All posts by n8rngtd.top

Ralph Hasenhuttl may have stamped his mark on Southampton already, however, this summer is going to have to be big if he wants to keep the Saints away from the drop.

For far too long, the south coast outfit have flirted with the real threat of relegation from the Premier League despite having a squad that on paper looks more than good enough of avoiding it.

Maybe a whole season with Hasenhuttl in charge could be exactly what Southampton need to finally distance themselves from the drop.

The Austrian manager has caught the eye with how he lines his team up and also by his method of play and the insistence he has of playing youth; obviously, someone who follows the ‘if you’re good enough, you’re old enough’ school of thought.

You only have to look at how well Yann Valery has performed for the Saints since making his breakthrough in the team.

If Hasenhuttl can use the transfer market to make a number of youthful additions to help improve his squad further, there is no reason as to why they would not become more of a threat to opposing sides in the top-flight.

And, according to a report by The Independent, it appears Ademola Lookman is on his radar as one man that could help Soton do exactly that; and what a smart piece of business it would be!

Hasenhuttl knows the England Under-21 international extremely well and has shown he can get the best out of Everton’s misfit. Whilst in charge of Red Bull Leipzig, the manager managed to take the 21-year-old to new levels of his game and could do the same with him on the south coast.

He would add a much-needed goal threat to the side, whilst he has the speed and acceleration to get past his defender with ease out on the flanks, which would give the Saints more opportunities to put the ball into the penalty box.

Lookman could be tempted to reunite with the Austrian to try and finally take his game to another level in the Premier League and with Southampton allegedly ready to splash £20million to land him, it would make complete sense for the club to try and make it happen this summer.

In fact, they must!

Southampton fans, what do you think about Lookman? Do you think it would be smart business to sign him? Let us know below!

It has been a tough year to be a Sheffield Wednesday supporter, hasn’t it?

Having experienced a truly woeful start to the 2018/19 campaign, the Hillsborough faithful must have been concerned about their side being dragged into a relegation battle in the Championship.

Yet with the Owls dropping like a stone in the standings, chairman Dejphon Chansiri’s decision to sack Jos Luhukay and bring in Steve Bruce as his replacement in January proved to be somewhat of a masterstroke.

With the 58-year-old in charge, Wednesday managed to steady the ship by going on a lengthy unbeaten run in the second tier which saw them threaten to gatecrash the play-off picture in March.

Although they would eventually have to settle for a 12th place finish after losing three of their final seven fixtures, it is clear that the club is heading in the right direction under the guidance of Bruce.

However, in order for the Owls to be successful next season, it is clear that they must get their recruitment spot on this summer and so it is paramount that they avoid making the mistake of signing Adam Matthews from Sunderland.

According to Football Insider, Wednesday are one of a number of teams being linked with a move for the £1.35m-rated ace (via Transfermarkt) whose current deal at the Stadium of Light runs out next month.

Despite being available on a free transfer, the fact that Matthews has made just 23 appearances for the Black Cats in League One this year suggests that bringing him to Hillsborough would be an almighty risk for Bruce to take.

Whereas the full-back does indeed have a lot of experience of playing at Championship level during his career, it could be argued that he would find first-team opportunities hard to come by at Wednesday due to the outstanding form produced by Dominic Iorfa in recent months.

Therefore, it would be wise if Bruce uses the funds available to him to bolster his squad in other positions which need improving upon during the summer transfer window.

What do you think Owls fans? Would you welcome a move for Matthews in the summer? Or should Bruce steer clear of signing the Sunderland man? Let us know below.

The hunt for their inaugural technical director almost seems a never-ending one at Manchester United.

Ever since Ed Woodward indicated the need for an experienced head to oversee the club’s rebuilding under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, there have been plenty talked about for the position.

However, Woodward seemingly isn’t ready to give the helm to someone without experience, thankfully. Exactly why he’s done that in terms of having a manager remains to be seen, but that’s a different story for a different time. Instead, he would give it to someone who has produced genuine results in such a role and United seem to have found one with such a resume. That’s because, according to reports (via The Sun), the Red Devils want Stuart Webber to be their first technical director.

He’s working as Norwich City’s sporting director and done a great job with reviving the Canaries. Indeed, he played a role in Daniel Farke’s innovation, signing promising players and also giving rise to many youngsters. This is something which can please Solskjaer, whose philosophy revolves around building his team around young, exuberant players.

Indeed, he was also the reason for Huddersfield Town’s promotion before moving to Norwich. Last season, Webber made quite the profit for the Canaries, selling James Maddison for £20 million and just looks like he knows what he’s doing. That’d be nice, wouldn’t it? Moreover, he also signed the Championship highest scorer Teemu Pukki on a free, while also signing Tim Krul as a free agent. Clever, clever transfer business, the kind not heard about at Old Trafford for years now.

Webber definitely understands what he’s doing. He’ll know which players to keep and whom to buy to restart United’s development. A shrewd footballing personality with the ability to make financial profit and also sign prolific talents, Webber’s the down-to-earth, pragmatic personality needed to make United a fearsome unit once again.

United fans, do you think Webber is the right man to oversee the restructure? Join the discussion by commenting below…

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AC Milan legend Andrea Pirlo slammed Divock Origi for his Champions League final performance, but his “awful” showing sums up the perfect unpredictability of Liverpool’s new super-sub.

The Reds took home the big one on Saturday night, and they couldn’t have done it without Origi.

The Belgian international, who has dropped and risen again in the Liverpool pecking order several times throughout his Anfield career, scored twice in the epic semi-final comeback over Barcelona before putting the final to bed in Madrid with a fantastic low finish.

But Pirlo, who of course lined up against Liverpool in European finals in both 2005 and 2007, crucified the 24 year-old, telling Sky Sports Italia, as reported by the Mirror: “Origi was awful.

“He came on in such an important game with that attitude. If he hadn’t scored, they should’ve given him a kicking.”

On the chalkboard

While many Liverpool fans have taken exception to Pirlo’s comments, the midfield maestro is actually correct – Origi was awful until he scored.

During his half-an-hour cameo, the Belgian completed eight out of 16 passes, a horrific 50% completion rate, won no aerial duels, completed no dribbles, no key passes and was dispossessed once (Whoscored).

He was lazy, sloppy and did not do anywhere near enough to help out Mohamed Salah, who was often left isolated in the second half.

However, this is all part of what makes Origi the perfect impact substitute, especially in reference to Roberto Firmino.

Impossibly unpredictable

The Brazilian international is known for his work rate, link-up play and awareness of space. Creativity, tireless pressing and superb vision are all things we’ve come to expect from Liverpool’s number nine.

With Origi though, it’s impossible to know what to expect, and that’s what makes him so dynamic and difficult to stifle.

Does your club have a legend who is criminally overrated? Fans answer this tough question in the video below…

The 24 year-old has immense talent, but defenders never know when he’s going to stop waltzing about attempting worthless flicks and tricks and decide to stick one in the net. His languid style even carries through to his celebrations, with many Reds noticing he “doesn’t know” how to “celebrate properly”.

Origi makes his chances count – he scored with all three of his Champions League shots this season. He knows he need not waste time chasing down lost causes and linking up play, because he only needs one moment to make his mark on a match.

So yes Andrea, Origi was “awful”, but after defenders chase Firmino all over the pitch for 60 minutes, that awful-ness becomes dynamic, confusing and extremely productive.

Having led Sheffield United to an astonishing second place finish in the Championship earlier this month, Chris Wilder will understandably be excited about the prospect of being able to pit his wits against the likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Pep Guardiola next season.

Already a modern-day hero at Bramall Lane, the 58-year-old’s legacy could be furthered if he can prolong the Blades’ stay in the top-flight past 2020.

However, in order to give himself the best chance of achieving this feat, it is imperative that Wilder gets his recruitment spot on this summer.

Although he already has a good squad of players at his disposal, there will still be quite a lot of concern surrounding the goalkeeper position.

With Dean Henderson heading back to Manchester United following an incredible loan spell in South Yorkshire, the Blades have an ultimatum on their hands.

Despite the 22-year-old surely being a top target, they may have to spend big if they are to convince the Red Devils to sell him.

By doing so, they will be taking somewhat of a risk given the fact that Henderson lacks experience at the top level yet when you consider that he has the potential to go to the very top, it may be worth it for United.

However, regardless of whether they can seal a permanent deal for the former Stockport County loanee, the Blades must steer clear of bringing in another shot-stopper that they have been linked with this week.

According to Goal, United are reportedly keeping tabs on HNK Rijeka keeper Simon Sluga with Norwich City also supposedly interested in the 26-year-old.

Whereas the Croatian was very impressive for Igor Biscan’s side during a 2018/19 campaign which saw him win the domestic cup final against Dinamo Zagreb, the fact that he hasn’t tested himself outside of his homeland is a worry.

Furthermore, when you consider that he is quite far down the pecking order for his country, it could be argued that he is not good enough for the Premier League and thus the Blades may benefit from looking elsewhere.

What do you think United fans? Would you welcome a move for Sluga this summer? Or is it imperative that Wilder does all he can to secure the services of Henderson over the coming weeks? Let us know below.

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In the last few days a report from the BBC has detailed that West Ham United are interested in Fenerbahce captain and Turkey left-back Hasan Ali Kaldirim.

If the rumour is true, Manuel Pellegrini is undoubtedly trying to solve his team’s dilemma at left-back once and for all with the signing of a high-quality international.

For three seasons now, the first-choice left-back baton has been passed constantly between Arthur Masuaku and Aaron Cresswell in east London, with neither of them able to hold it permanently.

Masuaku was the man in possession at the conclusion of the 2018/2019 campaign, though that was only because of an injury to Cresswell, something which has been a common theme. The ex-England man is the better option but way too injury-prone.

Adding someone with the quality to make the spot their own would allow the Hammers to get rid of one of the underperforming duo and settle the debate for good.

In light of this, three Football FanCast writers give their verdicts on whether West Ham should sign Kaldirim…

Charles Jones

“I’m not sure that’s the type of deal West Ham should be pursuing. Ali Kaldirim isn’t a clear upgrade on Cresswell and Masuaku at left-back. Historically, imports from the Turkish league haven’t fared too well in the Premier League, and with Fenerbahce having their joint-worst season in 30 years any club should steer clear of signing players from the Istanbul outfit.”

Harry Sherlock

“No. West Ham have two perfectly suitable left-backs in Cresswell and Masuaku and there is little point pursuing another one, as they’d surely have to cash in on one of the two they already have. Indeed, there are a number of other pressing issues that need addressing; West Ham need at least one striker, a couple of midfielders and potentially a centre-back too. Signing a left-back simply makes no sense, regardless of how good Ali Kaldirim may be.”

Jack Saville

“Ali Kaldirim has proven to be a genuine threat from full-back this season by scoring three goals and providing five assists in all competitions, but his lack of experience in the Premier League is a serious worry. West Ham have lacked a cutting edge on the overlap and it’s a problem that needs addressing, but I don’t think this is the answer. Pellegrini should turn his attention towards an alternative target to strengthen at full-back.”

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Leeds United’s official Twitter account announced on Tuesday afternoon that the team’s Under-14 side had won the Flint Micasa Cup in Norway.

Indeed, the Whites triumphed courtesy of a 2-1 win over Viking in the final.

And the news led to a number of the club’s supporters taking to social media to lavish praise on the youth side.

There is no getting away from the fact that it was a hugely disappointing end to the 2018-19 campaign for the first team.

Indeed, defeat to Frank Lampard’s Derby County in the Championship playoff semi-finals saw their hopes of earning promotion to the Premier League come to an end.

The future certainly looks bright, though, with a number of players impressing for the club’s Under-23 side last term.

And now the Under-14s have shown their quality by triumphing in Norway.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Leeds fans can be seen below:

Serbia talent Marko Grujic might indeed be wondering what he has to do to get a chance at Liverpool and, in our minds, this simply shouldn’t be the case.

If there’s one area of the pitch that Liverpool could do with improving, then it’s their midfield. That’s not to say the players who occupy that region haven’t performed well this season; winning the Champions League and narrowly missing out on the Premier League title implies the opposite, in fact.

There’s no denying that stalwart midfielders Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho have all been important for the Reds this season. However, with Alex Oxlade Chamberlain only just returning from a major injury, Adam Lallana largely playing a bit-part role and Naby Keita failing to reach the heights expected of him, some changes might need to be made.

Former captain Graeme Souness bemoaned (on Sky, via the Sun) the lack of passing options in the midfield back in March, so there is an argument for a slight refresh in the engine room. With that in mind, as far as we’re concerned, Marko Grujic is primed and ready for a squad role, at the very least.

While statistics don’t always tell the full story, they go some way towards demonstrating Grujic’s ability. According to analysts WhoScored, in the 22 appearances the midfielder made this season, he produced five goals and one assist, and an average of 2.1 shots per game, 0.7 key passes, 1.4 dribbles as well as 2 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 2.3 clearances.

Compare these figures to Fabinho’s in the season before he was bought for £39million from Monaco and they stand up pretty well (the Brazilian produced seven goals and three assists, and an average of 0.7 shots per game, 1.1 key passes, 1.1 dribbles as well as 3.4 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 1.7 clearances). What’s not to like about that?

The 23-year-old hasn’t enjoyed many first-team opportunities since joining Anfield in 2016. In 2018 he was shipped out on loan to Championship side Cardiff City for half a season, where he helped the club secure promotion to the Premier League, and during the recently completed 2018-19 campaign he turned out for German side Hertha Berlin, where he played a key part in helping the club finish 10th.

Described by Berlin coach Pal Dardai as the best midfielder the club has had at their disposal in 20 years (via Bundesliga.com), perhaps Grujic has proved he’s worth a shot amid links with a big money move to Atletico Madrid.

Performing well during Liverpool’s pre-season is essential if Grujic wants to leave himself in good stead for next season.

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Liverpool fans, do you agree that Grujic should be given an opportunity? Let us know in the comments below…

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Joe Willock had a great season for the Arsenal Under-23 side during the most recent campaign.

The 19-year-old youngster played a total of just 12 games in Premier League 2, but he scored six goals and assisted a further two, which is promising return for a player of his potential.

Recently, Willock shared an Instagram snap showcasing his new clothes with a black chess pawn emoji next to it.

Needless to say, once that kind of thing happens on the social media platform, everything breaks loose and his teammates and friends were quick to comment on it.

In the sea of replies and jokes, Jayden Bogle, who has featured in the England Under-20 youth squad alongside Willock, offered a different perspective as the young Derby County ace was one of the lads who seemed to like what he saw in the image.

But he was not the only one to comment as others were also there for the banter and the laughs.

Zech Medley, Willock’s teammate, shared his thoughts and was seemingly not really impressed with Willock’s showboating.

Instagram can certainly be a cruel place, just like all other social media platforms, but in this case, it’s merely nothing more than friends having a bit of fun before it’s time to go back to work in a gruelling pre-season.

Whilst the massive story in the Northeast is obviously the departure of Rafa Benitez from St James Park, business as usual must continue on the transfer window front if they want to get ahead of their rivals. The Magpies cannot afford to stand still, and even less so now Benitez has departed, which is why these links will be pleasing for the fans.

According to The Burnley Express, the Magpies are set to compete with Arsenal for the signature of Turf Moor favourite Dwight McNeil this summer. It’s a move that makes plenty of sense considering the current climate of the Newcastle squad, and we’ll tell you why.

Under Benitez, a lot of the emphasis of the way the Northeast side played was on being defensively sound, and there were few opportunities for a tricky winger to shine. Of those that were given a go, Christian Atsu, Jacob Murphy and Kenedy failed to really make their mark.

McNeil, though, has done a brilliant job of starring in a similar defensive system 115 miles south at Turf Moor. The 19-year-old broke into the Burnley first-team and bagged three goals and five assists in his 21 Premier League outings, doing more than enough to turn the heads of Arsenal and Newcastle.

The only winger who has really made it work for himself at St James Park has been Matt Ritchie, but that might be down to the fact that the more flashy of the Geordie wingers haven’t been good enough. In the 2018/19 season we saw Murphy, Kenedy and Atsu make a combined 60 appearances, yet they only produced two goals and two assists between them.

So, there’s definitely room for improvement out wide and McNeil would certainly be an upgrade on Atsu and Kenedy. McNeil averaged 1.2 key passes per game and 1.5 dribbles per game in the Premier League this past season which trumps both Atsu (0.6 & 0.9) and Kenedy (0.4 & 1.2). The Magpies scored just 42 goals in the top-flight with only the bottom four teams netting a lower amount, so adding a player like McNeil would give the Tyneside club a great chance of boosting their goals number as key passes help create goalscoring opportunities after all.

The Tyneside club’s defence was rather sturdy this past season, conceding just 48 goals, which put them in joint-seventh for goals conceded. So, the Magpies may be able to progress next season if they replicate their defensive displays and boost productivity in the final third in the form of McNeil, with the potential capture of a prolific striker to get on the end of any key passes possibly helping with that.

And, some Newcastle fans were all for seeing him rock up at St James’ Park back in April (as per Chronicle Live), so the Magpies shouldn’t waste any time in strengthening their options out wide.

Newcastle fans, would you be happy with signing Dwight McNeil? Let us know!