All posts by z3u9t.icu

Lee Johnson’s Sunderland were left frustrated on Saturday as they were held to a 3-3 draw with Wycombe Wanderers in League One.

They took the first lead in the game, with Dennis Cirkin delivering a beautiful cross into the box for Ross Stewart to attack and his effort came off the crossbar and in off goalkeeper David Stockdale, going down as an own goal.

Anis Mehmeti then equalised for Wycombe with a rasping effort from distance, before Sam Vokes nodded in from close range to put the home side in front.

Stewart may not be credited with the first strike but he most certainly claimed the second as he delightfully finished an Elliot Embleton cross with a deft touch at the near post. The towering Scot then made it 3-2 to Sunderland in the second half as he raced onto a through ball from Lynden Gooch before slotting it past the goalkeeper and into the far corner.

However, it was late heartbreak for the Black Cats as a scrappy Wycombe goal from a corner secured a point for the hosts in the 98th minute of the game.

One player who let Johnson down badly was full-back Carl Winchester as he struggled throughout the match against Gareth Ainsworth’s side.

Defensively, he was a lightweight. As per SofaScore, he lost 89% (8/9) of his duels throughout the match, including losing all five of his aerial battles. This suggests that he was physically dominated by the Wycombe players and did not step up to the challenge of the match, which resulted in him making one tackle, zero interceptions and zero blocks.

On the ball, he offered very little. As per SofaScore, he completed 0% of his dribbles, failed to create a single chance for his teammates and only completed 73% of his attempted passes – giving the ball away 11 times, once every 4.8 touches. This shows that he was unable to provide quality in possession to make up for his lapse defensive work.

Therefore, he let Johnson down badly as his performance left a lot to be desired at both ends of the pitch throughout the match. Hopefully, he will be able to shake himself down and improve his display next time out as this outing was nowhere near good enough from the Northern Ireland international.

The £3.4k-per-week dud has won 52% of his duels and averaged 3.1 tackles and interceptions combined per game in League One for Sunderland this season, which suggests that this was a one-off for Winchester. However, he needs to ensure that this is not the beginning of a dire run of form as performances like this could leave his place in the team up for debate.

West Ham like the idea of signing Aston Villa winger Anwar El Ghazi this month.

That’s according to The Daily Mail, and a number of Villa supporters have been reacting to the news on social media.

El Ghazi is reportedly unhappy with his lack of game time under new Villa boss Steven Gerrard, with the Dutch forward playing just 33 minutes of Premier League action following Gerrard’s arrival.

Villa are thought to be open to permanent and loan offers for the 26-year-old this month, although they would prefer a full-time transfer.

The Daily Mail claimed on Saturday that the Hammers want a forward, with El Ghazi one of the players they would like to sign in their bid for another impressive finish in the European places.

Villa fans react

The AVFC Faithful shared the news regarding West Ham liking the idea of bringing El Ghazi to the London Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. This is what these Villa fans had to say in reply, with many keen to see him depart.

“Beg this is true”

Credit: @FloppyChicken92

“Swap deal for Bowen”

Credit: @marcw1987

“oh my god please take him”

Credit: @NoahKnowsBall

“Today is just getting better and better”

Credit: @avbiIly

“Imagine if we get rid of El Ghazi and replace him with Coutinho”

Credit: @PositiveVillan

“I’ll drop him off”

Credit: @Miller_JD

In other news: ‘Mental’ – Some Villa fans fume as Gerrard eyes club-record transfer. 

Newcastle United are considering a transfer move for experienced Inter midfielder Marcelo Brozovic.

What’s the story?

The Croatia international’s contract with the Serie A giants comes to an end next summer, and would therefore allow him to sign a pre-contract agreement with the Magpies when the January transfer window opens up in a couple of months time.

And, according to Italian publication Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), the Tyneside club are very much serious about signing the 28-year-old, and that they are ready to offer him a salary of around €7m (£5.9m) per season.

Newcastle fans will be buzzing

Rated at £36m by Transfermarkt, Brozovic has been mostly used in a more defensive-minded role for Inter, but has still managed to score 25 goals and provide 34 assists in his time at the San Siro.

The Croatian can dictate the tempo of the game, and is at his best when controlling the action. As per WhoScored, he has averaged a whopping 61 passes per game in Serie A this season, at an extraordinary passing accuracy of 92.3%.

And judging by the kinds of comments that his managers at both club and international have said about him, it’s clear to see why Newcastle should be prioritising him this summer.

Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic declared: “He is very important to us in the game, he is very calm and his technique is perfect. Through him we can easily get out of the opponent’s pressing”.

And, former Inter boss Luciano Spalletti hailed: “Brozovic is one who has a compass in the foot, knows football, has clean passages and find the free man”.

Brozovic could come in and become the deep-lying playmaker that Newcastle could do with to best unlock the likes of Joe Willock and Allan Saint-Maximin further forward, and helping to turn them into a team that likes to dominate possession.

With his age at just 28, the Croatian is still in the prime years of his career, and is the kind of marquee signing that would surely have Newcastle fans buzzing.

Meanwhile, Newcastle could get St James’ Park rocking by hiring this man…

A major Newcastle United transfer claim has emerged on Allan Saint-Maximin’s future…

What’s the talk?

The Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope has revealed that Eddie Howe is not keen to cash in on the French winger ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The journalist has admitted that the club are not completely opposed to selling him if the stars align this summer, but the preferred scenario ends with him remaining at St. James’ Park.

Hope Tweeted: “Why would NUFC consider selling Allan Saint-Maximin? Primarily, an offer of circa £50m would be considered if it meant strengthening significantly elsewhere (striker is priority) & staying ahead of spending rules. But Eddie Howe would prefer to keep him.”

Supporters will be buzzing

The Toon faithful will surely be buzzing with this claim as it suggests that the attacker is likely to stay at the club beyond the end of the next transfer window. If Howe wants him to remain on Tyneside then it is logical to think that PIF will not sell him unless they can replace him with a significant signing – which could alleviate any concerns about selling a current star.

Supporters will want him to be playing in black and white next season as he is an exciting players to watch out on the pitch. He gets the fans off their seats with his incredible dribbling ability as he glides past the opposition in an attempt to create openings for himself and his teammates.

In the Premier League this season, he has completed 4.3 dribbles per game and converted that into five goals and three assists. He has also delivered 1.4 key passes per match as he has been a constant creative threat on the wing, providing the likes of Chris Wood, Joe Willock and Ryan Fraser with opportunities to score.

At the age of 25, he also still has room to grow and develop as a player. Howe can work with him on the training pitch to help him gain more consistency in his end product to help improve his goal and assist numbers, with the Frenchman having plenty of time on his side to do so.

This, along with how exciting he is in the present, is why fans will want to keep him at St. James’ Park for the foreseeable future. Therefore, they will be delighted to read that the head coach’s primary aim is to avoid selling him this summer.

AND in other news, Same agency as Joelinton: NUFC scouting 6 ft 4 star, he’s a dream Botman alternative…

Everton have been linked with a move for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks as the club begins to make plans for the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to Caught Offside, the 25-year-old is wanted by Toffees manager Rafael Benitez and will push for a Spurs exit once the winter transfer window opens, with the Liverpool Echo claiming that the Merseysiders have now made an enquiry to Spurs for the player.

Winks has struggled for game-time in recent months and is now believed to be seeking a way out of north London in search of regular action.

Imagine him and Doucoure

After rising through the ranks at his boyhood club, Winks has made 178 appearances for Tottenham in all competitions and started their 2019 Champions League final defeat at the hands of Liverpool.

The technically gifted talent featured prominently during the reign of former manager Mauricio Pochettino, who lavished praised on the midfielder after a late winner against Fulham two years ago.

“He deserves the praise because the whole action is amazing,” said Pochettino. “He recovered the ball like a full-back, we started to build from the back, and then he arrived for the cross from GK, which was fantastic – we have to praise him too.

“It’s amazing, amazing, because we were talking in the last few weeks that he had to score and to have more presence in the opposition’s box because he has the quality to do it. I’m so happy.”

However, a lot of Winks’ good work goes unnoticed. The England international has only recorded nine goal contributions throughout his career, but he offers a different set of skills to the team.

As per WhoScored, no Spurs player who started a league match bettered or matched his average of 70 passes per game last season, and he also topped the charts for pass completion after achieving a 90% success rate.

His highly impressive figures weren’t just down to picking the safe and simple options every time, either. Winks managed 1.3 key passes per Premier League fixture in 2020/21 and pulled off 4.4 long balls – of all of Tottenham’s outfield players, only Toby Alderweireld completed more (7.3).

Therefore, Winks’s key attributes would provide the perfect balance for current Everton midfield star Abdoulaye Doucoure. The Frenchman’s power and pace cause opponents constant issues, but he also has the intelligence to play cute through balls in the final third of the pitch, making him a nightmare for defenders to handle.

It remains to be seen whether Everton follow up their interest in the £18m-rated Winks, but director of football Marcel Brands could pull off another astute piece of business by snapping up the disciplined Tottenham maestro.

In other news… Brands must sanction Everton swoop for £12.6m-rated ace, he’s an “outstanding technician” 

Dean Windass has exclusively told Football FanCast that he’s surprised Leeds haven’t signed another striker to compete with Patrick Bamford.

Marcelo Bielsa has been generally quiet in the transfer window, with left-back Junior Firpo from Barcelona their only notable addition, although Jack Harrison did sign permanently from Manchester City.

Leeds came ninth in their first campaign back in the Premier League and quickly established themselves as one of the most entertaining in the division, with goals a plenty at both ends of the pitch.

Bamford was a key part of their success last season, scoring 17 goals in the league, behind only Bruno Fernandes, Mohamed Salah, and Harry Kane.

Despite Bamford’s heroics in his first full season in the top-flight, though, Windass believes that Leeds need another top striker to compete for European football next term.

They currently have Spaniard Rodrigo, but he managed just seven goals in his debut campaign in English football.

Windass told FFC:

“They need another number nine, a proven 20-goal a season that gets you in the top four or top six.

 “Bamford did extremely well, but I think every football club needs a proven goalscorer. So, I’m surprised Bielsa hasn’t signed another nine to push Bamford.”

Rangers qualified for the knockout stages of the Europa League with a convincing 2-0 win at Ibrox in Gio van Bronckhorst’s first game in charge on Thursday night.

They beat Czech side Sparta Prague in Glasgow, with Alfredo Morelos scoring both goals to seal the three points and progression to the next stage.

The 25-year-old opened the scoring with a calm, first-time finish inside the box after good work from James Tavernier and Ianis Hagi. He was then presented with a golden opportunity to double his tally as a loose pass from a defender allowed him to nod into an empty net.

Forget Morelos

Whilst the Colombian centre-forward may grab the headlines with his match-winning brace, another player stole the show for Rangers with a terrific performance on the pitch, namely Glen Kamara.

The Finland international was sublime and controlled the game for the Gers alongside Steven Davis. He was able to put himself about effectively and win the ball back for Van Bronckhorst’s side on multiple occasions, stopping Sparta’s attacks and creating chances for Rangers.

Neil McCann, his former manager at Dundee United, once told The Athletic that the midfielder is a ‘special talent’, saying: “He isn’t a big, physical lad but he’s made of iron and really strong. I knew immediately that he could handle the ball under pressure and not give it away, so he was perfect. He’s a special talent. He’s lightning-quick but he doesn’t show it. He’s a player who takes instruction well.”

McCann’s comments on him being ‘made of iron’ are particularly pertinent given the nature of his display against Sparta. As per SofaScore, he won a whopping 91.6% of his duels and conquered 11 of his 12 battles on the ground and in the air during the game. He also made one clearance, two interceptions and five tackles as he dominated the midfield for the Gers.

He was solid on the ball. As per SofaScore, he completed 87% of his attempted passes and had 72 touches of the ball, as he also completed two of his three attempted dribbles. In the entire 90 minutes, he only gave possession away eight times in total, showing how composed and assured he was with the ball at his feet.

This highlights how he was able to piece together a brilliant all-round performance and why he was the real star of the show at Ibrox. Van Bronckhorst will surely be hoping that this a standard that Kamara can continue to match throughout the rest of the campaign, as he was brilliant against Sparta.

AND in other news, 129 appearances: Rangers secured dream deal with £0 gem who “embodies professionalism”…

Manchester United take on take on Villarreal in the Champions League this evening in what’s set to be their first encounter since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal.

Securing all three points would be enough to send the Red Devils through to the knockout stages of Europe’s elite cup competition, but interim manager Michael Carrick will have a tricky task on his hands.

Mason Greenwood has tested positive for the pandemic and is set to play no part in this midweek clash, while long-term absentees Raphael Varane and Paul Pogba will once again be sidelined.

Joining them on the treatment table could be Edinson Cavani and Luke Shaw, with the pair believed to be doubts ahead of the tip to the Estadio de la Cerámica.

That means Carrick may have to shuffle his pack slightly, although following the 4-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Watford last time out, he perhaps would have done so regardless.

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast expects the former United and England midfielder to line up in Spain…

David de Gea will keep his place in goal despite conceding four over the weekend, but he’ll be keen to impress the new man in the dugout and maintain his No.1 status.

Ahead of the Spanish shot-stopper is set to be a back four made up Alex Telles, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka due to United’s fitness woes, and Carrick will be hoping for a much-improved showing from his defensive unit.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/check-out-the-latest-manchester-united-news-manager-solskjaer-pochettino-enrique-rodgers-psg” title=”Check out the latest Man United manager news!”]

The engine room could have a fresh face as well, with forgotten man Donny van de Beek coming into the starting lineup at the expense of the £7.2m-rated Nemanja Matic who deserves to be axed. The Dutchman will be one of three changes to the side.

He should partner Fred at the base of midfield, providing a solid foundation for Bruno Fernandes to attack from just ahead of the more defensive-minded duo.

An exciting front three of Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Cristiano Ronaldo could complete the starting XI as United go in search of a first post-Solskjaer victory and qualification from Group F.

And, in other news…Carrick could become an instant hit at Man Utd by ruthlessly axing £120k-p/w “problem” 

As per Charlie Eccleshare on Twitter, some Tottenham Hotspur sources ‘close to the deal’ are ‘confident’ an agreement can be reached to sign defender Cristian Romero.

The Lowdown: Spurs in Romero talks…

Tottenham have been in negotiations for Romero over this past week, with Sky Sports claiming that the Lilywhites have in fact stepped up their pursuit of the Argentine.

Spurs also allegedly made an offer of around £34m (€40m) plus £8.5m (€10) in bonuses – but managing director Fabio Paratici will not overpay for his services and has other targets as alternatives (Sky Sports).

A complete agreement is still yet to be reached on price as talks remain ongoing.

The Latest: Sources back agreement…

As per Eccleshare, sharing what he’s heard from some sources ‘close to the deal’, there are those who are apparently ‘confident’ a compromise will be settled when it comes to valuation.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-updates-copy/” title=”Tottenham latest developments…” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

As well as this, some of the journalist’s sources believe an agreement is ‘not too far away’, but as it stands, the two clubs remain apart in their price for the player.

Tottenham officially sold Toby Alderweireld to Qatari side Al Duhail earlier this week and need to seal his replacement with the transfer window deadline looming next month.

The Verdict: Get it done…

There are great alternatives to Romero, like Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic for instance, who Eccleshare believes would be a ‘straightforward deal’.

However, these extensive negotiations for the South American colossus could prove to be worth all of this trouble given his unbelievable performances in Serie A.

Romero was rewarded with the title of 2020/2021 best defender in the Italian top flight and has garnered praise from critics, with Serie A expert Conor Clancy calling him ‘phenomenal’ (This is Futbol).

At just 23-years-old, the centre-back also has plenty of years ahead of him, potentially marking him out as a real prime target.

In other news: Spurs receive boost in pursuit of possible Lamela replacement, find out more here.

Leicester City have been linked with a move for Sampdoria winger Mikkel Damsgaard after a string of impressive displays at Euro 2020.

What’s the story?

According to Sky Sports reporter Ben Grounds (as reported by Leicestershire Live), the Foxes have opened negotiations with the 20-year-old’s representatives over a potential transfer.

Damsgaard has starred for Denmark over the summer, scoring one goal and providing an assist, helping his nation reach the semi-finals of the European Championship.

Fans surely buzzing

The youngster is a product of the famed Nordsjaelland academy and only moved to the Serie A 12 months ago via a £6 million deal.

However, after a solid first campaign in Italian football and an outstanding contribution to Denmark’s run to the last four of the Euros, he could be on the move once again over the coming months.

Damsgaard recorded modest numbers last term as he settled into life at Sampdoria, bagging just two goals and providing a modest four assists in 35 top-flight appearances.

Nevertheless, he still managed 1.5 dribbles per league game, the highest tally amongst his teammates. His potential is clear for all to see, and he’s showcased it on the international stage to devastating effect.

After playing a pivotal part in a shock 2-1 victory over eventual champions Inter back in January, TV2’s football expert Martin Mikkelsen hailed Damsgaard as being “magical”, praising his decision-making in the final third despite his tender years.

“He’s magical – what speed! He is dynamic and can go both ways. He is creative but also so mature in his decisions,” Mikkelsen claimed.

After Harvey Barnes suffered a season-ending injury in February, Leicester were left with the ageing Marc Albrighton, and the underwhelming Cengiz Under as the only recognised wingers in their squad.

The likes of Ajoze Perez and Ricardo Pereira were forced to play out of position as the Midlands outfit narrowly missed out on a Champions League qualification spot once again.

Brendan Rodgers has already secured the signatures of Patson Daka and Boubaary Soumare as the Northern Irish tactician plots another assault on the top four, but acquiring another winger is thought to be high up on his wish list.

Damsgaard would certainly fit the bill of a typical Leicester signing, and news that the club have opened talks with his representatives will surely have the club’s supporters buzzing.

And, in other news…Rodgers can save millions by unleashing never-seen LCFC gem, he’s “absolutely class”