All posts by n8rngtd.top

Many West Ham fans have slammed the performance of Lukasz Fabianski in their 2-1 defeat at Manchester City on Sunday.

David Moyes made just one change from their last Premier League game, with Jarrod Bowen dropping to the bench in place of Arthur Masuaku. However, it was Fabianski’s display which had a lot of Hammers fans talking, and not for the right reasons.

The 36-year-old continued to keep Alphonse Areola out of the side in the Premier League and kept up his record of playing in every Premier League fixture this season.

Fabianski struggled with the ball at his feet in tricky conditions at the Etihad Stadium, though, and he was fortunate that Riyad Mahrez was ruled offside after his poor clearance in the opening stages ended with the City winger putting the ball in the net.

As per SofaScore, the shot-stopper, who made six saves, lost the ball on 15 occasions, misplacing 15 of his 23 attempted long passes.

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West Ham fans react

Here is what these West Ham supporters had to say about the goalkeeper’s display against the Premier League champions, with one labelling him a ‘liability’.

“Fabianski is a liability, please start playing Areola”

Credit: @WHU_EUFC

“Fabianski playing for City?”

Credit: @CraigPodevin

“Fabianski’s distribution is awful”

Credit: @georgejones_01

“Fabianski’s kicking is terrible”

Credit: @VintageLanzini

“Fabianski’s distribution is abysmal.”

Credit: @lukejessop16

“Fabianski out”

Credit: @JoelBids_

In other news: Journalist lifts lid on West Ham ‘meeting’ to sign red-hot Brazil international

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Atletico Madrid right-back Kieran Trippier…

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun, the England international would cost the Magpies a fee in the region of £25m in January and would demand ‘big wages’.

The report claims that Eddie Howe wants to bolster his team with Premier League experience and Trippier is one of the players he wants to sign.

Howe would love him

PIF need to splash the cash and ensure that they go to Atletico with a £25m offer that the Spanish side will be willing to accept. The Magpies owners must get a deal over the line for the defender as he could be a major addition to the squad.

Howe would love him at St. James’ Park as he could be a brilliant option for him at right-back, as he has proven that he can merge solid defending with an ability to make things happen going forward. Trippier also has the relevant Premier League experience to be able to come in and hit the ground running, rather than needing a few weeks or months to adjust to life in England.

Last season, he made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game in La Liga, showcasing his defensive quality at right-back. However, he also managed 1.2 key passes per game and picked up six assists over the course of the campaign, having provided four in the previous season.

Howe would surely love the balance that he would be able to bring to the team. He has shown that he can offer a creative outlet down the right without giving up on the defensive side of his game, highlighting why he could be an excellent signing.

Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate lauded the defender as a ‘warrior’ earlier this year. He said:

“He (Trippier) is a very underrated player. People are still looking at the player from a few years ago and not at the one who is at Atletico Madrid and playing like a warrior in the last few seasons. He is a big part of what we’ve done over the last few years and he gave a really good performance.”

Speaking after an additional display vs Belgium, the England boss commented: “Trippier was like a soldier out there, unbelievable defensive performance.”

The £77k-per-week beast played for both Burnley and Tottenham in the Premier League and this shows that he knows the division and what it takes to perform at this level. Thus, it presents another reason why the ex-Bournemouth man would love him at the club. This would be a perfect deal for the Toon Army.

AND in other news,  NUFC could finally replace Ryan Taylor with swoop for “outstanding” £19.8m-rated beast…

With Newcastle United only recently managing to secure their first Premier League win of the season with their 1-0 victory over Burnley, the upcoming January transfer window could give the club’s new owners the chance to try and strengthen the squad with some new players and start the new year off with a bang.

Looking ahead to the upcoming window, it seems as though the Tyneside club have their eye on bringing someone to St. James’ Park that has played for two of Europe’s biggest clubs.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from La Repubblica (via Calcio Mercato), Newcastle are reportedly interested in signing Juventus and former Barcelona midfielder Arthur Melo.

During his time with Barcelona, the 25-year-old, who is currently valued at £31.5m according to Transfermarkt, made 72 appearances across all competitions, chipping in with four goals and six assists as well as picking up generous comparisons to former Barcelona legends Xavi and Andres Iniesta.

After then moving to Juventus in September last year, the Brazilian has scored just one goal in 40 appearances.

His latest appearance for Juventus saw Arthur show just what a technical midfield player he is by completing 102 of the 108 passes he attempted with six accurate long balls and two key passes in their recent 1-0 win over Malmo in the Champions League.

Completing such a jaw-dropping number of passes to his teammates is certainly enough to evoke memories of Xavi and Iniesta at their peak, two players known for being phenomenal in possession.

On the international stage, Arthur, who Brazil coach Tite has previously said is a player that “always finds the best escape,”  has made 21 appearances.

This season has been a rather difficult one for the midfield maestro who has started just two of the eight games he’s played in for Juventus across all competitions after missing the start of the campaign through injury.

Given his lack of game time so far this season with the Italian side, this could perhaps give Newcastle a boost if they are interested in signing Arthur by offering him regular minutes at St. James’ Park in the Premier League to get his career back on track.

Looking ahead to January, if Arthur would be willing to leave Turin in January and the club are willing to let him depart, Newcastle should definitely explore the possibility of signing him.

He’d bring plenty of extra quality to Eddie Howe’s squad from someone who has a lot of experience playing at the top level of European football.

In other news: PIF could land NUFC’s next Cabaye in swoop for “complete” £27m-rated “unbeatable” ace – opinion

Liverpool striker Divock Origi could potentially seal a move to Wolves in the January transfer window, according to Express and Star reporter Luke Hatfield.

The Lowdown: Origi a Liverpool legend

The 26-year-old has put together an iconic Reds career, not always performing consistently but producing huge moments time and time again.

Origi recently scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner away to Wolves, adding to similarly huge goals against the likes of Barcelona, Tottenham, Everton and Newcastle United down the years, leading to Jurgen Klopp calling him a ‘legend’.

It could be that the striker’s time at Liverpool comes to an end in the near future, however, with a lack of football seeing him fail to start in the Premier League this season.

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The Latest: Journalist talks up Wolves move

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Hatfield talked up the idea of Origi moving to Wolves, having been linked with a switch to Molineux in the past:

“Wolves have been linked with him before, obviously they like the look of him.

“They need someone to back up Raul Jimenez, they have Hwang, who’s a different player, but other than that, who have they got? You’ve got Fabio Silva, who’s a young lad, and we’re yet to see the best of him, so I think a striker option would be interesting.”

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The Verdict: Wrong time to sell

Origi appears relatively content at playing a bit part role for Liverpool but he could feature prominently in the coming weeks, highlighting the need to keep hold of him.

With Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane on Africa Cup of Nations duty next month, the Belgian will be needed to step up to the plate and fill the void, hopefully adding to his two Premier League goals this season.

It would, therefore, be a big surprise if Liverpool allowed Origi to leave in January but a summer exit could happen if he wants it to.

From a Reds perspective, however, it seems logical to keep hold of him for as long as possible, given his penchant for popping up with huge goals, not to mention an overall record of 40 goals in 167 appearances.

In other news, some Liverpool fans are fuming at a Reds exit rumour. Read more here.

Celtic are keen on a cut-price move for AZ Alkmaar winger Albert Gudmundsson in January, as per Mike McGrath of The Telegraph.

The Lowdown: Gudmundsson profiled

Gudmundsson is 24 years of age and is primarily a right-winger who can also play on the left and as an attacking midfielder.

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The Iceland international has the same agent as Hoops midfielder Tom Rogic and has been with the Dutch side since 2018.

He’s contributed to 34 goals in 94 appearances for AZ Alkmaar and currently has a career-high Transfermarkt valuation of £3.6m.

The Latest: Hoops keen

McGrath’s transfer notebook for The Telegraph on Wednesday morning, hours before Celtic’s trip to St. Mirren, provided a claim on Gudmundsson.

The reliable reporter revealed that both Celtic and Rangers are going head-to-head for the wide man and are interested in a Bosman deal.

Gudmundsson’s current contract expires in the summer, meaning the two Glasgow sides can discuss a cut-price transfer in the New Year with a view to joining at the end of June.

The Verdict: Another versatile attacker?

Celtic and Ange Postecoglou aren’t wasting any time when it comes to pinpointing winter window targets.

The Hoops are keen on three Japanese players in January, one of which is Daizen Maeda. The Yokohama F. Marinos forward can also play in a variety of attacking positions, and it seems as if Gudmundsson may well be another to move to Celtic Park.

They’ll have to pip their bitter rivals for his services, though, but on paper, it seems as if Gudmundsson could prove to be a shrewd cut-price addition as Postecoglou continues his Parkhead rebuild.

In other news: ‘A lot of clubs’ tracking ‘unbelievable’ Celtic ace ahead of January, says BBC Radio 5 Live man. 

A claim has been dropped regarding a potential transfer for Rangers attacking midfielder Joe Aribo…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has made a worrying statement on the midfielder’s prospects of arriving at Aston Villa, who are managed by former Gers boss Steven Gerrard and have reportedly targeted the 25-year-old as a potential signing.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I’m sure Gerrard would love to bring someone like a Joe Aribo to Villa Park. He was a big signing for Gerrard up at Rangers and really helped to turn them around.

“He added a real creative spark to the side at Rangers and I think he’s been Rangers’ best player this season up in Scotland. He has hit a real rich vein of form.”

Fans would be gutted

Rangers fans will surely be gutted by this news for multiple reasons. Firstly, they will be frustrated with the idea of genuine interest coming in for Aribo this month.

Nathan Patterson has already left the club to join Premier League side Everton, and losing the Nigeria international would be another blow to the squad. Giovanni van Bronckhorst would be losing a talented and valuable player midway through the campaign, which could affect the second half of the season and their attempts to win silverware domestically and in Europe.

Secondly, they will be gutted as Gerrard’s connection with Aribo could play a key role in any potential deal. He was the manager who brought the player to Ibrox and helped him to flourish at Ibrox.

His former Charlton teammate Ezri Konsa previously mentioned how the ex-Liverpool captain helped the 25-year-old,saying:“Having Gerrard as his manager at Rangers, that has made him go up another level.

“Joe’s style is unique. When I was with him at Charlton he did remind me for a while of a left-footed Yaya Toure. But you don’t get a lot of midfielders like Joe, there aren’t many around.

“Like Toure, for a tall guy he’s got such great feet. But that languid style he’s got is actually fairly unique in the game.”

Therefore, the prospect of going back to England to reunite with Gerrard could be a tempting one for Aribo, which is why Rangers fans will likely be gutted with O’Rourke’s claim.

The Nigerian has been in sublime form in the Premiership for the Gers this season and his exit would be a big loss for the side. He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.20 and contributed with six goals and three assists, highlighting how much quality they would lose with his exit.

AND in other news, Van Bronckhorst heading for first Rangers disaster as big £5m update drops, it’ll infuriate the fans…

A number of Wolves supporters have reacted in delighted fashion to images of long-term injury absentee Pedro Neto back in training on Thursday.

Wanderers have enjoyed an impressive season to date, beating Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford on Monday, in what was arguably the highlight of the campaign.

Despite Wolves’ progress under Bruno Lage, one player that they have had to make do without is Neto, with the winger absent with a serious knee injury since last April.

The Portuguese has been working hard on his recovery and a hugely encouraging update has now emerged in that respect.

On Thursday, Wolves’ official Twitter account posted photos of Neto back on the training pitch, suggesting his return to first-team action is edging closer all the time.

Wolves fans hail Neto footage

These Wanderers reacted to the footage in delighted fashion on Twitter, providing their thoughts on the good news.

“Oh my god I’ve missed him so much”

Credit: @_georgiaeden

“YEAAAAAH”

Credit: @oliviaashley

“Things we love to see”

Credit: @TalkingWolves

“YES YES YES! HE IS BACK”

Credit: @x_editsmxlti

“Fantastic. Give him 90 on Sunday”

Credit: @RobSmith1877

“Best news of the day”

Credit: @UbaJosh

In other news, some Wolves fans are unhappy after a transfer rumour emerged. Read more here.

Manchester United are rumoured to be taking a step back from the winter transfer window, as Ralf Rangnick occupies his time focusing on the current players and his plans for an overhaul of the squad in the summer, with a question mark hanging over the future of one particular star and a replacement rumoured to be on the horizon.

Paul Pogba’s expiring contract has been a hot topic, as his agent made it clear that the player will move on in the summer, and Manchester United will be working hard to identify the right replacement to seamlessly fit into Rangnick’s side to fill the hole the World Cup-winning Frenchman will leave if he does depart Old Trafford in a few months time.

One player who has been touted with the club is Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who has recently been linked with a move to the North West club according to Calciomercato.

Last week it was reported that Manchester United are leading the race to sign the Serbian international from his current club, Lazio and it seems like he could be the perfect replacement for Pogba when and if he does leave the club this summer.

The Serie A midfielder was hailed by Parma sporting director, Demetrio Albertini who once said:

“Milinković-Savić has the characteristics of a great champion; he has extraordinary elegance.”

According to One Versus One, the £63m-rated star is the number one for assists and is third for the most accurate key passes in the Serie A, as well as scoring seven of his own goals already this season in all competitions.

This kind of output is something that is greatly needed at Old Trafford right now, with the club expectations to secure Champions League football. However, the side has scored less goals than any top-four team, and at least 15 fewer goals than any of the top three in the Premier League, which as a result has seen the side unable to climb into a position to finish with qualification for Champions League football so far, sitting currently in 8th.

Despite the quiet transfer window so far, there is no doubt that Rangnick will be working on finding players like Milinkovic-Savic ahead of next season, who can join the side and make an instant impact.

Sadly, it looks unlikely that the German coach will look for quick fixes halfway through, so fans will have to hope that their current squad can pull it together to see out the season.

Either way, the Serb would certainly be an exceptional replacement for Pogba if he departs.

In other news: Rangnick could axe Bailly in the January transfer window

Leeds United return to east London for the second time in a week to face West Ham United in the Premier League this afternoon.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side will be looking for revenge at the London Stadium after the Irons knocked them out of the FA Cup at the third-round stage last weekend.

The Argentine has had to deal with numerous injury problems throughout the season but there have been signs of that alleviating ahead of kick-off, which means the manager has a little more room to breathe in terms of team selection.

As such, there is a particularly huge call to make with Daniel James as the club-record summer signing has been woefully out of form since his £30m move from Manchester United.

To his credit, he has been one of several players to have been asked to carry the burden of the Whites’ attacking play in the absence of leading talisman Patrick Bamford.

However, he has still not really delivered anything of note.

Indeed, as per WhoScored, the Wales international has managed an average rating of 6.56 per game (the ninth-best in the team) and he has struggled to have much of an influence in the final third.

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There are five players who are more creative than him, having averaged only 0.9 key passes per game, whilst 0.8 dribbles per league outing sees him rank eighth in the whole squad for that statistic – a worrying sign considering he’s a winger by trade.

Former top-flight striker turned pundit Darren Bent summed James up well, back in November 2020 – when he was still at Old Trafford.

“The only thing about Dan James at times, for me, he’s a little bit headless,” he told Football Insider. “He’s shown great potential, when he first went to United he played really well, scored a few goals but at times he for me he’s fouled or he shoots sometimes when he should pass it, he’ll pass when he should shoot.”

Returns of just two goals and two assists from 17 appearances just aren’t good enough from your big-money star, so it’s time for Bielsa to be ruthless in his team selection by axing the £16.2m-rated lightweight.

The Hammers bullied him last weekend, he cannot be carried once again here this afternoon.

AND in other news, Junior Firpo confirms injury update in huge Leeds United boost…

The transfer window slams shut next week and Rangers have been relatively busy in the market as they have brought in two players and sold one from Ibrox for a club-record fee.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has signed James Sands and John Souttar, whilst selling Nathan Patterson north of the border too. He has also recalled striker Cedric Itten from his loan and reintegrated him into the first-team set-up.

In the last week or so of the window, the Gers may have some big decisions to make on players whose deals expire in July. One player who could be in trouble of being cut loose is Canadian midfielder Scott Arfield, with the 33-year-old’s contract up in the summer.

Axe him

Van Bronckhorst could jettison him from the squad this month or in the summer by bringing in a new player. He has missed a whopping five ‘big chances’ in the Premiership this season and lost 65% of his individual duels, whilst only creating 0.6 chances per game – as per SofaScore – and this suggests that it could be time for him to be axed.

One attacking midfielder who has been linked with a switch to the club is 18-year-old PSG youngster Xavi Simons.

He too is out of contract at the end of the season and this means that the Gers could replace Arfield without having to splash millions and millions in the transfer market. Instead, they could snap up the teenage Dutchman on a free and pay a nominal compensation fee via tribunal or through an agreement with PSG.

In doing so, they could land a terrific player for the future as Simons has shown immense potential in his fledgling career to date.

Football scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him as “phenomenal” earlier this season for his form in the academy side with the French giants. He has scored five goals and provided six assists in 13 appearances for the U19’s, showing off his quality at youth level.

This suggests that he is already too good to be playing reserve team football and that is emphasised by his first-team involvement in France this term. He has played four times for the Ligue 1 side this season, picking up one assist in those games.

His agent, Mino Raiola, previously stated that his client has a “big future” and PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino believes that he will mature with time, saying: “Xavi Simons? There is a big difference between the reserve and the first team. Xavi can play in different positions; as a torchbearer, he can also play on the side. Maturity comes with time; you have to take into account the leadership of the team and complementarities.”

Therefore, he could have the potential to improve further over the years and develop into a top player, which is why he could be a fantastic replacement for Arfield as the ex-Burnley man is nearing the end of his career.

AND in other news, Rangers could finally axe “really poor” lightweight by landing £2.8m-rated playmaker…