All posts by h716a5.icu

Glasgow Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos spared Steven Gerrard’s blushes as he came off the bench to score the winner against Lech Poznan in the Europa League on Thursday night.

The Light Blues initially struggled to break down a disciplined Polish side before Morelos ended his six-game goal drought in emphatic style.

The 6-cap Colombia international headed in a cross from Rangers left-back Borna Barisic to secure the victory, which means Gerrard’s side have now won their last five games in the Europa League (including the qualifying rounds).

Gerrrard singled out Morelos for praise after his winning header took him to 21 goals for the Gers in Europe, tying him with Ally McCoist’s all-time club record.

Speaking after the game, the Rangers boss said: “It’s fantastic for him from a personal point of view. Alfredo’s a top class player, a top class goalscorer, and it’s fantastic that he’s still here.”

SofaScore gave the 24-year-old a decent grade of 7.2 for his performance – he took two shots on target, had another attempt blocked, whilst he took 16 touches of the ball and completed nine out of ten passes at a pass accuracy rating of 90%. If you look at his heatmap, you can see that he popped up all over the place, which suggests that he caused the Polish side all sorts of problems. Solid effort, that’s for sure.

Sky Sports gave Morelos a 8/10 rating, whilst The Daily Record went one step below, claiming he “got just over half an hour for Roofe and made his presence felt with a record-equalling goal.”

Much has been made of Morelos’ attitude in recent weeks, with former Aberdeen striker Noel Whelan labelling the centre-forward as “petulant and childish” for clashing with Celtic midfielder Scott Brown in the first Old Firm derby of the season.

Petulant, maybe? Brash, almost certainly. But there’s no denying the fact that he’s still the best striker in the squad, as he has now scored more Uefa Cup/Europa League goals than any other player in the squad. If anything, it just goes to show that Gerrard cannot afford to lose him, if recent reports are to be believed…

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers left-back Calvin Bassey could soon usurp Borna Barisic at Ibrox…

Glasgow Rangers manager Steven Gerrard refused to discuss Steven Davis’ contract following the thrilling 3-3 draw with Benfica in the Europa League on Thursday night.

What’s the word?

The Ibrox boss praised the in-form midfielder for his recent “unbelievable” form but remained coy on the subject when asked about his future at Ibrox.

Davis has been in fine form for club and country since returning from lockdown and will be expected to start when Northern Ireland face Slovakia in Thursday’s Euro 2020 play-off final at Windsor Park.

Speaking after the game, Gerrard said: “Steven’s in good form. I think he has been since we returned from lockdown. You always wonder when players are that age and they have such a long break off with a lockdown, what are they going to be like when they return?

“But his professionalism and his attitude and his application – he came back in unbelievable shape and he’s built on that. I think that’s showing in his performances. He’s really really consistent at the moment and arguably in the best form since we’ve been working together.”

Davis has been an integral part of Gerrard’s side this season, but his performances on the pitch aren’t the only reasons why the Gers need to keep him.

The 35-year-old recently dismissed any talks of a possible retirement so it’s clear that he has no intentions of hanging up his boots anytime soon.

Get it done, Gers!

There is a real possibility that Davis will leave the club when his contract runs out next summer but Rangers chief Ross Wilson can’t afford to let that happen, especially amid recent talk about teammate Alfredo Morelos’ future.

The Light Blues brought in Bongani Zungu from Amiens on an initial loan deal before the close of play on transfer deadline day but the South Africa international is yet to make his first-team debut for the Ibrox outfit, so questions still remain over whether or not the Gers will trigger the option to buy clause in his contract.

Glen Kamara isn’t exactly short of admirers amid reports that the talented midfielder could be on his way out, which would leave Gerrard with fewer options in the midfield as an injury crisis could cause several problems.

Indeed, it’s fair to say that Rangers must throw everything at Davis, who currently earns wages worth £18,000-per-week, as they must try and convince the colossus to stay at the club in the summer, as his performances in recent weeks have shown that he still has plenty to offer.

Not only is the Northern Irishman an important player on the pitch, he is also an influential “leader” in the dressing room, who could bring the best out of some of the younger members of the squad like Ianis Hagi and Ryan Kent.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers should give Connor Goldson a rest after Benfica showing…

Steven Gerrard took advantage of an extended summer transfer window, but perhaps Glasgow Rangers missed the chance to solve their glaring weakness. Namely, a dangerous shortage of centre-back options.

Two backup strikers were brought in in Cedric Itten and Kemar Roofe, whilst Leon Balogun was recruited as injury cover for Croatian defender Nikola Katic, having joined the club on an initial one-year-deal with the option for another year.

This means that the Ibrox boss currently only really has two options to choose from for one position, as Rangers defender Connor Goldson is arguably one of the first names on the team sheet. Meanwhile, George Edmundson is widely expected to leave in January after falling afoul of the coronavirus protocols, which means that Balogun and Filip Helander are vying for a place besides Goldson at the back.

Barring a sudden miracle, an injury crisis could cause a real problem, so Gerrard may want to consider dipping into the club’s academy set-up.

Some players are born great, some players achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. Leon King seems destined to fit into all three of the aforementioned categories.

King is clearly highly-rated by the Ibrox boss as he was involved in first-team training ahead of the Europa League clash with Standard Liege last month.

Former Rangers coach Ian Durrant told The Scottish Sun that summer signing Calvin Bassey could form part of a makeshift defensive pairing, but believes King is one to watch for the future.

He said: “They have Connor Goldson, Filip Helander and George Edmundson as established defenders.”

“The new lad Calvin Bassey seems to be able to play centrally in defence as well.”

“There’s a central defender on the books called Leon King, who’s only 16, but everyone raves about him. He could be involved more,” he added.

The 16-year-old attracted interest from Premier League giants Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United before he signed his first professional contract to commit his future to his boyhood club.

Rangers development coach Graeme Murty has heaped praise on the teenage prospect in the past, insisting he fully deserves all of the attention, which is high praise indeed from the former first-team caretaker manager.

“He’s someone who is getting a lot of press now because he’s quite young but he’s there on merit,” he said, via Rangers News.

“We don’t hesitate in pushing them forward if we think we can extend their learning and that’s what it’s about. It’s about making sure that Leon is challenged to the right level.

“There will be a time that he drops to his own age and we expect him to be the best player on the pitch, regardless of who else is on it.”

Although King is still in the early stages of his career, he has shown promising signs of progress already, hence why he was given a taste of first-team training before the Europa League tie, before being named on the bench.

Whilst Bassey can fill in at the back, the 4-cap Scotland U17 international has impressed the club’s hierarchy with his performances in reserve and youth team fixtures.  Despite his young age, he has been a regular for the national team development squad as well, which is surely a sign of things to come.

Either way, it may not be too long before Gerrard starts to put his faith in the youth system, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Leon Balogun’s potential injury may force Steven Gerrard to deploy Filip Helander against Aberdeen instead…

Glasgow Rangers target Niklas Dorsch stood out for Gent despite their 2-1 loss against Slovan Liberec on Thursday in the Europa League.

Dorsch shines

The Gers were linked with a move for the former Bayern Munich man this summer before he joined Gent from German outfit Heidenheim for €3.5m (£3.2m).

Gent have struggled so far in Europe this term, failing to pick up a single point in five matches in the competition, but Dorsch at least impressed this midweek.

He completed both of his attempted dribbles and managed three tackles, whilst he also provided the assist for Roman Yaremchuk’s strike. His display was well rounded, providing two key passes, drawing two fouls and adding an interception to those all-important three tackles (Whoscored).

It was the type of performance that may tempt Steven Gerrard to refresh his interest in the midfield in the future.

Gers missed out

It is thanks to this kind of showing that there was a battle for Dorsch’s signature during the summer. Heidenheim were on the verge of earning promotion to the Bundesliga, only to be beaten in the relegation play-off on away goals by Werder Bremen, and Dorsch played in 34 out of a possible 36 matches during that run. His form last term led to Heidenheim CEO Holger Sanwald calling him “special”.

In the end, Gerrard did manage to bring in Bongani Zungu on loan from Amiens. However, Dorsch has a strong pedigree and was a star player for his team last term. With three goals in 13 matches in the Belgian top flight this time around, he also appears to be settling well. He may be the one that got away from the 54-time Scottish champions, or potentially a target again in the future as players like Scott Arfield move past their prime.

In other news, this shock Champions League result could have a big impact on Rangers.

The transfer window is now just a matter of weeks away, and for Wolves, completing business in one specific area will be of utmost importance.

After hitting a sticking point, spending in a position lacking depth simply has to happen.

What’s the word?

Wolves sensationally beat Arsenal a few weeks ago but they have now suffered back to back defeats, failing to score in the process.

They were battered 4-0 by Liverpool and then somehow failed to beat Aston Villa despite a succession of goal scoring opportunities.

Nuno Santo’s men eventually lost 1-0 and it’s clear to see why they’re struggling – they have no Raul Jimenez. The Mexican suffered a fractured skull at the Emirates and thus, Wolves are having to rely on club-record signing Fabio Silva.

That shouldn’t be a bad thing but he’s just 18 years of age so it’s not ideal. Thus, the transfer window could provide the Midlands side with some respite.

The Sun are reporting that one man on their radar for the short-term is former West Brom and Newcastle striker Salomon Rondon.

He is currently plying his trade in China for Dalian Pro and it’s said that they may well consider a deal in January.

Rondon is currently valued at £7.2m by Transfermarkt.

Ideal replacement

Of course, Rondon is not a 20-goal striker but that’s not exactly what they require. Instead, they need an experienced centre-forward capable of filling in for Jimenez while he sits on the treatment table.

Silva has yet to show much in his fledgeling Wolves career but given his potential, he will surely come good sooner rather than later.

Therefore, signing someone like Rondon in the meantime would be phenomenal business from Wolves.

The Venezuela striker scored 11 goals for Newcastle in the Premier League during the 2018/19 season and his bullish nature would be perfect for an Old Gold team accustomed to the way Jimenez plays.

Rondon is an aggressive forward capable of unnerving defenders and has even been compared to one of the great strikers we’ve seen on English soil.

Lee Clark once said: “I was fortunate enough to play with Les Ferdinand and Rondon reminds me of him. They’re both swashbuckling centre forwards, who hold the ball up well and provide a focal point for their team-mates.”

That’s exactly what Wolves need and his record in China demonstrates that he’s in form. For Dalian, the 31-year-old has scored nine in 16 outings this season.

This is superb short-term thinking from Nuno and Fosun.

In other news, Wolves’ £60k-p/w dynamo was their ONLY positive against Aston Villa…

Manchester United moved to third in the table after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side put Leeds United to the sword at Old Trafford.

Scott McTominay opened the floodgates in the first half with a long-range effort, and the midfielder got his second just a few moments later, with Bruno Fernandes and Victor Lindelof adding the extras, before Marcelo Bielsa’s side pulled one back with a header from Liam Cooper shortly before the break.

But United extended their lead almost immediately after Daniel James got himself on the scoresheet before a customary penalty from Fernandes made it 6-1 after Pascal Struijk fouled Anthony Martial in the box.

However, there was still time for late drama after Stuart Dallas scored from long-range, but the Red Devils weren’t to be denied the spoils.

Fernandes was in scintillating form, McTominay was magnificent, but Martial defied his critics with a man of the match-worthy performance.

As any regular reader of this column will no doubt be aware, we can count ourselves among that number, but it’s hard to deny the fact that the Frenchman looked back to his very best against Leeds.

Per SofaScore, Martial received a high rating of 9.1 out of ten for his efforts – only McTominay was awarded a higher score – he took one shot on target, three shots off target, completed seven of his eight dribble attempts successfully, created three big chances, and contributed to two goals, while he won a penalty, was fouled once and made one clearance as well.

The France international took more touches of the ball than Fernandes (55) and clearly made the possession count, providing 25 out of 31 passes (81%), showing no hesitation in dropping deep into his own half to pick up the ball and bring others into play.

The Manchester Evening News were effusive in their praise for the 25-year-old, giving Martial a grade of 8/10 and claiming he ‘won the penalty in his best performance of the season by a distance’, whilst The Daily Express were equally glowing in their assessment, insisting he was ‘a constant threat upfront with his clever movement, pace and link-up play.’

It’s safe to say the French versatile forward was an influential presence as he provided two assists for the first two goals, despite not scoring himself as he blazed a shot over the bar.

There’s no doubt Solskjaer will have been secretly delighted with his sublime display, having launched a passionate defence of the £82m-rated (€90m) misfiring forward after his miss in the 3-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League ultimately proved costly as they were eventually dumped out of the competition by RB Leipzig.

Forget McTominay, it was Martial who stole the show at Old Trafford.

AND in other news, Lightweight: Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw badly let Solskjaer down vs Leeds…

Christmas is here and Everton sit inside the top-four of the Premier League table under Carlo Ancelotti after a terrific start to the 2020/21 season.

The Toffees have claimed top-flight victories over Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal while taking a point against Stanley Park neighbours Liverpool to round off Ancelotti’s first year at the helm.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James Rodriguez have been two stars of the show this term, with the England international netting 11 of Everton’s 25 league goals for the division’s second-highest contribution rate to date at 44%.

But neither Calvert-Lewin or Rodriguez feature in Everton’s top-15 most expensive transfers of all-time, with the former joining from Sheffield United for what now looks a bargain £1.5m in 2016 and the Colombian arriving from Real Madrid in the summer for nothing.

Only one Ancelotti signing features in Everton’s top-15 most expensive arrivals, in fact, so can you name all 15, based on total fees reported at the time of their arrivals?

You’re a true expert if you can get them all…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former England international Carlton Palmer has delivered his verdict on whether Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba should have been awarded a penalty against Aston Villa.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side moved level on points with Premier League leaders Liverpool with a 2-1 victory over Villa courtesy of a penalty from Bruno Fernandes.

The Red Devils have recovered from a tricky start to the season and find themselves top of the table with a game in-hand over their arch-rivals.

But Villa boss Dean Smith was far from happy with the decision, as he vented his frustrations after the game.

He told BBC Sport: “I don’t see why Michael couldn’t have looked at it. That’s what VAR is for isn’t it?

“I thought it was a penalty at the time, but I looked at it after the game and saw he tripped himself. I don’t think it’s a penalty.

“I think there’s enough doubt there to send the referee over to the screen.”

United were awarded a penalty after Douglas Luiz was adjudged to have clipped Pogba inside the box in one of the most controversial moments in the game.

When questioned about the decision, Palmer moved to defend Pogba from criticism.

He told Football FanCast’s Tom Ward this week:

“Well, first and foremost, the referee gave the penalty in real time. Secondly, I’ve got to be honest with you, why has the defender got his hands all over him? He’s got his hands all over him.

“If he doesn’t get that close to Pogba, it doesn’t become a problem. I’ve watched it hundreds of times and I still can’t make out whether he catches Pogba first or if Pogba trips first – either way he’s made contact with him.

“No player is going to turn around and say, right, I’m sorry, it’s not a penalty. And it’s very difficult to see if Douglas Luiz makes contact with him before or afterwards?”

He added: “At the end of the day, the way I look at it as a defender, get yourself into a good position, get your arms off the player, and you avoid that situation.

“Do I think it was a penalty? I don’t think Pogba was trying to cheat. Only the defender knows and Pogba knows whether he tripped over his own foot or the defender caught him.

“All I will say is that from the defender’s point of view, I think he got himself into a bad position and he’s got his arms around him.”

Solskjaer’s side play host to Manchester City at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup semi-finals on Wednesday night.

Pogba, 27, has provided two goals and three assists in 20 appearances across all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

With the club still looking for his first piece of silverware since he first took charge of his former club, one suspects Pogba may yet have a part to play as their quest for trophies continues.

AND in other news, Ed Woodward must secure Man Utd transfer swoop for Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho…

Mike Ashley must answer Steve Bruce’s plea and secure Ciaran Clark’s long-term future with a new contract for the Newcastle United defender.

What’s the word?

According to The Telegraph, Clark is close to reaching an agreement with the Magpies to extend his stay at St. James’ Park for at least a sixth-season following his arrival under Rafa Benitez ahead of the 2016/17 Championship campaign.

The defender’s current £35,000-per-week terms were due to expire in the summer and had begun to attract interest from Crystal Palace, who are in the market for centre-back cover with Mamadou Sakho likely to leave Selhurst Park.

Clark has been a fixture of Bruce’s plans in the Premier League since regaining his spot in the side in late November, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in each of Newcastle’s last nine fixtures, plus all 120 minutes of this month’s FA Cup defeat at Arsenal and 225 minutes in the Carabao Cup on route to the quarter-final.

Bruce had made retaining the Republic of Ireland international’s services a top-priority ahead of the January transfer window, insisting the “fiercely competitive” 31-year-old is far from an unsung hero on Tyneside.

“He’s not an unsung hero to me, Ciaran is a really good player who gives you a nice balance with his left foot,” Bruce said, via quotes by Chronicle Live.

“He is a very good player, and I know discussions are ongoing with his agent and I hope, in January, we can tie him up.

“We’d like to keep him at the club. I think he deserves that, and he has played very well for me.”

Answer the call

Ashley must answer Bruce’s call to tie Clark down to a new contract, and reports of a new deal being close is a good sign to Newcastle rewarding one of their most reliable defensive options at a time they risked losing the Aston Villa product for free.

Clark has frequently brought a calm head to a sometimes chaotic Newcastle backline since his recall this season, even when others have been blamed for letting the £4.5m-rated titan down, and regularly tries to keep morale high, even if United have been humbled.

The Harrow-born centre-half is a vastly consistent performer, too, with his WhoScored match ratings in the Premier League this term never dipping below 6.0 and often scoring highly to warrant an average 6.88.

Only Joelinton (9.4) scored higher for the Magpies during their 2-0 win over Crystal Palace in November, too, as Clark stood out at the back for a 7.6 rating thanks to a team-high seven successful aerial duels and 50 passes, plus a game-high six clearances.

Clark’s performances this term have been at such a level that he ranks 10th among all Premier League defenders for average aerial duels won a game with 4.11 and 15th for clearances with 4.78, while offering 1.0 successful tackles, 1.67 clearances, 1.89 ground duels won and 35.11 passes per game, per SofaScore.

His numbers see Clark shadow only Fabian Schar (1.73) for interceptions a game among Bruce’s defenders, as they continually break up opposition play in hopes of protecting Karl Darlow’s box.

Clark also sees more of the ball than his backline colleagues as he serves as the first man tasked with bringing play out at St. James’ Park.

Newcastle, and Bruce in particular, would likely seriously miss Clark’s presence next term if he were to depart in the summer as a free agent, making the Magpies’ decision to table a new deal this month a very wise move.

AND in other news, Forget Ryan Fraser: a £46k-p/w Newcastle man who lost 63% duels seriously betrayed Steve Bruce vs Sheffield United…

According to Sky Sports, Arsenal are interested in signing Real Madrid starlet Martin Odegaard on loan in this January transfer window.

What’s the story?

After making significant moves already in trying to reduce the club’s bloated wage bill – the likes of Sokratis and Sead Kolasinac have left, and Mesut Ozil is set to follow – Mikel Arteta’s side have turned their attentions towards reinforcing their squad.

And, as per Sky Sports, the Gunners have made an approach to bring Odegaard on a loan deal until the end of the Premier League season, and that the Madrid board are considering their proposal right now.

The report adds that the Norway international expects to be able to leave the Bernabeu this month in a bid to get more first-team football, but that Arsenal are likely to face strong competition from Real Sociedad.

Perfect replacement for Ozil

The January transfer window is always a difficult one to do major business, with clubs understandably reluctant to let some of their most important players go mid-way through a campaign.

It’s one of the reported difficulties Arsenal have faced in trying to sign Norwich City’s Emiliano Buendia, with the Canaries of course battling for automatic promotion back to the Premier League this season.

It’s exactly why a short-term deal for Odegaard would be an Edu masterclass. It would give the Gunners an extra option in that number ten role and ease some of the creative burden on Emile Smith Rowe, whilst also making sure that if it doesn’t work out, they can just wave goodbye to him in the summer and focus on their priority transfer targets.

Described as a “phenomenon” by Norwegian football writer, Lars Sivertsen, Odegaard is a creative play-maker who appears to be tailor-made to come in and replace Ozil.

Spanish football journalist, Alvaro Montero, said: “He’s an extremely good player. He’s very similar to Mesut Ozil, he’s left-footed, he plays extremely well between the lines and between the striker and the midfielders. Maybe he even has more goal threat than Mesut Ozil, but he travels a little less. He’s an amazing player and I think he’ll be an amazing player for Arsenal and for Mikel Arteta.”

The Gunners must surely try and get this deal done.

Meanwhile, Arsenal must sell this £90k-p/w disaster…