All posts by z3u9t.icu

Everton have long produced some exciting homegrown talent within their youth academy, and 18-year-old Lewis Dobbin could be the next youngster to become a household name.

After joining the Toffees aged 11, the youngster has continued to rise through the ranks at his boyhood club, even earning ten caps for England at various levels.

It’s for his club where Dobbin has been most impressive, though. In 36 appearances for Everton’s U18s, the striker has managed an eye-catching return of 14 goals and 11 assists, earning him almost a dozen outings for the U23s.

Manager David Unsworth has predicted a bright future for the versatile attacker after working with him in the youth side, claiming he’s going to be a “top player.”

“I’ve been champing at the bit to get him involved,” Unsworth told the Liverpool ECHO. “Him, and there’s probably one other under-18s player, who has done really well.

“I think it is important that we allow them to bed in, in their first-year scholarship to get used to the amount of training they do, the intensity of it.

“He’s going to be a top player, there’s absolutely no doubt about that, and the great thing tonight was that we had seven subs so it was great to get him involved.

“I was desperate to throw him on and he showed little glimpses of his pace and movement and there is an awful lot to work with there. I think he’s got a very bright future.”

Current Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was the last forward to come off of the club’s illustrious conveyor belt after arriving from Sheffield United, and with the 24-year-old currently sidelined through injury, Dobbin has had his first glimpse of Premier League action.

New boss Rafa Benitez has brought the teenager off the bench for the final moments against both Norwich City and Manchester United this season, with the Spanish tactician indicating he’s close to get more minutes in the senior setup.

“He’s training well with us so he’s close,” Benitez revealed. “How close? If we have a very difficult game, in theory he cannot be the first choice if you have Richarlison for example.

“If it’s an easy game, maybe he can. I’m sure that he will have his opportunity if he continues working as he is now.”

With Cenk Tosun edging closer to the Goodison Park exit door and Salomon Rondon failing to impress in the opening weeks of the campaign, Benitez could turn to Dobbin in the weeks ahead, giving a clear as to just how highly the youngster is rated at Everton.

And, in other news…Brands could replace Rodriguez with Everton swoop for “class” £4.5m-rated beast 

There are a very particular set of curses that linger in the damp and murky spots of Arsenal’s London Colney training base.

Not only are the Gunners currently allergic to a Champions League spot, but the fortunes of some individuals that put pen to paper in the back offices at Colney aren’t always vibrant.

A captaincy curse has plagued the club for well over a decade now with the likes of Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas seemingly revolting while in possession of the armband.

The same eventuality befell Laurent Koscielny, Granit Xhaka and more recently Pierre-Emerick Aubayemang.

Yet, it has now fallen on the shoulders of a certain Alexandre Lacazette. There is no player revolt or dampened attitude, but since taking on the captaincy from his great mate who now plays for Barcelona, he has scored just one Premier League goal.

Not only is he suffering from the increased pressure of being the Arsenal captain but it would appear the dreaded number 9 curse has struck the French forward this term too.

Those who donned the famous jersey before him; Lucas Perez, Lukas Podolski and Park Chu Young, hardly enjoyed profitable spells in north London and it seems Lacazette is drinking from the same cup as his predecessors.

With his contract due to expire at the conclusion of the season, there is a sense that he won’t renew his deal. That doesn’t particularly feel like a bad piece of news for Arsenal but after the club’s 4-2 win over Chelsea on Wednesday night, his days in red and white are now surely well and truly numbered.

When Aubemayang departed for Catalonia in January, there was a seismic weight placed on the 30-year-old and it’s simply one he’s not been able to carry.

His performances have dwindled and after a fight with the current pandemic, he was forced to watch from the bench at Stamford Bridge in midweek.

The fact he wasn’t fit enough to start can now be seen as a blessing in disguise as Eddie Nketiah put in the type of performance that should well and truly place the final nail in Lacazette’s coffin at Arsenal.

He ran himself into the ground, pressing relentlessly from the front and working hard to score two goals and equal his French colleague’s tally of open play strikes in the top-flight this season despite just two starts in the competition.

It was damning on the former Lyon man who watched a more mobile athlete stride forward with purpose and offer considerably more threat in offensive areas.

Lacazette did eventually come on in the dying embers, making a grand total of four touches and zero passes.

Many have been quick to criticise him of late, with some on Twitter claiming he has been doing a “Yaya Sanogo impression”, such is his bad form.

That may be a tad harsh but following Nketiah’s brace and overall performance against the champions of Europe no less, his elder teammate should not start again for Arteta during the run-in.

AND in other news, Forget Laca: Arsenal already have their new Saka in “deadly” 17-goal Hale End starlet…

Newcastle have endured a nightmare season to date and currently sit 19th in the Premier League table after 15 matches played.

They have 10 points on the board after picking up their first win of the campaign against Burnley over the weekend, to go along with their seven draws and seven defeats.

Howe must wield the axe

Whilst the club’s poor form this season has been caused in part by a number of players underperforming on the pitch, one man who has particularly struggled is Miguel Almiron.

The ex-Atlanta United playmaker has been a passenger this season and Eddie Howe must brutally axe him from the squad in January unless something changes in the next month. His performances have not been anywhere near good enough for a player who Transfermarkt claim to be the fourth-most expensive signing in the Tyneside club’s history.

In 13 Premier League appearances this season, the Paraguayan has failed to score or set up a single goal. As per SofaScore, he has also lost 52% of his duels and given possession away a whopping 98 times, whilst only averaging 0.8 key passes and 0.2 crosses per game from out wide.

This shows that he has been a passenger on the pitch as he has not pulled his own weight on the ball, despite his work rate out of possession. He is not showing enough quality with the ball at his feet to warrant a place in the team, and that could force Howe to look at the transfer window as a possible solution to that problem.

Last year, Almiron’s former boss Steve Bruce dished out glowing praise of the 27-year-old due to his willingness to train and play on despite carrying an injury. 

The ex-Magpies coach said: “Almiron is a manager’s dream. He’s bright, he’s tough, he trains every day and he’s been carrying a thigh injury but doesn’t want to tell anybody.

“The last 20 minutes on Sunday (against West Ham United) he was limping about the pitch. In 18 months he’s proved to be a really top, top player.”

This highlights the positive aspects of Almiron’s game and shows that he is willing to work hard for the team and put in a shift. However, that is little use to Newcastle if it comes with almost no quality in possession, given that he often plays in the final third of the pitch.

Therefore, unless the Paraguayan bucks up his ideas and starts making an impact in front of goal in providing assists and/or scoring goals, Howe may need to cash in on him in January and look elsewhere for a replacement. The Magpies will need quality at the top of the pitch to get themselves out of the relegation zone and Almiron is not providing that at this moment in time, as shown by his appalling statistics in the top flight.

AND in other news, Howe preparing NUFC bid to sign 20-goal “great finisher”, fans would love him… 

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke (as per GIVEMESPORT), West Ham will only be able to sign Benfica’s Darwin Nunez if they qualify for the Champions League this season.

The Lowdown: Nunez thriving for Benfica

Since arriving in Portugal in 2020 in a deal worth £21.6m, Nunez has emerged as one of Europe’s most prolific scorers, having netted 32 times in 65 appearances for the Lisbon club, including a phenomenal 13 goals in as many league games this season.

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This follows an emphatic performance against Barcelona in the Champions League during the autumn, with the 22-year-old scoring twice as Benfica dominated the Spanish outfit in a 3-0 victory.

The Latest: O’Rourke makes Nunez claim

The Hammers have recently been linked with a potential swoop for Nunez and are said to have joined the increasingly competitive race to sign the Uruguay striker. It has been reported that Benfica would require €120m (£101.6m) to let the player leave, which would surely price the Irons out of any realistic transfer.

However, O’Rourke believes that there could be a chance if the Hammers manage to secure qualification for Europe’s top club competition.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: “For West Ham to have any chance of signing someone of his quality, they probably need to be qualifying for next season’s Champions League if they are to try to sign him in the summer. But I think a January deal is a no go.”

The Verdict: Could be tough for West Ham to pull off

With his exceptional goalscoring record, Nunez would be an unbelievable signing for David Moyes’ side, having been labelled as “special” by Joao Goncalves, the sporting director of his former club Almeria.

Benfica boss Jorge Jesus has also hailed the 22-year-old, claiming that it is only a matter of time until he becomes ‘world-class’. He said: “All this decision-making ability, finishing and speed…He was Benfica’s most expensive purchase, and when there is no pandemic, he will be the most expensive sale. He will be a world-class player.”

West Ham are set to face tough competition in pursuit of Nunez’s signature, and with his price tag inevitably rising with each goalscoring performance, it seems increasingly unlikely that the east Londoners will come out on top in this transfer chase, particularly given how their ailing form in recent weeks has made a top-four finish a tough task.

In other news: ‘Fallen off a cliff’, ‘Isn’t actually a footballer’ – Many West Ham fans slammed this player’s performance against Southampton

West Ham United remain interested in a deal to bring Layvin Kurzawa to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by French media outlet Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness), who claim that David Moyes’ side remain in the race for the Paris Saint-Germain left-back this month, although the 29-year-old is not believed to be near the top of the 58-year-old’s list of targets in the current market.

The report goes on to state that the likes of Lazio, Inter Milan and Napoli are all also interested in a move for the France international, while Chelsea are believed to have rejected the chance to sign the former AS Monaco defender.

He’d be a huge upgrade

While Kurzawa may not be high on Moyes’ list of priorities in the January window, with the Irons manager prioritising the signing of a centre-back and centre-forward this month, considering the experience and ability the signing of the 29-year-old would bring to the left of the Hammers’ backline, it would appear highly advisable for the boss to indeed make a move for the PSG defender this month.

While it is true that the £8.1m-rated man has struggled to hold down a starting spot in the PSG side in recent seasons, he has nevertheless demonstrated previously that, when given the opportunity to do so, he can be an extremely useful player for a side challenging at the top of the league table.

Indeed, over his 19 Ligue 1 appearances in his debut campaign following a £22.5m move from AS Monaco back in 2015, the £89k-per-week left-back scored four goals, registered five assists and created six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.1 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.

The defender also impressed in metrics more typical of his position that season, helping his side keep seven clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 3.3 interceptions, 2.7 tackles, 2.2 clearances, 43.4 passes and winning 7.2 duels per fixture – with a success rate of 62%.

These returns saw the player who labelled himself as a little “crazy” earn a rather astonishing seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.49, ranking him as the fourth-best player in the entirety of the French top-flight that year.

As such, should Moyes be able to help Kurzawa refind this form following a potential switch to West Ham this winter, the 29-year-old would not only appear to be a huge upgrade on Arthur Masuaku, but he could well push the Hammers’ first-choice left-back, Aaron Cresswell, for his starting spot at the London Stadium.

In other news: Moyes must now launch WHU bid for £46k-p/w “phenomenon” as key transfer twist emerges

Manchester United lost 1-0 to Everton at Goodison Park this afternoon, leaving their chances of a top four finish and Champions League football next season in serious doubt.

The Toffees are currently the fourth-most out-of-form in the Premier League over the last six matchdays, and after today’s defeat the Red Devils have become the seventh-most out-of-form, losing their eighth top-flight game of the season.

Despite having 67% possession, more shots on target and over twice as many passes completed today, United could not take anything from their clash on Merseyside, with players such as Alex Telles summing up their wastefulness on the ball, losing possession a team-high 28 times.

The Toffees took the lead in the 27th minute when Anthony Gordon’s shot deflected off Harry Maguire into the back of the net behind David de Gea. The visitors had more than hour to redeem themselves but failed to impose themselves successfully on Frank Lampard’s resilient Everton side.

One player who put in yet another nightmare performance for the Red Devils was Marcus Rashford, who failed to make a sufficient impact in the game, perhaps becoming more of a hindrance than a help.

According to SofaScore, United’s golden boy – who Gary Neville called “terrible” – was the worst-rated player on the pitch (5.9) and for good reason, losing all seven of his ground duels and 87.5% of his duels overall.

The forward also lost possession of the ball every 2.7 touches and failed to complete any of his three dribbles before he was hooked by Rangnick in the 64th minute, being replaced by Anthony Elanga.

It has been reported that the 24-year-old is intending to leave Old Trafford this summer after coming through the club’s academy and breaking through into the first team; and when you consider the season he is having, it would be no surprise if his desire to leave the club will be heard and delivered by United.

Rangnick will need to hope that the teams immediately ahead of them suffer the same fate during their fixtures this weekend to give his side a slight chance of redemption to keep their Champions League chances intact. One thing is for sure; Rashford did not do United’s top-four push too many favours today.

In other news – “Erik ten Hag has..”: Romano drops exciting Man Utd update this morning, it’s great news

Celtic defender Christopher Jullien isn’t expected to make his return from injury this month, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Postecoglou’s hopes

The 28-year-old hasn’t featured for the Hoops in 2021 after suffering an injury when blocking a shot against Dundee United last December.

Ange Postecoglou revealed towards the end of September that he was hoping Jullien would be back in training at the beginning of October.

However, that hasn’t come to fruition, and it seems as if Celtic supporters will have to wait longer to see the defender in action.

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The Latest: Source shares update

Football Insider shared a story on Sunday evening where Frank McAvennie was giving his thoughts on the French defender and his return.

Within the report, they shared information from a Celtic source, who claimed that Jullien isn’t expected to return before the end of the month.

The Verdict: Frustration

If Jullien returned to training at the beginning of the month, who knows, he may have featured for the first time under Postecoglou before October came to an end.

Celtic still have five fixtures to play before November comes around, so it is frustrating that the wait to see the centre-back will continue beyond Halloween.

Hopefully the 28-year-old will make his return before the year is out and can establish himself as first choice at the back once again, just like he was before that fateful injury.

In other news: Former Celtic player thinks Ange may land ‘exciting’ ace in cut-price deal who has the same agency as Ronaldo

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster expects clubs’ live streaming of Scottish football to come to an end at the conclusion of the 2021/22 campaign, as per the Press and Journal.

The lowdown: Positive vibes at Parkhead

At present, all is rosy at Celtic Park as manager Ange Postecoglou has the Bhoys facing in the right direction in pursuit of the Scottish Premiership title.

Six points clear of Old Firm rivals Rangers at the summit and with a potential domestic treble on the horizon, things really couldn’t be going much better for Celtic fans at the moment.

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Having been forced to turn to club streams in lieu of live-action during the post-pandemic era, Hoops supporters have been able to return to Paradise to watch their side’s renaissance in person.

Now, the option of season ticket holders watching any game from a distance could be set to be taken off the table…

The latest: ‘Blocked hours’ back

Speaking to P&J, Doncaster has confirmed that the availability of watching top-flight football not chosen for television coverage from home will come to an end next season.

“We’re very grateful for the help Sky Sports have given us over the past two years, allowing our clubs to stream games.

“Effectively there has been a suspension of article 48, which is the blocked hours. The blocked hours mean you can’t broadcast between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on a Saturday.

“I would expect blocked hours to resume from this summer and we’ll return to a world where you need to attend the game to see it.

“But football broadcasting remains an ever-changing landscape.”

The verdict: Backwards step

Whilst having supporters back inside football stadiums is the priority, allowing fans to watch their beloved side whenever possible from home was a step in the right direction.

This return to the so-called ‘blocked hours’ is a detrimental one and in truth only has a negative impact on the Scottish game, which already suffers from receiving far inferior broadcasting deals to the English leagues.

Albeit the days of empty stadiums are hopefully a thing of the past, some supporters may still be reticent to return and bringing an end to the option of streaming the Hoops may exclude those supporters.

In other news, Celtic are facing competition for EPL defender. Find out more here.

According to The Daily Express, there has been a major development in West Ham United’s hunt to sign Manchester United star Jesse Lingard in January.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye Lingard deal…

Numerous reliable sources have backed that manager David Moyes has identified the signing of Lingard on a permanent deal as one of West Ham’s major priorities this month.

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Club insider ExWHUemployee claimed recently that the Irons are set to make a move early this window while reliable reporter Jack Rosser of The Evening Standard reiterates that Moyes is still very much eager.

This comes as Lingard’s current deal at Old Trafford expires in the summer with no sign of fresh terms as The Express now share a major update involving West Ham.

The Latest: West Ham ‘at the front of the queue’…

As per the outlet, West Ham are ‘at the front of the queue’ to sign United’s attacker as they enter pole position for his January signing.

It is believed the Irons are now ‘ready to table’ another bid to sign Lingard as he remains Moyes’ top target, with West Ham’s manager personally ‘working on a package’ to tempt him behind-the-scenes.

The Verdict: Exciting…

Given Moyes’ is currently readying an offer for the 29-year-old as he aims to seal his permanent signing, this update comes as an exciting one with West Ham now favourites.

Lauded as ‘absolutely phenomenal’ and the best player in the Premier League on form at one stage last season (Adrian Durham, talkSPORT), Moyes himself has been very public in his praise for Lingard.

The Scotsman waxed lyrical over England’s international ace, calling him ‘incredible’ for his performances on loan at the London Stadium over 2020/2021.

He bagged a brilliant nine goals and four assists in just 16 English top flight starts, leaving little wonder Moyes wants a return, and Hammers supporters may be hoping he gets his wish before January 31.

In other news: West Ham source: Newman eyeing bid for brand new forward target as club greenlight January sale, find out more here.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time as Manchester United manager has finally come to an end, an eventuality that will leave all four corners of Old Trafford beaming from ear to ear.

It has been a sorry tenure for the Norwegian tactician who leaves behind one of the most prestigious jobs in world football after a desperate 4-1 defeat to Watford on Saturday.

What’s the word?

A number of managers have been tipped with landing the job after Solskjaer’s sacking with Zinedine Zidane one of the most eye-catching names in the frame.

However, today, it has been claimed that Julian Lopetegui is on their radar, while they could also move for Laurent Blanc as an interim solution.

Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, has been admired by the club for a while and it’s now thought that the club’s biggest legend wants him at United.

That’s according to talkSPORT journalist Ian Abrahams who said on Twitter: “Information I’ve been told today – sources close to Sir Alex Ferguson say the former United manager wants Mauricio Pochettino as the club’s next manager. He thinks Zidane will go to PSG releasing Poch to move to Old Trafford.”

Fans buzzing

It’s fairly evident that Ferguson still has a huge role to play behind the scenes at Man United with the Scot proving key in Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to English football.

It will also come as no surprise to hear that Pochettino would be his first pick at United.

After all, the 79-year-old has hailed him previously as the finest tactician in the Premier League, while he’s also been described as the “best manager in the world” by Everton forward Andros Townsend.

He’s not far wrong either. Despite not winning anything with Tottenham, he guided them to a Champions League final despite spending minimal transfer fees, while he’s also impressed at PSG.

Based on that, his stock is incredibly high and judging by his CV and accomplishments to date, the United fanbase would surely be elated to see him walk through the door to replace Solskjaer.

The Argentine has experience of English football, something plenty of other suitors do not possess, and now he’s in Paris, he clearly knows how to live up to some of the biggest expectations in football.

Combine that with his knowledge of managing some of the largest personalities in the sport – Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe for example – he could be the man to finally make this United team gel.

At the moment it looks more like a team of individuals than a collective group all fighting for each other. Pochettino, however, could be game-changing in turning that around.

Supporters will be delighted to see him so intently linked with the vacant role.

AND in other news, Forget Zidane: Glazers can save Man Utd by hiring “very serious” gem with 62% win rate…