All posts by n8rngtd.top

Just what does Federico Fernandez have to do to be recognised as one of the Premier League’s better central defenders?

Whether it’s because he plays for a Newcastle side that haven’t pulled up any trees and have had to fend off relegation battles in recent seasons, or that he isn’t in the mould of a modern, flashy centre-back, Fernandez’s name isn’t one that crops up in conversations about who the top-flight best defenders are.

On Sunday afternoon against Everton, the Argentine delivered yet another monstrous display at the heart of defence, as Steve Bruce’s side stopped the high-flying Toffees 2-1 at St James’ Park.

And whilst Callum Wilson will be the man in the headlines for his match-winning brace, Fernandez deserves a whole load of credit for the way he marshalled the Newcastle back-line, and was desperately unlucky not to have been a part of a side that kept a clean-sheet – Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury-time strike put an end to that.

But that takes nothing away from Fernandez’s individual performance. As per Sofascore, he won an impressive 100% of his duels, whilst he really batten down the hatches with a monstrous ten clearances. To put that last stat into context, the rest of his Newcastle teammates only combined for 13 in total.

The 31-year-old – signed by Rafa Benitez in the summer of 2018 from Swansea – also threw himself at everything, putting his body on the line for the cause and ending up blocking two shots, including a fine one on Calvert-Lewin’s effort.

Fernandez’s tally of clearances actually ranks him first in the entire Premier League, and 13 more than fellow centre-back and club captain Jamaal Lascelles.

Whilst he may not wear the armband, the Argentine continues to prove he’s one of Bruce’s unsung heroes, and the real kingpin of a defence that could really hold the key to their success this season.

The Magpies should be thanking Benitez for bringing him in for just £6m a couple of years ago. An absolute bargain.

Glasgow Rangers could well be four points clear of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership table by the time they face Livingston FC next Sunday. Steven Gerrard will have had almost two weeks to think about his options when the whistle blows at the weekend.

As the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So, the Rangers boss probably won’t tinker too much with the back four before the Old Firm derby, providing everybody is fit. James Tavernier and Borna Barisic are safe bets to start, whilst Connor Goldson and Filip Helander will most likely resume their partnership in the heart of the defence. However, Gerrard has other areas he urgently needs to address.

It seems Gerrard still hasn’t settled for a regular starter on the right wing. Ianis Hagi and Jordan Jones have started in recent weeks, whilst Brandon Barker came off the bench to score a goal against Ross County before the international break.

Competition for places has arguably never been higher which means that the Gers boss has some big calls to make. But both Barker and Jones have struggled at times in the Scottish Premiership with neither player managing more than 0.5 key passes per game, via SofaScore.

In fact, the pair haven’t provided a single assist between them at the moment, meaning even Scott Arfield is contributing more in attack, and he’s not someone you should really expect to see pinging in passes into the box. By comparison, Hagi has played 10 games in the Scottish top flight this season, and scored one goal and supplied five assists, whilst he has averaged 1.5 shots and 1.6 key passes per game, as per SofaScore.

He is also comfortable playing with either foot, meaning he can spray passes left and right, whereas Barker and Jones prefer to play with their right feet. Therefore, it’s time for Gerrard to give the 13-cap Romanian international the chance to shine, as the attacking midfielder could be the man to make the magic happen. He has been on the bench in their last two Premiership matches and still managed two assists, so he needs to be brought back into the 11 for the next game.

Gerrard once hailed the 21-year-old as an “outstanding” player after he inspired Rangers to a sensational 3-2 comeback victory against Braga in the Europa League last term.

What better way for Hagi to finally earn his stripes than by starting at Parkhead? His passing ability could cause Celtic all sorts of problems.

AND in other news, Ex-Rangers whizkid Billy Gilmour has thrived since his Ibrox exit…

Everton are at risk of a year of wasted funds if Muhamed Besic’s rumoured move to Rangers falls through after Steven Gerrard admitted his surprise at claims of a medical.

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell, Gerrard has claimed that it would be news to him if Besic had arrived at the Gers’ facilities to carry out any medical examinations ahead of a potential move to Ibrox.

Gerrard is eager to strengthen his squad with at least one new player before the end of the summer window, having started the season promisingly as the Liverpool icon strives to deny Old Firm rivals Celtic a tenth Premiership title in a row.

Besic had been linked with a move north of the border by reports in his native Bosnia at the start of the month, with Sportske claiming the 28-year-old was high on Gerrard’s agenda.

The Bosnian outlet also noted that Besic could be just days away from leaving Everton after being deemed surplus to requirements by Carlo Ancelotti, with his representatives keen to resolve their client’s situation ahead of Deadline Day.

Fourth Official also suggested Besic had travelled to Scotland on Friday for a medical ahead of a one-season loan, although Gerrard himself refuting the claims could prove costly for Everton.

The clock is ticking

Besic’s situation would have been a high priority of Blues Director of Football Marcel Brands this summer with his £30,000-per-week contract now in its final twelve months, but the clock is ticking for the Dutchman to secure a move away from Goodison Park for the Berlin-born Bosnian before Deadline Day passes.

As such, Everton will be hoping that Gerrard’s comments on Besic were merely the former England midfielder not wanting to speak publicly on a player not yet at his disposal, as the Toffees may otherwise be left paying out £1.29million in wages before the 45-cap international departs as a free agent.

The loan move suggested by Fourth Official would also be a puzzling offer to accept, but should not be entirely overlooked as Brands would still be able to secure a fee befitting of a player nearing the end of their contract.

Arsenal signed Cedric Soares on an initial loan deal from Southampton during the January window and agreed to pay the Saints a reported £1million while covering his full £65,000-per-week salary for the privilege, despite the 29-year-old becoming a free agent in the summer at which point the Gunners had to agree on a new contract in order to keep the Portuguese right-back.

With Besic’s remaining contact almost twice as long as the length of time on Cedric’s when the defender departed St Mary’s, Everton could still be in line to land close to the Bosnian’s market value of £2.16m but more importantly offload his £30k-p/w contract.

AND in other news, Everton are warming to the idea of sending a rarely-seen man away from Goodison Park.

Steven Gerrard is looking to bolster his Glasgow Rangers squad for the 2020/21 season, and this has seen him turn his attention to a midfielder currently plying his trade abroad.

According to the Daily Mail, the Gers are keeping tabs on Benfica midfielder Chris Willock. Derby County, Queens Park Rangers and AFC Bournemouth are also monitoring him.

However the only issue is that Huddersfield Town have agreed a £1m fee with the Portuguese giants and experienced Champions League side for the player. Indeed, he spent the second half of the 19/20 campaign on loan with the West Yorkshire outfit.

Last season Willock, who is only 22, featured 14 times for the Terriers in the Championship, picking up two goals and managing on average one shot, 1.4 successful dribbles, and 1.1 tackles a game, via WhoScored.

These aren’t the greatest stats for the player but show that he can provide support at both ends of the pitch and the fact that he is currently at Benfica highlights that he definitely has some potential to succeed and grow into a better player.

However it feels like if Gerrard was to add to his squad, it needs to be players performing at their best right now because he is currently looking to guide the club to their first title in ten years.

Therefore it would not be the biggest worry if they were to lose out on this signing, and there are other targets in midfield, like Daniel Johnson, who would be better options as he recorded 12 goals and seven assists in the Championship last season, managing on average 1.4 key passes, 1.3 shots and 1.7 tackles per game, via WhoScored.

Glasgow Rangers fans, what are your thoughts on this news? Comment below!

Aston Villa appear to be closing in on their first signing of the summer transfer window and it’s sure to excite much of the fanbase in the west Midlands.

What’s the word?

According to Kosovan journalist Arlind Sadiku, Werder Bremen forward Milot Rashica will leave the Bundesliga outfit before the end of next week and Dean Smith’s side are front of the queue to land him.

Villa are set to beat off local rivals Wolves as well as AS Monaco for the 24-year-old’s signature.

Meanwhile, Weser Kurier have previously claimed that just €25m (£22.5m) will be enough to secure his transfer, so maybe that’s been met by Villa.

Ice-cold star

Smith would certainly be getting an upgrade to his attacking armoury if he does indeed manage to clinch the Kosovan international.

The 24-year-old has impressed in Bundesliga this season, providing 11 goals and five assists across all domestic competitions, via WhoScored. He’s predominantly been played on the left-wing but can also feature as a number nine.

This could mean that Villa skipper Jack Grealish is pushed back into central midfield, where his creativity would undoubtedly flourish.

Rashica has been likened to former Arsenal talisman Alexis Sanchez – of old rather than new – due to his ability to play across the front three and being an ice-cold finisher who can win games on his own.

Having averaged 2.6 shots, 2 dribbles and 1.4 key passes this season, it’s easy to see why he’s been compared to the Inter Milan star.

His teammate at Bremen, Theo Gebre Selassie, believes he’s “one of the best players in the Bundesliga” whilst head coach Florian Kohfeldt claims the 5 foot 10 magicians “makes scoring look so easy.”

Only six teams scored fewer goals than Villa last season, so it is certainly one area that needs improvements, so a swoop for Rashica at just £22.5m should absolutely be pushed through.

AND in other news, Villa could land perfect Jack Grealish partner in recently-relegated STAR…

According to recent reports, Leeds are interested in signing QPR starlet Eberechi Eze this summer.

What’s the word?

Eze has been in superb form for the Championship side this season, racking up 14 goals and eight assists in the league. That has prompted speculation he could be heading for the exit door, with reports now suggesting Leeds are keen on having him lead their Premier League return next season.

The Sun have claimed Marcelo Bielsa has identified the 22-year-old as someone who can bring a creative spark to Elland Road, and that the Whites are ready to outbid the likes of Tottenham and West Ham in the race to sign him.

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

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

In fact, it’s further suggested that Leeds actually informed QPR of their intentions of placing a bid for the England youth international back in January if they achieved promotion this season.

Sterling 2.0

It’s fair to say that Eze has earned a lot of plaudits in his short career as a first-team football for QPR.

Mark Warburton hailed him as a “tremendous talent” who has “no limits” in just how far he can go, whilst the Hoops’ former assistant manager Mark Bircham said: “He goes past players easier than Raheem Sterling did. Sterling would beat players with pace or do a trick or a chop – it’s all dynamic movements, but Ebere Eze just glides past players.”

With Sterling also having come through the QPR academy, that may be a simple comparison to make. But if you dig beneath that, you can see just how comparable the two are.

As per Whoscored, he has averaged a stunning three dribbles per game in the Championship, whilst also attempting 2.2 shots per match too. And with his tally of 14 goals this season, he clearly has the goal-scoring knack that Sterling has developed, with the latter netting 19 in the Premier League for Manchester City.

Speaking about his dribbling ability, Danny Higginbotham remarked: “You would not want him one on one. He has that knack of gliding past players with ease. He has so many assists because he attracts so much attention which creates space for his teammates.”

If Leeds manage to sign him this summer, then they could very well have their own Sterling in their hands.

One of the brightest young talents in European football, it appears Tottenham have now set their sights on RB Salzburg starlet Dominik Szoboszlai.

The midfielder has been an ever-present for the Austrian side this season, making 37 appearances across all competitions. And despite playing across the midfield for Salzburg, he has been a consistently impressive performer, racking up ten goals and 16 assists.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…

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

Reports in recent days had suggested Spurs’ north London rivals Arsenal are interested in securing his services this summer, but now, according to Italian journalist Alessandro Jacobone, the Lilywhites, along with Serie A giants, Milan, are in the race to sign him too.

After hearing about their links to the talented 19-year-old, Spurs fans flooded to Twitter to share their reactions.

One Spurs supporter simply talked up his potential, with Szoboszlai himself previously revealing that people had compared his game to the likes of Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Toni Kroos.

A couple of fans urged the club to do everything in their power to sign Szoboszlai, and insisted that this is one player where money shouldn’t be the deciding factor.

It’s no surprise to see Spurs fans get so excited at the prospect of seeing Szoboszlai make the switch to north London this summer.

Still only 19, the Hungary international looks set for a bright future in the game, and if Spurs can beat off interest from the likes of Arsenal and Milan for his signature, then it would be a real statement of intent.

West Ham United have been heavily linked with Morgan Sanson from various media outlets for a while now, but the latest news provides supporters of the club with a negative update around the possibility of acquiring the player in the summer transfer window.

According to a report from L’Equipe (print version, Monday June 1, page 3), the French midfielder would prefer a move to the Hammers’ London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who are keeping tabs on the player.

Sanson currently plays for Ligue 1 side Marseille and has featured 27 times for the club this season, scoring five times and contributing to five assists, via Transfermarkt. Indeed, he has only played professional football in France, as previously he was at Montpellier and Le Mans, so any move abroad would be a big change for him.

Reports from L’Equipe (via Sport Witness) claimed that the Hammers tried to sign Sanson in the January transfer window but they had a £30m bid rejected and it is worth wondering whether the fact that the Frenchman preferring Spurs might be a blessing in disguise for the Irons.

His goal contribution tally is impressive this season but he only has three more goals than West Ham midfielder Pablo Fornals, who is in his debut season in England, whilst they have the same number of assists, so it would worth questioning whether spending more than £30m would be worth it.

The club are also linked to Jonjo Shelvey (as per Football Insider), who is an experienced Premier League midfielder that would bring both creativity (his 1.8 key passes a game is more than the whole West Ham squad) and a defensive quality to the squad, (1.2 tackles and interceptions per game), via WhoScored.

Sanson seems like a player that the Hammers don’t really need as they could spend money elsewhere and have better alternative options, so hopefully the fact that he is more interested in a move to Spurs should defuse any interest from David Moyes.

Hammers fans, would you be disappointed to miss out on Sanson? Comment below with your views!

Jermain Defoe has admitted that Juande Ramos was one of the main reasons why he decided to leave Tottenham for Portsmouth in 2008.

The striker, who had scored 64 goals in 177 appearances for Spurs at that time, had established himself as a White Hart Lane favourite, but opted to reunite with Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth after the pair had originally worked together at West Ham.

The move surprised many, not least Defoe, who explained the events leading up to his first White Hart Lane departure in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast.

He said: “It was a hard decision for me to make. I loved it at Spurs. But we had a change of manager, Juande Ramos came in and he had different ideas.

“One day in training he said something to me, I said something back, and then he told me that if I wasn’t happy I could leave. Even the players couldn’t believe he’d said it to me.

“So I phoned my agent and told him what the manager said. Ramos spoke to Daniel Levy about it and the chairman was like: ‘Are you joking? That is not happening!’

“The next game I was given the armband to be captain! It was strange.”

Ramos arrived at White Hart Lane in 2007, replacing Martin Jol, leading Spurs out of the relegation zone and into midtable before being sacked at the beginning of the following season.

And Defoe explained that while he didn’t want to leave Tottenham, he felt like he needed to while Ramos was still at the club.

“It was so hard to leave Tottenham. I just felt like I had no choice. I just couldn’t play for Juande Ramos.”

You can read the full interview with Jermain Defoe, in conjunction with On The Ball Global, here.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters are clearly keen for defensive additions this summer after reports emerged linking them with a new candidate.

According to Spanish media outlet ABC, Spurs are chasing Real Madrid left-back Sergio Reguilon following an impressive campaign on loan at La Liga rivals Sevilla.

Hilariously obscure Premier League players – Can you name them all?

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

However, the player is not only highly-rated but well sought-after with over ten clubs touted with interest, thus Los Galacticos would ideally like to implement a buy-back clause in any deal.

The 23-year-old has become Sevilla’s first-choice option in the role this term, averaging 2.1 tackles, 1.7 dribbles and 1.6 key passes per game, via WhoScored.

Some fans believe he would be a considerable upgrade to Ben Davies at left-back, and these figures would certainly hint towards that as the Spaniard appears to be a rather interesting attacking option.

Jose Mourinho is also able to call upon Ryan Sessegnon, but the Portuguese boss has rarely done so since taking charge in November. The young summer addition has only featured 12 times for a total of 772 minutes, per Transfermarkt.

The Sevilla loan star is currently valued at £18m after one goal and four assists for the Spanish outfit this campaign.

And the Spurs faithful would like to see Reguilon in north London next season, here’s what has been said…

AND in other news, Spurs fans really do not want this West Ham star…