Category Uncategorized

Aston Villa have been thriving ever since Steven Gerrard was appointed as Dean Smith’s replacement as manager, following a bad start to the season which left them 16th after losing five consecutive games in the Premier League during the autumn.

Villa have picked up 16 points in 10 games under the 41-year-old and now sit level on points with 10th- placed Leicester City in the league table, with Gerrard’s impact on the side clear to see.

Despite the U-turn that the Liverpool legend has inspired so far at Villa, not every player has benefited from his presence at the club, with Danny Ings failing to make an impact ever since he was signed last summer.

It is clear that the 29-year-old and fellow striker Ollie Watkins can’t find the connection when they play together, with Ings scoring three of his four Premier League goals this season when his strike partner was not on the pitch.

At the end of December, it was revealed that the former Southampton forward had the lowest non-penalty xG per 90 (0.15) and the lowest xA per 90 (0.02) of any Premier League forward so far this season, and has since scored just one goal.

Ings’ presence is clearly affecting Watkins’ output too, as the latter has been relocated out wide to accommodate the ex-Liverpool striker, Nonetheless, he has scored more than Ings, with five goals and one assist in 19 appearances so far this season.

Former Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor weighed in on the lack of connection between the two strikers. Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “For me, when I watch Watkins play as a central striker making runs into the channels, that’s where I want to see him, that’s what gets the best out of him.

“Every time I’ve watched Ings and Watkins play together it hasn’t worked, something isn’t working with their connection.”

Now that Gerrard has signed Philippe Coutinho, it could be the right time to axe the £19.8m-rated Ings from the team. That would Watkins to revert to his preferred position up top, with Emi Buendia and Coutinho out wide, a setup which was clearly more effective in Villa’s first win in three games against Everton recently.

It will be interesting to see how the Villa manager tackles the challenge of setting up his forward line, especially when Leon Bailey returns from injury. Unfortunately for Ings, he simply hasn’t done enough since the start of the season to merit being a regular in the starting XI, so it may be time for Gerrard to wield the axe on him.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano drops behind-the-scenes Villa claim

An update has emerged on Rangers and their pursuit of a striker from the English Championship…

What’s the talk?

According to TEAMtalk, the Gers are among a number of clubs keen on a deal to sign QPR centre-forward Lyndon Dykes this month.

The report claims that Norwich, Newcastle and Crystal Palace are among the other clubs interested in signing the attacker, although it remains to be seen how much the west London outfit will demand for his services.

Get it done

Giovanni van Bronckhorst must ensure that he is able to get a deal over the line for Dykes, as he could be a “brilliant find” for Rangers, to use the words of Alex McLeish.

The £8k-per-week bulldozer could provide a different option for the Gers boss at the top end of the pitch, as he is not built in the same way as Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos. Whilst the current Ibrox duo are technically adept and like to make runs, Dykes is a forward who can be the focal point of the attack and hold up the ball for his teammates.

In the Championship this season, he has won an impressive 4.3 aerial battles per game, after averaging 4.8 last season. This shows that he can hold his own in the air and is capable of winning flick-ons by beating opposition defenders to long balls, whilst it also suggests that he could aid Rangers in their defending from set pieces as he could use his talents to defend his team’s penalty box.

Darren Jackson hailed him as “mobile” despite his big frame after he scored a winner against the Faroe Islands for Scotland three months ago. This suggests that the 26-year-old could also offer running off and on the ball to go along with the physical presence that he provides.

In terms of goals, Dykes has also shown that he knows how to find the net regularly. He has scored 18 Championship goals for QPR since the start of last season and has netted four times in six starts for Scotland in World Cup qualifiers.

Therefore, he could be a brilliant find for Rangers, as he is a striker who can score goals, bully defenders with his physique and work hard at the top end of the pitch with his mobile running. This is why Van Bronckhorst must work with Ross Wilson to secure his services before the end of the month.

AND in other news, Time’s up: Van Bronckhorst must ruthlessly axe £900k-rated Rangers dud, he’s a “weak link”…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Monaco monster Benoit Badiashile…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, the Magpies are plotting a swoop for the defender and are currently in talks with the Ligue 1 club over a deal for him this month.

The report claims that he is valued at £35m by the French side and it remains to be seen whether or not Newcastle are willing to meet their demands.

Buzzing

Eddie Howe will surely be buzzing with this news for several reasons. For starters, he will be delighted that the club are actively making moves to strengthen the defence, with talks having already been opened over a transfer for Badiashile.

It shows that they are not willing to waste time and wait until the end of the window to make signings. They want to strengthen the team as quickly as possible and this will please the ex-Bournemouth boss as his team is in dire need of reinforcements.

The Magpies are 19th in the Premier League and have only won one game all season. This shows that the current crop of players have not been good enough for a team that wants to avoid relegation, which is why PIF must splash the cash to improve Howe’s options ahead of the second half of the season.

One of Newcastle’s biggest issues has been their defence. They have conceded the most goals in the division (42) and the signing of Badiashile could improve their backline. The 20-year-old has averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.79 in Ligue 1 for Monaco this term, after managing a score of 6.91 in 32 starts last season.

He helped the French side to keep nine clean sheets in the 2020/21 campaign as he won 63% of his duels and made 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game. This shows that he can consistently provide strong defensive performances at the top level, winning the majority of his duels and helping his team to keep shutouts – something Newcastle have struggled with this season as they sit on one clean sheet after 19 matches.

Therefore, Howe will be buzzing with the prospect of Badiashile arriving at St. James’ Park. Not only is he a player with immense potential, given his performances in Ligue 1 at the age of 20, but he has also proven that he can perform in the here and now and the Magpies need the defensive monster in their bid to avoid relegation down to the second tier.

AND in other news, “They are…” – Chris Waugh drops key NUFC transfer update that’ll delight fans…

Despite managing to score more goals than both Burnley and Norwich City, Newcastle United have only managed to win one of their 18 Premier League games so far this season, drawing seven and losing ten along the way.

With new ambitious owners in place and a manager aiming to avoid getting Newcastle relegated from the Premier League, the January transfer window could see the Tyneside club splash the cash to strengthen their squad to make sure they don’t end up in the Championship next season.

One name that Newcastle apparently think they have a chance of signing in January is Chelsea attacker Timo Werner according to journalist Christian Falk.

Prior to joining Chelsea back in the 2020 summer transfer window, Werner racked up a total of 95 goals in 159 appearances for German club RB Leipzig.

Since joining the west London club, the 25-year-old, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £268k-per-week according to Salary Sport, has scored 17 goals and provided 17 assists in 66 appearances across all competitions, winning the Champions League in the process.

Labelled as an “unpredictable” player by fellow Chelsea and Germany teammate Kai Havertz, Werner has played in 14 games for Thomas Tuchel’s side across all competitions with five goals and two assists under his belt.

In terms of a potential move to Newcastle in January, with the German international having racked up an average of four shots at goal per game in the Premier League so far this season and two key passes per match, Werner could slot into Newcastle’s attacking line nicely alongside the likes of Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin who have contributed to 50% of the Toon’s Premier League goals this season.

Even though Newcastle have conceded more times in the league than any other team in the division and the focus in January should mainly be on bringing in defensive players to fix their leaky defence. That said, given the player’s pedigree and knack for scoring, a move for Werner could stun plenty of Toon fans if the club were able to bring him to St. James’ Park.

However, with Chelsea pushing for the Premier League title and gunning to win the Champions League for a second year in a row, it would presumably take a lot from Newcastle to convince the German international to leave Stamford Bridge halfway through the season to help Howe’s side avoid relegation instead. That only adds to the stunning nature of this potential deal if it was concluded by PIF.

In other news: Hammond could save NUFC’s season with “colossal” £24k-p/w beast, “nothing fazes him” – opinion

West Ham manager David Moyes has provided an update on the fitness of Aaron Cresswell, Ben Johnson and Ryan Fredericks as the east Londoners face a full-back crisis.

What’s the story?

Following the Hammers’ 2-0 defeat to Arsenal and ahead of their subsequently postponed fixture against Norwich City over the weekend, Moyes addressed the media and provided an update on the absent trio.

“I am hoping that maybe Ryan or Ben or Cressie [Cresswell] can get themselves available for us,” the Irons manager said. “It would help us in a period where we have some injuries and it looks like all the full-backs in the main are the ones getting injured or sent off.”

Right-back Vladimir Coufal has been included in the squad for West Ham’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Tottenham but will miss the next Premier League match through suspension after being sent off at Arsenal on Wednesday night.

This leaves 28-year-old Arthur Masuaku as the Irons’ only available senior full-back. However, 20-year-old right-back Harrison Ashby came off the bench against Arsenal and impressed on his debut against Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League, which could form a pathway into the side for the youngster.

West Ham need full-back options

With a hectic festive schedule still set to be played, Moyes will need as many available options as possible, particularly in the full-back areas.

Should the likes of Cresswell, Johnson and Fredericks return in the near future, it will get West Ham fans buzzing again after their team’s recent dip in form.

Fredericks hasn’t featured for David Moyes’ side since their 2-0 win at Rapid Vienna in the Europa League last month and has only managed two minutes in the Premier League all season. However, both Cresswell and Johnson are regular fixtures in the side, with the latter working hard to maintain his place in the starting XI.

The 21-year-old right-back has been impressive this season, managing a run of eight consecutive starts in the Premier League before missing the trips to Burnley and Arsenal, and he will hope that a brief spell on the sidelines won’t halt his progress.

Moyes’ hopeful comments about having some, or possibly all, of his injured full-backs available for upcoming fixtures will at least give West Ham supporters a shot in the arm after a testing couple of weeks.

In other news: West Ham could spark top-four push with move for £16.2m-rated beast likened to Ribery

Having lost their latest Championship game 1-0 against relegation strugglers Derby County on Monday, some West Brom fans were not shy in sharing their criticism of Baggies boss Valerien Ismael and his post-match comments saying that the players need to take responsibility for the defeat.

With this in mind, the upcoming January transfer window could give Ismael the opportunity to not only strengthen his squad but also get some Baggies fans back on his side with a few exciting transfers.

One deal that Ismael could look to complete which would surely delight a lot of West Brom fans and boost their chances of securing promotion would be to pull off the signing of former Baggies loanee Okay Yokuslu.

Labelled a “forceful” player earlier this year by West Brom podcaster Adrian Goldberg, the £6.3m-rated Turkey international has only made six appearances for Celta Vigo in La Liga, all of them coming off the  bench. That would suggest that he isn’t an important figure for the Galician outfit and could be better off making a move to somewhere like Albion where he could get regular playing time.

With a recent report claiming that the fan favourite midfielder would be willing to make a return to the Midlands after enjoying his six-month spell on loan there last season, this could be just what Ismael needs to not only strengthen his midfield but also bring some positivity back for the supporters.

In his 16 Premier League appearances for the Baggies last term, Yokuslu’s performances earned him an overall season rating of 6.96/10, making him their joint-highest rated player alongside Matheus Pereira according to WhoScored. That shows how much of an impact he had at the club and suggests why many fans would surely be delighted to see him return.

Taking this into account and the reports that Robert Snodgrass could be on his way out of the club next month, West Brom should do all they can to bring Yokuslu back to The Hawthorns to see if he can fire them back to the Premier League by the end of the campaign.

In other news: Lai dropped WBA transfer clanger with 29 y/o dud who hasn’t “stepped up to the plate”

تلقى نادي إنتر ميلان الإيطالي ضربة قبل سلسلة مبارياته المهمة المرتقبة، بإصابة لاعبه مارسيليو بروزوفيتش، مساء اليوم الأحد.

وشارك بروزوفيتش في مباراة منتخب بلاده كرواتيا أمام النمسا بمنافسات دوري الأمم الأوروبية.

وتعرض بروزوفيتش للإصابة خلال اللقاء، وتم استبداله في الدقيقة 18 من عمر المباراة، وشارك لوفرو ماير بديلًا له.

وأشارت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية، إلى أن بروزوفيتش يعاني من ألم في العضلة المقربة اليسرى، وينتظر الاختبارات لمعرفة مدى الإصابة، وما إذا كان سيكون متاحًا لفريقه إنتر ميلان أمام برشلونة في دوري أبطال أوروبا أم لا.

اقرأ أيضًا | إنتر ميلان يتلقى نبأ سارًا بشأن لوكاكو قبل مواجهة برشلونة في دوري أبطال أوروبا

ويستعد إنتر ميلان لملاقاة روما يوم 1 أكتوبر المقبل في الدوري الإيطالي، ثم يواجه برشلونة 4 من الشهر ذاته بدور المجموعات في دوري الأبطال.

Phil Jaques and Usman Khawaja posted centuries before New South Wales’ bowlers gave the leaders Victoria a fright in the draw at Newcastle

Cricinfo staff21-Dec-2009Victoria 311 & 5 for 144 (Rogers 94*) drew with New South Wales 8 for 390 dec & 3 for 306 dec (Jaques 131, Khawaja 107)
Scorecard
Usman Khawaja’s 107 was his second century in as many games•Getty ImagesPhillip Hughes made the Test team but it was Phil Jaques and Usman Khawaja who posted centuries before New South Wales’ bowlers gave the leaders Victoria a fright in the draw at Newcastle. After Jaques and Khawaja pushed the Blues to the declaration at 3 for 306, the Bushrangers slipped after a comfortable start to be 5 for 119 after tea.They were chasing a nominal target of 386 for victory and were held together by Chris Rogers, another opener overlooked for the Test side, as they reached 5 for 144 when bad light ended the game. Rogers finished with an unbeaten 94 in a confident display after Nick Jewell, David Hussey, Cameron White and Andrew McDonald went for single figures. The medium pacer Grant Lambert was a handful for the middle order with 3 for 27 while Mitchell Starc had two wickets.Hughes, who is on standby for Ricky Ponting for Boxing Day, fell in the first over of the fourth morning to a bat-pad catch on 7 before Jaques and Khawaja raced forward. Jaques scored his first domestic century since returning from back surgery, rushing to 131 off 141 balls, while Khawaja reached his second in as many games, finishing with 107 after being stumped off David Hussey. David Warner stepped in for a typical cameo of 48 from 30 balls, with five fours and two sixes, before the declaration arrived.A result was unlikely as soon as the first day was washed out. Victoria have a six-point buffer at the top of the table while New South Wales dropped to last despite picking up first-innings points.

كشف مصدر بالاتحاد المصري لكرة اليد، عن موقف الثلاثي أحمد خيري وراؤول نانتس لاعبي الأهلي، وجيمس باركر لاعب يد الزمالك، من مباراة اليوم في كأس السوبر المصري للمحترفين.

ومن المقرر أن يلتقي فريق يد الأهلي مع نظيره الزمالك، مساء اليوم الإثنين في كأس السوبر المصري. طالع الموعد والقناة الناقلة.

وقال المصدر في تصريحات خاصة لـ”بطولات”: “البطاقات الدولية للثلاثي أحمد خيري وراؤول نانتس لاعبي الأهلي وجيمس باركر لاعب يد الزمالك لم تصل إلى الآن”.

وأوضح: “لن يتم تسجيل لاعبي الفريقين المنضمين حديثاً سوى في حالة وصول بطاقاتهم الدولية”.

طالع أيضًا.. الزمالك يهزم سبورتنج في مباراة مثيرة بافتتاح كأس سوبر اليد

وأختتم: “موقف الثلاثي من مباراة الأهلي والزمالك الليلة إلى الآن هم ليسوا في قائمة فرقهم وقد يحدث تطور خلال الساعات القادمة وتصل بطاقات اللاعبين الدولية”.

Many Glasgow Rangers slammed the performance of Alfredo Morelos despite scoring in their 3-0 win at home to Dundee on Saturday afternoon.

In fairness, the Colombia international took his goal well, bulldozing his way through the visitors’ defence before slotting the ball into the net with his left foot.

However, some home fans were still frustrated by his overall performance, as he lost out on six of his duels and only scored once from his eight shots on goal in total (SofaScore).

He was also guilty of giving the ball away 13 times in the match, the joint-fifth most out of any of his teammates on the pitch (SofaScore), and hopefully the goal will give him confidence to perform better in their next fixture.

Rangers fans slam Morelos

These Gers fans slammed Morelos’ performance on Twitter, with one Light Blues supporter going as far as to claim that he was ‘awful’ today despite scoring:

“Morelos has had an absolute stinker here today!!! Awful”

Credit: @alston2_kev

“Morelos only tries in Europe, time for Alegria to step up to the 1st team”

Credit: @Giovani2021Ward

“No celebration when Rangers score from Morelos, body language is terrible. Still like a huffy child sometimes. His best has come and gone”

Credit: @AlanWyseDJ

“Morelos’ finishing is depressing.”

Credit: @Greg_1872

“Morelos’ body language is very lazy right now. Would hook him for Roofe at HT”

Credit: @rosscofaz

“Morelos is dreadful man”

Credit: @wullieboy78

In other news, find out whose display against Hibernian was slammed by some Gers fans