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Following on from their 2-1 defeat against Oxford Town at the weekend in their latest League One match that saw an injury-time winner snatch the points away from the Yorkshire club, Sheffield Wednesday now turn their attention to the Papa John’s Trophy for a clash against League Two club Mansfield Town.

For the match, we expect Owls manager Darren Moore to make some changes to the team that started against Oxford.

On The Chalkboard

One player that started against Oxford that we feel should be dropped from the team in midweek is Owls defender Dominic Iorfa.

The defender failed to make any tackles or block any shots at the weekend in what was a far from productive outing.

Furthermore, he was poor with the ball at his feet, only completing 18 out of the 36 passes he attempted and lost possession on 19 occasions, ultimately earning himself a rather underwhelming overall match rating of 6.4/10. That made him Wednesday’s joint-lowest rated outfield player on the day according to SofaScore alongside Dennis Adeniran.

Consequently, we feel it could be beneficial if Iorfa were to sit out the game against Mansfield.

Wednesday signed Iorfa back in the 2019 January transfer window from Premier League club Wolves for an undisclosed fee.

Since then, the 26-year-old, who is currently valued at £1.35m according to Transfermarkt and described as “unbelievable” by teammate Barry Bannan, has made 81 appearances for Wednesday across all competitions in which he has managed to score five goals and provide three assists along the way.

Back in August, the defender put pen to paper on a new deal that will now see him stay at the club until 2023.

So far this season, Iorfa has played 90 minutes in all of Wednesday’s league games and played 68 minutes in their previous Papa John’s Trophy match against Newcastle United’s U23 side. Yet, after his shoddy performance, it’s perhaps time for a night off.

Looking ahead to the match against Mansfield, a team who have struggled in their League Two campaign so far this season having won just two of their opening 10 league games, we feel that due to Iorfa’s disappointing display against Oxford, Moore should consider keeping the defender out of the firing line.

That would give the manager a chance to rest him so he’s fully ready for Wednesday’s next league outing against Bolton Wanderers at the weekend. After all, the centre-back is still key to their promotion hopes this term.

In other news: Bannan axed, £5.3k-p/w gem starts in 6 changes: Predicted Sheff Weds XI vs MTFC – opinion

West Ham’s striker search has turned to a new name ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the word?

According to French outlet Jeunes Footeux, the Irons are among the teams interested in a move to sign Copenhagen forward Jonas Wind, who the Danish outfit value at €20m (£18m) and no less.

However, they will face competition from Premier League rivals Newcastle United, who have just been taken over by a very wealthy Saudi Arabian-backed consortium.

It’s thought that his fine form since the start of last season hasn’t gone unnoticed, but the 22-year-old is under contract at the Parken Stadium until 2025.

Haaland 2.0

Wind finished the 2020/21 campaign with 17 goals and eight assists and those impressive exploits have continued into the new season, having found the net a further eight times and provided another five assists, also taking his total caps for Denmark to 12, as per Transfermarkt.

The 6 foot 3 talisman is the latest talent to come from Scandinavia and his potential career trajectory has been likened to that of Borussia Dortmund beast Erling Haaland, as well as Real Sociedad’s goal machine Alexander Isak.

Breaking The Lines describe the Copenhagen frontman as being ‘physically imposing yet technically gifted’ and have drawn some similarities to that of Edin Dzeko, who had quite a good time in the Premier League with Manchester City.

Wind, who is averaging a goal or assist every 99 minutes this season, has been dubbed the “next big thing” from the Superligaen by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also believes the Dane is “a good and complete forward.”

It’s no secret that Hammers boss David Moyes is in need of reinforcements up top, and new head of recruitment Rob Newman could deliver a solution with a move for the free-scoring striker.

The Scot is playing a risky game by going the remainder of the season with just one senior centre-forward option in Michail Antonio, who has dealt with plenty of injury troubles over recent years.

For £18m, a swoop for a prolific 22-year-old makes a lot of sense. Newman, Moyes and the West Ham hierarchy must look to complete a deal for Wind in January.

AND in other news, David Moyes could discover West Ham’s next Mark Noble in “unbelievable” 18 y/o prodigy

Luke Ayling’s injury layoff is “absolutely gutting” for Leeds United, according to former West Ham and Scotland striker Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Ayling sidelined with injury

Ayling has been a fantastic servant for the Whites, making 198 appearances to date and proving to be a key player throughout Marcelo Bielsa’s reign.

Unfortunately, the 30-year-old is currently out with a knee injury and hasn’t featured for Leeds since the 1-1 draw at Newcastle United last month.

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The Latest: Pundit bemoans absence

Injury expert Ben Dinnery has claimed that Ayling may not return until after next month’s international break, which would be an undoubted blow for Leeds.

Speaking to Football Insider after that update emerged, McAvennie rued the news, given his importance to the team:

“Losing a stalwart like that is gutting, absolutely gutting. It upsets the rhythm of the team. He was never not there last season and we saw how good they were.

“Obviously, he scored a huge goal on the first day, we know how good he can be. Leeds have a few issues at the back and this is one they are going to have to fix. His absence is a massive blow.

“The mental side of it is a big one. Those players in the middle, like Phillips, won’t be as confident without Ayling behind them.

“They have a few big games to play, they need to get away from that bottom three as well. You need your best players for that so Ayling being ruled out, as I say, I’m gutted for him.”

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The Verdict: Time for Shackleton to shine

There is no denying that Ayling is a big miss for the Whites, not only possessing great character on the pitch but also providing constant energy and quality down the right flank.

If he is going to be absent for an extended period of time, Jamie Shackleton may be tasked with filling the void, instead of Stuart Dallas playing an auxiliary role.

The 22-year-old has managed two league starts already this season and did well in the 1-0 win over Watford last time around and it will be interesting to see how he fares at Southampton on Saturday, assuming he starts.

In other news, Phil Hay has provided a key update on one Leeds player. Find out who it is here.

Rangers picked up their first win in the group stage of the Europa League on Thursday night as they beat Brondby 2-0 at Ibrox.

Leon Balogun and Kemar Roofe scored the goals for Steven Gerrard’s side as they strolled to a comfortable victory against the Danish outfit.

The Gers lost their first two matches in the group to Lyon and Sparta Prague but have now given themselves hope of qualifying for the knockout stage with a win against Brondby.

Whilst Roofe came into the team and found the back of the net to help seal the win, another player stole the show for Rangers on the night – Joe Aribo.

The Nigeria international played in his natural central midfield position instead of out wide, and he flourished on the right of the three in the middle of the park. Aribo was superb in the Europa League clash and will surely have left Gerrard feeling delighted.

Defensively, he put in a terrific shift. As per SofaScore, he won an impressive 10 of his 15 ground duels, with his midfield partners John Lundstram and Steven Davis only winning one between them. He also won four tackles and made one interception, whilst also avoiding being dribbled past throughout the 90 minutes as he showcased the defensive side of his game.

Offensively, Aribo also caught the eye. As per SofaScore, the ex-Charlton man provided two key passes and created one ‘big chance’. He also had a passing accuracy of 96% along with completing six of his nine attempted dribbles. This shows that he was able to carry Rangers up the pitch and create space by taking opposition players out of the game, using his quality on the ball to help the Gers control proceedings.

Meanwhile, Roofe provided zero key passes or dribbles and was dribbled past twice as he made one tackle. The former Leeds man also lost seven of his nine duels on the night, which suggests that his overall display was not particularly impressive in spite of his goal.

Therefore, Aribo was able to steal the show for Rangers as he was excellent at both ends of the pitch and crucial to Gerrard’s side picking up the three points. He merged defensive strength with attacking creativity and transition play, which made him a crucial cog in the machine against the Danes as he facilitated their dominant performance.

In other news – Gerrard masterclass: Rangers dynamo has seen his value soar 420% since January… 

Many Everton fans have been left fuming as some transfer news emerged on Harry Winks.

As per Caught Offside, a source from Tottenham Hotspur has now claimed that it will be a fight between the Toffees and Aston Villa to sign the midfielder on loan in the January transfer window.

Brighton and Hove Albion have also shown an interest, but it looks like it will be a battle between the other two Premier League clubs for his signature.

It can be argued that Winks would not be an upgrade on Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure in the centre of Everton’s midfield, given that he has averaged fewer tackles and dribbles than the Toffees duo in the Premier League so far this season.

Also, he has only managed to score four goals and make just five assists in 179 games over all competitions for Spurs (Transfermarkt).

Everton fans on Winks transfer news

These Everton supporters fumed as the transfer news on Winks was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that the Spurs midfielder is a ‘terrible player’:

“Please God no, literally the opposite of what our midfield needs, passes sideways, can’t run, terrible player”

Credit: @Bobbydavies7

“Fully believe this because it’s what we do season in season out, buy bang average footballers”

Credit: @SimonMidi9790

“Please don’t!!!”

Credit: @MaguireJude

“That’s a fight I wouldn’t mind losing”

Credit: @v2_AWD

“Let them have him”

Credit: @browner6

“Not playing regularly last two yrs … & six-figure wages… I’m no longer keen on him tbh”

Credit: @Bainesy38579264

In other news, find out which fixture update has left these Everton fans raging

Everton will be aiming to end a two-game losing streak when they travel to Molineux in order to face an in-form Wolves side this evening.

The Toffees suffered a humiliating 5-2 thrashing at the hands of Watford last time out, and new manager Rafa Benitez faces another tough selection headache ahead of kick-off.

An injury to key midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure saw Tom Davies partner Allan in the engine room against the Hornets, and although the 23-year-old found the back of the net, the duo’s lack of mobility was brutally exposed.

Doucoure’s natural ability to cover a vast amount of ground in a short space of time has allowed Benitez to play just two midfielders in the opening weeks of the campaign, but without him in the side, Everton were left with too many gaps to plug.

The Frenchman’s capability to turn defence into attack with a well-timed tackle before marauding up the pitch and playing an intelligent pass is a unique set of skills that one player simply cannot replace.

As such, Benitez may be better off changing his system to cope with Doucoure’s absence rather than simply the personnel.

Playing a 4-3-3 rather than a 4-4-1-1 would allow Allan extra protection in the centre of the pitch while still having the bodies available to join in the attacks. And the Merseyside outfit may have the ideal candidate to come in and perform that role.

Since arriving at Goodison Park in August 2019, Jean-Philippe Gbamin has had some horrendous luck with injuries.

In two years, the Ivory Coast international has made just four appearances for Everton, but now could be the perfect opportunity for him to showcase his true potential on the Premier League stage.

When recovering from his latest fitness setback, the £65,000-per-week Gbamin enlisted the help of Theo Chapelle, a senior personal trainer, and consultant at the Odysium rehabilitation centre in Paris, who described his former client as a “monster”.

“He really impressed me during his stay here,” he told The Athletic. “The work we did together went really well. He appreciated working with us and that was reciprocated.

“He’s a great guy — kind, funny, respectful, calm, with his head on his shoulders. As an athlete, he’s a monster. I’ve never seen that in football, only athletics. He has exceptional physical qualities and a foolproof mentality.

“I’m certain that he’ll return stronger and whatever the obstacles in his way, will have a great career,” Chapelle concluded.

With Doucoure not expected to return for several weeks, Benitez will be forced to come up with a solution to his enforced absence, yet the answer could be a rather simple one.

Gbamin deserves a change of luck after his awful time on English shores, and that could begin with a start against Wolves, he just needs the faith of his manager behind him.

And, in other news…Everton receive big injury boost ahead of Wolves, Benitez will be delighted 

Aston Villa’s owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens (NSWE) have promised new manager Steven Gerrard a huge January transfer budget, according to The Daily Record.

As to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been reacting to the news on social media.

Villa confirmed on Thursday morning that Gerrard has made the move to the Midlands, four days after the club parted company with Dean Smith.

Before the 41-year-old was officially appointed, The Daily Record shared a story claiming that Gerrard was set to become the best-paid manager in Villa’s history.

The report went on to add that Sawiris and Edens have guaranteed the new manager funds for the winter window despite the fact that Villa have spent more than £324m in the past two-and-a-half seasons following their return to the Premier League.

Villa fans react

@villareport shared the claims regarding Gerrard becoming the highest-paid Villa boss along with the January transfer kitty.

Here is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply, with many excited about NSWE’s budgetary promise.

“We are absolutely massive”

Credit: @tom_av1

“So excited to see who Gerrard brings in…”

Credit: @LordMillman29

“January window will be an exciting one.”

Credit: @LennanTomlins

“NEWCASTLE WHO???!!!!! STEP OUTSIDE”

Credit: @WazeUTV

“what a club”

Credit: @catrinavfc

“yessss”

Credit: @SadAVFC

“HERE COMES THE MONEY”

Credit: @avbiIly

In other news: Many Villa fans go wild over one man Gerrard could bring to Villa Park

Wolves striker Hwang Hee-chan is wanted by Liverpool and Manchester City, heightening the need for Wanderers to sign him permanently.

The Lowdown: Hwang shines for Wolves

The South Korean joined Wolves on loan from RB Leipzig in the summer and has made an immediate impression at Molineux. He has scored four goals in just six Premier League starts, helping Bruno Lage’s side to find a good run of form as they rose to eighth in the table and becoming their top scorer so far this term.

It appears as though the 25-year-old’s form has not gone unnoticed by some of the country’s leading clubs, though.

The Latest: Premier League giants eye up move

According to The Mirror, both Liverpool and Man City are keen on the idea of signing Hwang, seeing him as a strong player to add to their respective squads.

The report stated that the pressure is now on Wolves to try and sign the striker permanently in the January transfer window in order to avoid any complications next summer.

The Verdict: Potential big blow

Hwang already looks like a hugely exciting player for Wolves – Garth Crooks has described him as ‘devastating’ and he won the club’s Player of the Month award for October – and while Leipzig may not definitely allow him to leave, there is hope that a deal could be struck.

The idea of him moving to Liverpool or Man City instead is a painful one, further strengthening one of those clubs’ attacking options and leaving Wolves lighter in that area in what would be a hammer blow to Lage’s squad.

The hope is that the promise of regular starts at Molineux appeals more to Hwang than simply being a squad player under Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola.

In other news, some Wolves fans have reacted negatively to a transfer rumour. Read more here.

Giorgos Giakoumakis’ latest injury setback may only strengthen Ange Postecoglou’s desire to bring in Daizen Maeda in January, The Celtic Way’s Tony Haggerty writes.

The lowdown

Summer signing Giakoumakis missed Saturday’s Scottish League Cup semifinal against St Johnstone after struggling with a knee issue during the international break.

The Greek international has been limited to just two league starts since joining from VVV-Venlo.

And Celtic have begun looking for alternative forward options, with Yokohama F Marinos striker Maeda on their radar.

The £990,000-rated 24-year-old has banged in 21 goals in 38 appearances this season (via Transfermarkt).

The latest

Giakoumakis’ knee problem will, Haggerty reckons, ‘set alarm bells ringing with Ange and the supporters’.

In his opinion, it makes Postecoglou all the more likely to request the signing of Maeda in the mid-season market.

It would be ‘no surprise’ to see him join the Celtic ranks at the turn of the year, generating ‘stiff competition’ for places.

The verdict

Celtic are aware of what Giakoumakis is capable of. They brought him in off the back of a 26-goal, Golden-Boot winning campaign in the Netherlands.

But that ability will count for little without availability, and this week’s setback is by no means the first for Giakoumakis.

The worry now, if this transfer materialises, is that he slips to third in the pecking order behind Kyogo Furuhashi and Maeda, meaning he might struggle to get the run of games he needs to build up sharpness.

In other news, the Hoops are still keen on this EFL target. 

After saying goodbye to Georginio Wijnaldum at the end of last season, Liverpool didn’t sign a replacement for the Dutchman who joined French club Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer after making a total of 237 appearances across all competitions.

One midfield player, however, that has been linked with a move to the Merseyside club that could be a potential heir for Wijnaldum is LOSC Lille star Renato Sanches.

Recently, the Portuguese international has made a claim that could excite a lot of Liverpool fans that may be hoping to see him in a Reds shirt in the near future.

What’s the latest?

In a recent interview with French media outlet L’Equipe (via Liverpool Echo), Sanches revealed that he feels ready to join a big club again after admitting that he was too young to join Bayern Munich when he did back in 2016.

During his time in Germany, Sanches made 53 appearances for Bayern across all competitions in which he also had a loan spell at Swansea City where he made just 15 appearances before eventually arriving at Lille in 2019.

Since joining the French club, the 24-year-old, who is currently valued at £27m according to Transfermarkt, has managed to score five goal and provide six assists in 67 appearances in all competitions.

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In the recent Euro 2020 tournament over the summer, Sanches’ performance in Portugal’s 2-2 draw against France earned him a lot of praise from pundit Jermaine Jenas who said that the midfielder has got “a lot of character.”

That performance, in particular, highlighted just how impressive Sanches can be on the big stage as an all-round midfielder, a role Wijnladum thrived in at Anfield.

In the 88 minutes he was on the pitch for, Sanches managed to complete 69 of the 74 passes he attempted, had one shot on target, made one key pass, won nine ground duels, made three tackles and completed all of the three dribbles he attempted, ultimately earning himself a solid overall match rating of 7.1/10 according to SofaScore.

Consequently, this would be an excellent piece of business from the Merseyside club if they can sign him for a relatively low fee considering how his current contract at Lille is set to expire in the summer of 2023. Certainly, it would give them a potential long-term replacement for Wijnaldum given his age and ability in the middle of the pitch.

In other news: FSG may be heading for a big Liverpool disaster in January on “outstanding” 26 y/o ace – opinion