All posts by z3u9t.icu

Rafael Benitez had overseen a nice revival since becoming the new manager of Everton a few months ago.

The Toffees were level on points with the Premier League leaders after their first four games before they came crashing back down to earth last weekend.

On the chalkboard

Everton have now suffered back-to-back defeats but they can’t just blame a plethora of injuries for the events of the last week.

They have been missing Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, while Seamus Coleman and Jordan Pickford have also picked up fresh blows.

Four key members of the squad, it’s evident that Benitez will miss them. However, the way they lost 3-0 to Aston Villa last weekend was about more than just those absentees.

The Spaniard selected an under-strength side for the Carabao Cup clash against QPR in midweek as he attempted to wrap his other important figureheads in cotton wool.

However, it didn’t come off for Everton. The game finished 2-2 after normal time, with the Championship side eventually winning on penalties.

Academy graduate Tom Davies was the unfortunate man to miss his spot-kick on a night where he simply wasn’t at the races. During the course of the match, the midfielder won just 50% of his defensive duels, failing to offer much in any phase of play.

The £32k-per-week earner made only one tackle and gave away two fouls, while his attacking play was extremely limited as well. Davies didn’t attempt a dribble, failed to produce a key pass and had just one shot during the match.

He was linked with a move away from Goodison Park during the summer, and after his limited game-time this season, he must be wishing that something materialised.

After all, he is clearly not good enough to start on a regular basis. Lee McLean, co-host of the Bullens View, gave the 23-year-old a scathing review after the Carabao Cup exit.

He said: “I just think he’s an extremely poor footballer which is based on five years of watching him play week in week out. I have determined that I just don’t think he’s very good.

“He hasn’t kicked on in five years and never looks look like he’s got the fight or any sort of will to improve himself in any way. I don’t know what he’s particularly good at.

“He doesn’t score, he doesn’t assist. He’s weak, he’s not quick. He doesn’t impose himself on games and I think he hides from possession a lot.”

On that evidence, Benitez would be wise to steer away from him when they face Norwich in the league on Saturday afternoon.

This was a perfect opportunity for Davies to make a statement to Benitez, but instead he is likely to be ousted for Allan or Abdoulaye Doucoure this weekend.

AND in other news, Forget Iwobi: Rafa must unleash Everton’s rarely-seen 20 y/o with “unbelievable pace”…

A number of Sheffield Wednesday supporters have been hailing goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell, following his penalty save for Northern Ireland.

The Owls have made a positive start to their League One campaign, even though losing away to Morecambe last weekend was disappointing.

There has been much to admire about Darren Moore’s side and Peacock-Farrell has undoubtedly been one of the brightest additions to the squad.

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He arrived on loan from Burnley during the summer transfer window and immediately impressed, making one spectacular penalty save in the win at Rotherham United.

It appears as though Peacock-Farrell is equally influential at international level, however, with the 24-year-old also keeping out a spot-kick in Northern Ireland’s 4-1 win away to Lithuania on Thursday night.

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Sheff Wed fans laud Peacock Farrell

Wednesday’s official Twitter account alerted Owls supporters to the save and these fans responded in delighted fashion, heaping praise on their new hero.

“My keeper”

Credit: @DaleWhite92

“Get the cheque book out now”

Credit: @JackDagnallV

“He’s the goat man”

Credit: @SantanBef

“What a boy”

Credit: @helloitsabbey_

“Unreal”

Credit: @TheSherlocks

“Boys can we sign him please, I’m begging”

Credit: @Haleb_4_ever

In other news, some Sheff Wed fans were critical of one Owls player’s performance last weekend. Find out who it is here.

While Leeds United will no doubt be hoping Kalvin Phillips will remain playing at Elland Road for the years to come, Marcelo Bielsa may already have the Whites’ new talisman in one of their academy stars: Nohan Kenneh.

The 18-year-old has already admitted to modelling himself on Phillips, while he also added that he’s a fan of Arsenal Invincible Patrick Vieira too. He said: “Currently I look up to Kalvin Phillips as (we) both play in a similar position, but I occasionally watch videos of Patrick Vieira for his qualities in midfield.”

The Athletic’s Phil Hay dubbed the teenager as “supremely gifted”, and he’s capable of playing in holding midfield as well as further back in central defence.

Also, at a imposing 6 foot 2, he seems to have the physical attributes to hold his own at Premier League level.

Describing himself as someone who is “aggressive and hard-working who likes to break down play”, but also likes “getting forward and scoring long-range goals”, Kenneh seems like he could thrive in the anchor man role if given the chance by Bielsa.

And, speaking on The Roaring Peacock Youth Pod, Matty Ingham, said: “One of the biggest prospects in the academy if we’re being honest. Big, physical presence, can carry the ball and he’s powerful and quick.”

Last season saw him spend all of his time with the club’s academy side, making 11 appearances at Premier League 2 level and helping them clinch the Division 2 title.

While this campaign has seen him play his first couple of games at centre-back, Kenneh could be moulded into Leeds’ next Phillips with a bit more training and coaching from the likes of Bielsa.

With those raw physical attributes, the Leeds boss could give Kenneh the kind of footballing education that he won’t be able to get anywhere else, and build the perfect holding midfielder at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, this Leeds ace has seen his market value decrease dramatically…

Tottenham Hotspur could launch a bid for one of their former youth players this month…

What’s the word?

According to the Evening Standard, PSV Eindhoven winger Noni Madueke is among Spurs’ transfer targets as they look to bolster Nuno Santo’s squad with a new creative star.

It’s thought that the Lilywhites are monitoring the 19-year-old ahead of a potential return to the club he left in 2018. However, they are likely to face competition from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich as well as a whole host of Premier League teams.

The former Spurs academy starlet is thought to be available for around £20m this window, as per The Sun.

Imagine him and Gil

Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici could be setting Spurs up for an exciting future should he manage to secure the young PSV sensation.

The Italian supremo has already stunned many with his move to sign promising Spanish wonderkid Bryan Gil from Sevilla, which also saw the ageing and injury-prone Erik Lamela go in the other direction.

Aged just 20, Gil is thought to be one of Spain’s biggest prospects behind names like Ansu Fati and Pedri, and he has been described as a “big talent” with “huge potential.”

Perhaps one day, he’s the man to take the reins from Heung-min Son.

Meanwhile, on the other flank, we could see a mouthwatering partnership for the future blossom with the arrival of Madueke.

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Spurs may have given up on him prematurely by allowing him to leave on a free transfer to the Eredivisie, but it’s worked out massively for the player.

Last season, the England U21 international enjoyed a breakthrough year.

In 32 appearances (just 11 starts), he provided nine goals and eight assists, averaging a direct contribution once every 75 minutes, via Transfermarkt. When you compare this to Harry Kane’s exploits, you’ll quickly learn just how impressive that is.

The Spurs striker provided a whopping 33 goals and 17 assists but did so at a rate of one every 79.6 minutes, marginally worse than the former Lilywhites gem.

Madueke’s qualities aren’t just simply his creative and finishing abilities as he offers brute strength and rapid acceleration which would strike fear into many a Premier League defence, especially with Gil on the other side.

His former England U21 head coach Aidy Boothroyd recently described him as a “powerhouse of a player”, whilst ex-Dutch midfielder Tommie van der Leegte dubbed him “explosive.”

On the above evidence, it would be wise for Paratici to sanction a move for Madueke sooner rather than later. He and Gil may not be a hit right away, but under the right coaching, they could form Spurs’ attack for many years to come.

It’s an exciting and mouth-watering thought.

AND in other news, Spurs must secure “phenomenal” £25m-rated dynamo with “magical powers”, Nuno needs him…

AZ Alkmaar will be without star winger Jesper Karlsson against Celtic on Wednesday evening, The Daily Record report.

The Lowdown: Karlsson profiled

Karlsson only joined the Dutch side last year but has made quite the impact in his 11 months at the club.

The Sweden international netted 12 times and registered nine assists in all competitions for Alkmaar last season – his best season in front of goal in his career.

The 23-year-old is at the peak of his powers with a £7.2m career-high Transfermarkt valuation, however, he won’t be up against Ange Postecoglou’s side on Wednesday evening.

The Latest: Suspended

Celtic Park plays host to the first leg of the Europa League playoff, but the visitors will be without Karlsson.

The Daily Record shared a story on Tuesday morning, revealing Karlsson is serving a suspension following his red card against Rijeka in the Europa League group stages last season.

That has carried over to the current campaign, and as it is their first fixture in Europe, the winger will be missing in Glasgow.

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The Verdict: Huge

No Alkmaar player contributed to more Eredivisie goals than Karlsson’s 20 last season, so his absence is a huge boost for Postecoglou and his Celtic side.

With home advantage and the visitors without one of their key men, Celtic may see this as a real opportunity to take a first-leg lead ahead of their trip to the Netherlands next week.

A first-leg lead could well be crucial, especially as the Hoops failed to defeat FC Midtjylland in the Champions League after only managing a draw at home.

In other news: Leeds keen on another Celtic ace alongside Leo Hjelde. 

Leeds United have suffered an injury blow as the new Premier League season approaches, with Joe Gelhardt hobbling off in the friendly win over Guiseley.

The Lowdown: Gelhardt impresses for U23s

A first-team debut may have evaded Gelhardt at Elland Road last season, but he caught the eye for the Under-23s, following his move from Wigan Athletic.

The 19-year-old scored 11 goals in just 17 appearances, also chipping in with three assists for good measure.

It may be that now is the time for Gelhardt to make the step up and become part of Marcelo Bielsa’s plans, but he has suffered a setback, in that respect.

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The Latest: Youngster suffers injury blow

As reported by The Yorkshire Evening Post, the Englishman ‘took a knock’ in the second half in the 3-2 win over Guiseley on Tuesday night, and was promptly replaced.

The severity of the problem hasn’t yet been confirmed, but the hope is that it won’t hamper Gelhardt’s preparations for next season too much.

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The Verdict: One to watch

It will be difficult for any young players to force their way into Bielsa’s plans in 2021/22, given the strength of the performances last term, but Gelhardt is definitely one to watch.

Admittedly, he remains completely unproven at senior level, but his performance for the U23s were undoubtedly impressive and he also scored five goals in as many games for Wigan’s Under-18s.

The youngster could potentially mature into a good backup option for Patrick Bamford over time, with former manager Paul Cook once hailing him as a ‘unique talent’, but that path to first-team action looks to be delayed for now.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly keen on making a hugely exciting summer signing. Find out who it is here.

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth believes it could cost Aston Villa upwards of £40m-£50m for Norwich City’s Todd Cantwell.

The Lowdown: Grealish exit

Villa are expected to go after Cantwell due to Jack Grealish’s pending Villa exit.

Fabrizio Romano tweeted late on Wednesday evening that the 25-year-old will have a Manchester City medical on Thursday morning ahead of a £100m move.

Grealish has signed a contract until 2026 with City and a move is set to be the most expensive player in Premier League history.

The Latest: Cantwell claim

Sheth was speaking live on Sky Sports on Wednesday, cited by Football Daily, where he addressed a potential swoop for Cantwell.

He admitted this summer would be the optimum time for Norwich to maximise Cantwell’s valuation, should he not wish to sign a new Carrow Road deal.

Sheth then said ‘I’ve heard’ it would take a figure of upwards of £40m-£50m before Norwich would consider selling the 23-year-old.

The Verdict: Villa need to make their minds up

If Villa are happy to smash their club record for Cantwell, then they should make their move relatively quickly, especially with the new season just around the corner.

However, if they aren’t, perhaps it would be wise to explore the European market, as they did for Leon Bailey.

Time could be crucial when it comes to landing Grealish’s replacement, so that’s why Villa need to act relatively quickly over the coming days – the longer it drags on, the more desperate they become and selling clubs’ negotiating stances will get tougher and tougher.

In other news: ‘All happening’, ‘Alongside JWP?’ – Many Aston Villa fans react as ‘great’ news is confirmed. 

West Ham United have been handed a boost in their bid to bring Robin Olsen to the London Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication AS (via Sport Witness), who claim that the AS Roma goalkeeper is open to a move away from the Stadio Olimpico in the summer transfer window.

Both West Ham and Atletico Madrid are mentioned as potential destinations for the 31-year-old shot-stopper, with it being believed that David Moyes’ side have already made an enquiry with the Italian club regarding a move for the Sweden international.

GSB surely buzzing

With a transfer undoubtedly being easier to get over the line when a player is open to a move away from their current club, in addition to the fact it has been widely reported that David Gold and David Sullivan have been on the lookout for a new goalkeeper to bring into West Ham this summer, the news that Olsen would be happy to leave Roma ahead of next season is sure to have left the Hammers board buzzing.

And, while he did not feature all the much while on loan at Everton last season, the ‘keeper nevertheless proved he would make a very solid addition to David Moyes’ options between the sticks during his time at the Toffees, as well as with Sweden at Euro 2020 this summer.

Indeed, over his seven Premier League appearances for Carlo Ancelotti’s side last term, the £2.7m-rated goalkeeper helped his team keep two clean sheets, as well as making an average of three saves per game and a total of 21 stops over the course of the season.

The metrics saw the man the Spanish press dubbed a “monstrous” player earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.87, ranking him as Everton’s 12th-best performer in the top flight of English football.

The £14k-per-week goalkeeper continued this fine form at Euro 2020, keeping two clean sheets and making an average of 2.8 saves per fixture over his four appearances in the competition, earning an average SofaScore match rating of 7.05, ranking him as Sweden’s joint second-best player in the tournament.

As such, with the 36-year-old Lukasz Fabianski very much heading towards the twilight of his footballing career at the top level of the game, Olsen would appear to be a very solid option to provide backup and competition for the Poland international next season, before potentially taking over from the veteran shot-stopper as West Ham’s number one at some point in the not so distant future.

In other news: West Ham handed transfer boost over “exceptional” Euro 2020 gem, Moyes will be buzzing

Football FanCast’s EFL spy reckons that Liverpool youngster Ben Woodburn could thrive in front of a packed-out Hillsborough if he makes a move to Sheffield Wednesday.

Following their off the field financial problems, the Owls are going to need to take advantage of the loan system if they’re to push towards making an instant return to the Championship.

Darren Moore has already signed Olamide Shodipo for the season from QPR, and the EFL insider has suggested that the Wednesday boss investigates bringing Woodburn to south Yorkshire.

The attacker, who made his Premier League debut at 17 before netting his first Reds goal just three days later, endured a tricky period last season having spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Blackpool before returning to Liverpool in January only to play Under-23 football from then on in.

Woodburn has previously played for Wednesday’s Sheffield rivals, United, one of the EFL loan stints he’s had in the last three years.

But, by the time the new season gets underway, it will be more than seven months since the 21-year-old played at first-team level, and the spy believes that Wednesday could be the perfect home.

He exclusively told Football FanCast:

“He is an interesting one that can play on different sides and can help Wednesday in League One. He has a lot of potential and that could come good for him at a potential full house at Hillsborough when fans return.

“He’s a sharp, clever player who just needs a different home now.”

Everton don’t have a first-team manager in place but it would be foolish of Marcel Brands and co not to devise a list of potential transfer targets.

Their summer plans would have been drafted up a number of months ago but they are now in disarray after Carlo Ancelotti’s departure.

What’s the word?

One player Everton had asked for information about regarding a potential transfer was Takehiro Tomiyasu.

The Japanese centre-back currently plays for Bologna in Italy and has been a target for the Toffees over a number of months.

However, they are now facing staunch competition from another managerless club for his signature.

According to Sky Sports, Tottenham have entered talks with the Italian side in a bid to lure him to the Premier League.

Tomiyasu represents a bargain for a player of his qualities with £17m the asking price this summer.

Ball playing colossus

If Everton can bring in a new manager as quickly as possible, they must try and beat Spurs to the signing of the Japan international.

Tomiyasu is a modern-day centre-back combining a progressive and attractive ball-playing style with some classic ruthless defending.

For a Toffees side who lacked basic defensive nous in the final stages of last season, this could be incredibly beneficial.

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Mason Holgate was poor in the final months of the campaign, with his individual error leading to Ollie Watkins scoring when Aston Villa travelled to Goodison Park before the Englishman made a succession of mistakes in the 5-0 defeat to Manchester City.

A quick look at the stats tells you how Tomiyasu would be an upgrade on what the Toffees already have.

According to FB Ref, the 6 ft 2 defender is extremely competent in one on one duels. Per 90 minutes, Tomiyasu tackled 56.7% of players who attempted to dribble past him. By comparison, Holgate only tackled 40% of dribblers while Michael Keane was even worse at 35.3% per 90.

The Everton target applied more successful pressures of the ball per 90 (35.3%) than any other Toffees centre-back while he made more interceptions over the same metric (1.69).

Speaking about the defender’s potential, former Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni said: “He is a complete player and Bologna got a real bargain with Tomiyasu. He’s a good player and was compared to Maya Yoshida, who has been playing in Europe for a decade. He’s got the quality to be a real star.”

At the age of just 22, the centre-back has a bright future in the game. Brands just needs to ensure that’s in Merseyside, rather than north London.

AND in other news, Brands could seal huge Gomes upgrade at Everton by signing “world-class” £30m star…