All posts by z3u9t.icu

Everton were unable to learn from their past mistakes as they failed to deal with the threat of Danny Ings in attack. Southampton delivered the league leaders their first loss of the season after brushing them aside at St Mary’s on Sunday afternoon.

Whilst the former Liverpool man didn’t get on the scoresheet himself, he did well to set up both goals for the Saints. His efforts take his tally for the season to an impressive four goals and two assists in six Premier League appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Southampton’s victory puts them into fifth in the table, now level on points with Leeds who currently occupy the fourth Champions League spot. Should Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side keep up this form, they could blow their expectations of a top ten finish completely out of the park.

Danny Ings returning to haunt Everton

Ings has a tremendous record against Everton, scoring more goals against them than any other team in his career. His solid performance sees Carlo Ancelotti frustrated over dropping points to a side they maybe thought they would be able to dominate. Arguably, the loss of Richarlison and Seamus Coleman hurt the Toffees and Southampton were too invested in utilising this.

As well as his two assists, Ings completed four of six dribbles, won seven duels, recorded two key passes and was successful in 100% of his attempted crosses, per Sofascore.

The 28-year-old outshone Alan Smith’s Man of the Match, Nathan Redmond, who actually received the lowest rating (6.8) of any Saints starter. He could only win 40% of his duels whilst he also lost possession 14 times.

Now Ings’ record against Everton now stands at 11 games played, with six goals and two assists notched. He has now been involved in a goal in his last three appearances in a row against the Blues, via Transfermarkt.

Hasenhuttl recently spoke in depth about Ings’ impact on the team, highlighting to Sky Sports his importance to this Saints side. Similarly, talkSPORT’s Clinton Morrison has tipped the England international to be “top-four quality” (via Hampshire Live).

This result will carry Southampton well into their next match, which will see them face off against Aston Villa, who are ahead of the Saints by just two points as it stands.

The limelight will fall on Ings and Villa star Jack Grealish, who will be battling it out to give their side another all-important three points next weekend.

In other news, Josh Sims paints exciting Southampton future with fine Doncaster form…

During Nottingham Forest’s 2-0 victory over Wycombe Wanderers at the City Ground today, many Forest supporters have voiced their discontent with the current showings of loan signing Anthony Knockaert after his performance this afternoon. 

Knockaert, who put pen to paper on a deal until the new year, not long after signing for Fulham in a £10.5 million move, hasn’t impressed supporters with his displays since arriving.

Now, after his performance against Wycombe, a match which gifted Lamouchi’s men a much needed win as they seek to climb the Championship table, many Forest fans have flocked to have their say over the Frenchman.

Find all of their best verdicts from Twitter down below, as supporters lambasted the French winger as ‘pathetic’ and ‘underwhelming’, questioning why the club even signed him.

NFFC fans blast Knockaert

It’s not something that is commonly associated with Roy Hodgson, but Crystal Palace boast some seriously exciting young players at the moment, after Steve Parish brought Eberechi Eze to Selhurst Park from Queens Park Rangers in the summer.

Eze is one of several signings in recent years who, alongside Nathan Ferguson and Jairo Riedewald, has brought a breath of fresh air to an ageing squad that has often been accused of looking out of place, out of time.

But one player who has stood out from the rest in recent weeks is Patrick van Aanholt’s protege Tyrick Mitchell, who has impressed Hodgson in recent weeks.

The 21-year-old burst onto the scene at his boyhood club after breaking into the first team towards the closing stages of the last campaign, having made four appearances in the Premier League last season.

He has played six games in the top flight this season so far before he suffered an injury in training ahead of the game against Wolves at the Molineux last month.

But contract talks with club veteran Patrick van Aanholt are reported to have reached an impasse, whilst Hodgson has since confirmed that Mitchell has returned to first team training last week along with his teammates Joel Ward and James Tomkins.

So the Palace boss must put his faith in the academy product before Monday’s trip to Turf Moor to take on Burnley, as he has already established himself as a first-team regular starter in Van Aanholt’s absence.

Hit them where it hurts

Following his promotion to the first team, Mitchell has put in a defensive shift in the back line. In six appearances in the Premier League this season, the defender is averaging 4 interceptions and 2.3 clearances per game, via WhoScored.

But it is his attacking contributions that have often gone unnoticed so far this season, as the full-back has bombed up and down the left flank with abandon, overlapping with the likes of Eze, Wilfried Zaha and Jeffrey Schlupp with almost free will at times.

A look at his heatmap reveals a hub of activity, predominantly in his own half, although there are several hotspots in the opposition half as well, which implies that he is finding himself in attacking positions as well.

Burnley’s struggles have been well-documented in recent weeks, as Sean Dyche’s side have failed to win a single game in the Premier League so far this season, with a worrying defensive record which has been compounded by a fundamental lack of pace. And Mitchell is a player who could cause them several problems at the back with his scintillating pace.

The £4.5m-rated defender was recently described as a “silent assassin” by his former U16s coach Anthony Hayes. Is it any wonder, really?

Such a promising young player should not be ignored, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace should sign Jordan Amavi if Patrick van Aanholt leaves…

Leeds United have been linked with Yunus Musah in the past. There is now a fresh update on the player which might not be what the English side would have wanted to hear.

Yunus Musah update

Leeds Live report that the Valencia midfielder has signed a new deal with the La Liga outfit. Arsenal, Wolves and Everton had also been linked with the 18-year-old, but the Spanish side have now moved to secure the signature of the highly-rated American teenager.

He has now signed a new six-year deal, which will run until the end of the 2025-26 season. This deal has a reported €100million release clause, according to CBS Sports.

This is a big blow for Leeds

The 18 year-old is clearly seen as a player who has a lot of potential to succeed at a world class level, this is highlighted by the reported release clause he has.

He is clearly impressing his coach at Valencia as he has featured nine times in La Liga this season. Musah has shown his quality t0o, managing 1.1 tackles and one interception a game (WhoScored).

A midfielder who helps the defensive line out, his stats show that he is someone who puts a lot of work in on the pitch, and with Marcelo Bielsa’s style, a move too Leeds would have made perfect sense for the Yorkshire club.

However, that reported release clause is now an issue as the most they have spent on a player is Rodrigo, who they bought for £26 million this summer.

It will be interesting to see if the club continues to monitor the player or see him as one they simply cannot look to pursue given that he’s just been tied down to a very long contract.

In other news, Phil Hay has provided an update on the future of this defender.

Tom Davies must step up and seize his chance to regain a starting role at Everton after Carlo Ancelotti lost Allan to a hamstring injury at Leicester City on Wednesday night.

The ex-SSC Napoli titan was forced off late in the first half and left Toffees chiefs waiting anxiously for word on how long he will now be forced to spend on the sidelines, with no firm timescale as yet placed on his recovery.

Allan sustained the issue while tracking back and was forced to be replaced by Andre Gomes, who struggled to set the stage alight whilst Davies was left to watch on from the bench once again.

Davies has been named in all but one of Ancelotti’s 12 Premier League matchday squads so far this season, yet has only tasted game time in six and started two, with the last of his opening roles coming as a right-sided wing-back against Leeds United in the absence of Seamus Coleman.

Ancelotti has also only felt fit to start Davies in midfield once, coming against Brighton and Hove Albion in early October after Allan was sidelined with a groin strain.

Yet the Italian tactician was full of praise for Davies’ performance in the 4-2 win over the Seagulls, believing the 22-year-old was tactically brilliant.

“I think he has the advantage that he can play all the positions in midfield,” Ancelotti told EvertonTV. “He can play holding midfield.

“It depends what you are going to ask of him. I think against Brighton he did really well tactically, and what I asked of him. He doesn’t have to do a special or fantastic pass, he has to just control the position in front of our two centre-backs.

“Honestly, he did really well tactically. Of course, he can improve because he’s still young. But I think everyone can improve.”

If Allan is unable to feature against Arsenal on Saturday evening, Ancelotti should have no choice but to offer Davies a recall and the chance for the £25,000-per-week talent to regain a starting role.

Davies is, in the view of former Everton striker Joe Royle, in need of a “jump-start” in his career having lost the spark from his explosion onto the scene in 2016, and when better to get the engine firing on all cylinders again than against a limping giant of the Premier League era in Mikel Arteta’s underperforming Gunners.

He certainly delivered when Ancelotti needed him to against Brighton, with Davies penning 68 touches, five interceptions, three successful tackles, one blocked shot, 46 accurate passes and three ground duels won, per SofaScore. All aspects Everton will need from whoever is tasked with locking down the deep role in the engine room come Saturday.

AND in other news, Everton enter a four-way battle to sign a gritty 21-goal marksman in January.

Matt Crocker can seal Southampton’s push for European football with a January swoop for Vitoria Guimaraes defender Jorge Fernandes.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, a host of Premier League sides are beginning to show an interest in Fernandes ahead of the January window after becoming aware of Os Vimaranenses’ need to raise funds this winter.

Fernandes has played an instrumental role in Vitoria Guimaraes’ early-season form, having started all eight of his Liga Nos appearances, as manager Joao Henriques’ side sit fifth and in the Europa League positions with the division’s joint-best defensive record heading into Christmas.

Fernandes is under contract at the Estadio D. Afonso Henriques through to the summer of 2024 in a deal which features a €50m (£45.5m) buyout clause, though Southampton could complete a deal for far less with Vitoria Guimaraes seemingly open to offers of around £16m in January.

Vitoria Guimaraes are willing to part with the highly-rated 23-year-old for far less than his release clause as Portuguese sides continue to feel the financial impact of the pandemic, which has made sales of their brighter prospects a necessary measure.

Premier League clubs are seemingly reluctant to spend much in the upcoming winter market, but Fulham, Southampton and Newcastle United are said to see Fernandes as a long-term option that would make a January splurge worthwhile.

Forget Stephens, sign Fernandes

Southampton will soon be facing a key decision over the future of Jack Stephens with his £48,000-per-week contract set to expire in 2022, but Saints Director of Football Crocker can better solidify the south coast side’s long-term future and immediate push for European football by getting Fernandes.

Stephens has rarely featured under Ralph Hasenhuttl this season whilst Jannik Vestergaard often shines at St. Mary’s, with the 26-year-old only starting three of his four Premier League appearances and only featuring twice since October – including a 90-minute run-out at left-back.

Fernandes, meanwhile, has been thriving for Vitoria Guimaraes having helped to claim six clean sheets in the Liga Nos to date with a staggering average haul of 1.6 successful tackles, 1.9 interceptions and 4.0 clearances a game while winning 3.9 duels, per SofaScore.

He’s safe on the ball, too, with 67.8 touches leading to 49.8 accurate passes with an 87% completion rate, which rises to 94% for attempts carried out in Os Vimaranenses’ territory.

Centre-back signings may not be an immediate concern for Hasenhuttl with surplus options already to hand, but a promising and young centre-half hitting the market should be enough for the Saints and their Director of Football Crocker to consider a move.

AND in other news: “Unless you’re going to Man United” – Exclusive: Pundit drops claim on £75k-p/w Southampton ace.

If there was any doubting Jose Mourinho’s capabilities last season, he has responded to his critics in emphatic style.

This Tottenham side are not playing the prettiest football but they are getting the job done and in doing so, are mounting a surprising title challenge.

Mourinho has worked wonders with this Spurs team and has turned them into a rigid defensive outfit capable of holding the very best.

That was put to the test against an energetic Leeds team on Saturday but the Lilywhites passed their examination with flying colours. In keeping a clean sheet, the north Londoners won 3-0 to crown a perfect start to the New Year.

One of the most impressive performers was Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. The Dane has been seriously impressive since arriving from Southampton and this was a performance that typified the player he’s been for Mourinho.

Hojbjerg won five tackles and two interceptions at the base of the midfield, breaking up Leeds attacks on a regular basis.

However, in Germany, one of their current transfer targets was turning in a masterclass, one that was arguably even better than Hojbjerg’s.

The man in question is Marcel Sabitzer, someone linked with a move to the Premier League on a regular basis.

Once dubbed “remarkable” for his infectious personality, the midfielder was all over the pitch as his RB Leipzig side defeated Stuttgart 1-0.

Sabitzer was a ray of positivity, injecting imperious penetration into Leipzig’s play and preventing their opposition from breaking. The Austrian won four tackles and five interceptions – a combined haul higher than Hojbjerg’s and he also lost possession on fewer occasions.

Furthermore, the £31m-rated midfielder managed a solitary key pass and four shots on his way to engineering Leipzig to victory.

This was a perfect performance from the 26-year-old and demonstrated why Daniel Levy must push hard to sign him.

Sabitzer has had a fabulous few years and has contributed to 23 goals in the last season and a half. Capable of breaking up play too, he is the complete midfielder.

Spurs need him if they are to sustain their title challenge.

AND in other news, 85.7% duels won: Spurs beast dubbed “embarrassing” was Jose’s true hero on Saturday…

West Ham United have been dealt a huge injury blow ahead of their Premier League clash with Burnley on Saturday as Lukasz Fabianski faces a late fitness test.

David Moyes has confirmed the Irons will make a game-day decision on whether or not the Poland international can face Sean Dyche’s Clarets, after missing Fabianski for his last two fixtures across all competitions.

The 35-year-old was withdrawn at the eleventh hour ahead of West Ham’s win at Everton on New Year’s Day and missed the Hammers’ following trip to non-league Stockport County in the FA Cup, but is eyeing a potential return this weekend.

Fabianski had played all 1,440 minutes of West Ham’s Premier League fixtures over the opening 16 games, keeping five clean sheets, with his thigh issue seeing the £2.25m-rated gem miss his first top-flight fixture since recovering from a hip injury last January.

Fabianski is West Ham’s only major injury concern other than long-term absentee Arthur Masuaku ahead of welcoming Burnley to the London Stadium, when a win will move Moyes’ side above rivals Chelsea before their evening showdown with London rivals Fulham.

“We’ve been okay with injuries recently and have only had Lukasz Fabianski and Arthur Masuaku missing,” Moyes said, via quotes by West Ham’s official website.

“We’re waiting on Lukasz to see how he is because we’re not sure yet, and as we know Arthur is probably a couple of months away from being involved again.”

Defender Fabian Balbuena was also absent from West Ham’s FA Cup win on Monday night after self-isolating having come in close contact to a person who tested positive for coronavirus.

Moyes will be sweating over Fabianski’s late fitness test ahead of welcoming Burnley to east London for Saturday’s afternoon kick-off, having seen the 55-cap international excel this season to offer 50 saves over his 16 Premier League appearances – more than Manchester United’s £375,000-per-week David de Gea (30) and Liverpool’s £72m-rated Allison Becker (28), per SofaScore.

Fabianski is not afraid to take command of his penalty area, either, having recorded seven high claims to date and never not claimed an uncontested cross, which could be key at home to a Clarets side who have produced on average 19 deliveries a game this term.

Moyes is also yet to see Fabianski’s stand-in Darren Randolph be tested, as the 33-year-old was only required to make two saves at Everton as West Ham restricted the Toffees to direct just 20 per cent of their shots on target. He also proved wasteful in possession with a mere nine accurate passes helping to a 45% completion rate, per WhoScored.

The Republic of Ireland international was again quiet at Stockport, where the non-league outfit only managed to direct a single effort on target with the Irons’ defensive line standing firm to block three of their five shots.

AND in other news, West Ham may be targeting a new Modibo Maiga in their search of Sebastien Haller’s replacement.

Many Wolves fans were amazed by a statistic that defender Willy Boly generated during his side’s 3-2 defeat against arch-rivals West Brom yesterday.

According to Opta (relayed by Talking Wolves), the 29-year-old was the first player of the West Midlands club to concede a penalty, score and provide an assist in the same match since Adlène Guédioura back in May 2011, which also happened to be against the Baggies at Molineux.

Boly was criticised for his tackle that saw Wolves go behind in the game, one which resulted in a penalty that Matheus Pereira converted. The Brazilian would then go on to score another spot-kick in the second half as he and Semi Ajayi confirmed Wolves’ misery.

The Ivorian added to youngster Fabio Silva’s opener for the hosts but it was not enough to topple Sam Allardyce’s side, and have now won just one game of their last seven (Fotmob).

With this in mind, supporters were amazed by Opta’s revelation and shared their views via @TalkingWolves to reveal their overall thoughts.

Fans stunned by Boly stat

“Might be the greatest stat I’ve ever seen”

Credit: @Harvey_897

“That’s a stat and a half”

Credit: @Jai_wwfc

“What an insane stat.”

Credit: @wwfcscott

“Amazing”

Credit: @GS070483

“That’s a stat and a half”

Credit: @Injury_20

“Wow”

Credit: @charlpardoe_x

In other news, Pundit believes that Wolves’ big-summer signing should go out on loan.

Sam Allardyce has been doing West Brom a disservice in recent matches.

The Baggies are crying out for a defensive midfielder and one is sat there on the bench every week.

It’s easy to forget that Sam Field is one of only two teenagers to score for the Midlands outfit in the Premier League – the other being Romelu Lukaku.

The 22-year-old youth product has missed games through coronavirus and a string of injuries, but is now available for selection and it’s time for him to start against the Cottagers.

Here’s why…

On the Chalkboard

Neither Romaine Sawyers nor Jake Livermore can provide an anchorman-like presence. It’s no wonder that Allardyce’s side have leaked 12 more goals than any other team in the Premier League.

And their recent home record under the 66-year-old makes for scary reading. It’s 0 goals scored, 17 conceded. Plenty of fingers can be pointed at the backline, but in reality, they have no protection whatsoever.

The pair rank as Albion’s two worst starters per WhoScored ratings, grading at 6.13 and 6.17, respectively.

When breaking down their individual performances, you’ll soon learn where the problems lie.

Sawyers is dribbled past 1.53 times per 90, which is more than his midfield partner and Field, whilst Livermore concedes more fouls (2.19 per 90) than any member of the Baggies squad, via FBRef.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-this-weeks-latest-west-brom-news-and-transfer-rumours” title=”Read this week’s latest West Brom news, transfer rumours and more…”]

Both of the duo also struggle to tackle the opposition in the middle of the pitch, successfully stopping a dribbler no more than 38.5% of the time. That compared to Field’s 66.7% is a stark contrast.

Indeed, Field displayed his attributes in the Championship last term.

Even though he was on loan to league rivals Charlton, he outranked every other West Brom midfielder for tackles won (2.06 per 90), blocks (0.46 per 90) and clearances (2.41), per The Athletic.

Despite not featuring for the club in the top-flight since October, the Hawthorns graduate has actually played at this level four more times than Sawyers, and that says a lot considering he’s started 80% of their matches.

It’s baffling that the young defensive midfielder hasn’t started any games under Allardyce so far. It’s even more perplexing when he’s said the following:

“If we can get a good defensive midfield player who can pass the ball as well as intercept and keep the pressure off the back four then we will try to get him.”

Field is a player who was dubbed “the future” and one day a “captain” by ex-Baggies coach Darren Moore. It’s not the only time he’s praised him either, also calling him a “real student of the game” because he’s an “intelligent player.”

Whilst Tony Pulis said similar, once claiming: “Technically, he’s as good and as gifted as any footballer I’ve seen at that age.”

Going into this afternoon’s game, the Baggies are already seven points adrift of safety and a win for the visitors would move them closer to pulling free and Albion much much further away.

Which is why Field’s presence is needed in the engine room. Big Sam cannot afford to witness his midfield get easily bypassed once again. Enough is enough.

This decision could be an immediate game-changer.

AND in other news, Exclusive: West Brom urged to sign Premier League outcast