All posts by z3u9t.icu

Leeds United put on an impressive defensive performance against Newcastle United on New Years’ Eve at St James’ Park where they earned a well-fought point and Jesse Marsch will surely be hoping it’s the confidence boost the team needs to inspire improved performances in 2023.

The West Yorkshire outfit are now 14th in the Premier League and three points clear of the relegation zone heading into the new year, however, the Leeds boss will surely be searching for ways to even further improve the side’s points tally to ensure they finish in a more comfortable position and don’t get sucked into a relegation scrap over the second half of the season.

Luckily for Marsch and Victor Orta, the January transfer window is now open for business so he could be given the golden opportunity to strengthen key areas of this squad during the next few weeks should the powers at Elland Road sanction moves for new additions.

One player who has been recently linked with a move to the club is Villarreal ace Alfonso Pedraza, a talented left-back who could be exactly what Leeds needs to add depth to the position.

At present, Marsch only has one natural left-back in Junior Firpo, however, the former RB Leipzig manager has been leaning on centre-back Pascal Struijk to occupy the position.

As a result, the signing of Pedraza would be an important addition for Leeds heading into the remainder of the season, especially considering how efficient the La Liga star is on the left side.

The 26-year-old – who was dubbed “powerful” and a “machine” by BT Sport’s Simon Harrison – ranks in the top 5% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, dribbles completed, progressive passes and touches, and this season so far has continued to shine in the Spanish top-flight.

Over 11 league appearances, Pedraza has registered one assist, created two big chances and completed 52% successful dribbles, as well as averaging 1.5 tackles, 1.4 shots on goal and winning 4.4 duels per game, proving that he has the ability to not only win possession of the ball but also pose an attacking threat.

Marsch could even land his own Ivan Perisic with the Tottenham Hotspur full-back named as one of the most comparable players to the Villarreal player, according to FBref.

The positional peers have shared many similar attributes over their season so far including pass completion (75.7% v 66.1%), goal-creating actions per 90 minutes (0.33 v 0.39), tackles won (16 v 11), aerial duels won (9 v 9) and clearances (14 v 11). On that evidence, it provides an indication that they are both comfortable in possession while demonstrating equal offensive threat.

With that being said, if Leeds could secure the signing of Pedraza – who has a transfer valuation of €15m (£13m) – there is no doubt that he could have a positive impact on the team and their Premier League campaign, as well as giving Marsch a left-sided full-back he can trust to deliver in the position.

Journalist David Ornstein believes the next few days are crucial for Everton, Frank Lampard and his future.

The Lowdown: Testing times for Lampard

Lampard will likely be sweating over his job after a shocking home defeat in midweek which made it one win in their last 11 games across all competitions.

However, no developments have yet emerged over any action being taken, which could suggest he’s being afforded more time to turn things around – something that Farhad Moshiri hasn’t done very often during his tenure, having gone through a lot of managers in recent years.

Everton were loudly booed off at Goodison Park last night after a 4-1 horror show against Brighton & Hove Albion, and that has led to several media outlets questioning his future.

The Latest: Ornstein expects defining days

Following the game, Ornstein was speaking on Sky Sports about how Lampard is now set to embark on some ‘critical days’ as Moshiri debates the manager’s future.

He said: “There seemed to be hope when they got that draw at Manchester City just a few days away, but now they face a defining few days. They go to Manchester United on Friday in the FA Cup. I suspect Frank Lampard will get that match – I certainly think he should.

“But beyond that, there’s a Premier League game against Southampton [at] bottom of the table and then West Ham too in the same region, so these are critical days for Frank Lampard, of course, in his managerial career.”

The Verdict: Lampard should be sacked

It’s not as if Lampard has been left out to dry by the Everton board after being handed eight new players over the summer including several tried-and-tested Premier League stars such as James Tarkowski, Conor Coady and Idrissa Gueye.

Therefore, Lampard doesn’t really have a leg to stand on when it comes to why he should stay in the job as results have been poor, performances haven’t been good enough and it appears as though the fans have turned on them after their latest defeat.

Moshiri has to make a potentially season-defining decision in the coming days as to whether or not he sacks Lampard, as the wrong choice could see the Toffees fall into the Championship for the first time in their history with a brand new stadium on the way.

Perhaps the FA Cup weekend will afford Moshiri more time to assess his options and see what managers could replace Lampard before pulling the trigger and frantically looking for someone new, as he appears to be safe for the moment.

Leeds United take a welcome break from Premier League action as their FA Cup campaign gets underway with a trip to Wales this afternoon.

The Whites’ record in the competition over recent times is pretty dire, having been knocked out at this very stage in each of the last five seasons, including shock upsets against lower league Crawley Town and Newport County.

Jesse Marsch will be looking to avoid another embarrassing feat against Cardiff City but his side have struggled in the league so far this season as they occupy 14th spot – just two points above the drop zone – following a 2-2 draw with potential relegation rivals West Ham United in midweek.

New signing Maximilian Wober could be in line to make his debut after his £11m move from RB Salzburg last week and as The Athletic’s Phil Hay mentioned in a recent podcast episode, it would “make sense” to unleash him today, “without a doubt.”

Whilst the Austrian can play in central defence, he has likely been brought in as Leeds’ new left-back – a position that has caused the American head coach all sorts of problems since he took the helm following the departure of Marcelo Bielsa.

It’s a rather telling sign that towering 6 foot 3 colossus Pascal Struijk has been preferred there over former FC Barcelona dud Junior Firpo, who was once lambasted as a “liability” to this team by Mirror journalist David Anderson.

The Dutchman is a centre-back by trade, though, and Wober has played 16 of 19 matches there for the Austrian Bundesliga champions this term.

In his 14 league starts prior to his switch to Elland Road, the former Ajax gem provided two assists and created five big chances, whilst also averaging 2.1 clearances, 1.7 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game in five clean sheets for Salzburg, via Sofascore.

Wober, once lauded as a “real leader” and a “really good defender” by sporting director Christoph Freund, could therefore be exactly the solution to Marsch’s left-back woes, so it would certainly make sense to give him some game time this afternoon.

Also dubbed as a “beast” and a “great talent”, the 24-year-old could hand the American and the Whites’ faithful plenty of respite in what would be an exciting first bow for his new club.

Marsch must look to start Wober at the Cardiff City Stadium today.

AND in other news, After Wober: Leeds could now eye “new Patrick Bamford”, it’s exactly what Marsch needs…

Manchester United booked their place in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup with a 3-0 win over League One side Charlton at Old Trafford on Tuesday night.

Erik ten Hag’s men made their way through to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 3-1 victory over fellow Premier League side Everton on Friday and are now in the last four of the EFL Cup.

Antony opened the scoring for the Red Devils in the first half as he brilliantly cut inside onto his favoured left foot and bent in an exceptional effort into the far corner from outside of the box.

Marcus Rashford doubled the lead as he latched onto a pass from Facundo Pellistri before poking the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs.

The England international sealed the win in the fourth minute of stoppage time as he raced onto a delicate chipped pass from Casemiro before rifling a left-footed shot into the corner of the net.

Whilst Rashford may steal the headlines with his two late goals, continuing his rich vein of form in recent weeks, the real hero for United on the night was returning central defender Lisandro Martinez.

The Argentine international, who won the 2022 World Cup with his country in Qatar earlier this season, started in the heart of the defence alongside Harry Maguire and put in an exceptional performance.

He was crucial to what Manchester United did on and off the ball throughout the match and ten Hag will surely have been left delighted by his display.

The £120k-per-week gem was dominant defensively on the deck for the Red Devils as he won four of his six ground duels, which shows that he dealt with the physical threat that the third tier outfit provided well.

Martinez also made seven clearances, one interception, and three tackles throughout the 90 minutes, as per Sofascore. These statistics show that he made a big impact at the back for the home side as he made a number of key interventions to stop Charlton from getting back into what was a tight game up until Rashford’s second goal in the 90th minute.

In possession, the former Ajax machine enjoyed 95 touches of the ball and completed 87% of his attempted passes, including six of his 11 longer passes.

Therefore, he was the real hero for United as his exceptional defensive work and reliability on the ball provided the platform that the likes of Antony and Rashford needed to go and finish the game off in the final third.

Everton have earned themselves a reputation for transfer disasters since Farhad Moshiri became the majority stakeholder at the club over six years ago and the poor choices in the market have reflected into the performances on the pitch leading to relegation battles and financial concerns at Goodison Park.

The Toffees are currently 19th in the Premier League matching their relegation rivals in the bottom three for 15 points after 19 outings and have the joint-second worst goal tally in the top flight with just 15 goals scored so far.

As a result, the January transfer window presents a golden opportunity for Everton to strengthen their attacking threat this month but there will be no room for error or repeated mistakes of the past as a new addition would need to make an instant impact on the team to ensure the club retains their top flight status at the end of the season.

One player who has been linked with a move to the blue side of Merseyside this week is West Ham United striker Michail Antonio, however, when considering the player’s form it could be another atrocious acquisition for Everton.

Over 18 league appearances, the £85k-per-week forward – who was hailed “shocking” by Dan Lawless – has scored two goals and registered one assist, as well as averaging 0.4 shots on target, 0.5 successful dribbles and only 4.3 accurate passes completed per game, whilst also being 10th lowest rated player in the entire West Ham squad this season so far.

The 32-year-old’s poor form in front of goal has contributed to the Hammers’ similar struggle over the campaign so far with the London club also in the relegation zone and matching Everton for points, so with that considered it makes absolutely no sense for manager Frank Lampard to sign the striker.

In fact, the signing of Antonio would likely be a repeat of Rafa Benitez’s disastrous signing of Salomon Rondon in the summer of 2021 with the former Toffees striker scoring just three goals over 31 appearances before being released by Everton just last month.

Both strikers are in the latter stages of their respective careers and despite tallying up a lot of Premier League experience are not prolific and consistent in front of goal when needed the most.

With that being said, Moshiri must avoid the signing of Antonio this month to avoid making the same mistakes of the past and instead focus on identifying a youthful prospect who offers more goal contributions and more potential for Everton’s future beyond this season.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to push through with their interest in Sporting right wing-back Pedro Porro, despite their recent setback.

What’s the latest?

It is believed Spurs have entered this month’s transfer window with Porro noted as their top target to bolster Antonio Conte’s squad.

However, Fabio Paratici and Daniel Levy are seemingly finding it difficult to break down the Portuguese side’s resolve, with a deal for the 23-year-old yet to be struck.

Reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano recently claimed Spurs were thought to have seen their opening offer of €35m (£30.7m) plus a player rejected by Sporting, who remain intent on receiving the full release clause for the defender.

Despite this setback, journalist Pete O’Rourke has told Football FanCast that he fully expects Spurs to see this out until the end with the Spaniard their top priority.

He said: “It does seem Pedro Porro is the top target, but Sporting Lisbon are driving a hard bargain, insisting that no deal will be done until this release clause is met.

“So it’s a bit of a stalemate right now for that one, but I’m expecting Spurs to try and push through this deal before the window closes.”

Marathon, not a sprint

It certainly seems like any deal for Porro could potentially be dragged out until the final days of the window, with the two parties seemingly unable to find a compromise as of yet.

However, it will be interesting to see whether Spurs would be willing to cave in and pay Porro’s release clause or whether they would be willing to walk away if a deal cannot be reached.

And if Spurs do walk away, we would be intrigued to see what their next move would be.

It is apparent they have made Porro their top priority this month, and with Conte seemingly unimpressed with what he has at Spurs currently, you would expect the club to go that bit further to please their manager.

Spurs have been linked with a continued interest in the Wolverhampton Wanderers winger/wing-back, Adama Traore, and it’s believed he is still on their radar.

However, this would arguably be a huge step down in quality to someone like Porro, given the Sporting star has provided 10 more assists than Traore this season.

That said, it is apparent this is the area which Spurs want to improve this month, and yet, almost three weeks into the window – Conte is yet to see anyone come through the doors.

Whether he could have offered Djed Spence an opportunity to prove himself over recent months is another question, but in Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty, Conte simply does not have a reliable attacking option at right wing-back.

It feels like a big few weeks are ahead in Spurs’ season, with their form worsening by the week – and a deal for Porro could play a big factor in the current mood among Spurs fans.

A Newcastle deal to sign Anthony Gordon is currently complicated because of the Toffees’ situation, Fabrizio Romano has claimed.

What’s the word?

Everton find themselves in the middle of a crisis having sacked Frank Lampard as the club continue to flirt with relegation, while they recently lost out on what appeared to be a done deal for Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma.

With no indication yet of who could replace Lampard, it appears any deal for Gordon could be slowed down, should a new manager want to keep him at the club.

The Englishman has been strongly linked with a move away, after failing to agree terms on a new contract, and according to Romano, Newcastle are interested.

Speaking on the Here We Go Podcast, Romano claimed that any deal to take him to Tyneside could take time given the situation at Everton.

He said: “They are in conversations with Everton for Anthony Gordon. We know it’s not an easy moment for Everton, so this is why talks probably will be slow.

“They have to decide on players, on new signings, on the manager, so it’s not easy now for Everton to make decisions. Also, because if you have a new manager and you are selling an important player like Anthony Gordon, you have to decide together with the new coach, so there will be these conversations for Anthony Gordon.”

A surprising deal

Given that Newcastle are fairly well-stocked on the wings, with Joelinton currently keeping Allan Saint-Maximin on the bench, it would be arguably a surprise if they were to part with a significant fee to sign Gordon in January.

Although Gordon offers a lot more in defence, ranking in the top 3% of wingers for blocks and tackles over the past year at the top level, Saint-Maximin ranks in the top 1% for dribbles as per FBref – significantly higher than the Englishman, who is only in the top 47%. As a substitute, Saint-Maximin’s strengths could arguably prove to be more useful when chasing a goal.

Gordon is younger at just 21 and has potential to grow, but given that he may not be an immediate starter, there are question marks over whether he is ready to make the step up to a club chasing a European spot.

Leeds United are closing in on their third signing of the January transfer window, according to reports…

What’s the word?

90min claim that midfielder Weston McKennie is set to undergo a medical ahead of his move from Juventus on Sunday after the two clubs agreed on terms.

It’s believed that the USMNT international will initially arrive at Elland Road on loan, costing around £1m, with the Yorkshire outfit holding a £29m option-to-buy clause. That could be triggered permanently if certain conditions are met, though that remains to be seen.

The American powerhouse is now due to link up with his fellow countrymen Brenden Aaronson and Tyler Adams at the Whites.

Masterclass from Orta

This deal appears to be a touch of genius from director of football Victor Orta – not only is he adding another top-quality player to Jesse Marsch’s squad but he’s doing it with terms that very much suit the club.

Having already broken their record fee with the arrival of Georginio Rutter (£35.5m) and brought in Max Wober (£11m) too, Leeds are probably light on finances, given they battled with relegation last season.

Azzedine Ounahi was thought to be a “top target” for Orta and co but it seems as if Leeds were unwilling to pay his £26m asking price. With McKennie, the club only has to pay £1m now and if they want to make it permanent in the summer, they can wait for fresh cash injection before doing so.

The Juve star will also add some depth to Marsch’s engine room as he’s capable of playing any role required; versatility that led his former Schalke 04 boss David Wagner to say:

“He’s an outstanding talent. In the No.6 or No.8 position he has the mentality, a real working mentality that you need. And he’s brave on the ball as well.”

McKennie caught the eye in the latest World Cup tournament, particularly against England in the group stage, with Independent journalist Miguel Delaney suggesting that he dominated the Three Lions’ midfield.

The “engine” on the pitch – as once described by football.london reporter Alasdair Gold – can do it all, with both finishing and defensive contribution listed as two of his strongest attributes by WhoScored.

That influence at both ends is also highlighted by the fact that he has managed to create three big chances, on top of an average of 0.9 tackles per game from what little game time he’s had in the Serie A this term, per Sofascore.

Given the evidence above, McKennie really will be a “huge statement signing” for Leeds, just as described by journalist Pete O’Rourke to Football FanCast recently.

If Orta does get this over the line following today’s medical, then it could well be another masterstroke from him in the transfer market.

AND in other news, Orta could seal an “absolutely incredible” signing in Leeds move for £25m “revelation”…

A potential deal for Aston Villa to sign Matteo Guendouzi from Marseille may not happen as it has dragged on for a while, transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed.

What’s the word?

The France international is being eyed up by Unai Emery, who initially brought him to the Premier League at Arsenal in 2018, and a deal looks to be on the cards.

However, despite links throughout the month, there seems to be no progress on a transfer for the 24-year-old, and with just a few days remaining in the window, it is unclear whether he will make the move.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Jones claimed that he is wary that a deal may not happen, given how long it has taken until now.

“The Guendouzi one’s dragged on a little bit now, so I’m probably a little more sceptical of whether that’s actually going to happen,” he stated when asked about the deal.

Creative quality

Guendouzi has been outstanding since joining Marseille last year, and can add some creative quality to Villa’s midfield.

If he reunites with Emery, he could return to the Premier League as a more mature player than when he left, and ranks highly in attacking penalty area touches as per FBref, as well as providing a good level of attacking output.

He provided 14 assists last season, having moulded his game to a more attacking role than the one he played at Arsenal, where he provided just five assists in 82 appearances.

Whilst he can provide a lot of quality, it will be down to Emery to help Guendouzi flourish back in England, as his last spell here ended with him being exiled from the Arsenal squad due to discipline issues.

Aston Villa centre-back Diego Carlos could potentially make a welcome return from injury later this month, reliable journalist Ashley Preece has claimed.

The Lowdown: Cruel start for Carlos

The Brazilian joined Villa in a big-money move last summer, coming in as someone who would be a key player and mainstay at the heart of the defence.

Cruelly, Carlos suffered a serious achilles tendon injury after just two appearances for the club and he hasn’t returned to action in the six months or so since.

It now looks as though the 29-year-old is closing in on a pleasing comeback, however, following a fresh update.

The Latest: Injury return nearing

Writing on Twitter, Preece claimed that Carlos will either be back in action late this month or at the beginning of March:

“Diego Carlos still stepping up for his return later this month/beginning of March.”

The Verdict: Massive boost for Villa

This is an undoubted boost for Villa, with Carlos a player who can take them to another level, having been hailed as ‘amazing’ by former striker Kevin Campbell.

[freshpress-quiz id=“418895″]

The former Brazil Under-23 international looked the part in his first two matches this season, averaging 1.5 aerial duel wins per game, and he is an upgrade on Tyrone Mings and Ezri Monsa, both of whom have had bad performances.

At 29, there is a slight concern that the severity of Carlos’ injury could have a long-term impact on him, so Unai Emery must handle him with care upon his return, allowing him time to find his rhythm.

Realistically, next season should be viewed as the time for him to kick on fully again, with a full pre-season behind him.