All posts by z3u9t.icu

It would appear that Lee Johnson’s Sunderland side are beginning to peak at just the right time.

It hasn’t been an easy ride for the former Bristol City manager but his team have now lost just once in their last nine league outings.

Despite their truly ridiculous list of injuries in the last few months, Johnson has engineered four straight wins in all competitions and as a result, they’re in the Papa John’s Trophy final and in the playoff positions.

What’s been most impressive about recent matches, however, is their defensive record.

Bailey Wright, Jordan Willis and Tom Flanagan are all missing but they’ve now kept two consecutive clean sheets with a patched-up defence.

Luke O’Nien and Dion Sanderson partnered each other once again in the club’s 2-0 win over Fleetwood this week, a match where there was little to complain about.

The centre-back pairing were both convincing but unfortunately, there were problems on the left-hand side again. Callum McFadzean was brought back into the team after missing the clash with Burton due to concussion protocols.

However, just like Jake Vokins has been in recent weeks, McFadzean was disappointing. The left-back consistently misplaced passes and lost the ball on a regular basis.

He was relatively untested in defensive scenarios but we’ve already had plenty of warning signs about the £2.4k-per-week earner’s performances in recent months.

The 27-year-old gave away a penalty in the 1-1 draw with Wimbledon back in December while he was arguably at fault for both strikes in their 2-1 defeat to Plymouth. On both occasions, the goals came down his side as he failed to get tight enough to his man.

McFadzean was largely anonymous on Tuesday night, though, winning just one of three ground duels he competed in. Not much came down his side but when he did get on the ball, it made for grim reading.

The defender completed only 70% of his passes – the worst tally of anyone to take the field for Sunderland. Furthermore, he lost possession of the ball on 23 occasions. Once again, that was the worst record for anyone in red and white.

When he got forward, he was also underwhelming, proving unsuccessful with all three of his crosses. No wonder he lost the ball so regularly.

Depending on the formation Johnson wants to play, McFadzean has to be dropped for good. If a three-back is in operation, then surely the lively loanee Jordan Jones is a good bet to come in.

AND in other news, SAFC ace who left Parkinson fuming has been a passenger for months…

Glasgow Rangers must give Leon Balogun a new contract as soon as possible.

Speaking after last Saturday’s Scottish Premiership win over Celtic, Steven Gerrard has made it clear he wants to retain the services of the Rangers defender, who has been in such fine form since he first arrived at Ibrox from Wigan Athletic in the summer.

The Light Blues boss said: “Leon is someone we want to keep hold of. He knows that, he is performing ever so well. He signed a contract with an option of an extension and we want him to be here beyond this season.”

Originally signed to provide injury cover for Nikola Katic, the Nigerian centre-back has been nothing short of a revelation since joining from the Latics on a free last year, even going so far as to supplant Filip Helander in the starting line-up.

Whilst Rangers have relied on several free-scoring players like James Tavernier, Kemar Roofe and Ryan Kent to steer them to the summit of the Scottish Premiership, it is the unsung heroes who should not go unnoticed for their contributions to the team’s title charge.

Take Balogun, for example. Under Gerrard, the 32-year-old has made 18 appearances across all competitions, scoring his debut goal for the Gers in the 4-0 victory over Aberdeen. But that’s not all, as he is currently averaging at least one tackle, one interception and one clearance per game in the Premiership, via WhoScored.

The Rangers manager struggled to contain his glee after Balogun put in a solid defensive shift against Lech Poznan in the Europa League to help his side earn their second straight win in Group D. He said: “He is an international player, he is very quick, he has got a fantastic profile, a profile that we like in that area, and he has come in and settled in really quickly and put in some real consistent performances.”

Ever the consummate professional, his importance to Gerrard’s Gers cannot be underestimated as he has become a colossal at the back. It does beg the question what would Gerrard do without him, but Rangers fans may not have to wait too long to find out, as his current deal will run out at the end of this season. Unless of course Ross Wilson gets his act together and offers him a new contract.

AND in other news, Rangers must secure Allan Campbell as a Scott Arfield alternative…

According to L’Equipe, Arsenal are one of the clubs interested in signing Marseille left-back Jordan Amavi.

What’s the story?

With Sead Kolasinac’s long-term future at Mikel Arteta’s side up in the air given that he joined Schalke on loan in the January transfer window, the Gunners are without a natural left-back as cover for Kieran Tierney.

The Premier League side have chopped and changed between Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Cedric as the Scotland international’s back-up, so it’s no surprise that French publication L’Equipe claim that Arsenal have joined the likes of Napoli and Crystal Palace in the race to sign Amavi.

The Frenchman is out of contract at Marseille come the end of the season and would thus be able to join on a free transfer, with the report adding that the Ligue 1 side’s negotiations with Amavi over a new contract have stalled.

Arsene Wenger wanted him

Being French and a rising talent in Ligue 1, it’s no surprise that former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was reported to be interested in Amavi back in the summer of 2015 (Mercato365 via The Hard Tackle).

The Gunners eventually lost out to fellow Premier League side Aston Villa for his signing, where the left-back played for just a couple of seasons before moving on to current side Marseille.

Since then, Amavi has been a consistent performer week-in and week-out for the Ligue 1 giants, averaging a Whoscored match rating of over 7 in three out of the four seasons – in fact, this campaign has seen him average an impressive 7.17 match rating, which ranks him first in the entire Marseille squad.

Speaking back in 2017, the Frenchman himself said about his permanent move to Marseille: “I will bring my aggression and some speed. I like to battle, and my attacking play. I will do my best in the offence, but first of all in the defence. I want to win as many duels as possible and get the ball as much as possible.”

Given that he will be available on a free transfer, Amavi would represent a bargain signing for the Gunners as they look for a back-up to established first-choice Tierney.

Amidst the financial situation facing most clubs around the world, the Kroenke family will be very pleased if Arsenal can address a key issue in their squad without actually having to splash the cash.

Meanwhile, Arsenal can sign their next Ashley Cole in this Premier League starlet…

Despite Southampton picking up a 2-1 win against Brighton and Hove Albion on Monday night, the performance of Theo Walcott may leave Ralph Hasenhuttl concerned.

Danny Ings’ late penalty earned the Saints all three points, as they came from behind to earn victory against Graham Potter’s side, getting a result that leaves them fifth in the Premier League.

However, Walcott, who joined on loan from Everton during the summer, never really got into the game on Monday evening and struggled to have make any real impact during his time on the pitch.

As per SofaScore, the 31-year-old had just 23 touches of the ball during his 69 minutes on the pitch, which was fewer than goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, who had 36 touches.

The former Arsenal man also earned a 6.4 rating for his display. which was the joint-worst of any Southampton player who started the game.

Walcott also managed to complete 11 of 14 attempted passes during the game on Monday, resulting in a pass accuracy rate of 79%, suggesting that he was never really able to get involved in Southampton’s attacking play.

Despite being involved so little, the winger still managed to lose possession on eight occasions, whilst he also failed to win any of his six duels during the game, showing that even when he had the ball, he was very disappointing.

There is a lot of relief, therefore, that Ings, who returned from injury as a half-time substitute, was able to win the game for Southampton, and based on Walcott’s disappointing display, it would not be a surprise to see the former Liverpool striker start ahead of him in the Saints’ next Premier League fixture, which sees them take on Sheffield United at St Mary’s.

And, in other news… Semmens must avoid Southampton Hojbjerg repeat by breaking the bank with 28 y/o

Southampton were unable to find a way past Fulham’s defence as they slipped to a 0-0 draw at Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side could’ve moved back into the top four with a win in West London but were frustrated against the Cottagers, with Theo Walcott in particular disappointing.

As per SofaScore, the winger picked up a shocking 5.6 rating for his performance, which was comfortably the worst of any player on the pitch.

The 31-year-old, who joined on loan from Everton during the summer transfer window, struggled to have any influence on the game and was wasteful on the rare occasions he did receive the ball.

During the 90 minutes, Walcott touched the ball just 32 times, which was less than Southampton shot-stopper Alex McCarthy, who touched the ball 40 times.

The former Arsenal man was also able to complete just 8/12 passes during the game, resulting in a pass accuracy rate of 67%, emphasising that he struggled to get involved in the Saints build-up play.

Perhaps most frustratingly for Hasenhuttl, Walcott was successful in just one of his seven dribble attempts, with the Fulham defenders clearly getting the better of him during the 90 minutes.

The Englishman also came out second best when battling with the home team, as he was able to win just three of his 15 duels during the game, resulting in an overall success rate of just 20%, with the physical nature of the game clearly causing problems for the winger.

Despite his lack of touches, he was still able to lose possession on 20 occasions, which will surely anger Hasenhuttl, as this game represented a real opportunity to pick up three points.

Whilst it did seem that Walcott had won the game for the Saints when he finished from Che Adams’ cross late on, this was ruled out for offside, and it was the loanee’s only real contribution of note.

In Danny Ings’ absence, Walcott will have to produce much more effective displays in Southampton’s upcoming games if the South Coast club want to keep pressure on the top four.

And, in other news… Hasenhuttl drops big transfer hint ahead of January, could be Saints’ next KWP

Despite suffering the loss of Virgil van Dijk and eventual replacement Fabinho, Liverpool are showing no signs of struggling without these key players. The Reds have deployed the likes of Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams to plug the leaks, which is proving to be effective so far.

But that’s not to say the reigning English champions are out of the woods. They must be proactive going into the January window to avoid any further injuries rocking their season. Former Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland feels that a new centre-back signing is “definitely now” on the cards for the Reds.

A centre-back signing is on the cards for Liverpool

“I would be amazed if they didn’t already have a target,” the Colne goalkeeping coach told Football FanCast. “I think we needed someone anyway to be honest. Obviously [Dejan] Lovren went and he played a lot of games for Liverpool and did really well.

“He lost favour towards the end but I do think we needed someone anyway, and definitely so now.”

Indeed, the business done on Lovren over the summer was a great haul for the club, who pocketed just shy of £11million. But with no replacement coming in, it’s a decision that has come to bite Liverpool where it hurts. January’s priority will undoubtedly be someone who can partner Joe Gomez in defence, allowing Fabinho to return to midfield once he is back to full fitness.

“Yes, the players score the goals which wins your game but you only win games if you’re keeping clean sheets,” Kirkland continued. “And the back unit is vital. I know they’ll be looking at players and they’ll already have targets.”

Despite the fact Liverpool continue to show their unwavering form, bolstering their backline will improve their chances of winning a second Premier League title. A chance many thought had been thwarted through van Dijk’s ACL injury.

The Dutchman could be set to miss the rest of the season and Joel Matip’s injure proneness isn’t something Jurgen Klopp will feel he can rely on. Diogo Jota has proven that he is more than a good enough backup for the front three, which gives the club the freedom to put all their focus on a new centre-back.

Potential centre-back options for Klopp

The Merseysiders have been linked with a number of defenders ahead of the winter window, with names including David Alaba, Conor Coady and Ozan Kabak cropping up regularly.

Alaba in particular is an attractive target due to the fact he will be available for pre-contract negotiations in January. Arriving at Anfield on a free transfer will be music to FSG’s ears, but a recent revelation of his £400,000 per week wage demand could put the club off.

Even former target Kalidou Koulibaly has reappeared on the radar, despite Napoli demanding a mammoth £65million for his services.

Whatever option Klopp chooses will be a well-thought out decision. There will be players queuing up to join the Premier League champions so the list of targets isn’t a short one, but any addition will be a positive one amid Liverpool’s current injury crisis.

In other news, Liverpool right not to pursue summer move for disappointing Kai Havertz…

Celtic are stuck in a rut.

Neil Lennon is facing enormous questions over his future and it wouldn’t be a great surprise if he was soon sacked.

The Hoops boss is under scrutiny following a 2-2 draw with Hibernian and a second 4-1 defeat to Sparta Prague.

To say things aren’t going well would be putting it lightly. Heading into this weekend, the Hoops were 11 points behind their rivals Rangers in the race for the SPFL title.

On top of that, they have just been dumped out of the Europa League with two games still to play.

With that in mind, surely change is needed in terms of the manager?

Either way, Lennon has a League Cup clash with Ross County to prepare for. A solid cup run could act as a good distraction for the Hoops right now, but equally, if they get beaten it won’t look good.

Who starts will be interesting to see. At the moment, Celtic’s defence is being breached on a regular basis so replacing Scott Bain in goal would be a canny idea.

The stopper was in wretched form against Sparta Prague on Thursday and was torn to shreds by a certain Chris Sutton at full-time.

“I thought the goalkeeper was hopeless. I don’t know what he was doing for the fourth. It summed up Celtic, their performance and their season so far,” he remarked on BT Sport’s post-match show (26/11).

Indeed, Bain was all over the place. He failed to stamp down his authority in the penalty area by letting the ball roll across the six-yard box for the second goal and then for the fourth, he came racing out of his goal before missing the ball.

The 29-year-old made one individual error according to SofaScore, and made just eight accurate passes. Clearly, he was not great with his hands or his feet, gifting possession to the opposition on a regular basis.

Remarkably, for a ‘keeper, he was also dribbled past on one occasion. It was an embarrassing night for Bain and thus, Lennon needs to consider Vasilis Barkas on Sunday afternoon.

The summer signing has kept eight clean sheets in just 14 outings this season so it’s obvious to argue that Celtic are a sturdier outfit with him between the posts.

Regardless of that, Bain needs some time out of the team.

Meanwhile, Celtic could spark a revival by hiring a “special” manager… 

Steven Gerrard is looking to bolster his Glasgow Rangers squad for the 2020/21 season, and this has seen him turn his attention to a midfielder currently plying his trade abroad.

According to the Daily Mail, the Gers are keeping tabs on Benfica midfielder Chris Willock. Derby County, Queens Park Rangers and AFC Bournemouth are also monitoring him.

However the only issue is that Huddersfield Town have agreed a £1m fee with the Portuguese giants and experienced Champions League side for the player. Indeed, he spent the second half of the 19/20 campaign on loan with the West Yorkshire outfit.

Last season Willock, who is only 22, featured 14 times for the Terriers in the Championship, picking up two goals and managing on average one shot, 1.4 successful dribbles, and 1.1 tackles a game, via WhoScored.

These aren’t the greatest stats for the player but show that he can provide support at both ends of the pitch and the fact that he is currently at Benfica highlights that he definitely has some potential to succeed and grow into a better player.

However it feels like if Gerrard was to add to his squad, it needs to be players performing at their best right now because he is currently looking to guide the club to their first title in ten years.

Therefore it would not be the biggest worry if they were to lose out on this signing, and there are other targets in midfield, like Daniel Johnson, who would be better options as he recorded 12 goals and seven assists in the Championship last season, managing on average 1.4 key passes, 1.3 shots and 1.7 tackles per game, via WhoScored.

Glasgow Rangers fans, what are your thoughts on this news? Comment below!

According to Calciomercato.com, Glasgow Rangers target Lovro Majer is now on the radar of Leeds United, Borussia Dortmund, Fiorentina, Valencia and Sevilla.

Majer in demand

The Gers were linked with a move for the U21 Croatia international back in January, when they were said to have already been scouting him for a number of months, implying the interest was fairly serious.

In the end, though, they moved for Ianis Hagi, who signed on loan on January 31st.

Now, it seems a number of Europe’s top sides are also eyeing the 22-year-old. Sportske Novosti reported in July that he would cost €6m (£5m), a fee that would be more than achievable for Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds – the Argentine coach has a reputation for developing young talent.

Better than Hagi?

Majer is an attacking midfielder, just like Hagi, and the former has really started to make an impact for Dinamo Zagreb this term. In ten games in all competitions, he has three goals and three assists, and is living up to his billing as the “new Modric” in his homeland.

Hagi has done relatively well so far this campaign, already picking up seven assists in all competitions. However, he has come in for criticism, as well. Would Majer have been a better fit for the 54-time Scottish champions before they moved for the Romania international? The interest in him from across the continent suggests big things are waiting for him in the future, and the Gers may have missed their chance if English top flight sides like Leeds swoop in.

In other news, Steven Gerrard has revealed that this vital first-teamer is a doubt for Sunday’s match against Livingston. Let us know what you think in the comments!

Having slipped to a frustrating draw against Livingston last time out, Steven Gerrard’s Rangers bounced back to winning ways with a 1-0 win over Kilmarnock on Saturday afternoon.

And after providing an impressive 15 assists across all competitions last season, and picking up one each in his last two games, James Tavernier would surely have fancied his chances against doing the same at the weekend.

Are you a massive Rangers fan? Know everything about the club? Well do you know your Gary Stevens from your Michael Ball? This quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

And whilst he did eventually set up Ryan Kent for Rangers’ second, it was arguably his poorest display in a Rangers shirt in this new campaign. As per Sofascore, he provided just two accurate crosses all game, attempted no dribbles whatsoever, and lost possession 16 times – only two of his teammates conceded more.

After seeing his performance against Kilmarnock, Rangers fans took to Twitter to share their reactions.

A couple of Rangers fans simply insisted that Tavernier looked “non-existent”, and that there was “no urgency”.

It’s safe to say the Rangers skipper didn’t enjoy the greatest of afternoons on Saturday.

The right-back really struggled as an attacking threat, and that just increased the pressure on his teammates to start fashioning out chances. The stats sheet may say that the 28-year-old picked up his third league assist of the season, but that simply doesn’t tell the full story.

Gerrard will be hoping that Tavernier simply had an off day.