All posts by z3u9t.icu

What do Leeds United’s hybrid pitch and Rodrigo both have in common? Well, they both look tired, they are both difficult to watch and so far, they are a both proving to be a waste of money.

The Whites spent £300,000 on acquiring a new pitch from Tottenham at the start of the year but as Thomas Tuchel will tell you, it wasn’t the ideal surface to play on.

The ball was bobbling up and consequently, there was a lack of passing rhythm on Saturday afternoon.

Unfortunately, Rodrigo was also lacking in rhythm. The Spaniard arrived for £30m last summer; a club-record fee.

However, for the money he cost, he has not delivered. The former Valencia forward has netted just three times this season which, for a man of his quality, isn’t good enough.

Many players struggle to adapt to life in England initially and fewer managers make it tougher than Marcelo Bielsa. Whether it be Jean-Kevin Augustin, Jay-Roy Grot or Ouasim Bouy, there’s a list of players who have not made the grade under the great Argentine.

Rodrigo, of course, cannot be counted in the same category. He is playing regular minutes and he has at least scored in a Leeds shirt. That being said, he has disappointed on English shores and nothing sums that up more than his cameo against Chelsea.

Rodrigo scored twice against Wolves U23s last week in what was an emphatic return to action. Though, he was off the pace and struggled to get into the game at Elland Road this weekend.

The 30-year-old replaced the injured Patrick Bamford shortly after the half-hour mark but then he found himself substituted with 11 minutes to go. Rodrigo trudged off at the far side with a perplexed look in his eye.

Very rarely does a £30m player get brought off after being introduced as a substitute earlier in the fray. Though, it was typical of Bielsa, someone who revealed he was merely subbed because of a lack of fitness.

Indeed, you may well argue that, but the statistics make for grim reading. The Spain international now hasn’t scored in senior football since the 5-0 rout over West Bromwich Albion in December and his form is becoming a problem, especially for the price Leeds paid.

Rodrigo only had 20 touches of the football on Saturday, 30 fewer than goalkeeper Illan Meslier. On top of that, the attacker produced just ten passes for his troubles, 77% of which were successful.

He did have one shot on target, but he never really looked like troubling Edouard Mendy in the Chelsea goal.

This isn’t the first time Bielsa has been left dissatisfied with the experienced striker, though. He was dragged off after just 65 minutes against Tottenham back in January while he was substituted on and then off again in the win over Sheffield United in September.

Leeds’ manager has never been one for routine and tradition but he has treated Rodrigo in a peculiar fashion.

With Bamford now nursing an injury, he will need his Spanish dynamo firing on all cylinders sooner rather than later.

AND in other news, Leeds’ £9m-rated gem just sent Bielsa a huge message, Phil Hay dubbed him “impressive”…

In October 2019, Andrea Radrizzani told The Times that finance from Qatar Sports Investments could put Leeds on a pedestal with Manchester City.

Extra assets from Middle Eastern shores has long been a subject of interest at Elland Road but despite Radrizzani being close with QSI chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi things haven’t materialised beyond a general chat in a restaurant.

Instead, the Leeds owner looked towards American shores to secure extra money for the football club. The interested party happened to be the San Francisco 49ers.

Their attraction to Leeds has been well documented and they were already involved in the financial aspects of the football club. Though, they will have even more power now after a reported £50m investment from America was gleefully accepted by Radrizzani.

As a result, Paraag Marathe – the 49ers Enterprises President – has become the vice-chairman at Leeds and in the process, secured 37% of the club.

It’s a move that has the potential to be game-changing for Leeds. Their finances might not stretch to the degree that QSI have ploughed cash into Champions League runners-up PSG but it could help take Leeds to a new level.

But why is that? Well, the 49ers and Leeds share similar thoughts and ideas.  Marathe has helped take the San Francisco 49ers from a struggling NFL franchise to one that reached the Super Bowl in 2020.

Speaking to ESPN this week, Leeds’ new vice-chairman said: “Leeds today reminds me of the 49ers 15 years ago. Both teams with a great fanbase and history. The 49ers had such great success in the ’80s and ’90s, like Leeds in the ’70s, and both were struggling a little bit on and off the pitch and the 49ers were playing, at the time, at the oldest un-renovated stadium in the NFL.”

Marathe consequently helped his NFL franchise to build a new stadium and in his words, it “completely transformed” the entire business and team. He reveals that’s something he wants to do at Leeds and that follows a similar tune to Angus Kinnear.

The Leeds managing director previously revealed that he had ambitions of extending Elland Road but it looks as though the club’s new investors could take that to a level.

Marathe added: “We have the right people, the expertise and the playbook blueprint to be able to intellectually grow our broader organisation and we wanted to go into the Premier League and use that expertise to be able to help another club grow in the same way that we grew the 49ers from a bottom-tier franchise to a team which came a few minutes short of winning the Super Bowl last year.”

Leeds are certainly an ambitious club and they’ve already achieved great things under Marcelo Bielsa. His tactical nuances coupled with an adept hierarchy could lead to incredible achievements.

“We want to be in the Premier League for the next 2-3-4-5 years and beyond and then it’s qualify for the Europa League and then the Champions League, to be competing with the best clubs,” Marathe remarked.

Of course, those could be famous last words but as the vice-chairman says, Leeds already have the infrastructure in place for success.

If a fancy new stadium is built, it will only become an even greater lure for new players. The Whites have already been in the Champions League before – it’s time to bring those days back.

If they achieve that, the 49ers will undoubtedly have played a considerable part in making it happen.

AND in other news, Leeds could save millions by unleashing rarely-seen 20 y/o, he’s endorsed by Ian Harte…

Crystal Palace are having a steady season, however there is uncertainty around a lot of players’ futures and Roy Hodgson has commented on this situation.Hodgson discusses contractsThe manager, when asked about the numerous players whose deals have expired, said: “It’s not been discussed as yet. I’m certain that when the day comes – I’m pretty certain that the club are informing players about their intentions in terms of when they intend to sit down seriously and discuss what the next step is.”There’s a third of the season still to go, these players are still under contract. It’s not unfair, I don’t think, of us to ask those players to keep giving their best, to keep playing to the absolute top level of their ability in order to earn the amount of money we’re paying them.”But there will come a time, I’m sure, when they’ll want to know: ‘What is my future – is it here with you or am I going to be allowed to leave?’ Because they’ll be looking to find other clubs if they don’t get the contract here. I know that both the chairman and the sporting director are both fully aware of that.”But I think it’s sometimes not a good thing if you very early on let players know that you don’t want them any more, all the time we are depending very heavily on them. There will no doubt be some who don’t necessarily get a new contract.”The club have a big problemIt is a crazy situation that the club find themselves in. If you include the loan of Michy Batshuayi expiring, the club currently have seventeen players whose contracts expire in June 2021 (Transfermarkt).Therefore the Eagles need to be making decisions immediately on the future of their players so that they can have a plan and structure for next season.It is even more of a peculiar situation because Hodgson’s contract is also expiring in the summer. The club might know their plan for next season, but the South London fan base do not, and it is unfair to an extent to leave them in the dark on such a serious matter.Therefore it would be great for all associated with the club if they tied some of the players down to a new deal, and allowed others, who are surplus to requirements, to leave.In other news, Palace fans reacted to Hodgson’s comments following the win over Brighton!

After going away to Chelsea and securing a superb 1-1 draw, Aston Villa take on another one of the Premier League’s big boys when they travel to Manchester United on Friday night.

Dean Smith’s side can deliver a huge statement about their ambitions this season with a result at Old Trafford, and they are also set to be boosted by the returns of a couple of key players.

And with that in mind, below is a look at just how Villa might line up against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men.

In front of Emiliano Martinez, Smith will have to make his first major call regarding team selection, with Tyrone Mings back from his one-match ban after picking up a red card against Crystal Palace.

The centre-back should come straight into the team at the expense of Kortney Hause, which is unfortunate given how both he and Ezri Konsa helped earn a point at Stamford Bridge last time out.

That should be the only change to the back-four, with Douglas Luiz and John McGinn continuing their partnership in the middle of the park.

Further forward, the £90k-a-week earning Ross Barkley looks set to return to action, and Smith may well be tempted to throw him straight back into the line-up too, just like Mings.

That would allow Jack Grealish to move over to the left, whilst the in-form Anwar El Ghazi, who struck again in the Premier League against Chelsea, could move over to the right.

Up front, Ollie Watkins will hope get back to his goal-scoring ways after failing to find the back of the net against Frank Lampard’s men.

Predicted XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; Luiz, McGinn; El Ghazi, Barkley, Grealish; Watkins.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former West Ham striker Marlon Harewood has called on the Irons to sign Graziano Pelle in the January transfer window.

The Hammers made a loss on Sebastien Haller by selling him to Ajax for £20.25m and as a result, they’re now looking for cheaper replacements in the market.

Harewood has already declared that Boulaye Dia would be a good signing for the Hammers but it’s been reported that West Ham have made an offer for the Frenchman but it was one that falls a little way short of Reims’ valuation.

Another striker they could try their luck for is ex-Southampton man, Pelle. TuttoMercatoWeb claims that West Ham have made an interesting proposal to the Italian who is currently available on a free transfer.

That being said, he also has interest from teams in the United Arab Emirates.

Though, speaking exclusively to FFC this week, Harewood declared that Pelle should be the one for West Ham, citing his abilities to hold-up the play and score goals.

He said: “Out all of the players (they’ve been linked with)  it’s hard to just pick up on Pelle but he seems to be the one. He’s done really well for Southampton and he’s a good striker. I like him. He’s solid, he can hold the ball up. He brings people into play and can get in behind people.”

Harewood continued: “I’ve seen him play quite a few times in the Premier League. We’ll see. It’s exciting stuff at the same time because it’s always nice to get new people into the club, especially when they’re strikers, because everyone gets excited. Everyone wants them to do well and score goals.”

Pelle scored 23 times in 68 Premier League appearances for Southampton which certainly isn’t a bad record. He netted some eye-catching strikes for the Saints but at the age of 35, he’s now at the wrong end of his career.

Despite that, the Italy international has continued to find the back of the net in Chinese football. During a spell with Shandong Luneng Taishan, he beat the goalkeeper on 63 occasions in 133 outings.

Pelle is currently without a club so he’d represent a cut-price option for David Moyes this month and Harewood seems to think that he is a player worth bringing in to the club.

AND in other news, Dream Noble heir: Sullivan must seal WHU swoop for £25m box-to-box beast…

After tasting yet another defeat in the Premier League, Arsenal return to the more welcome comforts of European football when they finish off the Europa League group stages against Dundalk on Thursday night.

The Gunners slid to a hugely disappointing 2-0 loss to north London rivals Tottenham on Sunday afternoon, and Mikel Arteta will no doubt be hoping that whatever their struggles in the top-flight are, they can continue their perfect run in Europe.

Arteta’s men have won every single game in the group and have already clinched top spot and qualification into the knock-out rounds, so Thursday evening will surely be the perfect time for him to experiment.

And below is a look at just how Arsenal might line up for the trip to Ireland.

In goal, Runar Runarsson will surely come back in to give Bernd Leno a rest, whilst the likes of Cedric, David Luiz, Calum Chambers and Ainsley Maitland-Niles are also likely to return and complete a whole sweep of changes to the Gunners’ back-line – Sead Kolasinac has been ruled out.

Even without the injury concern to Thomas Partey, it would have been hugely surprisingly if the Ghanaian were to feature in a meaningless contest, so Joe Willock, Dani Ceballos and Mohamed Elneny may form the central midfield trio. Granit Xhaka’s woeful performance against Spurs which drew a lot of criticism will surely see the 28-year-old drop out of contention too.

Ahead of them, Nicolas Pepe and Emile Smith Rowe should also start (Reiss Nelson having seemingly been ruled out according to journalist Chris Wheatley), whilst Arteta must surely be tempted to give Folarin Balogun his first competitive start in an Arsenal shirt too.

Predicted XI: Runarsson; Cedric, Luiz, Chambers, Maitland-Niles; Elneny, Willock, Ceballos; Pepe, Smith Rowe, Balogun.

Meanwhile, Arsenal must surely bring in this play-maker who was a “revelation” in the Premier League.

This has been another horrendous year for Sunderland, one that’s failed to buck the trend at the Stadium of Light.

Once again, the Black Cats failed to achieve promotion from League One and are now enduring a third successive year at this level.

For a club with such rich history, one that were in the Premier League so recently, it’s far from ideal.

However, are they beginning to turn the tide towards the end of 2020? Stewart Donald sold his majority stake to Kyril Louis-Dreyfus on Christmas Eve and they have also sacked Phil Parkinson.

Lee Johnson arrived and they have lost just once since he took charge, being beaten on his first day in the job. Together with Kristjaan Speakman and their new owners – Dreyfus and Sartori – there are reasons to be positive and hopeful for a brighter future.

Of course, Sunderland supporters won’t want to count their chickens but 2021 could well be their year.

So, what better way to bring it in than partaking in our big fat Sunderland quiz of the year for 2020, we bet you can’t get 100% correct…

AND in other news, SAFC must swoop for “speedball” who’s a “nightmare to play against”…

Crystal Palace have been linked with Watford winger Ismaila Sarr once again. However, Roy Hodgson’s side should reconsider their options…

What’s the word?

According to The Sun, the Eagles are reportedly ready to launch a bid for Sarr before the Friday deadline. Palace apparently still have some money to spend despite the fact big earners like Christian Benteke stayed at Selhurst Park in the summer.

It’s claimed that Steve Parish is considering a club-record £30m transfer bid for the Senegal international. But, as we previously discussed, they should be focusing all of their efforts on signing Brentford’s Said Benrahma instead.

Avoid at all costs?

Sarr, 22, has been subjected to one of the longest-running transfer sagas in recent memory. Manchester United were even rumoured to have made a last-ditched attempt to land him on loan after missing out on Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho on deadline day.

He showed glimpses of his talent in his debut season in the Premier League, as he helped the Hornets beat Liverpool with two goals in a shock win at Vicarage Road. But former Tottenham striker Darren Bent told talkSPORT that the youngster is “inconsistent” in front of goal.

And it’s safe to say that the Senegalese, who reportedly earns wages worth £25,000-per-week, struggled for consistency throughout the campaign, as he only scored five goals and supplied four assists in the top flight, via WhoScored. By comparison, Benrahma bagged 17 goals and 9 assists for the Bees in the second tier last term, via WhoScored.

Now, granted, the Championship is a step below the Premier League, but the fact remains that the Algeria international averaged higher than Sarr in pretty much every area. Indeed, he registered a staggering 3.8 shots per game, whilst Sarr could only manage 1.6 shots per game in 28 appearances.

Watford aren’t willing to let him go for anything less than £40m anyway, to soften the blow of their Premier League relegation last season, so Palace should avoid signing Sarr at all costs.

Instead, they could sign a player who can do THIS for a cheaper price, maybe even a fraction cheaper if they play their cards right. What are the board waiting for? Get it done.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace must secure transfer deal for Brentford star Said Benrahma…

Celtic reportedly have the cash on hand to make Mohamed Elyounoussi’s stay in Glasgow permanent. That’s according to Alex McLeish who claim that the Hoops are eyeing up a long-term deal for the Norwegian, who has made waves since his arrival at Celtic Park (via Football Insider).

Should Neil Lennon want to make Elyounoussi a certified Bhoy, the club will need to cough up £10million to prise him from Southampton’s grasp. This will make the 26-year-old Celtic’s record signing and it will be worth every penny.

Celtic must prioritise move for Elyounoussi

Celtic’s attack has been struggling this season after falling out of favour in the Premiership due to several shock losses. Their Europa League run will also be weighing heavily on the team morale, having banked just the solitary point so far.

Their star player so far has unarguably been the Southampton loanee. Elyounoussi has notched an impressive ten goals and four assists so far this season, leading Lennon’s line with the attacking confidence of a cult hero.

If the Hoops don’t make this deal happen, they will see the impact of the striker’s absence next season. Elyounoussi is currently contracted until next summer and Ralph Hasenhuttl has already made it known that there could be a spot in the Saints squad for him in 2021/22.

With Southampton looking to potentially integrate the man dubbed a “revelation” by Kris Commons, Celtic must do what they can to secure him to their club. Particularly if Odsonne Edouard opts to leave in search of pastures new, the Bhoys will be extremely short on attacking options. It will leave Lennon will just Leigh Griffiths to lead the line.

This is a deal that Hammond simply must sign off on if the Hoops are to continue their dominant streak.

In other news, Celtic made the correct decision by not signing Leeds’ Luke Ayling…

Leeds United are finally back in the Premier League after 16 years out in the cold, and they’ve wasted little time in picking up where they left off, making a number of big-money signings.

The Whites have one of the most talented managers in the world at the helm, but their promotion squad was filled with players that finished in the bottom half of the Championship before Marcelo Bielsa’s arrival, and he’s needed investment to build a team capable of competing in the Premier League.

The investment has certainly been there, but are the players they’ve brought in good enough? We’ve had a go at ranking Leeds’ signings so far…

Illan Meslier 5/5

This one scores a 5/5 because it was a signing Leeds simply had to make.

United had an option to buy the French goalkeeper for around £5m after his initial loan spell, and with seven clean sheets in his 10 Championship appearances last season, it was certainly worth rolling the dice on this one.

Whether or not he’s up to scratch in terms of being ready for the Premier League remains to be seen, but £5m already looks like a bargain for him.

Jack Harrison 5/5

Signing Jack Harrison on loan for another year instead of activating his option to buy was another clever move from Victor Orta at Leeds.

Harrison was one of United’s best players last season, crafting more assists than any other player, but he’s unproven at Premier League level, so splashing £8m on a player who may not be able to perform in the top-flight would have been a risk.

Leeds retain their option to buy next summer, but they now have a season to assess how effective Harrison will be at this level, and if he isn’t good enough, they can just send him back to Manchester City.

Robin Koch 3/5

Robin Koch would certainly score higher if he wasn’t a like-for-like replacement for Ben White.

Koch is undoubtedly a talented centre-back, he’s been capped by Germany and has been admired by some big clubs in the past 12 months, but he has massive shoes to fill after White’s incredible season in the Championship, and with the Brighton man being valued at over £30m and touted as better than John Stones, Koch will have to be a special player to eclipse what White brought to the side.

Koch won’t improve Leeds’ backline massively due to how good it already was with White at the back, but if he can bring more of the same, he will still be seen as a cracking signing.

Rodrigo 2/5

Leeds United have been crying out for a goalscorer since day one of Marcelo Bielsa’s reign.

Patrick Bamford’s xG made for nightmare-inducing reading last season, with his final goal tally sitting a stunning 18.77 behind what was expected from him.

So, signing a £27m striker seemed like a bit of a no-brainer this summer, but once again, Leeds are left with a forward who doesn’t seem to be a natural finisher, with Rodrigo scoring just four league goals last term.

Of course, Bielsa’s strikers are about work-rate and link-up play as well, and the Spaniard could excel in those areas, but Leeds aren’t going to be a dominant force in the Premier League like they were in the Championship, so chances will be rarer, and they need to be taken.

Unfortunately, the 29-year-old doesn’t look like being that man, and this could end up being quite a poor signing for the club.