All posts by n8rngtd.top

A number of Sunderland fans have hit out at goalkeeper Lee Burge on social media for his display in the club’s FA Cup clash with Mansfield Town on Saturday afternoon. 

Lee Johnson made six changes to the side that fell to a 3-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in the week, one of which was Burge coming in for Thorben Hoffmann.

Burge, who stands at 6 foot 2, was making just his seventh start of the season. He began the campaign as first choice but was dropped after three League One fixtures and his appearances since have been limited to cup competitions.

He failed to make a good impression early on at The Stadium of Light despite getting fans on side with his previous cup displays, with his error allowing Rhys Oates to give the League Two side the lead.

The Black Cats were dumped out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 defeat following Burge’s mistake, which had a lot of fans talking on social media.

Sunderland fans react

This is what these Sunderland supporters had to say about the £2,000-a-week shot-stopper following his error, with one labelling him ‘terrible’.

“That’s why he never plays”

Credit: @GazJ2K

“And I’ve seen all week people wanting Burge back in…. Christ”

Credit: @nicholaswilso11

“People blaming Johnson for this, see the goal and total mess up from bungling Burge….he wasn’t coached to do this, just a terrible keeper.”

Credit: @S1mpson

“Its genuinely unbelievable that people want Lee Burge to start in the league”

Credit: @Jay_Alderson04

“Hope that puts to bed the issue that some clowns think Burge is better than Hoffman”

Credit: @Powell_Matthew

“Convinced Burge watches Cal the dragon TikTok’s for training videos man”

Credit: @FulwelI

Tottenham Hotspur have a major problem in attack.

Heading into the international break, Antonio Conte’s side have failed to register a shot on target in nearly four hours of Premier League football, with their last goal coming over five hours ago.

Whilst no other team in the division is averaging fewer shots per game (10.1) than Spurs. Not even rock-bottom Norwich City (10.2) or either of the other two teams in the relegation zone.

That will be something the Italian needs to work on with the players he has left at Hotspur Way over the next ten days.

Perhaps it would be a wise decision to promote the Lilywhites’ U23 goal machine Dilan Markanday to the first-team set-up as he could be a surprise fix to their woes – or at least he’ll put the pressure on the likes of Harry Kane, Tanguy Ndombele and Dele Alli under pressure to perform.

Earlier this week, the 20-year-old gem was nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for the third time in seven months after continuing his fine form in the competition.

Meanwhile, last week, he bagged his tenth goal of the season – in just as many games – as Spurs’ youngsters drew with Brighton and Hove Albion’s U23 side.

Despite this form, Markanday has only been given a 15-minute cameo in the Europa Conference League but he is deserving of much more than that.

The Barnet-born youngster also became a history-maker as the first British-Asian to play for the north Londoners and he’s targeting a long and successful career at the club.

“The dream is to play for Tottenham for the next 15 years, playing every game, but obviously I know things might not work out and there are going to be ups and downs,” he told journalist Jonathan Veal.

Back in 2019, football.london reporter Alasdair Gold made a comparison to former youth product Marcus Edwards, who Mauricio Pochettino once likened to Lionel Messi.

“Markanday has looked bright today. Have always felt he has a very similar running and dribbling style to Marcus Edwards,” he tweeted.

Indeed, the youngster has been “scoring plenty” this campaign, so it’s only right to promote him into the first-team and see if he can emerge as a secret weapon in the coming weeks and months.

Spurs’ problems in the final third are evident and given the form he’s in, it’s worth a punt.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano reveals Conte’s plans for January…

Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in signing Real Madrid striker Borja Mayoral, with the Spaniard currently on loan at Roma.

The Lowdown: Mayoral struggling at Roma

The 24-year-old moved to Rome last year but he has failed to set the world alight with the Giallorossi. In fact, Mayoral has only played 27 minutes of Serie A action so far this season, and with the striker seemingly not wanted at Real Madrid, his future remains up in the air.

Roma have an option to buy the Spaniard at the end of the campaign but current evidence suggests that won’t happen.

The Latest: Palace keen on move

According to Fichajes, Palace are showing an interest in bringing Mayoral to Selhurst Park, with Patrick Vieira keen to bolster his attacking options.

Conor Gallagher and Wilfried Zaha, neither of whom are natural centre-forwards, are the Eagles’ current top scorers this season with four goals apiece and a more prolific striker may be required to share the burden.

The Verdict: Shrewd attacking addition

Mayoral did score 10 goals in just 18 league starts for Roma last season, proving that he can be a ruthless goalscorer despite his current slump.

At 24, he also has plenty of time on his side, allowing Vieira to work with him and ensure that he becomes as good as he can possibly be. His former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane once hailed a ‘complete performance’ for him in 2017, which is big praise from such an iconic figure.

The fact that Palace could get Mayoral on a cut-price deal is an added bonus – his Madrid contract expires in the summer of 2023 – and offers another reason for snapping him up.

In other news, some Crystal Palace fans have bemoaned an injury update which has emerged. Read more here.

While much of the excitement at Aston Villa at the moment will naturally surround Steven Gerrard and how he can get the club firing again, NSWE will be absolutely delighted at securing the services of another man: Michael Beale.

The 41-year-old arrived at Villa Park as Gerrard’s first-team coach from his time at Rangers, and has been widely hailed by numerous people for the role he has played.

Indeed, Gerrard himself told The Robbie Fowler Podcast: “What I’ll never do is try to do someone else’s job when they are better than me at doing it It would take me 15 to 20 years to become as good as Michael Beale as an on-pitch coach, delivering sessions on a daily basis, so I let Mick be Mick because he’s the expert.”

That sentiment is echoed by journalist Stuart Hodge who exclusively revealed to GIVEMESPORT the kind of role Beale has played, and will play at Villa Park over the coming months and years.

Hodge said: “Beale is the man behind him that’s doing things and looking at things from a different perspective. He’ll be the one doing a lot of the drills on the training pitch.”

He added: “Gerrard is the manager and Beale’s the coach, essentially. Beale is the brains behind the operation, whereas Gerrard is very much the face and the front of it.”

Having that respected coach who can really dig into the finer details on the training ground and really improve players will be particularly key for a young Villa side brimming with exciting talents coming through the academy – not least the likes of Carney Chukwuemeka and Cameron Archer.

And, speaking to BBC Scotland, former Gers star Peter Lovenkrands outlined just how Beale goes about things with individual players: “What he does with the players on the pitch is phenomenal. I remember he was giving me sessions to take down because I was doing the reserves; he wanted us to copy it. I was loving it. I actually wanted to take part in the training.

“He’s so on the ball. He’s so good at what he does. The players love it. His preparation for each game is fantastic to watch, and Gerrard is very lucky to have him.”

While Villa fans will surely be very pleased with appointing Gerrard, the arrival of the 41-year-old Beale in tandem could be the real masterstroke that really ignites things behind-the-scenes.

Meanwhile, Ashley Preece has revealed what Gerrard has “transformed” at Villa Park…

Newcastle’s difficult start to the Premier League season continued at the weekend as they were held to a 3-3 draw by Brentford at St James’ Park.

They are rooted to the bottom of the table on six points and are the only team in the division who are yet to win a single match.

One player who had an eventful game against the Bees was centre-back and captain Jamaal Lascelles, as he scored a goal at the right end and the wrong end…

Dream deal by Newcastle

The towering centre-back has been one of the few bright sparks for the Magpies this season. He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.81, which only Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin have been able to beat.

As per SofaScore, he has won 62% of his duels in the Premier League and made a whopping 5.8 clearances per game on average. This shows that, despite Newcastle’s struggles, Lascelles has been putting in some strong performances and doing his part in trying to lift the team out of trouble.

He has been a dream signing for the club since they landed him from Nottingham Forest in 2014. They reportedly paid £7m to sign Lascelles in a deal which also included goalkeeper Karl Darlow, with Transfermarkt estimating that just over half of that figure was used to pay for the defender. However, even if the full £7m was spent on him, Newcastle have still pulled off a blinder with him over the years.

At the time of writing (24/11/21), Transfermarkt value him at £11.7m. This means that his value has risen since arriving at St James’ Park and he has been able to maintain a high level of consistency over the past seven years on Tyneside, with Alan Shearer once claiming that he “gives everything”.

He was sent back out on loan to Nottingham Forest for the 2014/15 campaign and then played just 18 times in the Premier League during his first full year on Tyneside. However, he was made club captain at the start of the 2016/17 campaign, wearing the armband under Rafael Benitez, Steve Bruce and now Eddie Howe.

Lascelles has since gone on to play 197 times for Newcastle in the subsequent years, including 135 times in the Premier League, and he has won a Championship title with the club. Along with his captaincy and increase in value, this shows that he has been a terrific signing and the Magpies have extracted plenty from the £7m they paid in 2014.

AND in other news, Journalist drops Newcastle transfer update on £10.8m-rated “monster” which will leave fans gutted…

Freddie Woodman could depart Newcastle United in January, according to The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder. 

The lowdown

The 24-year-old started Newcastle’s first four Premier League matches this season but hasn’t featured since. With Martin Dubravka and Karl Darlow fit again after starting the campaign injured, he looks to be the Magpies’ third choice between the sticks.

Woodman, who has been hailed as an ‘excellent’ goalkeeper by former Magpies defender Steve Howey, was on the verge of joining Bournemouth on loan in the summer before Newcastle pulled the plug on the deal at the 11th hour after learning of Dubravka’s injury.

The latest

Ryder wrote in The Chronicle that the departure of a goalkeeper could free up a space in the Newcastle squad for a new arrival, and Woodman looks the most likely candidate after slipping down the pecking order behind Dubravka and Darlow.

A prospective loan move could well be revived for the 24-year-old when the window opens, according to this report.

The verdict

Woodman had his chance to impress at the beginning of the season but he didn’t really grasp it. He conceded 12 goals from a post-shot xG of just 8.7, one of the poorest shot-stopping records in the Premier League (via FBRef).

The £9m-rated stopper kept more clean sheets than any other Championship netminder while he was on loan at Swansea City in 2020/21, but now he might need to rebuild his reputation with another stint in the second tier.

With the 24-year-old failing to even make the matchday squad for any of Newcastle’s games in November, it’s not hard to see why Ryder has toured him for a potential January exit.

In other news, Newcastle have set their sights on signing this rising starlet

Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has been reacting to the injury that Liam Cooper sustained against Brentford on Sunday.  

The Lowdown: Phillips and Bamford worries

Marcelo Bielsa has had to deal with plenty of injury issues this season and may well have three more players sidelined after the 2-2 draw on the weekend.

Kalvin Phillips had to make way in the second half against Brentford, with The Daily Mail now believing that he could be out until February with a hamstring injury.

Patrick Bamford made his return to action late on against Thomas Frank’s side and managed to salvage a draw with a 95th-minute equaliser. However, he too may be back on the injury table after reportedly suffering a hamstring issue in the celebrations after the goal.

The Latest: Cooper’s injury; Whelan reacts

Cooper also had to be withdrawn early on at Elland Road against the Bees, with Bielsa unsure in regards to the extent of the Scotland defender’s injury. However, reliable reporter Phil Hay believes the Scot is facing a ‘lengthy spell out’ along with Phillips.

Whelan, who contributes as a pundit for the BBC, was talking to Football Insider about the injuries to Cooper and Phillips in a story on Tuesday morning, saying: “It’s a massive worry. One’s our club captain, and the other is invaluable to how we play.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“375277″]

Whelan added: “We can’t afford this, to be missing players like them over this Christmas period, they’re vitally important.”

The Verdict: Back to square one…

Bielsa was edging closer to a fully fit squad prior to the latest triple blow, with Pascal Struijk and Robin Koch the only major first-team absentees on Sunday. However, it now seems as if the Whites could be back to square one when it comes to injuries at the worst possible time.

Leeds have five fixtures before the end of the year, and it seems as if Bamford, Phillips and possibly Cooper may end up missing some of those, leaving Bielsa searching for answers once again at a crucial stage of the season. It’s no wonder that Whelan is so worried about the Whites’ immediate prospects given the latest glut of body blows.

In other news: Leeds receive boost in quest to sign 13-cap beast who’s been hailed as a “young star”. 

Everton have reportedly initiated contact with Juventus over wantaway midfielder Aaron Ramsey ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to Italian outlet CalcioMercato, Rafa Benitez’s charges have begun negotiations with the 30-year-old’s advisors ahead of a potential move, with Juve keen to get the player off their books.

The report states that: “The Toffees have initiated the first contact with the player’s entourage, and there is room for reaching the finish line. The Juventus club crosses its fingers and is willing to let him start at zero in the winter transfer market, cancelling his contract and therefore giving up monetizing.”

Everton could finally replace James Rodriguez

After James Rodriguez’s September switch to Qatari outfit Al-Rayyan, Everton have been left with a creative void in the middle of the park.

While the likes of Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure offer running power, pace and stability, they arguably lack the imagination and guile to carve elite-level defences open on a regular basis, something Ramsey is more than capable of doing.

Throughout his 11-year stint with Arsenal, the Wales international scored 65 goals and laid on a further 65 assists in 371 appearances, winning three FA Cups along the way.

Martin Keown labelled him a “real leader” and an “outstanding technician” following a typically classy display in Europe back in 2019, but Ramsey has found life slightly tougher since departing north London later that year.

Despite being in Turin for two-and-half years now, the £9m-rated maestro has only started 25 Serie A games for the Old Lady, highlighting his peripheral role within the first-team squad.

However, Ramsey has continued to perform at an exceptional level for his nation throughout and was instrumental in Wales’ run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.

His eye-catching performances saw teammate Joe Allen dub him “world-class” after a stellar showing against Turkey in a crucial 2-0 victory at the European Championship this year, and moving to Everton could prove to be the catalyst he needs to get his career back on track.

And, in other news…Everton could discover their new Rooney by signing “first-class” 20 y/o with “no fear” 

Wolves have a number of wingers in their squad, and with all of them competing to be a starter in the side, there is little room for obvious error when the opportunity arises for a starting position in the team.

Bruno Lage decided it was Francisco Trincao’s time to shine in the line up against Brighton away from home last night in their midweek Premier League fixture, that saw the side take their first three-pointer in five games, securing a 1-0 win at the AMEX.

Despite the win, Lage took to his post-match conference to make an honest statement following Trincao’s mistake in front of the dugout in the final third which led to Wolves conceding a corner, and spoke briefly about the 21-year-old’s time with Wolves so far:

“Sometimes he needs to understand the game better,” Lage said. “That’s the big experience for him and what he can learn.

“If you look at the first 15, 20 minutes, every time he tried to link the game, they counter-press and we lost the ball.

“After that he tried to link the game the way we wanted. In the Premier League there is always a good tempo and a good rhythm, and when you come from outside (England) you need to adapt.”

The Portuguese winger has had inconsistencies in his performances so far, with just one goal and not a single assist in his 14 appearances for Wolves so far this season compared to his position competitor, Daniel Podence, who has offered two goals and two assists for the side in fewer appearances.

He struggled to make an impact on his side last night against Brighton, losing the ball every 2.8 times he touched it which only continues to add to Wolves lower possession record away from home. That sits at an average of 44.1% in the Premier League, compared to 53.2% when the side plays at Molineux.

With that first statistic in mind, it’s clear to see why Tim Spiers described him as “sloppy” in possession earlier this term.

As a result of these poor performances, Lage must make the decision to axe the consistency that Trincao lacks into the team in the attacking third, especially during the congested fixtures coming up over Christmas and New Year, where Wolves can pick up a lot of points and will need to have trustworthy players to elevate their chances to get more comfortable in the top half of the table.

Wolves have an option to buy Trincao for £25m when his season long loan from Barcelona ends in the Summer of 2022, but the forward will have a lot of convincing to do for the club to feel that they should secure a permanent move for him, and prove that he can make a positive impact on the side’s efforts to secure European football next season.

Lage will have to now assess how he is going to move forward with his attacking options, as Wolves have been hit with a devastating blow to their starting side with Hwang Hee-Chan getting injured during the game last night, which could give Trincao the chance to redeem himself.

For now, however, he definitely deserves to be axed; his performances have not been good enough.

In other news: Adama Traore attracting January transfer interest

Celtic and Tottenham could look to sign Nice winger Deji Sotana, according to reliable reporter Mike McGrath of The Telegraph.

The Lowdown: Sotana profiled

Sotana is just 19 years of age and is primarily a left-winger who can also play at left-back or even as a centre-forward and is under contract for a further 18 months. [Transfermarkt]

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-20/” title=”Celtic updates!!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

He left Manchester United for Nice in September 2020 but is still yet to turn out for the French side at senior level.

A return to the Premier League was on the cards for the teenager during the summer, however, a move to Chelsea fell through. The Blues are still keen on the Irishman, and it seems as if the Hoops are also keen ahead of the January transfer window.

The Latest: Hoops keen

McGrath’s transfer notebook on Wednesday morning provided an update on Sotana’s future, with a return to the UK on the cards.

He claimed that both Celtic and Tottenham are interested in the versatile youngster, along with Chelsea as the winter window approaches.

The Verdict: Third Irish addition?

Ange Postecoglou has already made two Irish signings during his tenure as Celtic boss in James McCarthy and Liam Scales, so Sotana could well be the third.

However, it could be a big ask to pip the two London giants in the race for the Irishman. The Hoops may have to guarantee the teenager first-team football to stand a chance, but they already have six wingers on the books, so might not be able to make that promise.

Even if Celtic miss out on Sotana, they are keen to make at least three Japanese January additions, so it should be a busy start to the year at Parkhead nonetheless.

In other news: Possession lost 44 times, 0 shots on target, 1 cross: Celtic’s worst three players vs St. Mirren.