Tag Futebol

John Gibson believes it would be a big game to hand Anthony Gordon his first Newcastle United start this weekend.

The Lowdown: Selection dilemma for Howe

Bruno Guimaraes’ midweek red card has handed Eddie Howe a very interesting selection headache with several players capable of moving to the left-hand side while Joelinton drops into midfield.

Howe obviously has tricky winger Allan Saint-Maximin sitting on the bench in recent weeks, £40 million January signing Gordon who’s trained this week and the ever-regular Jacob Murphy also available.

Gordon has indeed been training with his new teammates this week but with less than a week under his belt to get to know people and understand the tactics, it would be bizarre to see him starting against West Ham.

The Latest: Howe must be sensible

Given how little time Gordon has spent with his new teammates, Gibson has claimed on the Everything is Black and White podcast it would be a big gamble to throw him into the starting lineup.

He said: “There are four choices for Saturday, there’s Saint-Maximin, there’s Isak with a twitch in the tactics, there’s Gordon if you decided to gamble and start him straight away which would never happen if Bruno wasn’t suspended and the other one is the rank outsider which is Murphy.”

The Verdict: Gordon not ready to start

It would be very uncharacteristic for Howe to throw Gordon straight into the firing line at St James’ Park as that didn’t happen with the likes of Sven Botman and Guimaraes who both had to wait for their chance.

Also, if Howe doesn’t hand Saint-Maximin his first league start since August then that won’t likely go down very well within the Frenchman’s camp and could well show he has no future on Tyneside.

Given the speed Gordon has showcased this season, he could well be a solid option to terrorise West Ham with deep into the second half after having to deal with Saint-Maximin’s willingness to dribble at them as he has done this season with 21 completed dribbles in just four starts (FBRef).

Tottenham Hotspur are leading the race to sign Dario Osorio…

What’s the word?

That’s according to reports in Italy (via Sport Witness), who claim that Spurs have made the ‘most important’ and ‘best’ offer to sign the Universidad de Chile sensation before tonight’s 11pm deadline.

It’s thought that there is at least three deals on the table, including one from Serie A champions AC Milan and it’s thought that the next few hours are ‘decisive’ to his immediate future.

With Spurs on the verge of signing Pedro Porro ahead of the deadline, Osorio could be another interesting acquisition this late in the window.

Shades of Raphinha?

The 19-year-old, capped at senior level for Chile, is a hugely promising talent and one that could see sporting director Fabio Paratici follow his past dealings, having brought in exciting prospects like Pape Matar Sarr and Destiny Udogie – the former featuring in and around Antonio Conte’s first team.

Standing at 6-foot, the versatile midfielder is primarily a dangerous winger, one that has earned eye-catching comparisons to that of FC Barcelona star Raphinha. He was once mooted with a switch to N17 before that move, according to The Athletic.

“I find him very similar to Raphinha; Barcelona’s Brazilian,” former Universidad de Chile ace Raul Toro claimed. “He is the jewel of Chilean soccer. At any moment, he can score a goal or provide an assist. In Chilean football, there is no one like him.”

The Hijuelas-born gem has already notched seven goals across 27 matches in the Chilean top-flight and has done so by playing anywhere across the frontline. He has also managed 1.1 key passes per outing and created a total of four big chances despite an average of 58 minutes per game, via Sofascore.

“Osorio shoots spectacularly and plays as if he were at home,” Universidad’s sporting director Manuel Mayo once suggested. 

Elsewhere, talent scout Jacek Kulig has compared the “flamboyant winger” to Angel Di Maria and revealed that his strongest attributes are his “pace, dribbling” and “creativity,” not to ignore his obvious “versatility” too.

All in all, it’s clear to see that Spurs would be getting one hell of a talent with a last-ditch deadline-day move for Osorio. In the 19-year-old prodigy, the north Londoners could well have their own Raphinha or Di Maria.

Given the evidence above, he surely has every chance of following in Sarr’s footsteps in making the big step up into the first team.

AND in other news, Spurs win race for “top goalscorer”, it’s a “fantastic” coup for Paratici…

Tottenham Hotspur managing director Fabio Paratici could well leave Spurs following sanctions imposed on him, claims Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Juventus saga

A decision has been reached to deduct Juventus 15 Serie A points and hand Paratici a 30-month ban from Italian football (via Sky Sports) for his role in the Turin giants’ alleged financial irregularities and false accounting accusations.

The decision from the Italian football federation (FIGC) means that Juve will fall to 10th in the table.

Juventus are waiting for written reasons behind the decision before submitting an appeal, but the article states that a request to extend the ban to all UEFA and FIFA activities could have severe consequences for the Premier League side.

The Latest: Gold’s comments

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Gold explained the potential implications of what an extension of the sanctions could mean for Spurs and their managing director

He said: “Currently, it’s anything to do with that would run through the Italian Football Federation, but obviously, if UEFA and FIFA agree to extending it wide, globally – does what it says on the tin, it would be everything.

“I think there’s a possibility that if there is an appeal, those sanctions can’t be negotiated or lessened – I think that’s the way it works. And I think, actually, the prosecutors asked for 20 months, originally.

“And the actual verdict ended up being stronger than the prosecutors actually asked for, from what I could tell.

“If it [the sanctions] were to stand and it were to stand globally, it’s a complete mess for Tottenham. And I don’t really understand how he’d then be able to work for Spurs anymore.”

The Verdict: Cause for concern

The decision that is still yet to be made on whether the ban will cover all football involvement is a pivotal one for Spurs to wait for.

If the sanctions only affect Italian football, Paratici may be able to resume in his current role despite being caught up in the saga that occurred whilst he was sporting director at Juventus.

A UEFA or FIFA ban will see him unable to continue in his role at Spurs, which would cause not only problems over alternatives at senior level in north London, but also the future of Antonio Conte, who also worked with Paratici at Juventus and have therefore built up a working relationship.

Therefore, we do feel this has the potential to have a seismic effect on the makeup of the Tottenham backroom team and the direction of the club over the next few months, with Conte’s future already subject to plenty of speculation.

Everton have made contact to enquire about signing Mislav Orsic according to reports, but a more recent update indicates that they could be unsuccessful in their pursuit of the Dinamo Zagreb forward.

The Lowdown: Orsic profiled

The Croatian has recently returned from the World Cup, where he was a standout performer after scoring the winner in the third-place play-off which secured his nation the bronze medal.

Premier League clubs have duly been attracted to the 30-year-old, and the Toffees had been hoping that he could be on his way to Goodison Park. According to 90min, Everton, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest have all ‘been in contact’ with Dinamo Zagreb regarding Orsic in ‘recent weeks’.

However, news which filtered through this afternoon does not make for good reason for Farhad Moshiri and co.

The Latest: Orsic set for Southampton medical

Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor relayed an update via Twitter from Croatian reporter Ižak Ante Sučić which hinted that Southampton have had an offer accepted for the player, who is on his way to the south coast of England for a medical.

Taylor tweeted: “As reported by @IASucic, Dinamo Zagreb have now accepted an improved offer from Southampton for Mislav Oršić. Deal worth in region of £7m including add-ons (Premier League survival). Told Croatian international winger has already travelled for medical.”

The Verdict: Everton have missed out

Everton now find themselves in the relegation zone and are the Premier League’s third-lowest scorers with just 14 goals. Therefore, the need for attacking reinforcements is clear, and Orsic would have been the perfect candidate to come in and make the significant impact that Frank Lampard craves.

The Croatian has posted an outstanding 21 goal contributions in just 27 appearances across all competitions this season and is a versatile player with the ability to operate at centre-forward, as well as out wide (Transfermarkt).

Orsic has been hailed by Sučić for being able to produce moments of ‘magic’, and that is the profile of player that Everton need if they are to enhance their prospects of preserving their top-flight status.

Alas, it now looks like Lampard and co will need to turn their attention elsewhere in the transfer window in that regard.

Josh Coburn decided to swap Sunderland for Middlesbrough at the tender age of 16 and with the striker now being touted for a future England call-up, the Black Cats may end up regretting not pushing harder to keep him at the Stadium of Light.

The teenage forward joined Middlesbrough in 2018 and has impressed in his four years at the club, breaking into the first team and earning a professional deal with the Teesside club.

After hitting 20 goals in just 40 appearances for the academy sides at Boro, it was always likely that Coburn would be promoted to the first team setup and he has done well on his few appearances for the senior side.

The 20-year-old already has six goals in 27 appearances for Middlesbrough, which included a memorable winner in a 1-0 triumph against Tottenham Hotspur last season.

In the summer, Coburn was sent on loan to Bristol Rovers in League One and he is certainly making his mark in League One, with five goals and three assists in 15 appearances thus far.

Rovers manager Joey Barton certainly believes in the Middlesbrough man’s potential and recently tipped him to be an England international in the future.

He said: “For 20, you’ll struggle to see someone come into League One and handle the game at the level that he does,” Barton said.

“I’ve said it many times before I think he’s a real talent, Middlesbrough have got a fantastic prospect on their hands and we’re proud and privileged to have him in our team and he’s grown from the regular rhythm of games. You can see his performances growing week by week and again he was head and shoulders the quality player on the pitch.

“When you watch him play, it’s just the things he does – his composure, his touch and he’s very much baby-faced. If you saw a snapshot of his head you’d think he’s only 14 but he’s got that frame, but it’s not just that, it’s the way he uses it.

“Josh is a huge player in our team. But I think he has an enormous future out in front of him if he gets a little bit of luck with injuries, I think he could go on to play for England.”

Given his impressive displays in League One, it is surely only a matter of time until Coburn is making his mark in the Championship and should the young striker go on to play for England in the future, Sunderland will massively regret not keeping him at the Stadium of Light when he was just 16.

Indeed, they should already rue their decision to relinquish him when they did, with the teenager very much possessing immense potential.

Glasgow Rangers are on the hunt for a new manager at Ibrox following the club’s decision to part ways with Dutchman Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

The board decided that it was the right time to dismiss the former Feyenoord coach during the break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with the club not playing another competitive match until the 17th of December.

Van Bronckhorst failed to pick up a single point in the group stages of the Champions League and left with the club sitting nine points behind their rivals at the top of the Premiership.

The Light Blues are reportedly pursuing a swoop to appoint their former assistant manager Mick Beale as their new head coach, taking him away from the English Championship.

If he is appointed then he will be tasked with turning the club’s fortunes around in the Premiership and building towards long-term success domestically and in Europe.

One eye could already be on the 2023/24 campaign, given the large gap at the top of the table already, and Beale, or another manager if the Englishman opts against a move to Ibrox, could look to the academy to freshen up the side.

A youngster from the youth set-up who the next Rangers boss could strike gold with is 20-year-old winger Kai Kennedy, who is currently out on loan at Falkirk in the third tier.

John Robertson, who managed the gem at Inverness, once heaped praise on the young talent, saying:

“He beats people for fun and gets out of tight situations – he’s a crowd-pleaser.

“Even in training when we see him getting the ball, he excites us. He goes past players and we think he’s going to lose it, then the next minute he wriggles away and he has created something.

“Kai at times looks like a wee ragamuffin as he just bounces about, but he goes past people and excites people. That’s the type of player we wanted to come.”

He joined the Jags on loan after producing five assists in 12 youth team appearances for Rangers in the 2019/20 campaign and has enjoyed a string of spells away from Ibrox since then – playing for Hamilton, Dunfermline, and Raith Rovers, before ending up at Falkirk this season.

In the current campaign, Kennedy has caught the eye with one goal and six assists in 11 outings in League One and the SFA Cup combined.

These statistics, and Robertson’s assessment of his style of play, indicate that he has the potential to be an exciting player for the Light Blues in the future. He has the drive to dribble past opponents and the presence of mind to set up his teammates for chances when he gets into good positions.

It remains to be seen whether or not he can translate that into impressive performances in the Premiership but the new Gers boss, whether that is Beale or someone else, must give him an opportunity to prove himself as they could well strike gold by doing – unearthing a creative wizard.

Manchester United are reportedly keeping tabs on Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton Diaz, with the Chilean attracting interest from across the Premier League.

What’s the word?

According to Football League World, the Red Devils have sent scouts to watch the 23-year-old in action in the Championship in recent times, albeit with fellow top-flight outfit West Ham United believed to be leading the race for his signature at present.

The report suggests that despite the forward’s recent commitment to staying at the club until the summer, Rovers could well be tempted to sell in the winter window were they to receive an offer of around £10m, amid the risk of losing the player for nothing at the end of the season with just over six months remaining on his existing deal.

A further report from 90min has also supported that claim, while also revealing further interest from a number of sides in the top tier – including the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa – as well as a whole host of clubs across Europe.

Ditch Ronaldo

A new centre-forward addition has seemingly become something of a necessity for United boss Erik ten Hag in January, with the club’s attack having become something of a “problem” of late, in the words of Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst.

The potential main issue in a forward line that has scored just 18 league goals this season – only the 11th-best record in the division – has been that of 37-year-old icon, Cristiano Ronaldo, with the typically prolific marksman having scored just three goals in all competitions so far this term, including just a solitary league strike.

Having seen his reported hopes of a departure in the summer dashed, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner now appears more likely to secure an exit when the market re-opens in the New Year, with recent reports suggesting that the Old Trafford won’t stand in his way if an offer is received.

That willingness to let the 191-cap machine move on has been heightened by the striker’s recent misdemeanours, with Ronaldo having refused to come off the bench in the win over Spurs last month, before leaving the ground prior to the end of the match.

With it potentially now time to sever ties with the veteran talent, turning to Brereton Diaz could well prove to be an astute, bargain capture for those at the Theatre of Dreams, particularly amid the uncertainty over their potential budget in January.

While the former Nottingham Forest man is yet to feature in the Premier League in his career thus far, the Stoke-born ace has been in truly lethal form in the second tier of late, scoring 22 goals in the league last season.

That clinical finishing has also been evident this term, with the “extraordinary” gem – as dubbed by former boss Tony Mowbray – firing in nine goals in 20 Championship games, while having also become something of a cult figure on the international stage with four goals in just 14 games for La Roja.

Not just a potent presence in front of goal, the 6 foot 1 powerhouse also offers a real asset with his remarkable work ethic, with the aforementioned Mowbray notably stating last term:

“The starting point is his work rate. Strikers obviously always get the glory of scoring goals but he’s a kid who works his socks off for this team, up and down, up and down.

“He’s not playing down the middle, he’s not the Adam Armstrong centre-forward who is there to finish things off. He’s working extraordinarily hard tracking full backs – or wing-backs as it was today. So the physical output has been amazing really.”

Such an assessment is not one that has been attributed to the struggling Ronaldo of late, with the one-time Juventus talisman’s lack of mobility having become a “full blown issue” for United at present, according to Tim Vigon.

Equally, turning to the Ewood Park hero could also buck the recent trend that has seen ageing forwards come through the door at Old Trafford, with the club having far too often opted for a short-term fix with the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Odion Igahlo.

It may be something of a wildcard pick to sign Brereton Diaz in the near future, although it could well prove to be something of a masterstroke.

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has been criticised for his performance as the Reds succumbed to defeat away to Nottingham Forest this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Klopp suffers defeat…

Coming off the back of three impressive wins against Rangers, Manchester City, West Ham and Rangers over the last fortnight, Jurgen Klopp’s men were gaining momentum and appeared to be on a real resurgence.

The Premier League giants have endured a difficult start to the 2022/23 campaign after being pipped to the crown by Man City last May, but their recent form had arguably given supporters more confidence heading into today’s clash at the City Ground.

However, following a second-half goal from Forest summer signing and former Reds striker Taiwo Awoniyi, Klopp has come away from Nottingham with another loss on the board.

Liverpool did push for an equaliser right to the very end, with goalkeeper Dean Henderson making a superb diving save to stop Virgil van Dijk’s header, but it wasn’t to be for the Reds as they travel back to Merseyside in disappointment.

The Latest: Gomez slammed…

Criticised for playing a role in Forest’s winner, Gomez has been picked out for questioning after giving away the foul which eventually lead to Awoniyi’s strike.

Spanish journalist Víctor Diéguez called the 25-year-old’s error ‘absurd’ and went one further by calling him a ‘terrifying’ defender.

He explained (via Twitter): “Terrifying, one more day, Joe Gomez. He makes the foul after an absurd loss and remains stiff in the set piece play. One more day in the office for the English centre-back.”

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The Verdict: Off-day…

Gomez lost the ball 19 times overall, came off second-best in four duels and received a booking over the 90 minutes alongside his role in Forest’s opener (SofaScore), making this afternoon one to forget for the 25-year-old.

His performance against Man City last weekend highlights that there is a real player there on his day, but next to Van Dijk, the Englishman didn’t cover himself in glory at all today against a team who had gone ten weeks without a Premier League win.

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a huge injury blow regarding winger Dejan Kulusevski.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (via BBC Sport), Antonio Conte revealed that, despite the Italian previously hinting the winger was nearing a return to full fitness, the 22-year-old could now be ruled out of action until after the Qatar World Cup – having suffered an apparent setback in his recovery from a thigh injury.

Regarding the current condition of the Sweden international, the 53-year-old said: “I think we have to wait a bit of time to see him with us. Yeah [I am worried] because his recovery was going well and then one day the situation worsened.

“Then when this type of situation happens, you have to restart. You need time, but we have the medical department to face injury situations and they have to solve the situation in a short period because you know if you are good to solve the situation in a short period, it means points in the table.”

Terrible news

Considering just how integral a part of the Tottenham side Kulusevski has become following his January move to north London, the fact that the forward could be ruled out of action until the turn of the year is undoubtedly terrible news for Conte and his side.

Indeed, over his 18 Premier League fixtures in his debut campaign with Spurs, the £70m-rated winger was in astonishing form, scoring five goals, providing eight assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.4 shots, making 1.4 key passes and completing 1.4 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the 22-year-old average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.21, not only ranking him as Conte’s fourth-best performer in the league but also as the 25th-best player in the top flight of English football as a whole last term.

The £110k-per-week flanker has once again caught the eye over his seven Premier League appearances in 2022/23, having already scored one goal, registered three assists and created two big chances, with these returns seeing the attacker average an impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.91 – ranking him as Spurs’ 11th-best performer in the division.

Furthermore, with Richarlison also currently sidelined as a result of injury, as well as Lucas Moura not being fully match-fit after his recovery from a tendon injury, Kulusevski’s absence leaves Conte with no natural option to deploy alongside Harry Kane and Son Heung-min in his three-man attack – something that proved incredibly costly in the loss to Manchester United last time out.

As such, it is clear to see that being without the Swede for a lengthy period will come as a huge blow to Spurs’ chances of going on to secure a top-four finish this season – not to mention picking up all three points against an impressive Newcastle United side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Crystal Palace enjoyed a promising Premier League campaign last season after Patrick Vieira was appointed in the summer of 2021, with several new players making their move to Selhurst Park to become part of the former Arsenal captain’s project.

One player who was a standout in Vieira’s new-look Palace team was Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher who completed a season-long loan deal with the Eagles last summer, although despite the club’s efforts to hold onto their golden boy returned to Stamford Bridge to stake his claim for a permanent spot in Chelsea’s starting line-up.

There is no doubt that Palace miss the talented midfielder’s versatility and presence in the centre of the pitch with the England international producing eight goals and five assists last term. His exit has since reflected in the performances on the pitch, and led to Vieira’s side slipping into 17th in the Premier League table.

One of the most regrettable decisions the South London side may have made during the transfer window was not to replace Gallagher’s contributions in midfield, although they did show interest in one player who could’ve been the perfect fit for the position.

Joe Aribo was linked with a move to Selhurst Park throughout the summer, but instead completed a deal worth up to £10m to join Southampton instead, something that Palace should now regret considerably.

The former Rangers midfielder has made a fantastic first impression from his central role at St Mary’s over his first eight appearances this season so far.

Aribo has scored two goals and created one big chance, made 1.9 tackles and won 5.3 duels per game, as well as currently ranking sixth in the Premier League for pass interceptions in an opponent’s half, proving he has versatile attributes that would’ve been perfect in replacing Gallagher’s role at Crystal Palace.

Indeed, those numbers mean he is currently outperforming Gallagher this term who has scored just once, failed to create a big chance, made 1.7 tackles and won 3.2 duels a match.

The Nigerian ace was given a glowing assessment from new manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, who said of his quality:

“We believe Joe can bring energy and creativity to our side. Feeling comfortable in so many different positions is very helpful for a manager and shows he has a high level of football intelligence, with the ability to take on new information quickly.”

Further dubbed a “special talent” by Jordan Campbell of The Athletic, it’s evident that Palace made somewhat of a mistake when it came to their decision making at times this summer.

Vieira will surely be disappointed that Palace were unable to complete a deal for Aribo, however, in the January transfer window, there is another opportunity for the manager to strengthen his midfield options ahead of the second half of the season.