All posts by z3u9t.icu

Leeds United travel away to The Emirates tonight as they go in search of progress through to the fifth round of the competition.

They face Arsenal after holding Wolves to a 1-1 draw at the weekend in the Premier League, with the Whites sat just above the relegation zone as it stands.

Rodrigo scored a last-minute penalty for Leeds after Hee-Chan Hwang’s opening goal for Wolves and Marcelo Bielsa could make changes to his side to freshen things up for this cup clash.

Get Rid

One player he must ruthlessly axe from the team is left-winger Jack Harrison, as the forward struggled badly at the weekend and is having a difficult season.

Per SofaScore, he lost 100% of his duels against Bruno Lage’s Wolves. He failed in all seven of his individual battles and only completed 67% of his passes, whilst failing to complete either of his two attempted dribbles either.

His statistics over the course of the Premier League campaign do not make for much better reading. The winger is yet to contribute with a goal or assist in eight matches, losing 66% of his duels and giving away possession 15.9 times per match.

This shows that he is currently in poor form and the performance against Wolves was simply the tip of the iceberg, which is why Bielsa must axe him. He should be dropped from the XI for this cup tie with Arsenal to give others a chance to impress.

On the one hand, you can look at it as a ruthless axing from the team in the sense that his performances do not warrant a place in the starting line-up. He has not shown enough consistently this season to prove that he deserves to start and that is one of the reasons why the manager should name him on the substitute’s bench.

On the other hand, it could be a tactic to motivate Harrison to up his game. He may spend his time on the bench wondering what he could do to improve and then put that into place in training in an attempt to impress Bielsa and win his starting berth back for Sunday’s trip to Carrow Road to face 20th-placed Norwich.

Therefore, Bielsa must drop Harrison down to the bench to, firstly, improve the team in the immediate future and, secondly, to motivate him to train harder and get back to his best.

AND in other news, “From what I’ve gauged”: Leeds journo makes key transfer claim that should excite fans…

As per Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, via Sport Witness, Liverpool are interested in signing FC Porto midfielder Vitinha. 

The lowdown: Vitinha at Wolves

The Reds have been credited with an admiration of the creative ace for some time now and it appears that the interest remains.

A graduate of the Porto academy, Vitinha moved to Wolves on loan before returning to Portugal in 2021 having failed to score in 19 Premier League appearances during 2020/21.

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Now it appears that Liverpool could be set to attempt to bring the midfielder back to England…

The latest: Liverpool in pursuit

According to O Jogo, as translated by SW, the Reds are following the Portugal international ‘with a lot of attention’ ahead of the summer transfer window.

The report also cites interest from Bayern Munich and Lazio in the man recently hailed as ‘fabulous’ by manager Sérgio Conceição following a standout display in a 4-2 victory over Paços de Ferreira.

Previously, a report from the same source has claimed that Liverpool assistant coach Pep Lijnders is personally scouting the one-cap star, who has a €40million (£33.2million) release clause.

The verdict: Get it done

Having witnessed the impact Luis Diaz has had since arriving from Porto in the January transfer window, it’s no surprise that the Jurgen Klopp and new sporting director Julian Ward would be considering adding the Colombian’s former teammate to the Anfield ranks.

So far this season Vitinha has earned an outstanding 7.54 average Sofascore rating from 25 Primeira Liga outings, which is actually better than the Diaz’s 7.47 rating prior to heading to Merseyside, whilst boasting an impressive 90% passing accuracy.

Predominantly operating from a central midfield role, the 22-year-old has scored three times and provided four assists in 40 appearances across all competitions so far this season, and it appears as though Ward, Klopp and Lijnders are growing quite fond of the Porto talent production line.

In other news: French source claims Liverpool are interested in talented youngster

Since Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard opted to swap Glasgow for the Midlands last month, the Premier League side have continuously been linked with Rangers winger Ryan Kent.

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, the Villa boss is “reportedly ready to raid former club Rangers for Ryan Kent”. The 25-year-old has been subject to interest from Premier League clubs before, with Leeds United previously interested according to The Athletic, who claimed that the Scottish champions were holding out for £20m in the summer.

The 41-year-old brought Kent to Ibrox on a permanent basis for £7.5m in 2019 after the Liverpool academy graduate impressed on loan the season prior, winning the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year Award.

Kent will offer Villa depth

With Gerrard opting to use a 4-3-3 formation, the performances of wingers are crucial to Aston Villa’s success. In the three games that the new boss has overseen, he has deployed Leon Bailey, Emi Buendia, Ashley Young and Ollie Watkins out wide, with the former two seeing the most game-time on the flanks.

Watkins is predominantly a striker whilst Young won’t be a long-term option at 36 years of age. Therefore, if Kent were to join Villa, he would most likely have Bailey and Buendia as competition for a starting spot.

Neither have set the world alight since their summer moves from Bayer Leverkusen and Norwich City respectively, with both players scoring just once this term and registering a combined five assists.

Furthermore, Bailey has struggled with injuries since arriving in the West Midlands, starting just four Premier League games, which could potentially open a pathway for Kent should he join Aston Villa and the Jamaican’s injury woes continue.

Currently valued at £12.6m by Transfermarkt and reportedly earning £20k per week, the 25-year-old has scored 28 goals and registered 34 assists in 143 appearances since joining Rangers and played a vital role in them winning their first league title in ten years last season, with 21 goal contributions in 37 games en route to that triumph.

Moreover, the new Villa boss knows the player well, having worked with him in the Liverpool youth ranks and at Rangers, which could prove essential should the winger opt for a move to Birmingham.

In the past, Gerrard has labelled Kent “a constant threat”, and there’s surely no doubt that the former Gers boss would welcome a reunion with the winger. Just imagine the thought of him and Buendia providing ammunition from the flanks at Villa Park on a regular basis.

In other news: Aston Villa dealt further injury setback ahead of Leicester clash, Gerrard will be gutted 

Antonio Conte is reportedly eyeing a major defensive upgrade at Tottenham Hotspur this winter transfer window…

What’s the word?

According to Italian newspaper Corriere Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the Spurs boss has two main priorities in January as he presses to sign Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic and Inter Milan centre-back Milan Skriniar.

The Slovakia international has long been a target for the north London outfit, even before Conte was appointed last month. In fact, a move for the 26-year-old failed to materialise back in the summer of 2020.

It remains to be seen exactly how much Skriniar would command next month, though CIES Football Observatory currently value him at €40m (£36m).

Colossal centre-back upgrade

By launching a bid for his former Inter colossus, Conte could finally axe one of Spurs’ most inconsistent performers in Davinson Sanchez.

The Colombian, who cost a one-time club-record £42m from Ajax in 2017, has struggled to cement a place in the starting XI for several seasons now and you could argue that he’s only broke in now due to Cristian Romero’s injury.

Yet still, he’s only started seven league games this term and was part of last season’s leaky and error-prone backline under Jose Mourinho, where he started 17 times.

Often dubbed a “liability” to the side, Sanchez could be shifted aside should Spurs manage to secure a move for Skriniar.

Under Conte, he ranked as Inter’s sixth-best performer and second-most used centre-back on their way to their first Scudetto in over a decade. He clearly played a major role in the side having the best defensive record in the Serie A, too.

Across the course of his career, Skriniar has averaged 3.6 clearances, 1.6 tackles and a phenomenal 91.3% passing accuracy for both club and country, via WhoScored. That would suggest that he’s not only a defensive animal but one that is equally adept with the ball at his feet. It’s no wonder he thrived under Conte.

Italian football expert David Amoyal once dubbed him an “absolute beast” and it’s easy to see why, on the above evidence.

Spurs must allow Conte his wish to sign Skriniar this winter. In doing so, they could finally get rid of Sanchez, who just isn’t consistent enough to be a regular starter.

AND in other news, 28% duels won vs West Ham: Spurs passenger who lost ball every 3 touches is surely giving Conte nightmares…

Speaking live on talkSPORT to Jim White and Simon Jordan, as transcribed by their website, reporter Alex Crook has dropped an update on West Ham’s chase to sign Man United star Jesse Lingard.

The Lowdown: Lingard a top target…

The Red Devils playmaker is also one of manager David Moyes’ top transfer priorities for the January window amid his search for a striker and new defensive signing (The Evening Standard).

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Out of contract in the summer, Man United could now be forced to sell for a cheap fee this month in order not to lose Lingard for nothing at the end of 2021/2022.

He is also attracting interest from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United with the latter club apparently at work behind-the-scenes.

Crook, in a live on air update as West Ham still chase him, has made an encouraging claim.

The Latest: talkSPORT update…

Speaking to talkSPORT, the journalist says Moyes and transfer chief Rob Newman still haven’t given up on signing Lingard this month.

“They’ve not given up hope, I’m told, of prizing Jesse Lingard away from Manchester United,” he explained.

“So West Ham could be one of the busier clubs in the Premier League come the next couple of weeks.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Reports indicate that United are sceptical over selling to a top four rival like West Ham or Spurs in January with Newcastle currently the favourites, but if even Lingard manages to leave Old Trafford on a free at the end of this season, he may well come as a stellar free agent signing.

The 29-year-old enjoyed a fantastic spell on loan at the London Stadium last year, bagging nine goals and four assists, and it is believed that the player favours a move back down south over St. James’ Park as things stand.

This could boost West Ham’s chances of a free summer deal at least and it would most certainly be an astute bit of business.

Former England international Paul Robinson is certainly in agreement, calling Lingard a would-be ‘massive signing’ for Moyes who could add ‘another dimension’ going forward (Football Insider).

In other news: ExWHUemployee backs reports as West Ham now willing to bid for ‘phenomenal’ man, find out more here.

Newcastle United journalist Dominic Scurr has now shared some ‘positive’ injury news involving both Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson.

The Lowdown: On the sidelines

Both players have endured significant spells on the sidelines, with Trippier not playing since December.

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The Magpies have nonetheless climbed 10 points above the relegation zone without the pair, but they will no doubt want them back as soon as possible in order to help them mathematically guarantee safety.

The Latest: Trippier and Wilson close to comebacks

Taking to Twitter, Scurr has shared that the duo are ‘close to returning’ after ‘positive’ results in their rehabilitation process.

Sharing a corresponding article from The Shields Gazette, he stated: “Trippier and Wilson are close to returning for #NUFC. A well-managed rehabilitation process has seen neither player rushed back.

“And positive results mean they will return without the lingering fear or pressure to deliver in a relegation scrap.”

The Verdict: Big boost for Newcastle

Having both players back for the run-in will no doubt be a big boost for Eddie Howe and the Toon Army.

Trippier is currently ranking as Newcastle’s best performer in the Premier League so far this season, while Wilson remains their top scorer with six goals (WhoScored).

Howe will feel that his team are not quite safe yet, especially with games against the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal to come, following on from Leicester City at the weekend, but having two of his key players back for at least some of those matches should help the Magpies to get the points that they need.

Nonetheless, the Tyneside club will likely continue not to rush them back, and Howe will probably only pick them if they are 100% ready to play, given how the team has managed in their respective absences and given the length of time for which both players have been sidelined.

In other news, find out which three stars NUFC are now targeting this summer

Tottenham have endured a very topsy-turvy start to the season with Nuno Santo overseeing three wins on the spin and then winning Premier League manager of the month.

However, after overseeing a wonderful August, Spurs were back in the dumps throughout September as they won just once in the league.

What’s the word?

What hasn’t helped Nuno’s men is a lack of goals from star man Harry Kane.

Tottenham managed to keep hold of the England captain despite rife speculation over the summer but he is yet to find the net in the top-flight during 2021/22.

His future at the club is still unclear but recent reports in Italy claim Spurs could sign Alvaro Morata as Kane’s replacement.

Currently valued at £40.5m by Transfermarkt, it would presumably be an expensive move to sanction.

Morata is currently on loan at Juventus from Atletico Madrid but the Old Lady don’t want to see him become a permanent part of the furniture. Thus, it opens the door for Spurs to move in and swoop.

Soldado 2.0

Cast your minds back to the summer of 2013 and Tottenham fans will crawl up into a ball of fear.

The club sold Gareth Bale to Real Madrid after using a portion of the eventual fee they received on acquiring Roberto Soldado.

The Spanish forward arrived in a then club-record deal worth £26m but it was a humungous waste of time and money.

Soldado struggled significantly in English football and only netted 16 times in 76 outings. His time in north London is a constant source of anguish for the striker who hardly spoke glowingly of his time there.

In an interview with The Guardian, he said: “I always say if there is one period of my career I’m not happy with, it’s my time at Tottenham.”

The forward continued: “I also had Harry Kane’s boom to contend with.”

Sadly, Morata is also a player who’s attracted fierce criticism for his performances, especially in England.

During his time at Chelsea, the attacker regularly missed simple opportunities to score, a habit that has continued throughout his time elsewhere on the continent.

He scored just 12 times in 34 outings for Atletico in 2019/20 and then bagged only 11 goals in 32 matches for Juve last season.

His form at the European Championships was also questionable. Like Soldado, he struggled in front of goal and was given quite the hammering by Gary Neville.

The outspoken pundit remarked: “He’s got that vulnerable look about him, almost like he needs a cuddle.”

“It’s like he apologises to the ball before he makes contact with it, ‘Sorry, I’m gonna have to kick you here!’ There is just no belief.”

Also described as “fragile” by Maurizio Sarri, Morata clearly lacks the ability to be a constant threat.

Considering he could act as a replacement for Kane, this is a disaster waiting to happen. If they do end up selling, they can’t afford to replicate the situation that unfolded when Bale walked through the exit door.

Morata is someone that Daniel Levy simply has to forget about.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Hojbjerg: Spurs eye move for £19.8m-rated “machine”, Nuno would love him…

With Gareth Bale set to become a free agent at the end of the season, the 32-year-old has been linked with a number of clubs in recent weeks – with one of the more surprising stories suggesting there is a ‘whisper’ of a move to Celtic.

Indeed, whether or not Ange Postecoglou’s side could offer the Wales international anywhere near the amount of money he would more than likely demand following the conclusion of his £528k-per-week contract at Real Madrid is very much up for debate.

However, while it is true that the forward has not exactly been at his breathtaking best over the last few years in Spain, he would still be a quite extraordinary signing for the Hoops to get over the line this summer.

Celtic’s next Hartson

As previously mentioned, with Bale having made just five first-team appearances for Madrid over the last two seasons, it is clear that the 32-year-old would require a significant amount of work in pre-season in order to get him back up to speed for 2022/23.

However, once he regained his match fitness, the £2.7m-rated forward who scored 106 goals and registered 67 assists over 256 appearances for Los Blancos, in addition to bagging 72 goals and providing 61 assists over 237 outings for Tottenham Hotspur, would undoubtedly be a huge weapon in Postecoglou’s attacking arsenal.

Indeed, the Welshman proved over his 20 Premier League fixtures – only ten of which came as starts – during his temporary return to Spurs last season that he still has what it takes to impress at the highest level of the English game, scoring 11 goals, registering two assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.

These returns saw the player who Dean Saunders dubbed a “freak of nature” and Ian Darke labelled “frightening” average a quite extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.48, not only ranking him as Tottenham’s second-best performer in the league but also the fifth-best player in the division as a whole.

As such, should Postecoglou manage to get a deal over the line for Bale this summer, the 56-year-old could well have landed Celtic their next John Hartson – the Welsh striker who scored 110 goals in 202 appearances for the Hoops – as, despite his advancing years, the 32-year-old quite clearly still possesses the ability to tear the Premiership up.

AND in other news: Huge boost: Ange reveals major Lennoxtown development, it’s brilliant news for Celtic

So far in the January transfer window, Aston Villa have said goodbye to Axel Tuanzebe, who has had his loan spell at Villa Park cut short, as well as seeing Wesley return from his loan at Club Brugge only to then be loaned back out again, this time to Brazilian club Internacional.

In addition, Villa have managed to secure a loan deal for Barcelona’s former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho until the end of the season, with an option to sign permanently.

What’s the news? 

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT prior to the signing of the Brazil playmaker, journalist Dean Jones had his say on what he thinks Villa’s plan will be during the current transfer window in terms of potential incomings.

He said: “I do think that a central midfielder is the number one priority. That’s what they’re looking at first before they get onto those other slots that will just strengthen up the squad.”

Fans will be buzzing

Given how current Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba picked up a serious knee injury last month which will keep him out of action for the foreseeable future, it would make sense for the club to try and bring another midfielder in this month to help fill the gap left by the Zimbabwean’s unfortunate absence.

Douglas Luiz and John McGinn have been regular figures in Villa’s midfield this season with a combined total of 32 league appearances. Aside from them, however Gerrard only has Morgan Sanson, who has struggled with injuries since his arrival at Villa Park, and Carney Chukwuemeka, who only has seven Premier League appearances under his belt, as bona fide central midfielders who he can currently call upon.

This suggests that it could be worth targeting a reliable and experienced central midfielder to come in and add strength and depth to that area of the squad, and it would surely delight a lot of fans to see that the club aren’t just going to settle with Coutinho and what they already have at their disposal.

Moving forward, with an agreement in place to sign the 29-year-old, this should allow Villa to now focus on targets in other areas of the pitch such as central midfield, and possibly then another defender with Tuanzebe gone.

In other news: Gerrard must seal AVFC deal for “sensational” £85k-p/w beast as Fabrizio Romano update emerges

Antonio Conte is said to be a huge admirer of struggling Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli, who could be in line for a career revival in north London…

What’s been said?

That’s according to Italian journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who dropped the intriguing claim on Rio Ferdinand’s ‘FIVE’ podcast this week.

“Talking about managers [and] the impact at Antonio Conte at Tottenham. I am told from sources close to the club that he wants to give big chances to Dele Alli, this is the idea of Antonio,” he revealed.

“We know Alli didn’t have his best time last year but Conte is convinced that Alli is a player for a top club, and he wants Dele to show his skills with a different attitude and a different attitude in the club.”

Only last month, The Athletic reported that the Lilywhites’ hierarchy was finally prepared to give up on the 25-year-old heading into the January transfer window, although that was under the stewardship of former Spurs manager Nuno Santo, who froze him out after the north London derby defeat.

On the chalkboard

This is certainly an interesting claim from Romano, and many supporters around N17 will undoubtedly be left excited by it given the Englishman’s history at the club. However, where Alli fits in Conte’s system right now is anyone’s guess.

The Italian tactician has so far deployed a 3-4-3 formation in both of his opening two games in charge, with Heung-min Son and Lucas Moura occupying the half-spaces and Sergio Reguilon and Emerson Royal bombing down the wings out wide.

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Alli is not a winger and he certainly isn’t a wing-back, nor is he a deep central midfielder, so he currently has no place in the side.

A switch to a 3-4-1-2, which is expected according to some reports, could accommodate him as a no.10, but you’d imagine that Tanguy Ndombele would be preferred right now.

Of Alli’s 263 appearances in a Lilywhites shirt, 200 have come in attacking midfield, which only goes to show where previous managers think his best position lies.

Therefore, if Conte truly wants to give the 25-year-old a ‘big chance’, then he may well need to tailor a system to fit him in, and having only provided three goals and five assists since the start of the 2020/21 season, that may not be a risk worth taking.

Once dubbed a “freak of a talent” by Spurs legend Darren Anderton following an 18-goal and seven-assist Premier League campaign in 2016/17, it will certainly be intriguing to see how the 52-year-old utilises the much-maligned sensation this season – only time will tell.

AND in other news, Conte could recall “perfect” £18m-rated Spurs star who was frozen out by Nuno and Jose…