All posts by h716a5.icu

Everton have taken a point from their Premier League clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park this afternoon and Sean Dyche will likely have mixed emotions about the performance put on by his relegation-threatened team.

Despite picking up a point from their outing in south London, other results put the Toffees back into the relegation zone, which is an absolute disaster as there are only six games left to retain their top-flight status, so the Goodison Park faithful will have little to celebrate from their stalemate.

The visitors failed to dominate in any area of the pitch, with just 43% possession, fewer shots on goal (10 v 12) and fewer accurate passes completed (214 v 305), while they lost possession of the ball 158 times, costing them the opportunity to gain some vital points.

Everton welcomed back striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin to the starting XI for the first time in months this afternoon, and despite having two shots on target during his return to action, he was unable to find the winner for his team.

The centre-forward was not the only player who made a rare appearance in the starting lineup, with Mason Holgate getting the nod to replace the injured Seamus Coleman at right-back over Nathan Patterson, and unlike Calvert-Lewin's selection, it is surely a decision Dyche will massively regret.

How did Mason Holgate get on vs Crystal Palace?

The 26-year-old hasn't featured in an Everton starting lineup since August, with the player struggling to compete with the likes of Conor Coady, James Tarkowski and Michael Keane for a position in his more familiar role at centre-back.

However, Dyche gave Holgate his chance to prove himself by forcing him into the lineup on the right flank, but the player repaid him with a sending-off and a subsequent suspension just ten minutes before the final whistle – alongside a dreadful defensive performance.

Over his 80-minute performance, the £70k-per-week flop – dubbed "torrid" by Paul Merson on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday today – lost possession 23 times, lost eight duels, completed just 16 accurate passes and committed three fouls, as well as getting dribbled past three times, as per Sofascore.

It's safe to say Holgate showed exactly why he hadn't been selected for so long and should surely be on the long list of players that Everton need to part ways with this summer.

Luckily, going down to ten men didn't cause too many problems for the Toffees, however, Dyche cannot afford for that to happen again and must be more careful with his team selection over the remaining games if Everton are going to stand a chance of Premier League survival.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have emerged from a challenging and demoralising start to the Premier League season – that saw them in bottom position before the World Cup – with a new level of confidence and attacking verve, instigated by the impressive Julen Lopetegui.

The Spaniard has managed the Midlands club to relative midtable safety and their last two results have been comfortable home victories over Chelsea and Brentford in front of the roaring Molineux faithful.

With only a small portion of this campaign left, and the intensified rumours surrounding the uncertain future of Ruben Neves, the former Sevilla boss should turn to youngster Joao Gomes to fill their impending voids.

Who is Joao Gomes?

The 22-year-old was signed from Flamengo in January 2023 for a fee of €18m (£16m). Despite only playing in England for less than four months, he has already established himself as one of the Premier League’s most exciting and promising prospects.

The Brazilian has only appeared for Wolves on six occasions in the top flight but has already a made memorable and season-defining impact. The youngster scored the winning goal in a stunning comeback victory for the Wanderers on his Premier League debut with a wonderfully placed effort just inside the penalty area.

His teammate and veteran Joao Moutinho showered the youngster with praise for his role in the comeback and said:

“(Joao Gomes) brings a lot of things. He is a young guy with a lot of quality. He’s aggressive, he wants the ball, he wants to play the ball, and today he had a great finish.”

Lopetegui was also stunned and added: “He showed what we know about him: he has the character and the quality.”

The decision to purchase the £30k-per-week star in January before a host of summer interest in the summer could prove to be an astute piece of business and go some of the way to replacing Neves, who is 'ready to quit' the club, as per Football Insider.

According to WhoScored, the Portuguese ranks as the highest-rated player (6.99) in the Wolves squad, but the spritely Gomes sits just behind in second (6.78).

Whilst Neves flawlessly excels in passing metrics, ranking in the top 18% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive passes per 90, he lacks mobility and the dribbling ability of the prodigy.

The former Flamengo man manages an average of 1.43 progressive carries and 1.28 successful take-ons per 90, whilst the club captain has only mustered 0.78 and 0.69 for the same metrics, as per FBref.

Neves has been an indispensable component of a Wolves side that was promoted from the Championship in 2018 and has formed a sturdy top-flight reputation. But, Gomes offers a more athletic and dynamic profile, and with safety looking increasingly secure, Lopetegui should undoubtedly hand the future more deserved minutes.

Everton ended their unbeaten run in the Premier League yesterday when they faced Manchester United at Old Trafford and manager Sean Dyche will be frustrated with the way his team performed from the opening minutes.

The Toffees are teetering on the edge of the relegation zone – matching Nottingham Forest on 27 points – and are only outside the bottom three on goal difference following their defeat to Erik ten Hag's side on Saturday afternoon.

Everton failed to dominate in any area of the pitch with just 36% possession of the ball, far fewer shots on target (1 vs 11), fewer big chances created (1 vs 7) and less than half accurate passes completed compared to their opponents (236 vs 535), via Sofascore.

It was a miracle in itself that the Merseysiders managed to hold off Man United's attacking threat over the first half an hour, with Jordan Pickford putting on an incredible goal-keeping display to deny the home side multiple times before Scott McTominay finally converted one of their 21 shots on goal in the 36th minute to take the lead at half-time.

Dyche sought out solutions to avoid another 45 minutes of being smothered by Man United's pressing machine that was dominating the left side throughout the first half – bringing on Vitaliy Mykolenko for Ben Godfrey.

However, it was the right side that found themselves punished when Seamus Coleman switched off to allow Anthony Martial to easily tuck away the final blow in the 71st minute, making the scoreline 2-0 at the final whistle.

How did Ben Godfrey get on vs Manchester United?

The centre-back has suffered injury issues this season but has always been an attractive prospect to his managers at Goodison Park, with Dyche the latest manager to find ways to fit him into the team.

Godfrey has been playing in the left-back position since returning to action under the Everton boss and more recently, has been preferred in the position over his Ukrainian teammate, however, he had an absolute disaster against Man Utd.

Over his 45-minute performance, the £75k-per-week dud was completely outrun by Antony and struggled to make his presence known with just six accurate passes completed, misplaced 100% of his long balls, had one error led to a shot and had fewer touches of the ball than Pickford.

Dyche quickly put Everton supporters out of their misery by hooking Godfrey at half-time, but not before England legend Stuart Pearce offered a scathing assessment of the player's display on talkSPORT's commentary of the game:

"It’s awful defending. If I was Dyche I would take Godfrey off the pitch. I think he’s having a disaster.

"Even at this stage of the game I’d get him off the pitch, because he’s going to cost you a goal.

"He just wasn’t at the races for whatever reason, Ben Godfrey.

"I like him, a very genuine player, but too many straightforward balls dissected him."

With that being said, there is no doubt that Godfrey's struggles against the Red Devils will give Dyche plenty to think about ahead of the Toffees' next game against Fulham.

And it will be interesting to see whether he keeps the faith in the player or opts for Mykolenko instead.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni this summer and the Italian could be a dream heir to Thiago Silva in Graham Potter's side.

Could Chelsea sign Alessandro Bastoni?

According to the Italian news outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, Chelsea and Manchester City are both keeping a close eye on the defender's contract situation at the San Siro.

Having recently lost influential centre-back Milan Skriniar to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, the Nerazzuri are keen to avoid a repeat with Bastoni but are yet to agree to a new contract with the 23-year-old, whose current £88k-per-week deal is due to expire in the summer of 2024.

That could lead to a summer exit and Chelsea will patiently be waiting, with the report claiming that the Blues already asked about potentially signing the Italy international during the negotiations which saw Romelu Lukaku return to Inter on loan last summer.

Is Bastoni like Thiago Silva?

Todd Boehly has already spent big on centre-backs during his time at Stamford Bridge, with Kalidou Koulibaly, Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile all joining the club over the past year.

However, the Blues could soon be back in the market for a defender, as 38-year-old Silva suffered knee ligament damage during the 2-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur last month, which at his age, may be tough to recover from.

The Brazilian does have another year left on his Chelsea contract but must surely be nearing the end of his career at the top level, while Koulibaly will also turn 32 in a few months, so he cannot be considered a long-term heir to the former AC Milan brute in the heart of Potter's defence.

In Bastoni, Chelsea would be signing a progressive young defender who boasts 148 senior appearances for Inter, as well as 17 caps for Italy, which suggests that he is far more experienced than his age would suggest.

This season has seen the left-sided defender make 21 appearances in Serie A, contributing two assists and averaging a solid 6.76 rating from WhoScored for his performances, while he has also been a crucial player for Simone Inzagi's side in the Champions League, averaging a superb 7.13 rating.

In an interview with Football FanCast last year, Serie A expert Conor Clancy delivered his verdict on the Inter star, amid links to Spurs.

He said: "He's the best Italian centre-back around. He's a phenomenon. He is going to be the next generation of Italian defence himself."

Silva and Bastoni average very similar numbers when it comes to tackles (1.7 vs 1.6) and long balls (both 4.8) per game, while WhoScored claims that both players' main strengths are their passing and concentration, which suggests that the Italian could be an ideal heir to the experienced Brazilian in Potter's squad.

Tottenham Hotspur are keen to speak to Julian Nagelsmann after he was sacked by Bayern Munich…

What's the latest Tottenham manager news?

According to Sky Sports, the north London outfit are interested in the German coach amid uncertainty over the future of Antonio Conte, who seems certain to leave the club in the summer, if not before.

It's also thought that the 35-year-old is open to talks with Spurs about replacing the Italian.

Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy has long admired Nagelsmann, and he was on his radar following the departure of Mauricio Pochettino in November 2019 and again in 2021 as Jose Mourinho's successor.

Will Harry Kane leave Spurs?

When Conte arrived in N17, Tottenham's leading talisman Harry Kane probably thought that his long wait for silverware would finally come to an end, but it's been far from the case over the past 18 months.

A last-ditch qualification to the Champions League was followed up by the side being knocked out in the last-16 by an underperforming AC Milan outfit, with Spurs failing to surpass lower league opposition in the FA Cup fifth round yet again.

Kane's wait to bring an elusive trophy to the club will continue on for another season, though with the likes of Manchester United and Bayern Munich interested in his signature ahead of the summer transfer window, the 29-year-old may want to make the jump before it's too late.

However, Levy could have one final ace up his sleeve, should he manage to convince Nagelsmann to take the helm ahead of next season.

The young record-breaking coach is something of an innovator, having been an understudy to Ralf Rangnick. His teams like to pull apart defences to create space for the forwards to wreak havoc and this overload should thwart the opposition from counter-attacking, too.

"Julian is a driven man, a perfectionist. He can't lose," claimed ex-Hoffenheim coach Lutz Pfannenstiel. "Julian is even better than Pep Guardiola when it comes to reading the opponents' style of play and adjusting the tactics accordingly during a game. Pep is someone who analyses a lot and then makes a decision. With Julian, the analysis runs parallel to the observation. We're talking about a very small window of time, but it can be crucial."

This should be good news for Kane as he does have some world-class talent either side of him in Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski. What should fill him with even more confidence is Nagelsmann's track record with strikers.

Most recently at Bayern, Robert Lewandowski registered 50 goals and ten assists across 46 appearances in just one season. At RB Leipzig, Chelsea flop Timo Werner found the net 34 times in 45 appearances. Even the less prolific Andrej Kramaric pocketed 58 goals across four seasons at Hoffenheim, as per Transfermarkt.

Everywhere the German has been, he's got a tune out of his strikers.

Whilst Kane hasn't struggled for goals under Conte, having scored 23 goals already this term, he is still some way off his very best levels and that could perhaps be achieved under Nagelsmann instead.

His more positive, attack-minded play, with a preference for a 4-2-3-1 system, will only benefit England's record goalscorer as in theory, he should receive far more service.

For instance, Kane is actually among the top four providers in the current Spurs squad, whereas before his sacking at the Bavarian giants, Bayern striker Eric Choupo-Moting ranked ninth for key passes per game, with creativity coming right across the pitch – whether that be in midfield from Jamal Musiala or Thomas Muller, or out wide from wing-back Joao Cancelo or wide man Kingsley Coman.

Leaving the Bundesliga champions with a 71.4% win rate, there is no denying that Nagelsmann would be a phenomenal hire for Spurs, so if Levy wants Kane to stick around for the foreseeable future, then he must kiss goodbye to Conte and do all he can to convince the 35-year-old to sign on the dotted line.

Journalist Jacque Talbot has revealed that Nottingham Forest will try to negotiate a cheaper transfer fee for Renan Lodi if they avoid relegation this season.

What's the latest on Renan Lodi and Nottingham Forest?

Last summer, amid their intense spending spree following promotion to the Premier League, Steve Cooper's side added an impressive left-back to their ranks.

Indeed, Forest paid La Liga giants Atletico Madrid a reported £4.7m loan fee to have Lodi for the season, while the deal included to option to make the switch permanent for £25m.

As we head towards the end of the league campaign, while speaking on the player on his YouTube channel, Talbot explained that the Reds want to keep the player so long as they avoid relegation – but are hoping to get him for a cheaper price than previously agreed.

The journalist also noted that the player will likely stay in the Premier League, but may have to leave Forest if they go down.

In full, he explained: “So we heard that he’s not definitely going back there [Atletico]. But there will be a negotiation of the fee, and Forest will look to bring that down initially if they stay up.

"If they go down, then Lodi will go back [to Spain], then I believe he'll go back to England. That's the ambition. I don't think he's going to be going back to Atletico. At this point, that will be the case, but he will be coming back to England, a new club.

"So Forest, in their first instance of surviving, are going to look to negotiate that €30m fee, and try and bring it down a bit [to] €25m – I don't know, I'm just throwing it out there, €20m, €25m – and see if they're able to do that.

"I believe Atletico are struggling a bit for money, so maybe Forest feel as though they've got a bit of leverage on that front."

Will Forest sign Lodi permanently?

There have been some reports in Spanish media that Nottingham Forest don't plan on exercising the purchase option they have for the left-back and so Lodi will return to Madrid at the end of the season.

However, Talbot clearly has heard different information which suggests there is potential uncertainty around the situation at this moment in time.

That is actually quite understandable seeing as so much of Lodi's future probably depends on whether or not Forest avoid relegation. After all, they are currently just two places and two points above the bottom three with just 11 games to go.

With that in mind, they probably can't make any definitive calls on transfers – while his £62,000-per-week wages may also be a factor – until they know what division they will be playing in but if Cooper can keep his team up, then fans may well expect a bid to come in for Lodi – though it will likely be less than the £25m originally agreed with Atletico.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy seems ‘reluctant’ to re-appoint former boss Mauricio Pochettino, despite the Argentine ‘pushing’.

The Lowdown: Conte departure imminent…

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte, after some overnight developments, is now widely expected to leave north London before the end of this Premier League campaign.

Reports state Levy and co are set to make a decision within these next 24/48 hours, coming after Conte’s astonishing post-match rant after their 3-3 draw with Southampton.

The Italian, taking aim at both the club’s board and Spurs squad, stated:

“We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players, I see players that don’t want to help each other and don’t put their heart (in).

“Why? Because they are used to it here, they are used to it. They don’t play for something important yeah. They don’t want to play under pressure, they don’t want to play under stress.

“It is easy in this way. Tottenham’s story is this. Twenty years there is the owner and they never won something but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stays here. I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench.”

The Latest: Pochettino wants Spurs job, Levy ‘reluctant’…

As per journalist Shaun Custis, speaking live on talkSPORT (via Twitter), former Lilywhites head coach Pochettino is ‘pushing’ to be re-appointed – but Levy is ‘reluctant’ to admit he made a mistake by sacking him in the first place.

Custis explained:

“As much as Pochettino has been pushing like mad to try and get this job back, Daniel Levy seems very reluctant to admit, if you like, that he made a mistake in the first place.

“Or to bow to the pressure at Tottenham to have Pochettino back.”

The Verdict: Perfect candidate…

As much as Levy may appear hesitant over going backwards and re-appointing the 51-year-old, we believe he is by far the standout candidate to replace Conte.

Other claims have suggested that Pochettino is among the frontrunners to take the reins, alongside the likes of Luis Enrique and Thomas Tuchel, yet the South American arguably stands out.

He already has proven experience at N17, working with a lot of their current players in the past whilst operating on a relatively small budget to real successs.

The former PSG boss, described as an ‘elite manager’ by pundit Clinton Morrrison, galvanised the club to an extent they’ve rarely seen before with their 2019 Champions League final run standing out as a real highlight.

Pochettino’s brand of open, attacking football also excited supporters – perhaps highlighting why so many of them want him back in the hot seat.

Newcastle United have made contact to sign Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: In pole position?

The Robins starlet has worked his way up through the academy ranks at Ashton Gate to become a regular feature of Nigel Pearson’s first-team squad where his performances have caught the eye of Eddie Howe in the Premier League.

The Daily Mirror reported in February that Magpies scouts are running background checks on the 19-year-old as they weigh up whether to make an offer in the upcoming window.

Football Insider have since claimed that the northeast outfit are currently in pole position to secure his services, though it sounds like they are set to face stiff competition from several other potential suitors.

The Latest: Newcastle make contact

According to GiveMeSport, Newcastle, Tottenham, West Ham, Wolves, Brighton, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Everton and Leicester have all ‘enquired’ about Scott’s availability.

Championship high-flyers Burnley, Sheffield United and Middlesbrough are also ‘considering’ him.

Inside sources believe that some of the interested clubs would be ‘willing’ to let him return to Bristol on a one-year loan to continue his development.

The Robins value their midfielder at £25m, but there’s ‘hope’ that a deal could be struck at closer to £30m given the number and calibre of teams chasing him.

The Verdict: One for the future

Scott has been nicknamed the ‘Guernsey Grealish’ and he would be an extremely promising signing for the future of Newcastle should he put pen to paper at St. James’ Park.

The Bristol ace has recorded five assists and two goals across all competitions so far this season and loves to help his side when it comes to making the magic happen in the final third (Transfermarkt).

Pearson’s maestro currently ranks in the 89th percentile for most progressive carries and the 84th percentile for most successful take-ons per 90 minutes (FBRef).

Scott would also bring versatility to the squad having operated in five various positions throughout his career, including as a second striker alongside in the centre.

Speaking in a recent interview, however, his boss sent a warning to suitors that he won’t come cheap so it sounds like PIF will need to dig deep should they want to prise him away. He said:

“It wouldn’t surprise me that clubs are interested in him but there have been no bids. Whoever makes a proper bid at some point, will have to be a really big bid to get him.”

David Ornstein has claimed that he is not expecting Daniel Levy to leave Tottenham Hotspur anytime soon.

The Lowdown: Takeover rumours continue

It has been reported over the last few weeks that Spurs are attracting interest from overseas parties who could be willing to buy out majority owners ENIC, which would bring to an end their 22-year tenure owning Tottenham.

However, since the initial reports emerged, nothing has come to fruition, which may have come to the annoyance of Tottenham fans who have watched their side slump to two consecutive 1-0 defeats in the past week.

Spurs fans have certainly made their voices heard in recent times, with protests and chants about wanting Levy and ENIC out of their club so they can compete with the big teams in England – but Ornstein isn’t expecting anyone new to arrive anytime soon.

The Latest: Levy and Lewis not planning on leaving Spurs

While speaking on Sky Sports News, Ornstein issued the damning takeover claim that Spurs fans wouldn’t have wanted to hear that their current owners have no intention of selling the club.

He said: “I’m sure, as Tottenham, like many clubs, look to compete with the leading lights in the game – some of whom are almost nation state-owned – then they’ll be looking for ways in which they can raise revenues, bring resources into the club. But I don’t anticipate a change anytime soon.

“I certainly don’t see Daniel Levy wanting to relinquish control in the near future given how thoroughly involved in the operation he is at Tottenham, but also within Premier League and European circles.”

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The Verdict: Tottenham must find investment

It will have surely been incredibly frustrating for Spurs fans to watch on over the last few months, as once again, they’ve failed to sufficiently back a manager in the transfer market, with their only two signings in January being loan deals for Arnaut Danjuma and Pedro Porro (who is set to join permanently), as the former is yet to start a league game for the club.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise to see Conte is appearing likely to walk away from the job at the end of the season whether they finish in the top four or not, as he’s previously stated that he wishes to be challenging for silverware.

If Spurs want to become serious players in the Premier League title race and challenge for domestic honours, they need more investment, and if ENIC are unwilling to take that step, letting somebody in who is more open to splashing the cash is perhaps the ideal way forward without the current owners having to relinquish control of the club.

A big update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s plans for the summer transfer window after agreeing a deal to sign Nick Pope… 

What’s the talk?

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Magpies have made an official move to sign Sven Botman ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Speaking on the Qué Golazo Podcast, the reporter has claimed that the Tyneisde club submitted a €36m (£31m) “proposal” to Lille for the Dutch defender.

Romano stated that Newcastle are in a battle with Serie A giants AC Milan to land the centre-back, although he did not say how much the Italian champions are willing to put on the table.

Howe will be buzzing

Magpies head coach Eddie Howe will be buzzing with this news for multiple reasons.

Firstly, he will be delighted with the pace at which Newcastle are moving to land their targets this summer. Matt Targett has already joined on a permanent deal from Aston Villa after his loan spell last term, while Pope is now set to follow him in a move from Burnley.

Whilst the latter is yet to be officially completed, Newcastle have now submitted a bid to land another addition to the squad in the form of Botman.

If they are successful with those swoops, then Howe will have three new additions with which to work for the start of pre-season. This will give the newcomers plenty of time to get to know their new team-mates and adjust to the club, giving them the best possible chance to hit the ground running once the campaign gets underway.

The Magpies manager will also be buzzing because Botman has the potential to be a sublime signing. In the last two Ligue 1  campaigns, the former Ajax man has shown that he has the maturity – despite being just 22 – and the quality to be a top performer.

He averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.08 as he made 37 appearances in his debut season in France before averaging a score of 7.10 in 2021/22 across 25 starts. Meanwhile, no Newcastle centre-back averaged a rating of higher than 6.98 in the Premier League last term.

These statistics suggest that the Dutchman would be an upgrade on the current options in his position at St James’ Park, whilst also holding the potential to improve and develop even further over time as he is still in the early stages of his career at first-team level.

Therefore, Howe will be over the moon with the club’s efforts to land Botman and will be hoping that they can get a deal over the line in the coming days.

AND in other news, Forget Ekitike: Newcastle now “close to” landing second summer signing, Howe will be elated…