All posts by h716a5.icu

Carlo Ancelotti has admitted that Everton’s James Rodriguez asked to be substituted during the Toffees’ 3-1 defeat against Manchester United.

Rodriguez was tired

Rodriguez came back into the side after missing the last match, against Newcastle United. However, he played just 80 minutes, with him coming off despite Everton still being in the match at 2-1 down.

After the match, Ancelotti was asked why he decided to take off the £31.5m-valued Colombia international (Transfermarkt). He replied:

“He was OK, he was tired.

“This week he did 80 minutes and he asked me to change it because he was tired but no physical problem.”

Not the best news for Ancelotti

Of course, even with James still on the pitch, there is no guarantee that Everton would have been able to get something from the game. However, he is one of their most talented and influential players – he already has three goals and four assists in eight games since making the move from Real Madrid in the summer.

This was a moment in the match when Ancelotti will have been wanting his star men to stand up and be counted – instead, Rodriguez asked to be replaced. Hopefully, it was just a case of a lack of fitness for the 29-year-old, and he will be ready in the future to play a huge role when Ancelotti needs him to.

In other news, one football lauded this Everton star against United.

Glasgow Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has received a huge boost as Leon Balogun featured in Nigeria’s second fixture with Sierra Leone in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers following an injury scare.

Premium Times Nigeria revealed that Balogun limped off the pitch after he sustained an injury whilst away on international duty with Nigeria last week. However, it seems he only suffered a minor knock, as he started the rematch with Sierra Leone in Freetown on Tuesday.

Balogun helped the Super Eagles keep their first clean sheet in their past five games, having played the full 90 minutes, although this wasn’t enough to stop Gernot Rohr’s side from sharing the points with the Leone Stars as they struggled to break down a team who are ranked 88 places below them in the FIFA World Rankings.

The timing couldn’t be any better for Gerrard, as the Ibrox boss may have been overwhelmed by a defensive crisis. He would’ve only had Connor Goldson and Filip Helander available for selection, with Nikola Katic recovering from injury and George Edmundson currently suspended after breaking coronavirus protocols.

Rangers signed Balogun on a one-year-deal with an option for a second in the summer. The Nigeria international originally joined the Ibrox outfit to provide injury cover and competition after Katic was ruled out with a serious knee injury, but has become one of the standout performers in recent months, having started both games against Standard Liege and Lech Poznan in the Europa League, with the Light Blues keeping back-to-back clean sheet.

In fact, it’s worth remembering that the Gers have only conceded once so far this season when he’s been on the pitch.

In seven appearances in the Scottish Premiership, the 32-year-old is averaging 1.1 interceptions and 1.9 clearances per game, via SofaScore. By comparison, even Helander is only managing one interception per league game, whilst he is also dribbled past more times than the Nigerian on average. as per SofaScore.

The Rangers manager recently raved about Balogun, calling him a “fantastic” beast who is “very quick,” as quoted by The Herald. He said: “He is an international player, he is very quick, he has got a fantastic profile, a profile that we like in that area, and he has come in and settled in really quickly and put in some real consistent performances.”

High praise indeed from someone who knows a thing or two about playing with top-class defenders like his former England teammates John Terry and Rio Ferdinand.

With Balogun on his way back to Ibrox after the international break, the fact that he survived largely unscathed will be welcome news for Gerrard, as the Gers face a difficult run of fixtures in the coming weeks, with home games against Aberdeen and Benfica respectively.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers could’ve signed Ryan Kent’s perfect replacement in Daniel Johnson…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former West Brom midfielder Carlton Palmer has given his verdict over the recent sale of Ahmed Hegazi.

The 29-year-old veteran helped the Baggies to their first clean sheet of the season but just days later, he was sold to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad, who Slaven Bilic was in charge of prior to taking the helm at the Hawthorns.

After the following match, a 1-1 draw to Brighton, the Albion boss explained to reporters that it was against his wishes, he said: “It definitely wasn’t my decision. It wasn’t a football decision to be fair. I am very disappointed. We are a team that needs all our good players.”

Without Hegazi, the Midlands outfit have kept just one clean sheet, which came in their recent 1-0 victory over Sheffield United last weekend whilst they lost three of their next four games after the Egyptian’s departure.

Only one team in the Premier League has conceded more goals than West Brom so far this season, so the decision to sell Hegazi does look like a silly piece of business.

And Palmer believes there are issues arising as a result of the circumstances that Bilic is currently working under.

He told FFC:

“It seems to be that a Bilic is working under difficult circumstances. You know, a player was sold without his knowledge and without him in agreement, which is never a good thing for a head coach to have to deal with.

“I mean, if that happened before, before a game, literally, you know that the player was in the starting lineup and then he found out the player had been sold, so there are certainly issues there.”

Elsewhere, there have been reports throwing Bilic’s future into doubt amid claims that tensions between the Croatian and the board have increased over their recruitment strategy since the summer transfer window.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein believes the 52-year-old’s tenure at the Hawthorns is “on a constant knife-edge.”

West Brom now have Crystal Palace in a crucial tie this Sunday, a defeat here could see the Baggies remain at least seven points adrift of 15th place.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Carlton Palmer issues West Brom takeover claim…

Leeds United suffered a tough defeat on the road last weekend after title-challengers Chelsea brushed them aside in a 3-1 win. Despite Patrick Bamford’s keen eye to capitalise on an early defensive error, Frank Lampard’s men rallied and extended their unbeaten league run to nine games.

Whilst the match had a few things to concern Marcelo Bielsa – including Robin Koch’s injury – there was a lot of positive takeaways for the Argentinian.

A boost as Leeds prepare for West Ham

Kalvin Phillips recently returned to action for the Whites after missing three matches due to a shoulder injury. Leeds have lost just the one game since he rejoined the squad and he will prove to be key in Friday’s clash with West Ham.

The England international was the man behind the creativity to set up Bamford for Leeds’ opening goal against Chelsea. The £50,000 per week midfielder hooked a lovely ball with his weaker foot to the lurking striker, who made no mistake in front of an open net.

Noel Whelan lauded Phillips for his inch-perfect pass, labelling it as “perfect” and claiming that it would be topic of conversation for weeks if Kevin de Bruyne had made it.

Indeed, the 25-year-old has made a huge difference in the Leeds midfield and he will be crucial against the Irons. Not only will he help defend against the threat of Sebastien Haller, but he has shown he is capable of creating chances that really catch the opposition off guard.

Bielsa will undoubtedly be thrilled with his impact since his return from injury and will be hoping to see more of the same this weekend.

In other news, Leeds United made an error in not signing Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez…

According to Football Insider, Glasgow Rangers are ready to offload out-of-sorts outcast Brandon Barker, if the right offer arrives in January.

What’s the word?

Rangers romped to a 4-0 win over Ross County to extend their lead over their arch-rivals Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership but Barker was nowhere to be seen as he was left as an unused substitute on the bench.

It’s claimed that the 54-time Scottish champions could cash in on the wide man when the winter transfer market opens in just under a month’s time.

Get him gone, Gers

As regular readers of this column will no doubt be aware, we said last month that we think the Gers could be onto a winner with the former England U20 international winger, who currently earns wages worth £8,500-per-week.

The trouble is, he has largely failed to make the most of these opportunities to prove himself, after he limped off the pitch in the 4-0 win over Falkirk in the Betfred Cup.

Rangers signed Barker from Manchester City on a three-year deal in 2019, as he had previously plied his trade with Rotherham United and NAC Breda, before scoring twice in 30 games for Hibernian.

Since then, he has struggled to establish himself as a first-team regular starter under Gerrard, having fallen down the pecking order behind the likes of Ianis Hagi, Jordan Jones and Kemar Roofe in recent weeks.

Jones’ suspension seemed to have presented the 24-year-old to finally prove himself once and for all, but another meek display may have struck the final blow, as Glasgow Live gave a fairly damning indictment of his performance.

In 10 appearances so far this season, Barker has scored twice and failed to register a single assist, whilst he is averaging fewer than one key pass and one dribble per game, via WhoScored.

It’s about time Ross Wilson starts to sort out some of the deadwood, and he may not have to look much further than the left-winger, who has struggled to make much of an impression since he first arrived at Ibrox.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers chief Ross Wilson must sanction audacious swoop for Jesse Lingard…

Sam Allardyce’s job at West Brom isn’t getting any easier after they were given a Christmas thrashing at the hands of their old foes.

The Baggies were hit for five without reply by Leeds United at the Hawthorns on Tuesday evening, a defeat which condemned them to five points adrift of safety.

Romaine Sawyers ensured Albion got off to a diabolical start as his back pass embarrassingly went into Sam Johnstone’s net, and it was simply floodgates from there.

Gjanni Alioski, Jack Harrison and Rodrigo all bagged before half-time before Raphinha’s strike some 20 minutes from time sealed the demolition of the Midlands outfit.

There were simply no positives from the match whatsoever – you could not pick out a player worth even an ounce of praise.

Although one man utterly betrayed his new manager with his performance.

In Jake Livermore’s absence, the captaincy has been handed to the long-serving Matty Phillips, but by going on his display this week, he’ll be lucky to be named on the bench let alone be gifted the chance to lead the side out again.

The 29-year-old was hooked at half-time and it’s no surprise to see why.

Per SofaScore, Phillips lost 100% of his six duels both aerially and on the ground, enjoyed fewer touches (19) and passes (seven) playing in attacking midfield than the goalkeeper, and failed to register a single key pass, accurate cross, shot or dribble.

Ineffective. Lightweight. Anonymous.

Those aren’t characteristics Big Sam will want to see from a player he trusted with the armband, so ultimately he was let down tenfold.

BirminghamLive reporter Joseph Chapman graded his performance a joint-low two out of ten, he added:

“Having shown seeds of promise in a central role at Anfield, Phillips was played around here. His passing was inaccurate in attack and Leeds had far too much joy heading in the opposite direction. Hooked at the break.”

It is now three consecutive matches that West Brom have lost at home by a three-goal margin and with just eight points for the season, the 66-year-old ‘firefighter’ has it all to do to turn around this sinking Albion ship.

Performances like that will do him no favours whatsoever.

AND in other news, Exclusive: 29 y/o backed to spearhead Sam Allardyce’s survival bid…

According to Football Insider, Leeds United are keen on signing Derby County starlet Louie Sibley.

What’s the story?

With the January transfer window now open, Marcelo Bielsa’s side will no doubt be on the lookout for some reinforcements as they bid to end their first season back in the Premier League on a high.

And as per Football Insider, the Whites are looking at bringing in 19-year-old midfielder Sibley, who has been in and out of the side at Championship side Derby this campaign, making 17 senior appearances.

The report claims that both Sibley, and his teammate Jason Knight, are both on the radar for Leeds for this month, but that summer moves may be more likely.

Imagine him and Shackleton

Incredibly versatile, Sibley’s arrival at Elland Road would give Leeds another injection of youth and energy, especially in that engine room where they already have Jamie Shackleton.

Kalvin Phillips of course has been linked with a move away in the past, whilst Mateusz Klich will turn 31 later this year. So Bielsa will surely be looking at potential ways of rejuvenating his midfield, and one way he could do that is partnering Shackleton with Sibley in the middle of the park.

Speaking after a 3-0 defeat to Manchester United, then Derby boss Philip Cocu remarked: “He played a great game. He’s a great character — he has a good mentality, he has the desire to win, to play, to find his positioning between the lines. He’s not scared of anybody. It was a pleasure to see him play.”

Leeds are already proving this season that they are one of the most fearless sides in the Premier League, going after teams right at the top of the table and not even thinking twice about it.

Sibley’s fearlessness would fit in perfectly at Elland Road, and give Leeds one of England’s up-and-coming young talents.

Celtic’s disappointing 2020/21 season has gone from bad to worse after Neil Lennon and 14 of his senior players were forced to self-isolate due to a positive test. Because of this, the reigning Premiership champions have been reduced to a skeleton crew, with Gavin Strachan spearheading the team in the manager’s absence.

Due to their inconsistent form, Celtic have slipped more than 20 points behind runaway leaders Rangers. The title is now theirs to lose and the Bhoys will be furious that they likely won’t be lifting their tenth consecutive league trophy.

Celtic must sign a defender

Lennon’s main issue is arguably his defence, with too many games ending in draws or losses where a team of Celtic’s calibre should have been home and dry. For example, in their brief Europa League stint, the Glaswegians shipped 19 goals in six games, finishing rock bottom of their group.

With the ongoing worry of Kristoffer Ajer leaving the club, Celtic must prioritise a move for a new centre-back. They have recently been linked to Omar Colley, who was also on the radar of Liverpool and West Ham during the summer window, according to La Republica, via Metro.

With a £10.8million release clause on his head, Sampdoria have recently come out and revealed that they will be willing to slash their asking price for the centre-back.

This is a deal that Peter Lawwell should be all over. As it stands, the Hoops are seriously struggling with their defence and bolstering their options is a crucial move for a side looking to chase the title next season.

Loan signing Shane Duffy has been a disappointing addition to the team and bringing in a player like Colley would allow the club to terminate the Brighton man’s loan move early.

The difference between the two is staggering. According to WhoScored, Colley outweighs Duffy in every defensive statistic apart from the amount of blocks made per match. The Sampdoria beast averages more interceptions, tackles and clearances per 90 minutes and commits less fouls.

Signing a confident performer like Colley will be the first step towards re-establishing Celtic Park as a defensive fortress. Plus, for a cut price, the Bhoys really can’t go wrong.

In other news, Jeremie Frimpong hugely struggled in Celtic vs Livingston…

West Brom remain interested in AFC Bournemouth forward Joshua King, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Sky Sports claim the 29-year-old is still being monitored by the Baggies over a potential move before the February 1st transfer deadline, though relegation rivals Burnley have entered the race alongside West Ham.

King is out of contract in the summer, so the next week presents a final opportunity for the Cherries to cash in on his signature before it is too late.

And Albion boss Sam Allardyce has made no secret of their interest in the Norway international, he told reporters: “No idea what the price may be (for King) – if the price is within our range then I think we would be interested, and if it’s out of our price range then we won’t.”

King the Saviour?

The Midlands outfit have been linked to plenty of strikers since the turn of the year, including former loan sensation Dwight Gayle.

Ahead of the January transfer window last month, ChronicleLive reported that the 29-year-old was someone on the club’s radar as his contract is also expiring at the end of the current campaign.

He bagged an impressive 24 goals in 40 appearances on their way to the Championship playoffs in 2018/19, and clearly, much of the Hawthorns faithful would welcome his return as Big Sam currently has one viable forward option.

But given his history of injuries and lack of game time, it’s time to move on from the one-time hero – he’s played only 125 minutes this term, and has averaged only 35 minutes per appearance since his Baggies loan spell finished.

King could be available for a bargain price given his contract situation and the need to shift his £45k-per-week salary off a second-tier wage bill. His record in the top-flight has been remarkable, if not hugely underrated.

In terms of finishing, his most prolific season came in 2016/17 where he ended the year with 16 goals, though he’s hit six or more goals in all five of his seasons in the Premier League, per Transfermarkt.

That’s even despite being primarily deployed on the left flank. His work-rate is another key attribute that would please Big Sam as last season, he ranked 15th for possession won in the attacking third, winning 6.8 duels per 90 minutes, as per Sky Sports.

King was even clocked at just one km/h slower than the rapid Adama Traore (37.78 km/h), so he’s an absolute speed demon capable of tormenting the opposition’s defence.

It’s no wonder that former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe dubbed him the “complete package” because he’s “outstanding physically, technically and mentally,” to Match of the Day (via Football Faithful).

Even more recently, his successor Jason Tindall lauded King as a “real handful,” and joked that he would add “another £5million on his price tag” – that being in the region of £10m, from what The Athletic’s Tim Spiers has heard as he revealed to The Molineux View podcast on January 5th.

All of the above combine to make him a hugely attractive proposition for any top-flight team, but equally, one that the Baggies need as his versatility, work rate and prolific finishing capabilities could be enough to revive their survival hopes tenfold.

They currently sit second-from-bottom some six points from safety whilst Big Sam’s squad rank third-worst for goals scorer.

A striker is paramount to their chances of remaining a Premier League outfit and on the above evidence, King would be a wonderful solution.

AND in other news,ÂWest Brom could finally replace Chris Brunt by signing 42-cap powerhouse…

Liverpool must bring in a centre-back this month, regardless of whether it’s a long-term signing or not to give the players confidence.

Centre-back required

Those were the words of former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer, who reacted to the Reds’ recent poor run in all competitions.

In 2021, Liverpool have won just once from five attempts and have scored six goals, with key defenders Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez ruled out with season-ending knee injuries.

On top of this, Joel Matip continues to struggle with his own personal fitness issues – leaving manager Jurgen Klopp with no established centre-halves at his disposal.

Speaking exclusively to Football Transfer Tavern, Palmer believes that Liverpool must prioritise bringing in a centre-back this month, regardless of the financial implications.

“Liverpool are not keeping clean sheets. They’re not out of the Premier League title race so they need to get a centre-back in until Van Dijk gets back. They need to do that because that gives (the team a) basis,” he said.

“People are looking at the front three and saying, ‘Oh, they’re not performing anymore’ but you see, if you remember last year when they won the league, they played at Southampton, I remember that game specifically because that was typical of their performances in the league that season where it was a strong first half defensive display by Liverpool to keep them in the game. Mane scores a goal out of nothing, just before half time, and then they go on to win the game comfortably.

“But it’s that basis that you need to keep clean sheets and Liverpool are not keeping clean sheets. So they need to do that now. They’ve either got to go for a loan or a short term signing and get somebody in so they can get a platform, then the rest of the players now can start believing that ‘yes, we’re going to keep clean sheets. Now. We’ve got the front three, we’re going to score goals.’”

Transfer Tavern Verdict

Palmer is spot on. While Klopp has dropped subtle hints to the club’s owners FSG about the possibility of signing a defender, it is something that the Reds desperately need.

Liverpool are making the same mistake as Manchester City last season, with Aymeric Laporte’s injury, no Vincent Kompany replacement and Fernandinho having to step in. It seems all too familiar and it looks like lessons that haven’t been learned from that.

With the transfer deadline on Monday, Liverpool do not have long to make a move but Palmer thinks they need to if they want a chance at retaining their title.

In other news, James Pearce provides silver lining regarding Jordan Henderson’s latest setback.