All posts by z3u9t.icu

It looks as if Rangers could well lose Jermaine Defoe this summer when his contract with Steven Gerrard’s side expires and Fashion Sakala could prove to be the ideal replacement for the veteran at Ibrox.

Paul Robinson suggested recently that should Defoe depart this summer, he wouldn’t be short on offers from Championship sides, or from his old side Sunderland, and with no contract extension on the horizon, it seems increasingly likely that the 38-year-old will leave.

One man who could be brought in as his replacement in KV Oostende striker Sakala, with the Zimbabwe forward having been heavily linked with a move to the Gers in recent months.

His contract with the Belgian Pro League side is also set to expire in the summer and he is said to be interested in a move to Ibrox, so it seems as if the 23-year-old could be a solid replacement from a financial perspective.

This season has been an impressive one for Sakala, as he has managed 13 goals and three assists in 25 appearances in the Belgian top-flight, so it is no surprise to see him being linked with a move away.

Although this season has been something of a breakthrough for Sakala, his goalscoring return certainly suggests that he knows where the back of the net is and at just 23, he still has a lot of time to improve, so could become an excellent player under Gerrard’s tutelage at Rangers.

WhoScored suggests that the striker’s main strength is his finishing, which already marks him out as a good potential replacement for Defoe, whilst it also suggests that he likes to dribble and offers a counter-attacking threat, which suggests that he could potentially be a game-changer for Rangers next season should he make the move to Ibrox.

Therefore, with his contract with Oostende still set to expire at the end of the season, Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson should go all out to try and bring him to Ibrox on a free transfer this summer to replace the outgoing Defoe.

The youngster has got game-changing ability and under Gerrard, he could go from strength to strength.

And, in other news… 0 appearances in 4 years: Wilson should axe Rangers flop who’s stealing a wage

Fans of Liverpool have been reacting to a post on Twitter, in which James Pearce relayed an article of his regarding the recent comments made by Roy Keane.

In his recent article for The Athletic, Pearce responded to the former Manchester United midfielder’s claim that Liverpool are ‘bad champions’ following the Reds’ 4-1 loss at home to Manchester City, with Pearce labelling the 49-year-old a ‘shock jock’, as well as claiming that the former Republic of Ireland international’s input is ‘not entertaining’ but rather ‘tiresome’.

However, after the journalist relayed his article on Twitter, fans of Liverpool flocked to have their say on the matter, with many, rather surprisingly, appearing to be in agreement with Keane, with a number of them taking aim at Jurgen Klopp and the club’s owners for their apparent poor performances this season.

So, what exactly did these Liverpool fans have to say in reaction to James Pearce’s post on Twitter?

“Klopp is the one to blame. This is bottling of the highest order.”

@florida_FSGOUT

“I do think you’ve got to look at our demise. This has been slowly coming since the original lockdown was lifted for football. Didn’t Dortmund have the same problems after 3 or 4 years? Maybe teams can’t physically play the way Klopp wants for more than a couple of seasons.”

@grahamcopping05

“If Klopp can stop playing Milner in midfield we will do better and also Curtis Jones should be playing every minute.”

@lvpl_muktar

“Although there are very valid reasons, for me, Klopp’s lack of tactical awareness has to be an issue. The fact that he is still reluctant to change things is a real concern.”

@Mr_ITellYah

“We do not show hunger or desire to win by all means as in last season. Only a few players are consistently giving their top performance like Robbo & Fab. Yes, many players came out say we will fight for the championship but actions speak louder. Tons of poor decisions by the manager as well.”

@Ericccccccc2

“Every season it is always late in making decisions in the transfer market, it always happens until now… hopefully it won’t happen again. Improve the academy.”

@mochyu

“It’s simply down to lack of investment in the first team in 2018 and 2019.”

@DavidElliott720

“If Klopp replaced Lovren you wouldn’t have this problem. We tried to outsmart common sense.”

@BobanovBobby

In other Liverpool news, this ‘catastrophic’ claim from James Pearce has shocked many fans, find out more here!

Steve Bruce can look to unleash Andy Carroll on West Bromwich Albion this Sunday after losing Newcastle United duo Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin to long-term injuries.

Almiron was forced off at half-time during last Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers after being left in distress with an issue with his knee, and is now sidelined until April.

Saint-Maximin will also miss the entirety of March with a groin injury, joining top-scorer Callum Wilson in the treatment room as the ex-AFC Bournemouth frontman continues his rehabilitation from a hamstring tear.

Having neither of Saint-Maximin, Almiron or Wilson available to face West Brom will hand Bruce a chance to reset his tactics, in hopes of finding a new solution that can potentially keep Newcastle in the Premier League.

United are currently winless in three games having failed to avoid defeat in each fixture played without Wilson leading the attack, during which Almiron had acted as a false nine from kick-off on each occasion.

Joelinton took over central honours against Wolves once Almiron was forced off, having been tasked with providing the width from the right-wing at St. James’ Park and in the Toon’s prior 3-1 defeat to Manchester United.

The Brazilian’s role was occupied by Dwight Gayle against Chelsea during the Magpies’ first match without 10-goal striker Wilson, but the London-born attacker has only featured for 11 minutes of Premier League action since earning his sole start of the season at Stamford Bridge.

Gayle and Joelinton will be pushing for a start on Sunday in the absence of Almiron, but the additional loss of Saint-Maximin can afford Bruce the chance to reset his tactics and begin the relegation six-pointer using a new system with two starting strikers.

Newcastle have only opened two top-flight fixtures with two centre-forwards in the opening XI this calendar year, when Carroll partnered Wilson in the frontline against both Arsenal and Aston Villa in January.

Carroll has played just 12 minutes since losing 2-0 at Villa Park, while he’s been left as an unused substitute on five occasions including in the Magpies’ last two matches. His opening roles against the Villans and Gunners also remain his only starts of 2021 so far.

Bruce can now look to change the picture with a recall for the £75,000-per-week target man, who has been open in his frustrations at being a mere spectator in recent weeks.

“I’ve been waiting. I’d like to say I can see myself in the starting line-up at the weekend, but it’s the gaffer’s choice at the end of the day,” the 32-year-old told NUFC TV. “I’ve been working hard, I’m fit and if it comes, I’m hopefully going to take it and get on the scoresheet and get us a win.”

Carroll has only scored once in all competitions since returning to Newcastle in 2019, coming against Leicester City in January.

He took nine shots in 105 minutes during the Toon’s FA Cup defeat to Arsenal – Wilson averages the most (1.76) per game by a Newcastle player in the Premier League – but also missed two big chances to score.

Bruce would have to see that Carroll’s glaring misses are not repeated if the forward is recalled at West Brom, but a return to a two-strong frontline may be worth considering while he’s without the Toon’s main driving forces.

AND in other news, an “absolutely awesome” titan has been tipped to quit Newcastle this summer…

Having scored against St Mirren, Glasgow Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos once again finds himself at the centre of attention, but that doesn’t that the board should forget about Kai Kennedy.

What’s the word?

The highly-regarded Rangers teenager has been tipped for the top by former SFA performance director Malky Mackay but his contract is set to expire at the end of the current season, which has cast doubt over his future at Ibrox.

According to The Daily Record, Light Blues boss Steven Gerrard has made it clear to Inverness Caledonian Thistle that they can keep Kennedy until the end of the season but only if he commits his future to the club.

Currently plying his trade on loan at Inverness Caley Thistle, John Robertson has claimed he would love to keep the highly-rated 18-year-old as part of his squad: “We have spoken to Rangers and they have given us the scenario they see going forward.

“His future with them, first and foremost, is the key thing that has to be discussed between Rangers and the player.

“Until that is sorted we have to wait and see, as he is a Rangers player.

“They have told us if he signs a new deal they are quite happy for him to remain here this season.

“Until he does that, it is up for grabs.

“That hasn’t been done at the moment, so we will just crack on for the next couple of games before contacting Rangers again to find out what the situation is.”

It’s also claimed Kennedy is close to reaching an agreement with his boyhood club that would extend his current deal having been embroiled in a dispute with Ibrox bosses over a purported lack of game time.

But Ross Wilson can’t afford to leave anything to chance, as Manchester City, Roma and Bayern Munich were reportedly keeping close tabs on his situation after contract talks reached an impasse in September.

Forget Morelos, Kennedy is the future

While Morelos has been linked with a move away from Rangers in recent months – reports have even suggested Lille tried to lure him away from Ibrox in the last transfer window – losing Kennedy would arguably be an even greater blow.

He has been courted by some of Europe’s biggest clubs after bursting onto the scene whilst playing for Rangers in the Alkass Cup victory in 2017.

The talented teen has long been earmarked as one to watch for the future – he’s already bagged two assists for Rangers reserves.

And now, Kennedy has played a key part in Caley Thistle’s campaign in the Championship as Robertson’s side bid to avoid relegation to the Scottish League One this season – scoring one goal in eight games so far, via Transfermarkt. He isn’t an unproven academy prospect any longer, he’s starting to show glimpses of his obvious talents.

It’s no wonder, then, that even Gerrard has been impressed by the uncapped Scotland U21 international, with the Ibrox boss describing him as an “outstanding” dynamo after a string of impressive performances.

This is precisely why Wilson can’t afford to lose Kennedy. He’s a local lad who possesses lots of untapped potential in a similar nod to his forbearers Barry Ferguson and Steven Naismith before him.

AND in other news, Steven Gerrard dealt huge blow as Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield ruled out of Old Firm clash…

Celtic are struggling through an erratic 2020/21 season,  a campaign which is almost summed up by the fact that they have 14 senior players and their manager in quarantine. Their last two fixtures have seen stand-in boss Gavin Strachan have to field a makeshift starting XI whilst multiple key players see out their self-isolation periods.

This problem, however, is just the tip of a very troublesome iceberg for the Hoops, who are trailing to runaway leaders Rangers by a mammoth 21 points.

The makeup of Neil Lennon’s squad will need reviewing once the season ends and Peter Lawwell must be prepared to splash the cash on new personnel. One major problem area for the Bhoys is their goalkeeper.

Celtic have been linked to Dundee’s Benjamin Siegrist amid their worrying form. That’s according to the Daily Record, who claim that the shot-stopper’s agent believes that the Hoops are considering a January swoop.

Should Celtic sign Siegrist from Dundee?

The reigning Premiership champions undoubtedly need a clear out in their ranks. Players like loan signing Shane Duffy have not cut the mustard since arriving at Parkhead and Celtic must recruit fresh meat if they are to compete with Rangers next season.

The main issue to fix had been their inability to keep clean sheets. By signing a new goalkeeper, Lawwell will be making a statement of intent. With neither Vasilis Barkas or Scott Bain impressing at all this season, the responsibility has fallen to Conor Hazard, who has recently been plunged into the deep end by Lennon.

The 22-year-old has done a solid job so far, keeping four clean sheets in his five league appearances and conceding just the one goal, via Transfermarkt. Adding Siegrist to this union would be a very smart move for a side at risk of being ousted by their arch rivals as, at the moment, neither Barkas or Bain look like they can keep clean sheets and if Hazard was forced out of the line-up, the Hoops could be in trouble. The Dundee ace was recently lauded by manager Micky Mellon as a “top drawer” performer for the Tangerines.

However, any move for Siegrist would surely spell the end of £7,600 per week goalkeeper Bain. The 29-year-old has had a wretched time between the sticks recently, conceding 17 goals in just seven appearances. He is still yet to keep a clean sheet this season too, as per Transfermarkt.

Lawwell will probably not want to move Barkas on so soon after signing him last summer for £4.5million, but with Bain disappointing and Hazard stepping up to the plate, the addition of another goalkeeper will likely only be bad news for the Scotland international who would almost certainly have to move on for the good of his career, and for the good of Celtic too.

In other news, Signing Omar Colley would fix Lennon’s huge defensive worry…

Speaking exclusively to FootballFanCast, Rob Lee has touted Henrik Larsson as a potential contender to replace Neil Lennon as Celtic boss.

The Hoops are in the midst of a hugely troubling season, already 13 points behind rivals Rangers as their quest for a tenth successive Scottish league title appears to be going up in smoke.

That’s naturally led to speculation about Lennon’s long-term future at the club, and the potential names that could be considered to replace him in the dugout.

Stuck in lockdown? Our mega footy quiz will cure any boredom…

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Lee – best known for playing over 300 times for Newcastle and 21 times for England – claimed that along with someone like former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, Larsson could be someone for the Bhoys to think about.

He said: “Henrik Larsson’s a legend, [an] absolute legend there.”

With over 200 games played for the club, and a ridiculous total of 175 goals scored, Larsson is a true Celtic icon for his time at Parkhead. The Swede is currently learning his trade as assistant manager to Ronald Koeman at Barcelona, and it remains to be seen whether he would leave such a high-profile position to try and rescue his former side.

If he does, you better believe that Celtic Park will be absolutely rocking at seeing the king return home.

West Brom boss Sam Allardyce is looking to stamp his mark on the Midlands outfit next month, but one mooted target is far from what he needs to change their fortunes this season…

What’s the word?

According to All Nigeria Soccer, Albion are set to reignite their interest in Nigerian winger Ahmed Musa, who is out of work following his exit from Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr in October.

They claim that the 28-year-old was close to joining the Hawthorns in the summer, agreeing on a season-long loan but his parent club were reluctant to sanction his departure despite releasing him just months later.

Big Sam is thought to be a big admirer of Musa as he tried to sign him during his stint in charge of West Ham. West Brom could effectively land a player that commanded a £15m fee (€16.5m) just two years ago, for free.

Shades of Oli Burke

Whilst the opportunity to land an illustrious international sensation for a bargain may seem like a smart piece of business from the new Baggies boss, it could actually be the adverse as the £16m Musa has already flopped in the Premier League before.

He managed just five goals in 33 appearances for Leicester City before being shipped out on loan to CSKA Moscow and then sold to the Saudi side.

It’s been reported that Musa was on around £60k-per-week at his last club, which would comfortably put him among Albion’s highest-earners, something that is just not justifiable.

As a result, it bears similarities to Tony Pulis’ disastrous £15m deal for Oliver Burke in 2017 – the club have only just been able to get rid after four goal contributions in four years.

Once dubbed “excellent” by former Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri, Musa is far from what is needed in this relegation dogfight. Big Sam would be better off signing tried and tested players.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Sam Allardyce tipped to sign £50k-p/w colossus this January…

Liverpool were finally able to begin the graft of putting their embarrassing 7-2 defeat to Aston Villa behind them with a hard-fought win over Ajax this week. Wednesday evening saw the Reds take on the Eredivisie champions at the Johan Cruyff Arena in their first Champions League match of the season.

Despite the absence of Virgil van Dijk, the Premier League title holders were solid against a feisty Ajax side, who were unfortunate enough to lose the game through an own goal. The narrow win will have definitely eased some nerves on Merseyside and it will put them in good stead to take on Sheffield United this weekend.

Not only did Liverpool miss the Dutch centre-back, but they were without other senior players including Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Thiago. New left-back Kostas Tsimikas is also out of action, but let his teammates know that he was backing them all the way during their European clash.

Into the Liverpool spirit

After scraping all three points from a 1-0 win, the Greece international congratulated his teammates on his Instagram story.

Tsimikas joined the club in the summer after being plucked from former side Olympiakos. He marked Liverpool’s first signing of the window, arriving as much-needed cover for Andy Robertson. However, the £8.2m-rated man hasn’t had much chance to prove himself as a good choice of deputy yet, having made just one appearance for the Reds so far.

Although he may be out of action, with no return date in sight so far, Tsimikas is ensuring he shows fans that he is completely behind his team, even if he isn’t able to physically help achieve the results. This type of passion is something that will hugely benefit the squad in the absence of Robertson and hopefully he gets another chance to showcase this soon. It will also get the fans onside, as they will love that he has already bought into the Liverpool spirit.

In other news, Virgil van Dijk injury has kicked Liverpool into gear as they move for major centre-back target…

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson’s baffling admission about Eberechi Eze arguably poses more questions than answers.

What’s the word?

Palace completed the signing of Eze from London rivals Queens Park Rangers for £16m up front with £4m in potential add-ons in the summer, whilst QPR attached a 20% sell-on clause in the contract.

Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Hodgson said, as quoted by London News Online: “Once again it’s [about] competition. Jeff Schlupp isn’t exactly anything other than a very good attacking left-sided midfield player.

“So I had to make choices there. I’ve not been able to fit both in the team together – especially with the form of Andros Townsend on the other side.

“It’s been nothing more complicated than that. But again, like Jairo Riedewald, he has been excellent in training. He’s done really, really well. He’s impressed everybody – not just with his ability but his attitude and professionalism.

“His chance, I’m sure, will come very, very soon.”

Since the start of the season, the Eagles have a pretty average record of four wins in eight games in all competitions. Hardly something to sniff at, but there is certainly room for improvement. Eze has featured in seven out of eight of their top-flight fixtures but has only started three games so far.

Is he the right man for the job?

Palace have often been accused of being a side that lack ambition but you have to give credit where credit is due as Steve Parish put his money where his mouth is in the summer.

The Eagles have been ensconced in mid-table mediocrity for so long, constantly looking over their shoulder at the relegation battle below over the years. But Parish has signalled a statement of intent by bringing in Eze, Michy Batshuayi and Nathan Ferguson, who have added a breath of fresh air to an aging squad. Whilst Ferguson is yet to make his first-team debut, he is clearly one to watch for the future.

Granted, the 22-year-old started against Leeds, but it looks like it could be a case of too little, too late, as fans are reportedly growing frustrated by the lack of minutes he has gained under his belt. Per SofaScore, he has averaged just 46 minutes per game in the Premier League so far.

For all of Hodgson’s good qualities, he’s never been particularly great at managing a squad – flashbacks to his short-lived Anfield reign will send shudders down the spines of Liverpool fans.

Sticking with Jeffrey Schlupp who has struggled for consistency this season seems like a bit of a pointless endeavour, especially when you consider the fact that the 27-year-old is dispossessed 2 times per game in the Premier League, via WhoScored. By comparison, Eze, who reportedly earns wages worth £30,000-per-week, has only been dispossessed once per game, as per WhoScored. If those stats aren’t enough to go by, he scored a goal and supplied an assist against Leeds United, which is more than Schlupp has managed this season.

If Hodgson wants to stick with his senior players he needs to be a bit more savvy about when to do it as he has badly misjudged this one so far. Starting Eze against Chelsea and Everton is almost setting him up for failure right from the start.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace may forever regret not signing now-Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk…

Chelsea will play host to Championship side Barnsley this evening in a bid to progress into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. 

After losing to title rivals Liverpool in their last Premier League fixture, the Blues will be hoping to get back to winning ways. However, Frank Lampard may have a headache when it comes to selecting his squad.

New signings Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell could be available for selection as well as Christian Pulisic, who has been sorely missed in their attack.

Transfer Tavern has predicted how the west Londoners could line up against Barnsley tonight…

A huge defensive shift could be on the cards after Chelsea’s loss to Liverpool. A major Kepa Arrizabalaga error which led to Sadio Mane’s second goal could be enough to see him dropped. Willy Caballero may be called upon once again to fill in, with every defender except Reece James also left out following Sunday’s defeat.

Fikayo Tomori came on after Andreas Christensen was given his marching orders on Sunday. He put in a solid defensive shift and could be one of Lampard’s first choices. His 97% passing rate and two tackles should be enough to warrant a start alongside summer arrival Silva (via Sofascore).

Chilwell could also be ready to make his Chelsea debut as he is reportedly heading in the right direction with his fitness (via premierinjuries.com).

With Pulisic also looking ready to return, he could finally join Timo Werner in attack. However, Kai Havertz has failed to impress and Lampard may not want to risk another quiet game from him. Callum Hudson-Odoi could come into the team to support Werner on the wing, with Mason Mount returning to midfield.

The Blues won’t want to underestimate Barnsley but will hope by fielding an equally strong attack and defence that they can get the job done.

How do you think Chelsea will line up this evening? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!