All posts by n8rngtd.top

Many Aston Villa fans are loving an “exceptional” statistic which has been revealed and also retweeted by The Athletic journalist Gregg Evans highlighting how good they have been this season.

The stat was originally from @WhoScored, before Evans also tweeted his opinion. It shows that, in 11 of their 12 wins in the Premier League this season, they have kept a clean sheet. The exception was their 7-2 romp over Liverpool in October.

The club have the second-most clean sheets in the division with 13 (Premier League) and this was already a remarkable achievement based on the fact that they barely stayed in the division last year.

However, it is even more amazing to see how efficient they are at keeping hold of a victory, and it is testament to the defence and goalkeeper as well as John Terry, who has clearly improved massively as a defensive coach.

Hopefully this remarkable feat continues and, if it does, then there is no doubt they could finish in the top half, or even perhaps manage to end up in a European spot.

Here is how Villa fans reacted to the stat:

“This is fantastic, but also shows that when we go behind we never recover. We’ve picked up 2 points in the last 19 games we’ve gone behind. Our last comeback win was Watford 14 months ago. Bit of a mental block we need to overcome soon!”

Credit: @notawelshsinger

“Exceptional! we have come so far in such a short space of time”

Credit: @lockleyps3

“Quite a remarkable statistic!”

Credit: @TheVillaHome

“Wow.”

Credit: @futurefilm1

“Pretty remarkable this”

Credit: @Liam_ODwyer

“I love a good stat and this is a real good one”

Credit: @SteG613

In other news, some Villa fans discussed one player who impressed against Leeds

Steve Bruce has confirmed that Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson will face six to eight weeks on the sidelines with a “devastating” hamstring injury.

That’s according to the Mirror, who quote the Toon boss as revealing that his £20m summer signing from AFC Bournemouth will miss the best part of the next two months.

Wilson could miss up to seven Premier League fixtures as a result of the issue, starting with Monday night’s trip to Chelsea and subsequent meetings with Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and potential relegation rivals Wolves, West Brom and Brighton.

Wilson sustained a deep hamstring tear during last weekend’s 3-2 win over Southampton, that also saw United lose Javier Manquillo for multiple weeks and Fabian Schar for several months.

Manquillo is now expected to miss around six weeks with a muscular injury, while Bruce has confirmed that Schar underwent surgery on Tuesday after sustaining knee ligament damage that the defender will hope does not rule him out of this summer’s Euros.

As for Wilson, the striker underwent scans to assess his hamstring injury earlier this week after being forced to limp off the field during the first-half of last week’s win over the Saints, which returned sombre news for Bruce.

“Unfortunately for Callum, it is a tear to the hamstring and that could be six to eight weeks,” the Toon boss said. “The aftermath of a fantastic victory has blighted us. Losing the centre-froward for weeks is a bitter pill to swallow.

“We hoped it was a grade on two to three weeks, but it is worse than that. We have to be without him for six-eight weeks, but we won’t put a time scale on it. It is devastating news for us. It takes time, when you are pace and power as Callum is. His rehab will have to be spot on. We need him back as quick as we can.

“His performance at Everton [last month] was terrific. We are all struggling with muscle injuries, the sheer number of games and no rest between. Without Callum, it will be hard core. He has been terrific. It will be difficult to replace him.”

The scale of the task now facing Bruce is colossus, with Newcastle left with a mammoth obstacle in their way toward securing Premier League survival for another season.

No Magpies player has been as involved in United’s attacks this term than Wilson, who has offered 2.0 shots a game over his 21 top-flight appearances, in a side that has only offered on average 9.7 each league fixture played to date, per WhoScored.

His efforts have also returned the most goals (10), while Miguel Almiron’s brace against Southampton was enough to move the Paraguayan second on the scoring chart at St. James’ Park with four – only Jeff Hendrick, who’ll be suspended against Chelsea, has also scored twice or more.

Jonjo Shelvey, who boasts one goal to his name, has taken the second-most shots per game with 1.6 but only 0.5 of those have come inside the box, where Wilson is the only player to have offered over 1.0 among those who have featured more than once for Bruce thus far.

Joelinton, who has also only scored once, has taken 1.2 shots a game over his 17 outings, while fellow strikers Andy Carroll (1.1) and Dwight Gayle (0.7) will hope to improve their output in Wilson’s absence.

AND in other news, Newcastle have an ace up their sleeves in efforts to sign a striker valued at £30m earlier this season…

Many Everton fans have been left lauding a transfer update involving their former player Morgan Feeney.

As per the official website of Carlisle United, the 21-year-old has joined the EFL League Two team on a short-term deal which keeps him there until the end of the 2020/21 term.

Feeney left the Goodison Park faithful on a free transfer to sign for Sunderland back in August of last year, and now he has left the Black Cats to join Carlisle.

The central defender won the U21 Premier League twice with the Merseyside club, and made two appearances in the first team in the group stages of the UEFA Europa League in the 2017/18 season.

It never really quite worked out at the Toffees, but that did not stop the Goodison faithful from showing their support for the move.

Everton fan reaction to Feeney transfer

These Blues lauded the transfer on Twitter, with one EFC supporter branding it as ‘wonderful’ while another even went as far as to claim that he is an ‘outstanding’ young player:

“He is a really good player and a leader too. Pathway blocked at Everton but an outstanding young player.”

Credit: @DavidHoward5

“You’ve got yourselves a good potentially great player there…Best of luck Morgan…”

Credit: @vaughanieno10

“Congratulations Morgan. Win them that league!”

Credit: @DaveMbootlebuck

“Good luck Morgan cracking player”

Credit: @Sungy_1878

“Best of luck to Morgan in his new adventure. He’s a top Toffee too.”

Credit: @CheersColin

“That is wonderful”

Credit: @toffeemanUSA

In other news, find out what transfer update has been lauded by Everton fans here!

Many Nottingham Forest fans were quick to rush to Twitter to slate the performance of Sammy Ameobi during their Championship fixture on Saturday, despite the forward scoring twice in the 3-1 win.

Chris Hughton’s side have started to pick up some great form lately, and are now undefeated in their last seven matches (Sky Sports). This has not only seen them climb out of the relegation zone (SofaScore), but it has also seen them advance to the Fourth Round of the FA Cup.

Fans picked a rather peculiar target during Saturday’s win though, as one supporter tore into Ameobi and called him ‘lazy’ after he grabbed the first two goals on the day. That said, it appears fans may have a point, as some of the stats do reveal why there was frustration aimed at the player.

He lost five ground duels and all four of his aerial duels (SofaScore). He also lost possession 19 times, which was the second most on the pitch.

We suspect these supporters will be relieved the former Newcastle man was able to add some end product to an otherwise wasteful display, but the stats suggest their criticisms are just.

Here is how Leeds fans reacted to his performance:

“Does Ameobi ever hit the target”

Credit: @MedCLJS

“Why is Ameobi so slow with the ball.”

Credit: @NickBriggsNFFC

“Ameobi looks knackered after 10 mins. Stamina of a chihuahua”

Credit: @NJL82

“Ameobi stopped trying and reverted back to his lazy self showing his true colours #nffc”

Credit: @Jamsmitchell

“What will it take for Sammy Ameobi to put a bit of quality into the box? #NFFC”

Credit: @DGBCampbell

“Ameobi needs hooking. Another game there for the taking where he is completely anonymous #NFFC”

Credit: @mikewood77

In other news, fans were fuming with a tactical decision Chris Hughton made. Have a read what it was here!

West Brom need incomings this January if they are to stand a chance of surviving in the Premier League, and one name has emerged as a potential target this week…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, Baggies boss Sam Allardyce is eyeing a ‘cut-price’ move for AFC Bournemouth forward Josh King as he looks to add more firepower to his faltering squad.

The 28-year-old is entering the final six months of his contract, so it is the final chance for the Cherries to cash in on his services before he’s allowed to leave for free.

They rejected bids of £7m and £13m for him during the summer transfer window, though King has barely featured this campaign with the Championship outfit third in the division.

Shades of Peter Odemwingie

Albion are the Premier League’s leakiest side, conceding a whopping 39 goals – six more than anyone else – in 17 matches, so some defensive reinforcements were surely on the agenda.

That was until Karlan Grant got ruled out for six weeks with a broken foot, though it’s not as if the goals were coming thick and fast at the Hawthorns anyway.

Only Burnley and rock-bottom Sheffield United have scored fewer than the Baggies’ 11 goals this term.

King’s arrival would certainly bolster their fortunes in front of the net as he’s a vastly-experienced and proven star in the Premier League.

In five straight seasons, the Norway international has scored at least six times with a career-best 16 goals coming during the 2016/17 season, per Transfermarkt.

His versatility adds an extra dimension too, one that won’t halt the progress of Grant whenever he returns from this latest set-back. King can play anywhere along the front-three. He also averaged 1.2 key passes per game in the Cherries’ final season before relegation.

It’s no wonder that his former boss, Eddie Howe, lauded him the “complete package” to Match of the Day (via The Football Faithful), adding: “Josh is outstanding physically, technically and mentally.”

The 6 foot 2 talisman bears some similarities to former Baggies legend Peter Odemwingie – not too much difference in height, an ability to play in a multitude of positions, and undoubtedly an underrated record in the big time (55 goal contributions in 129 matches).

Allardyce must convince Luke Dowling to sanction a move for the £9.9m-rated sensation.

AND in other news, Big Sam can resolve their biggest problem with swoop for “extremely talented” beast…

Said Benrahma has left David Moyes powerless to omit the Algerian forward after the Brentford loanee excelled in West Ham United’s victory over Leeds on Friday night.

Moyes opted to hand Benrahma his first start in claret and blue following a late injury to Arthur Masuaku, which forced West Ham to deviate from the five-man defence which has inspired their solid form this season.

Benrahma had featured for just 78 minutes of Premier League football before the Hammers took to the pitch at Elland Road, as Moyes struggled to see a reason to bench his favoured attackers Pablo Fornals or Jarrod Bowen, believing the pair were playing “really well”.

In the end, Masuaku’s injury and a move to a four-man defence allowed Moyes to introduce Benrahma to his starting plans in behind striker Sebastien Haller to provide an added level of creativity beside Fornals and Bowen.

Benrahma upstaged his more established teammate Fornals with a game-changing display as the Hammers clinched a 2-1 win to move up to fifth in the table, with more points beside their name after the opening 12 games than early high-flyers Everton and title-hopefuls Manchester City.

Former Irons defender Anton Ferdinand was among the hordes to applaud the 25-year-old for his performance, seemingly confident that only good things can come from the £5million loan signing who West Ham are obliged to buy for £20m next year.

“Benrahma looks like he could be a maverick for us,” Ferdinand shared in a post on Twitter. “Loves the ball at his feet, very comfy and loves to make things happen!”

VAR stole the show at Elland Road when Mateusz Klich was allowed to retake his penalty after Lukasz Fabianski was deemed to have been off his line whilst making the initial save, but Benrahma’s performance ensured a spotlight focused on him as well.

The six-time Algeria international may not have registered a third assist of the season to pair with his game-winning involvement in goals against Fulham or Aston Villa, and may still be without a maiden goal for West Ham, yet achieved what Moyes tasked him with being. A nuisance for Leeds star Kalvin Phillips.

West Ham often found themselves without possession while Benrahma was on the field, as Marcelo Bielsa’s Whites controlled 65.7% of the ball before Moyes opted to introduce Mark Noble six minutes from time to instil an added defensive presence in the engine room.

Yet Benrahma still recorded the joint-second-most touches by a visiting player with 45, only Aaron Cresswell (52) took more, and played one key ball from 15 accurate passes, per WhoScored.

Benrahma came into his own when with an eye for goal, as he unleashed a game-high six efforts on Illan Meslier’s net, though only forcing the Leeds’ shot-stopper into making a save once.

Only Bowen could match his 100% dribble success rate, too, among any Irons player to feature, with Benrahma able to beat his marker with each of his three attempts as the £23,077-per-week forward won five of nine ground duels, per SofaScore.

Moyes will no doubt like to see Benrahma fine-tune his shooting, but is now powerless to omit the 25-year-old from his starting plans after seeing what he can bring to the side having bided his time for a chance to shine.

AND in other news, a £27m-rated West Ham dud is playing on borrowed time after a shocking showing at Leeds United.

Liverpool look to have made a mistake in releasing Pedro Chirivella during the summer when you consider the current injury crisis at the club.

The Portuguese midfielder was not handed a new contract by the Merseyside club and joined Ligue 1 side Nantes, where he has been a regular so far this season, making 10 appearances in the French top-flight.

However, with the likes of Thiago, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and James Milner now all sidelined, whilst usual defensive-midfielder Fabinho is filling in at centre-back, you could definitely argue that the Reds could have done with someone like Chirivella available in their side.

During his time with Liverpool, the 23-year-old would make 11 first-team appearances, in which he contributed no goals and one assist (per Transfermarkt), suggesting that he was always on the fringes of the squad but never able to nail down a starting spot.

He also enjoyed decent loan spells with the likes of Willem II and Go Ahead Eagles during his time at Liverpool but it seems that he was keen for a new challenge this summer, perhaps after being reassured he wasn’t going to be a regular in Klopp’s side anytime soon.

Chirivella started in a youthful Liverpool side that beat Shrewsbury Town 1-0 in the FA Cup last season, and fellow youngster Leighton Clarkson was full of praise for his Portuguese teammate following the game, saying:

“Pedro is an absolutely fantastic player. He was the oldest player in our team against Shrewsbury and he is only 22! He has been at Melwood during a lot of his time at Liverpool so he has learned from the best.

“With his communication on the pitch and his leadership, it’s very good to have next to you, especially for me and Jake as we were quite nervous, but with him behind us he was phenomenal.”

Therefore, the young midfielder was clearly highly rated by those at the club and could have been the man to fill in during the current injury crisis, as he had accumulated a decent amount of experience in that defensive-midfield role, so it could definitely be argued that the club made a mistake in releasing him.

And, in other news… Klopp should cash in on 23 y/o wizard while his stock is high; impressing on loan

One of the sagas of Leeds United’s summer transfer window looks set to resurface ahead of January…

What’s the word?

According to Calciomercato, Udinese have slapped a €30m (£27m) price tag on their coveted midfield sensation Rodrigo De Paul in anticipation for the upcoming transfer window.

They also claim that Inter Milan have entered the race to sign him as a potential replacement for their outcast, Christian Eriksen.

Earlier in the week, JuveLive covered a story noting the Serie A champions’ interest but suggest that it was indeed the Yorkshireman that were closest to signing him, offering that aforementioned figure, which was not enough to tempt Udinese into a sale then.

Victor Orta may well reignite the speculation next month if they really were that keen on landing him.

Forget De Paul

But ultimately, the Whites may no longer need his services thanks to the form of one Marcelo Bielsa favourite.

If De Paul was signed, then the player at most risk was always going to be Mateusz Klich as the pair are strikingly similar but with the Polish engima standing out as one of Leeds’ players of the season thus far, a move for the £27m Udinese man must be avoided.

The 30-year-old has started all ten of their Premier League matches this season, delivering two goals and three assists whilst also averaging 1.8 tackles, 1.8 key passes, 1.2 shots and 2.8 long balls per game, via WhoScored.

Industrious, to say the least.

On the contrary, Udinese have struggled immensely in the Italian top-flight as they find themselves in 13th place, just four points above the drop zone. Not even De Paul’s influence has helped their cause this term.

Orta splashed the cash in the summer and were still yet to even see one of the players he signed in Diego Llorente, so it may be wise to hold back pulling the trigger on the Argentine.

It would be a pretty pointless move considering the exploits of Klich – we know how much he’s adored by Bielsa as he started 45 of 46 matches on their way to clinching the Championship title.

The Whites chief claimed just last week that the 2018 arrival “can play in all the best teams in the world” whilst back in February, he said: “He cannot do better. Klich is a player with very, very much skills physically.”

Perhaps some of that money could be gifted to the €15m (£13.5m) dynamo in the form of a contract extension, he certainly deserves more than the £45k-per-week he’s currently on, especially when the likes of Gjanni Alioski (£55k-per-week), Tyler Roberts (£47k-per-week) and Helder Costa (£70k-per-week) are earning considerably more.

Who needs Rodrigo De Paul when you have the “intelligent” Mateusz Klich?

AND in other news,ÂExclusive: Marlon Harewood claims Leeds must recruit in this area in January…

The news coming from Turin will catch many pundits by surprise. Juventus are prepared to let Ronaldo go at the end of the season. Why would they want to do that when it is clear he is central to their expected success? If true, the unconfirmed rumours could see one of the costliest transfers and perhaps make Ronaldo the oldest highest paid athlete.

Is there some truth to these rumours? Football pundits say it’s a classic case of making hay while the sun shines. Ronaldo is still a prolific goal machine even as he turns 36 next year.  Juventus could be looking to sell him while they can still make some money out of him.

Ronaldo is being linked to a range of clubs at different bookmakers. Which one do you predict he will end up at? Place your predictions using the best betting offers UK to maximize your winnings.

Why is Ronaldo Leaving?

The big question still is, why would Juventus let their star scorer go? The grapevine has it that Andrew Pirlo thinks Ronaldo is a bit selfish and too much of an attention seeker. While it is true that Ronaldo has been consistently delivering the goals, his magic may not rub off on the rest of the team.

Juventus were beaten 2-0 by Barcelona in UEFA Champions League group stages. The team is wallowing at fifth in the Serie A table. The Bianconeri have to rediscover their magic fast if the season is to go their way.

The Torinese had spent an eye-watering €100 million to buy the star striker from Real Madrid in 2018. There were high hopes that he would help them lift the elusive UEFA Champions trophy. But Juventus is yet to lift the trophy. Maybe the club feels that this  investment has not had the expected returns.

Ronaldo’s salary is another pain point for the club. He signed up for a £28million (€31 million) a year. It is twice higher than the next most paid player, Matthijs de Ligt. The club would be happy to see this hefty bill off their books. There is a feeling that there are younger and upcoming strikers who will cost less and deliver just as well, with a bit of nurturing.

There is a very real financial incentive for Juventus to sell Ronaldo before his contract ends in 2022. The terms of the contract were that he walks free after the contract. Juventus could be trying to pre-empt this loss by selling him before the contract ends.

Where Would he go?

Which club will be willing to pay top dollar for a striker at the tail end of his career? There are few takers for a 36-year old striker, but this is no ordinary striker. Ronaldo has crunched up very impressive stats in his career. Ronaldo was instrumental in his club taking Serie A last season.  His international role has also been stellar, with 101 goals for Portugal. This is the combined tally for Thierry Henry and Robin Van Persie, the second and third placed top European scorers.

His total score was 31 goals for Juventus in the last season. This has made him one of the only two players to ever  net more than 30 goals in five different European leagues. He has scored 130 goals in UEFA Champion games. With five Ballon d’or awards, he has earned his place among the world’s best footballers of all time.

Potential Suitors

PSG has been rumoured to be interested in signing him up. For one, the French club has deep pockets that will be required for such a transfer. PSG sports director, Leonardo Araújo, is reported to have said that PSG still can pull off such a transfer. He opined that PSG would be ready to ‘enter the circle’ if Ronaldo becomes available.

Manchester City is also mentioned in the same breath. It is no secret that the Emirati owned club has bottomless pockets and is not afraid to spend. It is also true that this season is not going very well for the Citizens. They need someone to replace the injury-prone Sergio Aguero.

Man City was looking to move on Messi when the Barcelona striker announced his unexpected exit at the season’s end. But rumour has it that they think Ronaldo is a better bargain. For City, it would also be another chance to upstage their bitter rivals, Manchester United. Ronaldo was once United’s blue-eyed boy, and it would be immensely cathartic to field him in Old Trafford.

So is Ronaldo on the move again? Only time will tell.

West Bromwich Albion have been tipped to sign an interesting name before the transfer deadline by former Hawthorns legend Kevin Phillips…

What’s the word?

Speaking to West Brom News, the 47-year-old believes AFC Bournemouth forward Joshua King should be targeted over mooted top target Karlan Grant.

He said:

“I like King. If you give me him as an option over Islam Slimani and Karlan Grant, I would take Joshua King all day long. That’s someone, who if he is on their radar, I would certainly make enquiries for. If a Premier League club comes knocking on the door now, I would seriously consider it.”

Meanwhile, The Sun believe the Cherries would be willing to let the 28-year-old leave for a cut-price £10m.

Perfect solution

This could certainly be the wiser decision to make if the Baggies’ Luke Dowling and co listen to Phillips’ advice, especially as King is available on the cheap.

He’s also far more experienced in the top-flight having enjoyed a good five seasons at Bournemouth where he was a frequent and prolific goalscorer.

The Norweigan international has never scored fewer than six goals in a Premier League campaign with a career-best of 16 coming in the 2016/17 season, per WhoScored.

Despite their relegation last season, King still contributed to ten goals, averaging two dribbles, 1.2 key passes and one shot per game whilst also playing across the front three and in the hole too.

It’s no wonder that Eddie Howe lauded his exciting dynamo as a “complete package” as he’s “outstanding physically, technically and mentally”.

Grant is yet to feature in the Premier League in his career and is commanding a whopping £18m from Huddersfield Town, so there’s surely only one smart answer to finding the solution to Bilic’s striker nightmare.

£10m for a proven goalscorer in King. It’s a no-brainer.

AND in other news, West Brom must launch £6m move for PL winger…