All posts by z3u9t.icu

Everton return to action today in the Premier League as they face one of their toughest tests of the season by welcoming Arsenal to Goodison Park.

The two teams could not be in more polarising form, as the Gunners have lost just once in the league whilst the Toffees have only won three league games all season.

What has managed to make this a slightly more intriguing clash is that Sean Dyche will make his return to English football at the helm of the Merseyside outfit, where he has taken over from Frank Lampard.

The day is set to be shrouded in ongoing fan protests with regard to the board, who have only added fuel to the fire as Everton were the only club in the top flight not to make a signing in the January transfer window.

It represents the monumental task that the former Burnley manager faces, with theoretically the most difficult opponents imaginable in his first game in charge.

Despite this, he is unlikely to be fazed as he leads his men into battle. Photos and videos which have surfaced from his first few training sessions offer a glimpse into what he seeks to rectify and add to this team – some hard work and relentless running.

One man who arguably personifies this more than most is Dwight McNeil, who was brought up on Dyche’s rugged philosophy as he broke into the Burnley first team under his stewardship.

The 23-year-old joined Everton in a £20m summer move but has since struggled to establish himself in a team which was never really sure what it wanted to be. Under Dyche, there is surely no way that will be the case now.

The new boss must unleash his former Turf Moor favourite onto that right flank, using his wicked deliveries and tireless work rate to subdue the rampant Gunners and implement his ideals into the squad.

With just three goal contributions in 18 league games this season, McNeil has never really been one for posting outstanding numbers. His best top-flight campaign only saw him score three goals and set up five, which came during his first full season at that level in 2018/19.

However, it is the constant threat that he offers from set pieces and crosses which makes him a huge asset, plus the fact that he ranks in the top 1% for dribbles completed and the top 25% for blocks when compared to other wingers across Europe’s five main leagues over the past year.

Last season saw him average 1.3 key passes and 1.1 successful crosses per game, which suggests that he can once again prove to be the “striker’s dream” that Dyche had previously labelled him.

Perhaps the reunion with his former boss could help McNeil to reinvigorate his game to the levels which led The Athletic’s Andy Jones to dub him a “special player”, starting with a fine defensive display today paired with some much-needed proficiency in the final third.

Everton’s new manager ought to unleash the winger from the off today in what would be his first top-flight start in just over a month.

Chelsea are battling Manchester United for the signing of in-form Napoli striker Victor Osimhen this summer, a new transfer report has claimed.

The Lowdown: Osimhen linked with Chelsea move

The 24-year-old is having a season to treasure for the Serie A giants, scoring 17 goals in all competitions and terrifying defences with his combination of unstoppable power and composure in front of goal.

Chelsea have been linked with completing the signing of Osimhen recently, as Graham Potter and Todd Boehly look to make significant transfer inroads once again when the summer window arrives.

The Nigerian’s head could be turned by a move to the Premier League given that he has just two years left on his deal in Naples, and it doesn’t look as though the Blues’ interest is going away.

The Latest: New update emerges

According to Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Chelsea are ‘ready to invest’ in Osimhen this summer, although he could cost as much as €120million (£107m).

United are also name-checked in the report, while fellow European powerhouses Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are seen as clubs who could afford him, too.

The Verdict: Perfect Aubameyang replacement?

A new centre-forward is definitely needed at Chelsea in the summer, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang proving to be a huge disappointment, scoring just three times in 17 appearances.

Osimhen could be the perfect signing, in that respect, considering he is almost ten years younger than the Blues striker and has netted 16 goals in as many Serie A starts this season.

He could spearhead a hugely exciting attack that also features the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk and potentially Joao Felix, having been hailed as ‘wonderful’ by Jose Mourinho, who also said the player is ‘of the same level as (Didier) Drogba’.

Chelsea certainly don’t seem to be shy of spending big and offering long contracts at the moment, so coughing up massive money for Osimhen would be no great shock.

West Ham United boast one of the country’s most prestigious academies, with the Hammers having produced some sensational talent across the years.

One such product currently stars in their midfield, with David Moyes’ recent statements outlining just how highly both he and the rest of England rate Declan Rice. 

He noted that: 

“He’ll be a British transfer record if he ever leaves West Ham,” with Enzo Fernandez having recently taken that title following his £106.8m January move.

However, the man who laid the foundation for his development and currently operates in a sporting director role within the club is Mark Noble, who is truly the player to emulate.

Affectionately dubbed ‘Mr West Ham’, he was a stalwart who held down the engine room for 18 years, playing 550 times and recording 122 goal contributions across that time.

With Rice constantly linked with an exit from the London Stadium, and Tomas Soucek having seen a considerable downturn in form, perhaps now marks the perfect time to promote yet another academy starlet into the senior squad. Enter Keenan Forson.

The 21-year-old is a dependable defensive midfielder with an unparalleled work rate, with his pedigree throughout the youth ranks earning him just his second-ever first-team appearance earlier this season in the Europa Conference League.

Due to his youthful exuberance and immense technical proficiency, he boasts the ability to operate further up the field too. But, when he makes his eventual breakthrough, he is expected to settle in a sitting role.

His age and the fact that he was recently rewarded with a new contract suggests he could be around to hold down the Irons midfield for some time, emulating the success and loyalty shown by Noble.

What allows him to stand out is his ability to dictate the play, and whilst his energy might be outlined, his calmness with the ball is exemplary. This is another trait which the 35-year-old club legend was revered for.

He has even drawn comparisons to one of the greatest in his position of a generation, with former academy manager Terry Westley issuing the following praise:

“Keenan’s small but he’s such a tough boy. He’s similar to N’Golo Kante in terms of his work ethic because he’s so difficult to mark. Keenan has a lot of potential”.

The youngster has quickly grown into an integral part of the U23s, as he featured more than any other player last season.

He is surely the next in line for a promotion, with a spot beside Rice there for the taking. If he can play at half the quality of Kante with half the commitment and devotion of Noble, Forson has a glistening future in view at the London Stadium.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery made a major decision in the January transfer window as the Spaniard allowed Danny Ings to join Premier League rivals West Ham United for £15m.

The English centre-forward had scored six goals in eight top-flight starts for the Villans this season, after managing seven in 22 last term, prior to his exit.

However, his impressive goal return was not enough to convince the manager that the striker had a long-term future at Villa Park and the Hammers swooped in to rescue him last month.

Who could replace Danny Ings at Aston Villa?

Emery opted against bringing in an experienced number nine to take the gem’s place and, instead, signed teenage attacker Jhon Duran from MLS side Chicago Fire.

The 19-year-old, who can play through the middle or out wide, scored eight goals in 27 MLS appearances in 2022 and could be a future star if the dynamo can adapt to life in England and develop into a regular goalscorer in the years to come.

He has scored 17 goals in 79 senior outings in his career and this does not suggest that the January signing is a naturally prolific scorer, as Ings was for Villa.

However, Emery may already have his natural replacement for the now-West Ham star in the form of academy striker Cameron Archer – who is currently on loan at Middlesbrough in the Championship.

How is Cameron Archer performing for Middlesbrough?

The 21-year-old marksman has been on fire since making the move to the Riverside and caught the eye live on Sky Sports on Wednesday night with a brace against second-placed Sheffield United.

With the score level at 1-1, the youngster was first to react to a deflection in the box to thump a weak-footed effort into the roof of the net under pressure from a defender to put Michael Carrick’s side in front.

His second goal was a quick counter from Boro that ended in Archer peeling off the shoulder of the last defender before brilliantly curling the ball into the far corner beyond the goalkeeper.

The gem, who was once dubbed a “goal machine” by reporter Ryan Taylor, has now scored three goals and provided two assists in his last four Championship appearances for the second-tier outfit and this comes after he managed 20 matches for Preston North End in the division last term.

Archer also plundered four goals in two League Cup clashes, and these statistics show that the forward is a lethal finisher.

Journalist Josh Bunting once hailed him as “clinical” and his goal return over the last 18 months backs that up.

The Englishman has scored 47 matches in all competitions since the start of last season and this indicates that the talent could be the natural goalscorer Villa lost when they allowed Ings to depart.

Therefore, Emery could find the three-time England international’s perfect replacement by bringing the youngster back into the first-team fold to compete with Duran and Ollie Watkins next term.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers centre-forward Kemar Roofe ahead of the club’s League Cup final clash on Sunday…

What’s the latest on Kemar Roofe’s fitness?

Light Blues manager Michael Beale has revealed that the striker suffered a blow after the win over Livingston, which comes after Malik Tillman was missing from the squad due to injury – leaving the midfielder as a doubt for the weekend.

Speaking about the current state of his options, the head coach told the Scotsman: “This season our squad has been pulled apart by injuries.

“If I go through it, at the moment there’s still no Robby McCrorie, no [Filip] Helander, no [John] Souttar, no Ridvan [Yilmaz], no Arfield, no Lundstram, no Jack. Kemar Roofe has only just come back. Tom Lawrence is out. Like most things, a couple of days before the game I’ll get a take.

“Kemar Roofe had a slight issue as well after the weekend unfortunately so we won’t be too far away from the team that played last weekend. It wasn’t a dress rehearsal but there could be one or two more that declare themselves fit. I need to make sure they are because it’s important there’s not a bravado around it, that they genuinely are fit.”

Big blow

Roofe being unavailable for selection for the clash with Celtic on Sunday, after this injury worry, would be a big blow for Beale as the attacker is a proven goalscorer who has stood up in huge moments before.

He scored an extra-time winner against Braga in the quarter-final of the Europa League and assisted a goal in the 2-1 win over the Hoops in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup last season. The Jamaica international also struck an extra-time winner in the semi-final of the League Cup against Aberdeen just last month.

These recent examples show that the dynamo is the man for the big occasion and has been able to deliver in crucial game-deciding moments, to help the team reach finals.

The 30-year-old, who has scored 36 goals in 78 appearances for Rangers in all competitions throughout his career at Ibrox, could now be a deciding factor in whether or not the Light Blues lift the trophy on Sunday because of his experience of being a difference-maker in these huge games.

Roofe is an excellent option for Beale to call on off the bench in matches, as he has proven himself to be a match-winner as a substitute, and that is why this latest injury concern could result in a big blow for the head coach if the striker is ruled out for Sunday.

The manager will, surely, be hoping that this ‘slight’ issue is nothing more than that and the ex-Leeds marksman will be available to face the Hoops in the final.

Everton have been gifted an injury boost as Sean Dyche has declared that Amadou Onana is ‘fit’ for their game at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Forced off against Leeds

Onana was forced off with a knee injury in Everton’s 1-0 win at home to Leeds United in the top flight last weekend.

Dyche admitted after the game that his injury has been a ‘niggly’ one, but believes that it is ‘manageable’.

The Latest: Onana ‘fit’

Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference ahead of their match against Villa, Dyche has shared (via Birmingham Live) that Onana is ‘fit’ to play, as the ‘knock’ that he picked up against Leeds is ‘not serious’:

“Am [Amadou Onana] is not serious, more of a knock so we have been monitoring that, but he is training, but he’s fit.”

The Verdict: Big boost

It will come as a big boost to Dyche and the team to have Onana available to play after picking up a knock against Leeds.

The central midfielder was a standout player on the pitch before he had to come off, winning six of his duels and recording three shots, two clearances, two tackles and one key pass, achieving an 81% pass accuracy (SofaScore).

He has received praise for several of his performances this season, and even attracted interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United in the January transfer window, despite only joining in the summer.

Nonetheless, if the Toffees are going to get another win at Goodison Park, then Onana will no doubt be key once again.

Rangers midfielder Steven Davis has been ‘brilliant for years’ and deserves a new contract, according to pundit Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Injury blow

Davis suffered a season-ending knee injury at the end of December, which cast doubt on whether Rangers would choose to extend his contract beyond the end of the campaign, when is it due to expire.

However, Football Insider reported earlier this month that a new contract is ‘very likely’ to be offered to the midfielder, who would become a player coach, having already started work on obtaining his coaching badges.

The Latest: McAvennie reacts

In an interview with Football Insider, McAvennie has claimed that the Gers should keep the 38-year-old around in some capacity, due to the positive influence he could have on their younger players.

When asked whether Michael Beale should offer him a new contract, the pundit said: “Davis is a player that I would look up to. He has been there, seen it and done it. I do not get why he would not want to keep him around the place in a coaching role.

“Defoe was great for [Alfredo] Morelos, just watching him every day. No matter what people say Davis is a great, he has been brilliant for years. If I was a Rangers players I would want to train with him every day and listen to him. He’s a huge figure for them.”

The Verdict: Worth keeping?

If the Northern Irishman is able to make a full recovery from his knee issue, then he would be a trusty back-up option for Beale in midfield, having made 16 appearances for Rangers in all competitions prior to his injury.

However, given his age, the most important reason to keep him is because he knows the club inside and out, having made a total of 360 appearances across his spells with the Teddy Bears, while he also has 306 Premier League appearances to his name.

This experience is vital to have in any dressing room, and he could have a real impact on some of the club’s younger midfield players, including Malik Tillman, who they have been given the green light to sign permanently in the coming months.

As such, letting Davis’ contract run out would be a mistake on Rangers’ behalf, and Beale should offer him a player-coach role to make sure he stays at Ibrox.

Phil Hay believes that Leeds United star Wilfried Gnonto has to start shaking up his game after being dropped on the weekend.

The Lowdown: Leeds need inspiration in the final third

Gnonto was a surprise signing over the summer from FC Zurich after Leeds missed out on bigger-name targets such as Bamba Dieng and Cody Gakpo, but he’s proved himself to be a bargain recruit.

The Italian winger has already racked up eight caps for his national side despite being just 19 and it’s no surprise why as he’s taken the Premier League by storm since arriving in the summer.

However, it appears as though Javi Gracia isn’t completely sold on Gnonto and him being the man to keep Leeds in the division as he was dropped on Saturday against Chelsea being afforded just 22 minutes.

The Latest: Gnonto is being worked out

While Hay acknowledges how good Gnonto has been for Leeds, he’s insisted on The Phil Hay Show that other teams have now worked him out, so he must start offering something different to games.

He said: (26:30) “Gnonto is somebody they’re going to need some output from before the end of the season.

“I think what I’ve noticed from him, and I guess the issue for him, is that it does seem after that period where he could do no wrong and was having such a big impact on games it does seem as though analysts and managers across the league have applied a clear eye to that and said this is somebody we need to keep a handle on and somebody we need to negate, double up on and whatever it is we do to stop him having the freedom of the pitch.”

The Verdict: Gracia must keep working with Gnonto

Leeds fans will be hoping that the dropping of Gnonto – who Hay believes will be in the running for ‘Player of the Year’ – was just a tactical tweak and not a sign of things to come from now until the end of the season.

Gnonto has certainly surpassed many people’s expectations as even his former manager Jesse Marsch insisted he was a signing for the Under 21s originally, before being forced to bump him up into the first teams such was his natural ability.

Costing Leeds just £3.8 million in the summer could well turn out to be one of the bargains of the season, Leeds will now just be hoping Gracia can get even more out of him, or lose him when they’d drop down into the Championship.

Anfield was in cacophonous rapture; Manchester United felled by a Liverpool effort so blistering, so devastating in its intensity one would be forgiven for mistaking the home side for a ceaseless storm.

It was a result of former glory, a reminder of the head coach at the helm of the Reds ship: Jurgen Klopp.

Granted, Liverpool have crumbled like sand this season, a disparate world from the formerly robust and unwavering bundle of energy that obliterated the most formidable of outfits, enjoying success unforeseen at Anfield during modern history and winning a wealth of major honours including the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup – and now securing top-four and a place in Europe’s coveted continental competition next term is the most illustrious recipe for success.

Liverpool have been mired with mediocrity this season, and have incredibly not spent a single match-week inside Champions League contention after 25 matches, only recently returning to form with a blistering purple patch that has indeed been iced by the recent dismantling of the Red Devils, Carabao Cup champions a week prior.

It all came together with seamless splendour, and the offensive fluidity might just rekindle the fire that has waned this year, no doubt exacerbated by the absence of Luis Diaz, who has spent the majority of the campaign confined to the medical room.

When will Luis Dias return from injury?

Diaz suffered a detrimental injury against table-toppers Arsenal in October, and has not graced the pitch since, missing 26 matches, but a recent tweet from Colombian journalist Diego Rueda stated that the wily winger “could return” to face Bournemouth this weekend.

Despite missing the bulk of the campaign, the 26-year-old started strongly with four goals and three assists from 12 appearances, and there is a sense that Liverpool’s woes might not be so profound had he avoided an extensive layoff.

How does Dias fit into Liverpool’s current team?

Signed from Porto for £37m in January 2022, Diaz has scored ten goals and served eight assists from 38 appearances for his Merseyside outfit, lauded as “exceptional” by Klopp for his abilities and seamless integration into the Liverpool attack.

As per FBref, the £55k-per-week phenom ranks among the best 14% of wingers in Europe’s top five divisions for goals, the top 20% for assists, the top 10% for pass completion and the top 7% for successful take-ons, and his transitional nature could have paid dividends for a stagnant Reds attack devoid of confidence for the majority of the term.

With his return, he could link up with £35m winter signing Cody Gakpo, who has started to blossom after a troubling start and netted two emphatic strikes against United in the recent goal-laden victory.

Gakpo, now with four goals from seven Premier League outings, is a “fleet-footed” – as lauded by The Times’ Hamzah Khalique-Loonat – and dynamic forward, capable of flourishing as a centre-forward and on the left wing, and with Diaz’s progressive approach and Gakpo’s imposing presence, it could be the inception of “something special” at Anfield, as Gakpo was proclaimed by Fabrizio Romano.

Indeed, the Dutch attacker ranks among the top 9% of positional peers throughout the continent for goals, the top 15% for shot-creating actions and the top 7% for assists, and with such versatility in creative threat, Diaz, who similarly flourishes from multiple dimensions.

The triad of doubles from Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Gakpo in the incredible victory over Man United suggests that Klopp might have landed a winning formula on the offensive front, but given Diaz’s impact since his arrival from Porto, he could just be the final cog to get the machine whirring with consistency and conviction.

Just imagine the dynamic partnership he could forge with Gakpo, whose skill set complements Diaz’s perfectly…

Transfer expert Steve Kay says that Arsenal are no longer favourites to sign Leicester City central midfielder Youri Tielemans this summer.

The Lowdown: ‘Frontrunners’

It was reported in February that Arsenal were the ‘frontrunners’ to sign Tielemans this summer, and are ‘well placed’ to bring him to the Emirates Stadium.

Both Newcastle United and FC Barcelona are also thought to be interested in his signature, and it is claimed that he is ‘unlikely’ to sign a new deal at Leicester, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.

The Latest: No longer favourites

Taking to Twitter, Kay says that the Gunners are no longer favourites to sign Tielemans, with Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund also in the race for his signature:

“Arsenal are now not any longer favourites to sign the Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans due to major interest from Dortmund and Manchester United.

“Tielemans wants game time which is more likely at United & Dortmund because of the likely sale of Jude Bellingham.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

Mikel Arteta’s team could not do much wrong by signing Tielemans on a free transfer in the next window.

Hailed as an ‘outrageous talent’ by football scout Jacek Kulig, he has been one of the standout midfielders not just in the Premier League, but in Europe over the last year.

Tielemans ranks in the top 20% for a number of key metrics, including xAG, shot-creating actions, progressive passes, tackles and blocks made per game, and boasts plenty of experience in the Premier League at the age of just 25.

He is also well-established at international level, having won no fewer than 58 senior caps for the Belgium national team, also featured at the most recent FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

With the future of Albert Sambi Lokonga unclear in North London after he was loaned out to Crystal Palace in the January transfer window, and the fact that Mohamed Elneny has a long-term injury, Arsenal could do with bringing in a new midfielder through the doors this summer, and Tielemans would certainly offer healthy competition to the likes of Thomas Partey, Jorginho and Granit Xhaka.

However, the Gunners would do well to secure his signature, given the high level of competition that they will face, and on a free transfer, this deal could turn out to be a real bargain in the future, should they get it over the line.