All posts by z3u9t.icu

Liverpool flattered to deceive against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Before going into the big game against the Red Devils, they had won their previous eight Premier League matches, and they were hoping to take their lead over Manchester City back to eight points after the Citizens beat Crystal Palace on Saturday.

However, the Reds put in a lacklustre performance against their big rivals, and were perhaps fortunate to earn a draw late on thanks to Adam Lallana’s equaliser. It was the former Southampton man’s first goal since May 2017, and he came on from the bench to replace captain Jordan Henderson.

The former Sunderland man has played each game in central midfield this term, yet at some point at the start of the second half he looked to playing on the right instead. This is something that perplexed the Merseyside outfit’s supporters.

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They took to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

There is perhaps one positive from Tottenham’s hammering by Bayern Munich on Tuesday night- it surely can’t get any worse.

In what was a game that the north London outfit’s fans will be wanting to forget as soon as possible, the Bundesliga champions mauled Spurs 7-2. In all fairness, the Bavarian juggernauts were incredibly efficient, scoring 70% of their shots on target, but history will only remember the scoreline. For Mauricio Pochettino and co, it is an embarrassing one.

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Worse still were the goalscorers. Serge Gnabry, formerly of Arsenal – and of course the man who Tony Pulis said wasn’t good enough for West Brom – scored four as he ripped through the Lilywhites’ defence time and time again. It seems he has fully recovered from the crushing blow of Pulis’ verdict.

Being a former Gunner, the Arsenal supporters were quick to react after seeing him destroy their big rivals. They took to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social median platform below.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

Everton have fallen into the relegation zone after losing 1-0 to Burnley over the weekend, with the team averaging a performance rating of 6.59 at Turf Moor. Although the team did indeed perform poorly, in a surprising manner, Lucas Digne was extremely wasteful in the game and produced an uncharacteristically bad display.

Digne is Everton’s current Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year, after an incredible debut season on Merseyside, which saw him average very respectable 7.36 during the Premier League last campaign.

Against Burnley, however, the Frenchman lost possession 26 times throughout the 90 minutes he played and did not threaten much going forward, nor was he defensively astute throughout the game.

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Considering Everton had 60% of the ball, it is quite an alarming statistic to see such a talented, tidy player lose the ball so frequently, especially when you add in that Digne also completed just one cross out of the 11 he attempted.

On the other hand, the ex-PSG man did not make a single tackle or clearance during the whole game and considering the team made 14 clearances during the match, it is somewhat surprising to see the left-back not make a single one of them – he averaged 2.7 clearances per game last season.

The former Barcelona player was one of the best in the business going forward last campaign, providing four assists, scoring four times and averaging two key passes per match and 2.4 crosses each game. At Turf Moor, however, Digne failed to dribble past a single player nor did he even attempt to do so, and at the same time completed only 35 passes – 11.5 less than his average for the season.

Throughout his time on Merseyside, the Toffees have looked to the Frenchman to provide devastating deliveries into the box and there is little doubting his importance to the club right now. However, this poor display against Burnley is perhaps a sign of the times for Everton, and when such a crucial player struggles in this manner, questions have to be asked of the whole team and the manager.

Going forward, should Marco Silva stay or go, the Blues must hope that one of their key players gets back to his usual threatening ways, otherwise, the Merseyside outfit may find themselves in around the relegation zone for much longer.

Lots of fans have been reacting to Jake Hastie’s Rotherham debut, as the Rangers youngster grabbed a goal in his first appearance for his loan club.

The Hastie signing was slightly baffling in a way. Rangers penned the youngster to a four-year deal back in May, but signed several other wingers, leaving the former Motherwell man with no choice but to pursue a loan move.

But it seems that decision is already paying off, as he impressed on his debut in League One.

Rotherham were beaten 2-1 at Doncaster this weekend, and while there was an element of luck about his goal, Hastie was one of the few bright sparks for Paul Warne’s side.

The Millers sit 15th in the table after the weekend’s action, with Warne now facing some pressure after the derby defeat.

Yet, if Hastie can keep up the form he showed on Saturday then the 20 year-old may just turn things around for his loan side, and a strong spell in England would surely be of huge benefit to both him and his parent club.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

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Ainsley Maitland-Niles has challenged his critics ahead of Hector Bellerin’s return from injury.

Arsenal began the Premier League campaign with two wins but have crumbled since their defeat against Liverpool with two consecutive 2-2 draws – Maitland-Niles has appeared in all five games so far.

While Maitland-Niles isn’t entirely at fault for his side’s defensive capitulation – David Luiz and Sokratis certainly aren’t blameless – he’s most definitely complicit in the collective shoddiness Arsenal fans have the misfortune of viewing on nearly every away trip.

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With Bellerin set to return to action following a serious injury picked up against Chelsea in January, Maitland-Niles now faces a very real threat to his starting role in the squad.

The 22 year-old hopes to retrain his place and has asked supporters to be patient as he adapts to his defensive role.

Per Sky Sports, he said: “If I was a defender as a kid, and my defending was poor, I would understand where the criticism is coming from, but I’m trying my best for the team.”

It’s safe to say the reactions to his comments from Arsenal fans were fairly negative…

[ad_pod ]Tottenham Hotspur confirmed that left winger Georges-Kevin N’Koudou had joined AS Monaco on loan for the remainder of the season on Thursday, via a tweet from their official account.

What’s the word?

N’Koudou has struggled for minutes since joining Spurs in 2016Âand spent a portion of last season on loan at Burnley.

Despite being given a chance by Mauricio Pochettino in recent weeks – N’Koudou played against Fulham and Crystal Palace, as well as against West Ham United in October of last year – the Frenchman will now head back to Ligue 1.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

Spurs signed the 23-year-old from Marseille, as per the BBC, but he has struggled to stamp his authority on the left flank and remains behind Son Heung-Min in the pecking order.

He will now spend the second half of this season in France, with Monaco looking to turn around a season that has threatened to implode; the club are currently second-from-bottom in Ligue 1.

Son set for burnout?

Spurs now have a very weak looking left-hand side.

Son Heung-Min has returned from the Asian Cup but he cannot do it all on his own.

Christian Eriksen has the ability to play on the left flank but it seems as though Pochettino is betting on The South Korea international remaining fit for the remainder of the season.

It is a bold strategy, given some of the injury issues Pochettino has had to deal with already this term.

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Tottenham Hotspur’s official Twitter account posted a video of Davinson Sanchez and teammate Eric Dier reacting to their confirmed FIFA 20 stats on Sunday ahead of the game’s release later this month, and Spurs fans weren’t impressed with one of the former’s ratings in particular.

It was revealed that the Colombia international’s pace will be 74 on the latest instalment of the popular series, which seemingly left many supporters scratching their heads.

They know first-hand how quick the 23-year-old is, and he has shown in the past just how pacey he can be having been voted the eighth-fastest player on one Premier League weekend in September 2017, after reaching a speed of more than 34km/h.

That hasn’t been reflected in his FIFA 20 rating though, and many Tottenham fans have taken to the popular social media platform to vent their frustrations at the company that make the game, EA.

While one supporter labelled the decision as “disrespectful”, more than one individual called it “criminal”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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Sky Sports News’ Dharmesh Sheth says that Aston Villa are negotiating with West Ham United over a potential deal for goalkeeper Darren Randolph. 

The lowdown

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans reported on Friday, following confirmation that a loan deal had been agreed for Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho, that Villa also wanted to sign a goalkeeper in January.

Randolph,  who is currently third choice at West Ham behind Lukasz Fabianski and Alphonse Areola, appears to be a primary target. The 34-year-old has 18 months left on his £42,000-per-week contract and is valued at £900,000 by Transfermarkt.

A move to Villa Park would see him provide further competition and cover for incumbent first-choice Emiliano Martinez, the club’s Player of the Season for 2020/21.

The latest

Speaking live on The Transfer Show on Sky Sports [via Football Daily], Sheth revealed that discussions were underway between the two clubs. He added that the prospective signing of Randolph could trigger the departure of current Villa deputy Jed Steer.

The journalist outlined: “We’re told they’re in talks to sign the West Ham United goalkeeper Darren Randolph. If a deal can be struck between Aston Villa and West Ham United, then Villa could allow their second choice keeper Jed Steer to move on loan so that he can get more regular first team football.”

The verdict

Randolph may be well down the pecking order at West Ham, but he is a solid goalkeeper with plenty of experience, including 34 Premier League games to Steer’s three. He also enjoyed a lengthy stint as Republic of Ireland’s number one, a post he held during Euro 2016, and he has racked up half a century of caps overall (via Transfermarkt).

He’d arrive with the endorsement of former Villa and Ireland boss Martin O’Neill, who called him a ‘very fine’ goalkeeper after an ‘excellent’ performance in a 2017 World Cup play-off clash against Denmark.

Furthermore, Ryan Shotton, a team-mate of Randolph’s at Middlesbrough, dubbed him ‘unbelievable’ and capable of making ‘ridiculous’ saves’.

As backups to Martinez go, Villa would do an awful lot worse than bringing in the Irish veteran from West Ham.

In other news, Villa are also in talks over this potential signing

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Fiorentina centre-back Nikola Milenkovic…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, the Magpies are now plotting a move to sign the central defender to bolster their squad this month.

The report claims that it will take £32m for the Italian side to part ways with him, whilst Southampton’s Jan Bednarek is also mentioned as an option.

Vidic 2.0

Eddie Howe could find his own Nemanja Vidic in a deal to sign the Serbian colossus, as the Serie A beast has previously been compared to his compatriot.

In reaction to those comparisons, Milenkovic said: “It is magnificent to be compared to the likes of Vidic and I have to stay humble with both feet firmly on the ground.

“Vidic was one hell of a player while I am in the fledgeling stage of my career and hence I have to keep working hard in order to climb that mountain. Krstajic’s praise means so much because it’s an impetus to keep improving.”

Pol Lirola previously lauded the defender’s talents as “extraordinary” and his statistics in Italy back up that claim as he has consistently impressed.

In the Serie A this season, he has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.13. He has won an excellent 71% of his duels overall in the division, making 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game along with 3.2 clearances – as per SofaScore.

This shows that he has the ability to perform consistently to a high standard at the top level. Therefore, he could improve Newcastle’s defence and hand them a greater chance of keeping clean sheets and picking up points in the Premier League, aiding their bid to avoid relegation.

At the age of 24, he also has plenty of time left to develop and progress further as a player. This means that he could fulfil his potential and become the new Vidic and end his career as a Premier League icon by delivering the goods over the course of a number of years at Newcastle.

Therefore, Howe must ensure that the club are able to match the £32m price tag Fiorentina have placed on his head to get a deal done in the coming days. The comparisons to Vidic and his performance data in the Serie A suggest that he could be a strong addition to the team and they must work hard to bring him to St. James’ Park.

AND in other news, Newcastle could get SJP rocking by signing “top class” £50m beast who has “everything”…

Wolves remain interested in signing towering Lille centre-back Sven Botman in the January transfer window, according to a fresh report.

The Lowdown: Botman a past Wolves target

Wanderers have been linked with the Dutchman in the recent past as Bruno Lage eyes up January and summer reinforcements. The 21-year-old may still be a very young player but he is already a hugely important figure for Lille, making 12 starts in Ligue 1 so far this season.

It looks as though Botman could still be on the move next month, though, with an encouraging update provided from a Wolves perspective.

The Latest: Interest in defender remains

According to Tuttomercatoweb, Wanderers and Roma are both interested in acquiring Botman’s signature and they continue to track the 21-year-old, with AC Milan and Newcastle also now joining the race for his services.

However, the Lille defender’s current deal with the reigning French champions doesn’t expire until the summer of 2025, so a hefty free may be required to prise him away.

The Verdict: Fantastic potential signing

While centre-backs Max Kilman, Conor Coady and Romain Saiss have all impressed for Wolves this season, the opportunity to sign Botman should not be dismissed. The monstrous defender has averaged 2.3 successful headers and 4.6 clearances per game in the league in 2021/22, with only Saiss (2.6) averaging more aerial duels won among those in Lage’s squad.

The Moroccan is also the only Wanderers player to outdo Botman in terms of clearances (5.2), highlighting how good a signing the Dutchman could be in making competition for places even stronger at Molineux.

In other news, some Wolves fans have fumed over a transfer update. Read more here.