All posts by h79snht.top

Everton are enduring a difficult campaign in the Premier League as they have been caught in a battle against relegation to the Championship.

The Toffees are currently one point above the drop zone and Frank Lampard will be hoping to successfully steer the club clear of a first relegation from the division.

In order to do that, he will need to turn around the fortunes of a number of players who have failed to deliver on the pitch this season.

Looking lost

One player who has struggled this term is Brazilian defensive midfielder Allan, who has not been able to kick on after his impressive 2020/21 showing.

BBC radio journalist Dave Downie previously claimed that he is an “imposter” when he plays away from Goodison Park and Toffees reporter Connor O’Neill said that he looked “a little lost” earlier this season.

Lost is certainly an apt word to describe Allan’s season as he has looked way off the pace at times and a shadow of the player he was in his first campaign with the club. In his debut season in England, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.81 and made 3.3 tackles per game – showing that he has the ability to perform at a solid level on a consistent basis in the Premier League.

The £120k-per-week dud’s performances have dropped off this term, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.61 and making 2.8 tackles per game. He has been dribbled past 2.9 times per game, which is the most in the entire Premier League – 0.8 clear of second-placed Pierre Lees-Melou of Norwich.

Allan has also ceded possession to the opposition a whopping 231 times in 21 matches, completing 80% of his passes in central midfield. He has also lost 55% of his duels overall throughout the campaign, which suggests that he has been unable to impose himself physically in matches.

Therefore, he has been a lightweight for the Toffees in the middle of the park and has looked lost at times with players finding it easy to take the ball past him. The statistics suggest that he is the easiest player to beat on the deck and that it is not a tag that he will want to hold, which is why he has been disappointing for the club.

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Lampard will now need to work with him on the training ground to turn his form around and ensure that he becomes an asset rather than a hindrance in the clutch stage of the campaign. If he cannot turn his performances around then it could spell the end of his time in the starting XI as Everton cannot afford to carry passengers in a relegation fight.

AND in other news,  Forget VAR: “Scared” Everton dud who lost 80% duels let Frank down badly on Saturday…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Hellas Verona striker Giovanni Simeone… 

What’s the talk?

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, the Magpies and Atletico Madrid both hold an interest in the centre-forward ahead of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that he is set to be available for a fee in the region of £20.8m (€25m) after the Serie A side sign him permanently from Cagliari at the end of the season.

New Wilson

Eddie Howe can find the club’s new Callum Wilson with a deal to sign Simeone ahead of the 2022/23 campaign as he could be the figurehead of the attack moving forward.

Wilson is the club’s top scorer with six Premier League goals this term and ended the previous season with 12 strikes – four more than any other player. This shows that the Magpies have been reliant on the ex-Bournemouth attacker for the majority of his time on Tyneside, with January signing Chris Wood yet to get off the mark since his switch from Burnley.

Howe will be able to ease the burden on the Englishman by bringing in Simeone to replace what he brings to the side, which will mean that any injury absences he takes will not be as big of a hindrance in the future.

Last month, journalist Toni Padilla claimed he has found “the scoring nose” and his statistics back that up. In the Serie A this season, the Argentine has scored 15 times and provided three assists in 21 starts – his fourth campaign of scoring 12+ goals in the Italian top-flight.

He has proven that he can find the net on a regular basis in the top-flight and this means that he would be able to replicate Wilson’s impact if he is able to adapt to Premier League football, with the pair – who both stand at 5 foot 9 – scoring at a similar rate in the top-flights of their respective countries.

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At the age of 26, he is also heading into the prime years of his career and Newcastle could pick him up at the right moment as he continues to blossom. Howe can work with him on the training pitch to ensure that he fulfils his potential and is able to be the prolific goalscorer that his Verona form suggests he is.

His statistics indicate that the predator will be able to come in at St. James’ Park and take over from Wilson on the goalscoring front and become the new frontman for Howe; that is why PIF must get this deal over the line in the summer.

AND in other news, Ashley endured Newcastle howler with “really strange” £15m dud who’s “badly damaged”…

Leeds United’s decision to replace Marcelo Bielsa with Jesse Marsch is a risky one at such a ‘crucial’ point in the season, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Marsch makes slow start

Bielsa was sacked as Whites manager late last month, with Marsch coming in to replace the hugely popular Argentine in the Elland Road hot-seat.

Things haven’t worked out for the American so far, however, with a 1-0 defeat at Leicester City last weekend followed up by Thursday’s hugely disappointing 3-0 loss at home to Aston Villa.

Leeds are now in serious danger of returning to the Championship unless Marsch’s methods start paying off quickly, in what is a hugely precarious situation.

[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]

The Latest: Marsch’s inexperience

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke admitted the switch to a coach with no experience in England is a big risk:

“The only thing for me is it was a gamble because he had never managed in the Premier League before.

“Coming in at such a crucial juncture of the season, with 12 games to go, he needed to hit the ground running to try and win over those Leeds fans who were so loyal to Bielsa.”

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The Verdict: Only time will tell

While Leeds were clearly struggling badly with Bielsa at the helm, the early signs suggest that it was an error getting rid of him, with supporters deeply unhappy during the Villa game.

The performances under Marsch have been uninspiring, perhaps suggesting the players aren’t too happy with the change either, and they are now arguably favourites to go down, along with Norwich City and Watford.

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In fairness to Marsch, he has no time to settle in and needs results from the off – failure to beat Norwich at Elland Road on Sunday really would cause major concerns.

In other news, Phil Hay has given a key Leeds injury update. Read more here.

West Ham United host in-form Aston Villa this afternoon with the Hammers looking to consolidate their place in the top-six after Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat to Manchester United yesterday.

David Moyes’ side have won just once in their last six matches across all competitions and will be looking to kick-start a strong end to the season with victory over Steven Gerrard’s Villa, who have won their last three league games.

But who will the Scotsman pick for the clash in East London? Here is how Football FanCast thinks West Ham will lineup.

Fabianski, Johnson, Dawson, Zouma, Cresswell, Soucek, Rice, Lanzini, Fornals, Antonio, Benrahma (4-4-3).

The first change from the Irons’ 1-0 defeat at Sevilla in the Europa League on Thursday night comes in between the sticks as cup ‘keeper Alphonse Areola drops out in the place of first-choice Lukas Fabiański.

For the most part, the Polish goalkeeper has had a decent campaign, keeping seven clean sheets in the Premier League. However, there was an incident that left David Moyes “furious” earlier this season when the 36-year-old didn’t get contact on a kick against Manchester City.

There are no changes at the back with right-back Vladimir Coufal still sidelined with a groin injury which sees 22-year-old Ben Johnson keep his place.

In the midfield, there are no changes with the switch to a 4-3-3 adding stability in the middle of the park but also more opportunity to counter on the break, through the attacking talents of Manuel Lanzini.

The Hammers’ only striker in Michail Antonio expectedly keeps his place, as does Pablo Fornals on the left flank. However, after another quiet display in claret and blue, Nikola Vlasic drops out for Said Benrahma.

Vlasic has only managed to find the back of the net once in 32 appearances since his £25m move from CSKA Moscow last summer and the £69k-per-week winger is yet to prove his worth.

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There is certainly talent there, with former CSKA Moscow manager Viktor Goncharenko labelling the 24-year-old as “magnificent” after scoring the sole goal in a famous Champions League win over Real Madrid in 2018.

As for Benrahma, the Algerian is yet to score since returning from the African Cup of Nations but has majorly improved in front of goal this term with eight goals and four assists in 35 appearances compared to three goals and seven assists in 36 appearances last season.

Every remaining game the East London outfit play this season is crucial if they’re serious about re-qualifying for European competition next season, with this afternoon’s game against Aston Villa no exception.

In other news: West Ham could swoop for “fantastic” 177-goal star who would be a massive bargain

Newcastle United are now set to make a significant financial loss on Jamal Lewis this summer.

The Lowdown: Left out

The Northern Ireland international is one of three players to have been left out of the Magpies’ 25-man squad for the second half of the Premier League season, with Ciaran Clark and Isaac Hayden the others not to make the cut after the flurry of January arrivals.

It duly leaves his future at St James’ Park in doubt, given his lack of game-time.

The Latest: Transfer loss

As per Football Insider, a source on Tyneside has revealed that Newcastle have now decided to sell Lewis as part of a major squad overhaul in the summer and will only ask for a transfer fee in the region of £8m.

This would represent a ‘significant loss’ for the Toon, who signed him for £15m from Norwich City in 2020.

The Verdict: Get rid

Selling Lewis for that kind of price would represent a sizeable loss, but given his omission from the Premier League squad, Newcastle simply just need to get rid.

They have already brought in left-back Matt Targett on loan from Aston Villa and could make that move permanent, while the likes of Paul Dummett and Matt Ritchie could also fill in at that position.

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Nonetheless, with the mega riches that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium boast, it should not hit them too hard financially if Lewis is sold at a loss.

In other news, Newcastle are now ‘in the race’ to sign this ‘spectacular’ talent

According to a report from the Irish Independent, Liverpool are set to sign Derry teenager Trent Kone-Doherty. 

The lowdown: Star in the making

The 15-year-old is yet to feature for Ruaidhrí Higgins’ first team but has appeared on the bench this season.

Having represented the Republic of Ireland at Under-16 and Under-17 levels, Kone-Doherty is certainly catching the eye, scoring twice in eight games for his country.

Predominantly a winger, the teenage sensation starred in youth international friendlies against Malta and Northern Ireland, and it seems that may have been enough to convince scouts at Liverpool’s academy to take the plunge.

The latest: Big move pending

According to The Irish Independent’s Daniel McDonnell, sharing the report on Twitter, the Reds are now the ‘clear front runners’ to land the ‘exciting’ youngster.

Citing a six-figure sum as compensation, the Anfield club are seeking to complete a pre-contract deal as soon as possible.

He has also trained with Celtic, according to Liverpool Youth reporter Lewis Bower, so it looks like the Reds are going to get another one over on the Hoops after the news involving Parkhead youngster Ben Doak.

The verdict: Building for the future

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is making a habit of overseeing moves for some of the most exciting talent in recent months.

The Reds have already added and developed Harvey Elliott, Kaide Gordon and Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher into first-team players during the German’s tenure.

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Now it appears that moves for Celtic starlet Doak and then Kone-Doherty could be set to join recent academy captures Bobby Clark and Calum Scanlon.

All these signings are clear proof of the club attempting to build a solid foundation for the next generation on Merseyside, whilst also maintaining fierce competitiveness in the here and now.

In other news, Liverpool make ‘offer’ to sign EPL forward. Read more here.

Brenden Aaronson is keen on a move to Leeds United this summer…

What’s the word?

That’s according to The Athletic’s ever-reliable reporter Phil Hay, who delivered a fresh update on the situation of the RB Salzburg midfield in a recent Q&A with supporters.

And they’ll be delighted with what he said:

“The intention is, or certainly was, to bid again for Aaronson. He’s interested in the move, he’s played under Jesse Marsch before and Salzburg are likely to be more open to bids in the summer than they were in January.”

Indeed, the Yorkshire giants failed with two bids during the winter, the latter being in excess of £20m. Meanwhile, Transfermarkt value the USMNT international in the region of £18m.

Sign him up!

When the transfer window does reopen, it’s time for director of football Victor Orta and co to push ahead with signing the 21-year-old maestro at long last.

Leeds have failed to sign a new man for the engine room for nearly four-and-a-half years now, with the last arrival being Adam Forshaw from Middlesbrough in 2018.

It’s no wonder the side have been embroiled in a relegation battle in just their second season back in the big time as they clearly haven’t strengthened enough to remain competitive.

And when you risk losing someone like Raphinha in the summer, new manager Jesse Marsch is going to need plenty of new additions to bolster the playing squad and he should look no further than a player he once managed over in Austria.

The 18-cap dynamo is a hugely talented attacking midfielder with bags of potential and could be worth every penny. He has delivered five goals and ten assists across 35 appearances this season, even delivering in the Champions League, where he ranks amongst the very best indeed.

Across the last year, Aaronson ranks amongst the top 1% of similar midfielders and attackers for pressures in the final third (10.46 per 90) and tackles in the final third (0.5 per 90), as per FBRef.

He also created a whopping five key chances against Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, becoming the youngest-ever player to do so since Lionel Messi against Celtic in 2008.

It’s no wonder his manager, Matthias Jaissle, waxed lyrical about his work rate only last month.

“The special thing is, I hardly know any other No. 10 who works so much without the ball,” he said. “He always puts himself behind [on defence], he is a great team player, very hardworking and has a monster mentality.”

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Meanwhile, former USA international DeMarcus Beasley described his talents as “silky” and elsewhere, he’s been compared to Clint Dempsey, who was quite the hit in the Premier League for Fulham and Spurs.

On the above evidence, the young American would be quite the signing for Marsch and this new era in west Yorkshire, one that could really get Elland Road rocking,

Supporters will be absolutely delighted to have a player like Aaronson, capable of pressing from the front and playing for the badge each and every week. Orta and co must snap him up as their first signing this summer.

AND in other news, Marsch could finally axe shocking Bielsa favourite in summer swoop for “exceptional” 21 y/o gem…

Former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell has given his reaction to Leeds United transfer news involving Rangers winger Ryan Kent. 

The lowdown: Kent a target for Leeds

This comes following a report from Football Insider which claimed that the Whites are interested in signing the 25-year-old.

The ex-Liverpool academy prospect could be viewed as a potential replacement for Raphinha should the highly sought-after Brazilian move on from Elland Road.

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Kent is believed to have a £20m release clause in his contract at Ibrox – a deal which expires in 2023 (Transfermarkt) – although Campbell has suggested that it would be money well spent by Leeds.

The latest: ‘Very good business’

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Arsenal striker claimed that Kent would be capable of filling the void left by Raphinha if the Brazilian departs.

The 52-year-old said: “He’s done a great job up there under Steven Gerrard and now Giovanni van Bronckhorst, he’s been a real star.

“If Leeds look at him as the one who can come in and take that Raphinha role, with Dan James moving over to the right, then I think that would be very good business.”

The verdict: Time to move?

Since moving north of the border, Kent has been superb for Rangers and has directly contributed to 74 goals in 164 outings for the Scottish Premiership side.

So far this season, the man once hailed as ‘sensational’ by his former Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard has scored three times and provided 16 assists despite suffering with a hamstring injury for most of the autumn.

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As for replacing Raphinha, the £12.6m-valued Englishman predominantly operates from the left wing and would require the switch for Dan James, as mentioned by Campbell, to work in order to make the move worthwhile.

Given that some of the Welshman’s best performances this season have come when operating on the right on occasion, it could be a reshuffle worth making, therefore adding weight to the theory behind Leeds moving for Kent.

In other news, journalist backs Leeds move for Austrian Bundesliga star. Read more here

Leeds United’s recent upturn in form has meant they have put distance between themselves and the relegation zone. The Whites now find themselves on 16 points this term, three ahead of fellow strugglers West Ham United, who are 18th in the Premier League.

The impressive thing of late is the clinical nature they have shown in front of goal. In their last four games, Daniel Farke’s side have found the back of the net nine times, which is almost half of the total number of goals they’ve bagged all season, which stands at 20.

Leeds are seemingly set to push for more in the final third, too, and are linked with a new attacker in January.

Leeds ready to poach forgotten Premier League star

The West Yorkshire side already made a couple of significant additions to their attack in the summer.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin joined on a free transfer and has five goals this term, more than any other player, with Noah Okafor and Lukas Nmecha also signing for the club.

Now, according to a report from MOT Leeds News, the Whites ‘have expressed an interest’ in signing Tottenham Hotspur and Wales winger Brennan Johnson.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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However, it is not clear if this would be a loan move or a permanent deal.

The Whites are not going to be alone in the race to sign Johnson this winter. South London outfit Crystal Palace are also said to be keen on a move.

They value the winger at £50m, so it could mean Leeds need to pay a fee in that ballpark if they want to sign him.

Why Johnson could be another Dan James

If there is one thing Johnson will add to the Leeds side, it is Premier League experience. He has played for boyhood side Nottingham Forest and, more recently, Spurs, making him something of a plug-and-play signing for Farke.

He’s made 120 top-flight appearances so far for the two clubs, bagging 26 goals and assisting 19 in that time.

In each of his two full campaigns for Spurs, he’s managed 16 goals and assists, his best numbers in a single season of the Premier League.

Johnson’s PL stats by season

Season (club)

Games

Goals (Assists)

22/23 (Forest)

38

8 (3)

23/24 (Forest/Spurs)

35

5 (11)

24/25 (Spurs)

33

11 (5)

25/26 (Spurs)

14

2 (0)

Stats from Transfermarkt

Of course, the Welsh international also played in Europe for Spurs, scoring the winning goal in the 2024/25 Europa League final against Manchester United. That is certainly a brilliant experience to add to Farke’s squad.

One of Johnson’s great strengths is the fact that he can hurt teams in transition. His pace is “frightening,” according to football social media presence HLTCO, and he has a real knack for popping up with a goal at the back post, referenced by The Overlap: The Breakdown host, H.

It is certainly possible to draw similarities between the potential signing of Johnson and that of Daniel James back in 2021.

Subscribe for deeper Leeds United transfer and tactics insight Unlock expert Leeds coverage by subscribing to the newsletter: data-led breakdowns of transfer targets, player fit and tactical impact. Subscribe to track how potential moves like Brennan Johnson might change the Whites’ attacking options. Subscribe Subscribe for deeper Leeds United transfer and tactics insight Unlock expert Leeds coverage by subscribing to the newsletter: data-led breakdowns of transfer targets, player fit and tactical impact. Subscribe to track how potential moves like Brennan Johnson might change the Whites’ attacking options.

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Immediately, it is easy to see how these deals are alike, with the pair both Welsh international wingers, joining from a traditional “big six” side, Manchester United in James’ case.

Just like Johnson would be if he moved to Elland Road, his compatriot was a plug-and-play addition.

James racked up 74 appearances for the Red Devils and chipped in with 18 goals and assists in that time. He’s since grabbed 51 goal involvements in a Leeds shirt.

However, as players, they have similar strengths, too. James is also a huge threat on the counter-attack and is known as one of the quickest players around. According to Speeds Database, his top speed is 31kph.

There are certainly lots of similarities between the pair of Welsh internationals. Signing Johnson could well make Leeds a bigger threat in the final third, and certainly give them an extra weapon in transition alongside James.

Related As much as Aaronson: Leeds star is now on borrowed time under Farke

One Leeds United star could find himself struggling for minutes under Daniel Farke.

Posts ByEthan Lamb

The next Xabi Alonso or Cesc Fabregas. These were the comparisons being made by fans and pundits when discussing the talent of Mikel Merino following a run of stellar performances for Newcastle at the beginning of the 2017/18 season.

His physical presence and composure on the ball, led to him becoming a fan-favourite on Tyneside.

But a back injury, which sidelined him for a month, was the start of a downward spiral for him, with the Basque play-maker never regaining the level of performance he had reached during his purple patch.

He was not able to cement a place in Rafa Benitez’s starting lineup, and on the occasions where he was given an opportunity, did not impress enough to warrant another extended run.

Speaking to the Newcastle Chronicle earlier this year, he described how he still looks back fondly on his time on Tyneside, and how he still looks out for their results, seeing himself very much a member of the Toon Army now.

In the end, a move back to his native Spain, with Real Sociedad, was probably the best outcome for both the player and Newcastle, although a perceived lack of commitment to the black and white jersey, when angling for a move so soon after turning his loan spell into a permanent move, and a nominal release clause — in the modern footballing world at least — being included in the deal at the insistence of the player’s agent, left a sour taste in the mouth for many Geordies.

Since moving to Sociedad, his performances have been okay rather than spectacular.

He has largely flown under the radar since the high-level comparisons that were being aimed in his direction during his early Magpies career.

Similar to the start of his Newcastle days, he had a spell of around a month out with injury in the early stages of the La Liga season — a groin problem the culprit this time — and, again similar to his time at St James’ Park, he has struggled to reach peak levels on his return.

According to transfermarkt.co.uk Since he came back into the fray at the end of November, Merino had completed only one full 90 minutes out of 13 subsequent La Liga games (although one was an enforced absence due to suspension).

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He has, however, completed the full 90 minutes in Sociedad’s last three games, with him getting one assist in that run.

The signs of a return to his best are there, but he still has a long way to go to get back to the standard he was setting at Newcastle, during which he became a regular in the Spain U-21 side, and saw him talked about as a future superstar.

A bullet dodged, or the one they let get away? The jury is still out for Newcastle fans, but regardless, it is definitely a strange tale of what might have been.