All posts by z3u9t.icu

West Ham United return to Premier League action as they welcome newcomers Brentford to the London Stadium this afternoon.

It’s the seventh match in three weeks for the Irons, who have started the 2021/22 campaign on fire, losing just once across all competitions thus far.

With another international break soon on this horizon, David Moyes will want to sign off in style with yet another victory, though after defeating Rapid Wien in the Europa League on Thursday night, the Scotsman is facing plenty of selection headaches.

Just two places split the two teams heading into kickoff, so the newly-promoted Bees aren’t a side that can be taken lightly.

Moyes has utilised squad rotation to some extent with these midweek matches, so players like Tomas Soucek and Kurt Zouma should come straight back into the starting XI, though one name that shouldn’t feature is fellow summer signing Nikola Vlasic, who has looked very underwhelming since joining the club.

As per SofaScore, the £27m-rated Croatian playmaker was the only Hammers player to record a rating below 7.0 as his early-season struggles continue at the club.

He flattered to deceive on his debut for the Hammers – as explained by Football FanCast here – despite it being in the most perfect of circumstances after returning to his home country to face Dinamo Zagreb.

Against Wien, he managed to record fewer touches (25) than goalkeeper Alphonse Areola (28) and he also registered the fewest touches of any West Ham starter (nine) and that’s the last thing you want from your creative option in the no.10 role.

The 23-year-old midfielder may well come good for the Irons eventually but in games like this, Moyes is better off turning to his tried and tested, such as Pablo Fornals, instead.

Moyes has already been impressed by what he’s seen from Vlasic on the training pitch, revealing to reporters:

“He can play several roles for us which is important, but we also want to give him the chance to adapt and adjust. He’s only been really impressive since he’s been at the club and we’re really hopeful that he’ll turn into a really good player for us.”

But the former Everton flop has struggled for weeks now, so he must not keep his place in the starting XI for this encounter. Brentford pose plenty of threat themselves, having beaten Arsenal and drawn to Liverpool already this campaign.

Moyes may well like what he sees in Vlasic but at the London Stadium this afternoon, he must be brutal and leave the 5 foot 10 maestro on the bench. His faith in the summer signing is yet to be rewarded with any sort of promising performance, so he must now be axed from the starting XI.

AND in other news, Newman could become an instant hit at West Ham by signing £36m-rated “world-beater”…

West Ham United may have received their biggest boost yet in their pursuit of Jesse Lingard…

What’s the word?

Irons boss David Moyes made it no secret of his intentions to try and secure the Manchester United loanee on a permanent basis at the end of last season.

“I hope Jesse’s here, we’d like to keep him, he’s done an exceptional job for us but there’s no guarantees, he’s not our player,” Moyes told the Evening Standard following their final game of the season. “But I hope Jesse realises we’ve been good for him as well, and that he joined a club on the up.”However, the East Londoners have faced plenty of bumps in their attempts to bring him back. Last month, The Athletic claimed that Lingard wanted to stay at Old Trafford to fight for his place, whilst Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed he was part of his plans for the new season to Sky Sports.But it has now been suggested by Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News that United are prepared to offload him before the transfer window closes on August 31st, especially as they need to sell before there are any more incomings. Has the door now opened?

If this fresh development is to be believed, then the Hammers have surely been given a free shot at securing last season’s loan sensation, who provided nine goals and five assists in just 16 appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Lingard is in the final 11 months of his £75k-per-week contract and hasn’t started for United in the league since New Year’s Day in 2020. He is likely to be the one player available for transfer that could garner a substantial amount of finance.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-west-ham-news-transfer-rumours-the-latest-gossip-and-much-more-3” title= “Read the latest West Ham news, transfer rumours, gossip and much more!”]

Transfermarkt currently value him at £19.8m, which seems fair based on his exploits at the London Stadium last term.

The 28-year-old playmaker ended the campaign as Moyes’ second-best player, as per WhoScored ratings, which shows just how important he was to the side as they recorded a phenomenal sixth-place finish, one year on from avoiding relegation with just one game to spare.

Moyes must now urge a move for Lingard as it seems that United are very much prepared to sell him, it would be inexcusable not to, at this point, considering they have only signed one senior player all summer – a back-up goalkeeper on loan.

Plenty of the Hammers faithful are just as eager to see Lingard return as the manager, so this major update should come as rather encouraging news.

If the 29-time England international can make a sensational return to the Irons before deadline day, then supporters and Moyes will be absolutely buzzing.

GSB must act, fast.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Antonio: West Ham must seal move for “special” £31.5m-rated goal-machine…

An update has emerged on Liverpool dynamo Divock Origi, regarding Newcastle United’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to the Northern Echo, the Belgian forward is one of a number of players Eddie Howe is eyeing ahead of the January transfer window.

The report claims that he is being considered as a potential loan signing, with his game time at Anfield currently limited.

Imagine him & Wilson

Newcastle could land a dream deal by signing Origi on loan in the January transfer window for multiple reasons. Firstly, he could form an exciting partnership with Callum Wilson at the top end of the pitch for the Magpies in the second half of the season.

Origi has 38 goals and 16 assists for Liverpool in his time at Anfield and has produced three goals and two assists in seven games this season, showing that he has the quality to make a difference in games. Wilson, meanwhile, has 16 Premier League goals since the start of last term and has proven that, like the Reds attacker, he can score goals at this level.

The Belgian forward is capable of playing out wide on the left and could play off Wilson in a front three along with Allan Saint-Maximin. Therefore, with Origi and Wilson’s ability to score goals, they could create a promising strike force that should get fans excited.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp once hailed the forward as ‘unbelievably important’ and praised the different qualities he offers. He said:

“Div is unbelievably important for us.

“We knew it before but Div needs a good feeling, needs to be in a confident mood and then everybody knows what he is able to do. If you compare him with other players in our squad then they are all different, they all have different qualities and very often we used three other players up front, but Div was always so important for us.

“Then it’s really nice as well that he can show his importance in a game like this, which was obviously very important for all of us. Scoring these kinds of goals showed extra class, they were exceptional.”

Secondly, a loan deal could be a dream financial move for the club. They are currently 20th in the Premier League and a loan with an option to sign him permanently at the end of the season could be perfect for the Magpies, as it means that they do not have to commit to paying his wages if they are relegated to the Championship.

AND in other news, Shearer 2.0: Howe could get St. James’ rocking with NUFC deal for “incredible” beast…

Eddie Howe’s Newcastle side come up against Brentford in the Premier League at St James’ Park on Saturday in the former Bournemouth manager’s first game in charge of the Tyneside club.

The 43-year-old is the third man tasked with winning a league match for the Magpies this season, with Steve Bruce and Graeme Jones falling short before him.

One of the problems Newcastle have faced this season has been their lack of defensive solidity and the inability to keep clean sheets in the top flight. They have recorded zero shutouts and conceded 2.2 goals per game on average in 11 matches this term.

Schar could solve a key issue

One player he could unleash against Brentford to solve this key issue is Switzerland defender Fabian Schar.

We published an article earlier this month explaining why Howe must axe Ciaran Clark from the team. In that piece, we pointed out that the Irishman’s poor average SofaScore rating of 6.66 across nine starts places him below both Schar and Federico Fernandez in the Newcastle squad this season. This suggests that he does not deserve his place in the XI, which is why the Swiss ace must now be unleashed against Brentford.

It remains to be seen what formation Howe wants to deploy at St James’ Park, but it could dictate who is selected across the rearguard. Jones lined up with a back five against Brighton prior to the international break, with Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles and Clark as the three centre-backs. If Howe wants to play with a traditional back four to include more attack-minded players in the starting XI, then Krafth and Clark could both be dropped in order for Schar to start alongside Lascelles.

The £40k-per-week Swiss titan has previously shown that he has the quality to put in top-drawer performances at Premier League level. He averaged SofaScore ratings of 7.14 and 6.89 respectively in his first two seasons for the club and Howe could benefit from trying to get the best out of him in the coming weeks.

Unleashing him against Brentford from the start could be a good first step in getting Schar back to his peak form, as it would be a sign of faith from Howe in his first match in charge. It would then be down to the 29-year-old to prove that he still has more left to offer, because he could solve Newcastle’s defensive woes if he is able to put in the level of displays he previously showed, as they kept 11 clean sheets in that time.

AND in other news, Offer on the table: PIF working to land NUFC deal for beast which will leave fans buzzing…

Norwich City are reportedly on the verge of signing Nice midfielder Pierre Lees-Melou, as they look to replace Emiliano Buendia this summer.

* The deal has since been confirmed (official).

The Lowdown: Norwich plan for life in the Premier League

The Canaries booked their place back in the Premier League last season, sealing title glory in the Championship in the process.

The aim now has to be to avoid a swift relegation back to the second tier, instead taking a leaf out of Leeds’ book and becoming an established top-flight outfit straight away.

That objective will of course be made more difficult by the departure of Buendia.

The Latest: Lees-Melou set to seal move

It is vital that the Argentine is replaced before the start of the season, following his move to Aston Villa, and it looks as though Lees-Melou could be that man.

According to Nice Matin [via Sport Witness], Norwich are closing in on the signing of the 28-year-old, who scored four times for Nice in Ligue 1 last season.

A €6million (£5.1m) move is expected to be completed imminently, with the French outlet claiming Lees-Melou  ‘will sign in the next few hours’.

The Verdict: Ideal acquisition

This could be an exciting addition for Daniel Farke’s side, bringing quality and experience in the middle of the park.

The 28 year-old has 151 appearances in Ligue 1 alone, highlighting his pedigree, with that level of top-flight know-how needed if Norwich are to remain in the Premier League. He has scored 23 times and registered 18 assists in those games.

While Lees-Melou isn’t as prolific as Buendia in the final third, potentially playing slightly deeper, he could still help fill the void left by the Argentine, as he averaged 1.5 shots per game last season and can play in a variety of midfield and attacking positions (Whoscored).

In other news, another Premier League club has been linked with a move for a Norwich star. Find out who it is here.

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has dropped a new update on Aston Villa’s transfer plans for the summer window.

What’s the story?

Having clinched the signings of Emi Buendia and Ashley Young, Dean Smith will no doubt be keen on making some more moves in the transfer market, and reports have linked the Midlands club with deals for the likes of Emile Smith Rowe and James Ward-Prowse in recent weeks.

Preece has delivered a fresh update on where things stand with Villa and dropped a teasing claim about what business the club could still do before the end of the window.

Taking to Twitter, he said: “Chewing the transfer fat & it’s a lively one! Villa still very much active in this window; expecting another two – possibly even three- additions; Smith Rowe remains unlikely; Alvarez an option; CDM & CB cover. #avfc”

Villa fans will love it

Given how early and how quickly Villa have got their deals done for Buendia and Young, everything seems very rosy indeed at Villa Park.

With Euro 2020 and Copa America ensuring that many clubs in the Premier League will find it difficult to complete transfers with players away on international duty, that Villa have already got two through the door is a sign of real organisation and quality work behind the scenes.

Preece now saying that the club could be looking to make two, or even three, more signings is something which will surely have supporters delighted, especially if they’re of a similar quality to the likes of Buendia and Young.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/aston-villa-dean-smith-transfer-window-premier-league-villa-park-emi-buendia-gregg-evans-gossip-rumours-update-news” title=”Read the latest Aston Villa transfer rumours and news!”]

Villa enjoyed a superb campaign in the Premier League last season, only narrowly finishing outside of the top ten, and a sprinkling of additions here and there to either bolster the first team or the squad in general is what’s needed.

They’ve already got two deals done, and now they’re looking for a couple more to round off what would be a perfect summer.

It’s exactly why Villa fans must be buzzing with Preece’s latest transfer update.

Meanwhile, John Percy has dropped a major Villa transfer update…

Lots of Everton fans have been left fuming as news emerged on their ticket allocation for one of their upcoming friendlies.

As per the official website of the Goodison Park faithful, they have only received an allocation of 1,458 tickets for their away trip to Old Trafford to play Manchester United in a friendly game on Saturday 7th August.

Considering that the stadium can hold 76,000 people, the allocation does seem a little scarce, added to reports that the Community Shield clash between Leicester City and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium will be played in front of full capacity next month.

Nonetheless, supporters of the Merseyside club will be desperate to be going back to attending as many matches as possible, even if they are just friendlies.

Everton fans on ticket allocation

These Toffees fumed as the news was shared on Twitter, with one Blue even going as far as to claim that it was ‘terrible’:

“What a pathetic allocation”

Credit: @Lammylad88

“That is a terrible allocation for a friendly that.”

Credit: @CoppellRob

“That’s ridiculous”

Credit: @AK4INSURANCE

“That’s poor”

Credit: @GrahamDavies4

“Joke”

Credit: @Chrisgill95

“Is that it? Shocking”

Credit: @Ashleyk39869181

In other news, find out what confirmed news has Evertonians gushing here!

Rangers were able to secure their spot in the Europa League group stages on Thursday afternoon as they drew 0-0 with Armenian side Alashkert in Yerevan, one week after Steven Gerrard’s team triumphed 1-0 at Ibrox in the first leg.

The Gers were able to hold on to but not build on their slender lead in Armenia, despite the hosts going down to ten men in the first half.

Rangers were without their manager and a number of first-team players after a Covid outbreak at the club earlier this week but Gary McAllister was able to steer a much-changed squad through to the group stages, with the draw set to take place on Friday afternoon.

Although Rangers fans will be relieved that they were able to scrape through the qualifying game, they should be disappointed that they failed to score against Alashkert in the 90 minutes, particularly once they went down to 10 men.

One man who disappointed in the draw was left-back Borna Barisic, who has endured a poor start to the new season despite being one of the most consistent performers in Gerrard’s side last season, scoring five times and registering 14 assists.

The Croatian, who wasn’t utilised by his country at the European Championships this summer due to injury, has returned to Ibrox looking like a shadow of his former self.

Barisic disappointed in previous defeats against Dundee United and Malmo, subsequently losing his starting spot to Calvin Bassey after the youngster’s impressive displays.

However, with the former Leicester City man left at home after testing positive, Rangers were forced to select Barisic from the start in Yerevan and he once again emphasised his lack of match fitness and quality.

Following the game, the Glasgow Times were critical of Barisic’s performance, writing:

“Still doesn’t look up to speed and didn’t have his best night.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“593776”]

Therefore, Gerrard will no doubt be fuming with the way the £5.4m-rated defender has started the season and may be concerned that he could struggle again this weekend as the Gers prepare for the Old Firm derby at Ibrox.

And, in other news… Gerrard could be set for huge transfer blow with outstanding Rangers gem

Chris Wilder could be set to make a move to bring Dwight Gayle to West Bromwich Albion.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Sunday Mirror (via Football League World), who claim that, should the 53-year-old indeed go on to take up the vacant managerial position at The Hawthorns this summer, the out-of-favour Newcastle United centre-forward will be his priority transfer target in the upcoming market.

Fans will be buzzing

With Wilder having highly impressed during his time at Sheffield United – taking the Blades from League One to the Premier League in just three seasons, while always working with a relatively limited budget – the English manager would appear to be an excellent appointment for a West Brom side who will be looking to bounce straight back to the top flight after suffering relegation under Sam Allardyce this season.

And, if Gayle really is to be the 53-year-old’s first signing of the summer, he would seem to be a very shrewd signing indeed.

Despite having only made 18 Premier League appearances for Newcastle this season, only four of which came as starts, the £4.5m-rated 31-year-old has proven in recent years he still has what it takes to operate in the higher reaches of the English game, particularly at Championship level.

Over a season-long loan deal at West Brom back in the club’s 2018/19 Championship campaign, Gayle scored 24 goals and registered eight assists over his 41 appearances for the Baggies, helping the club to secure a fourth-place finish in the league.

As such, it would very much appear as if the striker could be something of a perfect signing for Wilder, as he clearly knows how to find the back of the net in the Championship, while he’s also aware of the club, having already spent a season at The Hawthorns.

Furthermore, considering how little Gayle has featured under Steve Bruce this term, a deal for the £40k-per-week centre-forward is likely to be one that Newcastle would be willing to discuss.

So, it would very much seem as if all things point towards a return of the 31-year-old to West Brom this summer, and, if the capture of Gayle is a sign of things to come under the leadership of Wilder, the Baggies fans will certainly be buzzing.

In other news: Dowling could rock West Brom’s squad by hiring “aggressive” 45 y/o with 56.8% win rate

Crystal Palace will assess the condition of their 20-year-old midfielder Michael Olise ahead of today’s evening kick-off against Leeds United.

What’s the latest?

Friday morning’s press conference (via Football.London) saw Palace boss Patrick Vieira drop a revelation on Michael Olise’s foot injury that saw him prematurely withdrawn last time out against Newcastle United.

Speaking to the media, he said: “With Michael Olise – we were off yesterday and today, so we have to wait until tomorrow. But, yes, we took him off early in the [Newcastle] game as he wasn’t feeling 100 percent.”

A mini-update of sorts was then revealed by producer Conor McGilligan on Twitter who shared he was “definitely a doubt.”

Olise omission

In what is his debut season in the Premier League, Olise has struggled to assert himself as a regular under Patrick Vieira, starting just 34% of the Eagles’ Premier League fixtures.

Though you cannot argue against his impact for Palace this season, with his accumulation of seven goal contributions (two goals and five assists) in a total of 23 appearances in the league.

The Frenchman’s five assists this season see him rank first in the Eagles set-up, ahead of Conor Gallagher’s total of three assists in the league.

Along the same lines, his chance creation is what Palace will miss the most, with his total of seven big chances created again placing him ahead of Gallagher and ranking him first in the squad.

At just 20-year-old, Olise is an outstanding creative asset for Vieira’s side and in the appearances, he has made, has acted as the glue for his side’s efforts in possession, with his average of 49 passes per 90 and goal-creating actions of 0.62 placing him within the elite category amongst positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues over the last year.

For extra context, Manchester United target Frenkie de Jong averages 56 passes per match, so Olise is kicking it with the best of them and it is not going unnoticed.

Vieira will certainly be worried if he has to make do without the French starlet’s brilliance in the side tonight in what will be a real let-off for Leeds United.

In other news: Vieira must finally unleash CPFC’s £15.3m “delight” today, he will terrify Leeds…