.

It could be bye-bye Keita

It is no secret that the powers at Anfield and Jurgen Klopp are keen to rebuild the personnel in the centre of the pitch in the new year, with Jude Bellingham and Sofyan Amrabat also linked with moves to Merseyside in the upcoming transfer window.

It comes as Liverpool struggle to retain their dominance in the top flight over the current campaign with Klopp’s team falling into sixth in the Premier League ahead of the World Cup break due to a run of inconsistent performances.

There are a lot of pending changes set to take place for the Merseysiders with FSG reportedly keen to sell the club, sporting director Julian Ward’s resignation and a number of players out of contract at the end of the season – especially in midfield.

Naby Keita is one of the midfielders who will be free to talk to foreign clubs about his future when the January transfer window opens soon and despite reports of contract talks emerging, the increasing possibility of Fernandez’s arrival at Anfield could completely blow the Liverpool midfielder’s chances of striking up a deal to remain.

The 27-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout his four-year spell in Klopp’s squad – with 18 incidents of injury or illness tallied up amounting to over 12 months of his contract spent on the injury table and this season the player has not featured at all.

As a result, the signing of Fernandez could be the perfect opportunity for the German coach to move on from the lack of reliability Keita offers with a fresh young perspective in the centre of the pitch.

The €120m-valued talent (£105m) – who was hailed “spectacular” by Lionel Messi – ranks in the top 5% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for shots on goal, shot-creating actions and progressive passes, as well as ranking in the top 10% for assists, proving that he is one of the hottest midfield prospects in Europe right now.

That was all evident on the biggest stage of all in Qatar this winter, with the 21-year-old winning the tournament’s best young player award having lifted the famous trophy last Sunday.

His performances in the Middle East were phenomenal, as the Benfica starlet scored one goal, registered one assist and completed an impressive 88% of his passes.

With that being said, if the club could secure a deal for Fernandez it would give more leverage to Klopp so that he can finally part ways with Keita without the concern about the depth in midfield next summer.

West Ham United’s new sporting director Mark Noble has claimed the Hammers ‘ain’t got a chance’ of keeping Declan Rice if the top clubs decide they want him.

The Lowdown: Rice’s future

With Rice currently contracted until 2024, and West Ham retaining an option to extend this deal by a further year, there is currently no pressing need for David Moyes to part with one of his star players.

However, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has detailed that the Englishman is expected to leave in 2023, with The Guardian claiming that Manchester United, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Chelsea could all be in the race for a player expected to cost £100m.

While fans would have been hoping that the Hammers could hold on to the 23-year-old despite this interest, a new update has now come to light which indicates that Moyes could be powerless in stopping him exiting the London Stadium.

The Latest: Noble’s comments

In an interview with The Guardian, Noble, who will officially start his new role on January 2, delivered a verdict that West Ham will be unable to prevent top clubs from signing their prized asset, as a result of the financial power that these sides possess:

“They’re financially too powerful. If a top club wants Declan Rice they’re just going to pay for him, full stop. You’ve seen it with Jack Grealish, with the best players. If the top boys want them, we ain’t got a chance.”

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The Verdict: On the money

Noble is unfortunately on the money in his assessment of West Ham’s chances of keeping the former Chelsea man, and the example of Jack Grealish, who left his boyhood club to join Manchester City in a £100m deal, is a very fitting one.

No matter how much of a bond the ‘sensational’ (Adam Crafton) midfielder has with the club, he ultimately wants to compete for as many trophies as possible in his career, and the Hammers’ poor start to the season will have only accelerated his desire to leave.

The good news for West Ham is that they are in a position to demand a huge transfer fee for Rice in the summer, and they are not in a position where they need to sell him before that point, so Moyes will have the requisite funds to strengthen the rest of his squad should the star not be willing to commit to a new deal.