All posts by z3u9t.icu

After a disheartening 2020/21 season which saw Sheffield Wednesday relegated from the Championship, Darren Moore’s side have had a mixed start to their League One campaign.

With nine games played prior to today’s clash against Oxford United, the Owls have won four, drawn three and lost two, with their latest match seeing them beat Wigan Athletic 2-1 at the DW Stadium.

Looking ahead to the game against Oxford, Owls manager Darren Moore revealed in his latest press conference that Sam Hutchinson and Lewis Gibson have both trained ahead of today’s clash but that George Byers will not be available. With this in mind, here’s how we feel the Owls will set up against Oxford, with two changes from the team in midweek.

Will Wednesday pick up another win this weekend?

In goal, Bailey Peacock-Farrell has been a regular for Wednesday so far this season and should continue there to face Oxford.

The defence could see full-backs Marvin Johnson and Liam Palmer retain their places in the team after the midweek victory, with the duo making a total number of seven tackles and five interceptions between them against Wigan, proving themselves to be useful defensive outlets for Wednesday.

There could be some change in the centre-back position, though, with Hutchinson taking Cheyenne Dunkley’s place at centre-back alongside Dominic Iorfa, who also impressed in midweek, earning himself an overall match rating of 7.1/10 (as per SofaScore).

This could then lead to Barry Bannan coming back into the squad after being an unused substitute against Wigan.

Elsewhere, the other change we think Moore should consider for the Oxford match would be to take Jaden Brown out of the team after failing to make an impact against Wigan from the left-midfield position, taking 27 touches and losing possession on 12 occasions, ultimately earning a rather lacklustre overall match rating of 5.8/10, making him Wednesday’s lowest-rated player on the day according to SofaScore.

In his place, we feel Moore should give Olamide Shodipo, who replaced Brown in midweek, a chance from the start to see if he can do a better job than the 22-year-old did against Wigan.

On the other side, Moore should stick with Dennis Adeniran on the right to see if he can have some sort of attacking threat, even though his two league goals this season have come from when he’s played in the centre of midfield.

Finally, Wednesday should continue with Lee Gregory and Callum Paterson, who scored against Wigan, as their two strikers to hopefully fire the club to another three points.

In other news: Sheff Wed handed big injury boost ahead of Oxford clash, fans will be delighted – opinion

Derby County have recently completed a deal to sign former Manchester United and QPR midfielder Ravel Morrison on a one-year deal.

What’s the story?

Morrison had been training with the Rams during pre-season and had featured in their friendly clash with his former side Manchester United.

The 28-year-old had most recently been on the books with ADO Den Haag, although his spell with the Dutch side reached an early conclusion towards the end of the 2020/21 season.

Derby were struggling with numbers heading into the new Championship campaign, but have now been allowed to sign players this summer in ‘exceptional circumstances’.

Morrison is the latest signing to arrive at Pride Park, and Wayne Rooney will be hoping that the midfielder can make a positive impact with the Rams this term as they look to avoid relegation into the third-tier of English football.

‘A great player and person’

Morrison hasn’t exactly settled at any club in recent seasons, with the midfielder finding regular minutes hard to come by.

But that could be about to change with Derby County, with the Rams certainly needing additional strength in depth in their senior squad, with a number of their Under-23s having to be included in the matchday squad during pre-season and for their season opener against Huddersfield Town.

We’ve seen glimpses of Morrison’s exciting potential though, with the 28-year-old netting a memorable solo goal against Tottenham Hotspur whilst with West Ham United earlier in his career.

Rooney has evidently been pleased with Morrison’s impact during training and pre-season, and he and the club’s supporters will now be keen to see him make an instant impact with the Rams.

Speaking in a recent post-match press conference (quotes sourced from The Athletic’s Ryan Conway), Rooney expressed his delight at signing Morrison, and admitted that he’s ‘lifted’ the club, before labelling him as a ‘great player and person’.

“I’m delighted to get Ravel in. He can add to our creativity. I could speak about question marks people have against him off the pitch – he’s had a past. We’ve all got a past. But since he’s been at our club, he’s lifted us. He’s a great player and person.”

It could turn out to be a shrewd addition for Derby if Morrison can get back to his best, and he could turn out to be the difference between them staying in the Championship for another season or dropping into League One.

More importantly for the Rams, he’s another senior signing this summer, and that was certainly needed within Rooney’s squad ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

Morrison could be in line to make his Derby debut on Tuesday when Rooney’s side host Peterborough United at Pride Park in what could potentially be a tricky test in the EFL Cup.

While much of the excitement at Aston Villa at the moment will naturally surround Steven Gerrard and how he can get the club firing again, NSWE will be absolutely delighted at securing the services of another man: Michael Beale.

The 41-year-old arrived at Villa Park as Gerrard’s first-team coach from his time at Rangers, and has been widely hailed by numerous people for the role he has played.

Indeed, Gerrard himself told The Robbie Fowler Podcast: “What I’ll never do is try to do someone else’s job when they are better than me at doing it It would take me 15 to 20 years to become as good as Michael Beale as an on-pitch coach, delivering sessions on a daily basis, so I let Mick be Mick because he’s the expert.”

That sentiment is echoed by journalist Stuart Hodge who exclusively revealed to GIVEMESPORT the kind of role Beale has played, and will play at Villa Park over the coming months and years.

Hodge said: “Beale is the man behind him that’s doing things and looking at things from a different perspective. He’ll be the one doing a lot of the drills on the training pitch.”

He added: “Gerrard is the manager and Beale’s the coach, essentially. Beale is the brains behind the operation, whereas Gerrard is very much the face and the front of it.”

Having that respected coach who can really dig into the finer details on the training ground and really improve players will be particularly key for a young Villa side brimming with exciting talents coming through the academy – not least the likes of Carney Chukwuemeka and Cameron Archer.

And, speaking to BBC Scotland, former Gers star Peter Lovenkrands outlined just how Beale goes about things with individual players: “What he does with the players on the pitch is phenomenal. I remember he was giving me sessions to take down because I was doing the reserves; he wanted us to copy it. I was loving it. I actually wanted to take part in the training.

“He’s so on the ball. He’s so good at what he does. The players love it. His preparation for each game is fantastic to watch, and Gerrard is very lucky to have him.”

While Villa fans will surely be very pleased with appointing Gerrard, the arrival of the 41-year-old Beale in tandem could be the real masterstroke that really ignites things behind-the-scenes.

Meanwhile, Ashley Preece has revealed what Gerrard has “transformed” at Villa Park…

Celtic are interested in a deal to bring Marco Bizot to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by French media outlet Homme du Match (via The Scottish Sun), who claim that Ligue 1 side Stade Brestois are looking to offload their £5m summer signing during the winter window, before going on to state that Celtic are one of the clubs considering making a loan offer for the 30-year-old goalkeeper.

However, it is then reported that, despite Ange Postecoglou’s preference of a short-term move, Brest would not be willing to sanction the departure of the shot-stopper on a temporary basis – unless a mandatory clause to purchase the Netherlands international is included in the deal.

Nicholson must move

With it being reported recently that two of Celtic’s current options between the sticks, Vasilis Barkas and Scott Bain, look as if they will be on their way out of Parkhead this January, a move for a goalkeeper in the winter market would appear to be a rather necessary one for Michael Nicholson to make.

And, while it is true that Bizot has not been in the best form of his life over his 16 Ligue 1 appearances so far this season – with the 30-year-old averaging a SofaScore match rating of 6.67 – the Dutchman nevertheless proved during his final two campaigns with AZ Alkmaar that he would make a fantastic option for Postecoglou to be able to call upon at Celtic.

Indeed, over his 57 Eredivisie appearances over the last two seasons, the £4.5m-rated goalkeeper kept a whopping 27 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 2.4 saves per game – with these returns seeing the 30-year-old who has been nicknamed The Wall average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.97.

As such, a move for the £7.5k-per-week shot-stopper would indeed seem a highly advisable one for Nicholson to make this winter, as Bizot appears to not only possess the ability to be Joe Hart’s backup in the squad but also to push the former England international for his starting spot at Parkhead.

In other news: “I can’t..”: Ange drops transfer claim on £6.5m gem that may annoy Celtic fans

Crystal Palace have reportedly received an offer from Süper Lig outfit Trabzonspor for their versatile midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate.

What’s the story?

According to Turkish news outlet Sabah (as reported by the Evening Standard), talks are thought to be underway over a move that could be worth around £4m.

The report states that Trabzonspor want a player who can operate in central midfield and defence, meaning Kouyate fits the bill perfectly following last season’s exploits. Patrick Vieira will be fuming

News that the Palace hierarchy are thought to be negotiating Kouyate’s potential exit will surely leave new manager Patrick Vieira fuming.

The Senegal international was one of the south London outfit’s standout performers last season, filling in at centre-back on several occasions due to his teammates picking up a string of injury issues – as per Whoscored, he finished as the joint-ninth best player in terms of average match rating for Palace.

And the experienced 31-year-old could play a crucial part for Palace next term as well.

Following the departures of Gary Cahill, Mamadou Sakho, Scott Dann and James McCarthy following the expiration of their contract last month, the Eagles’ spine is looking extremely threadbare.

Kouyate has showcased his ability and potential to play in multiple positions, providing Vieira with cover and competitions through the centre of the pitch.

Since arriving at Selhurst Park back in August 2018, the £65k-per-week monster has established himself as a regular in the capital club’s starting XI.

Despite only bagging two goals and providing four assists in 110 appearances for Palace, Kouyate has made a significant contribution to their success, and chairman Steve Parish must keep hold of him this summer.

Letting an experienced, versatile, proven Premier League performer depart when Vieira is set to oversee a potentially tricky transitional period could prove to be a disastrous decision.

The club’s chief must be careful not to change the playing squad too quickly over the next couple of years, and Kouyate’s presence would add some stability and familiarity to a fast-changing environment.

And, in other news…Journalist provides exciting Palace transfer update that’ll leave Eagles fans buzzing

When Farhad Moshiri agreed a deal to bring Carlo Ancelotti to Everton it was seen as a major coup.

The Toffees had just convinced one of the most decorated coaches in the world to join them in their quest for European football.

Ancelotti was unable to deliver a place in the Champions League but departed with unfinished business as the might of Real Madrid came crawling back for the Italian.

His arrival in Merseyside was a landmark appointment at the time. He was someone who should have taken Everton to the next level and with a bit more time he may have got there.

A number of faces have been linked with the job since his exit, though, one of which is Ralf Rangnick.

The 62-year-old has been out of management since 2016 but is under consideration for the vacant position according to The Telegraph.

If he did indeed arrive in Merseyside he could completely transform the football club, providing them with an identity that’s been lacking over the last five years.

Everton have had four permanent managers in the last handful of years and consequently could do with a sense of stability and structure.

If the Merseyside outfit does require a manager of that ilk there’d be few better suited to the task than Rangnick.

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He is a meticulous sole, a manager and director who was described as an “architect” by German reporter Guido Schafer for his accomplishments in the game.

The experienced head is the pioneer of the modern press and introduced a style of football that’s now synonymous with many coaches throughout the world.

The likes of Jurgen Klopp, Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel and Ralph Hasenhuttl have all followed his high-intensity pressing, while Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa is also famed for a similar lung-busting style.

In terms of pressing this season, Everton were the eight-best team for successful pressures on 1606 but that was over 300 behind Leeds United.

The arrival of Rangnick, therefore, could revolutionise their style of play and mindset on the field of play.

His influence wouldn’t stop there, however. His training methods are important with players expected to arrive for training 90 minutes early during his time at Leipzig in order to undergo saliva and blood tests that could determine how hard they can work for.

Furthermore, he tailored dietary requirements and was particularly impressive in the transfer market, developing a strategy that eventually formed Leipzig’s identity.

He wanted the club to sign players exclusively under the age of 23 that they could build for the future and then sell on for a high price. One of the biggest success stories was Timo Werner who left the Bundesliga side for Chelsea in a deal worth £45m.

There is much to like about Rangnick. He plays pressing football and knows how to craft an entire club’s identity; he’d be a fabulous appointment for Everton.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Nuno: Everton can form a magical duo by signing “sensational” £50m gem…

Wolves may conclude their transfer window with a bang as the Old Gold begin to make strides to improving their first-team options.

They are in the market to sign another striker while a further centre-back could arrive before the deadline slams shut next week.

What’s the word?

Bruno Lage appears to be desperate to bring in a new centre-half in the closing days of the window with a multitude of players linked in the last few weeks.

They were eyeing deals for Takehiro Tomiyasu at Bologna and Nikola Milenkovic at Fiorentina but they are incredibly unlikely now.

Instead, they’re looking at finalising a deal for Marseille defender Duje Caleta-Car.

That’s according to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas who took to Twitter on Wednesday evening. He said: “Wolves have an interest in Duje Caleta-Car at Marseille but face an uphill task to convince him to join. He wants to keep playing in Europe.”

Much-needed

One of the biggest issues for Wolves last season was undoubtedly their defence.

During a period between October and February, the team led by Nuno Santo managed to keep just two clean sheets in 14 straight matches.

Defensive mistakes riddled their team with Romain Saiss in particular struggling. Various injuries to star centre-back Willy Boly also didn’t help their cause.

Boly has spent the early parts of this season out injured while new signing Yerson Mosquera is also on the treatment table.

Consequently, Wolves’ options in their preferred three-man backline are extremely limited.

Caleta-Car, therefore, would not only give them more depth but he’d also provide them with an immense dose of quality. On that basis, supporters should be extremely excited that they want to sign the Croatian.

The 24-year-old is one of the most promising centre-backs in Europe and has developed well in French football.

Last season his pass success rate was north of 86% while he also won 2.5 aerial duels per match. If you compare that to every defender at Wolves, he fits right into their preferred make-up.

Only Conor Coady and Max Kilman had a better pass completion percentage while only Boly and Saiss were more prolific in aerial battles.

As a consequence, Lage must do his utmost to bring the Croat to Molineux this summer. Supporters would surely be elated at having another option in their defence.

AND in other news, Wolves make offer to sign £17m “phenomenon” before deadline day, Lage needs him…

Leeds United could still sign Manchester United winger Daniel James before the summer transfer window closes, according to journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Leeds keen on James

The Whites have been linked with a move for the Welshman throughout this summer, as Marcelo Bielsa looks to add to his wide options.

Although James started Manchester United’s 1-0 win at Wolves on Sunday, he is going increasingly down the attacking pecking order, especially with Cristiano Ronaldo joining from Juventus.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359346″]

The Latest: Hay gives update

The reliable Hay has now provided an update on Leeds’ pursuit of the winger, admitting in a Q&A for The Athletic that a move could still happen before deadline day is over. He said:

“It goes without saying that Leeds and Bielsa have a long, long interest in him.

“Our understanding is that he will be made available by Man Utd (although whether he’ll want to go is another matter). It’s not a secret that Bielsa likes him.”

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The Verdict: Ideal wide competition

James may be a somewhat one-dimensional footballer, relying hugely on his electric pace – he has scored just nine goals in 74 appearances for United – but he could be an ideal squad player for Leeds.

At 23, he should still have plenty of time to mature, and he could provide an alternative option to the likes of Raphinha and Jack Harrison, proving to be a key counter-attacking threat.

It remains to be seen whether Leeds will make a late bid for James, but it would certainly be better than not bringing in any wide players at all.

In other news, Leeds could reportedly make a late swoop for one European youngster. Find out who it is here.

Some Manchester City fans are unhappy after it was revealed that there is a real possibility Harry Kane could join the Citizens for a fee over £100m.

Last week, Kane dropped a bombshell when he revealed he wanted to leave Tottenham this summer (Sky Sports). Other than a few loan spells, the England international has spent his whole career with Spurs, but he has failed to win a single trophy despite scoring over 200 goals for the club (Transfermarkt).

The news of Kane’s desire to leave has attracted plenty of interest from across the Premier League, including City. According to journalist Ian Cheeseman, Kane leaving Spurs and making the move to the Etihad Stadium for a fee of over £100m is a real possibility.

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts but, although this indicates City could get their hands on a world-class striker, many fans felt the potential fee is too high.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Kane news below

“Noo”

Credit: @STERLINGRAZZ7

“Suddenly I don’t like this transfer”

Credit: @cancelo27

“Yeah we’ll pass”

Credit: @its_comando

“No”

Credit: @mohamedamiin2

“NO WAY! Better spend money on Haaland any day!”

Credit: @imshaant

“We are idiots if we pay more than £80m for him. But we are idiots in transfer fees. Our negotiation power is really low”

Credit: @Owaiskhan072

In other news, Man City fans are livid at this Raheem Sterling news.

Newcastle United moved on to 43 points on Saturday as they beat Norwich 3-0 in a Premier League encounter at Carrow Road.

The Magpies are well clear of relegation and are on course to avoid the drop down to the Championship after an impressive resurgence under Eddie Howe.

They can now start to think about what they are going to do in the summer transfer window as attention turns to 2022/23 and their ambitions to compete higher up in the table.

One player the club are reportedly in the running for is Napoli centre-forward Victor Osimhen, who has been thriving in the Serie A this season.

Speaking about a potential transfer, his agent – Andrea D’Amico – said: “If a very important offer arrives, it goes away. But this is true for every player who plays in Italy.”

“At the moment I have no requests from the Premier, but it is early, it is a situation that remains evolving. England remains a top-tier market. When I speak of an important and indispensable offer for Osimhen, I mean offers of 150 million.”

Imagine him & Bruno

If the Magpies can bring the £126m (€150m) attacker to St. James’ Park then he would be able to form an exciting partnership with Bruno Guimaraes.

Osimhen has scored 12 goals in 19 Serie A starts this season and averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.12 for Napoli. The dynamo also scored four goals in five Europa League matches earlier in the campaign and this shows that he has been a reliable scorer, and performer, for the Italian side.

He is finally fulfilling the potential that he showed earlier in his career. Whilst in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg, his then-manager Andries Jonker outlined his talent, saying: “He has great potential in him. He is ambitious, quick and highly unpredictable, he will be a star in the future if he maintains his focus.”

Guimaraes, meanwhile, has four goals and one assist in 13 games in the Premier League since arriving in England in January. He has averaged a fantastic SofaScore rating of 7.25 as he has been able to hit the ground running in the top-flight under Howe.

The Brazilian has proven that he can make an impact in the division and now you can imagine what his link-up with a striker as clinical as Osimhen would look like. Imagine both of them exchanging passes and running at opposition defences next season; it’s an exciting thought and a dream that PIF can, hopefully, realise in the coming months.

AND in other news, “Newcastle want..”: Journo drops exciting claim on £109m duo, it’ll delight supporters…