West Brom are still waiting for their first win of the 2020/21 season but Slaven Bilic can take plenty of positives following their 0-0 draw with Burnley on Monday night.
There was an elusive clean sheet at long last, there was also a debut for latest arrival Karlan Grant and there were encouraging signs of things to come.
None more so than loan starlet Conor Gallagher, who looked a breath of fresh air in the Baggies’ engine room as he was a surprise starter over Bilic favourite Romaine Sawyers.
It was his first-ever appearance in the Premier League after an impressive maiden campaign in the Championship last term, where he delivered six goals and eight assists for both Charlton Athletic and Swansea City.
At the Hawthorns this week, the 20-year-old pulled the strings alongside fellow summer signing Filip Krovinovic – per SofaScore, Gallagher recorded four tackles, two key passes and won eight duels. He also made 92% of his 39 passing attempts and managed a 100% accuracy rate from four long balls.
BirminghamLive graded the young maestro with a 7/10 rating and said: “Immediately you can see what Gallagher brings to the table – and if you were an opposing midfielder you’d hate playing against him. The loanee was a nuisance, pestering and harrying yellow shirts on the ball. On the occasions that he was able to look up and pick a pass, he did so in impressive fashion. Real energy and legs right until the very end.”
The Chelsea prospect will surely now become a frequent presence amongst Bilic’s starting XI – at least until he warrants a change.
Albion have enjoyed many a loan sensation over the past few years. It was Grady Diangana and Matheus Pereira last season and luckily for the Midlands outfit, both players turned those temporary switches into permanent deals.
However, that’s not always been the case – remember Harvey Barnes?
The Leicester ace scored nine goals and provided six assists, and also averaged 3.4 shots, 1.7 dribbles and 1.5 key passes per game, via WhoScored, before being recalled early to take a place in the senior set-up.
Blues boss Frank Lampard hasn’t been afraid to trust his academy players with Reece James, Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham all first-team regulars at Stamford Bridge.
If Gallagher continues to impress, a recall to west London can’t be completely ruled out as this is effectively his acid test for the big time.
Dubbed a “jewel” who is “impossible to replace” by Addicks boss Lee Bowyer, the Baggies could find themselves in an all too familiar spot of bother.
Only time will tell.
AND in other news, Invisible West Brom ace who won ONLY 41% duels was ANONYMOUS vs Burnley…
According to The Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel, Tottenham are set to complete the signing of Wigan starlet Alfie Devine imminently.
What’s the word?
Reports in recent days had suggested that Jose Mourinho’s side were interested in the 15-year-old ahead of a potential transfer this summer.
And now, Mokbel has suggested that Spurs have moved fast in their negotiations with Wigan over their young talent, claiming that a move could be completed within the next 48 hours.
With a move for Devine seemingly inching closer, Spurs could also target another couple of Wigan youngsters in Joe Gelhardt and Jensen Weir.
Building the future
With finances set to be tight across the board in football, signing young stars with bundles of potential seems like the shrewdest way to go.
And judging by some of the plaudits Devine has earned in his short time in senior football, Daniel Levy could well strike gold for Spurs by luring him to north London.
Wigan’s chief executive Jonathan Jackson said earlier this year: “Alfie is another very talented footballer who has progressed through our academy to join our scholarship programme. Having already represented England, he has huge potential and he gave supporters a glimpse of his talent at Old Trafford earlier this year, playing in the FA Youth Cup v Manchester United at just 15.”
Can you name every one of Spurs’ top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…
Spurs of course have already seen Dele Alli thrive for them after initially arriving from a lower league club, and all the signs point to Devine perhaps going on to enjoy a similarly successful career too.
Levy snapping up the 15-year-old before anyone else does sounds like a smart piece of business.
According to Globo Esporte, Leeds United have submitted a bid for Basel striker Arthur Cabral.
What’s the word?
With Jean-Kevin Augustin’s long-term future at the club still uncertain as the Whites try to avoid signing the Frenchman on a permanent basis this summer, it’s no surprise to see Marcelo Bielsa’s side being linked with a move for a new striker.
Is it Haaland Snr or David Hopkins? Your Leeds knowledge will be put to the test with this quiz…
Brazilian publication Globo Esporte claim that Leeds have offered €15m (£14m) upfront plus €3m (£2.7m) in bonuses. The report adds that despite Basel trying to hold out for €20m (£18.1m), there is optimism that a deal can be struck between the two sides, with Cabral said to be excited at the prospect of playing in the Premier League next season.
And perhaps in a boost to Leeds’ chances of signing him, it’s said the negotiations are being handled by agent Paulo Pitombeira, who has a previous relationship with Bielsa, having orchestrated Thiago Mendes’ move to Lille when the Argentine was manager.
Another Augustin disaster
Whilst Cabral has performed well for Basel – he scored 18 goals in 39 games in the 2019/2020 campaign – the 22-year-old just isn’t the kind of proven Premier League option that Leeds could desperately do with.
If fans of the Elland Road side haven’t been too impressed with Patrick Bamford, then they would shudder at the thought that their starting number nine has netted just once in 27 previous top-flight games.
Augustin’s signing back in January was no doubt done with the thought of providing Bamford with some serious competition, but at just 23, and arriving from abroad, it was no surprise that he failed to hit the ground running. In the end, he played just three times in the Championship and didn’t score at all.
Cabral is a year younger than the Frenchman, and comes from a far less high-profile league than Ligue 1. A move for the Basel ace is very much a gamble by Victor Orta, and it’s one that he perhaps shouldn’t take. As Leeds look to survive in their first season back in the Premier League, players with previous top-flight experience is just what’s needed. Not another young, unproven and wholly untested player.
Mark Douglas has revealed his latest thoughts on the prospective takeover of Newcastle United after replying to a fan on Twitter saying he feels that ‘it’ll go through’ based on what he has been told about the proposed deal between Mike Ashley and Amanda Staveley’s Saudi Arabia-led consortium.
However, the ChronicleLive journalist did admit that he felt drained by the whole situation lately and added that the concerns about it not going through are serious ones now.
Indeed, there has been more and more concern over whether the Premier League will disapprove the bid because of fears that the new owners would not pass the owner’s and director’s tests set out by the top flight.
A supporter shared a caption of part of the test on his Twitter page, which definitely stirred some reaction amongst several members of the Toon faithful.
The Guardian reported not so long ago that the perhaps controversial £300 million Saudi Arabia-funded takeover of the Tyneside club appears to be in serious doubt after the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruled that the country is behind a pirate satellite television and streaming service called beoutQ that offers illegal access to sporting events, including the broadcast of games in the English top flight.
Based off of their tests, England’s highest division would have to consider whether the potential would-be buyers, which includes Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and his country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), would be able to pass them given the piracy issues in their home country.
Nevertheless, Douglas has made a positive takeover claim that may lift some Magpies given the rather uncomfortable situation they find themselves in. He is a well connected journalist in the north east, so hearing that he remains confident the deal will go through is no doubt a positive for the Toon faithful.
Geordies, will the takeover go through? Comment below!
Tottenham have offered Chelsea winger Willian a lucrative contract with bonuses.
Willian is out of contract at the end of the season and has been linked with a move across London, with both Spurs and Arsenal reportedly interested.
In a weird twist of fate, Jose Mourinho actually signed the Brazilian seven years ago, and the pair have stayed in touch ever since.
Mourinho is ready to raid his old club in a shock move and he has personally held talks with the player in an attempt to persuade him to move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
According to Football Insider, the Lilywhites have launched a bid for Willian, including a multi-million signing on fee if he agrees to sign on the dotted line.
His agent Kia Joorabchian, who also represents David Luiz, has revealed the 31-year-old wants to stay at Stamford Bridge, but it is understood he would prefer to stay in the Premier League if he leaves the Blues this summer.
Willian, who turns 32 in August, has been outstanding since the Premier League restart, as he has scored four goals as many fixtures so far.
He is still a divisive figure amongst the fan base, as he snubbed Spurs for a move to Chelsea in 2013 even though everything was in place for a deal to be completed, as he had already passed his medical (via The Guardian).
However, he would surely be an upgrade on the wide options available to Mourinho at the moment, as he has received a higher WhoScored rating than Erik Lamela and Steven Bergwijn for his performances so far. He is currently valued at £20m via Transfermarkt.
Tottenham fans, should Daniel Levy sign Willian in the summer? Let us know down below!
Having retired earlier this week at the age of 31, Michu makes a pretty strong case for being the greatest one-season wonder in Premier League history.
The Spaniard’s decline was a consequence of harrowing injury problems, a distinct difference from the many other players over the last 25 years to also earn that moniker in the English top flight, whose rises and falls were considerably more mystifying.
Nonetheless, Michu’s plight is quite exceptional; during summer 2013, after finishing fifth in the Premier League’s scoring charts with 18 goals and scoring in the League Cup final, the then-Swansea City striker was linked with a move to Arsenal – in fact, Arsene Wenger later compared him to Gunners legend Dennis Bergkamp.
“I see him like a little bit, position-wise, like a Bergkamp, more than an up-front striker. They can play with both [strikers] because Michu’s the kind of striker who is a midfielder as well.
“He can play both positions, that’s why they are 4-4-1-1 or you can call that a 4-4-2 when Wilfried Bony plays.”
Four years, a failed loan spell at Napoli, an embarrassing stint in the fourth tier of Spanish football and one goal-shy season at Oviedo later and injuries have forced Michu to hang up his boots – a spectacular slump from grace.
But can anyone throughout the last 25 years rival the former forward for the title of being the Premier League’s greatest ever one-season wonder? FootballFanCast takes a look…
Marcus Stewart
Arguably the Premier League’s archetype one-season wonder, Marcus Stewart fired newly-promoted Ipswich Town all the way to fifth place and subsequently the UEFA Cup during the 2000/01 season, his 19-goal haul in the top flight that season only bettered by Chelsea’s Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and including goals against three of the division’s remaining top six – Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool – as well as three game-winning goals.
But the Englishman struggled to replicate that form in the following season and managed only five goals in the Premier League, none of which resulted in victories for the Tractor Boys as they exited the top-flight in 18th place. In fairness, Stewart still enjoyed a decent Football League career until retiring in 2011, representing Sunderland on over 100 occasions and enjoying a swansong at Exeter City. But never again did the now Bristol City assistant match the prolific strike-rate of 0.55 goals per game.
Isolation Busters: The only quiz you need to cure your boredem
Unlike Marcus Stewart, who gradually faded back into the abyss of relative obscurity, Amr Zaki disappeared into it as quickly as he’d emerged.
The stocky striker wasn’t exactly a household name when Wigan Athletic signed him on loan from Egyptian outfit Zamalek in 2008 but during his only full season in the Premier League, he netted 10 times to fire the Latics to an eleventh-placed finish and for a small period was even third in the division’s Golden Boot race.
“Zaki has been sensational already. He does remind me of Shearer. He’s a natural striker too who is so hungry and so determined.”
But whereas chairman Dave Whelan compared the Egyptian to Alan Shearer, Steve Bruce was far less impressed with Zaki’s lack of professionalism, incurring a number of fines for returning late from international duty.
That convinced Bruce not to sign his 2008/09 top scorer permanently and Zaki, baring a six-game loan spell at Hull City in 2010 which didn’t produce a single goal, returned to Asian football without being seen again. He left Zamalek in 2012 and rather incredibly signed for six clubs over the next three years, three of which he didn’t make a competitive appearance for.
Odion Ighalo
The most recent addition to the one-season wonder pageant, Odion Ighalo looked like a top-class goalscorer in the making during his first six months in the Premier League with Watford, scoring against Everton, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham before the turn of 2016 as the newly-promoted Hornets found themselves just one point away from the top six, and striking up an incredibly impressive partnership with Troy Deeney.
Football – Watford v Nottingham Forest – Sky Bet Football League Championship – Vicarage Road – 21/10/14 Odion Ighalo celebrates after scoring the first goal for Watford Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Peter Cziborra Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your
That saw the Nigerian international linked with a January move to Arsenal, as the kind of in-form short-term signing who could give the Gunners extra cutting edge.
Unfortunately, however, Ighalo quickly ran out of steam from them on; in fact he would go on to score just three goals in his next 35 top-flight appearances for Watford, including only one the following season, before being eventually sold to Chinese outfit Changchun Yatai for £20million earlier this year.
He’s not been hugely missed at Vicarage Road, though he has been given another chance at Manchester United.
Michael Ricketts
Michael Ricketts established himself as one of the most exciting young players in the Football League when he fired Bolton Wanderers to the top-flight in 2000/01, so when he began the next season by scoring 12 goals by mid-January – most notably a winner against Manchester United at Old Trafford and an equaliser against Arsenal at Highbury – an England call-up inevitably beckoned for the prodigious Trotters front-man.
However, that proved to be the cut-off point for Ricketts. He was given a 45-minute runout but failed to find the net – not only for the Three Lions but for the rest of the domestic season as well.
Rickets would go on to score just six more league goals for Bolton before being sold to Middlesbrough in January 2003, which saw his career slide along a downward spiral that eventually ended with a 12-game stint at League One Walsall during 2009/10.
Overall, after that flurry of form at the start of his Premier League career, Ricketts went onto score just 33 league goals in over eight years.
Roque Santa Cruz
In fairness to Roque Santa Cruz, he’s probably the most talented player on this list, spending eight years of his career at Bayern Munich – where he won six Bundesliga titles and the 2001 Champions League title – proving his proficiency in La Liga with Malaga and picking up a staggering 112 caps for the Paraguay national team, netting 32 goals in the process.
Yet, in terms of scoring at club level, one season of Santa Cruz’s lengthy career, which continues to this day in Paraguayan football, truly stands out – 2004/05, when he netted a personal best of 19 top-flight goals for Blackburn Rovers and laid on a further seven assists.
Football – Blackburn Rovers v Birmingham City Carling Cup Third Round – Ewood Park – 26/9/07 Roque Santa Cruz celebrates scoring the third goal for Blackburn Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Keith Williams Livepic
But the South American couldn’t keep it up and in the following season bagged just four league goals for the Ewood Park outfit. Despite this, Manchester City still saw fit to splash out a staggering £17.5million on the 6 foot 3 striker in the summer, the club where Santa Cruz’s deficiencies became most apparent.
He made only 20 league appearances for the Citizens, scoring just three times, before enduring a goalless loan spell back with Blackburn in 2011 and then disappearing off to La Liga.
A lot of Celtic fans are reminiscing after celticbible posted a video of Hoops fans at Ibrox generating a great atmosphere, one that is much louder than the home support.
The video is from a past trip to their Old Firm rivals, and clearly has hit a place in fans hearts as they flooded the post to tweet about the day.
The bitter rivalry between Celtic and Rangers has had to be put on hold currently, as football is postponed due to recent events, however the Bhoys were looking to have one over on Steven Gerrard’s side this campaign as they sat 13 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership, via BBC Sport and were on course to win their ninth league title in a row, via Transfermarkt.
Back in 2017 the Celts fans were named the best in world football at the Best FIFA Football awards, via the Scotsman, and the video recently posted emphasised why their support is rated of the best in Europe.
The club will hope that they can return to what they do best, and the fans will be itching to get behind the players whilst they continue their dominance at the top.
Here is what fans had to say following the video:
Celtic fans, how good has the away support been this season? Comment below!
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk was told earlier in his reign that he would be given funds to sign some players of his own in January, and even though that hasn’t changed, the ability to do so has just been made all that tougher.
Last week, the EFL announced that following a formal investigation, they have charged the club with financial misconduct surrounding the sale of Hillsborough to owner Dejphon Chansiri.
The ground was sold for approximately £60m in order to offset any debt for the year 2017/18, but there were doubts over how and when this actually happened.
Wednesday released a statement shortly after claiming they will contest the charges, although no clear punishment has yet been decided.
Football finance expert and university lecturer Kieran Maguire believes the south Yorkshire club will face a minimum penalty of a hefty 12 points deduction while they haven’t been prone to the odd transfer embargo in the past either.
Either way, the EFL could make an example out of the Owls, and this will only cause mayhem for the job the manager has at his hands.
Any potential signing is now going to look at this situation and have to consider it before making a move, regardless of whether they are punished this season or not.
If they are indeed penalised as Maguire predicts, the season will drastically change from being in playoff contention to a relegation scrap, just like that.
Watch Sheffield Wednesday Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below
They currently sit three points outside of the playoff zone, which makes the club an exciting proposition for any new player as they’ll hopefully be helping the side earn a spot in the Premier League, but with a deduction, they’ll only be outside the relegation zone on goal difference, meaning a player may not want to risk his career by getting a blemish on his record.
Therefore, Monk’s task has got so much harder as there’s such an air of uncertainty surrounding this incident that it may prove difficult to attract players to bolster his squad this January.
A number of Aston Villa fans appear to be in agreement with former player Alan Hutton in which they are keen for the club to tie down the future of Keinan Davis and keep him playing his football at Villa Park.
The retired Scottish full-back was speaking to Football Insider recently and revealed if he were in the Birmingham-based outfit’s shoes, he would be desperate to get the attacker penned to a new contract, despite all the injury problems he has had because of the potential he has to offer.
Indeed, the 22-year-old has had his fair share of time in the treatment room over his short career to date. Davis has struggled for fitness this season, having been ruled out for three months at one point because of a hamstring problem and was dealt a further blow when he was forced off in a game when trying to build up his minutes (as per Express and Star).
However, the young forward has shown promise before when available, as he has produced four goals and five assists in the 57 games he has featured in – with the majority being in the Championship (as per TransferMarkt).
Thus, perhaps it is not that difficult to see why plenty of fans are with Hutton in the opinion that he needs to be kept at Villa Park, with many suggesting he is given a chance to show them what he can do and prove that he has the talent they believe he has.
Here are just some of their views on Davis…
Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Villa discussion going on in the Vital Villa Forum! Click here to get involved!
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Life has been rather tough for Alvaro Odriozola in the Spanish capital.
The now 24-year-old right-back arrived at Real Madrid from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2018 and he was seen as a big prospect for the future.
After all, we’re talking about a kid who’s been extremely successful for La Real and their academy as a whole.
Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
First he spent 86 games playing for Real Sociedad B, tallying three goals and the same amount of assists in the process, before moving up to their senior team where he managed 57 appearances, scoring once and assisting nine times.
By all accounts, there were no major surprises in Real Madrid’s interest and his transfer to the Galacticos was indeed a huge step in his career.
But so far, it’s looking like it could turn out to be a step in the wrong direction after all.
Since his arrival, the young defender has not seen much action at all – only 26 games under his belt to this day with a goal and ten assists to speak of.
Even though that is a decent return, especially considering that it eclipses both his combined goal contributions for Real Sociedad’s squads, it’s looking unlikely that his fortune will suddenly change for the better.
Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…
After all, the right-back position is well covered by Daniel Caravajal and regardless of the young Spaniard’s potential, usurping his teammate’s spot could prove a task too tall for the 24-year-old.
Not to mention that there were whispers of Zinedine Zidane actually looking to offload Odriozola in the near future as he doesn’t seem to fit into his plans, according to the press in Italy (via Mundo Deportivo).
If true, this could still be a blessing in disguise for the player in question.
Maybe a move away from Real Madrid is actually a lot better than it sounds at first.
At the very least, it could mean more game time and a chance to seek his fortune in an environment more forgiving than the Spanish capital.
It’s definitely something Odriozola should consider moving forward.