All posts by z3u9t.icu

Southampton fans were far from happy as their B side lost 3-2 to Birmingham City on Monday despite being 2-0 up.

For the Saints’ senior side, it has not been the best start to the season at all. Eight games in, they have won just one match during 90 minutes, an 8-0 victory over Newport County in the League Cup, and they are without a victory after six Premier League matches (Sky Sports).

Things are not going to better for the club’s development side, either. They were without a win in five matches in their top flight, and were well in with a chance of changing that form against Birmingham. However, despite a two-goal lead, they were unable to hold on, and eventually lost 3-2. As a result, they remain rooted to the bottom of the table.

Southampton’s official Twitter account shared the result, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform below.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the defeat below

“Some serious questions need to be asked about our academy…”

Credit: @TheSaintCentre

“What a joke”

Credit: @Conor_SFC

“We trudge on.”

Credit: @PixelKicker

“Rotten top to bottom”

Credit: @griffryan

“Losing philosophy throughout this club at the moment. Needs curing”

Credit: @liamd543

“Delete this club ASAP”

Credit: @WillWray10

In other news, Southampton fans slammed this man against Wolves.

Celtic were left frustrated as they chucked away a lead to lose 2-1 in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup against their rivals on Sunday.

The opposition came close to opening the scoring in the first-half as John Lundstram’s effort went past Joe Hart and smacked the woodwork.

Postecoglou’s men rallied and wrestled back control of the game to take the lead through Greg Taylor. A quick free-kick found Callum McGregor and his pass was finished off by the left-back, via the help of a deflection, to make it 1-0.

However, the Hoops were not able to hold out as the organised, persistent, press from Rangers allowed them to dictate the play and they eventually found their equaliser through Scott Arfield.

That goal sent the game to extra time and Gio van Bronckhorst’s side scored the winner in the 115th minute in dubious circumstances. Calvin Bassey appeared to be in an offside position when he was played in down the left and his cross was then turned into his own next by Carl Starfelt.

The Swedish international scored an own goal to seal the win for the Gers but one player who let Postecoglou down badly was central midfielder Tom Rogic.

He put in a disappointing showing as he was left completely ineffective by Bassey’s man-marking of him throughout his time on the pitch. The central defender was constantly stepping out of his line to deal with Rogic and this meant that the £16k-per-week dud had no time on the ball.

Former Hoops ‘keeper Pat Bonner blamed the speed of the match for his display, saying: “The positional play of Rangers has been excellent. Ramsey is almost an inside-right, stopping Taylor getting on the ball. Aribo is high up on McGregor, stopping him influencing the game. The game has been too quick for Tom Rogic so far.”

Journalist Mark Atkinson also criticised the Australian and cited his area of the pitch as one of the reasons behind the loss. He Tweeted: “Celtic will regret letting that slip. Took the lead but ceded midfield battle after arrival of Davis and Arfield. Badly let down by Hatate and Rogic in that department.”

Although he was substituted in the 57th minute, the damage was already done as his dire performance set the tone for the rest of the game. The Hoops were unable to match Rangers’ energy in the middle of the park through Ryan Jack and John Lundstram as Rogic simply could not keep up with them whilst also being marked out of the match by Bassey.

AND in other news, Signed for 7 figures, left for peanuts: Celtic had a mare on “unplayable” £15k-p/w dud…

With six goals scored and none conceded in their two previous games against Arsenal in the Premier League and FC Porto in the Champions League, Liverpool are in a good position to take on Southampton at Anfield in their next league match at the weekend.

On the chalkboard

In terms of which players Jurgen Klopp could select in his starting XI to take on the Saints, one player that should definitely be in the team on this occasion that didn’t start in midweek is Jordan Henderson.

Despite not starting the match against Porto on Wednesday night, Henderson still managed to impress in the 27 minutes of action he got in the second half after he replaced goalscorer Thiago Alcantara.

During his cameo, Henderson managed to highlight what a useful midfield option he is for the Reds in an attacking and defensive regard.

As well as providing the assist for Mohamed Salah’s goal, Henderson managed to complete 17 passes with one cross and long ball and even have one shot at goal.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/check-out-the-latest-liverpool-news” title=”Check out the latest Liverpool news!”]

Henderson also managed to help his side keep a clean sheet on the day by winning five of the six duels he was involved in and complete two tackles, ultimately earning himself an overall match rating of 7.3/10 from SofaScore, which is higher than the likes of Tyler Morton and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who started the match managed to get.

It’s been the same story for Henderson in the Premier League this season as well with an average of 1.4 key passes per game and 1.4 tackles per game under his belt.

With this in mind and the fact that he managed to have a rest by not playing the whole game, Henderson, who has been labelled an “athletic” player by former Reds captain Steven Gerrard, should definitely be in the starting XI to face Southampton, who he could absolutely terrify with his attacking prowess, defensive capabilities and ability to control the tempo of a game.

Looking beyond the Southampton clash, if Liverpool can keep the £18m-rated midfielder fit and playing regularly throughout the rest of the season, he will undoubtedly play a big part in their push for the Premier League title.

In other news: Fewer touches than Alisson: Liverpool dud who won just 35% duels wasted his big chance – opinion

A number of Crystal Palace fans have been reacting to an official Twitter post from the Eagles regarding the club’s Selhurst Park stadium.

Palace are in the process of redeveloping Selhurst Park, which currently holds a capacity of close to 26,000. Plans to increase that to around 34,000 were given the green light way back in 2018.

Work was set to be completed in time for the 2021/22 season, but as we know, that has failed to materialise due to a number of factors, with recent reports suggesting the redevelopment has been put on hold for a further 12 months.

However, a number of Eagles supporters believe the club may well be hinting at something after they posted a black and white picture on Twitter on Monday afternoon of an old Selhurst Park.

Palace fans react

This is what these Palace fans had to say in reply to the Twitter post, with some thinking the club are dropping a stadium teaser.

“Finally Parish is getting on with it”

Credit: @sxp55555

“Wow”

Credit: @Debbiechops

“NO WAYYYY”

Credit: @CPFCMax9

“It’s a sign”

Credit: @jackstacpfc

“Is this a hint??”

Credit: @CiaranCPFC

“Hold on…. There must be some reason for this…..”

Credit: @jamessinman

In other news: ‘My god’ – Many CPFC fans erupt at ‘unbelievable’ transfer update. 

A key Newcastle transfer claim has been made regarding their pursuit of Reims’ Hugo Ekitike…

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Magpies have failed with their first bid to sign the attacker from the Ligue 1 side this month.

He tweeted: “Reims are not intentioned to accept Newcastle opening proposal for talented striker Hugo Ekitike. Deal more than complicated – there’s interest also from West Ham but nothing advanced yet. #NUFC Reims want also a sell on clause included into potential Ekitike deal.”

This comes amid rumours of a move for Burnley attacker Chris Wood, who the Toon are believed to be on the verge of signing.

Infuriation for Hammond

This will surely infuriate Nick Hammond as he goes about looking to improve Eddie Howe’s Newcastle squad in the January transfer window.

The Magpies are in desperate need of reinforcements, and bringing in players as quickly as possible could be vital with big games coming up in the Premier League. They are currently 19th in the table and have only won one of their 19 matches in the division so far this term, whilst also conceding the joint-most goals along with bottom club Norwich.

This shows how desperate their situation is and why signing targets before the final few days of the window could be crucial as every point counts. Newcastle face Watford on Saturday with a chance to move out of the bottom three, and any signings before that clash could improve their chances of winning, which is why failing with this offer for Ekitike will frustrate Hammond.

Callum Wilson is currently out injured and this puts added pressure on those at the top end of the pitch. He is the club’s top scorer in the Premier League with six goals and is one of just two Magpies players to score more than once in the current top-flight campaign. This means that they will be missing his clinical touch in the final third, and the signing of Ekitike could have alleviated some concerns over his absence, although it remains to be seen if a deal for Wood will be completed in time for him to play.

The 19-year-old has eight goals and two assists in ten Ligue 1 starts this season, which suggests that he could have an immediate impact at St James’ Park if he adjusts to English football. Just imagine a talented young player linking up with the more experienced Wood, someone who has already bagged 50 times in the top-flight.

With that in mind, the duo may well have made a difference in the beat to drop.

Furthermore, they could have made the difference against Watford and, unless something dramatic happens in the next couple of days, the club’s failure to sign Ekitike this week could negate Howe’s chances of beating the Hornets in this weekend’s relegation six-pointer.

AND in other news, “Hearing”: Luke Edwards drops exciting Newcastle transfer claim which will delight fans…

[ad_pod ]

Two Celtic wingers are expected to complete loan moves before the January transfer window closes, according to The Daily Record.

What’s the story?

Brendan Rodgers is expecting more outbound business than incoming as the clock ticks towards Thursday’s midnight deadline.

Maryan Shved – albeit not officially a Celtic player yet – made a flying visit to watch last night’s 2-0 win over St Johnstone and will return to Karpaty Lviv after completing the formalities of his move to Celtic.

And 22-year-old Lewis Morgan is set to complete his loan move to Sunderland, reuniting him with his old manager at St Mirren, Jack Ross.

Winger overload

Celtic are exceptionally well covered for wingers with James Forrest and Scott Sinclair returning from the winter break in top form. Loan signings Oliver Burke and Timo Weah have a nose for goal and are best used coming in off the flanks.

As further back up Mikey Johnston is available while Jonny Hayes can also provide cover.

In short, game-time for Shved and Morgan would be extremely limited although both men could ‘do a Ryan Christie’ and play their way into Rodgers’ future plans.

Arriving in Scotland in mid-season would be a big ask for Shved – returning to Kalpaty and upping his game will give him time to prepare for a big move and to make the best impact when he returns to Celtic.

Morgan certainly has ability, and linking up again with Ross to play in front of large demanding crowds at Sunderland will improve his game and his Celtic prospects.

A number of Wolves supporters have erupted with glee in response to a post on the club’s official Twitter channel following the incredible 3-2 win at Aston Villa yesterday.

Bruno Lage’s side enjoyed one of their most memorable Premier League victories of all time on Saturday afternoon as they made a dramatic return to action following the international break.

It looked as though Wolves were going to suffer a disappointing defeat for much of the game, with Villa leading 2-0 late on.

However, the visitors produced a remarkable comeback, with goals from Romain Saiss, Conor Coady and Ruben Neves completing a stunning turnaround in the final 10 minutes.

After the game, Wolves’ official Twitter channel posted a brilliant photo of the celebrations after the Portugal midfielder’s winner, the image captioned with the word ‘iconic’.

Wolves fans love club tweet

Needless to say, lots of Wolves fans lapped it up, taking to Twitter to hail an “unbelievable” afternoon.

“Inject this shot all day long”

Credit: @OllieCaines

“What a photo!”

Credit: @nigelsutherland

“How can anyone not love football”

Credit: @SophieLloyd0

“Love this”

Credit: @OttoTheWise

“Oooooooo babyyyyyyyyyyyy”

Credit: @TomTonks

“Unbelievable!!!”

Credit: @tson0803x

In other news, some Wolves fans were left stunned by one player’s piece of brilliance. Read more here.

After four wins and three defeats in his first seven Premier League games as Aston Villa manager, the upcoming January transfer window will give Steven Gerrard the opportunity to make any changes to the current squad at Villa Park that he may deem necessary.

With the window just a few days away from opening, one current Villa player has been mentioned with a potential move away from the club.

Speaking on Dutch TV (via Birmingham Mail) after the 3-1 defeat against Chelsea on Boxing Day, former Ajax midfielder and FC Twente manager Jan van Halst had his say on Anwar El Ghazi and his immediate future.

He said: “Do I not get the feeling that El Ghazi wants to leave? You would think so, yes. He played for the Dutch national team during a good period last season.

“Then we were all surprised that he was not in the squad (for the Euros). Now he threatens to throw a whole period of his career away. Maybe another competition is best for him. He’s such a technical player who actually belongs in a more technical competition. Spain or Italy maybe?”

Villa originally signed El Ghazi on a loan deal from Lille back in the summer of 2018 before securing him on a permanent basis a year later.

Overall, the 26-year-old – who is currently picking up £38k-per-week according to Salary Sport, has made a total of 118 appearances for the Villans across all competitions, scoring 26 goals and providing 16 assists along the way.

This season has seen El Ghazi make nine Premier League appearances for Villa, scoring one goal and providing one assist in the process, but only three of those games have come under Gerrard since his first match at the club in their 2-0 win over Brighton, with the winger coming off the bench each time under the incumbent manager.

With his lack of starts under Gerrard in mind, it’s easy to see why El Ghazi has been tipped with a move away from Villa if he’s hoping for regular game-time.

Labelled a “nightmare” to come up against in training by former Villa defender Alan Hutton, El Ghazi has failed to show much of that on the pitch this season by racking up an overall performance rating of 6.33/10, making him one of Villa’s lowest-rated players in the current campaign according to WhoScored.

Taking this into account, it’s safe to say that a lot of Villa fans could be happy to see the Dutchman leave in January if the club receives a decent offer for him and are able to bring in a quality replacement at the same time.

In other news: Gregg Evans drops injury update at Aston Villa which will leave fans delighted

Newcastle United could offer Miguel Almiron to Villarreal as part of a deal for Arnaut Danjuma, according to The Sunday Mirror. 

The lowdown

Eddie Howe was in charge at Bournemouth when the Cherries paid Club Brugge £14.8million to sign Danjuma in 2019.

Amid injury problems, he made only 14 Premier League appearances (six starts) in his first season on the south coast.

Howe subsequently resigned, but Danjuma exploded into life in the Championship, scoring 17 goals and providing eight assists in 2020/21.

That earned him a move back to the top level with Villarreal, for whom he’s made 28 appearances this season.

The latest

Howe has already been reunited with Callum Wilson, Matt Ritchie and Ryan Fraser on Tyneside and, in addition to Danjuma, he’s also said to be keen on bringing Lloyd Kelly to St James’ Park.

Reliable reports on the south coast say Kelly will be the subject of a summer bid from the Magpies, with scouts allegedly attending all his games, and it appears he’s not the only former Howe student catching the eye.

The latest reports (via The Boot Room) state that Newcastle have identified Danjuma as a target ahead of the summer transfer window.

Almiron is one of the players the club are willing to sell this summer, and they could attempt a part-exchange with The Yellow Submarine.

The verdict

What would this deal look like? Well, there’s about a £30million difference in the two players’ Transfermarkt valuations (Danjuma £45million, Almiron £14.4million) and so, assuming Villarreal are interested in the Paraguayan, there may still need to be a negotiation over the fee.

It’s easy to understand why Newcastle are keen on Danjuma though, his team’s top scorer this season with 13 goals in all competitions.

Five of those goals have come in the Champions League, and the Dutchman is currently preparing for a quarterfinal meeting with Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Villarreal vice-president Jose Manuel Llaneza has dubbed him a ‘Rolex player’, while talent scout Jacek Kulig considers him ‘one of Europe’s best dribblers’.

It’s certainly a signing, then, that the Toon could get excited about.

In other news, Keith Downie shares an update on Shelvey.

The previous summer window saw a number of incoming and outgoing transfer deals taking place with the likes of Danny Ings, Mario Lemina, Jannik Vestergaard and Ryan Bertrand, among others, leaving the club in a mass exodus.

Meanwhile, the likes of Adam Armstrong, Romain Perraud and Lyanco, among others, made the move to St. Mary’s.

One player that made a permanent transfer to Southampton in the summer that the club hit the jackpot with is 18-year-old right-back Valentino Livramento.

Since joining the Saints for £5m from fellow Premier League side Chelsea, a side who did everything they could to keep hold of him in the summer according to Thomas Tuchel, the teenager has played the full 90 minutes in all of Southampton’s Premier League games so far this season apart from their 0-0 draw against Manchester City where he was taken off after 86 minutes after picking up a yellow card just two minutes earlier.

Livramento has also managed to score one goal and provide one assist in that time, proving to be an exceptional threat in offensive areas.

This shows just how important Livramento, who is currently valued at £10.8m according to Transfermarkt, has made himself for the Saints and how much Ralph Hasenhuttl rates him at such a young age.

The manager labelled the full-back back in August as a “fantastic young player”, and the fact that he is currently rated as Southampton’s second highest-rated player with an overall season rating of 7.02/10, according to WhoScored, further highlights what a great bit of business it was from the club to sign him.

However, with Livramento revealing last month that he would not rule out a potential move back to Chelsea in the future, an understandable admission given how he’s a product of their youth academy, we feel that it should be Southampton’s long term priority to keep him on the south coast for as long as possible.

His current contract isn’t set to expire until 2026 but given the talent he’s already shown in his short time at St. Mary’s and the fact that he has a lot of potential within him to develop and grow, it would be somewhat of a disaster to lose him.

While it may still be early days in his time at Southampton, it would be nothing short of a catastrophe for the club if they end up losing such a talented player before his current contract runs out.

He has proven to be an exciting addition to the Saints ranks and he could well be the difference between beating the drop next May.

In other news: Get rid: Ralph must let go of £18k-p/w forgotten Saints figure, his time’s running out – opinion