Tag Futebol

West Brom will be looking to continue their recent form on Thursday night as they welcome one of Sam Allardyce’s former sides, Everton, to The Hawthorns.

On the face of it, things are starting to turn around for the 66-year-old, having steered his side to an unbeaten run of three matches, in which they have conceded only one goal.

However, the test of the Toffees is a big one as they too have enjoyed an upturn in results, winning back-to-back league outings to move into seventh place, and a win here would see them move into the top four.

Big Sam may find it hard to alter much of his starting lineup considering they have not lost in three games, but there is one move he should make…

On the Chalkboard

January arrival and Premier League veteran Robert Snodgrass should be available for selection following injury, having missed the draw to Burnley and the win over Brighton.

Speaking ahead of the encounter, Allardyce said, via Albion’s official website: “He’s back in the squad and ready to go.”

Therefore, he should come straight back in as his experience (169 PL appearances) and know-how will be invaluable against Carlo Ancelotti’s men, particularly in battling their impressive attack of Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James Rodriguez.

The latter of which is likely to be Snodgrass’ opposite number, if selected.

Ancelotti hinted that he could well be available to face the Baggies this week, so Allardyce must prepare to face either him or Alex Iwobi on that right flank, which is where the Scotsman comes in.

Rodriguez is Everton’s joint-second top goalscorer on five goals, while only one other player has provided more assists (four), via WhoScored, so straight away, it is clear to see how important he is to the Toffees’ cause.

Similarly. the World Cup sensation tops the charts for creating chances, averaging 2.1 key passes per 90 minutes. By comparison, this is the same number we’ve seen from Matheus Pereira this term, and we know how reliant Albion can be on him as a playmaking outlet.

The 33-year-old veteran seems well-equipped to deal with whatever is thrown his way. He sits second amongst this West Brom squad for tackles per game (2.5), which is a telling sign of his relentless work-rate as he’s often deployed as a winger.

This means he’s tracking back and helping out his defence – he could form quite the wall alongside Conor Towsend on that left flank to thwart and silence the threat that Rodriguez possesses.

Snodgrass is even managing two clearances and nearly five duels won per game, which only bolsters his capability to stop the opposition in their tracks.

The versatile £20k-per-week gem has been dubbed the “whole package” and a “huge character” since joining the Baggies at the start of the year, and he’s exactly the sort of player you bring straight back in when available.

He simply must start instead of Matty Phillips against the Toffees on Thursday night.

AND in other news, £11.7m-rated West Brom “genius” is now suffering massively under Allardyce…

During West Ham United’s away match to Manchester City in the Premier League this afternoon, plenty of Irons weren’t impressed with the performance of defender Ben Johnson after he was handed a start up against Riyad Mahrez – with one supporter even claiming he was a ‘liability’. 

David Moyes gifted Johnson a start against the league leaders, with the youngster part of a back five tasked to keep the Sky Blues at bay.

After a number of misplaced passes and looking hesitant at times up against Mahrez, who got the winning assist, many Irons believe this wasn’t the encounter to entrust Johnson as a wing back.

Indeed, the consensus among supporters appears to be that the 21-year-old looked somewhat out of his depth at the Etihad Stadium – dropping their array of opinions on his performance.

Flocking to social media, some Hammers labelled his display as ‘shocking’ and a ‘nightmare’ at times.

Find all of their verdicts down below.

West Ham fans blast Johnson

“Ben Johnson having a nightmare out there”

Credit: @13Ratcliffe

“Ben Johnson way, way out of his depth here.”

Credit: @ben98870523

“Frankly Ben Johnson has been a liability so far”

Credit: @USAWestHamUSA

“Ben Johnson bit out of his depth for me”

Credit: @garron1991

“Ben Johnson having an absolute mare.”

Credit: @Kiitez

“Who’s rating Ben Johnson now terrible”

Credit: @alfff94

“Having said that… Ben Johnson looks horrible….”

Credit: @west_ham_philly

In other news: West Ham fans erupted at this transfer claim, find out more here.

Every club has them. The ones that got away, the nearly and not-so-nearly deals.

Glasgow Rangers themselves are no exception to the rule, having signed some great players, but missed out on some even greater ones.

Rangers were by no means quiet in the extended summer transfer window, bringing in the likes of Cedric Itten and Kemar Roofe on four-year deals for undisclosed fees, although they missed out on signing former Peterborough United striker Ivan Toney.

However, if they had stuck to their guns, they could have had one of the Sky Bet Championship’s hottest young talents on their books.

Indeed, it seems Ross Wilson and co. have missed the chance to sign Bright Osayi-Samuel, with Football Insider’s Wayne Veysey saying Fenerbahce have pipped Rangers to the signing of the Queens Park Rangers winger.

The 23-year-old is set to swap the Championship for the sunny heights of the Super Lig after opting to leave the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.

QPR director of football Les Ferdinand has given the green light for Osayi-Samuel to complete the move for a fee believed to be in the region of £700,000 in a big blow for Steven Gerrard.

The Nigerian has genuinely been one of the best players in the Championship, given his decent record for the R’s – 13 goals and 13 assists in 115 appearances, albeit a substantial amount of those from the bench.

Rangers and several clubs south of the border were interested in the £3m-rated ace, but Fenerbahce have beaten them to the post for a player who was dubbed “dangerous” by Mark Warburton.

Not that he’d like to admit it, but their failure to sign Osayi-Samuel will have left Gerrard with a sour taste after their inability to strike a deal with the Championship club for little more than a compensation fee.

Ryan Kent has long been considered Gerrard’s first-choice left winger, with the Light Blues boss not adverse to starting Ianis Hagi on the left wing. However, although Rangers have three other options out wide in Brandon Barker, Jordan Jones and Glenn Middleton, his squad options are thin in that area, as both Barker and Jones are considered surplus to requirements.

It seems Gerrard has made it a winter priority to give himself plenty of alternatives after links to the likes of Francis Amuzu and Scott Wright.

In Osayi-Samuel, however, not only would he have been able to provide cover for Kent, he would also have been able to provide competition as well. After all, he is currently averaging 2.8 dribbles per game so far this season, which is more than Kent himself (1.9).

His ability to play on both wings will also be an added bonus for Fenerbahce and a bitter note for Gerrard.

AND in other news, Rangers would be signing another Ryan Kent in Francis Amuzu…

Southampton face a tough away trip in the Premier League on Saturday evening as they face high-flying Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

The Foxes currently sit fourth in the t0p-flight, with the Saints in seventh, but three points against Brendan Rodgers’s side could see the South Coast club move above them in the Premier League table.

Whilst Jamie Vardy will be an obvious threat for the Foxes, Hasenhuttl must ensure that his side are wary of Leicester midfielder James Maddison, whose excellent form so far this season marks him out as a danger man in Rodgers’ side.

In 15 top-flight appearances, the former Norwich City man has contributed four goals and two assists, which has seen him average a strong 7.02 rating.

This puts him well on track to surpass his tally from last season when he managed just six goals and three assists in the Premier League across 31 appearances.

Maddison averages 1.9 shots per game in the top-flight this season, which is only slightly less than the 2.4 averaged by Vardy.

The attacking-midfielder has also averaged 1.9 key passes per game so far this campaign, which is more than any Southampton player, with James Ward-Prowse leading the way in Hasenhuttl’s side with 1.6 key passes per game.

A prime example of the threat that Maddison can pose was in Leicester’s 2-1 win against Sheffield United earlier in the season when in added time at the end of the match, the England international robbed John Fleck of possession and played an inch-perfect through ball to Vardy, who scored the winner.

If the Saints are missing Oriol Romeu again on Saturday, then the job of marking Maddison will surely fall on the shoulders of Ibrahima Diallo. Whilst he impressed against Fulham and Liverpool, he will have to be at his best to keep the 24-year-old, who earns £110k per week, quiet at the King Power.

Whereas Southampton’s defence could keep Vardy quiet by sitting deep to prevent counter-attacks and balls over the top, this could leave them vulnerable to Maddison’s long-range shooting, with the midfielder having scored eight goals from outside of the box between the beginning of 2018/19 and January 2020, which was more than any other player.

He also earned the praise of manager Brendan Rodgers last season, with the former Liverpool boss saying:

“If you look at his numbers this season, in terms of the goals he has scored and created, he has shown he is a big-game player.”

He has certainly continued that theme this season, with a superb strike against Manchester City earlier in the season perhaps the pick of the bunch, so Southampton must be wary of the threat he poses on Saturday.

And, in other news, Southampton handed huge blow with “outstanding” gem ruled out of Leicester clash…

Glasgow Rangers beat Premiership rivals Hibernian to go 19 points clear of arch-rivals Celtic at the top of the table with Neil Lennon’s side playing later on Saturday.

Ianis Hagi’s goal in the first half proved to be enough to extend their lead at the summit of the Scottish Premiership, although Hibs had their chances to bring the game level, but failed to stop Rangers from winning 12 games in a row.

The ball was worked to Kemar Roofe who carried it forwards and skipped away from Hibs defenders before Hagi finished off a fine team move to give the Gers a deserved lead.

And it was Hagi who ran the show as he outshone both Roofe and James Tavernier, having dragged a shot wide shortly before he found the back of the net.

The 22-year-old got himself on the scoresheet, but that was merely the icing on the cake in what was a masterful performance from the young Romania international.

As per SofaScore, Hagi received a high rating of 7.3 out of ten for his efforts – he won five out of his seven ground duels (71%), took three shots overall, including one shot on target, and was fouled twice, which suggests he was a real handful for Jack Ross’ Hibs.

He also took 50 touches of the ball, provided 27 out of his 33 passes (82%), completed one out of his two dribble attempts successfully and made two tackles and one interception as well.

Hagi, who earns wages worth £23,000-per-week at the Govan-based Glaswegian giants, has now scored three goals and supplied seven assists in the Premiership so far this season, via WhoScored, while he is averaging 2.1 shots and 1.3 key passes per game.

With Jordan Jones waiting in the wings after completing his seven-game ban for breaching COVID-19 regulations, Hagi will have handed Gerrard a huge selection headache with his dominant display during the win at home to Hibs as he ensured Rangers maintained their 100% domestic record at Ibrox this season.

He can’t ignore Hagi any longer after his latest showing, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Ross Wilson must sanction Rangers swoop for Peterborough winger Dembele…

Aston Villa have made some big-name signings recently, with players like Ross Barkley and Emiliano Martinez being brought during the last transfer window. They have been linked to Jesse Lingard in the past and there is now a fresh update on the player’s future.

The latest transfer update on Lingard

According to TEAMtalk, Lingard is ready to ask Manchester United to let him leave in January. His contract expires in the summer, so United will need to sell him this winter if they want to get any money for him. They could, in theory, extend his deal but this doesn’t seem to be likely at this stage.

Lingard also has interest from abroad with teams from Germany, Spain and Italy keen, as well as Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers, keen to sign him.

Would the Englishman be a good signing for Villa

Lingard is yet to feature for the Red Devils in the Premier League this campaign.

However, he has definitely shown he has the potential to succeed in the Premier League in the past, as highlighted by his performances in the division across the 2017/18 season, where he scored eight goals and six assists (Transfermarkt).

In the past, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has praised the England international saying: “Jesse’s a big game player” but he’s yet to reward the midfielder with much game time.

Lingard also has 24 England appearances, emphasising he has an abundance of experience. A move to a club like Villa, where he should get more chances to play, could be ideal in unlocking the quality we have seen him show in the past.

With his contract expiring, Dean Smith’s side could get Lingard on the cheap, and whilst it could look like a risky signing, it could turn into a great one if they can get the Englishman back to his best and as such, it might be a gamble worth taking.

In other news, fans react to Gabriel Agbonlahor’s comments on this Bundesliga star.

Southampton have truly found their groove in the Premier League this season and have come flying out the blocks. Now fourth in the table, they boast 13 points after winning four of their seven games played. An inspired performance against Aston Villa sees them just three points off the top spot.

Ralph Hasenhuttl is not holding back this time round. A top ten spot would have been the team’s target at the start of the season, but with so many twists and turns already, they may be eyeing up a top six finish instead.

The Saints have a lot to be thankful for as they enjoy their blistering start to the campaign. The team as a whole is working wonderfully together and the new signings appear to be settling in nicely. Kyle Walker-Peters has proved to be an extremely smart bit of business from Martin Semmens. But there’s one man who has impressed more than the defender.

Tying down James Ward-Prowse to a new five-year contract has arguably been the best decision the club has made during the transfer window and at the moment it is proving to be a Semmens masterclass.

James Ward-Prowse and his impact for Southampton

After guiding the Saints to a 4-3 win over Villa on Sunday, the skipper has made club history. The midfielder has overtaken club icon Matt Le Tissier as the player to score the most direct free-kicks with an impressive eight.

He also set up Jannik Vestergaard’s opener after 20 minutes at Villa Park, so not only does he have a wand of a right foot, but his eye for an opportunity is second to none in the team. Ward-Prowse now boasts four goalscoring contributions in his last two games, which could be the start of an exciting streak for the 26-year-old.

The Englishman was ever-present under Hasenhuttl last season, establishing himself as one of Southampton’s key players. Indeed, he hasn’t missed a single minute of football this term either and has stepped up to the plate with the captain’s armband too.

With teammate Danny Ings resurrecting his England career due to his phenomenal form, Ward-Prowse might not be far behind. He has appeared twice for his country this year, but with his current rate of performances, it will be impossible to count him out as a midfield contender for the Three Lions.

In other news, Southampton made right call not to cash in on Oriol Romeu in 2020…

Outcast goalkeeper Loris Karius was shipped out on loan for the third consecutive season last month after agreeing terms for a one-year stint with Union Berlin. The German will return to his home country to try and remake a name for himself after his nightmarish Champions League performance two years ago.

However, it seems that all this loaning out has gotten to Karius, who recently admitted he isn’t sure what lies ahead at Anfield.

“I still have a few more years of contract with Liverpool, and I don’t know what the situation will look like next summer,” he told BILD (via Sport Witness). He also said that he is looking to be selected every week and realistically, that isn’t something he can expect to happen at Liverpool.

Love lost between Liverpool and Karius

Many Reds fans still haven’t forgiven Karius for his catastrophe inbetween the posts on that fateful day in 2018. As soon as he gifted Karim Benzema Real Madrid’s opening goal, everything began to spiral for the former Germany U21 international. His calamitous errors would go on to see him dropped indefinitely by the manager, before bringing in long-term replacement Alisson.

Indeed, Karius hasn’t played a single minute of football in a Liverpool shirt since the Champions League final. That’s a whopping 871 days away from the action and it’s hard to see any sort of comeback for him at this stage. Even with Adrian’s recent worrying form, Liverpool are outsourcing for a replacement rather than calling upon Karius again.

The German was slammed by pundits for his infamous errors, with many judging his decision-making as far below the quality it should be.

The shot-stopper’s current contract expires in 2022, which gives Klopp a good amount of time to decide if they are looking to cash in on him or just let the months tick down. With a measly Transfermarkt value of just £2.8million, it’s unlikely Liverpool will get much of a deal for him. However, the Merseysiders signed him for a fee of £4.7million, so Michael Edwards may be satisfied with just taking the loss this time.

In other news, Huge player blow could pave the way for Curtis Jones in Merseyside derby…

According to TEAMtalk, West Ham are interested in signing Arsenal defender Calum Chambers in this summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

Reports in recent weeks have suggested the Hammers are very keen on luring Burnley defender James Tarkowski to the London Stadium, but they have failed to see numerous bids convince the Clarets to let the England international go.

The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?

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

Now, TEAMtalk claim that David Moyes’ side are one of a number of Premier League clubs interested in signing Chambers, and that Arsenal are trying to move him on in this window.

The report adds the Hammers could face competition from the likes of Leeds, Fulham and Newcastle, whilst he has a price tag of £12m on his head.

Perfect Tarkowski alternative

Whilst West Ham continue to keep their attentions on trying to seal a big-money deal for Tarkowski, a move for Chambers could provide them with a quality alternative to the Burnley man.

Like Tarkowski, Chambers is an England international, and barring a some unfortunate luck with injuries, could arguably have gotten far more than his three caps.

Even despite seemingly being on the scene for a number of years now, Chambers remains only 25, and a run of consistent games in the first-team could see him really kick on. Last year saw him feature 18 times across all competitions for the Gunners, including starting in two of Mikel Arteta’s first three games in charge.

Able to play at centre-back, right-back and even in holding midfield, he’s as versatile as they come, with his former boss at Fulham, Claudio Ranieri, waxing lyrical about him. He said: “I spoke with Scott Parker and he told me he could play there.I believe he is a very good midfielder, he’s intelligent tactically which is good for the team, and it’s good for me to have this kind of player. He linked the defensive line and the forwards very well. He has good movement, he’s very attentive.”

At just £12m, Chambers could be a relative steal for West Ham.

Sheffield Wednesday have made a lot of movements in the transfer window so far, and they have announced another new addition to the squad on Twitter.

The club posted that Elias Kachunga has signed following his release from fellow Championship side Huddersfield. The 28 year-old centre-forward adds some much-needed firepower as before he signed, the club only had one natural striker on the books in Jordan Rhodes, who only managed three goals in the division last season.

Kachunga has a decent goal scoring record as he has played 365 games throughout his career and scored 99 times. He has also picked up 33 assists, per Transfermarkt. For Huddersfield in both the Premier League and the Championship, he scored 17 times and assisted 10 times.

To bring an experienced forward to the club is normally a good thing, and now manager Garry Monk will have a week before the Championship starts to work out a formation to get the best out of the player.

Here is what fans said following the news, with many delighted given they have finally beefed up their attacking options.

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