All posts by z3u9t.icu

Aston Villa fans will be glad the football is back doing the main talking again when it comes to their beloved side.

After a turbulent summer saw PSR-related issues trouble their transfer activity, a slow start out of the blocks in the Premier League further piled on the misery.

Thankfully, after a winless six-game stretch of form in both August and early September, Unai Emery’s men have now bounced back with four straight victories collected in all competitions.

Still, after this season is over and done with, Villa will likely have to come to terms with some disastrous casualties, alongside also getting rid of some personnel that won’t irk fans that much at Villa Park.

How Aston Villa can solve their PSR headache

While they haven’t been at their terrifying best so far this season, it goes without saying that keeping both Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers at the West Midlands giants this summer was a big relief to the Villans.

After all, even if they have only accumulated three goal contributions between them this campaign so far, losing both star assets would have been disastrous, with a crazy 42 goal contributions picked up in league action between them across the 2024/25 campaign.

Villa will surely have their resolve tested again in the summer when it comes to their standout duo, with Chelsea once touted to be considering a colossal £100m bid for the services of Rogers, a move that would no doubt ease any existing PSR worries.

Meanwhile, Manchester United have also consistently been tipped to make a statement move for the 29-year-old striker, but in the back end of his prime is unlikely to fetch a similar sum.

Not every potential sale will be seen as a demoralising development, however, with Emiliano Buendia perhaps finally getting the move away he desires.

Recent reports suggest that the rejuvenated South American – who recently scored in the Europa League for Emery’s men against Feyenoord – might well be offloaded still to smooth out PSR-related difficulties.

While the ex-Norwich City attacker has managed to turn his up-and-down Villans career around in recent times, there is one figure in Emery’s camp who is seriously on borrowed time as his contract begins to wind down.

Not just Buendia: Emery signing is on borrowed time at Aston Villa

Buendia has miraculously fought back from some very serious injury issues to return to the Spaniard’s first team picture, having been sidelined for a mammoth 56 games courtesy of a cruciate ligament tear.

Ross Barkley might well have been looking at the Argentine midfielder for some inspiration, having had various injury issues of his own to contend with, but he doesn’t look as if he’s capable of a similar resurrection story to the rejuvenated 28-year-old, as he continues to stare his Villa Park exit in the face.

It’s been a sad decline for the former Everton playmaker, with Barkley actually once cutting a refreshed figure pulling on a Villa strip.

He initially joined on loan five years ago and tallied up three league strikes across his debut season in the West Midlands, which included a fierce effort which helped Villa pick up all three points against Leicester City in 2020.

He eventually return for good in the summer of 2024, with an alleged £5m forked out to obtain his services from Luton Town.

At the Hatters, Barkley rediscovered the swagger and vigour that made him such an exciting commodity back in the day at Everton.

Teammate at the time, Andros Townsend, said he was “outstanding”, while Paul Merson claimed that “Barkley is not far off player of the season” when lighting up Kenilworth Road for one season.

Five goals and seven assists came his way but he has struggled to pin down a starting spot since his return to the claret and blue half of Birmingham, as his exit now looks to be on the horizon.

Worryingly, only six minutes of Premier League action has been handed to the ex-England international in 2025/26, with the decision to leave him out of Villa’s Europa League squad entirely only further reinforcing his precarious status in the camp.

Games played

54

Goals scored

7

Assists

2

Games missed through injury

33

Wage per week

£60k-per-week

Contract expiry date

June 2026

With his contract also expiring next June, and his wage coming in at a high £60k-per-week despite being a reserve presence, it does feel as if it’s a foregone conclusion that Barkley will depart Villa very soon, with his promising first spell at the club now feeling like a lifetime ago.

Blow for Emery as £130,000-a-week Aston Villa star's injury worse than first claimed

The Villa star faces a race against time to be fit to play against Spurs.

ByBen Goodwin Oct 13, 2025

The grey clouds that have been hanging over West Ham United this year might just be starting to shift.

It’s still very early on in Nuno Espírito Santo’s tenure, but in the draw away to Everton and, more crucially, the win over Newcastle United, he’s shown enough to excite the fans.

More importantly, though, the win over the Toon suggests that the Portuguese coach might just be able to keep the Hammers in the Premier League.

Another huge positive to come out of that game was the display of Freddie Potts, and it’s already looking like the academy is brewing another talent like him.

Why Freddie Potts is such an exciting talent

Potts had made a few fleeting appearances for West Ham before Sunday’s game, but that was his first competitive start for the club.

However, he’s no inexperienced youngster, as he spent last season on loan with Portsmouth in the Championship, where he made 38 appearances, and the season before that with Wycombe Wanderers, where he made 43 appearances.

That experience clearly paid off against the Toon, as despite them being a Champions League side, the Barking-born ace looked completely unfazed.

Minutes

90′

Key Passes

2

Crosses

2

Passes

33/39

Touches

57

Tackles (Won)

3 (2)

Interceptions

1

Clearances

6

Recoveries

1

Ground Duels (Won)

4 (3)

In fact, he thrived, and from the first minute to the last, he was practically faultless, putting in a perfect all-action midfield performance.

One analyst claimed he had a “similar aura to Rice” and was particularly impressed with his “confidence and ability to create time and space on the ball.”

He was so good, in fact, that he got special attention on Match of the Day, and it feels like it won’t be the only time that happens this season.

In all, while it is still early on in his career, it looks like West Ham have an unreal midfield talent in Potts.

So, fans should be excited that the academy appears to be producing another prospect who could be a lot like him.

West Ham's next Potts in the making

The good news for West Ham and the fans is that there are currently several genuinely exciting players in the academy.

Bowen thinks he's "special": West Ham are brewing a bigger gem than Potts

The incredible gem could be an even bigger star for West Ham United than Freddie Potts.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 3, 2025

For example, Preston Fearon appears to have the potential to become a midfield destroyer one day, Emeka Adiele has been providing assists with ease at left-back, and Josh Landers seems to be a natural centre-forward.

However, another youngster, less well-known but with the potential to be a future Potts-esque star, is Isaac Thomas.

The 16-year-old Welshman made his debut for the club’s U18S over the weekend, and to say he impressed would be an understatement.

The young Hammers beat Ipswich Town 8-2 away from home, and instead of scoring one, a brace or even a hat-trick, the exciting prospect ended up with four goals to his name.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Amazingly, three of his goals were headers, with the fourth coming off his foot in the dying embers of the match. However, what makes the whole thing even more remarkable is that he was playing at centre-back.

Perhaps a little unsurprisingly, Thomas is not a natural defender, but stepped in to play there for the team regardless.

It’s this ability to be something of a utility player so young that makes him feel similar to Potts, as he, too, played at the back for the U21s and U18s on occasion.

Furthermore, if the “brilliant” teen, as dubbed by his coach, Lauris Coggin, possesses both the tactical awareness to play in defence and the technical ability to score four goals in a game, there is no reason he couldn’t eventually thrive in the middle of the park.

Ultimately, it is still so early in his career, but in Thomas, West Ham look to have another hugely promising talent, much like Potts.

Mark Goldbridge has commented on how Arsenal look when managing the absence of a key part of their attacking line.

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Brian Brobbey scored a last-gasp equaliser as high-flying Sunderland held Premier League leaders Arsenal to a 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light.

A stop-start first-half suddenly sparked into life when former Arsenal academy product Dan Ballard sent the hosts ahead with a thumping finish, ending the Gunners’ run of eight consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.

Bukayo Saka levelled with a low effort after the break and, with Arsenal having controlled most of the game for the second half, Leandro Trossard sent the visitors ahead with a stunning effort from outside the area.

Late drama followed as Brobbey stabbed home from Ballard’s header to earn a point for the hosts against the division’s top side.

Roefs then denied Calafiori at the death, with Ballard blocking Merino’s follow-up after the save, as the Black Cats held on for the point.

During the game, a comment was made about the Gunners going forward when they are without one of their summer additions.

Gyokeres "massively" missed by Gunners

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, Goldbridge noted how much Arsenal were missing Gyokeres, who picked up an injury in their game against Burnley. The content creator said:

Signing in the 2025 summer transfer window, much has been said about Gyokeres since he arrived at Arsenal, having been signed to solve their striker problems. The Swede has not yet found a consistent string of goalscoring form, but has had a positive impact on the team in other ways.

Against Sunderland, Mikel Merino picked up an assist for Saka’s opener, having been deployed as a makeshift striker. Otherwise, however, the Spaniard, who is a natural midfielder, struggled to have much of an impact, with Arsenal facing initial struggles in breaking the Black Cats down.

Unflinching at their status as a newly-promoted team, Sunderland’s stoppage-time equaliser against the Gunners ensured a point that, based on their display, was certainly deserved. Arsenal can only hope that it does not go onto hamper their Premier League title hopes.

It is apparent, however, that the club lack a certain fluidity in attack when Gyokeres is absent from the first team, which was a contributing factor in them failing to come away from the North East with three points.

Arsenal have best finisher since van Persie for Arteta

Sky Sports presenter Dan Bardell has now shed light on a “sneaky” Leeds United moment against Aston Villa, which VAR may have missed in Unai Emery’s side’s 2-1 win at Elland Road.

Morgan Rogers’ second-half double sealed Aston Villa a 2-1 win at Leeds and lifted his side into the Premier League’s top four. The England forward cancelled out Lukas Nmecha’s early opener for Leeds soon after the interval before his exquisite free-kick secured Villa a sixth win from their last seven league games.

A fifth defeat in six league matches was a bitter pill to swallow for Leeds, who remain in the relegation zone and had nothing to show for a spirited display, which saw them match their opponents for long periods.

Leeds dropped into the bottom three for the first time this season after Saturday’s results and a second home league defeat of the season heaped further pressure on head coach Daniel Farke.

Eight of Leeds’ 11 points prior to kick-off this season had been won at Elland Road and they made the ideal start, taking an eighth-minute lead after a lengthy VAR decision.

Sean Longstaff’s free-kick was hooked back across goal by Gabriel Gudmundsson and after Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez dropped the ball under pressure from Anton Stach, Ezri Konsa’s attempted clearance rebounded off Nmecha and into the net.

VAR Paul Tierney concluded after a lengthy check that neither Gudmundsson or Stach had been offside.

"Sneaky" moment VAR may have missed in Leeds v Aston Villa

Nmecha’s third goal of the season was confirmed after a lengthy VAR check for offside. There will have also been some fears that a foul could’ve been given, something which may not have been checked in great detail.

Taking to X during the first half, Sky Sports man Bardell suggested the goal shouldn’t have stood due to a “sneaky nudge”, despite the fact Martinez should’ve done a lot better, saying: “Could be disallowed for a couple of things there, but not great from Martinez, although I do think there was a sneaky nudge too. Not ideal.”

Ultimately, regardless of whether there was meaningful contact, the Argentinian should’ve done a lot better, considering he is still regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

That said, Villa managed to force their way back into the game regardless, with Rogers putting in a fantastic second-half display, bagging a brace, which ensured his side moved up to fourth in the Premier League table.

Leeds looking to boost survival chances by submitting imminent bid for Real Madrid star Leeds set to make imminent bid for Real Madrid ace after Farke convinces 49ers

The Whites are looking to bring in a new forward, having not scored enough goals so far this season.

ByDominic Lund Nov 21, 2025

Nottingham Forest have now reportedly joined Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign an in-form Serie A striker in the January transfer window.

Dyche "disappointed" by VAR call

On a night that saw Nottingham Forest edge past Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers courtesy of Jesus’ second-half effort, it was VAR that stole the biggest headlines. Once again, the technology was at the centre of the controversy after Dan Ndoye was adjudged to have been interfering with play in an offside position for what many believed to be Jesus’ initial opener.

It’s the type of call which has split opinions in recent weeks and the type that Sean Dyche didn’t understand – telling reporters at full-time: “Well, I’m the only manager who ever mentions why they (referees) go over to the screen. It’s funny how it goes against us, that was interesting.

“Managers in the old days could lose a job on a bad decision. At least now it gives you a better chance of everyone, in theory, having similar decisions. There’s always going to be tough decisions, even with VAR.

“Tonight I’m bound to say he (Dan Ndoye) doesn’t impede anyone. He doesn’t. He just stands still. He’s not trying to deflect it in or anything like that.

“I’m bound to say I’m disappointed in it. I don’t think the keeper would have saved it. But you never know, these keepers are so agile. He’s a good keeper as well, so he might have. But I’m bound to say that I’m aggrieved.”

Nottingham Forest now keen on £117k-a-week UCL defender who may replace Murillo

The Tricky Trees are looking at signing a new centre-back in the January transfer window, amid doubts over Murillo’s future.

ByDominic Lund Dec 2, 2025

Eventually, the decision did not prove costly as Forest picked up three points for the fourth time in their last five games in all competitions – highlighting Dyche’s impact.

Evangelos Marinakis will be most relieved that his managerial call is finally working out after already sacking Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou earlier this season. The Greek owner, with relegation fears eased, now has the chance to strengthen Dyche’s side in January.

Nottingham Forest racing to sign Pellegrino

As reported by Calcio Mercato and relayed by Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are now battling to sign Mateo Pellegrino from Serie A side Parma in 2026. The Tricky Trees are joined by Tottenham and West Ham United in the race, but could yet get one over on the two London clubs.

With Jesus still finding consistency and Chris Wood yet to match last season’s outstanding form, Dyche could certainly do with a player of Pellegrino’s talent.

The Parma striker has enjoyed an impressive campaign so far and is reportedly unlikely to come cheap if Forest want to make their move in the January transfer window.

Minutes

579

1,100

Goals

1

4

Assists

0

0

Expected Goals

2.3

1.9

It’s easy to see why Premier League sides are interested in Pellegrino. Compared to Jesus, the 6’3 forward has outperformed his expected goals by just over two and is on course for an impressive Serie A season.

Nottingham Forest now eyeing £15m Europa League midfielder after Anderson update

With nine games played in the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, we’ve already seen the champions’ crown slip, two sackings from one club and one Manchester United fan may just be closing in on a much-needed haircut.

But there’s still plenty more to come and an AI Supercomputer has now predicted how the final table will look come May, using data from the first nine game-weeks to predict every result and the final standings.

Relegation battle

It’s been a refreshing season down at the bottom. As things stand, none of the three promoted sides sit inside the bottom three and all have reached 10 points or above already.

For context of just how important that achievement is, Southampton finished bottom with 12 points after 38 games last season, whilst it took Ipswich and Leicester City all season to reach 22 and 25 points respectively. Sunderland have particularly thrived and sit as high as fourth in the Premier League with 17 points to their name. After nine games, it’s hard to see a world in which they don’t avoid the drop.

The Supercomputer seems to agree with how impressive the promoted sides have been so far this season and believes that, for just the fifth time in Premier League history, all three will avoid the drop. That leaves West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest – the current bottom three – in the dropzone at the end of the season.

15

Fulham

40

16

Leeds United

34

17

Burnley

33

18

Nottingham Forest

30

19

Wolves

27

20

West Ham

26

Bottom half

Away from relegation trouble, the supercomputer has predicted some comfortable campaigns for Brentford, Everton, Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace. Opinions will differ around those clubs whether a mid-table finish would be satisfactory, but Brentford should certainly take hold of that with both hands.

In their first season without Thomas Frank in the Premier League, many predicted the Bees to go down and although there’s still every chance that happens, victory over Liverpool proved just the positive direction that Keith Andrews is taking them. Not only has he steadied the ship, but he has also added his own pragmatic style in West London.

11

Crystal Palace

50

12

Brighton

48

13

Everton

47

14

Brentford

42

Top half

Look away now Chelsea fans, because your top four spot is up for grabs. According to the Supercomputer, the Blues are in for another frustrating campaign after spending big once more in the summer.

Despite impressing at times, Enzo Maresca’s side have largely remained inconsistent and that could leave them scrapping away to stay in the top six altogether. The same can be said for Newcastle United, who have impressed defensively but remained blunt going forward in the absence of one of the world’s best forwards in Alexander Isak.

Manchester United, meanwhile, have been on the up lately and are just two wins away from five on the bounce. After finishing in the bottom half last season, the Supercomputer believes that Ruben Amorim’s side will earn their place back inside the top six and above Chelsea.

5

Man Utd

65

6

Chelsea

63

7

Aston Villa

62

8

Bournemouth

60

9

Newcastle

59

10

Sunderland

52

Top four and Premier League winners

From the glory of champions, the most glaring prediction that the Supercomputer has made centres around Liverpool’s fall from grace. It does believe that the Reds will finish inside the top four, but as many as 17 points behind league leaders Arsenal in a title defence to forget for Arne Slot. Given that they’re currently winless in four league games, however, the Dutchman may just take that final table.

As for Tottenham Hotspur, from the chaos of Ange-ball, they’re expected to rise to as high as third in the league under Frank. The Lilywhites have started in excellent fashion under the Dane and could yet continue that to earn their way back into the top four.

For the Gunners, meanwhile, glory may finally be on the horizon. They’ve waited over two decades to lift the Premier League title again and have been forced to applaud both Liverpool and Manchester City in recent years. Now, at long last, it could finally be Mikel Arteta’s year. The Supercomputer has even gone as far as to predict that they’ll win it by 13 points.

1

Arsenal

89

2

Man City

76

3

Tottenham Hotspur

74

4

Liverpool

72

Manchester United have now reportedly been offered the chance to sign an England midfielder for just £26m when the January transfer window arrives.

Man Utd seeking midfield reinforcements

In the summer, it was Ruben Amorim’s frontline that took the focus as INEOS welcomed Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko in an impressive window. Now, when 2026 arrives, it looks as though Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to turn his attention towards Man United’s midfield.

Those at Old Trafford were eyeing a move for Carlos Baleba at the end of the summer window, before Brighton & Hove Albion priced them out of a move. Months on, it seems as though the midfielder has fallen down Man United’s shortlist of targets, with Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson now taking centre-stage.

The 23-year-old is quickly becoming the most sought-after player in the Premier League, but he’s not the only option on United’s list of targets in the middle of the park.

They’ve also reportedly been told that they can now sign Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid at a bargain price in January. The former Chelsea man could be on his way back to the Premier League as he looks to earn his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Man Utd now offered bargain Conor Gallagher deal

According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Man United have now been told that they can sign Gallagher for just €30m (£26m) when 2026 arrives. The England international has become surplus to requirements at Atletico Madrid and he’s now ready to leave the club in pursuit of consistent game time.

Dubbed “intense” by Simeone, Gallagher could provide the legs in United’s midfield that Casemiro is otherwise unable to provide these days. The 25-year-old is a true midfield workhorse, who also has a knack for popping up with goals when needed.

Although United’s big target is Anderson, they’d be doing their top four prospects no harm by welcoming Gallagher in the January transfer window, especially at just £26m.

Man Utd eye move for £80m star who Man City would "love" to buy in January

The Red Devils could be in a direct fight with their Premier League rivals to land his signature.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 29, 2025

Whether INEOS will be willing to act as early as the winter window remains to be seen, however. They may yet put all of their funds towards winning what is looking likely to be a hectic race for Anderson next summer.

INEOS can fund Elliot Anderson move by offloading Man Utd's "best player"

Chelsea have now launched their first enquiry to sign Como star Nico Paz in 2026, but it is reportedly Real Madrid who hold the key in pursuit of one of the world’s best young talents.

The Blues have built quite the reputation for signing young stars in recent years, with some of those stars beginning to thrive at Stamford Bridge whilst others wonder what’s next. One of those on the more positive side is Estevao Willian. The young Brazilian has hit the ground running in West London and once again came from the bench to contribute on Saturday night.

This time it was Wolverhampton Wanderers who suffered as Estevao found room to hand Joao Pedro the chance to get his name on the scoresheet. From one Brazilian to another, the former Brighton & Hove Albion forward duly obliged.

The 18-year-old’s performance once again resulted in significant praise from the Sky Sports studio, with former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil saying: “The thing holding him back is that he’s got the best winger I’ve ever worked with in Pedro Neto in his position.

“But he’s a top talent. Estevao, I’m sure, will manage to find his way into the team, but I think it’s difficult on that right-hand-side. At his age, you can keep him happy giving him sub appearances. But at some point, he needs to be let off the leash.”

Chelsea launch move to re-sign Antonio Rudiger; he's made Real Madrid decision

He previously starred at Stamford Bridge.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 9, 2025

Whilst Estevao continues to enjoy an impressive rise, Chelsea will no doubt continue their search for the next generation of standout stars. And that, of course, includes Paz. The Como star has been excellent under former Stamford Bridge star Cesc Fabregas this season and the Blues have now made their first move for his signature.

Chelsea launch first Nico Paz enquiry

As reported by Caught Offside, Chelsea have now enquired about signing Paz from Como in 2026, but face competition from Inter Milan, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. Reports have even claimed that Inter are preparing to submit an offer to sign the attacking midfielder worth €58m (£51m).

Unfortunately for the Italian giants and the rest of the interested parties, however, it is Real Madrid who hold the key to Paz’s future. The Spanish giants reportedly have a buy-back clause worth €9m (£8m) in 2026 and €10m (£9m) in 2027. In one move, they could sign a player who could reach the value of €100m for what would be the bargain of the summer.

Chelsea and others must simply hope that Madrid either opt out of signing the 21-year-old in the next two years or the player, himself, rejects the chance to make a return to the Bernabeu. If either of those scenarios take place, then things will certainly become interesting.

Described as “incredible” by Lionel Messi in the highest praise that an Argentinian can receive, Paz has already been involved in eight goals in 12 games this season and doesn’t look likely to slow down anytime soon.

Chelsea join Daniel Munoz race as Crystal Palace star reveals true "dream" move

Danny Rohl’s start to life in charge of Glasgow Rangers on the European stage has not gone to plan so far, as he has lost both of his Europa League games without his side scoring a goal.

The former Sheffield Wednesday head coach, though, has inherited a team that struggled badly under Russell Martin, and will not have any of his own signings until the January transfer window.

Rohl took over from Martin after the Scottish manager only won five of his 17 games and one of his Scottish Premiership outings in the dugout for the Ibrox giants.

The German tactician has had an instant impact on the side in the Premiership. Rangers have won all three of their league games since his arrival at the club, and kept back-to-back clean sheets away from home.

A 3-0 win at Dens Park on Sunday means that the Light Blues can head into the final international break on a high, after goals from Nicolas Raskin, Mikey Moore, and Djeidi Gassama.

However, there are still some individuals within the squad who have been unable to step up. Bojan Miovski, for example, was hooked off at half-time against Dundee.

Why Rangers should be worried about Bojan Miovski

The Light Blus should be concerned by the Macedonia international’s dismal start to life at Ibrox, because he has yet to show any signs of replicating his form with Aberdeen.

Miovski was signed from Girona during the summer transfer window to bolster Martin’s options at the top end of the pitch, possibly because of his proven track record in Scottish football.

The left-footed forward’s return of 32 goals in 78 games in the Premiership for the Dons suggested that he was a safe and sensible signing to add goals to the Gers attack, but it has not played out that way.

Miovski has scored one goal in eight appearances in the top-flight for Rangers, against Falkirk, from an xG of 1.84, per FotMob, which suggests that he has underperformed as a finisher.

The Rangers centre-forward was given the nod to lead the line against Dundee at Dens Park, after coming off the bench against Roma last week, but he was unable to prove to Rohl that he deserves more starts on the other side of the international break.

Minutes

45

Touches

14

Dribbles completed

0/0

Shots

0

Key passes

1

Big chances created

0

Duels won

2/8

As you can see in the table above, Miovski failed to register a single shot on goal in 45 minutes of action before being taken off at half-time. Whilst you could point to a lack of creativity behind him, his struggles in duels meant that he was unable to fashion chances for himself.

The Scottish giants, therefore, should be worried about the former Aberdeen marksman, because he has been at the club for several months now and is no closer to showing the kind of quality that earned him a good reputation in the Premiership in the past.

Miovski, though, was not the only Rangers player who failed to deliver an impressive performance in spite of the 3-0 victory against Dundee last time out.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Rohl must ruthlessly drop central midfielder Mohamed Diomande from the starting line-up when the Gers return to action on the other side of the international break, as he was just as bad as Miovski at Dens Park.

Why Rangers should drop Mohamed Diomande

The Ivorian midfielder was taken off by the German head coach at half-time, just as Miovski was, and was replaced by Scotland international Connor Barron.

Per Sofascore, Diomande lost 75% (3/4) of his duels in the opening 45 minutes of the game at Dens Park, which shows that he was too much of a lightweight in the middle of the park. That may have been why Rohl decided to take him off for Barron, who won 100% (2/2) of his duels in the second half.

The Rangers midfielder also failed to take any shots on goal, did not create any chances for his teammates, and did not attempt a single dribble, per Sofascore, which shows that he offered very little in midfield and was just as bad as Miovski, who was as ineffective in and out of possession.

Diomande, who was sent off against Genk in the Europa League in September, has endured a frustrating 2025/26 campaign after catching the eye with his impressive performances last term.

The left-footed star scored four goals and provided seven assists in 36 outings in the Premiership last season, but his form in and out of possession has dropped off a cliff this year.

Appearances

36

8

Sofascore rating

7.19

6.45

Goals

4

0

Key passes per game

1.2

0.5

Assists

7

0

Duels won per game

4.4

2.9

Ground duel success rate

57%

46%

Aerial duel success rate

48%

25%

As you can see in the table above, his defensive and offensive numbers are down across the board in the Premiership for the Gers, which shows that he has been unable to carry last season’s success over to the current one.

His underwhelming performance against Dundee on Sunday was simply the latest in a long line of disappointing performances from the central midfielder for the Light Blues in the 2025/26 campaign, as he has struggled in and out of possession throughout the season.

Given that Barron came on and showed great energy and desire to win 100% of his duels off the bench in the second half, Rohl should ruthlessly ditch Diomande from the starting XI for the clash with Livingston at Ibrox on the other side of the international break.

Rangers launch first enquiry to sign versatile defender who dominated Chermiti

The Gers desperately need reinforcements.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 7, 2025

Miovski and Diomande both failed to offer enough quality on the pitch in the first half against Dundee, hence why they were hauled off at the break, and they should both lose their place in the starting line-up as a result of that.

Arsenal beat German champions Bayern Munich 3-1 on a night to remember in Europe, and one Gunners star absolutely stole the show with his performance.

Mikel Arteta’s side were handed one of their toughest tests on paper tonight against a Bayern side who are still unbeaten in the Bundesliga and one of the favourites to win the Champions League, but they were no match for the Premier League frontrunners in north London.

Jurrien Timber

7.7

Bukayo Saka

7.4

Riccardo Calafiori

7.4

Lennart Karl

7.4

Declan Rice

7.3

via WhoScored

Bayern had also won all but one of their matches in all competitions this season heading into their trip to the Emirates, with Arsenal handing Vincent Kompany’s side their first defeat of 2025/2026.

Second-half goals from Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli ended up firing Arsenal to victory in their heavyweight clash. Madueke, back after two months out with a knee injury, scored his first Gunners goal before fellow sub Martinelli pounced on a mistake from Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer to stretch Arsenal’s perfect record in the competition to five victories from five matches.

Earlier, Jurrien Timber had headed Arsenal into the lead and, with former Tottenham striker Harry Kane unable to add to the six goals he has scored at the Emirates, it was left to Bayern’s 17-year-old star Lennart Karl to grab the first goal Arsenal have conceded in the competition this season.

This glamour tie was arguably the least important of Premier League leaders Arsenal’s three matches this week, sandwiched between the 4-1 derby demolition of Spurs and Sunday’s trip to second-placed Chelsea.

Nevertheless, it is still one to revel in, and the result perhaps hands Arsenal the status of Europe’s best team right now.

While Timber, Madueke and Martinelli were the heroes on paper, it was a complete midfield performance by club-record signing Declan Rice, who absolutely bossed proceedings in the middle of the park with one of his best ever displays in red and white.

Ally McCoist hails 'out of this world' Declan Rice in Arsenal win

Covering the game for TNT Sports, commentator Ally McCoist repeatedly waxed lyrical about the England international — branding him Man of the Match for his “first class” outing against the Bavarians.

Rice was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet as well on 60 minutes, with the former West Ham captain storming down the left only for veteran keeper Manuel Neuer to deny him just reward for his imperious showing.

McCoist called Rice “magnificent” and “out of this world” for the run, which just about summed up what was a possessed performance from one of Arsenal’s leaders.

Tonight was a massive statement from Arsenal, who not only showed they can cut it against Europe’s toughest opponents, but also sent a very clear message that they’ve got absolutely zero intention of letting up.

Next up, a fierce London derby awaits against Chelsea this weekend — a match which could send Arteta’s side nine points clear at the top of the table and cement their status as overwhelming title favourites.

Rice will be a massive part of that, and tonight shows just how vital he is in Arteta’s quest to end the club’s 22-year wait for a Premier League trophy.