All posts by n8rngtd.top

When it comes to Scott Brown, what do you think of?

Natural aggression is certainly one attribute. The Scot is a titanic midfielder, someone capable of upsetting players and throwing in the tackle. He is also a leader of men, a stalwart who has taken Celtic to ridiculous heights in recent years.

However, his best years are now arguably behind him. At the age of 35, that’s certainly not a bad thing, but in terms of the club’s aspirations for the future, they must start looking for replacements.

In Ismaila Soro, they have finally found a midfielder capable of dislodging him. A big reason for their six-game unbeaten streak in the last month was because of the Ivorian, but that hasn’t dissuaded Nick Hammond considering external options.

One such target in the transfer window is Preston North End midfielder Ben Pearson. According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, the Hoops are trying to sign him on a pre-contract.

Initial contact has been made to land the 25-year-old and he could arrive on a free transfer in the summer when his contract in England expires.

A defensive midfielder by trade, there isn’t a player in world football who would be more perfect to succeed Brown at Celtic.

Like the skipper, Pearson has relentless aggression and isn’t afraid to get stuck in. Unfortunately, it’s a reputation that’s earned him the tag of “brainless” from some PNE supporters.

That may sound harsh, but when you consider his disciplinary record you have to question his mentality. He’s picked up 80 yellow cards in his career, amassing 14 cautions in three successive seasons for Preston.

It’s an absurd record, but fortunately, he is attempting to work on that tally. He’s reiterated his desire in the past, saying: “I don’t like missing games and when you miss them and the team does well it is frustrating and from my own personal point when you miss three games it takes you a while to get going again and you never get that consistent of a run of games. I have probably played 10 games in a row once and we went on a good run so I want to stay on the pitch.”

Clearly, he has been improving things. Pearson has only picked up one yellow card so far this term and if he can iron out that side of his game, he’d be an astute capture for the Bhoys.

If he can’t, then Neil Lennon’s side could be in further bother.

AND in other news, Forget Laxalt: Celtic must swoop for 21 y/o who makes defenders do “very silly things”…

Celtic’s turbulent season has seen them linked with several players ahead of the January transfer window. From defenders, to new attacking options, Neil Lennon is determined to bolster his squad and rectify his mistakes which has seen him and the Bhoys fall drastically away from this term’s title chance.

Their victory in the Scottish Cup to secure an historic ‘quadruple treble’ has been the boss’ saving grace but his future at the club is still in something of a grey area. If he can pull off a successful transfer window ahead of the new season, he could save his job.

But that’s not to say he should approach the January transfer window with all guns blazing. Celtic cannot afford to just throw money at players that aren’t going to benefit the team. This is the case with recently linked Benjamin Siegrist of Dundee United, as per the Daily Record.

Why Celtic must avoid Siegrist

Whilst the Hoops have indeed been struggling defensively this season, signing another goalkeeper is not the way to go. Peter Lawwell only just recently splashed out on Vasilis Barkas during the summer window and he has since been ousted from the team.

Both Scott Bain and academy graduate Conor Hazard have usurped the new recruit after he failed to impress Lennon in between the sticks. According to Transfermarkt, the Greek shot-stopper has conceded 18 goals in 17 appearances across all competitions for the Hoops. He has been selected by Lennon just once in their last five Premiership matches after falling drastically down the pecking order.

However, reported target Siegrist’s numbers are worse than this. The 28-year-old shipped 21 goals in 18 appearances for Dundee and has an extremely poor 43.5% passing accuracy for this season, as per WhoScored.

Siegrist’s low £1,500 per week wage might be attractive for Lawwell, but the answer to fixing Celtic’s inconsistent form does not lie in recruiting a fourth senior goalkeeper.

In other news, Odsonne Edouard was disappointing yet again vs Ross County…

Che Adams produced a disappointing display as Southampton threw away a 2-0 lead in their 3-2 loss against Manchester United on Sunday afternoon.

Goals from Jan Bednarek and James Ward-Prowse had given Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side a 2-0 lead going into half-time but a poor second-half display allowed United back into the game, with Edinson Cavani’s late winner snatching all three points for the Red Devils.

One man who will be disappointed with his performance will be Adams, as the former Sheffield United man produced an ineffectual display.

As per SofaScore, the 24-year-old earned a 6.5 rating on Sunday, with only Jannik Vestergaard, Kyle Walker-Peters and Alex McCarthy scoring lower.

During his time on the pitch, the striker had just 40 touches of the ball but was unable to use it effectively, with only 19/24 of his passes finding a Southampton shirt, resulting in a pass accuracy rate of 79%, meaning he completed fewer passes than Saints ‘keeper McCarthy.

The Englishman was unable to register a single shot on target during the 90 minutes and he never really threatened the Manchester United defence.

Adams also lost possession 13 times during the game and came out second-best in a lot of his duels during the game, winning just four of 12 ground duels, whilst he was only successful in two of his six aerial duels, resulting in an overall success rate of 33%

Unfortunately for the Saints, with Danny Ings still sidelined through injury, the pressure has been on Adams to replace the former Liverpool man’s goals in recent weeks, and whilst he has notched three times in the top-flight so far this season, today was clearly not his day.

After he scored in Southampton’s 2-0 win against Newcastle United earlier this season, Hasenhuttl was full of praise for the young striker, saying:

“He’s a role model for the time we went through – from zero to hero at the moment” (per Daily Echo)

However, today, Adams was more like his old self than the rejuvenated player we saw post-lockdown.

However, his performance against United was far from good enough and he will need to do a lot better in the Saints’ next game against Brighton, in order to repay the faith shown in him by Hasenhuttl.

West Ham United icon Frank McAvennie has claimed David Moyes gave Aaron Cresswell a “kick up the backside” by fielding Arthur Masuaku in the starting line-up.

What’s he said?

While speaking with Football Insider, McAvennie has stated how the arrival of Said Benrahma on loan from Brentford will offer Pablo Fornals competition for a place on the left-hand side of Moyes’ forward line.

The Irons legend feels the Algerian can bring from the Spaniard what Masuaku has brought out of Cresswell, having seen the former Ipswich Town defender thrive in a central defensive position after losing the left-back role to the DR Congo international.

McAvennie is unsure to what extent Benrahma can replicate his Brentford performances at the London Stadium, where Grady Diangana was sold for £18million this summer much to the anger of club captain Mark Noble.

Benrahma has since arrived on a season-long loan featuring a £20m obligation to buy, but has only recorded one assist and is yet to start in claret and blue. McAvennie was pleased with what he saw from the 25-year-old during his 18-minute cameo at home to Fulham, though.

“Benrahma played well when he came on,” McAvennie said. “I did not see the logic in selling Diangana and buying Benrahma but that does not mean that I do not rate Benrahma.

“He is proving what a fantastic player he is, and he is showing glimpses of what he can do. It looks like he will come in [and] provide competition for Fornals on the left-hand side.

“The best thing he brings is competition for places. I know Cresswell has been playing as a centre-half but Masuaku coming in has given him a kick up the backside. It keeps the team ticking.”

Moyes: A tactical genius?

Moyes certainly appeared to hit gold by giving Cresswell the chance to impress at centre-half, having decided early on that Masuaku would be his preferred left-back following a move to a three-man core in defence.

Cresswell was far from at his best at left-back versus Newcastle United on the opening day of the Premier League season, having only registered two tackles, one clearance, two accurate crosses from six attempts, made no successful dribbles and lost possession 18 times, per SofaScore.

He immediately bettered that record when played at centre-half against Arsenal, with Cresswell recording six clearances, one tackle and winning each of his duels. Similarly, against Wolves, the £50,000-per-week ace registered five clearances, blocked two shots, completed 88% of his passes and played four key balls.

Cresswell’s performances have maintained that high-level, too, with a Man of the Match-worthy 8.6 rating against Leicester City thanks to six clearances, two interceptions and four key balls. He again earned the MOTM award against Fulham, as well, with 101 touches, 69 accurate passes, two clearances and one tackle as Lukasz Fabianski kept his third clean sheet of the season.

If Benrahma’s arrival can see a similar lift in Fornals’ performances as Masuaku was able to draw from Cresswell, Moyes will be in delirium at his tactical genius.

AND in other news, West Ham have been given the ideal chance to sign a “phenomenal” £20m David Moyes target.

If you’re a Newcastle fan who’s been sitting through games this season without giving into the urge of falling asleep or tearing your hair out, then fair play.

Make no mistake about it, the Magpies have been a bore to watch, almost too afraid to launch attacks in fear of getting a nosebleed. It’s no surprise that they rank bottom for both shots on goal and shots on target in the Premier League. That’s not to mention the fact they seem allergic to wanting to hold possession too, ranking third-worst in that.

Steve Bruce’s side are desperate for some excitement and energy to lift spirits, and even without fans being able to make their voices heard inside St James’ Park, the discontentment is growing immeasurably with each passing on-pitch disappointment.

The Newcastle boss however, could change the mood with a bold selection call. Namely, the introduction of summer signing Rodrigo Vilca.

The Peruvian arrived from Deportivo Municipal, and has been featuring for the Magpies’ U23s side, playing fives times. Speaking back when the club had confirmed his arrival, Chris Hogg, Newcastle United’s lead player development coach for the U23s​, said: “We’re delighted to have Rodrigo here. He’s an exciting attacking player, and we’ll be hoping to see that attacking ability. We’ll be looking to give him the opportunity to improve with us and be a part of Newcastle United’s future.”

It might be very early to bring him in, especially given that he has only played a handful of times for the reserves. But the first-team are absolutely crying out for someone to bring something new to the side, an unpredictability that gets fans off their sofas.

Capable of playing off the right or just behind the striker, Vilca can just help Bruce change things up a bit. The Magpies are aimlessly drifting at the moment, and the manager’s reluctance to freshen things up both in terms of personnel and tactics is holding them back. Unleashing their 21-year-old summer arrival could hold the key to fixing that.

Speaking to Football Insider, pundit and former Scotland manager Alex McLeish has reacted to England manager Gareth Southgate’s ‘gamble’ over Harry Kane ahead of Tottenham’s return against West Ham. 

Kane, who played against Denmark despite muscle fatigue, is confirmed to be starting on Sunday with new summer signing Carlos Vinicius set to appear on the bench.

Kane gamble

However, in an alternate universe, things could have gone differently with Southgate’s gamble over the Englishman’s fitness during the international break.

Reacting to the national team manager’s decision, McLeish believes Jose Mourinho would have been ‘apoplectic’ over the choice to play him against Denmark in their 1-0 midweek defeat.

Indeed, the ‘exceptional’ forward is crucial to Tottenham’s hopes of achieving glory this season, and the fact Spurs suffered whilst he was sidelined with a hamstring injury last campaign could have been cause for worry.

At the time, McLeish believes Mourinho would have been lived, going on to explain the Portuguese’ potential thoughts surrounding Kane as the Lilywhites gear up for West Ham on Sunday.

“Mourinho will be apoplectic about that one, I’m sure he’ll be going: ‘Argh, what’s happening?’ You can imagine Jose,” explained McLeish to Football Insider.

“I think he’s got him back in one piece, his legs will probably be just a wee bit sore, the muscles and the masseurs will be working 24/7 over the next few days to get Harry back and ready for the next game.”

Transfer Tavern take

Luckily, as confirmed by Mourinho, Kane is indeed ready and fit to feature against the Hammers – a lucky stroke for the team.

In other news, marquee summer signings Gareth Bale and Carlos Vinicius could be set to make their debuts as supporters eagerly anticipate Spurs’ first game back since the international break.

Spurs fans, what will your front three look like against West Ham? Have your say in the comments down below…

Leeds United could be eyeing up a new number one this summer, according to fresh reports from the Daily Mail this week.

What’s the word?

It’s claimed that Southampton goalkeeper Angus Gunn has been mooted with a move to Elland Road even despite Illan Meslier making his loan move permanent.

The young Frenchman deputised between the sticks during the Championship run-in and signed a three-year contract on Thursday.

Casilla has featured just once since the restart after he served the remainder of his eight-match ban for racial abuse and his future in west Yorkshire is by no means certain.

Casilla replacement

The reliable Phil Hay over at The Athletic believes he’ll be off this summer, in a fan Q&A, he said: “My gut feeling is that they’ll replace Casilla. I’m not sure he’d be that keen to stay himself after what’s gone on in the past six months.”

Therefore, an addition to the goalkeeping department does begin to make much more sense and it’s definitely not a surprise to see the colossal 6 foot 5 Saints man mentioned as Marcelo Bielsa was keen on him during his first season at the club.

Gunn joined the PL outfit for £13.5m from Manchester City in 2018 and has lost his starting spot under Ralph Hasenhuttl this season, failing to notch an appearance since their 9-0 drubbing by Leicester City back in October.

Although he’s yet to feature for the Three Lions he has previously been called up to Gareth Southgate’s senior side whilst his former boss Mark Hughes lauded Gunn’s “excellent” penalty-saving skills against Everton very early on in his Saints career.

He and Meslier would certainly be a very good duo to have in the Premier League next season.

AND in other news, Is Bielsa eyeing an exciting move for his new Samuel Saiz?

Harry Kane has announced through a gender reveal video on Instagram (via

/CC3VuGtBxcW/?utm_source=ig_embed”>@harrykane) that he and his wife Katie are expecting a baby boy.

The Spurs icon shared footage from their reveal party where he aptly fires a ball from the penalty spot towards a piñata in the net, which rains blue smoke.

The proud parents will wait to welcome their son and third child into the world, who will become a brother to Ivy and Vivienne.

Loads of Tottenham fans have flooded to wish Kane and his wife all the best. A few fans are evening tipping ‘Harry Kane Jr’ to be a future Spurs star, as per the comments on the striker’s Instagram post.

The 26-year-old is rounding off his seventh senior season with his boyhood club and is set to finish as Spurs’ top scorer. Despite suffering a thigh injury which saw him sidelined for 14 games, Kane has still tallied an impressive 23 goals across all competitions this season, with 17 coming in the Premier League (via Transfermarkt).

The England and Spurs captain will look ahead to next season and hope his side can finish in a stronger position. With just one league game left, Jose Mourinho’s men have no chance to fight for a top four spot but are on course to compete in the Europa League.

What do you think of Kane’s family news, Spurs fans? Join the conversation in the comments below!

Newcastle United’s takeover is on the verge of completion and UAE ex-pat radio host and Magpies fan Andrew Davis has made a big claim on Twitter this week that suggests that it is indeed done and dusted.He states that his source has said that all players at the club have been told the deal has been complete having only returned to training on Tuesday for the first time in several months.Davis tweeted:

The final decision has been on the Premier League’s shoulders for many weeks and as the first phase of their ‘Project Restart’ got underway, it seems rather plausible that they have had time to now ratify the Saudi-backed consortium’s takeover bid.

Hilariously obscure Premier League players – Can you name them all?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

It’s now surely only a matter of time before the official word from all parties involved comes out and this latest update will have many at St James Park on alert.

AND in other news,ÂJournalist makes claim about Steve Bruce future amid Newcastle takeover…

Loads of Celtic fans have been reacting to a story from The Daily Record’s Keith Jackson, as he claims an SPFL summit could soon crown the Hoops champions

According to Jackson’s report, league bosses will hold conference calls next week after Belgium’s Jupiler League ended their season – the table in Belgium will stand, meaning Club Brugge will be declared champions. Brugge were 15 points clear of Gent, while Celtic are 13 points clear of Rangers.

Hilariously obscure Premier League players – Can you name them all?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

Jackson claims that the crisis talks will discuss whether or not to follow the Jupiler League’s example and end the season, and states that if they do opt to “pull the plug” on the campaign then results will stand, meaning Celtic will be champions “with immediate effect”.

The option of a null and void season is not on the table, says Jackson, despite calls from many at Ibrox.

Of course, ending the season now would cause quite the divide in Glasgow, and it’s fair to say the Parkhead faithful are enjoying this one on Twitter.

Loads of Bhoys have flocked to Jackson’s post to mock their rivals and jokingly celebrate being “Championes”, and you can find some of the best Twitter responses down below…

Fans have been stunned by something Virgil van Dijk admitted about Celtic this week…