All posts by z3u9t.icu

Former Leeds United hero Paul Robinson is desperate for the Whites to complete the permanent signing of Jack Harrison this summer.

The 24-year-old in now in his third season on loan at Elland Road, having initially joined from Manchester City back in the summer of 2018.

The winger has been an undoubted success story for Leeds, scoring 16 goals in 120 appearances, as well as registering 17 assists.

Harrison was a key part of Marcelo Bielsa’s team that made it back into the Premier League and only Patrick Bamford (14) has more than his tally of six goals in the division in 2020/21.

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Robinson urges Leeds to sign Harrison

Leeds have the option to sign Harrison permanently with Phil Hay reporting earlier this month an £11m deal is “as good as done”, something Robinson thinks is a no brainer.

Speaking to MOT Leeds News, the ex-Whites goalkeeper hailed the Englishman’s quality and said it makes perfect sense to retain his services:

“I think he’s a top player and he’s an absolute bargain at the price Leeds are going to pay for him. It’s been clever business by Leeds, kicking his option down the road for a year and keeping him on loan.

“They’re now in a position where they’ve got more Premier League money and more money from investors.

“It meant they could spend the money they spent last summer and sign Harrison this summer, and at £10m you’d be hard-pressed to find a better player than him.

“I think it’s a great signing, a really great buy for Leeds. He’s had ups and downs this season but he’s a top-quality winger who would cost a lot more on the open market.”

Transfer Tavern take

Harrison has shown over an extended period that he is more than suited to shine in this Leeds side, so they should seal a permanent move for him in the summer.

He clearly has no future at City, and at 24, he is at an age where he needs to settle at a club for a long period.

In other news, Noel Whelan believes one Leeds target could have to tweak his game if he moves to Elland Road this summer. Find out who it is here.

Liverpool are in the ‘final stages’ of signing RB Leipzig star Ibrahima Konate, according to Bild‘s head of football Christian Falk.

The Reds are looking to sign at least one new centre-back this summer, having suffered terrible misfortune in that area this season.

Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip are all out for the rest of the campaign, with Nathaniel Phillips and Ozan Kabak an unlikely current pairing currently.

Konate has been the defender most heavily linked with joining Liverpool, with recent reports saying a deal looks likely in the summer.

Konate deal edges closer for Liverpool

Speaking to Bild [via Sport Witness], Falk claimed that the move is nearing its conclusion, with the price of it also a reasonable amount:

“He doesn’t have seem to be that expensive after all. It’s quiet, so they’re really in the final stages of the transfer now; I heard they’re going through, and they’re just going through all the data again as he’s had a few injuries.

“The nice news is they’ve always talked about €40m plus, but he’s supposed to cost, according to our information, the transfer fee is €32.5m- €34m.

“That means in these times, every million that’s cheaper makes the transfer easier, of course.”

Transfer Tavern take

The £31.5million-rated (Transfermarkt) Konate is certainly a centre-back with a huge amount of promise, already making 90 appearances for Leipzig at the age of just 21.

He is winning an average of 1.8 aerial duels per game in the league this season, which suggests he could thrive in that area at Liverpool, with the Reds reportedly wanting an aerially-dominant player to come in.

Konate’s injury issues are the one possible stumbling block, however, but if Jurgen Klopp believes he is the right man, the boss has done enough to prove he is worth trusting.

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been sticking up for one Reds player after some recent criticism. Find out who it is here.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Newcastle United midfielder Rob Lee questioned why Mike Ashley bought the Magpies and what joy he gets out of owning the club.

The former Newcastle midfielder was puzzled as to why Ashley continues to constantly neglect the club and his business. Lack of money spent and space attendances to games all adds up against the Sports Direct tycoon who seems more disinterested than ever.

Lee does not understand what Ashley gets out of neglecting Newcastle, constantly annoying the fans and pushing them to the edge – although a recent statement suggests he is more keen than ever to get a sale pushed through.

The anger towards Ashley began with the sacking of Chris Hughton who had got the club promoted at the first time of asking. It then boiled over with the string of poor appointments at the club, including Joe Kinnear (twice), Dennis Wise, Alan Pardew, Steve McClaren and Steve Bruce.

Lee, who played over 300 games for Newcastle, can’t wrap his head around Ashley’s way of thinking and why he’s so against wanting to take Newcastle forward.

He told Football FanCast: “I don’t see why you would buy a football club and just get dog’s abuse because you’re not running it properly or you’re not putting the money in that you should.

“I don’t get what satisfaction you get out of that. I genuinely don’t get it, you can’t enjoy it. Surely, if you’ve got that amount of money the objective is to enjoy that money and enjoy what you do.

“If I bought a football club then I’d want to go to the football club. I’d want to watch the team and take pleasure in putting money into it and running it properly and getting that club to be as good as it possibly can.”

It’s clear to see that Newcastle fans don’t want Ashley owning their club and have made their feelings well known for a number of years now.

However, Ashley has been a stubborn seller in the past and if the Magpies stay in the Premier League this season he may see no need to immediately jump ship.

For Neil Lennon, it is now or never at Celtic. For the sake of his job security and for the sake of the club’s future, they have to start winning games sooner rather than later.

They are 23 points behind Rangers in their quest for ten in a row, an achievement that now seems completely out of the realms of possibility.

Thoughts of succeeding in such a quest have become merely a fantasy and they have to improve. Thus, could change be on the cards?

On the chalkboard

One of Celtic’s biggest underperformers in recent weeks and months has been Ryan Christie.

The winger scored 20 times and provided 16 assists last term but in 2020/21, he has been a shadow of his former self.

Christie has scored just once in his last 16 matches – a peach in the Scottish Cup final – but beyond that strike, he has been a huge disappointment. Coincidentally, it seems to have curtailed with rumours of a move away.

Both Leeds and Arsenal have been touted as potential destinations but on the basis of his current form. He doesn’t deserve such a move.

His torrid time was typified in the 2-2 draw with Livingston last time out. He lost possession of the ball all too easily for their opener and then went onto surrender it on a further 16 occasions – the fifth-worst tally of anyone on the Celtic side.

He also failed to complete a single dribble which was down from his season average of 1.6 successful take-ons per match.

The solution

Given Celtic’s current plight, throwing lesser-seen players in at the deep end may be quite harsh.

Yet, they could well have something extra to prove to the manager. After all, if they can’t get a run in the side even when the senior figures are letting Lennon down, there isn’t much hope.

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Therefore, we think the Celtic boss should take the surprising decision to axe Christie tonight and start none other than Mikey Johnston.

The 21-year-old has started on just two occasions this term and even with James Forrest out, hasn’t been able to work his way into the side.

Of course, a lengthy injury spell has played havoc with his chances but after playing from the off in two games during the club’s bout of illness, deserves another run in the side.

Johnston hasn’t been a regular with Celtic yet but demonstrated positive signs last season on his way to being described as a “real talent” by Chris Sutton. He scored and assisted on the opening day of the 2019/20 campaign against St Johnston and then earned plaudits after scoring off the bench versus Ross County.

He ended last term with six goals and six assists from only 22 appearances and it’s that potential, combined with a few glimmers in recent weeks that should earn him a start on Tuesday.

The youngster provided three key passes against Hibernian a few weeks ago – the most of anyone on the Celtic team while his three dribbles were only bettered by Tom Rogic on that occasion.

With that in mind, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t start against Hamilton tonight. He’s certainly shown better glimpses than Christie in recent weeks.

AND in other news, Celtic struck genius deal with £10k-p/w titan who’s “grabbing the bull by the horns”…

Liverpool will be looking to bounce back from the 4-1 defeat against Manchester City as they travel to the King Power Stadium to face Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.

A defeat against Brendan Rodgers’ side would all but end Jurgen Klopp’s side’s hopes of retaining the Premier League title this season, and they will have to be at their best if they are to earn all three points against the in-form Foxes.

Klopp is still without all three of his main centre-back options at Liverpool due to injury, so we could see Ozan Kabak or Ben Davies make their debuts at the back following their arrivals in the January transfer window.

Here’s how Football FanCast expects Klopp to line his side up on Saturday, with three changes from the side that started against Man City…

Alisson keeps his place in goal, despite his horror show against City last time out, as there is no doubt that he is still one of the world’s best goalkeepers.

There are debuts for both Kabak and Davies at the back, following the news that Fabinho is set to miss the game due a minor muscle injury.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson unsurprisingly start at full-back, and the former will be hoping for a repeat performance from last season, when he starred in a 4-0 win at the King Power which well and truly emphasised the Reds’ title credentials.

Jordan Henderson moves back into his preferred position in defensive-midfield, with Thiago dropping out, as the Spaniard looked tired in the game against City and perhaps wasn’t at his best as a result.

James Milner also comes in for Curtis Jones to provide some experience in midfield, whilst the front three of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino will be the key to breaking down this impressive Leicester side.

And, in other news… Klopp can unlock “world-class” beast at LFC with position change

Leeds United face West Ham United this evening and Phil Hay has dropped an exciting development on long-term absentee Gaetano Berardi before the match.

What Phil Hay had to report

The Athletic journalist reported that: “Gaetano Berardi has also made the trip and this would be his first appearance in a matchday squad since damaging his ACL at Derby last season.”

Indeed, the right-back ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament last summer towards the end of the Whites’ promotion-winning campaign and has been out of action ever since.

This is great news for Berardi and Leeds

The 32-year-old Swiss international is now close to getting a glimpse of the Premier League for the first time, a fitting reward for his lengthy service at Elland Road.

Back when he was fully fit, Bielsa praised the defender, saying: “Berardi is a loyal player and he gives everything on the pitch. When you give everything on the pitch, the players can arrive late, but you have to analyse every red card. Maybe the red card today is different to another.”

It is fantastic to see the right-back travel with the Leeds squad and, while it seems unlikely that he will feature tonight after so long out of action, at least Bielsa has one player set to return amid a plethora of injury issues elsewhere in the squad.

In other news, Leeds have received a positive update in regards to a reported transfer target!

Jamal Lewis badly let Steve Bruce down against Leeds United on Wednesday night as the Newcastle United defender got torn apart by Raphinha in a 5-2 thrashing at Elland Road.

The Toon endured a frustrating first half in West Yorkshire with Marcelo Bielsa’s Whites dominating possession, leaving the Magpies to feed off scraps as the visitors struggled to connect yet returned to the dressing room at the break with the score miraculously level.

Yet a humbling was on the cards, and that was exactly what Newcastle were dealt when the floodgates opened in the second period, with Stuart Dallas, Ezgjan Alioski and Jack Harrison unleashing an 11-minute blitz on a helpless Karl Darlow.

Leeds ended the match with a mammoth 25 shots to their name with 10 on target compared to Newcastle’s toothless four directed on Illan Meslier’s net with five sailing wide of the post and one effort blocked, per SofaScore.

Raphinha brought the magic to Bielsa’s plans on Leeds’ right-flank with seven shots and two key balls, with the 24-year-old comfortably having Lewis’ number throughout the evening encounter at Elland Road.

Bruce had high hopes for what the future would have in store for Lewis when the 22-year-old joined from Norwich City in the summer in a £15million deal that could rise to £20m with add-ons but saw nothing of the sorts in West Yorkshire.

“Jamal is a very exciting prospect,” Bruce said, via The Shields Gazette. “He is only 22 and has a wonderful future ahead of him. I hope he’s a Newcastle United full-back for years to come.”

Lewis has now started 11 of his 12 Premier League appearances this season but was massively out of his comfort zone at Elland Road, where the Northern Ireland international completed just 12 of his 21 passes for a mere 57% completion rate.

The young full-back offered no attacking presence, either, with zero crosses attempted, no key balls recorded, zero shots on goal, just one successful dribble and only one of four long passes finding teammates, while losing possession 10 times.

Bruce rarely saw Lewis offer a hand defensively as Leeds wreaked havoc on a disjointed Newcastle line-up, with the Canaries product dribbled past once, making just one successful tackle, one interception and two clearances.

Lewis would leave the field at the full-time whistle having contended just three ground duels and two aerial contests, with his horrific performance only worth of a 5.8 out of 10 match rating from SofaScore, the lowest of any player who started for either side.

AND in other news, Lee Charnley must secure a January loan exit for an in-demand Toon gem Steve Bruce takes for granted.

Liverpool have identified Schalke 04 defender Ozan Kabak as Virgil van Dijk’s potential replacement in January, according to reports.

Kabak on the Anfield radar

The Dutchman is set to miss a significant amount of the 2020/21 campaign after damaging his anterior cruciate ligament during last weekend’s 2-2 draw in the Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park.

As the incident occurred just after the transfer window closed, the Reds will now have to wait until January if they want to bring in defensive reinforcements.

According to Sport Media Set (via talkSPORT), Kabak, a 20-year-old Turkish centre-back, is believed to be the answer for the future as they adjust to life without the Dutchman. However, Kabak was involved in a controversial incident which saw him severely punished by the German Football Federation (DFB).

The 1.86m (6 foot 1) defender appeared to spit at Werder Bremen’s Ludwig Augustinsson and was sent off later in the game following his side’s defeat, subsequently being found guilty of unsporting behaviour and suspended for four matches. On top of this, Kabak was fined €15,000 (£13,640) and later apologised for his actions, stressting that they were unintentional (via AA).

The next El-Hadji Diouf?

Liverpool are known for having a squad with a strong bond and players who possess powerfully positive mindsets. Having a player like Kabak around the likes of Jordan Henderson and James Milner on a daily basis could disrupt the group.

The Reds have had troublesome figures play for the club over the years, most notably El Hadji-Diouf, who was caught spitting at a Celtic fan during a UEFA Cup game at Celtic Park in the early 2000s.

It is something that the Merseysiders will want to eradicate from their history. Any risk of such incidents reoccurring should be enough for Liverpool to steer clear of Kabak, never mind to replace their best defender.

Jurgen Klopp would be better going for someone like RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano, a promising centre-half who is playing in the Champions League regularly and has the potential to fill Van Dijk’s shoes.

In other news, 6 ft 2 ace could become Michael Edwards’ first flop after startling Klopp revelation.

David Sullivan can end David Moyes’ search for a new striker at West Ham United by signing rumoured target Chelsea outcast Olivier Giroud in the winter market.

What’s the word?

According to Calciomercato, the Irons are beginning to trail in the race to sign Giroud this winter with Inter Milan moving into pole position to sign the France international.

Tottenham Hotspur, Inter Miami and Paris Saint-Germain are also understood to be keen on the 34-year-old, who came off the bench to seal Chelsea’s progression through to the knockout stages of the Champions League with the winning strike away to Stade Rennais on Tuesday night.

Blues boss Frank Lampard stated after the UEFA affair that Giroud’s impact as a late substitute proved why he is keen to keep the striker at Stamford Bridge, after the former Arsenal hitman hinted that he is worried over his lack of game time.

“Yes, it does, and I’ve felt it first-hand, last year it was him or Tammy fighting for the number nine spot. Tammy had a great first half of the season, and then Oli in restart was fantastic,” Lampard said, via quotes by talkSPORT.

“And the things behind the scenes, everybody kind of feels from the outside what a great professional he is and how highly regarded he is by his teammates and myself. He’s getting better with age, if anything, in terms of how he looks after himself.”

Giroud earned his sole start of the current campaign in Chelsea’s Carabao Cup defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in September, while recording 76 of his total 178 minutes for the season after sporadic cameos across all competitions.

GSB can end Moyes’ search

With Moyes seemingly on the lookout for offensive weapons with reports linking West Ham with interest in Giroud and Olympique Lyonnais’ frustrated Moussa Dembele, GSB can end the Scottish coach’s search by landing the Chelsea outcast after he conceded he may have to secure a January move.

Giroud is proving himself to be far from at the end of his career by continually scoring when it counts the most, while netting six of his eight Premier League goals for last season in nine games played after the restart.

Those efforts included the winners against Aston Villa and Norwich City, the opener at Crystal Palace and a second in victory over Wolves, yet failed to prevent Giroud from falling down Lampard’s pecking order with the arrival of Timo Werner.

Former Arsenal full-back Gael Clichy still believes the striker can become an essential aspect of any side, too, having told Stadium Astro how the 105-cap international needs to leave Stamford Bridge for a team where he will be given the opportunities to play.

“Give him time and he will actually score goals – he will show that kind of profile in the team and within the group is essential. You want players that can create something, but you also want somebody who can hold the ball and score goals,” the ex-Arsenal full-back said.

“If you look at where he is in terms of goalscorers for France. He is seven goals behind [Thierry] Henry. And this is enough for everyone saying that he shouldn’t be there. If the manager of the national team is saying he needs game time to go to the Euros, then you need to go and you need to find a place for you can play.”

GSB can easily use Giroud’s outcast status to show how the London Stadium is the place for him, despite the striker being deemed “too good for West Ham” by Adrian Clarke in 2017 when the Hammers considered offering him a route away from the Emirates Stadium.

AND in other news, a “commanding figure” could be set to leave West Ham in the January window.

Speaking exclusively to Transfer Tavern, former Premier League referee Mark Halsey discussed Lewis Dunk’s controversial goal during his side’s draw with West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday.

In the fixture itself, Brighton dominated the first half and deservedly took the lead against the Hammers thanks to Neal Maupay’s scrambled finish just before the break.

However, after David Moyes withdrew Mark Noble and Jarrod Bowen for Manuel Lanzini and Andriy Yarmolenko at the interval, West Ham appeared much more energised in the second half and went on to equalise via Ben Johnson’s 60th-minute strike.

Brighton then thought they had won the fixture with Dunk’s 70th-minute goal, but Tomas Soucek headed powerfully home 12 minutes later to share the spoils at the London Stadium, with the game finishing 2-2.

However, there was a significant amount of controversy surrounding Dunk’s finish, as it appeared as if the ball stuck the Brighton defender on the arm before he slotted past Lukasz Fabianski.

“As football fans, we’d have all agreed that it would have been very harsh to disallow that goal,” Halsey told Transfer Tavern. “However, the new law, ‘Law 12 – Handling the Ball’ says that if an attacking player benefits from an accidental handball and it falls for them and they put it into the back of the net, then the goal should be disallowed.”

He continued: “Now, I think you can clearly say [the ball] hit Dunk in the midriff and then hit him underneath the arm. So, under the new law, it should have been disallowed for accidental handball because it did look like it brushed the underneath his arm.”

Following the game, Moyes called for clarity on the handball rule, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: “It definitely hits his arm. Unless you tell me the rules have changed, I think anything hitting the arm and leading to a goal should be chopped off.”

It would appear that the 57-year-old was correct in stating that the goal, which was reviewed by the VAR official, should have been chalked off, as Halsey claims that, under the current rules, even an accidental handball which leads to a goal should not be allowed to stand, and instead, a free-kick should be given to the opposing team.

As such, it would appear that Moyes is right to feel aggrieved with the decision made by the VAR official on Sunday, and perhaps he should have seen his side leave the game with all three points.