All posts by n8rngtd.top

[ad_pod ]

John Hartson believes that the standard of refereeing is worse than it was when he was at his peak during the Martin O’Neill days.

The former Celtic boss had some epic run-ins with match officials during five eventful years in charge that yielded three SPL titles with the other two lost by one point and on goal difference.

While O’Neill would often explode on the touchline or in post match media conferences his fellow Irishman, Brendan Rodgers, rarely speaks out against refereeing decisions.

On Sunday at St. Johnstone, Celtic could have been given three penalties but unlike the previous day at Ibrox when Andrew Dallas awarded four spot kicks, Willie Collum ignored all of Celtic’s claims.

In his Evening Times column Hartson stated:

“From my own time, and I’ve spoken about this a million times which I don’t like doing, I had a perfectly good goal chopped off in the 2003 League Cup final which leaves you seething. It really does. It’s infuriating. And over the years I think Celtic have had a strong case to suggest that any grievances have been justifiable.

“But from [my] own point of view as a player and during my time at Celtic I never thought anything other than that I wanted to go out and win a game. I didn’t think referees were more in favour of Rangers than us but I did think at times that they made mistakes.

“But I think the errors are worse now. The mistakes that have been made this weekend are always going to cause a furore. You see some decisions and you just think ‘wow’. How on earth did you come to that one?”

On Wednesday night attention will be on Craig Thomson in the Hibernian clash while Bobby Madden will be in charge of the Aberdeen v Rangers match, which usually brings it’s own supply of fireworks.

The resumption of the Premiership after the winter break has been marked by a fresh outbreak of refereeing controversies with Steve Clarke and Steven Gerrard drawn into a war of words ahead of Saturday’s Scottish Cup tie between their two clubs.

[ad_pod ]

Celtic moved into the transfer market to sign Timothy Weah on loan last month and the 18-year-old has wasted no time in making an impression in Scotland, with Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas clearly impressed with what he has seen.

What’s the word?

That Weah was on the books of a potential Champions League winner before he joined the Hoops naturally gave supporters reason to believe he could be a fantastic addition to the squad.

The exciting teenager has vindicated the pre-signing expectation with a handful of positive performances, scoring three goals in the process.

Both Weah’s and Oliver Burke’s performances have attracted plenty of interest in the media thus far, but it is the PSG loanee who has really caught the eye of Nicholas.

Indeed, he has delivered his verdict on Weah’s times at Celtic Park thus far and drew parallels between him and the former Premier League goal machine Nicolas Anelka, per Sky Sports.

“He reminds me of when Nicholas Anelka first came into the Arsenal side – the speed and desire to get in with the markers, he reminds me a bit of that.

“Anelka was a better player but the confidence he will get from Celtic having so much of the ball as well as the support.”

Potential replacement for Moussa Dembele?

The praise Weah has received from Nicolas is no surprise after the start he has enjoyed. Anelka enjoyed an illustrious career in top level European football, playing for the likes of Arsenal, Juventus, Real Madrid and Chelsea, as well as scoring 126 Premier League goals. 

As Nicholas has alluded to, it would be premature to tip him to emulate a player of Anelka’s enormous quality. However, there are certainly signs from the early openings of his Celtic career to suggest that he could be a worthy replacement for Moussa Dembele.

The Bhoys have managed to temporarily fill the void left by his departure with the signings of Burke and Weah, but Rodgers cannot continue to rely on Odsonne Edouard next season without concluding a permanent striker deal.

In many respects Weah and Burke are undergoing an audition for the role of Demebele’s successor, although the latter is more naturally suited to an attacking midfield or wide role.

With that said, the USA international could well convince Celtic’s hierarchy to fork out for his signature in the summer if he continues to perform in the same eye-catching vein during the remainder of his temporary spell.

[ad_pod ]

Liverpool survived an injury crisis to keep a clean sheet against Bayern Munich on Tuesday night, but one worrying statistic shows exactly how bad the Reds’ centre back depth truly is.

On the chalkboard

Liverpool needed a superb performance from the versatile Fabinho on Tuesday, as injuries to Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren coincided with a suspension for Virgil van Dijk.

Lovren is missing with a hamstring injury and Gomez is out with a leg fracture, meaning Joel Matip has carried far more responsibility recently than in previous seasons.

However, just like the aforementioned pair, the lanky Cameroonian has one major issue – fitness.

According to Reds statistician Simon Brundish, Matip has missed 17 of a possible 54 games since February 2018, while Lovren and Gomez have missed 18 and 25 respectively.

This means the Reds trio have missed a total 60 games over the course of 12 months, and this is simply not acceptable for a team yearning for trophies.

New signing needed

The Reds are looking likely to invest up front this summer, where the depth of Jurgen Klopp’s squad has been sorely exposed recently. Unless one of Divock Origi or Daniel Sturridge hits a red-hot vein of form before the end of the season, expect to see a new deputy for Roberto Firmino next season.

While support up front is no doubt a priority though, centre back has to be next on the list, where without van Dijk the Reds would be in an absolutely perilous position.

The Dutch international can make anyone look good playing alongside him, but not if they are never fit, which has often been the case for all three of his regular defensive partners.

Van Dijk will turn 28 this summer, and the club simply cannot waste his best years patching up the other half of his defence with injury-prone and unreliable players.

[ad_pod ]

Jordi Osei-Tutu could be the next Arsenal youngster to roll off the club’s enviably long production line.

The 20-year-old, a right-back who can also play on the right wing, has slowly risen up the ranks of the club’s youth set-up and appears primed to make his first-team debut.

At right-back, after all, the Gunners currently have Hector Bellerin out injured, while Ainsley Maitland-Niles is being repurposed into a full-back despite appearing horrendously uncomfortable in the position.

Osei-Tutu has already had a taste of first-team action, though he did not actually get on the pitch. Unai Emery named the youngster as a substitute in the 3-0 win over Vorskla in the Europa League in November. He also gave him a start in his first ever game in charge, a pre-season friendly against Boreham Wood.

Arsene Wenger, too, has seen something in the defender. He named him in his matchday squad for games against Red Star Belgrade and Manchester United last season.

It is evidence that he has impressed those within the Emirates Stadium with his work-rate and determination.

Osei-Tutu has played for both the Under-18s and the Under-23s at Arsenal – making 29 appearances for the former and 23 for the latter. For each team, he has scored two goals, and he won the Premier League 2 title in 2018.

Indeed, he moved to the club from Reading in 2015, costing a reported £100,000, per Football.London.

He was included in the squad to travel to Singapore for a pre-season tour and has played against older opponents this season, lining up for the Under-23s in an EFL Trophy clash with Portsmouth.

Osei-Tutu has his head screwed on, too, and says he is focusing on improving his game as he bids to make his first-team debut.

After signing a new contract with the club, a three-year extension to the initial deal he signed, he told the club’s official website: “My new contract is massive for me but ultimately the aim is to get into the first team. That’s what I’m working towards and I hope to be involved more often.

“I’ve travelled with the first team and made the bench against Red Star Belgrade in Serbia and for the Carabao Cup match versus Norwich last season. I learnt a lot from the times I’ve trained with the players too.

“I’m working especially hard on improving my one-on-one defending. Being up against the likes of Alexis Sanchez last season and Alex Iwobi has helped me immensely.

“Obviously, I spend a lot of time working with players in the under-23s. There’s a lot of attacking talent who are a good test for anyone and we all help each other improve.”

As Arsenal’s season continues, and Emery continues to search for a solution in defence, he may well turn to Osei-Tutu. He is primed and ready, after all.

[ad_pod ]

Former Arsenal forward Paul Merson has said that Newcastle United trio Salomon Rondon, Ayoze Perez and Miguel Almiron are ‘as good as anyone in the bottom half’ of the Premier League table, as per Sky Sports.

Rondon and Perez scored the goals as Newcastle recorded a 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town at St James’ Park on Saturday afternoon.

Rondon has now netted seven league goals this term, whilst Perez has two in his last five for the Magpies.

Almiron, meanwhile, has made a very positive impression since moving to the Premier League from the MLS in last month’s transfer window.

Newcastle are 15th in the Premier League table, four points clear of the bottom three ahead of Tuesday night’s clash with Burnley.

And pundit Merson has said that Rafael Benitez’s side will triumph against the Clarets due to the presence of Rondon, Perez and Almiron.

Merson wrote on Sky Sports:

“When you often see Rafa Benitez’s side set up, they’re out to not lose before they win, but now he has these three up front – Rondon, Perez and Almiron – he has players who can make things happen.

“Those three are definitely as good as anyone in the bottom half. He can relax now, they’re a bit more open and entertaining.”

Newcastle will open March with a trip to West Ham United, before welcoming Everton and visiting Bournemouth before next month’s international break.

West Bromwich Albion have been very impressive this season, but not all of their side has made as big of an impact as others have.

As West Brom sit in the fourth position in the Championship entering the latter stage of the season, they should be pleased with how they have manoeuvred their way into this the playoff places and sustained that status for such a period of time.

Lots of established players have been on top of their game, such as Dwight Gayle and Jay Rodriguez, as well as some younger players whose performances have also caught the eye, taking Rekeem Harper as an example.

However, not everyone will be able to perform to them heights consistently as some players have not been as impressive as others this season.

With that being said, let’s take a look at two players who have not had the impact they would have hoped this season…

Tyrone Mears

Mears was brought in this season to provide depth and another option for Darren Moore to have at his disposal.

The 36-year-old began the campaign playing regularly in the Championship, either featuring at right-wing-back in a back five, right-back or even left-back.

However, Mears is not quite the player he once was and he has not featured in the League since November, with Mason Holgate and Tosin Adarabioyo’s services preferred more frequently.

Mears has made 11 appearances across all competitions and although he adds a competent level of depth to the squad, he has not been as impactful as he may have hoped.

James Morrison

Morrison is the Baggies’ current longest-serving player and has been a mainstay through the club’s ups and downs for over a decade.

The 32-year-old is now getting on and although he still offers a lot to Moore’s side, when signing his one-year contract extension in the summer, he would have surely been wanting to have a greater impact on the side, having played just three times in 2019.

He has still been a very handy option over the course of the whole season, and despite not playing much of late, his experience can still help guide other midfielders such as Harper.

The option of extending his deal a further year is on the cards, but it is yet to be seen as to whether he chooses to do so, or would prefer to have a greater role elsewhere where he can greatly influence the ongoings on the pitch.

[ad_pod ]

Newcastle came from two goals down to grab their fifth consecutive home win on Saturday, and fans are full of praise for the often-divisive Ayoze Perez.

After a hard-fought point and a resilient performance last time out against Liverpool, it was perhaps no surprise to see Everton burst out the blocks at St. James’ Park on Saturday.

The Toffees were two goals to the good within half an hour, as goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison, together with a missed penalty from Matt Ritchie, left the home side with a mountain to climb.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

Climb it is exactly what they did though, as Salomon Rondon buried a real striker’s finish just after the hour mark, before Perez left his mark on the match.

The crafty Spaniard, who takes loads of stick on Tyneside for his lack of end product, scored twice in three minutes, bundling home a Jordan Pickford error before smashing in the winner after a scramble in the Toffees’ box.

The 25 year-old is still inconsistent, but he now has five goals and one assist in his last ten matches in all competitions, so his production in the final third is clearly improving.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

[ad_pod ]

Masses of Tottenham Hotspur fans are furious on Twitter after the latest batch of reported summer transfer targets emerged.

Per The Daily Mail, Daniel Levy and Mauricio Pochettino have identified Valencia’s Carlos Soler, Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha, Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic and Jack Grealish and Jarrod Bowen of Aston Villa and Hull City respectively, as players they want to see at the New White Hart Lane next season.

The rumour left supporters seething and it’s no surprise either, given that only one of these targets currently plies their trade in the top half of one of the top five European leagues.

That man is Soler with his Valencia side sitting seventh La Liga. Even still, some Lilywhites fans clearly don’t believe he is remotely good enough despite being arguably the pick of the list.

Comments such as “we’re looking at 2nd tier players again” are not digs at the quality of the targets, but literal facts on this occasion as Grealish and Bowen both play in the Sky Bet Championship, neither in the top seven either.

It doesn’t seem like the North London club are being nearly as ambitious as they should given their current position and this has also led a fan to accuse the board of “going backwards,” while others can only sum up their thoughts with disbelief-driven sarcasm, commenting “ambition written all over that” and “wow, some exciting names there.”

Check out some of Spurs supporters’ best Twitter reactions, below…

It seems like every week Alfredo Morelos is at the centre of a transfer story, and this week is no different.

The Daily Record and CNN Turkey are both reporting that Rangers’ star striker has caught the eye of Turkish giants Fenerbahce, with the latter reporting that the Super Lig side have already made contact with the Colombian international.

Despite having the likes of Islam Slimani, Roberto Soldado and Andre Ayew amongst their ranks in the striker position, goals have been hard to come by for the Istanbul club. No player in the Fenerbahce squad has scored more than five goals this season as the Turkish club sit just four points above the relegation zone in 13th place.

Goals are needed at the club, and Morelos can offer than should the Turkish side cough up the £20 million Rangers value their prized asset at. So what would the potential consequences be if Fenerbahce are to pull the trigger and sign the 22-year-old Colombian in the summer.

Rangers in the money

£20 million for a player might not seem like a lot in the age of football we live in now, but in Scotland, that kind of money is a game changer. Only one transfer in the history of the Premiership has exceeded the £15 million mark, Moussa Dembele to Lyon last summer, and only six other transfers have gone over £10 million, with four of those happening this decade.

With £20 million brought into the club, Rangers now have the resources to improve the squad to such a level that in the 2019/20 season Steven Gerrard can genuinely challenge for the Scottish Premier League.

Rangers will also be financially stable enough to bring in players that could push for success in the Europa League.

Morelos opens the door for Scottish spending

As well as bringing in the money needed that could end the Celtic reign in Scotland, the selling of Morelos will open the doors for more teams around Europe to turn to Scotland for talented players.

For the most part, departing players from Scottish teams either head south to England or just move to another team in the country. Sales between Premiership teams and clubs around Europe are a rare sight. But if Morelos is to succeed in Turkey, along with the already success story of Dembele at Lyon, young players in Scotland could be seen as potential signings for clubs around the continent.

Rangers fans, would you let Morelos leave for £20 million?

[ad_pod ]

Loads of Liverpool fans have been reacting to England’s dominant performance against Czech Republic, and they’ve got plenty to say about Jordan Henderson.

Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions kicked off their Euro 2020 qualification campaign in fine style on Friday night, sweeping Czech Republic aside thanks to a Raheem Sterling hat trick.

Wembley was witness to some lovely football in the first half, and it was Henderson, together with Harry Kane, who forged the opening opportunity for Jadon Sancho to lay on a plate for Sterling’s first.

The 5-0 scoreline doesn’t flatter Southgate’s side either – they were first to every ball and better in absolutely every aspect, though their defending at set pieces is cause for concern.

Mo Salah has been brutally mocked for his recent diving antics in a new video by 442oons. Check it out below…

Just as he is at Liverpool, Henderson is the leader in Southgate’s midfield, and his pressing and passing were both top notch against a very weak Czech side.

The Reds skipper led the game in touches with 102 and completed 86 per cent of his passes, per Whoscored.

There are a few on Merseyside who are not too happy though, taking issue with the captain’s departure from the game in Munich and subsequent absence against Fulham after he romped about the Wembley turf at 100 per cent for a full 90 minutes.

Either way, you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…