All posts by n8rngtd.top

Nigel Adkins’ Charlton head into their clash with Oxford United in League One this weekend in need of a positive result.

The Addicks began their league campaign with a fairly uninspiring 0-0 draw against Sheffield Wednesday last weekend before losing 1-0 to AFC Wimbledon in the League Cup in midweek, which represents a subdued start to their season.

They now face an Oxford side who were held to a 1-1 draw by Cambridge in their opening league match and beat Burton Albion on penalties in the Carabao Cup.

On the Chalkboard

With Charlton finding goals hard to come by so far, Adkins has the opportunity to dip into his squad to shake things up against Oxford on Saturday.

Diallang Jaiyesimi played the full 90 minutes out wide against the Owls and struggled to catch the eye. He received a WhoScored rating of 6.46, failing to create a single chance for his team-mates whilst also being dispossessed four times and losing the ball three times through poor control. This suggests that he does not deserve his place in the side on merit heading into the next match.

Therefore, Adkins should unleash the club’s latest signing Charlie Kirk on Saturday. The attacker joined on a permanent deal from Crewe earlier this week and he should be handed his debut against Oxford to try and solve a key issue for the former Southampton boss, namely the lack of goals from Charlton.

In Kirk’s official unveiling, Adkins commented on the signing by stating that the 23-year-old is an exciting ‘forward-thinking’ addition to the squad.

He told Charlton’s official website: “I am delighted that Charlie Kirk is joining us. He is a very talented and exciting, young, forward-thinking player and I’m really looking forward to working with him over the coming years.”

Adkins also added in his pre-match press conference that the winger will want to get involved as soon as possible. The manager said: “He’s been at the training ground this afternoon. We’ll just take stock of the whole thing. We’re delighted he’s with us and he’ll be wanting to play as quickly as he can.”

Charlton must bring him straight into the starting XI for Jaiyesimi in order to alleviate their goalscoring woes, as the ex-Norwich man was unable to score a goal himself or provide his teammates with a chance to do so. Meanwhile, Kirk racked up six goals and eight assists for Crewe in League One last season, which suggests that he has the quality to make things happen at this level.

Between his record for Crewe last term and Adkins’ effusive praise of his talents, the evidence is there to suggest that Kirk could help solve Charlton’s goalscoring problems against Oxford this weekend. That is why he should be handed his debut for the club tomorrow.

AND in other news, Just 7 passes: Charlton disaster who lost 67% of his duels surely left Adkins livid…

A number of Liverpool fans want Ben Woodburn to be sold permanently after he was linked with a loan move to Scottish Premiership side Hearts.

The 21-year-old has had a curious Reds career to date, initially becoming the youngest goalscorer in the club’s history after netting against Leeds United in 2016, aged just 17 years and 45 days.

Woodburn struggled to kick on from that point, however, and he has found himself loaned out to the likes of Sheffield United, Oxford United and Blackpool.

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The Welshman has had a good pre-season back at Liverpool, though, and he was even on the substitutes’ bench for Saturday’s 3-0 win at Norwich City.

According to Goal‘s Neil Jones [via the journalist’s Twitter account], Hearts want to sign Woodburn on loan, eyeing him up as a shrewd addition this season.

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Liverpool fans want Woodburn to be sold

These Liverpool fans provided their thoughts on Twitter, with many saying it is time for a permanent exit to be sealed.

“Isn’t he in the final year of his contract? What’s the point of a loan?”

Credit: @Homes19LFC

“My mind wants Mbappe money”

Credit: @JUSTLFC2

“Sell him. You can’t go on loan every season”

Credit: @alfonso67953001

“No more pointless loans, just take whatever you can get for him and ship him off permanently”

Credit: @6timesladdd

“He’s into his final year of contract why don’t we sell him?”

Credit: @lemboi11

“They can have him”

Credit: @royhans11426004

In other news, some Liverpool fans have raved about one piece of footage that has emerged. Read more here.

According to Sportitalia TV reporter Rudy Galetti, Tottenham Hotspur, and by extension managing director Fabio Paratici, are in ongoing talks to sign Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez.

The Lowdown: Spurs in midfield hunt?

Daily Star reporter Paul Brown broke news of unrest surrounding Tanguy Ndombele’s future in north London last week, with Football Insider now going one step further and claiming he has informed club chiefs of his desire to leave.

Tottenham, as a result, have been linked with a plethora of central midfield options as Paratici looks to add more steel for Nuno Espirito Santo.

Denis Zakaria, Corentin Tolisso and Joao Palhinha are among the players being targeted by Spurs (Daily Star), with Galetti now sharing news on another midfield maestro.

The Latest: Spurs in ongoing talks for Nandez…

Writing on Twitter, the Italian journalist has claimed that Spurs are in ‘ongoing’ discussions to sign the Uruguay international on loan.

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He believes it is an ‘evolving situation’, with the Lilywhites possibly even being boosted by Inter Milan pulling out of the race for Nandez’ signature.

“Ongoing talks between Cagliari and Tottenham for Nahitan Nandez,” he explained on social media.

“The 2 clubs are discussing on possible onerous loan for the midfielder. Inter no longer interested. Evolving situation.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Nandez emerges as one of the more promising central midfield targets for Spurs given the amount of bases he can cover.

The 41-cap international can play out wide on both the left and right wings as well being a natural centre-midfield player.

Paratici could be attempting to secure a real coup for the Lilywhites and Nuno by landing him on a loan deal, especially considering the amount of praise he has received from Serie A pundits.

Indeed, BT Sport and ESPN pundit Mina Rzouki even labelled him ‘amazing’ and ‘one of the most underrated players’ (Twitter), so landing the versatile star on a temporary deal could be a real shrewd piece of business.

In other news: Offer incoming: Levy readying Spurs bid to sign ‘amazing’ player who Nuno personally wants, find out more here.

An update has emerged on Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo, regarding Manchester United’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United have been in talks with Jorge Mendes over a deal to spectacularly re-sign Ronaldo before the end of the transfer window.

Romano claims that the United board are now discussing the finer details of a potential swoop, before going on to Tweet that Manchester City have dropped out of the race.

Fans will be astounded

This transfer twist will surely leave United fans astounded with the prospect of Ronaldo making his way back to Old Trafford in the next few days.

Happy with Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho? How about Ronaldo as well? It could top off a phenomenal window for the Reds – given the striker’s incredible career – and leave the supporters on cloud nine, especially given earlier reports that Man City were leading the race for his signature.

Pep Guardiola’s side were reportedly expected to make a bid for Ronaldo after discussing personal terms with the player’s agent, but they are now out of the running and United could have a clear path to the experienced star’s signature.

Earlier on Friday, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer commented on speculation over Ronaldo’s future and refused to rule out a swoop for the attacker. He said:

“I didn’t think Cristiano was going to turn out leaving Juventus.

“We’ve always had good communication. I know Bruno [Fernandes]’s been talking to him as well and he knows what we feel about him. And if he was ever gonna move away from Juventus he knows we’re here.

“We focus on the ones we have there, I don’t want to speculate too much on Cristiano, what’s happening there with the press.

“I’ve said many times with speculation, when you’re Man United, when you’re Ronaldo, when you’re Messi, when you’re Pogba, when you’re Bruno, you have to read a lot about yourselves. So let’s see what happens with Cristiano, he’s such a legend of this club.”

Five Ballon d’Or’s, five Champions League trophies, over 100 goals for Juventus and Manchester United and 450 for Real Madrid. What more is there to say about the mercurial goal machine that has not already been said? He is a legend of the game, and of Manchester United, and fans would surely be over the moon to see him come through the door before the window slams shut on Tuesday.

This twist from Romano gives fans hope that his arrival is a realistic possibility and we could now be in for an exciting end to the summer from a United perspective.

AND in other news, Murtough must sanction exit for £19m Man Utd dud who’s in “free fall”, it’s time to go…

Nottingham Forest failed to complete a deadline day deal to bring Josh Maja to the City Ground.

What’s the talk?

According to a claim made on Twitter by L’Equipe journalist Emery Taisne, the Reds saw a deal for the FC Girondins Bordeaux centre-forward fall through at the last minute due to the Nigerian international failing a medical with the Championship side.

In his tweet, Taisne said: “Josh Maja is ultimately not expected to sign at Nottingham Forest. The attacker’s medical examination [has] not been conclusive.”

A report by L’Equipe (via Get French Football News) on Monday had revealed that Dane Murphy’s side had seen a €4.5m (£3.9m) bid accepted for the 22-year-old, who was due to fly to England on Tuesday to finalise the deal.

Murphy will be fuming

Considering just how poorly Nottingham Forest have started their 2021/22 Championship campaign, with Chris Hughton’s side having picked up just one point over their opening five league fixtures of the season, the addition of a player as exciting as Maja would certainly have appeared to provide Forest with a much-needed boost.

Indeed, over Maja’s 15 Premier League appearances while on loan at Fulham last season, the £4.5m-rated forward bagged three goals, as well as taking an average of 1.4 shots and making 0.5 key passes per game.

These metrics saw the £14k-per-week man earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.75, an impressive feat considering only nine of his 15 top-flight fixtures for the Cottagers came as starts.

As such, with Hughton’s current options at centre-forward, Lewis Grabban and Lyle Taylor, having scored just one Championship goal between them so far this season, up front is certainly a position in which it appeared the club could have used a fresh face prior to the closure of the transfer window.

So, the fact that the club’s last-minute swoop for Maja fell through as a result of the striker failing a medical at the club is sure to have left Murphy fuming, as the CEO’s hard work to get a deal over the line for the youngster ultimately proved to be worthless.

In other news: Taylor drops update on “unbelievable” £2.5k-p/w NFFC dynamo, Hughton will be delighted

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is under immense pressure to win trophies after being backed in the transfer market, according to Dean Windass.

The Red Devils made four signings during the window as they look to end their four-year major trophy drought.

While the incomings began with goalkeeper Tom Heaton’s return to Old Trafford, Jadon Sancho then arrived from Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund.

World Cup-winning central defender Raphael Varane was the next big-name to head to the red half of Manchester as he completed a move with a reported £41million from Real Madrid.

But the signing that caught the United fans’ attention most came on deadline day, when the return of club legend Cristiano Ronaldo was sealed.

The 36-year-old, who has joined from Juventus, broke the world record for goals scored in men’s international football as he took his tally up to 111 for Portugal last week.

Former Premier League striker Windass now believes Solskjaer has to deliver silverware this season.

He exclusively told Football FanCast: “On paper, they are very strong. But you don’t play football on paper.

“Ole will be massively under pressure. He needs to win the FA Cup and get in the Champions League. He will know that and a lot of Manchester United fans will know that.

“They will be the first ones to criticise him if they start getting beaten and struggling. People will be on his back but that’s the nature of the game and Ole will know that.”

Many West Ham United fans have been congratulating Irons academy product Conor Coventry for his first Republic of Ireland under-21s goal.  

A video of the 21-year-old’s goal, Ireland’s second of the game as they beat Bosnia-Herzegovina, was uploaded by RTE Soccer’s Twitter channel, and Coventry duly shared the footage to his own profile.

The Ireland under-21 skipper was on the receiving end of a well-worked set piece 12 yards out to slot the ball past Belmin Dizdarevic to get their European Under-21 Championship qualifying campaign off to a perfect start. 

Aston Villa’s Tyreik Wright opened the scoring from the penalty spot after a foul on Josh Kayode before Coventry sealed the victory as Ireland secured the three points. 

The West Ham midfielder is currently out on loan at Championship newcomers Peterborough United after making 18 appearances in Premier League 2 last season, scoring five goals and setting up another two. 

After playing six minutes in the Hammers’ 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over Charlton Athletic last season and being an unused substitute on numerous occasions in the Premier League, Coventry’s performance for his nation at under-21 level may just have grabbed David Moyes’ attention. 

West Ham fans on Coventry’s goal 

These Hammers fans on Twitter heaped praise on the youngster after his goal on the international scene, with one even labelling the precocious midfielder a “certified baller”.

“Well done CC, all Hammers are right behind you” 

Credit: @banterhammer 

“Any chance of you doing a Declan Rice” 

Credit: @DavidHoughton82  

“The lad is a certified baller” 

Credit: @tnulty95 

“The boy does it again! Amazing stuff! We want to see you in Claret and Blue” 

Credit: @Wheeler_Deals 

“Keep proving everyone wrong Conor!” 

Credit: @whueamon 

“Beautifully done, Conor” 

Credit: @Liambright 

In other news: ‘Communicated to joint-chairman David Sullivan’- ‘Unique’ player didn’t want West Ham move

Rangers were rocked by the news recently that Nathan Patterson had withdrawn from Scotland duty due to injury, which is a huge blow to Steven Gerrard at Ibrox.

What’s the word?

The right-back picked up a knock in the 1-0 win against Moldova at the weekend and has been forced to withdraw from the squad as a result, which suggests that he could be a doubt for Rangers’ next game, which sees them take on St Johnstone away from home this weekend.

Gerrard’s side are still recovering from their own injury and covid issues, with James Tavernier one of those who has been missing in recent fixtures after being forced to self-isolate, so it is unfortunate timing for the Gers that Patterson may not be available.

A big blow for Gerrard?

Although Leon Balogun impressed at right-back in the Old Firm derby win, it is not ideal for Gerrard to have Patterson potentially missing for upcoming games, especially considering the Gers’ busy schedule.

Hopefully, those who were out due to isolation in recent games weren’t too badly affected by their illness and will be close to full fitness by the time they travel to McDiarmid Park on Saturday, otherwise Rangers’ squad may end up looking very thin.

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Patterson has established himself as a key part of Gerrard’s squad over the past 12 months or so, initially breaking into the first-team when Tavernier was out injured last season and impressing so much that there were some calls for him to start ahead of the captain at right-back.

Alan Hutton and Shaun Maloney lauded Patterson’s “outstanding attributes” last season and his energy down the right-hand side has quickly helped to establish him as a fans favourite at Ibrox.

The 19-year-old was the subject of interest from Everton in the summer transfer window and looks set for a very bright future in the game, so Rangers fans will no doubt be gutted if he is set for a spell on the sidelines, as it increases the pressure on Tavernier to play nearly every game.

Therefore, it is undoubtedly a blow for Gerrard that Patterson could be unavailable for upcoming games after injuring himself on international duty.

And, in other news… 3 key passes: “Outstanding” Rangers ace emphasised his class with superb international display

Manchester United will be aiming to kick off their Champions League campaign in impressive fashion when they take on Swiss outfit Young Boys this evening.

The Red Devils have picked up 10 points from a possible 12 in the opening weeks of the Premier League season, and transferring that form onto the European stage will be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s next task.

United were hugely underwhelming in this competition last term, bowing out in the group stage after making a solid start, with Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig progressing at their expense.

However, with a slightly easier group on paper this time around, the Old Trafford outfit are expected to advance to the knockout stages with minimal fuss, but Solskjaer will be without a handful of first-team stars for this clash at the Wankdorf Stadium as Edinson Cavani has joined Scott McTominay and Marcus Rashford on the treatment table.

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast expects the Red Devils to line up against their Swiss opponents in today’s early evening kick-off…

In goal, Spain international David de Gea is set to keep his place between the sticks despite Dean Henderson’s recovery from a viral infection after making a strong start to the season.

Ahead of him will be the same back four which has started the last two league fixtures, with Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Aaron Wan-Bissaka showing promise as a defensive unit.

The engine room is where Solskjaer really has some big decisions to make. Nemanja Matic formed a double pivot alongside Paul Pogba over the weekend, but the £7.2m-rated Serbian could make way for Fred in the middle of the pitch.

That should mean Pogba keeps his place alongside the reinstated Brazilian, with England internationals Jadon Sancho and Mason Greenwood either side of Cristiano Ronaldo in attack and Bruno Fernandes just behind his Portuguese compatriot, who will hope to build on his two goals from his ‘second debut’ on Saturday.

And, in other news…Ole must keep faith with “outrageous” £175k-p/w gem, he could be MUFC’s game-changer 

An update has emerged on Rangers transfer target Jed Wallace, regarding his contract situation at Championship side Millwall.

What’s the talk?

According to Football League World, Rangers target Jed Wallace is increasingly unlikely to sign a new deal with Millwall as the Championship outfit continue to struggle to agree terms with him.

The report claims that Rangers, Celtic and West Ham are among the teams keen on the winger, who is out of contract at the end of the campaign.

Excitement

Rangers fans will surely be excited after reading this update on Wallace’s future. It appears as though the chances of him signing an extension with Millwall are slim, which means that the Gers would be able to snap him up on a pre-contract deal in January should he be interested in moving to Scotland.

Steven Gerrard could land him on a free transfer next summer and add a quality midfielder to his squad without paying a penny in transfer fees. This is why supporters will be excited, as the club could be inching closer to securing a bargain deal for a talented forward.

Millwall manager Gary Rowett once heaped praise on the ex-Portsmouth winger, saying: “It seems Jed Wallace is instrumental in everything we achieve at the moment. His recent stats are unbelievable.”

His statistics for Millwall in the Championship back up these claims from Rowett. He has three goals and three assists in eight games this term, having managed 11 goals and five assists last season.

Wallace also racked up 10 goals and 13 assists in the 2019/20 second-tier campaign, showing that he has the quality to score and assist goals on a regular basis.

Rangers fans will be buzzing to read that he looks set to leave Millwall on a free transfer, as it opens the door for the Gers to swoop in. If he does make a move up north and goes on to translate his form for the Lions up to Scotland then he could be a valuable asset in the final third for Gerrard.

AND in other news, McAllister drops fresh update on “outstanding” Rangers gem that’ll leave fans buzzing…