All posts by z3u9t.icu

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Sheffield Wednesday’s current season takes a short break from league action as Euro 2020 qualifying amongst other international competitions takes centre stage.

The Owls are sat eighth in the Championship table, three points behind a playoff position, and eight points behind their next opponents, the league-leading West Bromwich Albion.

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This two-week hiatus gives manager Garry Monk an opportunity to iron out some of the problems his side have faced in recent weeks, most notably, their lack of game management as in three of their last five matches, his team have thrown away some form of valuable points.

Although, the 40-year-old will be without those on international duty, and one player could well be in line to start on Sunday when England play Kosovo.

On the Chalkboard

Some of those at Hillsborough may find their loyalties divided as Atdhe Nuhiu has a very good chance of starting against the Three Lions at the Pristina City Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur-linked (Fanatik per Aksam) striker Vedat Muriqi has withdrawn from the squad with an ankle injury, and there’s only one other player fit to play the role other than the Wednesday colossus.

Nuhiu’s physical advantage could make him the ideal choice against an England side that has probably never faced such a threat before.

At 6 foot 6, the 30-year-old towers above pretty much every player on the pitch whenever he features – this season, he has won a total of 58 aerial duels at an average of 4.8 per game, via WhoScored.

England have a wide choice of central defensive options to call upon, but none stand as tall as Nuhiu.

John Stones has only won 3.3 aerial duels per game while Harry Maguire, the tallest defender in Gareth Southgate’s squad, has won just 3.7 aerial duels per match.

While surely the younger, less experienced heads of Joe Gomez (2 aerial duels won per game) and Fikayo Tomori (2 aerial duels won per match) won’t be called upon against such a physical powerhouse.

Nuhiu didn’t feature when the two teams met last month at Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium as England won 5-3, but based on the above factors alone, the Wednesday striker has the capability to be a real handful on Sunday afternoon.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Harry Kane’s form has been sliding to the point where it has become a worry for Tottenham Hotspur.

On the chalkboard

The England international remains an elite calibre striker with a genuinely exceptional scoring record.

After a quiet start to the season, he has still scored 10 goals in 15 outings in all competitions.

Yet his statistics point to a player who is struggling.

Per WhoScored, he averages 2.7 shots per game, 0.7 key passes, 0.5 dribbles, two dispossessions and 2.4 unsuccessful touches, while his passing accuracy is a mere 69.1%.

Compare that with last season: He averaged 3.6 shots per game, 1.1 key passes, 1.4 dribbles, 1.6 dispossessions, 2.9 unsuccessful touches and a passing accuracy of 73.1%.

The season prior is even starker; in 2017/18 Kane averaged five shots per game, 0.9 key passes, 1.3 dribbles, 1.6 dispossessions and 1.7 unsuccessful touches. His passing accuracy was 71.2%.

This is a decline. In 2017/18, a season in which he netted 30 Premier League goals, one sees a single-minded striker who is always looking to hit the back of the net. In 2018/19, his game is slightly more rounded, as he looks to bring others into play, while his passing accuracy also improved.

This season, though, he seems caught between a rock and a hard place. He doesn’t shoot as much as he used to, he rarely runs with the ball and he loses the ball regularly. Combine that with poor passing accuracy and it adds up to a headache for manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Bring him into the game

The Spurs boss has to find a way to bring Kane into play.

Examine his match statistics thus far this season. He has attempted over 20 passes three times. His average passes per game number is just 16.5.

At his nadir, he completed just 50% of the passes he attempted in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal. The conclusion? Seven accurate passes.

Now, this is not to say that he should be dropping deeper and upping that number, quite the opposite.

Pochettino needs to construct his attack around Kane’s strengths because, at the moment, Spurs are merely accentuating his weaknesses.

Yes, he is still scoring goals, but he is toiling when he is not shooting and it is not helpful to the team.

Against Sheffield United at the weekend, as Spurs drew 1-1, Kane didn’t make a tackle, an interception or complete a dribble. He had two shots on goal but didn’t score and attempted 17 passes with an accuracy of 58.8%.

Kane remains an elite striker and his record speaks for itself but he needs some help.

Pochettino needs to find a way to surround him with the support he requires in order to get back to the lean, hungry striker he once was.

The stats prove that Kane can do it if he is given the tools; it is his manager’s challenge to source them.

Amid yet another attempt to rebuild themselves into a side capable of finishing inside the Premier League’s top four, Chelsea could lose yet another star man to Real Madrid in a repeat of Antonio Rudiger’s 2022 exit.

Chelsea transfer news

It’s a rare day when the Blues are not dominating the headlines on the transfer front, with Todd Boehly far from afraid to splash the cash even to no avail thus far. So far this season, it has once again been a case of two steps forward and one step back with an impressive victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers sandwiched in between defeat against Manchester City and a frustrating draw against Crystal Palace.

Lukaku arrived instead: Tuchel wanted Chelsea to sign star now worth £152m

It’s safe to say the club made a huge error in not securing a move for the talent.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 18, 2024

Those at Stamford Bridge did at least get back to winning ways last time out, however, defeating Bournemouth late on courtesy of Christopher Nkunku’s strike from the bench.

Away from the action on the pitch, meanwhile, the London giants could be about to do business with European champions Real Madrid once again, but not for a deal that they’ll want to sanction. According to reports, Real Madrid now have Reece James among their top targets and are plotting a move to sign the right-back in 2025 if he finds a solution for his injury problems.

It’s in Madrid that James would be reunited with Rudiger, having won the Champions League with the dominant centre-back in 2021 before the German left Chelsea just one year later.

As Chelsea’s captain, it remains to be seen whether James would complete such a move, but the lure of the Santiago Bernabeu is rarely one that players deny, making next year a very interesting watch. It would certainly sum up the machine that is Real Madrid if they replaced veteran Dani Carvajal with a player of James’ calibre.

"Perfect" James is in crucial moment

There’s no one who is doubting James’ ability on the pitch, but after another recent injury setback, the question will come as to whether Chelsea should simply move on. The answer to that question, however, should centre around patience in a player who only few can match in his position when he is fit and firing.

Former manager Mauricio Pochettino was certainly aware of that quality even amid the injuries, saying via Chelsea Chronicle: “He’s a player that can be a leader, his character, his qualities. He’s present and the future of the club. He’s a perfect player, person, to be captain.”

If, and whilst it remains a big if, James can stay fit then the Real Madrid door looks set to swing open alongside the chance to write his name in history alongside the likes of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe.

It’s a move that Rudiger made in the past and now one Chelsea’s academy graduate could yet make next summer. It would be an undoubted dagger for those at Stamford Bridge, that’s for sure, who’d be watching on as the star they’ve waited for time and time again swapped London for Madrid.

Bayern Munich have joined fellow European heavyweights Real Madrid in the race to sign a Premier League star, as transfer chiefs Max Eberl and Christoph Freund continue work on Vincent Kompany's squad behind-the-scenes.

Kompany records winning Bayern start after summer spree

It has been a brilliant start to life for Kompany at the Allianz Arena, following the Belgian's switch to Bayern's dugout from Burnley over the summer.

The German giants, aiming to wrestle the Bundesliga title back off Bayer Leverkusen, started this 2024/2025 season with a thrilling 3-2 win away at Wolfsburg – with Jamal Musiala, an own goal from Jakub Kaminski and Serge Gnabry's late strike rounding off a crucial win at the Volskwagen Arena.

"I enjoyed it, it was my first Bundesliga game as a coach," said Kompany on Bayern's comeback win at Wolfsburg.

"The first half was dominant, as it should be. We didn't concede any chances. The second half wasn't good at the beginning, we conceded two quick goals. The third point is that our mentality was right at the end, and that's why we won the game.

Holsten Kiel vs Bayern Munich

September 14

Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich

September 21

Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen

September 28

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Bayern Munich

October 6

Bayern Munich vs Stuttgart

October 19

"Mistakes happen, the important thing is how the team reacts. That took a while in the second half. Thomas Mueller and Kingsley Coman came in with the right mentality and the tempo came back. At the end of the second half, we had a lot of courage to win the game. It wasn't perfect, but we'll keep going."

Bayern then downed SC Freiburg 2-0 in Kompany's first ever home league game as manager, courtesy of Harry Kane's first-half penalty and Thomas Muller's late goal, with an all-important opening Champions League match against Dinamo Zagreb awaiting the Bavarians next week after their clash against Holsten Kiel this weekend.

Kompany's promising start comes after Bayern spent nearly £120 million to back him over the summer window, sealing multi-million pound deals for Michael Olise, Joao Palhinha, Hiroki Ito, Bryan Zaragoza, Armindo Zieb and Eric Dier on a free transfer.

Bayern also attempted to add Chido Obi-Martin to Kompany's ranks over the summer, but they were ultimately beaten to the ex-Arsenal wonderkid by Manchester United.

Bayern join Real Madrid in race for Arsenal star William Saliba

Now, according to CaughtOffside, Eberl and Freund have turned their attention towards north London once again – as they eye a move for Arsenal's superstar defender William Saliba.

The France defender has been nothing short of imperative since coming into Mikel Arteta's first team at the beginning of 2022/2023, and Real Madrid have been monitoring Saliba for a while now.

However, it is believed Bayern have now joined Real and PSG in the race for Saliba, as they European big-wigs consider adding an illustrious Premier League defender to their ranks.

It won't be an easy deal to pull off, though, as CS believe Saliba will command a £120 million-plus price tag to prise away from the Emirates Stadium. The 23-year-old is also thought to be on around £190,000-per-week, so the total cost of a move could be very expensive.

“Saliba has been absolutely outstanding, a giant on the pitch," said Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville towards the end of last season. “A special mention to Gabriel as well, who wasn’t far behind in his performance. But this has answered the question of how much Saliba was missed last season.”

Manchester United are said to be considering letting a player who earns a whopping £18 million a year leave the club imminently as some transfer windows across Europe remain open, according to a new report.

For the Red Devils, the transfer window slammed shut on Friday evening, putting an end to a busy summer of transfer activity as the club looks to do much better than the 2023/24 campaign.

Man Utd boost as "monster" and £150k-p/w star now set to return from injury

United will receive a double injury boost ahead of their match against Southampton.

ByBrett Worthington Sep 4, 2024 Manchester United receive a double injury boost

It hasn’t been the best of starts for Manchester United in the Premier League, as they have won just one of their opening three league games of the season. That form has already seen manager Erik ten Hag come under significant pressure.

The Dutchman now has an international break where it gives him time to address some concerns and hope that when United return to action on Saturday the 14th, they can put in a much better performance and get back on a winning run.

That game against the Saints is an important fixture for ten Hag and Manchester United, and the manager could be about to receive a welcome boost. It was reported on Tuesday that United are hopeful that they can welcome defender Luke Shaw and striker Rasmus Hojlund back to the squad for that game in 10 days' time.

Both players have yet to play for the Red Devils this season, with Shaw picking up a calf injury in pre-season, not long after he returned from England duty, while Hojlund picked up a hamstring injury in the club’s pre-season game against Arsenal. Both players will be considered key to ten Hag’s starting XI, so this news will be a huge relief to the Dutchman.

But while two players could be on their way back from injury, it appears one United player could still leave the club as the transfer window remains open across some countries in Europe.

Man United prepared to let £18 million a year star leave

According to reports relayed by Caught Offside, Manchester United are prepared to let midfielder Casemiro leave the club should the right deal present itself. The Brazilian has been with the Red Devils since August 2022, but his future was thrown into doubt at the end of last season, and after recent poor performances the same has happened once again.

The report states that Casemiro, who earns over £18 million a year at Old Trafford, is set to lose his place in United’s starting XI after being hooked against Liverpool on the weekend and with Manuel Ugarte expected to replace him in the long term.

The 32-year-old is said to be considering his options, with Galatasaray interested in signing the player, as their window remains open until the 13th of September.

Apps

87

Goals

12

Assists

9

Stats as per Transfermarkt

Casemiro, who was recently described as being “very important” by ten Hag himself after the club’s win over Fulham at the start of the season, has three years left on his contract, but Man United would move him on should the right deal come about.

West Ham United's captain Declan Rice has been the talk of the transfer window so far, and with so many twists and turns surrounding his future, Football FanCast is here to keep you informed on all the latest updates.

What's the latest on Rice?

After two failed bids, Arsenal's third offer worth £105m has been accepted by the Hammers.

Talks will continue over the structure of the deal, but by all accounts, Mikel Arteta should have his man.

The Gunners have been working tirelessly to reach an agreement for Rice and have faced competition for his signature throughout. The highly sought-after midfielder was subject to a £90m bid from treble winners Manchester City, but that effort was knocked back.

The Citizens then withdrew from the race after deciding against matching Arsenal's colossal bid, which would've come as a relief to Arteta and the Gunners board.

Now, after a long drawn-out transfer saga, Rice is closing in on a move to the Premier League runners-up, but his medical won't take place until the structure of the payment is agreed with the Irons.

Who else was interested?

Apart from the aforementioned Arsenal and Manchester City, Manchester United had been touted as potential suitors.

According to Football Insider, the Red Devils were prepared to offer £45m plus two players – one of whom was believed to be captain Harry Maguire – for Rice.

But that deal never transpired and Erik ten Hag's side seem focused on landing Chelsea's Mason Mount.

Chelsea had registered their interest in the 43-cap England international but appeared more intent on trying to bring Moisés Caicedo to Stamford Bridge. The Guardian further added that the prospect of losing Mount had not helped their chances of signing his best friend.

Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich were another club mooted as a potential destination for Rice but they withdrew their interest after the deal became more and more expensive.

Who did Rice want to join?

Rice's preferred destination always appeared to be Arsenal. The Guardian reported earlier this month that he would like to remain in London and be close to his family after becoming a father last year.

He had held talks with Pep Guardiola, and there was a feeling City could potentially hijack a deal, particularly after İlkay Gündoğan departure, but there was no indication to suggest his head had turned away from a move to the Gunners.

He admires Arteta's playing style and recognises he would be a regular starter at the Emirates.

Arsenal are reportedly growing closure to securing their first signing of the transfer window, as a Premier League ace edges closer to the Emirates.

Mikel Arteta and Edu are expected to have a busy summer, as the Gunners aim to push to further heights after their title-challenging campaign.

What’s the latest on Kai Havertz to Arsenal?

As reported earlier this week by Fabrizio Romano on his Youtube channel, Chelsea star Kai Havertz remains linked to north London.

As stated on the video (03.58), Romano explains that the German “has an agreement with Arsenal on personal terms”, adding that the Londoners “have to be fast” to secure a deal to capture the forward.

On Tuesday, The Athletic’s David Ornstein added that talks are ‘ongoing’ with Chelsea over the 24-year-old, claiming his ‘preference’ is to join Arsenal.

Mail Sport also covered the saga, saying that a new verbal offer of £60m has been made.

What could Kai Havertz offer to Arsenal?

Havertz hasn’t been the only Premier League gem linked with a move to the Emirates, with Declan Rice being another narrative of the club’s transfer window so far.

The West Ham United midfielder like the German has reportedly favoured a move to Arsenal, in two signings that could gel perfectly to take Arteta’s squad to new heights.

Lauded as "magic" by ESPN reporter Jeff Borzello, the versatile attacker thrives in getting himself into positions in the final third, as supported by his average of 8.27 progressive passes received per 90, via FBref.

On the other side, Rice is a master at passing and creative progressive movement from deep midfield, as conveyed by averaging 6.60 progressive passes per 90, placing him in the top 20% of midfielders in Europe to do so, via FBref.

Having the ability to play as a forward or midfielder, Havertz could add a real threat to Arsenal’s attack in abundance, as shown through his form in the Bundesliga where he registered 61 G/A in 118 appearances playing in central midfield for Bayer Leverkusen.

The German’s versatility could equip the north Londoners with added depth in a number of positions, acting as a perfect outlet for the creators in the side.

West Ham’s captain would thrive playing behind someone as tactically aware as Havertz, who has been praised as a “machine” by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his attacking ability.

As per FBref, Rice averaged 6.31 passes into the final third per 90 on average in the Premier League this season, showing his strengths in picking passes.

Havertz could be the perfect figure to exploit the Englishman’s ability to pass into space, with the Aachen-born gem praised for his movements that see him ‘ghosting into space’, as told by writer Sam Tabuteau via Breaking the Lines.

Arsenal could land the perfect duo to add to Arteta’s attack, in players that boast both experience and along with the talent already on show at the club, it could be an exciting time for the Gunners.

Tottenham Hotspur have identified Tosin Adarabioyo as a central defensive target ahead of the new Premier League season, according to reports…

Tottenham transfer news – Tosin Adarabioyo

The Lilywhites appear to be acting early in the transfer market, having already signed off on a permanent deal for loan sensation Dejan Kulusevski and now the agenda seems to be set on signing reinforcements to Ange Postecoglou's backline.

And the Fulham titan is among the potential options, having also been linked to Brentford shot-stopper David Raya in recent days.

Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas gave an update on the situation and tweeted:

"Exclusive: Tosin Adarabioyo is among the centre-back options being considered by #Tottenham this summer. One year left on his deal at #Fulhamfc + he is open to an exit #thfc #ffc."

Spurs will face stiff competition to land the 25-year-old's signature, however, with Champions League finalists Inter Milan keen.

Meanwhile, RMC Sport reporter Fabrice Hawkins also highlighted interest from Ligue 1 earlier this month, with AS Monaco and Stade Rennes keeping a close eye on developments surrounding Adarabioyo.

Fulham will reportedly look for a fee of around €15m (£13m) to let their star defender leave this summer.

Who is Tosin Adarabioyo?

Adarabioyo was one of the Cottagers' key players during their first season back in the top-flight as he was graded as Marco Silva's highest-rated centre-back (6.72), per WhoScored figures.

To put such returns into context, only Cristian Romero (6.80) outranked the former Manchester City youth graduate in the Spurs squad, meaning the 6 foot 5 colossus was more consistent than the likes of Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez, Clement Lenglet and Ben Davies.

Fulham are not in the strongest position, with Adarabioyo only having one year left to run on his current £40k-per-week contract after the south-west Londoners triggered an extension earlier this year.

That means Silva may have to let him go this summer, if the club are to receive a decent fee for him, nearly three years after paying City just £2m.

Having once been hailed as "fast" and "strong in the air" by Pep Guardiola, it's easy to see why Postecoglou would be keen to bring the homegrown talent to Hotspur Way this offseason.

Standing at a whopping 6 foot 5 in stature, he offers aerial qualities that few have in the current squad – with 2.4 headers won per game during the 2022/23 campaign, Adarabioyo would sit atop the tree at Spurs, as per WhoScored.

For just £13m, the "sensational" defender – as lauded by journalist Rahman Osman – would surely be something of a bargain coup for the Lilywhites this summer, particularly given the glowing evidence above.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their efforts to replace Ange Postecoglou ahead of the 2023/24 campaign…

What's the latest on Daniel Farke to Celtic?

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed that the Hoops are in talks with former Borussia Monchengladbach head coach Daniel Farke.

The journalist Tweeted: "Excl. Farke: Talks with Celtic FC! Celtic very interested in signing him as a replacement for Postecoglou. First talks took place. Celtic FC Next option: @leeds confirmed. But not advanced yet. Could change next week. Farke, ready to take over a new club now!"

Gladbach parted ways with the German boss earlier this month and majority shareholder Dermot Desmond is now eyeing a swoop to bring him back into management with the Scottish giants.

Would Daniel Farke be a success at Celtic?

The 46-year-old head coach, who typically deploys a 4-2-3-1 formation, would be an exceptional replacement for Postecoglou as he has a proven track record of being able to lead a title-winning team.

Prior to finishing tenth in the Bundesliga with Gladbach, the tactician enjoyed an excellent spell with Norwich City in England and won the Championship title in two of his three seasons in the second tier.

His Canaries side racked up 94 and 97 points in 2018/19 and 2020/21 respectively and did so while playing exciting free-flowing football.

The Yellows plundered 93 league goals in 18/19 and 75 in 20/21 and this shows that the coach knows how to organise a team that can consistently win matches, under the pressure of fighting for a title, and demolish opposition outfits by being lethal in the final third.

Farke was hailed as an "exceptional" coach by the legendary Pep Guardiola, who in 2021 revealed that he spent some of his spare time tuning into the German boss' matches, saying: “I have a good relation with the Norwich manager, so if they play I like to watch them."

These comments from the Manchester City boss, who was beaten 3-2 by the ex-Canaries manager in 2019, suggest that he would be able to deploy a style of play that would excite the Celtic supporters. If it was enjoyable enough to entice Guardiola, then it's surely good for those at Parkhead.

Postecoglou's Hoops scored 114 goals in the Scottish Premiership this season as they won the title and Farke could come in and carry on that fine work by replicating his success with Norwich in Scotland and building a team that can win whilst playing entertaining football and scoring plenty of goals.

West Ham United are keenly tracking the possibility of making a move for Liverpool’s Fabio Carvalho.

What’s the latest on Fabio Carvalho to West Ham United?

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Reds are reluctant to let the 20-year-old leave on a permanent deal, but there any many clubs who are interested in his signature.

The Football Insider previously reported that the Hammers, Brentford, and Burnley are the English contenders.

The youngster has only clocked 340 minutes of Premier League football and Klopp recently said:

“I think there is a possibility Fabio could go on loan, but we will see.

“No player has impressed me more than Fabio, that’s the truth. This very talented boy came here with big dreams and big expectations and it didn’t work out. His work ethic will give him a fantastic career.

“His reactions in a row [to not playing], I’ve never seen before, unbelievable.”

How would Fabio Carvalho fit in at West Ham United?

The Portuguese whiz rose to extraordinary prominence during the 2021/22 season, where he registered 18 goal involvements in 36 outings for a Fulham side that netted a monstrous 106 goals as they cantered to the Championship title.

As a result of his potential, he moved to Merseyside for £7.7m.

Carvalho started his Liverpool career incredibly, he has netted scored his first goal in a 9-0 thumping of Bournemouth, and in the next game, he found a 98th-minute winner against Newcastle.

However, even with Liverpool suffering an underwhelming year, he failed to appear regularly, as he has been restricted to just eight starts in all competitions.

The young playmaker is still someone of ridiculous quality, and departing teammate Roberto Firmino is also a big fan, having previously claimed that he is a “great player” and "a star.”

This is perhaps why he’s been linked with the Irons, and the frightening creativity he displayed in his previous stint with the Cottagers could make for a devastating partnership with the equally inventive Lucas Paqueta.

Similarly to Carvalho, the Brazilian has endured a tricky debut season in the English top flight but has been unplayable recently.

The former Lyon ace was at the peak of his powers in the 3-1 victory over Leeds United on May 21st, where he managed three key passes, six successful dribbles, four accurate long balls, and 11 winning ground duels, as per Sofascore.

This dazzling performance included an awe-inspiring assist, where his two mesmeric ball rolls left two defenders sprawled on the turf to tee up Manuel Lanzini for a simple tap-in.

The 25-year-old playmaker also ranks in the top 7% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive passes per 90, and his link-up with Carvalho could be magic.

The former Fulham prodigy’s incredible functionality is another casing point for a move to east London as he has appeared across the frontline throughout his career.

With Paqueta behind the striker, and Carvalho tucked in as an inverted forward, it could be an exciting prospect for Hammers boss David Moyes heading into next season.