All posts by z3u9t.icu

Several Crystal Palace fans have been giving their thoughts on the club’s reported interest in two Serie A midfielders.

According to Tuttomercatoweb, the Eagles are keen on deals for Sampdoria’s Mikkel Damsgaard and Sassuolo’s Filip Djuricic.

The report claims that Palace are paying close attention to the Italian market, with the pair the latest names on the club’s wishlist.

Damsgaard and Djuricic profiled

Damsgaard, 20, is already a senior Denmark international and has made 27 appearances for Sampdoria this season.

He’s played as a left-winger and as an attacking midfielder and is valued at £7.2m by Transfermarkt. His contract with his current employers runs until 2024.

Meanwhile, Sassuolo’s Djuricic, previously on loan at Southampton six years ago, is a full Serbia international.

The 29-year-old, who is under contract until 2022, has also turned out as a left-winger and an attacking midfielder this season, scoring five Serie A goals during the 2020/21 campaign.

Palace’s interest in the duo was shared on Twitter by @CPFCtransfersHQ on Wednesday afternoon. This is what these Eagles fans had to say, with one describing the links to Djuricic as ‘awesome’, though we suspect that may not be entirely sincere.

Palace fans react

“Another 29 year old, awesome!!!”

Credit: @Upsided0wncpfc

“Oh lovely”

Credit: @Kevbartleyy

“Would be really happy with Damsgaard”

Credit: @Phillyconcarne

“Said this a while ago, he’s a cracking player and we could get him for cheap”

Credit: @cpfcharlie0

“Interest fc”

Credit: @Sumo08112

“Always linked, let’s wait for West Ham to also be in waiting.”

Credit: @SelhurstJon

In other news: Palace keen on 18-goal international with club willing to sell for £8.5m, find out more here. 

According to a report by club insider Claret & Hugh, West Ham United medics and backroom staff have ‘growing confidence’ behind the scenes that star defender Angelo Ogbonna could soon be available for the game against Leicester City or ‘certainly’ away to Newcastle United.

West Ham insider shares big Ogbonna injury boost

Ogbonna, who has been out of match action recently after suffering an ankle injury, is said to be making progress in his rehabilitation at Rush Green with his comeback potentially coming soon after the international break.

The Italian limped off just 16 minutes into West Ham’s FA Cup defeat away to Manchester United last month, but Irons insider Claret & Hugh has provided a positive update.

It is understood by the outlet that medics and backroom staff have ‘growing confidence’ Ogbonna will return shortly after the international interval and could be available again for the home game against Leicester.

Barring that, C&H relay that West Ham officials believe the 32-year-old will ‘certainly’ be back for the trip to St. James’ Park soon afterwards.

Transfer Tavern take

This is a big injury boost for manager David Moyes – Ogbonna was a mainstay under the Scotsman and one of the first names on his team sheet before an untimely absence – starting 23 Premier League games in total (WhoScored).

As well as this, out of all the first team regulars with 14 league starts or more over 2020/2021, Ogbonna has averaged the most league clearances per 90.

News that he could return very soon after the international break will delight Moyes, especially as the Hammers chase an unprecedented finish in the European qualifying spots.

In other news: West Ham fans flocked to this footage, find out more here.

Peterborough Director of Football Barry Fry has exclusively told Football FanCast that he expects Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford to sign new deals at Leeds, irrespective of Marcelo Bielsa’s future.

The pair have been a key part of the Whites’ successful campaign back in the Premier League, and are set to be rewarded with bumper long-term contracts.

Phillips still has more than three years remaining on his current deal, although the striker’s expires next summer, with Leeds desperate to tie down two of their most important players.

Recent reports believe that the Elland Road outfit are expected to offer the duo fresh terms in the coming weeks, and Fry doesn’t think that uncertainty over manager Bielsa’s future will affect their decision.

Bielsa’s contract in South Yorkshire runs out at the end of this season, and he hasn’t yet decided whether he’ll stay on for a fourth season at Elland Road.

“I have been a great admirer of Leeds from day one, Fry told Football FanCast. Obviously they will want to keep them two players, they’re a big club, huge club and I don’t see a problem with the salary being turned down.

“I don’t think it will matter to them whether the manager stays or not, saying that, they will want the manager to stay because they enjoy the style of football that the manager demands of them.”

If anything summed up Wolves’ season, it would be the last couple of weeks.

Throughout February, the Old Gold were brilliant as they bounced back from some relegation talk to go through the month unbeaten.

Nuno Santo has been nominated for the Manager of the Month award while Ruben Neves is in the conversation to be crowned Player of the Month.

However, the cracks are starting to appear in Wolves’ armoury again. They are now winless in three successive outings with their performance against Aston Villa on Saturday providing very few positives.

Nuno’s men drew 0-0 as they lacked ruthlessness in front of goal. It has been the same story in their last two matches, drawing 1-1 with Newcastle and being battered 4-1 by Manchester City.

It has been a poor week for the Midlands outfit and nothing typifies that more than their ability or lack of it rather, to find the net.

Willian Jose is still yet to score in a Wolves shirt while Adama Traore’s goal drought goes on. It would seem that they’re beginning to rely on their defenders to score the goals.

Conor Coady netted in midweek, while he and Romain Saiss had their best chances against Villa on Saturday.

Pedro Neto whipped in a mean ball from the right during the second half which found its way to Coady at the back stick. He hit the post and then with the goal at his mercy, Saiss somehow missed an open goal from a matter of yards.

Tim Spiers claimed the effort “defied the laws of physics” and it’s hard to argue with that point. The Moroccan just needed to tap the ball home but instead skied it miles over the bar. It was a moment that ultimately cost Wolves the game and left every Old Gold player in the camera shot with their head in their hands.

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It was a bewildering miss, one that might just go down as the worst of the Premier League season. Though, it was an incident that just about summed up a woeful night for Saiss; a player who never got going at Villa Park.

The £22k-per-week defender has been inconsistent this term and his display on Saturday evening proved that very point. Nuno likes his defenders to be able to play out from the back but he failed in that department, achieving a pass success rate of just 70%.

That tally happened to be the worst of any Wolves outfield player. It was also a number that was 12% worse than his seasonal average of 82% this term.

The Express & Star were rather damning in their assessment of the defender at full-time, saying; “Headed the ball with authority, however, his passing was inconsistent throughout. But it’s the miss of the season that will cause the Moroccan international some sleepless nights.”

Saiss was kept busy by the likes of Trezeguet and Ollie Watkins but he often came out second best, winning just a solitary tackle in the entire match. In addition, the centre-back surrendered possession on 15 occasions.

It was an uncharacteristically poor performance from Saiss, someone who should now be wary of his place in the team.

With Willy Boly back among the substitutes, Nuno must consider wielding the axe on his place in the starting XI and replacing him with a more reliable defender. Boly is certainly that.

AND in other news, Wolves gem who made just 23 passes let Nuno down a lot, Spiers said he “offered nowt”…

Sheffield United midfielder John Lundstram has been heavily linked with a move to Glasgow Rangers in recent months and after his impressive display against Manchester United on Wednesday night, you could certainly make the case that he could make a fine addition to Steven Gerrard’s side.

Reports in recent weeks revealed that Lundstram found himself on Rangers’ radar after he rejected a new contract offer at Bramall Lane but, despite their purported interest, a move is yet to materialise.

The 26-year-old, who has been with the Blades since signing from Oxford United in 2017, is still available for selection, but Chris Wilder recently confirmed that the club expects to sell him in January, with Rangers reportedly among the interested parties.

After a mixed start to the season, Lundstram – who has spent most of his career in England’s lower leagues – delivered another reminder of his talent to Gerrard as he helped the Blades beat the Red Devils at Old Trafford.

Per SofaScore, the £7m-rated midfield ace earned a solid 6.7 rating for his efforts, which was better than both Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood.

During the 90′ minutes, Lundstram made one tackle, two clearances and two interceptions, a tally bettered by only four of his teammates.

Defensive duties aside, he also showed he is prepared to carry the ball forward, as evidenced by his two key passes, a total he shared with former Rangers prospect John Fleck.

Lundstram took 49 touches of the ball, the third-highest out of any Sheffield United player on the pitch, and one more than his midfield partner, whilst he provided the assist to put the Blades back in front after they had been pegged back.

The midfielder produced more passes than Fleck, with 24 of his 34 attempts (71%) finding a striped shirt, albeit both brought a slightly different dynamic to United’s engine room.

On top of this, he also attempted to loft long balls over the top on eight occasions, and although only one found their target, his vision for splitting the defence could make him the perfect fit for Rangers’ squad, as Steven Davis has become renowned for his long-range passing.

The two clearances and interceptions Lundstram made shows he raised his game against the Red Devils, perhaps with an eye on a possible move, when you consider the fact he currently averages 0.7 clearances and 0.5 interceptions respectively in the Premier League.

Indeed, it’s worth pointing out that this is nearly double the number of clearances and interceptions made by Davis in the Scottish Premiership so far this season, which suggests that he could be a like-for-like replacement for the veteran Northern Irishman if and when the time comes for him to depart Ibrox.

With Bongani Zungu struggling to make much of an impression, coupled with the fact that Davis isn’t getting any younger, Gerrard could be in dire need of some midfield reinforcements in the future, which is why Wilson should consider making a move for Lundstram before it’s too late.

AND in other news, Forget Kent: Rangers’ Glen Kamara was superb against Hibernian…

Celtic supporters haven’t had much to cheer about this season but on Wednesday morning, they received a lovely present courtesy of their former manager at Parkhead.

Neil Lennon finally gave in and left the club, resigning after a torrid season in the Hoops hot seat. The Bhoys may have won the Scottish Cup back in December, but their league form has been woeful.

Rangers are now only seven points away from snatching the SPFL title away from Celtic so for any new manager coming in, it will be a struggle. This isn’t your usual scene in Glasgow.

For so long the green and white side have been the dominant force; something nine league triumphs in a row dictates. Yet, since Brendan Rodgers left them behind for Leicester, they have arguably never been the same.

Who takes over from Lennon remains to be seen. Plenty have been talked about but one of the most outstanding candidates could be Roberto Martinez. The Spaniard currently manages the number one ranked international team in the world – Belgium.

That alone means it’s farfetched for him to come to Celtic but according to Jim White, he’s in the frame for the vacancy.

If he does indeed swap Belgium for Glasgow, then he has the ability to revive Celtic. That’s primarily because he possesses similar traits and characteristics to Rodgers.

First and foremost, he’s dedicated on the training pitch. He is a proper coach, someone who leads sessions and strives for more from his players.

His former defender at Swansea, Angel Rangel once told Football League World the following:

“He’s a very smart person, a very good coach. He loves to work, he would be in the training ground at 6am and the last to leave at around 6/7pm. He wouldn’t show us a match, he would show us a few bits on the pitch and meetings, but we knew he spent hours studying the opposition to give us those three or four points to help us win the game.”

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Clearly, Martinez is a meticulous coach. Though, most importantly when comparing the 47-year-old’s methods to Rodgers, he plays with a possession-based model.

Martinez introduced that facet to Swansea and then Rodgers succeeded him in Wales because he played in a similar way. The Spaniard also brought the same style to Everton, taking them to a new level by introducing quick passing football.

Leon Osman revealed the following back in 2014: “This season we are a possession team whether we win or lose. We live and die by that.”

Both managers in question here have been described as flawed disciples of Pep Guardiola. However, no one can deny their quality. If Dermot Desmond wants to revive Celtic’s fortunes, there are few better candidates than Martinez.

He possesses all the qualities that made Rodgers such a success in Scotland.

AND in other news, Christie could be in trouble if Celtic hire 57 y/o coach “reminiscent to Craig Brown”…

Diego Llorente is reportedly keen to leave Leeds United in a shock exit this summer, with a return to Spain potentially on the cards.

The Whites signed the centre-back from Real Sociedad for £18million back in September, with the Spaniard’s arrival considered a real coup at the time .

A Spain international with six caps to his name, Llorente has been a slight disappointment, however, with injuries restricting him to just six Premier League appearances overall.

Llorente could leave Leeds this summer

There are now claims that the 27-year-old could be moving on to pastures new at the end of the season, which certainly comes as a shock given that he arrived less than 12 months ago as the club’s third-most expensive signing ever (Transfermarkt).

According to El Gol Digital, Llorente is keen to leave Elland Road in the summer, with Real Betis thought to be interested in taking him back to his homeland.

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Spain coach Luis Enrique is believed to be keen on the defender moving there, with his lack of playing time for Leeds seen as a reason behind his potential exit.

Transfer Tavern take

Llorente has undoubtedly been a disappointment for the Whites so far, but his aforementioned injury problems have not allowed him to find any sort of rhythm.

It is pointless keeping hold of unhappy players, though, and if the Leeds man believes a fresh challenge is required, Marcelo Bielsa is unlikely to refuse him a move elsewhere.

In terms of his experience and quality, however, it would be better to retain his services moving forward, despite his struggles to date.

In other news, Leeds are ‘thinking seriously’ about signing a particular type of player this summer. Read more about it here.

Aston Villa have a serious COVID problem at the club, and this was proven by the fact the club had to play their youngsters in the FA Cup against Liverpool. It is now being reported that their next Premier League match may not go ahead.

The latest on Aston Villa

David Ornstein reported, via The Athletic, that the Premier League are considering postponing Villa’s match against Spurs. They might replace it with Spurs against Fulham on Wednesday, a game that was cancelled at short notice when Fulham dealt with an outbreak of their own.

This would not be a surprise

This is an unprecedented season and we have already seen fixtures postponed for sides in the division who have had issues due to recent events. The problem at Villa seems to be the biggest one we have had in England’s top flight so far this campaign.

It seems like the only fair thing to do would be to allow the game against Spurs to be postponed, otherwise there would be some serious questions raised as to how the Premier League decide which games are postponed and which are not.

If it was rearranged, it would not be something done to solely benefit Villa, but to keep player safety in mind and also help protect the integrity of the competition.

In other news, Dean Smith discussed a tactical decision he made in a recent fixture. Have a read of what he had to say here!

Benjamin Mendy grabbed his first goal for Manchester City in his 60th appearance for the club in the Citizens’ 5-0 win against Burnley on Saturday afternoon.

The former Monaco man has endured a torrid time with injuries during his time in the Premier League but after helping Guardiola’s side to two consecutive clean sheets in the past week, fans will be hoping that the Frenchman is set for an extended run in the side.

The left-back has shown himself to be extremely impressive going forward during his City career, having contributed 11 assists in his 60 appearances, but has often struggled defensively.

Therefore, Guardiola could properly unshackle the 26-year-old by setting his City side up in a five-at-the-back formation for future games, which would take a lot of defensive responsibility off the injury-prone ace.

The Spanish manager has enough quality centre-backs at the club to effectively play three centre-backs, meaning Kyle Walker or Joao Cancelo could also use their attacking qualities to get forward on the right-hand side.

John Stones’ recent impressive displays have shown that he is more than capable of performing in this City side, and if he was paired with Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias at the back for future games, it could go some way towards improving the Citizens’ poor defensive record.

Guardiola’s side have already conceded 11 goals in their nine Premier League games so far this season, including five at home to Leicester, so you can definitely argue that playing in a five-at-the-back system could go some way towards improving them defensively.

Playing Mendy further forward would also allow him to overlap more and get crosses into the box, which would make the most of his excellent crossing ability.

Speaking earlier this year, Guardiola suggested that the Frenchman has “a special quality with his energy,” so he clearly rates the left-back highly and wants to get the most out of him in his side.

Therefore, we feel the Spanish manager should consider switching to a five-at-the-back system, as he could potentially kill two birds with one stone by allowing Mendy more creative freedom, whilst also making his side more solid defensively.

And, in other news… Man City must prioritise the long-term future of “unbelievable” maestro

Speaking exclusively to the Transfer Tavern, Spurs pundit Gary Mabbutt has urged manager Jose Mourinho to call upon Dele Alli and name him in the squad more often despite his lack of chances recently – with the barely-seen ‘beast’ having apparently wowed in training. 

Alli, who has been on the fringes of Spurs’ plans this season, playing just 75 minutes of Premier League action with Mourinho giving him the odd chance to shine, looks likely to be let go either on a temporary basis or permanent deal in January as things stand (The Athletic).

Mabbutt urges Alli call

The Englishman was most recently given a shot in Tottenham’s 3-1 win away to Stoke in the Carabao Cup, with Alli attracting the wrath of Mourinho after his involvement for the Potters’ equalising goal.

Mabbutt, speaking to the Transfer Tavern, has claimed that Spurs can still get the best out of him as a game-changer whilst imploring the Spurs boss to pick him in the matchday squad more regularly.

“I’ve seen him in training a lot. I’ve always been impressed with Dele,” explained the Lilywhites legend.

“I can talk about what I see, what I know from my experiences. Dele Alli is a player and yes, he should be one of the nine substitutes because he has that ability to turn a game for you.”

Transfer Tavern take

Amidst the player’s faltering relationship with Mourinho, whether or not we will see Tottenham get the best out of Alli remains to be seen, but Mabbutt at least thinks the English midfielder should be in contention for selection on the bench ahead of a busy fixture calendar.

In other news: Tottenham could land this monster as a Skriniar alternative, find out more here.