Everton fans on Twitter made their feelings very clear after watching the first half of their game against Tottenham.
You’ve got to say that the first 45 minutes at Goodison Park were extremely dull, but fortunately, the game picked up a little bit in the second half.
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You know a game is boring when the BBC say there is not much to report at half-time, and the reaction from the fans at the interval tells you all you need to know.
It’s bad enough that the Toffees are finding it hard to pick up any points, but it’s even worse when the football on show is so uninspiring.
Luckily, the game ignited in the second half with two goals and a grandstand finish that saw the Toffees pushing the London club to the limit.
It certainly seems as if these fans spoke too soon when calling the game boring, but after that first-half performance, you can hardly blame them.
Here’s what the Goodison Park faithful had to say on Twitter…
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Injury News series, which considers the impact of the latest updates on players’ fitness.
Manuel Lanzini will be out for two months, after fracturing his collarbone during West Ham United’s 3-0 loss against Burnley, as reported by The Guardian.
Unfortunate for the 26-year-old
This is a massive blow for Lanzini, who has been an important player for the team at times this season.
He especially excelled at the beginning of the campaign when he assisted against Brighton & Hove Albion, before getting another against Watford and winning the penalty for Mark Noble’s opener.
The Argentinian had been fairly quiet in the last six games though, only starting twice, getting an assist in the loss against Newcastle United.
All of this follows a season in which he only managed to make 10 substitute appearances due to a cruciate ligament rupture, so to pick up another lengthy injury will be a massive blow.
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Time for Pablo Fornals to step up
Fornals has been underwhelming since arriving in east London, starting 5 Premier League games so far, coming off the bench for 6, with no league goal contributions.
He has only got the ball in the back of the net once in claret and blue, with that coming in the Carabao Cup against Newport County.
The 23-year-old has struggled to show much of a creative presence at all in the league, managing just 0.5 key passes and 0.4 dribbles per game.
Tony Cottee summed things up while speaking with FFC: “I’m concerned, obviously, because so far he’s really, really struggled with the pace of the Premier League.”
Lanzini plays a similar position to the Spaniard, so Fornals could get more chances to get on the pitch and show how useful he can be for the club while he is ruled out.
He needs to take this opportunity and begin to display the technique and ability that led West Ham to sign him in the first place.
While Arsenal enjoyed a brilliant summer on the pitch and have kickstarted their Premier League campaign with back-to-back wins this season, there remains some discontent among portions of the fanbase due to a lack of activity in the transfer market.
So far, the only new faces added to Mikel Arteta's first team have been Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori, and Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino, which doesn't feel like enough in the face of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City juggernaut.
If you asked fans at the start of the summer about the one area they thought the team needed to strengthen, most would have answered striker. While the likes of Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Leandro Trossard have started the season in good form, that need for an out-and-out goalscoring nine still feels acute.
Leandro Trossard scores for Arsenal
Fortunately, recent reports have touted one of the best poachers around for a move to the Emirates before the window closes, and he'd surely supercharge Trossard.
Arsenal's striker search
According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Arsenal have once again entered the race for £110m Napoli star Victor Osimhen.
The report claims that following 'perceived disrespect' during negotiations, the Saudi Pro League sides interested in signing the Nigerian international this summer have now walked away from any potential deal, and while Chelsea are still a possible destination, so are the Gunners.
Interestingly, the report has revealed that in the last few days, the North Londoners have once again 'asked for information' on the striker, suggesting that there is a chance Edu Gaspar could come in with a late bid to try and secure the player's services for a cut-price fee.
Victor Osimhen
Whatever that final price ends up being, Osimhen would almost certainly be worth it, as he'd bring a mountain of goals with him to N5 and, in the process, help make Trossard even more unplayable.
Why Osimhen would make Trossard unplayable
So, to get straight to the point, there is one fundamental reason why Osimhen would help get even more out of Arsenal's incredible Belgian: his output.
The Nigerian "monster", as dubbed by analyst Raj Chohan, has proven over the last few seasons that when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net, there are few better than him, and while Trossard was incredible at doing the same himself last season, he did see his assist tally fall to just two, which feels related to the fact that until Havertz moved up top, Arteta was struggling to find a consistent goalscorer who could play down the middle.
If we compare the former LOSC Lille star's tally over the last two full seasons to that of the Gunners' main striking options, Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, we can see just how much more of a goal threat he really is.
Appearances
39
47
33
Goals
31
9
11
Assists
5
1
7
Goal Involvements per Match
0.92
0.21
0.54
Appearances
32
51
36
Goals
17
14
8
Assists
4
7
8
Goal Involvements per Match
0.65
0.38
0.44
For example, across the 22/23 and 23/24 campaigns, the "world-class" marksman, as dubbed by José Mourinho, scored 48 goals and provided nine assists in just 71 appearances, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.24 games for two years, and he also led the Partenopei to their first league title in over three decades.
In contrast, Jesus scored 19 goals and provided 15 assists in 69 games, while the German scored 23 goals and provided eight assists in 98 appearances, meaning the two stars averaged a goal involvement once every 2.02 and 3.16 games, respectively.
Just imagine how much more effective the former Brighton & Hove Albion winger would be playing alongside such a clinical number nine; he'd probably still score plenty of goals himself, but he'd also see his assist tally explode, as he'd have someone there he could rely on to finish the chances he created.
Therefore, while the fee might still be significant and his £210k-per-week wages are a slight concern, Edu and Co should do what they can to bring Osimhen to the Emirates this summer.
He'd solve their Saka problem: Arsenal want to secure late £59m signing
The incredible attacker would add so much quality to the Gunners’ squad.
Julen Lopetegui's West Ham side are getting ready for the new Premier League season, facing off in their first fixture this weekend against Aston Villa.
This campaign is an exciting one for Hammers fans, as it's their first season adopting a new style of play.
A bundle of new players have been acquired, and many could make their West Ham competitive debuts at the weekend, including Max Kilman, Crysencio Summerville, Niclas Fullkrug, Luis Guilherme, Guido Rodriguez, Wes Foderingham, and Jean-Clair Todibo.
But two more defenders could still arrive this window for West Ham, with Wan-Bissaka undergoing a medical in order to join the club from Manchester United, and links to another central defender signing, as Kurt Zouma could leave.
Kurt Zouma for West Ham
West Ham transfer news
According to reports in Italy last week, West Ham were showing interest in Nantes defender, Nathan Zeze.
Nantes reportedly values the 19-year-old at £30m, but this is believed to be a figure that can be negotiated.
Inter Milan are apparently another team interested in the young defender. However, the reports state the valuations between the clubs are "very distant", and therefore Zeze looks closer to a move to England, rather than Italy.
Those reports have since been furthered by ExWHUemployee, via his Patreon, who revealed on Sunday that the Hammers have identified the centre-back as a target this month.
Zeze made 13 appearances in all Ligue 1 for Nantes last season, playing over 1000 minutes in total, and contributing to two clean sheets.
How Zeze compares to Kurt Zouma
The 6 foot 3 central defender was described as "incredible" by scout Jacek Kulig, who praised the youngster's talent. Like Zouma, Zeze's physical frame is impressive, especially considering he is only 19-years-old.
Much like another French defender who secured a big move this summer, Zeze has a similar duel capacity to Leny Yoro, who joined Manchester United from Lille.
The Nantes defender actually won more aerial duels than Yoro last season, winning 3.5 per 90, compared to Yoro's 2.58.
Passes Attempted
42.2
36.3
Progressive Passes
2.63
1.55
Passes into Final Third
1.93
1.63
Tackles
0.96
0.76
Interceptions
1.05
0.96
Blocks
1.05
1.18
Aerials Won
1.49
1.89
Aerials Won %
58.6%
58.3%
Zeze brings a calmness on the ball that Zouma doesn't have, despite their 10-year age gap. The 19-year-old manages more passes per 90, more progressive passes, and more passes into the final third, showing the bravery to break the lines with his passing.
He also doesn't lack in the defensive department, winning a higher percentage of his aerial duels than Zouma, who is largely known as one of the better players in the air, in the Premier League.
However, one key difference between the two, is that the West Ham defender is right-footed, whilst Zeze is a left-footed centre-back. This could lead to some issues, as new signing Kilman and Nayef Aguerd are also both left-footed central defenders. This would leave them with a lack of right-footed centre-back options.
Wolves captain Max Kilman
If the Hammers can figure out a way to use at least two of the left-footed centre-backs, perhaps in a back three, this could prove to be a very good deal, replacing Zouma with a more progressive and comfortable passer, who has big potential.
West Ham could launch a move for surprise CF who's better than Fullkrug
West Ham could make another striker addition to compete with Fullkrug
Brand new season, same old Glasgow Rangers. It appears that Philippe Clement hasn’t learned much from the final few weeks of the 2023/24 campaign, as the Ibrox side dropped points in their Premiership opener.
Hearts were the better team during large spells of the league clash at Tynecastle as the Gers couldn’t quite find their rhythm, dropping two vital points.
The Jambos had 17 shots to just nine from the Light Blues, and they can perhaps count themselves unlucky at not finding a winner.
The 0-0 draw will hopefully be a wake-up call for Clement and the rest of the team as they face Dynamo Kviv on Tuesday evening. With changes to be made, will Cyriel Dessers start against the Ukrainians after yet another poor display?
Cyriel Dessers’ game in numbers vs Hearts
Despite Clement looking to bring in another number nine this summer, Dessers was chosen to lead the line against the Edinburgh side.
The Nigerian played the full 90 minutes, coming close to opening the scoring on a few occasions during the clash, even hitting the crossbar when it was easier to score. Déjà vu indeed.
Throughout the game, Dessers managed just three shots in total, with only one on target, while missing a big chance and succeeding with just one dribble.
He also managed to take just 23 touches during the tie, which was half the number that goalkeeper Jack Butland managed throughout the game, showing how little he saw of the ball.
The striker's lack of involvement was also seen by the fact that he completed just seven passes from 12 attempts. His poor distribution didn’t do him any favours as he looked to open his account for the campaign.
Goals
0
Total shots
3
Big chances missed
1
Successful dribbles
1
Accurate passes
7/12
Possession lost
7
Glasgow World journalist Lewis Anderson gave Dessers a match rating of 6/10, which was surprising given how poor he was as the main attacking outlet for the Light Blues.
Why Rangers must ditch Cyriel Dessers
While moving on players has proven to be tougher than expected this summer, Clement must find a willing suitor for Dessers before the end of the month, as the Ibrox side won’t win the title with the 29-year-old leading the line.
Last month, it was claimed that Rangers were looking to recoup £4.5m for the forward amid interest from Greek side PAOK, yet no move ever materialised.
Cyriel Dessers
Another dismal domestic showing against Hearts to begin the new season means Clement must drop him to the bench ahead of the upcoming Champions League qualifier on Tuesday evening.
There aren’t many options for the Belgian to pick from, but surely Danilo deserves a start having recovered from his serious knee injury suffered last term. The Brazilian scored six goals from 21 appearances last season, yet it was hampered by injury issues.
Rangers simply cannot afford to miss out on Europe’s premier club competition for the second year in a row, especially with the financial rewards on offer for qualification.
After just one game of the season, it is clear that Dessers is not the answer for Clement. Until more first-team players are sold, however, he may just have to persist with the striker.
Rangers register interest in £5m star who's a dream Roofe replacement
The Light Blues are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the centre-forward.
Chelsea are on the hunt for a new goalkeeper this summer, as Todd Boehly reportedly hopes to land a new first choice shot-stopper in the upcoming transfer window.
The Blues spent a monumental figure exceeding £500m last season in a bid to improve their squad, all to little avail as Stamford Bridge saw the club’s lowest finish since the 1993/94 campaign.
If reports are to be believed, Chelsea could spend big once more with a number of players already linked with a potential move ahead of the window.
What’s the latest on Mike Maignan to Chelsea?
As understood by 90min, AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan was mentioned in discussions with Chelsea officials.
The report claims that Blues representatives mentioned their interest in the goalkeeper while discussing the potential deal between the two clubs for Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Their approach was reportedly dismissed by Milan, though taking into consideration the clubs’ hopes to sign a new 'keeper, the Rossoneri favourite could be a name destined for Stamford Bridge.
What could Mike Maignan bring to Chelsea?
Hailed as being a “giant” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Frenchman has established himself as one of Europe’s strongest goalkeepers for his performances at San Siro.
The 27-year-old, who ascended up the ranks at Paris Saint Germain, could be a revelation at Chelsea, who have jousted between the talents of Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga this past season.
Branded as a “liability” by former Blues defender Mario Melchiot, Kepa has had an eventful time since signing from Athletic Bilbao in 2018 for a fee of £71.6m, with him now rated at just £26m by the CIES Football Observatory.
While the Spaniard has displayed his talents on numerous occasions, he’s had his fair share of mishaps on and off the pitch, and was benched by Mendy following the Senegalese ace’s arrival in the capital.
Now, the end of the road for the 28-year-old could be in sight if reports regarding Maignan are to be believed.
As per Sofascore, the Milan goalkeeper has conceded an average of 1 goal per game in Serie A this season, marginally fewer than Kepa, who averages 1.1 per game in the Premier League.
Criticised by Jamie Redknapp for not making ‘nearly enough saves’, the Spaniard has been placed into the spotlight in the past for his weaknesses in saving shots from distance.
As displayed in a graphic presented by Sky Sports below, the former Bilbao ace is familiar with conceding from outside the box, with the pattern reinforced this season with him conceding six from such areas, via Sofascore.
kepa-arrizabalaga-chelsea
Maignan could eliminate the weakness that the current Chelsea 'keeper possesses, as evidenced by him conceding just two from distance this campaign, as well as recording three saves caught to Kepa’s none, despite playing fewer games as per Sofascore.
Chelsea’s inconsistencies between the sticks must be resolved this summer, with not many clubs switching between their goalkeepers throughout the season due to poor performance.
In signing the £59k-per-week beast, Mauricio Pochettino could unearth a reliable and commanding number one in the bid to significantly improve things at the Bridge.
Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane will sit down with the expected new Spurs boss, Ange Postecoglou, to hold talks over where his future lies in north London.
Who is Ange Postecoglou?
The managerial search in N17 is seemingly coming to a close with Daniel Levy believed to have found his man in the Celtic manager Postecoglou.
Indeed, reports have suggested the Australian has now agreed personal terms with the Premier League club just hours after completing the treble with the Bhoys.
It is now believed that it is only the final details which will need to be ironed out with Celtic to overcome in order to see the 57-year-old become the new manager at Spurs.
However, Postecoglou has a huge task on his hands as the Lilywhites appear to be in need of a major rebuild following a dreadful 2022/23 campaign.
And one of the major issues hanging over the club at the moment is the future of their star player, Harry Kane, who has just one year remaining on his current deal.
With the Australian now looking set to become the new Spurs boss, Fabrizio Romano has told his YouTube channel that Postecoglou will hold behind-the-scenes talks with Kane in an attempt to keep him:
"But what is very clear also is that Daniel Levy is still prepared to fight for Harry Kane. He will try once he will have a new manager, conversations will take place with Postecoglou to convince Harry Kane, to keep Harry Kane at the club. So Tottenham will try again in the next days."
Could Kane leave Spurs?
The England captain's future appears to be at a real crossroads this summer with a number of clubs believed to be interested amid his dwindling contract.
Indeed, it is believed the likes of Manchester United have identified him as a priority signing for the summer window as Erik ten Hag searches for a new striker.
However, interest from abroad has also increased over recent days with reports suggesting Real Madrid will look to Kane as their potential replacement for the departing Karim Benzema.
Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou
Two of the world's biggest clubs could, therefore, be on the hunt for Kane's services this summer but it seems Spurs are not willing to potentially lose him without a fight.
But is Postecoglou a big enough name to convince Kane to stay?
The Australian has enjoyed a brilliant spell at Parkhead having won a bag full of trophies over his two years in the job.
However, this potential move to north London would be the 57-year-old's first job in one of Europe's top five leagues which could leave a lot of uncertainty for the England captain.
Kane will turn 30 years old over the coming weeks and whether he is willing to invest his time in this expected rebuild at Spurs under a manager who is not proven at this level is yet to be seen.
Chelsea are interested in bringing Napoli striker Victor Osimhen to Stamford Bridge.
What’s the latest on Victor Osimhen to Chelsea?
According to the Guardian, a new frontman is one of the club’s priorities and the 24-year-old has been earmarked as a possible candidate.
Indeed, the report notes that the London club are 'interested' in the Napoli striker and Inter star Lautaro Martínez.
That said, whilst the Blues eye a sensational summer swoop for the €100m (£87m) Nigerian, Mauricio Pochettino is still yet to conclude how to deal with Romelu Lukaku, whose future in west London looks extremely murky.
Is Osimhen better than Lukaku?
The 25-cap Osimhen has enjoyed the season of dreams and has been simply unstoppable at times.
The marksman netted 25 Serie A goals to underline his status as the division’s top scorer and also forged the best minute-per-goal ratio (100 mins) in the league, as per BBC Sport.
The focal point emerged as the title-winning catalyst that secured the Partenopei their first Scudetto in 33 years as he achieved immortalisation in one of Europe’s most adoring and fervent football cities.
Italian legend and former Chelsea ace Gianfranco Zola recognised Osimhen’s magnificent quality saying: “He’s a very complete player. He’s got a good reference going forward, he can link up play and he’s devastating in the air. He’s a pest to defenders.”
Romelu Lukaku Inter Milan
From a Chelsea perspective, a player of this potency and productivity would be invaluable, especially when assessing the west Londoner’s hapless form in front of goal.
Their abysmal haul of 38 goals in as many top-flight games is their lowest-ever tally as it's been an issue that has plagued their disastrous record-breaking campaign.
The 2021 Champions League winners already have Lukaku in their ranks, but it remains to be seen if he wants to return and what Pochettino thinks.
Nevertheless, when you consider the Belgian’s form this season and his frighteningly little contribution last term, it seems most logical for both parties to go their separate ways.
After his £97.5m move to Chelsea, he netted three goals in his first three Premier League outings, but then only found the net on five occasions in the following 23 attempts, a run which included an outrageously controversial interview, where he expressed his desire to return to Inter.
Although the powerhouse has been more fruitful since returning to the Italian capital, scoring ten in 24 league outings, that is still a far cry from Osimhen's enormous tally.
Add to that his hideous lack of movement, mobility, and motivation for the Blues and it would make sense for the English side to pursue a more dynamic, hungry, and pacey forward, which could come in the form of Osimhen.
Manchester United could add a free agent to their squad this summer, with a report from Sport (via Sport Witness) stating that the Red Devils are one of the potential landing spots for Jordi Alba.
Is Jordi Alba leaving Barcelona?
The defender has been with Barcelona for 11 seasons now and has played in 312 league fixtures for the Catalan giants during his time there. That run has seen him amass 17 goals and 61 assists – a superb record for someone who has predominantly played as a left-back for the Spanish side. Not only that, but the player has also won the La Liga title six times – as well as claiming Champions League glory with them back in 2014/15.
However, Barcelona have now decided not to renew Alba's deal, and it means he will be leaving as a free agent when the current season comes to a close. The 34-year-old will have to try and find himself a new team this summer and it appears that a move to the Premier League for the first time is not out of the question.
That's because a report from Sport (via Sport Witness) suggests that Premier League side Man United are one of the potential destinations that the defender could end up at. It adds that there is interest from a number of teams – including Champions League finalists Inter – but that the prospect of a switch to England does "attract" the left-back. If that is the case and the Red Devils are keen to do business, a switch could be on for the player.
Are Man United signing Jordi Alba?
It is not known if there is interest from Erik ten Hag's side, though the Red Devils would get themselves an experienced, capable player if they did opt to bring in Alba.
Despite his age, he has still produced a WhoScored rating of 6.79, which actually puts him above the likes of Ansu Fati, Sergi Roberto and Ferran Torres in terms of performance this campaign. He is still within the top 15 performing players at the club and his rate of 0.7 dribbles per game ranks within the top five at the club. This suggests he is still the bombarding full-back that he always has been, can drive the ball forward and can often do it better than a lot of his younger Barcelona colleagues.
The CIES Football Observatory also suggests that he still holds a value of €10m (£8.6m). This suggests that whilst he's no longer one of the most highly rated players in the game, to pick him up on a free would be good business nevertheless.
Whilst United wouldn't get many more years out of Alba and his best days may be behind him, he is a good depth option to have and his experience and knowledge of the game could be perfect to pass on to some of the younger members of the Red Devils' squad if they signed him.
Newcastle United are considering raiding Wolverhampton Wanderers for their prized asset in Ruben Neves, who has been heavily linked with a move away from Molineux this summer.
What's the latest on Ruben Neves to Newcastle?
According to the Mirror, Newcastle's qualification for the 23/24 Champions League has placed them back in the reckoning for a swoop for Neves, who is expected to depart from Wolverhampton this summer.
Barcelona have been the discernible favourites to complete a deal for the 26-year-old, though Ansu Fati's refusal to be included in a swap deal for the Portuguese midfielder has thrown a spanner in the works.
As such, Eddie Howe's Magpies and Manchester United, who need one point from two matches to secure top four, are in a firm position to clinch Neves' signature, with a fee as high as £50m touted for his signature.
Should Newcastle sign Ruben Neves?
Despite a remarkable campaign that has propelled Newcastle back to the forefront of the Premier League, Howe has admitted that a "big transfer window" is forthcoming, with a return to the Champions League expected to continue the ascension, and not cultivate a slump with the increase in match action.
Signing Neves would represent a marked improvement on an already thriving midfield, Joe Willock, Bruno Guimaraes, Sean Longstaff and Joelinton all impressing with their exploits this year and playing instrumental roles in crafting a high-octane and cohesive side capable of fighting to the top across multiple fronts.
Having made 252 appearances for the Old Gold, Neves, who has been described as "incredible" by former teammate Hugo Bueno, is a distinguished gem in English football and is one of the sweetest strikers of a football around, also hailed as a "beast" by former pro Jimmy Conrad for his scintillating set-piece ability.
Ruben Neves looks set to leave Wolves
As per Sofascore, the 39-cap Portugal international has recorded an average rating of 7.26 in the top flight this season, scoring six goals, averaging 1.9 shots per match, completing 84% of his passes, and making 2.3 tackles and 2.4 clearances per game.
He also ranks among the top 10% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 15% for interceptions, the top 8% for blocks and the top 2% for clearances per 90 (statistics provided by FBref) illustrating his defensive resilience and eye for the back of the net.
The £50k-per-week phenom could be the perfect ace to replace Sean Longstaff, who has been a notable success story on Tyneside this year and has been regarded as a £50m player by journalist Keith Downie, which could bode well for United as they look to make the requisite improvements to their team to ultimately unleash a squad brimming with Europe's premium talent.
Longstaff has been heralded as Newcastle's "unsung hero" by Paul Merson, but is outscored by Neves across almost every metric on Sofascore, and while statistics do not paint the full picture, with Longstaff's work indeed encapsulating the diligence that falls below the eye-catching, dazzling side of football, Neves is something of an assiduous ace himself.
Neves, who indeed has been touted for the very same fee as the lifelong Magpie, is unquestionably an upgrade: more robust, more tenacious, and more quality on the ball.