All posts by n8rngtd.top

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be looking to return to winning ways in the Premier League later this evening when they host Crystal Palace at Molineux.

Nuno Santo’s side were on the cusp of three successive 1-0 victories before Jacob Murphy’s late free-kick cancelled out a Raul Jimenez strike, though it’s been a positive reaction to their 4-0 drubbing by West Ham United.

The Midlands outfit should have a clean bill of health barring long-term absentee Jonny Castro, so the Portuguese has plenty of selection headaches to overcome.

So, here’s the lineup we are predicting here tonight…

Nuno could make three changes with Steve Bruce’s Magpies in town.

Summer arrival Marcal is in line to return to the starting XI for the first time since picking up an injury early in the Man City defeat. After two substitute appearances, he should be fit to go from the off, though it means Max Kilman is axed at his expense with Romain Saiss dropping into the back three once more.

He partners skipper Conor Coady and the colossal Willy Boly in front of Rui Patricio between the sticks.

There could also be a return for industrious playmaker Joao Moutinho, who was surprisingly dropped on Sunday despite a starring role in the win over Leeds United.

He’ll partner Leander Dendoncker due to the added defensive stability he offers, meaning there’s no place for £45m-rated Ruben Neves in a midfield two.

We’ve suggested why Adama Traore should be unleashed against the Eagles’ inexperienced full-back Tyrick Mitchell here, it would be a surprise to not see the newly-capped Spaniard start given his influence.

The tricky £36m-rated winger is preferred to Daniel Podence with Pedro Neto taking up a place on the left flank.

Raul Jimenez, of course, leads the line upfront.

It means the likes of Fabio Silva, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Ki-Jana Hoever are all named on the bench.

AND in other news, Wolves badly missed out on £38m “explosive dynamo” likened to MESSI this summer… 

Despite confirmation that Jan Vertonghen has signed a contract extension that will see him still be a Tottenham player until the remainder of this season, it looks likely that the Belgium international will eventually be heading for the exit door this summer.

Reports in recent days have suggested that a few Serie A sides, including the likes of AS Roma, Inter and Napoli, are all interested in signing Vertonghen on a free, and so Spurs will surely be in the market for a replacement for the veteran centre-back.

And according to German publication, Bild, Jose Mourinho’s side have set their sights on Freiburg defender Robin Koch, with Juan Foyth also expected to leave the Lilywhites once the campaign is over.

Can you name every one of Spurs’ top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…

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

The report adds that Koch has already informed his club that he will not be signing a new contract with them, and that could see Spurs pounce this summer.

And when you look at the kind of performances he has put in for Freiburg, it’s clear to see why Koch’s arrival could wave goodbye to Foyth, and also usher in a promising post-Vertonghen era too.

Described as a “warrior” by the Bundesliga side’s head coach, Christian Streich, the 6 foot 3 powerhouse is a defensive machine, who reads the game superbly.

As per Whoscored, he averages 1.1 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game this season, whilst according to Sofascore, he has a very impressive duel success rate of 60% (he wins a total of 5.6 duels per match).

Vertonghen’s numbers are eerily similar to that of Koch, registering 1.6 interceptions and 5.8 duels won per game in the Premier League. But at 23, the latter of course is a decade younger than his Spurs counterpart, and could well be the long-term successor to the Belgian centre-back in north London.

And after Foyth’s agent opened the door for an exit by revealing his client is good enough to play for Inter, Koch’s arrival would surely be the final nail in the coffin for the Mauricio Pochettino signing, and allow him to finally leave the club this summer.

Bringing in Koch would serve two important purposes for Mourinho. Paving the way for Foyth to leave, and ensuring a ready-made replacement for Vertonghen’s potential exit too.

After completing his takeover of Leeds United back in 2017, Andrea Radrizzani has helped inspire a major turnaround in fortunes at Elland Road.The club looked completely lost under Massimo Cellino, with seven managers in three years, and three bans to boot too.

Is it Haaland Snr or David Hopkins? Your Leeds knowledge will be put to the test with this quiz…

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

So when Radrizzani came in, you would have been forgiven for not being overly excited by the arrival of another businessman.

But instead, the Italian has orchestrated Leeds’ triumphant return to the Premier League, and in the early hours of Saturday morning, sent another message on Twitter to share his thoughts.

Whilst Marcelo Bielsa and the players will inevitably take a lot of the credit, the likes of Radrizzani and Victor Orta have helped massively in restoring Leeds’ identity, and removing some of the bad stench that Cellino had built up.

It hasn’t been an easy journey at all, with bumps and bruises along the way, but it’s fair to say that Radrizzani’s work at the club has been fully vindicated following their confirmation as a Premier League side once more.

West Ham boss David Moyes successfully steered the side to safety but now it’s time for GSB to back their man in the summer window and they could be onto a bargain if latest reports are to be believed.

What’s the word?

According to Jack Rosser at the Evening Standard, the Irons chief is aiming for a young influx of stars and Queens Park Rangers left wing-back Ryan Manning is high on the list alongside Eberechi Eze.

It claims that Moyes wants to shun the highly-paid underperforming flops at the club in favour of youth and exuberance.

And QPR’s versatile assist-king is one of several targets despite a potentially reduced budget.

Attacking threat from the back

A new left-back should certainly be on the agenda for next season if the Hammers are to substantially improve – not just defensively, but in an attacking sense too.

The 24-year-old has everything that Moyes is looking for having managed five goals and seven assists in all competitions this season.

Per WhoScored, Manning is averaging 2 tackles, 1,9 key passes, 1.7 crosses, 1.1 shots and 0.9 dribbles per game, which only emphasises his abilities at either end of the pitch.

This is something that the Irons currently lack tenfold – regular first-choice Aaron Cresswell managed half the number of crosses and key passes as the Championship ace during the 2019/20 campaign.

Manning is also able to play in central midfield, thus opening up further possibilities to Moyes.

Former Rs boss Ian Holloway brought the young talent to light a few seasons ago, claiming that he’s “absolutely outstanding and epitomised what my QPR was before and what I want it to be in the future.”

Everything about this deal makes sense, so it’s on GSB to now push ahead with the players Moyes is demanding.

AND in other news, 17-goal target can bring excitement back to the London Stadium

According to The Times’ Chief Sports reporter, Martyn Ziegler, Newcastle’s takeover plans faces a fresh stumbling block posed by the Football Association.

What did he say?

Amid suggestions that the club’s takeover could be given the go-ahead very soon, Ziegler has revealed that the FA has now threatened legal action against Saudi Arabia’s state-owned TV station for the “the illegal broadcast” of FA Cup ties involving the Magpies.

Think you’re a big Magpies fan? Can you name these former players by looking at their careers? Go on, give it a go…

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

It’s suggested that English football’s governing body have sent a letter to KSA Sports, “saying the broadcasts infringe the FA’s property rights even though they are old games”.

Ziegler adds in his report that the “development will be another concern” for the Saudi consortium trying to buy the Tyneside club.

Another hurdle

Just when you thought things were beginning to edge towards a satisfying conclusion for Newcastle fans, think again.

Ziegler’s report is just another spanner in the works that threatens to delay the Magpies’ proposed takeover even further, and the waiting game will surely be getting frustrating for fans hoping for some good news.

The Tyneside club will just have to sit back and see whether the Saudi consortium’s legal team can put the matter to rest so that they can press ahead with actually finalising the takeover once and for all.

Arsenal should do everything that they can to sell Mohamed Elneny as he has threatened to derail a potential transfer deal with Turkish outfit Besiktas, as per Askam.

According to Hurriyet (via Askam), the defensive midfield player, who issued a warning to the administration on the grounds that he could not get a  €1.3 million debt, has tied the hand of Besiktas, who were experiencing economic difficulties.

Elneny, who said that he would not play the remaining eight games of the season if he did not get his debts on top of this, drew an ultimatum to Besiktas, as per Askam. The 27-year-old, who said he could leave the team, may not be in the team in the remaining matches if he does not receive his money. However, the football player continues to negotiate on salary.

Indeed, Elneny has made 28 appearances in all competitions so far in Turkey, making two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

However, he is due to return to north London after his loan spell is finished, where it will be up to Mikel Arteta and the board as to what they would like to do with him.

The Egyptian international has never really nailed down a place in the Gunners’ starting eleven. He has made 89 appearances in all competitions over five campaigns, but has never featured in more than 14 Premier League games in one term (via Transfermarkt).

He is also technically not Arteta’s man, and arguably has the likes of Lucas Torreira, Granit Xhaka and Matteo Guendouzi to try and overtake in his position.

The Spanish coach should look to sell Elneny to raise some possibly needed extra funds for the transfer kitty in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Gooners, would you sell Elneny? Comment below!

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is rapidly becoming one of the most revered figures in English football.Having lifted the Champions League last season and then led the club to the summit of the Premier League this season, the 29-year-old has established himself as one of the best players in the country.But it is not only on the pitch where he has impressed.

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%

Indeed, in the midst of the global pandemic everyone has their part to play, and The Times journalist Paul Joyce has revealed that Henderson is organising a fund for the NHS that will run into the millions.

The report also states the initiative pre-dates criticism from Health Secretary Matt Hancock towards Premier League footballers, and Henderson has spent the last few days contacting captains of other top flight clubs regarding the idea.

It’s the type of gesture that will be warmly received by people far and wide during this incredibly challenging time for society, and it’s one that has absolutely thrilled his adoring supporters.

The news from Joyce prompted hoards of praise for Henderson on social media, with fans suggesting he is a natural leader both on and off the pitch.

Here’s how the Liverpool fans reacted to Joyce’s revelation…

Jordan Pickford did not have the busiest of nights for England against Montenegro.

Indeed, on just two occasions was the goalkeeper called into action to make a save, but he made a wonderful stop to keep out a bullet header from Marko Simic in the first period.

And many football fans have taken to social media to praise the 25-year-old for the role he played in Thursday night’s Euro 2020 qualification match.

Watch Everton Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Pickford entered the clash off the back of keeping just three clean sheets in 12 Premier League appearances for Everton during the 2019/20 campaign.

The stopper remains England’s number one, though, having featured in each of their last 13 matches in all competitions.

And surely something dramatic would have to happen for the 6 ft 1 ace not to be between the sticks for his country’s Euro 2020 opener next summer.

Supporters from a variety of clubs were keen to pay tribute to the Toffees star on Thursday evening, a selection of which can be seen below:

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

As we approach the end of the year, awards are being given out to the players who have lit up football over the past season.

Of course, the Ballon d’Or is the most prestigious, but a number of publications have been putting their own lists together, including ESPN. In a slightly different format, they have decided to choose the best player in each position rather than a simple list with all the players mashed together.

Liverpool have had a clean sweep of the defence in the rankings, with goalkeeper Alisson, right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, centre-back Virgil van Dijk and left-back Andrew Robertson all picking up top spot in their respective roles.

Watch Liverpool Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

The latter was particularly reserved when picking up his award. Rather than patting himself on the back, he was adamant that, in his eyes, Barcelona’s Jordi Alba was still number one. However, although his humility is nice to see, he needs to have more confidence in his ability. Over the last year, there is only one winner.

Both players were mainstays in their respective sides last term. The Scotland international started 36 Premier League games, whilst Alba was in the starting XI on 32 occasions in La Liga – although he did make four substitutes appearances as well.

In terms of their attacking contribution to their respective teams, the former Hull City man led the way. He picked up 11 assists to the 30-year-old’s eight, which came from 1.4 key passes per game to his rival’s 1.3.

Not only that, he managed more dribbles per match – 0.8 to 0.4 – and also landed 0.6 crosses to 0.3. In terms of pass accuracy, the Blaugrana man had the edge, with 85.6% to 83.2%, but he still lags behind in those other areas.

[ad_pod ]

Defensively, too, Robertson stole a march. Specifically, he had 2.2 tackles to the former Valencia man’s 1.2, and gave away 0.5 fouls per match compared to 0.7.

The former’s contribution to his team’s backline led to them conceding just 22 goals in the league, less than any other team. Barcelona, meanwhile, shipped 36 in Spain’s top tier.

In the Champions League, £45m-valued Alba – as per Transfermarkt – has the edge, picking out five assists to Robertson’s two. But in the end, the former Dundee United defender had the last laugh, starting 12 out of 13 matches in the competition as the Anfield outfit lifted the trophy in Madrid after a 2-0 victory against Tottenham. Medals also play a part in these rankings, and Robertson had the edge once again.

Given Alba’s stunning career and brimming trophy cabinet – such as his five La Liga titles – he deserves credit and must be recognised as one of the best. Having said that, over the past 12 months, he has been out-done by the £54m-valued man – as per Transfermarkt. This is something for Robertson to revel in.

Tottenham Hotspur fans may have not seen much of him, but they have been fawning over young defender Malachi Fagan-Walcott after he posted some footage to social media.

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho handed the 18-year-old his senior debut back in March as the north Londoners were knocked out of the Champions League by RB Leipzig with Fagan-Walcott getting a brief one-minute cameo late on.

Aside from that appearance, he has played 19 times this term for the U23 side across competitions such as the Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy.

The single toughest football logo quiz of all time…

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

Back in November, the centre-back agreed on terms over his first professional deal, so that’s certainly a sign that the club rates him highly and given Mourinho’s trust in fellow graduate Japhet Tanganga this season as well as reports suggesting there will be a lack of a transfer budget this summer, might Fagan-Walcott garner more opportunity?

Plenty of supporters seem to hope so going by their reaction to the clip above. There are also doubts over the future of Jan Vertonghen (as per Gazzetta dello Sport via Daily Mail), who is out of contract this summer – if he were to depart, then there’s certainly going to be defensive void to fill.

Here’s how the Spurs faithful have been reacting to Fagan-Walcott’s post…

AND in other news, Spurs fans react to transfer report on Ligue 1 marksman…