All posts by z3u9t.icu

Pundit Noel Whelan has slammed the decision by the matchday officials to not give a penalty against Aston Villa during their 2-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend. 

The Lowdown: Villa beat Brighton 

In Villa’s final game before the World Cup, Unai Emery’s side secured all three points despite finding themselves 1-0 down in the first minute of the match at the Amex Stadium.

One big incident in the game saw Brighton denied a penalty after Lucas Digne appeared to have fouled Solly March in the box. On-field referee Chris Kavanagh didn’t give the penalty and VAR didn’t get involved, which prompted a reaction of disapproval from Whelan.

The Latest: Whelan bemused by penalty decision

Speaking to Football Insider, the 47-year-old criticised the officials’ role in that pivotal moment of the match.

He said: “There’s no misinterpretation, there’s no excuse – it’s a foul.

“If you get the ball nicked past you and you make contact with the player, it’s got to be a penalty. Whether the intent is there or not, March has worked hard to get there first and he’s been wiped out.

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“Digne has lashed out, and it’s a clean contact to his leg. I don’t see how they can misinterpret the rules in front of them like that. There’s no grey area – it’s black and white.

“This is what we’ve got VAR for. If we’re not going to overturn decisions like this, there’s no point in having it. They’ve got to get these decisions right, and at the moment the technology is not working.”

The Verdict: Villa’s lucky break

Speaking on the latest episode of Sky Sports’ Ref Watch, Dermot Gallagher shared his verdict on the incident by saying that he was surprised VAR didn’t tell the on-field referee to review Digne’s challenge on the monitor.

The former top-flight official added that, if this had happened, the penalty would likely have been given to Brighton.

With that in mind, it seems that Villa can count themselves lucky that the officials on VAR did not get involved, as Emery’s side would likely have conceded a penalty, which may then have had a big impact on the game and the result, considering that it finished 2-1 to the visitors.

West Bromwich Albion have suffered this season for a lack of goals, and despite Carlos Corberan having turned around their form, his early philosophy at the Hawthorns has had to be built upon defensive stability.

Whilst Steve Bruce likely had high hopes for his January signing Daryl Dike, his injuries meant that the 61-year-old had to scramble in the back end of the summer transfer window for someone to supplement Karlan Grant.

Although Brandon Thomas-Asante was acquired, there was a belief that things would remain comfortable with the former Huddersfield Town marksman up front. Last season he had scored 18 times for a side that slumped to a mid-table finish.

However, with just three scored this campaign in 17 Championship games, both he and the tactical ideals of Bruce culminated to create a truly toothless Baggies outfit.

Even now they have only scored 24 times in 20 games.

It could therefore pique Corberan’s interest that Aston Villa starlet Cameron Archer has reportedly been made available to be loaned this January.

The Midlands outfit had launched a summer bid for his services, and so could look to reignite their interest to further bolster their striking options

Having been starved of consistent exposure to the senior squad, the 20-year-old boasts just 43 minutes of Premier League football across six appearances.

He is not playing for the youth teams and acting as a spectator for the first team.

Going out on loan would serve his career best, in a move that could benefit both parties involved.

Last season, Archer scored seven times and assisted once in 20 Championship appearances for Preston North End and had scored three goals and assisted two more in four Premier League 2 games. The youngster even boasted a goal against Chelsea in the EFL Cup, after scoring a hat trick in the previous round.

Clearly boasting fine finishing prowess, it was noted by the Lilywhites boss Ryan Lowe that he possessed an “abundance of talent”.

He continued: “His quality levels are fantastic, he’s bullish, strong, he can roll, he has got that little burst of pace too.”

With the physical assets to succeed, and the finishing to make him a success at the Hawthorns, it marks a no-brainer for the club to snatch this second chance with both hands to lure such a remarkable talent to West Brom.

West Ham United are a team somewhat in disarray domestically this season, despite their flawless performances in the Europa Conference League.

The Hammers are teetering just one point from the relegation zone, with goalscoring proving a real problem that David Moyes cannot seem to fix.

His summer additions were expected to bolster all areas of the field, but the £35.5m move for Gianluca Scamacca should have revolutionised their attack alongside Michail Antonio.

However, despite scoring the seventh-most goals last season in the Premier League, they have only managed 12 goals in 15 league matches this campaign.

The main reason for this underperformance can be tied to the drop-off in form from Jarrod Bowen, who last season scored 12 and assisted 12, but has only managed two goals this season.

To kickstart the 25-year-old back into action whilst bolstering his attacking options further, in January Moyes could heed the words of Craig Burley and Shaka Hislop, who discussed the Christian Pulisic’s future on ESPN FC.

The former began by claiming:

“I believe a club like for example a West Ham, a team just sitting around [the European places]. It is a step-down but it’s a step down to – I think – getting regular game time, whether that’s in England or Spain or Germany or wherever.”

Hislop would agree, as he noted:

“That step down to another club, a smaller club, Craig mentions my former club West Ham, which I think would be a great fit for him, might be exactly what he needs if is to be playing, if he wants to start and start regularly.”

The emergence of these comments is particularly poignant given that earlier this week Tutto Juve reported that Chelsea were willing to sell should they receive a worthy bid.

Given how he has performed so far at the World Cup, the Irons must surely consider him a viable option for a January transfer.

It was his goal against Iran that sent his country through to the knockout stages of the competition, with the injury sustained while poking home highlighting his bravery and desire.

This stands in line with the comments of his former boss Thomas Tuchel, who labelled Pulisic “hungry to score”.

His winner marked the third fine performance on the run, where he is averaging an impressive 7.27 rating. It seems that when he becomes a big fish in a small pond, he thrives.

This is exacerbated through his 1.7 key passes, combined with 2.0 shots per game which outline him as a constant attacking threat, via Sofascore.

The 24-year-old has spent a large amount of time around senior football despite his age and thus could offer plenty to a toothless West Ham side in need of a creative force to reignite them.

Moyes could do worse than to listen to these pundits and pounce upon the Blues’ reported willingness to offload.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been handed a boost in his pursuit of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.

The Lowdown: Bellingham targeted

There are a whole host of Premier League clubs plotting a move for Bellingham, with Sky Sports recently indicating that Liverpool have made him their priority in the summer transfer window, while Man City have also stepped up their interest in the wake of his performances at the World Cup for England, according to Football Insider.

While Guardiola will no doubt have to fend off interest from elsewhere to secure the central-midfielder, a new development has came to light which indicates that his side may be ahead of another potential suitor in the race for his signature.

The Latest: Real Madrid’s interest

According to Spanish sources, via CaughtOffside, Real Madrid would be unwilling to spend the £130m price tag slapped on the 19-year-old, meaning City may have one less club to compete with to complete a deal for the sought-after youngster in 2023.

However, they would have to be willing to break their own British transfer record of £100m, which they spent on Jack Grealish in 2021.

The Verdict: He’s worth it

Recent performances at the World Cup have only underlined the talent of the England international, displaying the passing range that would be required in a Guardiola team with an extraordinary 96% accuracy against Iran, second to only current City player John Stones in terms of England starters.

Lauded as ‘one of the most gifted players’ fellow Man City man Phil Foden has ever seen, the starlet also showed another side to his game with his first England goal in the same match, sending a deft, looping header past the goalkeeper to get the Three Lions off the mark for the tournament.

During his time with Dortmund, the £49k-per-week earner has wowed fans at the Signal Iduna Park with other aspects of his game as well, registering 1.79 dribbles per 90 minutes over the past year, in the 95th percentile compared to players in the same position.

Given that Bellingham has all the hallmarks to be a top quality central-midfielder for at least a decade to come, he is worth the £130m price tag, and Guardiola should do everything he can to lure him to the club.

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe appears keen to rekindle the club’s interest in Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata, with the Colombian marksman having reportedly been a target for the Magpies back in January.

The suggestion at the time was that the Tynesiders had seen an offer rejected to bring the 34-cap forward to St James’ Park on an initial loan deal, with the then-relegation strugglers settling on Burnley’s Chris Wood instead for a fee of around £25m.

Recent speculation has now claimed that the northeast side are again interested in prising the 31-year-old from Bergamo in order to bolster their attacking options, albeit with the top-four hopefuls believed to be unwilling to pay more than €12m (£10m) to bring the former Sampdoria man to England.

It could well prove a bullet dodged if Dan Ashworth and co are unable to seal a move for the 6 foot 2 hotshot – who still has 18 months left to run on his existing deal in Italy – with the typically lethal forward having endured a miserable start to the new campaign.

The £55k-per-week man has scored just once in his nine Serie A outings so far this season, having been hampered by a hamstring injury of late that has inhibited his involvement for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side.

While the one-time Napoli ace – who has been described as “like a train” by former teammate Papu Gomez – does boast a club career tally of 154 goals, his recent form and injury woes would surely be of concern to Newcastle.

Equally, a move for Zapata would seemingly be yet another short-term fix for the club due to his age, with the Premier League outfit having already been stung by such an addition this year in the form of the aforementioned Wood.

The New Zealand international appeared a “strange” acquisition at the time of his arrival – according to pundit Gabby Agbonlahor – having scored only three league goals in the first half of the 2021/22 campaign at Turf Moor.

The 31-year-old has gone on to net just four times in 33 games in all competitions for Howe’s side in 2022 so far, with pundit Tam McManus stating that the experienced asset now looks a “bit lost” in the current set-up with his long-ball style at odds with the club’s more progressive approach.

Those woes have even seen the former Leeds United man linked with a return to Elland Road in recent times, with a relatively swift exit from the Magpies potentially on the cards.

If Newcastle were to bring in another out-of-form asset in the mid-season window in Zapata it could well see a similar scenario occur, with that no doubt something that PIF would be keen to avoid.

Liverpool are one of the clubs interested in signing Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. 

The Lowdown: Kvaratskhelia’s season so far

The 21-year-old only joined the Azzurri last previous summer but has since gone on to make 17 appearances for the club across Serie A and the Champions League. In that time, the Georgian has scored eight goals and supplied 10 assists in the process.

Despite only being a Napoli player a few months, Kvaratskhelia has numerous Premier League clubs looking at him.

The Latest: Liverpool in Kvaratskhelia race

According to a recent report from 90min, Liverpool are joined by Newcastle United, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United with an interest in signing the winger.

The report adds that, while Napoli ‘have not disclosed a price tag, they are believed to be holding out for a figure above and beyond £100m such is their appreciation of him’.

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The Verdict: A ‘cheeky’ target

Alongside his goals and assists this season, Kvaratskhelia has also had more shot-creating actions (58) and successful dribbles (19) than any other player at Napoli. From a defensive point of view, the winger has made more tackles in the attacking third of the pitch (10) than anyone else at the club.

Having been hailed as a “genuine superstar” by journalist Kyle Bonn, it’s understandable why so many Premier League clubs are after the Napoli star.

Jurgen Klopp will already know what Kvaratskhelia is capable of producing on the pitch, describing his nutmeg on Trent Alexander-Arnold as “cheeky” following the teams’ Champions League clash in early November. The winger also set up one of Napoli’s goals in their 4-1 drubbing of the Reds in the reverse fixture two months previously.

With Liverpool having two standout forwards in Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz out injured, perhaps securing a move for the Georgia international would be a smart decision by the club.

Taking all of that into account, we feel that if the Reds were to sign the Napoli attacker, it would give them a very exciting young player who has already shown how capable he is of standing out in one of Europe’s biggest domestic leagues.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, and former BBC radio pundit Noel Whelan believes that there is ‘no doubt’ that he would improve their midfield.

The Lowdown: Conte eyes attacking midfielder

As reported by journalist Alasdair Gold on his YouTube channel, Tottenham are eyeing both a centre-back and an attacking midfielder in the January transfer window, with Mac Allister now emerging as a potential option to fill the latter role in the team.

Spanish sources report, via Sports Mole, that Spurs are keeping a close eye on the Argentinian’s development, with Fabio Paratici even considering a bid after being impressed by the player’s performances for his national side at the Qatar World Cup.

The Latest: Whelan reacts

When posed a question about whether the 23-year-old would be able to come into this Tottenham side, 47 year-old Whelan told Football Insider:

“There’s no doubt about it, I’ve been so impressed with him.

“He’s shown real class in that central midfield area. The energy, the quality – it’s just another great bit of business from Brighton.

“Look at the money they’ve already made with Cucurella and Bissouma – you’d have to say that Mac Allister is next.

“He’s handled the Premier League pressure, he’s handled the Argentina pressure – and I can see him fitting into Antonio Conte’s style at Tottenham too.

“He’s very aggressive, gets into good areas, and comes up with goals as well. He’d be a massive plus for most Premier League sides.”

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The Verdict: Get it done

Not only has the £48k-per-week earner impressed for the Seagulls, registering five goals in 14 Premier League outings this season, but he was a key component of the Argentina squad that emerged as World Cup winners on Sunday.

After coming into the team following a 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia in the first group game, the £28m-rated maestro was a mainstay in the starting lineup, particularly impressing in the crucial final group game against Poland, scoring the opening goal and recording the joint-highest SofaScore rating, with an 8.2.

The 14-time Argentina international was also labelled ‘absolutely outstanding’ by sports writer Oliver Holt for his performance in the final, bagging an assist at the most crucial of times by laying on Angel Di Maria with a perfectly weighted ball, who made no mistake in converting to make it 2-0.

Mac Allister’s stock will no doubt have risen after his displays in Qatar, and Spurs will likely have to fend off interest from elsewhere, but Antonio Conte should prioritise signing him in the January transfer window, as he is now a proven performer at the top level.

Manchester United have illuminated the right-back department as one needing swift reinforcement, and the youthful speedster Jeremie Frimpong is top of the January shopping list.

Frimpong has been of interest to the Red Devils since before the World Cup, with Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg confirming the club’s interest in the Bayer Leverkusen starlet and stating that talks would commence following the international tournament.

Furthermore, Steve Bates, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, has claimed that the pieces to the puzzle fall kindly in the favour of United boss Erik ten Hag, who is enamoured with his offensive skill set.

Bates said: “He speaks English perfectly; he was brought up here, and he’s Dutch, so Ten Hag has got an in there let’s say that. And I think he’ll be certainly on the shortlist of players United will be looking at.”

The path to a concrete move remains hazy, obscured by rival interest from the likes of Chelsea, according to Football Transfers, and Ten Hag will indeed be to move swiftly if he is to ensure the ace’s Premier League future lies in Manchester. 

“Outstanding”

Man United are indeed prioritising the right-flank, with Frimpong’s pace and offensive prowess viewed as the ideal counterpoint to first-choice Diogo Dalot’s dynamic approach to his play.

Despite signing for Old Trafford for an initial £45m, Aaron Wan-Bissaka has tumbled down the pecking order and faces an uphill battle that teeters on a clamber up a sheer cliff edge.

Reports earlier this year indicated that United were open to selling the 25-year-old in the summer, and now, having made just two appearances and one start under Ten Hag’s tutelage, the sandglass is near empty. 

With Dalot’s position indeed cemented, the Red Devils need a more offensive-minded marauder to fight for a place in the team, and having scored five goals and three assists from just 21 appearances this term, Frimpong might fit the bill.

His youthful age of 21 years old bolsters his prospects of earning a move to one of football’s most illustrious outfits, with a spiky sheen of attacking intent fitting Ten Hag’s forward-thinking philosophy to a tee.

United’s Dutch manager is attempting to rewrite the script at the Theatre of Dreams, instilling confidence and that ‘fear factor’, fusing it together with a cohesive gel.

As per FBref, the “outstanding” – as hailed by Neil Lennon – former Celtic gem ranks within the top 2% of full-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals, the top 9% for assists and the top 1% for dribbles completed over the last 365 days.

And, at a club brimming with offensive guile such as Man United, there is no reason why Frimpong can’t nurture his abilities and blossom into a formidable and devastating tool down the right side of the attack.

Chelsea returned to winning ways in the Premier League during their first match following the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, convincingly beating AFC Bournemouth 2-0, but an injury blow has marred the triumphant display…

What’s the word?

Sky Sports News relayed a statement from Chelsea regarding an injury setback for Reece James this week, with the full-back aggravating the knee issue that he sustained earlier this season against AC Milan in the Champions League, ruling him out of the World Cup.

The statement read:

“Defender Reece James underwent assessment earlier today after being substituted during the second half of last night’s 2-0 Premier League victory over AFC Bournemouth due to a knee injury.

“Scan results have regrettably confirmed a setback for the 23-year-old, with Reece now set to be ruled out for up to a month.”

James took to Twitter to brand 2022 as his “toughest year to date” continuing to state the impact it has had on him, saying it has “affected him mentally”. 

The prominent right-back is set to miss up to six key matches, including two against Manchester City – one in the league and one in the FA Cup – and a pivotal away trip to Anfield to face Liverpool. 

Potter will be “concerned”

Having been withdrawn from action at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening, Blues manager Graham Potter was evidently disconcerted by the latest setback, especially considering the issue seemed to lie in the same area as the previous injury.

Via CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs, he said: “It’s the same area so we’re concerned. We’ll have to see in the next 24-48 hours. It’s a bit too soon [to tell]. But it was in that action, a chop, he felt something. We have to keep our fingers crossed at the moment. He’s disappointed.”

With Chelsea currently languishing outside the top four, in eighth place and six points off Tottenham Hotspur in fourth, James’ return following the conclusion of the World Cup could not have come at a better time for his side.

The 23-year-old has scored 11 goals and assisted 20 more from 135 appearances since his breakthrough into the senior side, having risen through the Cobham academy; his emergence has – by design – coincided with a period of success for the club, with the 15-cap England ace winning the Champions League, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup at this early stage of this career.

In the Premier League this term, the Blues have won only one of the seven outings that James has missed out on, highlighting the irreplaceable presence and authority that he brings to Stamford Bridge.

Indeed, the £250k-per-week phenom has been of paramount importance to his outfit, marauding up and down the wing and blending his all-encompassing skills to form a refined, polished edge to his game.

Chelsea have options – the veteran Cesar Azpilicueta can still perform admirably wherever he is deployed, and the likes of Denzel Dumfries and Josip Juranovic are reported transfer targets for owner Todd Boehly, with intrigue perhaps advancing following the stricken James’ setback.

However, it will be strenuous to replace Chelsea’s “best player” – as remarked by journalist Jai McIntosh – and nursing him back to full, sustained fitness, is the best remedy to ail the club’s misfortunes.

An update has emerged on Liverpool and their interest in Kouadio Kone during the current January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Reds are one of a number of teams tracking the talented Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder.

He Tweeted: “Many top clubs are following French big talent Manu Kone. Been told summer is move most likely plan for player, agents and ‘Gladbach.

“FC Bayern, Newcastle, PSG and also Liverpool (Bellingham remains their n1 priority) are well informed on Kone’s situation.”

Earlier this season, the printed edition of Sport Bild, via GFNG, reported that Monchengladbach are looking for a fee of at least €45m (£40m) for the Frenchman and it remains to be seen whether or not FSG are willing to sanction a deal at that price.

Gini Wijnaldum’s heir

Liverpool have never really replaced the consistent presence that Gini Wijnaldum provided in the heart of their midfield and the issues with Jurgen Klopp’s midfield have been clear to see this season.

The likes of Thiago, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Harvey Elliott, and James Milner have all been chopped and changed, with no player starting more than 13 times in central midfield in the Premier League.

During his five years at Anfield, Wijnaldum played 33 or more league matches in every single season for the Reds and only missed one game during his final two campaigns with the club.

The Dutchman was a reliable passer, with a career pass accuracy of 88.5%, and chipped in defensively, with 1.5 tackles and interceptions per game throughout his career, for Liverpool in midfield.

Kone is a similar player in the sense that he is not a goalscoring or creative type in that position but he is a composed passer who can also mix it up and win possession back for his side.

In the Bundesliga this season, the 21-year-old has completed 87% of his attempted passes and made 2.9 tackles and interceptions per match for Gladbach.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once dubbed the gem a “monstrous” player in the making and described Kone as a”one-man army” after a match against Bayern Munich in 2021/22, which is backed up by his impressive defensive statistics this term.

He has also started 14 of his club’s 15 Bundesliga matches under Daniel Farke this season, after breaking into the team and making 25 starts in 2021/22, and this indicates that he has the potential to be a reliable and consistent presence in midfield like Wijnaldum was for Liverpool.

Therefore, Klopp can finally replace the Dutchman, who left the club in the summer of 2021, by swooping to sign Kone this month or in the summer.