All posts by z3u9t.icu

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Tottenham Hotspur came from behind to record a 2-1 win over Watford in Wednesday night’s Premier League clash at Wembley.

Craig Cathcart sent Watford into a first-half lead, but Son Heung-Min came up with an 80th-minute leveller before Fernando Llorente struck late on for the hosts.

It was a huge result for Spurs and despite their struggles, Mauricio Pochettino’s side are now just two points adrift of second-placed Manchester City in the table.

There does seem to be a real issue at right-back at the moment, however, with Kieran Trippier’s form questionable to say the absolute least.

Serge Aurier was deployed in a right wing-back role against Watford, but the Ivorian did not fare much better and his performance has been slammed by the Tottenham fans.

It has not quite happened for Aurier since his move from Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 and it surely seems unlikely that the defender will have a long-term future at the club.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Spurs supporters can be seen below:

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…

An update has emerged on former Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman, regarding interest from Glasgow giants Rangers.

What’s the talk?

According to Portuguese journalist Pedro Almeida, the Dutch head coach is a ‘possibility’ for the Gers as they attempt to replace Steven Gerrard at Ibrox in the coming days, following his move to Premier League outfit Aston Villa.

The reporter also claimed that ex-Rangers defender Giovanni van Bronckhorst is the favourite for the role, but Koeman could now be in the race.

Forget van Bronckhorst

Rangers chief Ross Wilson must forget about a swoop for van Bronckhorst if Koeman is a realistic option for the club in the next few days. If the Dutchman is available then the Gers director must make a move for him and attempt to bring him to Ibrox as he could be a terrific appointment.

He is vastly experienced and has managed some top clubs throughout his career; Barcelona, Ajax, Valencia, Benfica, Southampton and Everton among others. Koeman also managed his native Netherlands for 20 matches and averaged an impressive 1.9 points per game for the country.

Van Bronckhorst won an Eredivisie title with Feyenoord and averaged 2.03 points per game across 136 league matches in the Netherlands. This shows that he is a good candidate to replace Gerrard and proves that he is capable of setting a side up to win points on a regular basis, but Koeman’s statistics and experience eclipse him.

Koeman has managed 342 Eredivisie games and averaged 2.06 points per match, across spells with Vitesse, Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV – winning three league titles along the way, with nine trophies in his career overall. This suggests that he could be a better option than van Bronckhorst in terms of their experience in their home country.

However, the real edge for the ex-Barca coach comes with the fact he has proven himself outside of the Netherlands.

In three full Premier League seasons in charge of Southampton and Everton in England, the 58-year-old finished seventh, sixth and seventh – showing that he can achieve success in one of Europe’s top divisions.

Van Bronckhorst, meanwhile, has only managed in China and the Netherlands.

His spell in China was also cut short after 23 games as he averaged a measly 1.22 points per game, which is another indication that Koeman could be the better option of the two and that is why Wilson must move for the former Saint.

AND in other news, “It’s understood..”: Journo drops update on Rangers’ manager hunt, fans will be gutted…

Many Liverpool fans have slammed the performance of James Milner in their game at Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday evening.

The 35-year-old was run ragged at times in the middle of the park and it was no surprise to see him taken off for Naby Keita just shy of the 70-minute mark.

Milner lost out on five of his duels in total and also failed to record a single shot on goal or successful dribble, while his 65% pass accuracy was one of the worst out of any player on the pitch (SofaScore).

The veteran midfielder also failed to make any accurate crosses or long balls, while he was guilty of losing possession of the ball 10 times and had only 38 touches, 15 fewer than his own goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher (SofaScore), summarising his lack of positive impact on the match.

Liverpool fans slam Milner

These Liverpool supporters slammed Milner’s performance on Twitter, with one Kopite even going as far as to call him a ‘clown’:

“Clown Milner”

Credit: @DavidElliott720

“It’s painful to watch Henderson and Milner pretending to play football”

Credit: @Intrepide_

“Milner playing against us”

Credit: @davies_t_m

“Milner is making me cringe”

Credit: @EMxneyfella

“Hendo and Milner have been abysmal again”

Credit: @ewan_tc

“Watching Milner move is painful”

Credit: @fotballben1

In other news, find out what Mohamed Salah claim has left these LFC fans erupting

Brighton and Hove Albion correspondent Aden-Jay Wood reckons that Dan Ashworth is likely to join Newcastle United as their new Director of Football (DoF). 

The lowdown

The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported on Monday that the Seagulls had given Newcastle permission to speak to Ashworth about fulfilling the position.

Initial contact has been made, and formal talks are ‘likely to happen in due course’. It apparently isn’t the ‘style’ of the south coast club to deprive their employees of appealing opportunities when they arise.

Newcastle have previously been linked with former Chelsea and AS Monaco technical director Michael Emenalo. The Telegraph reported (via Sky Sports) that he had turned down The Magpies, although co-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi insisted this was not the case.

The latest

Wood took to Twitter to provide the latest on Ashworth being linked with the DoF role at St James’ Park and is resigned to the 50-year-old departing Brighton.

He tweeted: “If Dan Ashworth goes (which I think he will), it will be a huge shame. Ashworth has almost singlehandedly changed Brighton’s approach both on and off the field and would be very, very difficult to replace.”

The verdict

Perhaps in an ideal world, Newcastle would have got their new DoF installed in time for the start of the January transfer window, but that appears very unlikely now.

They have at least managed to appoint Nick Hammond, the former Celtic and Reading director of football, in a temporary consultancy role. He may oversee signings designed to try and keep the Magpies in the Premier League, with Ashworth then taking the reins to guide them forward from thereon.

Ashworth did tell The Athletic in February 2020 that he hoped to be at the Amex Stadium for ‘many years to come’, but perhaps the Newcastle project would simply be too good to turn down given the sheer extent of wealth at their disposal.

In other news, Newcastle have offered this Brazilian beast a contract

Pete Graves has now dropped a Newcastle United transfer claim from the new owners.

The Lowdown: Wood confirmed

The St. James’ Park faithful confirmed the signing of Chris Wood from Burnley for an undisclosed fee on Thursday morning, and he has signed a two-and-a-half year deal.

He has been registered in time for their crucial game at home against Watford in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, and joins Kieran Trippier to be their second signing in the January transfer window so far.

Nonetheless, there promises to be more on the way, with the likes of Marcos Senesi and Benoit Badiashile recently being linked with a move to the North East and a desperate need for additions in the heart of defence – the Magpies have the second-most goals conceded in the league.

The Latest: Transfer claim from owners

As per Graves, the new owners feel as if Premier League experience will be ‘key’ in their battle to avoid relegation down to the Championship, and so following the signing of Wood, they may go down that route again for their other targets:

“There’s a feeling amongst key members of the ownership that Premier League experience will be key in survival battle.”

The Verdict: Ideal, but not vital

Of course, signing players that have past experience in the top flight is ideal, as they know what to expect and some, like Wood, may have even faced a relegation battle before.

However, you can find unknown gems from outside of the division, and they would often come cheaper, given that you would not be buying directly from one of your rivals – Feyenoord’s Senesi is a prime example, valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt.

Nonetheless, whatever strategy the new owners use, it has to be perfect if they are to give Eddie Howe a chance of keeping them up, and signing Trippier and Wood, who both have experience in the top flight, is certainly a good start.

In other news, find out who NUFC are in ‘advanced talks’ to sign here!

Chelsea centre-back Antonio Rüdiger would be a top signing for Tottenham Hotspur, according to former Spurs defender Graham Roberts.

The Lowdown: Rüdiger out of contract

The Germany international has enjoyed a fantastic start to the season, excelling in Thomas Tuchel’s back-three system. His electric form has ensured that he is a crucial component to Chelsea’s back-line – he has started 14 of 15 Premier League matches this term and drawn massive praise just last week from Blues legend Gianfranco Zola.

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However, the defender is out of his £100,000-per-week contract in the summer, and is yet to commit his future to the West London club.

With a £31.5m valuation, Chelsea will not want to lose him on a free at the end of the season. This has opened up the possibility of a transfer in the January window. Consequently, a whole host of clubs may well be interested in the colossal defender, including Spurs, who are expected to pursue a new defensive signing for Antonio Conte.

The Latest: Rüdiger linked with Tottenham

According to transfer insider Dean Jones (via GIVEMESPORT), Tottenham have made Rüdiger the most lucrative offer. It was even revealed earlier this year that the player spoke with former manager Jose Mourinho about the possibility of a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Former Spurs centre-back Graham Roberts has now sung the German’s praises, claiming that he would be a good signing for Conte. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said:

“I think it would be good for us. He’s the most improved player I’ve seen in the last year in the Premier League.

“From where he was under Frank, he’s become a man-mountain, he’s a really good passer of the ball.”

However, Roberts is not confident in the deal coming to fruition, claiming that he’s “not sure he would come to Tottenham”.

The Verdict: Ideal but unlikely

With Cristian Romero currently out injured, the arrival of the Germany international would instantly improve the starting 11 in north London – he is part of a defence who have conceded just nine times in 15 games this term, and Rio Ferdinand even called him the best defender in the league last season.

Despite this, it is unlikely that the Chelsea player would choose to join a London rival, especially one below their current ambitions.

He could perhaps opt for a move overseas, with Real Madrid keen to find a replacement for Raphaël Varane and the Spanish giants almost always in and around the trophies come the end of each season.

With the defender out of contract in the summer, there will be a long list of clubs aiming to bring Rüdiger in on a free, so this one certainly feels difficult for the Lilywhites to pull off unless they offer him massive wages.

West Ham United have been dealt a potential double injury blow regarding Nikola Vlasic and Andriy Yarmolenko ahead of their upcoming Premier League fixture.

What’s the talk?

According to a report by Football.London, both attacking midfielder Vlasic and right-winger Yarmolenko are once again doubts for the visit of Liverpool on Sunday afternoon, after both players missed the Hammers’ 2-2 Europa League draw with Genk on Thursday due to injury.

Speaking about the current state of his first-team squad, David Moyes said: “At the moment we seem ok. Yarmolenko had a bit of an injury before we left, Vlasic as well. We’ll see how they are. It’s a quick turnaround between the games but hopefully we’ll be ok.”

Moyes would be gutted

While neither Vlasic nor Yarmolenko have been regular starters for West Ham so far this season, with the duo having featured from the off in just one Premier League game between them this term, the potential absence of the pair on Sunday would nevertheless leave Moyes gutted.

Indeed, Yarmolenko has proven during his time in East London that he is an extremely useful option for Moyes to call upon when his side are chasing a match, having scored seven goals and registered three assists over 54 appearances in the league – with only 16 of these fixtures coming as starts.

Meanwhile, although Vlasic’s game time has been rather limited since his £27m summer move to West Ham, the attacking midfielder demonstrated last season that, when he is fit and firing, he has the potential to become an incredibly important player within Moyes’ first-team squad, scoring 12 goals and registering six assists over 34 appearances in all competitions for CSKA Moscow.

As such, being without either player for the fixture with Liverpool will undoubtedly come as a blow to the 58-year-old Hammers manager, who will certainly be hoping to maintain his side’s current run of six games without defeat in all competitions come full time against the Reds.

In other news: Imagine him & Antonio: WHU can secure dream duo with “very talented” £22.5m-rated ace

A number of Liverpool supporters are fuming after James Pearce claimed the Reds are unlikely to sign anyone in the January transfer window.

Jurgen Klopp had a quiet time of things in the summer, with Ibrahima Konate the only player coming in and the likes of Gini Wijnaldum and Xherdan Shaqiri leaving the club.

There may be the need for January reinforcements to come in, though, especially with Naby Keita, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane departing to the Africa Cup of Nations.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375258″]

Next month could be a pivotal one in Liverpool’s season and whether or not they do any transfer business may end up proving key to their success.

According to The Athletic‘s Pearce [via Anfield Watch on Twitter], however, the Reds are unlikely to make any new signings in January, ‘barring an injury crisis or a change of heart’.

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Liverpool fans fume at James Pearce claim

It isn’t an update that has gone down well with some Liverpool fans on Twitter, with these supporters providing their thoughts.

“Tell us something we DON’T know James”

Credit: @andrefening

“Seriously, I love klopp and wouldn’t change him for any other manager but he cannot moan about congestion fixtures and then not sign any players”

Credit: @braham_shay

“Sorry can’t do this”

Credit: @StartJoeGomez

“Is this ever going to end?”

Credit: @jono1018

“Wow, what a shock. Come early Feb we will be linked with players again….. At least it wont be Sancho again lol”

Credit: @jayellcee7791

“The article on February 1st… ‘Liverpool are gearing up for a very expensive summer where they look to spend £200m+’…. The article on September 1st… ‘The new Anny Road development has gone over budget that’s why reinforcements could not be bought in!'”

Credit: @sjlfc2005

In other news, some Liverpool fans have flocked to an exciting transfer update. Read more here.

Celtic could already be discussing an extension to Tom Rogic’s current deal at Parkhead.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Alan Hutton, who stated his belief in a recent interview with Football Insider that, with the attacking midfielder’s contract set to expire in the summer of 2023, he would not be surprised if behind the scenes talks were already ongoing concerning the extension of the 29-year-old’s stay in Glasgow.

Speaking about the contractual situation of the Australia international, Hutton said: “You’d hope Celtic have learned their lesson. You don’t really want any of your kind of top assets to be walking away for next to nothing or running down contracts.

“He’s been a good servant and I think he’s come back into form since the new manager’s come in. He obviously trusts him.

“You’ve also got other players within the squad to come back, the likes of [David] Turnbull and these sort of guys. They’re in a good place right now but again, moving forward, you never want to lose a top player.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if there were talks going on in the background to try and tie him down to a longer deal. I’m kind of interested to see where it goes and what Celtic’s thinking is.

“Do they stick with the likes of Rogic? Or do they have somebody else in mind to really transform that midfield? It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out. Ultimately, I still think you need someone like that in your squad.”

Postecoglou must seal Rogic deal

As Hutton suggests, considering how impressive Rogic has been since Ange Postecoglou’s arrival at Parkhead last summer, it would indeed appear something of a must for Celtic to tie the midfielder down to a new deal in the coming months.

Indeed, over his 26 Premiership appearances this season, the £1.35m-rated maestro has proven himself to be a key player for the 56-year-old, scoring six goals, registering six assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots and making 1.7 key passes per game – with these returns seeing the £21.5k-per-week Aussie average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.02.

However, it was during the recent 2-1 Old Firm victory in which Rogic truly proved his worth to Celtic, taking four shots at the Rangers goal, completing two dribbles, making one tackle and winning five duels over his 62 minutes on the pitch – not to mention bagging the Hoops’ equaliser in the seventh minute.

These metrics saw the attack-minded midfielder earn a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.4, ranking him as the fourth-best player to feature in the match, while Rangers legend Ally McCoist also took the time to praise the 29-year-old’s performance, stating:

“The one player that really made the difference was Tom Rogic, particularly in the first 45 minutes. He was playing in pockets in front of the Rangers back four, he was picking the ball up, I thought he was different class.”

As such, while the 51-time capped international is undoubtedly getting into the twilight years of his career at the top level of Scottish football, it is clear for all to see that the player Marvin Bartley dubbed both an “absolute dream” and “magic” still has much to offer Celtic – leading us to believe that Postecoglou simply must secure the services of Rogic beyond the summer of 2023.

AND in other news: Sources: Deal now agreed for potential “£20m-plus” talent, it’s bad news for Celtic

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the future of Tottenham Hotspur centre-forward Harry Kane.

What’s the talk?

In a recent episode of the Here We Go podcast, the transfer insider stated his belief that, should Antonio Conte remain at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer, the centre-forward also looks likely to continue his career in north London beyond the summer transfer window.

Speaking about the future of the 28-year-old, Romano said: “I want to say again – if Conte will stay at Tottenham, as their manager next season, my feeling is Harry Kane will be there. Harry Kane will be a Tottenham player again.

“Antonio Conte wants this winning mentality, wants this ambition – and ambition means the top player, Harry Kane has to stay. So, if Conte will stay, I see also Harry Kane staying at Tottenham in the summer. And, at the moment, Tottenham are absolutely not planning to sell him.”

Spurs supporters will love Romano’s update

Despite having initially struggled to hit his usual levels of form towards the beginning of the current campaign – scoring just one goal and registering one assist over his first 13 Premier League outings this season – Kane has proven in the time since that he is still very much one of the best centre-forwards in world football.

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Indeed, over his subsequent 16 league fixtures, the £90m-rated striker has bagged a further 11 goals and provided five assists – form which saw the England captain named as the Premier League Player of the Month in March, the record-equalling seventh time the £200k-per-week hitman has picked up the award.

And, despite his early-season slump, Kane’s recent returns have seen him average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.29 over his 26 Premier League appearances, not only ranking him Spurs’ second-best performer in the league but also as the 18th-best player in the division as a whole.

As such, it is clear for all to see that retaining the services of the 243-goal forward is an absolute must if Tottenham are to become a serious title contender under the management of Conte next season, leading us to believe that Romano’s latest update is sure to be news that Spurs supporters will love.

AND in other news: Conte must ruthlessly axe “pathetic” £25m-rated Spurs passenger, “he is the worst”