All posts by z3u9t.icu

After signing from Wigan Athletic in the summer, Joe Gelhardt has spent the majority of his Leeds United career thus far with the club’s U23s.

The 18-year-old forward has been in prolific form for the youth sides, bagging five goals in nine games at Premier League 2 level, playing in a number of different roles, including as an out-and-out number nine and even more withdrawn as a number ten.

But with Leeds reportedly in the market for a new striker, and Tyler Roberts being linked with an exit in this January transfer window, it’s surely time for Marcelo Bielsa to see what Gelhardt can do in the Premier League.

Speaking on The Phil Hay Show, The Athletic journalist Phil Hay said of the teenager: “He’s been hugely impressive in the (Under-23s). Every time I see him, he looks like a massively talented player. Leeds have been quite honest in saying that the money they paid for him, around about £700,000 up front, from what I was told, is a small fee for somebody with massive amounts of talent.

“The only reason that they were ever able to get involved at that level of valuation was purely because Wigan were in deep trouble and Wigan were in administration. He is, in the opinion of most people, worth more money than that.”

Whether it’s through cameo roles here and there, or the odd start, Bielsa could unearth a hidden gem in Gelhardt and perhaps even save them a tonne of money in the transfer market by trying to land another centre-forward.

And with Roberts’ long-term future uncertain at Elland Road given his lack of real game-time, Bielsa may be better served handing out those minutes to someone like Gelhardt, who Leeds clearly see as a hot prospect.

Meanwhile, this pundit has delivered his exclusive verdict on this Leeds United transfer target…

Steve Bruce takes his Newcastle United side to Chelsea on Monday night facing a mammoth selection headache after losing three starting players to injuries last time out.

Top-scorer Callum Wilson, centre-half Fabian Schar and right-back Javier Manquillo all sustained long-term injuries in the Toon’s 3-2 win over Southampton, a game which also saw midfielder Jeff Hendrick shown two yellow cards.

The Republic of Ireland international will now be suspended for the Magpies’ trip to Stamford Bridge, forcing Bruce into a change in the engine room having started Hendrick in United’s last five Premier League games.

So, with plenty of change on the horizon in south west London, here’s a potential line-up Newcastle could field in search of back-to-back wins for the first time since mid-December…

Allan Saint-Maximin made his first start since testing positive for coronavirus in Newcastle’s 3-2 win over Southampton and will be expected to open the action against Chelsea, having provided the assist for two of United’s goals.

Bruce faces a headache over who replaces Wilson after the 10-goal top-scorer sustained a deep hamstring tear , with Dwight Gayle, Andy Carroll and Joelinton each only scoring once in the Premier League this season.

Gayle, for us, is the most likely to stand in despite not opening a top-flight fixture this term, as the £40,000-per-week forward – set to be a free agent in the summer – netted four times during the 2019/20 campaign, more than Joelinton (2) and Carroll (0) combined.

Schar was required to have surgery after sustaining knee ligament damage against the Saints, and will be replaced in the backline by Ciaran Clark with the £4.5m-rated centre-half now back available for selection.

Bruce had fielded Isaac Hayden in defence last time out to cover for Clark’s absence after his wife went into labour, though he should be able to return the midfielder to the engine room to replace Hendrick having received positive news on skipper Jamaal Lascelles and Federico Fernandez.

“It’s a long time before Monday but Clark, definitely [is available]. We’re hoping, fingers crossed, with Jamaal and Fede,” Bruce said on Thursday. “Two of them are touch and go, but Ciaran Clark will definitely be okay.”

Emil Krafth will be in line to make only his fifth start of the league season after Manquillo sustained ankle ligament damage against Southampton, an injury which could keep the Spaniard on the sidelines for the next two months, after Newcastle sold DeAndre Yedlin to Galatasaray on Deadline Day.

Except for replacing the suspended Hendrick, Bruce will be expected to name an unchanged midfield consisting of Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Willock sitting behind Miguel Almiron.

Almiron scored a brace against Southampton to become Newcastle’s second-best scorer this term with four goals, while Willock broke the deadlock on his debut after joining on loan from Arsenal for the remainder of the season.

AND in other news: Exclusive – Pundit drops verdict on Joseph DaGrosa takeover claim…

Tottenham Hotspur secured an emphatic victory in Austria last night as they made easy work of beating Europa League rivals Wolfsberger. Jose Mourinho opted to start the likes of Gareth Bale and Dele Alli in their 4-1 win on enemy soil.

Goals came from the Real Madrid loanee, Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura and substitute Carlos Vinicius. It was a convincing performance from the team and one that Mourinho will be pleased with following their back-to-back defeats to Everton in the FA Cup and Manchester City in their latest Premier League clash.

However, one man in particular was a weak link for Spurs in the middle of the park. Moussa Sissoko struggled to get a grip on the game and was the culprit for Wolfsberger’s only goal of the 90.

Moussa Sissoko vs Wolfsberger

Not only was the Frenchman to blame for Michael Liendl’s second half penalty, but his overall stats weren’t anything to write home about. Before he was hauled off in place of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Sissoko fumbled his way through the match.

According to Sofascore, he committed a whopping six fouls, which was more than any other Spurs player on the pitch. He also lost nine of his 13 attempted duels, squandering 70% of his challenges. This is very out of character for Sissoko, who won 3/5 duels against Man City and 6/7 against Everton.

The £90,000 per week midfield man is a regular under Mourinho and has missed just five Premier League fixtures this season. He has also been ever-present in Tottenham’s EFL Cup and FA Cup run, according to Transfermarkt.

However, with Harry Winks, Tanguy Ndombele and Hojbjerg all competing for their spot in the lineup, Sissoko can’t let performances like this become a regular thing or he risks slipping down the pecking order.

In other news, Steve Howey drops verdict on Spurs boss Jose Mourinho’s issue with Gareth Bale…

Everton should not rue their decision to sell Nikola Vlasic to CSKA Moscow in 2019 as Marco Silva’s refusal to back the Croatian looks like it might have been the right call.

Vlasic moved to Goodison Park in 2017, after impressing former Toffees manager Ronald Koeman and then-Director of Football Steve Walsh during a Europa League qualifying tie with his boyhood club Hajduk Split.

The Blues paid £10m to acquire Vlasic whilst still an U21 international, but would only see the investment return two goals and an assist in 19 games across all competitions.

Silva instantly sent Vlasic on loan to CSKA upon his arrival on Merseyside, having felt the midfielder’s efforts under Koeman and later Sam Allardyce were not up to scratch.

The move worked out for Vlasic, with the now 17-cap full international scoring eight times and offering seven assists in 31 appearances. But it was still not enough for Silva, who agreed to let the Split-native move to Russia permanently in the summer of 2019 for £14m.

Now, just 20-months on, Vlasic claims he’s worth £16m more than what Everton sold him for, having hit home 13 times and offered seven assists last season, with nine goals and six assists to his name after 23 games this term.

“I know that some clubs already wanted to buy me, but CSKA said they would not let me go if they didn’t pay €35m (£30m),” he said, via quotes by soccer.ru, earlier this week. “This is the buy-out clause in my contract. €35m is a lot of money for the Russian Premier Liga.”

But as impressive as Vlasic’s overall record has been in Russia since joining CSKA Moscow in a permanent deal, Silva and Walsh’ successor Marcel Brands were right to sanction his exit.

During his time on loan at the VEB Arena in 2018/19, Russian football expert John Bradley – who had been ESPN’s Premier Liga commentator for over a decade – explained how Vlasic was not the shining light CSKA had expected.

“With Vlasic, he was supposed to be one of the main players and be a significant factor in the team,” Bradley told the Liverpool Echo. “Has he been? People will say he’s scored against Real Madrid, but I think probably you’d expect better from him.

“They had a couple of really good results against Madrid but then they play Roma, and he goes missing. It’s really disappointing. He’s quite enjoyed going in there and being a big fish in a small pond after getting swallowed up at Everton, and he’s done alright. That’s the best way to term it.”

The big fish in a small pond has continued to be just that in the year-and-a-half since clearing out his locker at Finch Farm for the final time, with Vlasic still unable to take his talents to the biggest stage.

Despite facing some of the lower-calibre sides in this season’s Europa League, Vlasic could only record a single assist against Austrian Bundesliga outfit Wolfsberger AC and failed to have any involvement in the scoring against GNK Dinamo Zagreb or Feyenoord Rotterdam.

It was a similar story last term, with La Liga side RCD Espanyol Barcelona the only outfit that the 23-year-old could score against, while penning a single assist at PFK Ludogorets Razgrad and offering no input over Hungarian club Ferencvarosi TC.

If Vlasic was to prove that Everton made a mistake in letting him leave after a season under Koeman and Allardyce, plus a somewhat successful year on loan, it was in Europe where he had to stamp his mark.

But Silva and Brands are only being proven right by his performances since, and it was a stroke of genius to cash in on his loan spell to make Everton a marginal profit.

AND in other news, Everton face European competition to sign a £35m target this summer…

According to a report by the Daily Star, West Ham United have Brentford striker Ivan Toney on their radar and potential list of strikers for the summer – supporting ExWHUemployee’s recent claim that GSB are in fact keeping tabs. 

Toney, who has enjoyed a prolific season in the Championship, is reportedly being eyed alongside the likes of Eddie Nketiah and Tammy Abraham – coming after West Ham failed to sign a striker in the January transfer window.

Toney eyed by West Ham and GSB

David Moyes managed to secure Jesse Lingard on loan from Manchester United but little progress was made in terms of finding a replacement for Sebastien Haller, who departed for Ajax at the beginning of the window.

Now, the Daily Star have supported ExWHUemployee’s recent claim that West Ham are keeping tabs on Toney and have him on their radar – with Nketiah and Abraham also touted as forward’s GSB hold an interest in.

The 24-year-old has come on leaps and bounds for Brentford, evidenced by his 25 league goals – six more than second place in the Golden Boot race (before tonight’s Championship action, BBC).

Transfer Tavern take

Football Insider pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor recently urged West Ham to get a deal done for Toney. He claimed that the striker would ‘100%’ be a ‘great signing’ for the Hammers, going as far as to say Toney could even usurp Michail Antonio’s place in the starting eleven and give him some much needed competition (Football Insider).

West Ham appear to lack options in the forward department, but only time will tell whether GSB will make a more concrete move in the summer for Brentford’s rising star.

In other news: West Ham fans blasted links with this ace, find out more here.

Many Sheffield Wednesday fans are discussing Aden Flint after Dom Howson gave his opinion on the club’s decision to let him go.

The journalist tweeted: “It’s easy to say with hindsight but #SWFC made a big mistake in cutting short Aden Flint’s loan deal in January. He’s a big character and leader.”

Much-maligned owner Dejphon Chansiri brought the defender to the club on loan in October but he only made four appearances before being sent back to parent club Cardiff City.

Since returning to south Wales, the 31 year-old has played 11 times and has averd 1.4 interceptions and a thoroughly impressive 5.4 clearances per game (WhoScored). During those 11 matches, the Bluebirds have flown up the Championship table and are only three points away from the play-offs (SofaScore).

A no-nonsense centre-back like Flint is exactly what the Owls need right now, not defenders needlessly getting sent off and frustrating most of the fan base like Julian Borner did at the weekend.

It is crazy how fortunes can turn. Flint probably thought he was in for a relegation battle when he was brought in on loan to Wednesday, but now he is fighting for promotion and it looks like another player who has got away from the Owls is enjoying success, whilst the ones they keep at Hillsborough continue to struggle.

These Wednesday fans weren’t pleased with the club’s failure to retain the 31-year-old for longer:

Here is how fans reacted to the news:

“I said this straight away exactly type of player we needed another poor decision from the club”

Credit: @johnada75157425

“He is certainly missed but our defence is not the biggest problem. We are very poor and slow attacking and create very little. Every ball comes straight back. Our midfield puts unnecessary pressure on our defence especially when they bottle tackles and don’t chase back.”

Credit: @WawawaDave

“Too many poor decisions by those running the club… and not just this season. Maybe Flint didn’t like what he was seeing / experiencing? Almost as frightening as it is sad.”

Credit: @Worstedjumper

“Dooms here again. More Doom more problems”

Credit: @Awillshaw1867

“Some of us said it at the time. Still gutted we didn’t keep him. Him and Morrison have been fantastic for Cardiff since Mick went in there. What you could have won eh?”

Credit: @TomTB1995

“A club run by clowns”

Credit: @jpowls

In other news, these Owls fans discussed one Dom Howson update. 

Southampton were dragged back into the relegation fight in the Premier League after suffering a 2-1 defeat at home to Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon.

Lewis Dunk headed home the opening goal from a corner in the first half before Che Adams’ struck a fierce volley past Robert Sanchez to equalise.

However, Leandro Trossard’s finish in the second half was enough for Graham Potter’s side to take the three points, with the Saints once again nowhere near the levels they produced earlier in the season.

One man who particularly disappointed against Brighton, especially after his superb display in the recent win against Sheffield United, was Nathan Tella.

As per SofaScore, the 21-year-old would earn a poor 6.2/10 rating for his performance, which was the worst of any player on the pitch.

During his 68 minutes on the pitch, the Saints youngster would manage just four passes, whilst he attempted just eight, resulting in an awful 50% pass accuracy rate.

Unsurprisingly, this was the fewest passes played by any player who started the game, with Tella struggling to get involved at all, which will perhaps leave Hasenhuttl fuming as he put his faith in the youngster ahead of the likes of Nathan Redmond and Dan N’Lundulu.

The former Arsenal academy man would only have 20 touches, as he regularly picked up the ball but ran into trouble, as he was also unsuccessful in both of his dribble attempts during the game.

Although it’s a big ask for Tella to come in and replace the influential Danny Ings, his return of no shots, no key passes and no successful dribbles against Brighton doesn’t make for good reading at all.

Whilst you could suggest that the 21-year-old was isolated and didn’t have enough of the ball to make an impression, Brighton’s Danny Welbeck would complete just eight passes during the game, but two of those were key passes, and he also registered an assist, which saw him pick up a solid 7.2 rating.

Unfortunately, Tella was really disappointing when Hasenhuttl needed him to perform and he may need to put in some improved performances in the coming weeks if Southampton are to avoid relegation this season.

And, in other news… Forget Forster: Saints can sign serious McCarthy upgrade in £8.6m beast

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Rob Lee, who made 332 appearances for Newcastle United, can not understand why the Magpies are persisting with their split striker system and believes it has Graeme jones’ fingerprints all over it.

Lee, whose son Elliot Lee played for Luton Town under Jones, believes it is the assistant manager who is behind this new system which he claims almost got the Hatters relegated under his guidance.

Newcastle have had to cope without Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron because of injury, which has not helped their faltering system which looks more and more peculiar and ineffective every game.

Speaking on Jones’ split striker system and how Newcastle don’t have the calibre of player to carry it out, Lee told FFC exclusively:

“It’s the Graeme Jones way of playing and that’s what he does. He did it at Luton and almost took them down playing this way.

“I don’t know why he does it. I suppose if you’ve got the right players you could possibly do it but for me, if you’re playing Dwight Gayle, you’ve got to play him up front.

“Playing Dwight Gayle wide is like playing, and I’m not comparing him to Shearer I never would, but you wouldn’t play him out wide. I just don’t get why, with the players, we’ve got, why we’re playing like that.”

Steve Bruce confirmed that this is the way Newcastle prepare and play now so, that’s how they’ll set up in their most important game of the season on Saturday against Brighton.

Since Callum Wilson picked up a hamstring injury against Southampton Newcastle’s top scorer has been Jamaal Lascelles as their final third woes continue.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer believes Roy Keane would find it difficult to be a success at Celtic.

The Glasgow club are, of course, searching for a new manager following Neil Lennon’s exit from Celtic Park last month, and Keane is one name currently being linked with the vacancy.

According to The Sun, the ex-Manchester United captain is keen on the job and would accept a proposal if offered. Palmer, however, is not convinced by the idea, concerned about Keane’s combative personality.

When asked whether appointing the former Celtic player would be a smart move, the retired England international told FFC:

“It’s a difficult one for me about Roy because the way Roy comes across, I just don’t see how he can be a successful manager. You can’t manage being the way that he is, so critical of everybody and he always seems to fall into that same kind of category all the time.”

Explaining further, Palmer went on to say: “When you want to get the best out of the players, you can’t keep criticising them, you can’t. [Jose] Mourinho’s found that out. You can’t publicly criticise the players because the players will throw you under the bus these days.”

With Keane having not managed a club since departing Ipswich Town 10 years ago, appointing the 49-year-old would be a bold move. And from Keane’s perspective, it would be a huge challenge.

Celtic have fallen miles behind Rangers this season, easily surrendering their SPFL title to their great rivals and missing out on ten in a row in the process. The Bhoys also endured a very poor campaign in Europe as they finished rock bottom of their Europa League group, showing the kind of rebuilding job the ex-Ipswich and Sunderland manager would have on his hands.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, ex-Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie believes his former club should consider signing Fulham attacker Bobby Decordova-Reid in the summer transfer window.

Fulham are currently in danger of being relegated back down to the Championship, meaning there could be some high-profile departures at Craven Cottage before the start of next season.

Decordova-Reid, 28, has been one of the Whites’ star performers this term, delivering five top-flight goals for the club including against relegation rivals West Brom and Liverpool, so some interest in the summer could be possible. And Hendrie is hoping his old side will be at the front of the queue if Scott Parker’s men do end up going down.

On who Dean Smith should be targeting in the transfer market, the former Villa player told FFC:

“If Fulham do go down, I just feel that there’s possibly a couple of players I would certainly look at in that team that would certainly stand out for me. [Harrison] Reed in the midfield, [Ademola] Lookman and Bobby Decordova-Reid, he’s one again that I’d certainly have, and he would play week in, week out.”

While Villa are certainly having a good season, firmly in contention for European qualification, they could do with some attacking reinforcements going into the next campaign.

The Villans have looked blunt in attack at times this term, especially when Jack Grealish has been unavailable. In recent games against Newcastle United, Wolves and Sheffield United, which the Villa captain missed, Smith’s men failed to pick up a win, scoring just one goal.