All posts by z3u9t.icu

It would be fair to surmise that Jesse Lingard’s recent loan move to Manchester United has been pivotal in his career.

The Red Devils midfielder moved to West Ham United in the January transfer window in an effort to revive his stuttering career.

Having not made a single Premier League appearance for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2020/21, though, he has enjoyed an instant impact in the capital, bagging four goals and providing two assists.

Former Manchester United manager and current Irons boss David Moyes has hailed the 28-year-old’s “quality” due to his exciting performances for his adoptive employers.

Despite the terms of his loan deal ruling him out for the teams’ meeting on Sunday night, Lingard could fire a stark reminder to Solskjaer about his importance to not only West Ham but also to the Red Devils.

Since the £9m-rated winger arrived in London, the Hammers have only lost one match, with Lingard’s goals alone being worth four points already. Without him, Moyes’ men would more than likely not be in contention for the top four.

In fact, since Lingard arrived, the Hammers’ goalscoring rate has increased from 1.6 per game to 1.8.

It is that form which has triggered reminders of Lingard’s thrilling 2017/18 season under Jose Mourinho. Throughout that campaign, he was a key performer as the Red Devils finished second in the table, scoring eight goals and providing six assists in the process.

His goals throughout the campaign were actually worth seven points to the Red Devils. Without Lingard, they would have finished as low as fourth.

In not lining up for the opposition, Lingard could actually show Solskjaer that he is deserving of a first team place at United should his teammates struggle to create opportunities to score, such has been his impact on the Hammers.

He could find it tough to break in once again once he returns to Old Trafford, but his form could convince Solskjaer that the Red Devils were slightly too quick to jettison him.

In more news, a swoop for AS Roma’s Mancini could see a current Red Devils star thrive…

Jurgen Klopp has been dealt another big injury blow ahead of his side’s trip to Leicester City on Saturday afternoon, with Fabinho set to miss the game at the King Power Stadium.

The Athletic correspondent James Pearce confirmed on Twitter that the Brazilian would be absent for the game against Brendan Rodgers’ side on Saturday due to a “little muscle issue”.

The defensive-midfielder has been one of Liverpool’s most important players in this bizarre season so far, having filled in superbly at centre-back in the absence of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, who have all been ruled out for the season with long-term injuries.

Whilst the Reds did add Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak during the January transfer window, both are yet to make their Reds debut, but could be forced into action against Leicester on Saturday following this injury blow.

Fabinho has been the only real constant at centre-back for Liverpool this season, with Klopp selecting a plethora of centre-back partnerships throughout the season, which have more often than not seen the Brazilian starting alongside the likes of Nathaniel Phillips, Rhys Williams or Jordan Henderson.

The former Monaco man has made 18 appearances in the top-flight this season, with Matip the only other centre-back option (other than Henderson), to reach double digits in terms of league appearances so far this campaign, which highlights how important Fabinho has been in this Liverpool defence.

Whilst he has not been at his best in recent fixtures, which have seen the Reds lose significant ground in the title race, there was perhaps hope amongst fans that he could return to his best by moving back into midfield, now that Klopp has more options in his defence.

If Liverpool were to lose against Leicester on Saturday afternoon it would surely bring an end to their hopes of retaining the Premier League title, so to lose a player as influential as the “world-class” Fabinho through injury is undoubtedly a huge blow for Klopp.

And, in other news… Edwards should swoop for “exciting” PL beast who is “only going to get better”

Former Romania international Ianis Zicu believes Glasgow Rangers’ Ianis Hagi is one of the top ten players of his age group in the world.

Zicu lauds Hagi

Zicu was speaking to Romanian show Friends of Ovidiu on GSP.RO. With Hagi being one of the best young talents in the country, it was no surprise to see him come up in conversation.

The ex-Dinamo Bucuresti player had nothing but praise for the £5.4m-valued 22-year-old (Transfermarkt), saying:

“From my point of view, we have to see in Ianis strictly the qualities he has. He has qualities at a very high level, in vision, in hitting technique, in the way he handles situations on the field. We don’t have to wait for Ianis to dribble four footballers and go alone to the goal. Or take the ball at full speed. He can’t do these things. But what can he do, I think he is in the top ten footballers in the world, in the age category he has. How he hits the ball, how he passes, how he thinks about the game.”

Big claim

Hagi is no doubt a talented player, and has done well in his first full campaign for the Gers, scoring six goals and providing a further 11 assists in all competitions (Transfermarkt). He has played a big role for Steven Gerrard and co, and clearly has a bright future ahead of him.

However, if you compare him to some other 22-year-old playmakers, he has some work to do to match their level. Mason Mount and Martin Odegaard are just two examples that come quickly to mind. Hagi may one day be one of the best in the world, but he is a fair bit away from that status just yet.

In other news, Rangers fans slam this journalist’s article.

Tottenham Hotspur return to action this evening as they look to get back to winning ways in the Premier League.

Jose Mourinho’s side face another away trip, this time to the Midlands to face Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux Stadium.

The north Londoners advanced into the Carabao Cup semi-finals in midweek, defeating Stoke City 3-1, but have lost their last two league outings after being defeated by Liverpool and then Leicester City last weekend.

This’ll be the first time since Christmas that Spurs have played, so it will be interesting to see what sort of side Mourinho opts for tonight.

Here’s the XI we’re predicting…

There could be as many as six changes from the side that conquered the Potters on Wednesday night.

Club captain and number one Hugo Lloris keeps his place between the sticks, as do both Eric Dier and Matt Doherty, the latter impressed enough to keep his place over Serge Aurier.

We will surely see the return of Sergio Reguilon at left-back, replacing Ben Davies, with Toby Alderweireld also coming back in for Davinson Sanchez, who has often been snubbed in the Premier League this term.

The industrious Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg played the full 90 in midweek, but should also remain in the starting lineup, whilst Moussa Sissoko returns to partner him despite Harry Winks’ Man of the Match display.

We could also see Tanguy Ndombele start with £100k-per-week Dele Alli reverting to type as the forgotten man in the English top-flight, and on the wings, Mourinho will also go back to his usual duo of Heung-min Son on the left and Steven Bergwijn on the right.

Harry Kane also played the entire match against Stoke, scoring the third and final goal, and he is also set to keep his place. If anyone is undroppable, it’s him.

It means there is no room in the XI for the likes of Erik Lamela, who returned from the bench just a few days ago, £25m signing Lucas Moura, Gareth Bale or Ben Davies.

AND in other news, “A blow” – Exclusive: Mabbutt reacts to major Spurs injury setback before Wolves clash…

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to continue their rich vein of form when they head to Championship outfit Wycombe Wanderers in an FA Cup fourth round clash later this evening.

After playing three times in seven days, Jose Mourinho’s side were gifted an eight-day rest ahead of their encounter, so barring those that are injured, the Portuguese has a full squad to choose from.

But given they are playing lower league opposition, there could be a chance to see some of the club’s future stars in action.

Indeed, against non-league Marine last time out, Mourinho fielded the likes of Harvey White (who is now at Portsmouth on loan), Alfie Devine and Jack Clarke (who has gone to Stoke City on loan).

According to The Sunday Times’ Duncan Castles, Mourinho would like a new pacey central defender in the transfer market before deadline day on February 1st, but it may be worth seeing what Japhet Tanganga can do as he could save Daniel Levy millions this month.

The 21-year-old gem has only featured for a total of 388 minutes this campaign, including a 45-minute cameo at Marine as well as two clean sheets in the Europa League, per Transfermarkt.

He’s a player that has been tipped for big things in the past.

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Former Spurs man Darren Bent lauded Tanganga a “very exciting prospect” to Football Insider, whilst club legend and current first-team coach Ledley King has always been a fan. He told talkSPORT:

“I’ve been able to have a few conversations with him actually sit down to show him a few bits and pieces. He’s a kid that is hungry to play, enjoys defending which is great. His main position is centre-back and he’s slotted in at right-back brilliantly.”

Both Serge Aurier and Matt Doherty are doubts for this tie, so Tanganga could slot right in there whilst it would be wise to keep the likes of Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier fresh for the upcoming schedule – the Europa League returns next month, for example.

At 6-foot he should have no problem filling in centrally plus many Spurs fans have seen what he’s had to offer in the past. Aside from the aforementioned matches, Tanganga has also kept clean sheets against Man City and Watford in the top-flight last season.

Having conquered Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero once, the £25k-per-week colossus should have no problem against the rock-bottom Championship strugglers.

So forget Rodon or Devine, it’s Tanganga’s time to shine.

AND in other news, Imagine him & PEH: Spurs could create a formidable spine by signing £22.5m “beast”…

Leeds United chairman has been named amongst some of the richest sports club owners in the world. The Italian businessmen has just scraped into the Top 100 list for 2020 ranking at number 100 by OLBG.com.

For a team to have only just made it back into the Premier League after 16 years, this is mammoth news for the board, the players and indeed the fans. With Radrizzani on the same list as the likes of Manchester City’s Sheikh Mansour, it’s a very telling statement for Leeds that could spell success in the near future.

Radrizzani update exciting for Leeds

The Whites enjoyed a lavish summer transfer window as they splashed the cash on several new recruits. Victor Orta snagged permanent deals for the likes of Helder Costa, Robin Koch and Raphinha, majorly bolstering the first team roster.

But with Radrizzani now on the list of the wealthiest sports club owners in the world, he could be about to pump even more money in the Yorkshire outfit. Leeds are enjoying a respectable start to their Premier League season, but are struggling to muster up many chances in front of goal that don’t involve Patrick Bamford.

With a healthy money pot to dip into in January and the summer, Leeds could rapidly establish themselves as a tough side to beat next season. They already have a threat in the form of 27-year-old Bamford, but he needs some support in attack. Orta must be eyeing up some new midfield options to alleviate the pressure from the Englishman, who is the club’s leading scorer this term by some margin.

One injury to Bamford and Bielsa could struggle to keep his side above water. The Leeds board must take this opportunity to bring in another batch of new players in order to give the Whites their best chance of surviving their first season back in the Premier League in more than a decade.

And if a new spending spree brings in some more exciting players to Elland Road, then the Leeds faithful will absolutely love it.

In other news, Radrizzani must not waste money on signing Gyrano Kerk…

Many Glasgow Rangers fans were very quick to heavily criticise Scott Arfield following his performance in the Scottish Premiership match against Motherwell.

The Gers came away with the 3-1 victory, but it wasn’t an easy win as they were 1-0 down until the 70th minute. Arfield picked up a 6.2 rating (SofaScore) and this was the lowest on the pitch out of the Rangers players.

The midfielder clearly struggled as he lost four ground duels and two aerial duels (SofaScore). He also lost possession eight times and made two fouls. These stats highlight that he lost the battle in the middle of the pitch and it was understandable to see Steven Gerrard substitute the player in the 62nd minute. One fan called the performance of the player ‘shocking’.

The result was huge for the Scottish side, as it now gives the club a 16 point lead at the top of the division (SPFL). If they can get some more victories during the congested December period, then it wouldn’t be shocking to see many of the fan base feel very hopeful about their chances of winning the division.

Here is how Rangers fans reacted to the performance of Arfield:

In other news: Rangers have been tipped to offload this star in January, find out more here.

It’s a picture Aston Villa fans have no doubt been waiting to see for almost a year. Wesley back on the training pitch.

After going down with a cruciate ligament rupture at the start of the year, the Brazilian has been out of action for around ten months, and the nature of injury will of course raise questions about how quickly he can get back to his best.

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But what the 23-year-old’s eventual return from injury does however give Villa, is the chance to potentially get the best out of one of their summer signings: Ross Barkley.

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The England international has enjoyed a very encouraging start to life at Villa Park after arriving on a season-long loan from fellow Premier League side Chelsea, bagging three goals in six games across all competitions.

But there is reason for Dean Smith to think that Barkley could go up another level or two, especially given his performances in an Everton shirt. At Goodison Park, the 26-year-old really thrived when playing alongside Romelu Lukaku, who like Wesley, had a physical presence and the mobility to run into the channels and play on the shoulder of opposition defenders.

And when you look at the stats, you can see just how much of a great understanding they built up together. The duo combined for 13 goals between them, which is more than double the man in second when it comes to Barkley’s best teammates.

Just last season, Smith hailed Wesley for the way in which he never stopped running against Liverpool, saying: “The noise from the stadium when he was doing that was almost like he’d scored and it gives everybody a great lift when you do that.”

Speaking back in March last year, England boss Gareth Southgate raved about Barkley, declaring: “What I’ve seen from Ross (Barkley) over the last 12 months is a real improvement in his play berween our penalty box and halfway.

“What we saw the other night, which is what we want from him, is that ability to drive with the ball and do the things that, I think, make him a special player.”

Having a powerhouse like Wesley to play off, and link up with, could see the £100k-a-week star take his game up another notch.

Manchester City have been linked with a move for Borussia Mönchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram recently and perhaps the Frenchman could be the man to unlock Gabriel Jesus’ potential for the Citizens.

Sport Bild reported earlier this week that Manchester City, along with Barcelona and Juventus, are keen on signing the striker in the near future. The 23-year-old has seriously impressed for the Bundesliga side since signing from EA Guingamp in the summer of 2019, having made 49 appearances in all competitions, in which he has contributed 17 goals and 14 assists (per Transfermarkt).

Thuram, who is the son of French World Cup-winner Lillian Thuram, also scored two goals against Real Madrid recently, demonstrating his credentials in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.

If City were to sign the young forward in January or in the summer transfer window, he could be the man to help unleash Gabriel Jesus for the Citizens. Since joining from Palmeiras in 2017, the Brazilian forward has contributed an impressive 70 goals and 30 assists in 155 appearances (per Transfermarkt).

The 23-year-old has come under criticism at times during his City career, with himself admitting that he was struggling with the weight of expectation at the club, perhaps as he tries to emulate Sergio Aguero, with the Argentinian having netted a remarkable 255 goals and 73 assists in his 373 appearances for the club (per Transfermarkt).

However, with the 32-year-old’s contract set to expire at the end of this season, it could be argued that they are in need of striking reinforcements ahead of next season. Perhaps Thuram could be brought in to take the pressure of Jesus, following Aguero’s seemingly close departure.

Thuram’s teammate Denis Zakaria described the Frenchman as “phenomenal” back in 2019, so he is clearly well thought of at the Bundesliga club.

WhoScored lists one of the Mönchengladbach man’s strengths as aerial duels and he also stands at 6 foot 3, which suggests that he could play in the target man role that is arguably missing in Pep Guardiola’s side. The Citizens have just Aguero and Jesus available as natural strikers in their squad at the moment, neither of whom are particularly tall.

Although City have mainly played with one-striker formations so far this season, perhaps the signing of the £28.8 million-rated man could tempt Guardiola into trying two up-front, with Thuram perhaps paired with Jesus, where he could take some of the expectation of the 23-year-old’s shoulders and allow him to flourish.

Newcastle United are set to rival fellow Premier League clubs Aston Villa, Brighton and Fulham for the services of Liverpool striker Divock Origi in the summer transfer window, according to The Mirror.

However, as per the outlet, Turkish club Fenerbache are already reportedly in talks with Jurgen Klopp’s side over the possible signing of the Belgian international.

Origi is under contract at Anfield until 2024, and the Reds may be willing to let him leave for a transfer fee just shy of £14m. However, Liverpool are apparently not willing to let the 25-year-old go unless they find a suitable replacement for the striker.

Indeed, if that replacement is found, then Steve Bruce may be able to take advantage by subsequently bringing Origi to St James’ Park.

The 25-year old has experience in the English top flight, having managed to play in 91 Premier League games so far since his debut in 2015/16, with 19 goals in the division and nine assists (via Transfermarkt).

Origi is also a serial winner, having been part of the Liverpool squads that won the league title last season as well as the Champions League in the 2018/19 campaign. (per Transfermarkt).

On the other hand, the Tyneside club have just brought in a new centre-forward in Callum Wilson from Bournemouth, and so maybe a move for Origi would not be wise unless they can sell some of their other strikers before the market shuts.

Geordies, would Origi be a good signing for Newcastle? Comment below with your views!