Category Uncategorized

[ad_pod ]

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard ripped into his team for their second-half performance in the 4-0 win against Dundee at Ibrox on Wednesday night, and his comments might not be positive for midfielder Steven Davis.

What’s the word, then?

When Rangers signed the 34-year-old from Southampton during the January transfer window the expectation surely would have been that he would be a key player for them in the second-half of the campaign, but it hasn’t really worked out that way.

The Northern Ireland international has usually had to settle for a cameo from the substitutes’ bench – as he did against the Dens Park outfit – although he didn’t even get on the pitch in the defeat to Aberdeen at the beginning of February.

The 5ft 8in star replaced Arfield at the break on Wednesday with the scoreline at 3-0, but Gerrard was not impressed with what he saw from his players after the interval, via the BBC: “It’s another clean sheet, it’s another strong win, but there were two sides to us tonight.

“If you compare the first half to the second, it’s completely different. We were outstanding for certainly half an hour. In the second half, I didn’t really recognise us.”

Having a go at Davis?

While the veteran Northern Irishman won’t be getting individual stick from the 38-year-old manager, the fact that he replaced the influential Arfield at half-time for a poor second-half showing suggests he is one of those in the firing line.

The34-year-old simply hasn’t hit the heights following his return to Ibrox last month, and the latest victory was just another example of that.

Davis clearly needs to improve in terms of quality on the ball and movement in the coming weeks and months if he wants to be a regular in the XI, as he is behind the likes of Arfield, Ryan Jack and Glen Kamara for a midfield spot as things stand.

[ad_pod ]

Birmingham City midfielder Maikel Kieftenbeld may well return to action when the Blues host arch-rivals Aston Villa at St Andrew’s in the second city derby on Sunday, and he needs to take up the mantle of stopping Jack Grealish.

On the chalkboard

Well, Garry Monk decided to leave the 28-year-old on the substitutes’ bench for the trip to Hull City last weekend – presumably to rest him and also to ensure he didn’t get suspended for the clash against Dean Smith’s side given his record when it comes to yellow cards.

The Dutchman has become a vital cog for Brum in the middle of the pitch and David Davis didn’t impress after standing in for him at the KCOM Stadium, being replaced in the 56th minute.

It will be interesting to see whether he keeps his spot in the XI after such a long injury lay-off or if Kieftenbeld simply replaces him, but the former Netherlands U21 international needs to step up to the plate against Grealish.

What can he do?

The best thing he can do is not give the impressive 23-year-old any space to work his magic in.

Man-marking the Villa talisman – who shone and scored a stunning volley on his return to first-team action after a three-month absence lasttime out – would be effective, and that should include letting him know that he is there early on with a crunching, but fair, tackle.

Of course, the problem with Kieftenbeld is that his disciplinary record isn’t the best, and while he needs to be in Grealish’s shadow throughout the 90 minutes, he also needs to make sure he doesn’t pick up an early booking that leaves him on tenterhooks, or a red card that leads to an early bath.

Mohamed Salah has been voted the first PFA Bristol Street Motors Fans’ Player of the Month of 2019 by football fans across the country.

In a vote run by fan engagement experts Snack Media, the Egyptian winger won by a huge landslide, polling ahead of Manchester United trio Paul Pogba, David De Gea and Marcus Rashford, as well as Manchester City’s Leroy Sane and Watford’s Troy Deeney.

In the first of four divisional votes carried out over seven days via Snack’s digital and social networks, which was supported by top flight football clubs and the press, it was clear that Salah’s performances last month – which saw him bag three goals in four January appearances – caught the attention of Premier League fans the most.

That is despite some very strong displays from some of the other candidates nominated for January’s award, including Rashford and Pogba who either scored or assisted six Premier League goals between them last month, while Sane grabbed two goals and one assist.

The Championship vote opens at 11 am on Monday 7th January. To vote go to:

www.footballfancast.com/pfa-awards

This article forms part of our Valuation Evaluation feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at the increase or decrease of a player’s Transfermarkt valuation and whether it is justified or not.

Sitting in third place, above the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United, it is clear to see that Leicester City are a very good side with some very talented players.

And at the heart of this brilliant outfit is arguably James Maddison, who has picked up from where he left off last season. In his debut campaign in the Premier League, the 23-year-old created an incredible 100 chances (via Opta), more than any other player, and is once again proving to be a creative threat.

According to WhoScored, Maddison, who has scored six goals and provided three assists this term, is currently averaging 2.7 key passes per league game. In English football’s top flight, only Manchester City magician Kevin De Bruyne is producing more with 3.7.

Going off that alone, you would have to say that Maddison is currently one of the best playmakers in the country. Furthermore, there can be little argument against the England international’s Transfermarkt valuation going up from £19.8m (August 2018) to £54m.

The above has clearly not gone unnoticed, with the former Norwich City man winning loads of plaudits from various pundits this season.

“Maddison — he is a real craftsman,” Graeme Souness said on Sky Sports (via Goal) at the end of last year. “I’ve said many times he should be a regular in the England team. I think he has the quality to deliver cute and clever passes, he puts a shift in.”

Brendan Rodgers has quite the array of weapons in his arsenal, but Maddison may just be the best of the lot.

Leicester fans, how much do you think Maddison is worth in today’s market? Tell us what you think in the comment section below!

Angus Kinnear has laid down Leeds’ January transfer plans, although there may not be a lot to it unless some exceptional circumstances arise at Elland Road.

What’s he said?

Victor Orta has previously stated that Leeds are set for a quiet January period, presumably because of the profit and sustainability restrictions they had last summer.

Leeds were forced into relying on loan acquisitions, rather than permanent additions as they signed players like Ben White and Eddie Nketiah.

That hasn’t stopped rumours surrounding potential incomings, however. Jarrod Bowen and Andy Rinomhota are two of the names reportedly on their radar but Kinnear claims only three things will convince Leeds to be active next month.

He told Leeds Live:

“While Victor’s scouting team are as close to the market as ever, we will be prioritising not disrupting the stability of the existing squad versus gambling on any introductions.

“We believe that the continuity that the current squad have in working with Marcelo for 18 months is the cornerstone of the progress we have made to date and that the players ability to adapt across positions and systems give us the strength in depth required to see out the campaign.”

“The only exception will be if we have to cover for an unexpected injury, unwanted departure or an improbable exceptional opportunity presents itself.”

Do Leeds have enough?

The short answer is probably not. However, if you consider they are ten points clear of Preston in third it would take an almighty dip in form for the club not to be promoted.

That being said, extra additions certainly wouldn’t hurt, particularly in the striking department where goals have been lacking.

Although they’re in the automatic promotion places, their inability to find the goal saw them stumble for a period of time when Patrick Bamford went ten matches without hitting the back of the net.

Leeds are ten points behind West Brom for goals scored, and according to the xG table, are a massive 7.5 strikes off where they should be.

Can you get full marks on the Ultimate Leeds Quiz? Test your knowledge below…

Eddie Nketiah is a player who could well return to Arsenal while Jack Clarke may also be recalled.

Although Leeds don’t appear to be particularly willing when it comes to new faces in January, the pair of them returning to their respective parent clubs could force Victor Orta and co into action.

Rhian Brewster and Cenk Tosun have been touted as possible replacements for if Nketiah is recalled but it’ll be a case of waiting a few weeks to see if anything materialises on that front.

Meanwhile, Phil Hay has provided an update on the fitness of Adam Forshaw…

[ad_pod ]

According to a recent Football FanCast poll, the majority of Rangers fans want Lassana Coulibaly to start ahead of Ovie Ejaria in central midfield for the visit of Villarreal in the Europa League.

Ejaria started in the 3-0 win over Livingston on Saturday, but with the score at 1-0 Coulibaly replaced the Liverpool loanee and clearly made an instant impact.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”335560″ player=”12034″ title=”FIFA Awards”]

Manager Steven Gerrard will be wary of the threat posed by the Spanish side, and 22-year-old Coulibaly, who is on loan from French side SCO Angers, would be the fans’ choice in order to provide the Gers defence with slightly more protection whilst still offering creativity in the centre of the park.

Rangers currently sit third in Group G and a win over Villarreal at Ibrox would put them in pole position going into the final game-week. Check out the full results of our poll below, where 57 per cent of fans wanted Ejaria dropped for Coulibaly.

[ad_pod ]

England take on Spain at Wembley on Saturday evening in what will be both countries’ first ever game in the newly formed UEFA Nations League, and their first fixtures since both sides’ contrasting World Cup experiences.

Whilst Gareth Southgate’s young squad reached the semi-finals of the summer tournament in Russia, recapturing the hearts of the nation, Spain sacked manager Julen Lopetegui two days before their opening group game and then suffered a humiliating loss on penalties to the hosts in the first knockout round.

Southgate has stuck with most of his World Cup stars for the current squad, but one player that misses out is Ashley Young, who has been replaced by his Manchester United teammate Luke Shaw. The 23-year-old has been in top form at the start of this season, playing all four of United’s league games and scoring against Leicester.

The other option for the England boss at left wing-back is Tottenham man Danny Rose. The 28-year-old has 23 caps for his country and would certainly be the more experienced option, but he has only played twice for Tottenham so far this season and, based on form, it should be Shaw who gets the nod.

England fans, who do you think should start at left wing-back against Spain? Have your say by voting in our poll below.

It is rare for those connected with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur to praise each other.

On this occasion, though, Jack Wilshere has described Arsenal’s arch rivals as a “great team”.

Mauricio Pochettino guided Spurs to second in the Premier League table last season, which marked the first time in 22 years that Tottenham have finished above Arsenal in the top flight.

Spurs have become genuine title contenders and they are also well placed in the Champions League having eased into the last 16, despite being in a group containing Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have had to settle for the Europa League after failing to finish in the top four in the 2016-17 campaign.

Once the international break concludes, Tottenham will travel to the Emirates to face their North London enemies on November 18.

Wilshere has struggled for game time under Arsene Wenger this season, featuring just twice in the league, but none of those appearances were from the starting spot.

The 25-year-old will be hoping to make the cut against Tottenham, but in the build up to the match, the midfielder has been complimentary towards his club’s rivals.

He told Sky Sports:

“We know Tottenham are a great team, they’ve come a long way in the last few years. They finished above us last year, we want to finish above them this year. But it’s not all about that, we don’t just look at them, we want to finish as high as we can.”

Manchester United’s 25-match unbeaten run in the Premier League came to an end on Sunday when they were beaten 2-0 by Arsenal at the Emirates, and further salt was rubbed into the wound as former Red Devils striker Danny Welbeck got on the scoresheet.

Jose Mourinho decided to make eight changes to his injury-hit squad for the visit to north London as he prioritises the Europa League, but things looked to be going to plan with the score goalless at the break.

However, quick-fire second half goals from Granit Xhaka and Welbeck put the hosts in control and the latter celebrated his goal in what has been a frustrating campaign.

The England international has now netted three goals against his former employers since leaving Old Trafford in 2014.

United supporters were quick to react to Welbeck’s celebration via social media and they weren’t impressed, believing it showed a lack of respect to his former team.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

When Jose Mourinho walked through the door at Manchester United, the first thing he did was ask for the credit card, it seems.

Stacks of cash have been sent away from Old Trafford since the Portuguese manager took the reins at Manchester United, and so far there have been mixed results.

You get the feeling, though, that United will come good eventually, having spent all that money on some very good players. But you also wonder if United have spent thoroughly over the odds. Yes, they may be able to make the money back in sponsorship, marketing and shirt sales, they might be able to make it back in something more valuable than cold hard cash, too, if Paul Pogba and co can bring United another league title of the Premier or Champions variety.

But aside from the transfer fees spent, which of the players at the club are actually the most valuable, according to transfer bible, TransferMarkt.com? Who, in the current market, would fetch the most cash, regardless of the money Mourinho has spent? Find out by starting the gallery!

10. Daley Blind (£18.7m)

Number 10 on the list is, perhaps a fairly surprising one. For all the money that Manchester United have spent over the last year or so, it’s the utility man Daley Blind who takes the opening spot on the top 10 list.

Bought by Louis van Gaal for £15m a few seasons ago, he has increased his market value, and United certainly have a great financial asset in Blind as well as a tidy player who can play anywhere across the back line or in front of it.

9. Memphis Depay (£21.25m)

When Manchester United bought Memphis Depay for £28m in 2015, it looked like he had hit the ground sprinting after his fabulous performance against Club Brugge in the Champions League play-off round.

Since then, it’s all been downhill for Memphis, who has never come close to being worth that £28m United paid for him, according to TransferMarkt. Still, he’s a player who has time on his side, and who knows, with a bit of love and hard work, he might be able to force his way into Jose Mourinho’s plans.

8. Morgan Schneiderlin (£23.8m)

Here’s another player Manchester United bought for big money under Louis van Gaal who hasn’t ever hit those heights in terms of market value.

Schneiderlin is supposed to be an energetic box-to-box midfielder, but so far under Mourinho, his place in the team alongside Paul Pogba is being taken by Marouane Fellaini. That probably tells you whether or not he was worth the money at this point.

7. Ander Herrera (£23.8m)

Ander Herrera is another player who is, according to TransferMarkt, worth less in the footballing market than what United paid for him in 2014.

But that doesn’t really tell the whole story. Herrera was never going to be an explosive midfielder for United, but he’s a disciplined player who is tidy on the ball – perhaps the perfect foil for Paul Pogba in a three-man midfield, allowing him to travel forward and put his ability to good use.

6. Juan Mata (£26.35m)

Yet again, Manchester United spent nearly £40m on Juan Mata back in January 2014, but his market value right now is significantly less than that.

Still, Mata is one of United’s better players, and this season he has been able to force his way into Jose Mourinho’s playing squad on nine occasions – in all competitions – which is much better than we thought he’d do, given his history with the new manager. Perhaps a few stellar performances over the next few months will make that transfer fee look like great business.

5. Anthony Martial (£27.2m)

If you’re looking for a player who personifies Manchester United’s current overspending glut, here is your man. Anthony Martial cost Manchester United a fortune last summer, though his performances do show that he is likely to become a big player for the club over the next few years.

If he personifies United paying over the odds, then he also personifies the big question the club have to ask themselves: does it really matter if you spend more money than the player is worth in the current market if he brings you trophies and glory?

4. Wayne Rooney (£29.74m)

For a snapshot of the problems that Manchester United have had over the past few seasons, a look at Wayne Rooney is your best bet: ageing, ponderous and completely off the pace, Rooney is the man United fans are beginning to get a little bit sick of.

Still, he’s club captain, he’s his country’s top goalscorer and he’ll probably end up as his club’s top goalscorer of all time, too. And, for now, he’s the fourth most valuable player his club possesses.

3. Henrikh Mkhitaryan (£31.45m)

Over the odds? Well, perhaps not too much this time. Manchester United did pay good money for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but they certainly didn’t pay double the price. The Armenian winger is still one of the most valuable players the club has, and although it’ll take time for him to settle into his new surroundings, he will have to produce the goods sooner rather than later.

2. David De Gea (£34m)

He was only a functioning fax machine – or a competent administrator – away from moving to Real Madrid for a lot of money last summer, but Manchester United are very glad indeed to have kept their top goalkeeper and probably their best performing player over the last few seasons.

His market value, too, reflects his on-pitch value to his club – De Gea is not just one of the best goalkeepers in the world, but he’s also one of the most valuable.

1. Paul Pogba (£59.5m)

The most valuable player in the world is also Manchester United’s most valuable player according to TransferMarkt – and probably everyone else, too. And whilst that is no surprise, perhaps his actual monetary value is. His current value of £59.5m, reflects the fact that Pogba is still young and fairly raw. He’ll have to adapt to life in Manchester once again – this time in the starting XI – and repay the faith that the club has shown in him. It also means 35-year-old Zlatan Ibrahimovic doesn’t make the list….