All posts by z3u9t.icu

Many Arsenal fans have ben left to rue some early team news coming from David Ornstein before their trip to Sheffield United in the Premier League this evening.

Writing in his latest piece for The Athletic, the journalist has confirmed that top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will miss the game because of flu, while the highly-rated Emile Smith Rowe has been ruled out with an ankle injury.

Coming off the back of two very disappointing results against both Liverpool and Slavia Prague respectively, this is the last thing Mikel Arteta needed, as the Gunners will be hoping to get back to winning ways in order to give them some much-needed confidence ahead of their trip to Prague for the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final on Thursday night.

Arsenal fans on Aubameyang and Smith Rowe absences

These Arsenal fans lamented the update on Aubameyang and Smith Rowe from Ornstein after he shared it on his official Twitter profile, with one Gooner describing the setback as ‘unbelievable’:

“Lacazette CF and Willian as 10 I would assume. What an awful time to not be available.”

Credit: @SemperFiArsenal

“Willian at 10 if Odegaard is out kmt”

Credit: @AFC_Dxn

“End the season already”

Credit: @lukmanali1221

“Looooool we’re finished”Credit: @Dee_NYS”This club is a shambles”Credit: @AFFILIIATION”Unbelievable. Not confident in the slightest… against Sheffield United. How tragic is that my word”Credit: @HvrrisonJackIn other news, find out what Arteta update from Fabrizio Romano has been slammed.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer has hailed Aston Villa assistant head coach Craig Shakespeare for the impact he has had at the club.

Shakespeare, who has spent time working with Leicester City and the England national team, was added to Villa’s backroom staff by manager Dean Smith in August 2020 as the 49-year-old looked to add more experience to his coaching team.

That coaching team, of course, also includes former Chelsea and England captain John Terry, and Palmer believes the ex-central defender and Shakespeare have played a massive part in Villa’s defensive improvement this season. He told FFC:

“Conceding goals was a major thing that they had to address. I think he’s [Smith] done a fantastic job, he really has. I think his recruitment of Craig Shakespeare… been number two to Nigel Pearson, number two to Sam Allardyce at Everton, fantastic. He really is a fantastic coach.

“So he’s done well recruiting that and, of course, he’s got an ex-England international centre-back there. So obviously that will help with the defensive side of things.”

Without a doubt, the Villans have been exceptional in defence this term. In 27 league games, Smith’s men have conceded just 28 goals (per WhoScored). Only Chelsea (25) and title favourites Manchester City (21) have managed to register better records in that department.

It is quite the shift from last season, with Villa conceding 67 goals by the end of the 2019/20 Premier League campaign, the second-worst record in the division.

The Midlands club have also managed to keep 14 clean sheets this term, a number that only Chelsea (15) and Manchester City (16) can once again beat, really putting into perspective how solid they have been since last September.

Peterborough Director of Football Barry Fry has exclusively told Football FanCast that Gareth Bale only returned to Tottenham to build his fitness in time for this summer’s European Championships.

Having fallen out of favour at Real Madrid following his toxic relationship with Zinedine Zidane, the Welshman made a sensational return to Spurs last summer on a season-long loan.

But Bale’s opening few months back at Tottenham were frustrating, with the majority of his appearances coming in the Europa League and domestic cup competitions.

However, the attacker found some form during the Europa League tie against Wolfsberger last month, which allowed him to force his way into Jose Mourinho’s Premier League side.

During a six-game period recently, Bale contributed to nine goals, six of which were goals, although Fry believes that his sole reason for coming back to north London was with Wales in mind.

Fry exclusively told Football FanCast:

“I think Gareth jumped at the chance to join Tottenham because he loves it and he felt that he could get game time, where he wouldn’t at Real Madrid.

“He would have expected to play more, but the object of the exercise in Gareth Bale coming to Tottenham was to get fit for Wales. That’s all he came for, believe you and me – game-time, getting fit for the World Cup qualifiers and getting into the Euros.

“It was always going to be each of them using each other for their own means, which is still good for Tottenham fans if they see Bale how he played two or three times. He’s not going to be the player he was with the injuries and loss of game-time. But he can still contribute a lot, but I thought he would have played more than he has.”

Bale’s return to Tottenham hasn’t gone how some would have hoped, but with 10 goals and three assists, and at least 10 games remaining, it’s turned out to be a decent season for the Welshman.

Liverpool host Fulham on Sunday afternoon, desperate to get back to winning ways at home.

The reigning Premier League champions have shockingly lost their last five Premier League games at Anfield and are in desperate need of some inspiration from somewhere.

That could come in the form of returning star Diogo Jota, who should be in line for a start against Fulham.

Signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer window, the Portuguese ace had an electric start on Merseyside, netting nine goals in his first 18 games in all competitions.

He scored on his Liverpool debut against Arsenal, whilst also notching winning goals against Sheffield United and West Ham United. As a matter of fact, his goals have already been worth five points to Liverpool in the Premier League, despite him having played just ten matches in the competition.

Now back from a knee injury suffered in December, the 24-year-old should be recalled into the starting line-up in place of Sadio Mane after being introduced from the bench against Chelsea in midweek.

Liverpool’s struggles appear to have coincided with a lean spell in front of goal for the Senegalese star.

The £108m-rated wideman has scored just seven goals in the Premier League this season, the last one of those coming six games ago in the 3-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur. A spell on the sidelines could benefit him and Liverpool.

If Jota can step up and continue the exhilarating form he displayed before getting injured then he could well give the Reds some fresh impetus as they battle for a place in the top four.

It is clear that the 24-year-old is very highly-rated by those at the club, with Liverpool assistant coach Pep Lijnders going as far as labelling Jota as a “pressing monster”.

That attribute could come in extremely useful with the Reds desperately in need of some positivity.

Jota, who is on £90k per week at Anfield, could be the man to reignite Liverpool’s season now he is back – that renaissance potentially kicking off on Sunday as the Reds come up against Fulham.

AND in more news, take a look at Trent Alexander-Arnold’s crucial role in the clash at Anfield on Sunday…

According to Evening Standard journalist Dan Kilpatrick, Tottenham could be without Ben Davies for tonight’s Premier League encounter with Liverpool in another injury worry after he was taken off against Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup – coming as fellow left-back Sergio Reguilon looks set to miss the match.

Davies was hauled off after picking up a knock during Tottenham’s 4-1 victory away to the Championship side, and at the moment, it is unclear whether he will feature in north London on Thursday as Jose Mourinho gears up for a crunch clash (Evening Standard).

Spurs could miss Davies for Liverpool clash

Indeed, the 27-year-old is a doubt for the match this evening, but there is a glimmer of optimism in Kilpatrick’s update as Davies hopes to pass a late fitness test.

Whether he will be deemed able enough to take part remains to be seen, but for now, he is considered a doubt for Liverpool as Tottenham’s left-back options seem alarmingly thin.

Both Reguilon and Davies potentially being absent leaves little room for manoeuvre as far as Mourinho is concerned, with Japhet Tanganga emerging as an option if the Welshman indeed cannot feature.

Transfer Tavern take

The Lilywhites youngster has been deployed as a left-back before, but not this season as per Kilpatrick.

Spurs fans will be hoping Davies is passed fit, but right now he remains a doubt – coming as both Reguilon and attacker Dele Alli (football.london) look set to miss Liverpool.

Mourinho is certainly a fan of the player, who he described as ‘very intelligent’ back in October for his contributions as part of a back four (football.london), meanwhile pundit Darren Bent hailed him as one of the ‘standout’ performers of 2020/2021 after Spurs’ League Cup win against Stoke (Sky Sports via TBR).

In other news: Tottenham eyeing this ‘superb’ starlet, find out more here.

West Brom are keeping tabs on the progress of young Championship winger Kieron Evans, according to reports…

What’s the word?

It’s claimed by WalesOnline journalist Glen Williams that the Baggies are among several top-flight teams “actively monitoring” the 19-year-old attacking midfielder ahead of the summer transfer window.

There is also a belief that the emerging Welsh prospect is very highly thought of by both the academy and first-team set-ups at Cardiff, resulting in him being named in three senior matchday squads since December.

Albion’s relegation rivals, namely Newcastle United, Burnley and Sheffield United, have all been mentioned as having an interest in Evans, too.

Shades of Koumas?

A young, breakthrough Welsh talent from the lower leagues? That very much sounds like Hawthorns legend Jason Koumas, who swapped Tranmere Rovers for West Brom for around £2.25m, aged just 22.

The Guardian once described the former Albion star as a ‘mercurial talent,’ and he too not only featured for Cardiff in his career but also could play on the wing or through the middle – once again, very much like Evans.

WalesOnline claim the teenage prodigy, described as an ‘exciting playmaker,’ has been in top form for Steve Morison’s U23 squad this season, having finished last campaign as top-scorer for the U18s.

And Morison has handed out high praise indeed for the 19-year-old gem. He told reporters after a positive performance in March 2020:

“Kieron Evans has made that place his own and I thought he was the best player on the pitch, playing brilliantly from start to finish and scoring a very good goal.”

Whilst Bluebirds correspondent, Williams, added his own take that day as he claimed Evans was “definitely one to look out for moving forward” before dubbing him “a real talent.”

Evidently, as a player yet to be exposed to the senior game, the raw sensation has a lot to learn and achieve before being spoken about in the same vein as someone like Koumas, but all the signs are there to hint towards him becoming a future star.

The Wales U19 international could even learn a thing or two from fellow countryman Hal Robson-Kanu if he made the switch to the Midlands this off-season.

AND in other news, Allardyce could save West Brom MILLIONS this summer with 24 y/o “outstanding talent”…

Newcastle United are reportedly still in talks to sign Radu Dragusin from Juventus on a free transfer, according to Calciomercato.

As per the news outlet, discussions are continuing between the two clubs, as well as both RB Leipzig and Atalanta, but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.

At this current moment in time, the negotiations are at a stand-by phase, with his deal at the Serie A club set to expire on June 30th.

Dragusin one for the future

Dragusin is certainly a player for the future, having already broken into the senior side at the Old Lady despite being just 19 years of age, with four games under his belt in total over all competitions so far in the 2020/21 term (Transfermarkt).

With a frame of over six feet and two inches, the central defender should have no worries at all coping with the physical demands of the Premier League should he make the move to the St. James’ Park faithful, and his manager Andrea Pirlo was quoted as claiming that the he is ‘very strong’ back in December of last year.

On a free transfer, there would be very little risk in the North East club signing Dragusin up, and so they should be doing all that they can in order to secure the signature of the Romania U21 international.

In other news, find out what timeframe has been put on the takeover arbitration case by a sports law specialist here!

As Victor Orta dotted the Is and crossed the Ts in the summer transfer window, he did so knowing he’d signed a collective group of players capable of taking Leeds towards a brighter future.

Of course, Rodrigo’s addition stole the headlines but it cannot be underestimated the work Orta did in securing a host of players for their academy.

The likes of Joe Gelhardt, Cody Drameh and Crysencio Summerville all arrived to bolster the ranks in the U23s but the young player who has caught the attention the most is Sam Greenwood.

The teenager took the bold decision to leave his hometown of Sunderland in 2018 to join Arsenal, but just two years later he was moving back up north.

This time his destination was Leeds United, and since arriving, he hasn’t looked back.

Gelhardt was the main attraction as far as young prospects go last summer but it’s Greenwood who has impressed more than anyone.

The 18-year-old has been superb for the U23s and already has six goals in just nine outings this term. A minor injury set him back but the highs have certainly outweighed the lows in his first few months at Thorp Arch.

He scored a hat-trick against Sunderland and is very nearly ready for first-team action. His left foot is as sweet as a nut and he is an instinctive finisher capable of hitting rasping drives. It’s no wonder that he’s been compared to Robin van Persie – someone with a breathtaking shot and left foot.

Talking about Greenwood earlier this season, Joe Donnohue of Leeds Live said: “His start may have been excellent, so imagine how much better he could be with consistent football.”

Excellent is something that typifies the teenager perfectly and in a month where Leeds favourably look away from entering the transfer market, he could profit significantly.

The likes of Jean-Philippe Mateta and Diego Costa have been touted with moves but the Whites should forget about those attackers and focus on promoting within.

Greenwood is as explosive as they come and would surely suit the style of football Marcelo Bielsa plays perfectly.

He deserves his chance as much as any at Leeds.

AND in other news, “He’d fit into Bielsa’s team” – Exclusive: Pundit claims £30m gem would be perfect Leeds signing…

Tottenham Hotspur are enjoying an extremely strong start to their 2020/21 Premier League season. After beating title contenders Manchester City and putting six past Manchester United, many have raised the question of whether this could be the year Spurs take home the glory.

Of course, it’s very early days still and the nature of the Premier League has proven that absolutely anything can happen. However, with the Lilywhites putting pressure on the league’s best and three-time title winner Jose Mourinho spearheading the team, they have just as good a chance as anyone else.

Gary Mabbutt certainly believes that he could finally see his former side lift the Premier League trophy.

When Football FanCast asked the ex-defender if Spurs are in with a chance of winning the title, he was quick to voice his belief in the north London outfit.

“Absolutely. Looking at the table so far this season and looking at the performances from all the teams, everybody has weaknesses that can be exploited,” Mabbutt said. “It was key showing against Manchester City that we got our tactics right. We sat back, we soaked up the pressure and then on the counter attack we exploited their defence.”

Indeed, the likes of City and Liverpool have shown their weaknesses this season and both are missing key players through injury. Chelsea’s lavish summer spending hasn’t paid off yet either, with Kai Havertz underperforming so far.

Meanwhile, Spurs have the most in-form forwards in the league with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min leading the line. The duo have a combined 16 goals and 11 assists after just nine matches played (via BBC Sport). The addition of loan signing Gareth Bale has also boosted morale. The ability to dig deep and grind out results is showcasing Mourinho’s grit and his determination to win.

“For myself, I think it’s a realistic chance for us this season,” Mabbutt concluded.

In other news, Why Mourinho must unleash Joe Rodon vs Chelsea…

This is a testing time for Wolves, one they’re trying their utmost best to come out of.

After being battered by Liverpool and receiving a damaging defeat to Aston Villa, they have bounced back tremendously, beating Chelsea 2-1 earlier this week.

However, they are still without Raul Jimenez, someone who suffered a fractured skull against Arsenal a few weeks ago.

As a result, Wolves are searching for a new striker in the January transfer market. They reportedly have two dozen players on a list they’re hoping to whittle down before next month.

Divock Origi is supposedly on the list but another forward that’s been linked with the club in recent days is 17-cap Turkey international Kenan Karaman.

The 6 foot 3 striker currently plays for Fortuna Duesseldorf in Germany’s second-tier so would certainly be no marquee addition.

The 26-year-old is rated at just £2.2m via Transfermarkt but his contract expires next summer so would be available on the cheap to Wolves.

Though, despite his minimal price tag, Fosun would surely be wasting their money on a player who could be nothing more than an experienced Rafa Mir.

For starters, the two forwards are both the same height and thus, they play in similar ways. Karaman has won 2.1 aerial duels per game in Bundesliga 2 compared to the 2.7 that Mir wins for Huesca in La Liga.

The biggest concern, however, is their respective goal records.

Of course, Wolves don’t need a 20-goal striker to replace Jimenez in the short-term because that wouldn’t be possible, but Karaman has never really looked like beating a haul of ten in one season.

According to WhoScored, the Turk has failed to score more than six goals in one league season which is eerily similar to Mir, someone who only has three goals this season and has never scored a senior goal in England.

For whatever reason, this type of striker doesn’t suit Wolves and instead they need someone who is not only tall like Jimenez, but also has a good track record.

It is pointless bringing anyone in on a short-term basis if their career hasn’t amounted to much.

Origi, for example, has a history of scoring big goals at Liverpool. They need to prefer an option like that in January.

In other news, Wolves can discover their Conor Coady heir in rarely-seen starlet with “lots of pace”…