Golden Shoe 2017-18: Messi, Salah & Europe's top scorers
Lionel Messi claimed his fifth award for the top scorer on the continent ahead of the likes of Mohamed Salah, Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane…
Lionel Messi claimed his fifth award for the top scorer on the continent ahead of the likes of Mohamed Salah, Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane…
Glasgow Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack has been ruled out of the crunch Old Firm clash with Celtic after picking up a knee injury against Aberdeen.
Rangers’ worst fears have now been realised and Light Blues boss Steven Gerrard confirmed the news to Glasgow Times’ Christopher Jack (no relation to Ryan).
Gerrard said: “I made it quite clear that it was important we got someone in the door before the window shut.
“Getting Bongani [Zungu] up to speed was the priority because over the course of the season, with the schedule we have, we were always going to get a knock or two.
“Ryan Jack being out for the amount of time he has has been a real disappointment for me.
“Scott Arfield’s absence is a bit of bad luck from a challenge he had against Hibs. So it does make us slightly light in that area.”
Jack has been sidelined since November after he suffered an injury against his former club Aberdeen. He was replaced by Steven Davis who could now find himself thrown in for the game against Celtic.
The 28-year-old’s absence will be a bitter blow for the Ibrox boss in the midfield as he has established himself as an integral part of Gerrard’s side.
Jack’s injury struggles have been well-documented but he has still managed to start 12 of his 13 appearances in the Premiership this season, via Transfermarkt.
With games coming thick and fast this month, the timing couldn’t be any worse for Gerrard, who already faces the prospect of juggling domestic and European competitions without two of his key men for the foreseeable future.
Steven Davis has done a stellar job for Gerrard in his absence and he is another option for the Rangers manager ahead of the pivotal Premiership clash with Celtic trailing 16 points behind the league leaders.
However, the 35-year-old midfielder was far from his very best against St. Mirren – he lost possession 11 times, as per SofaScore – which will no doubt give Gerrard some real cause for concern heading to the clash with their arch rivals.
The only real other option is Zungu, who arrived at Ibrox from French Ligue 2 side Amiens on an initial loan deal with the option to buy on transfer deadline day.
But the Bafana-Bafana midfielder has yet to start for the Gers in the Scottish top flight this season as he has so far failed to find the back of the net or record a single assist in 10 appearances across all competitions, via Transfermarkt.
Jack has shown time and again that he can be a big-game player for the 54-time Scottish champions. After all, he scored in the first half to inflict former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers’ first defeat in the Old Firm in 2018.
This game could be make-or-break for Gerrard’s managerial career, who faces some tough decisions before kick-off on Saturday afternoon. He will certainly have to consider his midfield options very carefully indeed as he simply cannot afford to slip-up.
AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers must recall Ryan Kent to face Celtic in Old Firm derby…
Following the injury to Diogo Jota recently, Liverpool should consider a transfer U-turn on 17-year-old Harvey Elliott after his superb start to life in the Championship.
The Portuguese winger, who has impressed since joining the Merseyside club from Wolves in the summer, has reportedly been ruled out until February with a knee injury picked up in a recent draw with FC Midtjylland.
Therefore, it seems as if Klopp is low on winger options in his first-team squad, with the likes of Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi having both disappointed on their rare appearances for the Reds.
Suddenly, it seems as if Liverpool may have made an error in loaning out Elliott to Blackburn Rovers during the summer transfer window, as his excellent form with the Lancashire side certainly suggests that he would’ve been a valuable player for Klopp to have available right now, especially as we enter the busy Christmas period.
In 14 appearances for Tony Mowbray’s side, the 17-year-old has managed an impressive four goals and four assists, demonstrating that he has quickly found his feet in the Championship and is clearly not overawed playing at that level.
His performances have also seen him average a superb 7.10 rating for Blackburn this season, which rates him as Rovers’ joint-third best performer so far this season, reflecting again just how impressive he has been since joining.
If you compare this to the 6.17 rating averaged by Minamino in the Premier League this season, it could definitely be argued that the club put their faith in the wrong player.
Whilst Elliott is set to spend the whole season on loan with Blackburn, the Reds do hold an option to recall him. However, it has been suggested recently that the Reds don’t have any plans to recall the young winger in January, despite his impressive form since departing.
However, the injury to Jota definitely leaves Klopp short on options in attack, especially if any of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino or Sadio Mane were to suffer an injury, so recalling Elliott may be the best option for the Reds in January.
During his time with Fulham, the winger earned the praise of Tom Cairney, who said:
“He’s been a sensation since he joined in training a few months ago. We see him maybe twice a week. He doesn’t look out of place and does some bits of magic that everyone says ‘wow.’ His attitude and his belief in himself at such a young age is frightening.
“He’s a tricky winger who plays in the hole. He’s got a great football brain, an eye for goal and is a very entertaining player. Hopefully, he will have a long and successful career.”
Considering Elliott is performing so well in the Championship and has already appeared nine times for Liverpool’s first-team, it does seem as if he is destined for a big future with the club, which could be accelerated if the Reds opt to recall him in January as a replacement for the injured Jota.
And, in other news… Forget Firmino: LFC beast who won 100% of his duels was Klopp’s hero vs Spurs…
According to Fabrizio Romano, free agent Mario Mandzukic turned down a move to Aston Villa recently.
Having seen his time at Qatari side Al-Duhail come to an end, the Croatian striker has been on the look-out for a new club, and it’s now been suggested that Villa had actually offered him a route back into football.
Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Romano said: “Mandzukic, in my opinion, is an amazing player and look at players like Mandzukic, like (Alexandre) Pato, like (Mario) Balotelli – they are free agents – it was crazy some years ago to see these kinds of players as free agents. He was so close to joining Manchester United one year ago, Mario Mandzukic.
“He had a bid from (the) Premier League, it was like three or four weeks ago, it was from Aston Villa. They were trying to sign him as a free agent and Mario Mandzukic said no. He also turned down an opportunity to join Bologna here in Italy, so it’s up to him. He wants an important project. He will have a lot of bids, but at the moment, with Aston Villa, he said no.”
At 34, Mandzukic may be in the twilight years of his career, but there’s no doubting that he would’ve brought a kind of experience and winning mentality that the current Villa squad just don’t have.
The Croatian has featured in World Cup and Champions League finals, and won trophies wherever he’s been at club level, and certainly has the kind of play that would have offered Dean Smith’s side a completely different option.
The 6 foot 3 powerhouse is a battering ram in the air, but also equally adept with his feet. It was no wonder that his former manager at Juventus, Massimiliano Allegri, said: “Mario is a key player. His combination of technical and physical attributes make him an extraordinary player.”
Villa of course saw arguably the best version of Christian Benteke in his time at Villa Park; a big man with an incredible leap but capable of some silky touches and flicks too.
Mandzukic is in a similar mould, but would have added a touch of proven quality and match-winning experience. They won’t shed tears of seeing him turn them down, but boy would it have been a great signing on a free transfer.
It’s the sign of the times that Aston Villa drawing 1-1 at Premier League title contenders Chelsea just doesn’t even seem that much of a surprise.
Dean Smith’s side have been a breath of fresh air this season, playing fantastic attacking football – they’ve already scored 28 goals in the top-flight – and picking up some big results against the division’s elite.
And whilst they may not have claimed all three points at Stamford Bridge on Monday night, they can be hugely proud of their efforts given they were in action just over 48 hours ago.
One man who put in an incredible shift for Smith, was John McGinn. The Scotland international hasn’t scored since early October when he netted in that famous 7-2 rout of Liverpool, and whilst he didn’t get on the score-sheet again against Chelsea, he looked in supreme touch in every other aspect.
Playing in that slightly deeper role, the 26-year-old went to war with the likes of N’golo Kante and Jorginho in the middle of the park, and came out on top.
As per Sofascore, he won a mammoth 13 of his 19 total duels on the night, by far the most of any Villa player on the pitch. As well as that, he also made three tackles and provided two key passes, whilst he was so unlucky not to be rewarded with a goal when he saw his thunderous long-range strike cannon off the crossbar.
His display led to Villa podcaster Ty Bracey to suggest that McGinn appears to be “back to his best”, and that’s surely something that could be a game-changer for the side going forward.
The likes of Ollie Watkins and Jack Grealish have carried a lot of the goal-scoring and creative burden this season, but if McGinn gets back to his usual self, then Smith will have another formidable weapon in his ranks.
The Scot’s display against Chelsea would surely have left his manager purring.
Former England international centre-back Steve Howey has been sharing his thoughts on Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, the recent injury he sustained against Everton and how the club will cope without him in the team for the foreseeable future.
Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, the 48-year-old had this to say on van Dijk and how the club can move on without him in the team.
He said: “You’ve got to look for [Joe] Gomez and the likes of [Joel] Matip and people like that to step up to the plate. You’re hearing calls now that possibly Jurgen Klopp might have to go into the transfer market to buy and replace him [Van Dijk]. Not that you can replace Virgil van Dijk, but these are the opportunities, this is what happens in football, this is what happens in life.
“Sometimes somebody’s misfortune is your chance to actually shine and grab your chance, so now it’s up to the likes of Gomez and Matip [to step up].
“It’ll be interesting to see how they cope because not only is Van Dijk a fantastic player, he marshalls that back four very well, he is a captain really so it’ll be interesting to see how they cope without him. I think Matip and Gomez are good players but where would they go really if they get another injury in that position?”
The Dutchman was forced off the pitch in the early stages of Liverpool’s match against Everton after being on the receiving end of a bad tackle from Jordan Pickford, damaging his knee in the process.
Later, the official Liverpool club website revealed that Van Dijk will have to undergo knee surgery and then begin a “rehabilitation programme with the club’s medical team to enable him to reach full fitness as soon as possible.”
Before suffering this injury, Van Dijk was having a pretty underwhelming season for the Reds with WhoScored giving him a season rating of 6.45/10 for his performances in the five Premier League appearances he’s made.
Liverpool’s first game since Van Dijk picked up this injury saw them beat Dutch side Ajax 1-0 away from home in the Champions League.
Although, the club would undoubtedly want the Dutchman back fit and ready for action as soon as possible, this match against Ajax showed that they can perform well defensively and keep a clean sheet without him playing.
Said Benrahma has just six-weeks to prove to West Ham United that they do not need to sign AFC Bournemouth forward Joshua King amid reports of a potential new approach.
According to Claret & Hugh, the Hammers are considering reviving David Moyes’ interest in King come the January window after opting to sign Benrahma over the Norway international this summer.
Moyes and the West Ham first-team had favoured the potential of adding King to the squad currently assembled at the London Stadium, with the feeling in east London that support for Michail Antonio up front would be vastly more beneficial than signing an additional winger.
Irons chiefs ultimately convinced Moyes to green light the initial £5million loan deal for Benrahma which features a £20m obligation to buy next summer. But with Sebastien Haller struggling to fill the void left by Antonio following his hamstring injury, could revisit King’s situation with the striker out of contract in 2020.
West Ham offered Bournemouth £13m in the hope of signing King this summer, yet saw the approach rejected as the Cherries held firm in demanding in excess of £17m.
It remains to be seen if West Ham do look fondly on King’s services when the winter market opens, and how open-minded Bournemouth are to selling a player who could be key to their promotion efforts after starting the Championship campaign with five wins in 11.
With West Ham chiefs backing Benrahma’s capture over Moyes’ wishes to sign King, the Algerian forward will have a point to prove over the next six weeks to show why the Hammers were not wrong to favour his arrival over the Norway international’s.
Benrahma penned his first assist in claret and blue at home to London rivals Fulham prior to the international break, but also conceded the late penalty Ademola Lookman wasted in the closing stages that could have allowed the Cottagers to steal a point.
King has hardly hit any lofty heights for Bournemouth this season, either, with the former Manchester United target yet to get off the mark for goals or assists after five Championship appearances following an early thigh injury.
Benrahma, no doubt, has the potential to shine at the London Stadium after striking 17 goals and 10 assists with Brentford last season, while former OGC Nice teammate Lorenzo Vinci lauds the Algerian as a true magician for his smooth and silky skills.
“For me, there’s no debate, it’s Said!” Vinci told Actufoot when asked who his most technical teammate has been. “He impressed me so much when we played together. He was able to do anything in any space. A real magician.”
Benrahma may have just six-weeks to prove his magic in east London, though, as King has frequently had his own admirers – including Moyes – while former Bournemouth coach Eddie Howe lauded the 28-year-old as a “complete” player during his time at the Vitality.
“Josh is outstanding physically, technically and mentally – he has the complete package, a little bit of everything,” Howe said, via quotes by The Football Faithful. “He wants goals to show that potential is so high with him.”
AND in other news, David Moyes can solve a West Ham dilemma by unleashing his plan for a £10.8m-rated dynamo.
Former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips has predicted big things for the club’s newly-signed under-23 player Will Harris.
The Black Cats’ academy teams had a disastrous 2019/20 season which saw both the under-18 and under-23 sides fail to record a single victory in their respective league campaigns.
Following such poor performances, Paul Reid left his role as academy manager, prompting concern and mounting speculation over the future of the Wearside club’s Tier 1 academy status.
Numerous player exits amplified such concerns, but three new faces have bolstered the underage ranks since in Sam Wilding, Bobby Beaumont and Vinnie Steels, whilst Kenton Richardson has also signed.
Following those additions to Sunderland’s youth ranks, a fifth arrival was also confirmed as Harris put pen to paper on a one-year deal with Sunderland after leaving Burnley last month when his contract expired.
The 19-year-old striker joins the Black Cats after a three-year spell with the Clarets which included loan spells with non-league sides Colne FC and Warrington Town.
Touching on his arrival at the Stadium of Light, Phillips has predicted big things for the youngster, telling Football Insider: “There is definitely a chance for him to make an impact on that first team next season.
“If that was me I would be looking to get him involved with the first team straight away, maybe get him into training a couple of times a week and bleed him in gently.
“You do not want to put too much pressure on him but he could turn out to be one of these young players who is eager to impress, especially if he is a local lad. He will work hard and know better than anyone that if you start doing well at that football club you become a bit of a hero.
“He could go under the radar, a bit like when I first went there. Anything is possible and he might be a good back up option for Phil Parkinson.”
These are big words from Phillips and could hand Sunderland first team manager Phil Parkinson some food for thought.
With a lack of consistent scorers in the senior Black Cats squad, Harris could well take his chance at that level if he is given it, and that would be a delight for Parkinson and the club’s fans who may be crying out for a reliable source of goals.
Do you think Harris could make an impact at Sunderland? Let us know your views in the comments section below…
West Ham appear to be the latest club to enter the race for a recently relegated talent and east London could well be the ideal spot for him to land this summer.
According to the Daily Star, Hammers boss David Moyes is keen on AFC Bournemouth winger David Brooks but he faces stiff competition from a host of Premier League rivals, including title winners Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.
They also claim that the Reds could be reluctant to splash out on the Welshman, meaning the door could be opened for those other sides.
Meanwhile, Alan Nixon at The Sun believes the Cherries think they can snag £40m for Brooks’ signature this summer following the departure of Nathan Ake to Man City at a similar price.
Those at the London Stadium should know the tricky 5 foot 8 winger all too well after he tore the Irons apart across two fixtures last season.
Back in January 2019, the 23-year-old provided the assist for Joshua King’s winner alongside an industrious display which included four tackles, two shots and five duels won.
That day, left-back Aaron Cresswell was tormented into losing possession 18 times, committing one foul as well as being dribbled past once too, via SofaScore.
Earlier in the campaign, Brooks recorded two key passes, five shots and one successful dribble, so he’s certainly been a thorn when playing the Hammers.
Cherries teammate Chris Mepham believes the winger has “tonnes of talent” whilst the recently departed Eddie Howe once lauded his intelligence and also praised his “creative flair” and “non-stop energy”.
Some reports have suggested that the likes of Felipe Anderson, Manuel Lanzini and Andriy Yarmolenko are on the chopping block this summer, so a swoop for the Welsh wizard would be an absolutely ideal way to fill that wing void ahead of the new campaign.
AND in other news, West Ham fans react as ex-prospect finds new club…
Swiss football coach Arno Rossini has come out with aÂsavage statement about Xherdan Shaqiri.
Speaking to Tio (via Goal), the 63-year-old has slammed Liverpool’s wide-man and doesn’t think people will remember him as part of this Premier League winning side.
“Xherdan is not a champion,” Rossini commented. “We certainly cannot say that he left his mark with the teams with which he won. Not with the big guys at least.
“Let’s say that over the years he has often followed the games of his teams as a spectator, sitting in the best places. And millions have been paid for him.”
Liverpool signed Shaqiri from Stoke City back in 2018 after triggering his £13 million release clause (via BBC Sport). Since his arrival, he has contributed seven goals and five assists in 30 appearances (via Transfermarkt). The 28-year-old also grabbed himself an assist against Barcelona at Anfield last season, which ultimately contributed to Liverpool’s sixth European title.
“This, taking everything into account, makes me think that the Swiss is not one who always gives his best. Of course, Xherdan is filling the bulletin board and seeing his bank account grow dramatically; I don’t know how many, in 10 years, will remember him thinking about the great teams in which he has played.”
A lot of Liverpool fans have slammed Rossini after @AnfieldEdition relayed his comments. One supporter has branded them ‘nasty and unnecessary’ as they see Shaqiri as a vital part to the club’s success, particularly last season, whilst another called him a ‘fantastic player.’
Read some replies from fans backing the Swiss man’s corner:
How do you feel about Rossini’s comments towards Shaqiri? Join the conversation in the comments below…