All posts by z3u9t.icu

As West Ham exact revenge on Manchester United for their Premier League defeat at the weekend, coming away from Old Trafford as victors in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, supporters have slammed one of the few negatives of a fine evening’s work in Andriy Yarmolenko’s display.

David Moyes’ men took a difficult 2-1 loss against the Red Devils on Sunday as former favourite Jesse Lingard buried a late winner against them at the London Stadium.

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Not only this, but club legend Mark Noble also missed the chance to draw level in the dying stages with his missed spot kick.

Alas, putting that result well and truly bed, West Ham ran out 1-0 winners against United in midweek as they edged past Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side and into the Carabao Cup Last 16.

Manuel Lanzini scored the only goal of the game, burying a neat finish past Dean Henderson, with there being many standout performers to choose from.

However, on a night to remember, many Irons supporters were also quick to point out the lacklustre display of Yarmolenko – who earned the lowest SofaScore match rating (6.3) of any West Ham or Man United player.

Indeed, the Ukraine international completed just a single take-on throughout the 90 minutes, won only two of his eight ground duels and missed one gaping chance (SofaScore).

As a result, it’s safe to say supporters weren’t impressed – find all of their verdicts from Twitter down below.

West Ham fans slam Yarmolenko…

“Yarmo you donkeyyyyyy”

Credit: @baphap01

“yarmo is painful”

Credit: @omz_yy

“Yarmo has got to go”

Credit: @EllYouSeeAyeEss

“Watching yarmo is very frustrating”

Credit: @ironworks68

“Get rid of yarmolenko doing my head in!!!!”

Credit: @chrissm36645365

“Nobes did fine imo Yarmolenko is a liability”

Credit: @WHUMatt_

“Nobes and Yarmo were shocking”

Credit: @isaacwt2004

“Yarmo was the only part of that performance that was bad”

Credit: @Con5Sim

In other news: ‘What a bargain’…Sky pundit reacts as West Ham eye ‘great signing’ for Moyes, find out more here.

West Ham United are among several sides eyeing a move for Weston McKennie before Tuesday’s deadline…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Italian outlet Tuttosport, who claim that the Irons have made contact with Juventus over a potential move for the 22-year-old American.

It’s thought that the Serie A giants have already planned for his departure by targeting Axel Witsel as his replacement but before he can be signed, McKennie must be moved on.

Everton and Aston Villa are also mooted with interest in the report, whilst London rivals Spurs are another team that has been linked to the midfielder.

The former Schalke 04 man is said to be available for a fee in the region of €30m (£26m).

Imagine him and Zouma

The Hammers are closing in on the signing of Kurt Zouma from Chelsea this week, bolstering a key area for David Moyes and one that he had made a priority in the past few weeks.

He’s completed his medical and is likely to be announced as a West Ham player in the coming days.

There are only a few days remaining in the summer transfer window and Moyes still needs plenty of other arrivals, particularly in attack, where Michail Antonio is still the only recognised senior striker.

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However, the 58-year-old Scot has rejected the chance to sign an array of names, which suggests he may well be – bizarrely – happy with the current situation.

Further depth in midfield wouldn’t go amiss, either, so that may be why links to McKennie have surfaced and he’d be an excellent option to round off their summer business.

He may well have struggled for minutes last season, starting only 18 of his 34 league appearances, but that didn’t stop him from displaying his box-to-box and versatile credentials.

The £22.5m-rated dynamo, whose skillset has been described as “unique” by USA coach Gregg Berhalter, still found the net five times from the engine room, whilst he averaged 1.8 tackles, 1.5 interceptions, 1.4 key passes and 1.2 dribbles per 90 minutes, via WhoScored.

It’s exactly why he’s been lauded as a ‘true midfield warrior’ that can play in any central role.

“He’s an outstanding talent. In the No.6 or No.8 position he has the mentality, a real working mentality that you need,” claimed his former Schalke head coach David Wagner. “And he’s brave on the ball as well. He can be one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga.”

Moyes can look to complete his summer business this weekend with a swoop for the 24-cap USA international. He would add some much-needed depth to his midfield armoury of Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek and the retiring Mark Noble.

AND in other news, “Quite likely”: Journalist drops huge West Ham transfer claim, fans will surely erupt…

When Slavisa Jokanovic took over at Sheffield United earlier this summer, it is highly unlikely that the 53-year-old manager would have thought his Blades side would be languishing down in the Championship relegation zone when the first international break of the season came along.

However, after losing three and drawing two of their opening five fixtures of the 2021/22 campaign, as well as scoring just one goal while conceding seven, that is exactly where the Serbian finds his United team.

As a result, rather predictably, a number of Sheffield United’s players have turned in a number of rather disappointing performances, none more so than Oliver Burke.

Lost 70% of duels

In truth, none of Slavisa Jokanovic’s six options up front have covered themselves in glory so far this season, having scored just one Championship goal between them, however, it is Burke who has perhaps been the most disappointing of a bad bunch.

Indeed, over his three league appearances this term, the £5.4m-rated centre-forward has scored no goals, registered no assists, made no key passes and created no big chances for his teammates, as well as hitting the target with an average of just 0.3 shots per game.

The 24-year-old has also made no tackles, no interceptions, lost 70% of his duels and has given away possession of the ball an average of 6.3 times per appearance.

These returns – or lack thereof – have seen the £19k-per-week forward earn a highly disappointing average SofaScore match rating of 6.53, ranking him as Jokanovic’s fourth-worst performer in the second tier of English football.

As such, should Sheffield United have any hope of mounting a push for a top-six finish this season, it is undeniable that Burke must start pulling his weight in the Blades attack, or else the club could well find themselves in a fight to remain a Championship side come next May – rather than challenging for promotion from the division.

In other news: SUFC figure drops promising claim on “fantastic” £900k-rated ace, fans surely buzzing

A reliable West Ham source has dropped a frustrating transfer update this week…

What’s the word?

The Irons are thought to be closing in on the signing of Fiorentina centre-back Nikola Milenkovic, who would become only their second senior addition of the summer despite the Premier League returning this weekend.

However, the deal is far from complete as negotiations with agents continue.

That’s according to ExWHUemployee, who delivered some fresh information to supporters on his ‘The West Ham Way’ Patreon page. He said:

“Talks are still ongoing with the centre backs. Milenkovic deal is still not complete because of the difficulty in dealing with agents (that’s the excuse I have been given). There doesn’t appear to have been any progression today which in itself is a worry.

“Milenkovic trained with his club today, as he did yesterday.”

Further frustration

The Serbia international is expected to cost the Hammers around £14m, whilst a move for Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma could be back on after discussions collapsed last week, as per the Evening Standard.

But with a trip to Newcastle United merely days away, it’s hard to believe that David Moyes will have the new centre-back he’s craving in time for the start of the new campaign.

Their transfer plans have been rather frustrating thus far, as seen by the fact that their only signing has been the loan arrival of Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

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The longer they do not sign Milenkovic, the more doubt and worry will start to creep in around the London Stadium and as the trustworthy ExWHUemployee says, it’s “a worry.”

Moyes has made a central defensive addition one of his recent priorities due to Angelo Ogbonna’s injury concerns, so there’s a chance that his only two available options, Craig Dawson and Issa Diop, are the two to start at St James’ Park on Sunday.

One injury to either will put the 58-year-old in a nightmarish spot once again. You only have to remember the back end of last season, where injury troubles plagued the squad and it very nearly dented their European hopes.

The Scot needs more than Milenkovic, too. A new striker to provide the perfect foil to the injury-prone Michail Antonio has to be another priority, especially as they are facing a 50-plus game campaign. The 31-year-old has never started more than 24 league games since joining the Hammers.

Plenty of supporters have been left angered by their lack of activity this window and this update does no favours to Moyes or GSB.

The wait goes on.

AND in other news, West Ham insider drops exciting transfer claim about David Moyes…

Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld is edging closer to completing a move to Qatari side Al-Duhail, according to a recent report from The Telegraph.

The Belgium international has been with the club since 2015, and has made 236 appearances in total for the London-based side, having previously been on the books with Spanish giants Atletico Madrid.

That includes making 35 appearances for Spurs last season, as they finished seventh in the Premier League table. But it’s set to be a summer of change at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with experienced players potentially heading for the exit door, to make way for new signings.

With Spurs edging closer to a deal to sign Atalanta defender Cristian Romero, Alderweireld would likely have been pushed down the pecking order in Nuno Espirito Santo’s plans ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, so he’s seemingly set to depart instead.

The Telegraph claim that a deal is worth £13million, but is dependent on whether personal terms are agreed between Alderweireld and the Qatari club in the near future.

The defender stands at 6ft 1in tall, and reportedly earns £150,000 per-week according to Salary Sport, and Spurs’ supporters will be hoping that those wages can be reinvested wisely in the near future.

Spurs are set to take on Manchester City in their opening league match of the 2021/22 league campaign, and plenty of Spurs supporters took to social media to react to the news that Alderweireld will not be involved, with many being impressed that the club are set to receive £13million for him this summer.

Take a look at the best of the reaction from Twitter below….

Spurs fans react

“Wow we kept it quiet too, hopefully some others sales are close.”

Credit: @domsougly

“Woah, sweet deal if true.”

Credit: @spursman_foreve

“He was our best defender last year!”

Credit: @PoliticalGraham

“If we manage to make profit on a 33 year old fair play.”

Credit: @jacob_baum_

“13 mill. Damm we acc got a good deal.”

Credit: @k7rd_tohn

“13 mill is useful you know but why did it have to be the only competent defender we currently own?”

Credit: @frank_morrish

“Paratici is the greatest thing to happen for spurs oh my days.”

Credit: @reallynotsrs

“Paratici beautiful man.”

Credit: @abhicoys

Crystal Palace have been linked with a move for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Thomas Delaney as new manager Patrick Vieira continues to make his mark on the club.

What’s the story?

According to the Dortmund-based outlet Ruhr Nachrichten, as relayed by German football journalist Ronan Murphy, the Eagles are one of several Premier League sides interested in acquiring the 29-year-old’s signatures this summer.

He tweeted: “Crystal Palace, Norwich, and Southampton are interested in Borussia Dortmund midfielder Thomas Delaney, according to the Ruhr Nachrichten.”

Fans will surely be buzzing

Palace have already been busy in the current window, adding Marc Guehi, Joachim Andersen, Conor Gallagher and Michael Olise to their first-team squad since Vieira’s arrival.

However, several more fresh faces will be needed in south London ahead of the upcoming campaign following the departures of multiple experienced campaigners on free transfers.

Adding Delaney to the capital club’s ranks would be seen as a major coup for Palace, and the club’s supporters will surely be buzzing at this latest revelation.

The Denmark international arrived at the Signal Iduna Park back in 2018 and has established himself as an important player for BVB over the last three years, making 86 appearances for the German giants in all competitions, winning the DFB-Pokal along the way.

As per WhoScored, the tough-tackling Scandinavian recorded an average of two tackles per league game last term, outperforming all of his Dortmund teammates, while only Mats Hummels bettered his tally of 0.5 blocks.

With James McCarthy exiting Selhurst Park and Cheikhou Kouyate potentially being called upon to fill in at centre-back again next season, Vieira may be required to add further strength in depth to his current midfield options.

Delaney’s arrival would certainly do just that and could help to propel Palace up the Premier League standings.

It’s not often the Eagles are credited with an interest in a player with multiple major trophies and 30 Champions League appearances to his name, but it’s perhaps a sign of the positive direction the club is moving in.

And, in other news…Parish must sanction Palace swoop for 23 y/o wizard with “unbelievable quality” 

Liverpool centre-back Nat Phillips is still expected to leave Anfield in the summer transfer window, according to The Athletic’s James Pearce.

The Lowdown: Phillips down the pecking order

Phillips did an admirable job at an extremely difficult time last season – Jamie Redknapp hailed him as ‘unbelievable’ following his performance against Burnley in May – filling in when the Reds were without the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip through long-term injuries.

They are all fit again, however, and Ibrahima Konate has joined from RB Leipzig, so the 24-year-old is now arguably fifth-choice centre-back at Anfield.

Phillips has been linked with a summer exit, with West Ham and Bayer Leverkusen reportedly among those keen on signing him.

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The Latest: Pearce tips defender to leave

Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic after Liverpool’s win at Norwich City on Saturday, Pearce gave his thoughts on Phillips’ Reds future.

He outlined: “Still no suitable offers on the table. I’m still expecting him to leave before the window shuts.”

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The Verdict: No Liverpool future

It is hard to see Phillips enjoying much playing time for Liverpool this season, unless another injury crisis occurs at the back.

While he did excellently in 2020/21, making 15 Premier League starts, he has his limitations and probably isn’t good enough to be a long-term squad player at Anfield. On the ball, he doesn’t have the quality and vision of Van Dijk, Gomez and Matip, and his lack of pace means that Liverpool can’t play with their usual high line.

Therefore, it would come as no surprise if the club accept an offer for him this month, particularly with Klopp’s centre-back options now nicely replenished.

In other news, Pearce has also provided an update on another aspect of Liverpool’s transfer business. Read more here.

Everton have joined the race for SL Benfica striker Haris Seferovic after Rafael Benitez’s seal of approval, according to Portuguese newspaper Correio de Manha (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown

Seferovic was directly involved in 29 goals – 22 goals, seven assists – in just 31 league appearances last season.

According to WhoScored, he excels at finishing, creating chances and winning aerial duels.

The 29-year-old was called up to represent Switzerland at the European Championships and bagged three goals, including a memorable double in the Round of 16 as the Swiss knocked out world champions France.

The latest

Seferovic is an option that ‘pleases’ Benitez, and as such Everton will rival Premier League sides West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the race for his signature.

The Blues have been made aware that it will take €25million (£21.6million) to persuade the Primeira Liga outfit to part with him.

Intriguingly, while Sky Sports journalist Pete Graves reported on Monday that Everton want to sign a back-up striker, this report says Seferovic is viewed as a potential replacement for Dominic Calvert-Lewin or Richarlison should they be lured away.

The verdict

Of the two potential departures mooted in the report, Richarlison is probably the more likely. It’s already been suggested that Carlo Ancelotti could look to bring him to Real Madrid.

So then you wonder if Seferovic would be an effective back-up to Calvert-Lewin. Ideally, Benitez should want someone with a different set of attributes, but there’s some definite overlap there with both players serving as effective target men.

Another reason to question the move would be Seferovic’s age, but there’s perhaps little prospect of recruiting a young, up-and-coming forward when Calvert-Lewin is only 24 and seems to have the spot locked down for years. A more experienced deputy may be the logical way to go, but one with the pace and agility to offer a different style to Calvert-Lewin.

In other news, Everton are interested in loaning this star from European giants.

Fulham are reluctant to pay Steve Cooper’s compensation fee in order to bring him to Craven Cottage this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football League World, who claim that Shahid Khan is not currently prepared to pay the £3m compensation fee it would require to get Cooper out of his current contract with Swansea City.

Sky Sports reported on Sunday that Scott Parker is set to leave the west London side in the next 48 hours before taking over at Fulham’s Championship rivals AFC Bournemouth, meaning that the Cottagers are set to be managerless with pre-season due to start in a matter of weeks.

Khan must pay

While it is understandable that Khan may not want to pay such a large amount of money in order to appoint Parker’s successor at Craven Cottage this summer, when taking into account Cooper’s record in the Championship with Swansea, in addition to sorting out the managerial situation at Fulham well before pre-season starts and the transfer window ends, there should be enough evidence to convince the club’s owner to cough up for the Swans boss.

Indeed, having taken over from a Graham Potter led Swansea side who had finished the previous campaign in 10th, Cooper has since guided the Welsh team to consecutive top-six finishes in the Championship, with improvements both in points and performance in the play-offs having been made each year.

The Welshman has also gained a reputation for developing young players, something that is undoubtedly helped by winning the U17 World Cup with England, as well as earning praise for the tactical diversity of his Swansea side.

And, with it seeming a near certainty that Parker will be moving onto pastures new this summer, considering Cooper’s record, it could be easily argued that the 41-year-old is actually an upgrade on the outgoing Fulham coach, with his appointment appearing to do no harm at all to the Cottagers’ hopes of an immediate return to the Premier League next season.

As such, if Khan does not pay up for the Swansea City manager this summer, and, for whatever reason, Fulham should fail in their promotion push next term, the owner’s decision would undoubtedly be looked back on as one of his worst in his time at the club, as well as one that would leave fans fuming.

In other news: Khan must ruthlessly axe “unbelievable” £21k-p/w flop, he’s let Fulham down for years

Kevin Phillips has offered his verdict on Sunderland’s reported pursuit of Sam Vokes…

What’s the talk?

The former Black Cats striker has backed the club to pursue a deal to sign the 31-year-old on loan from Stoke this summer. According to The Sunday Mirror’s Darren Witcoop, via Chronicle Live, Sunderland are interested in a potential temporary swoop for the Welsh forward ahead of next season.

Phillips has compared Vokes to Charlie Wyke as he believes the pair have a similar style of play. The one-time Sunderland centre-forward has said that the Potters attacker could be a great addition to Lee Johnson’s side.

He told Football Insider: “He came in not long after I left. Vokes is that type of player, you know what you’re going to get.

“He is in that Charlie Wyke ilk. He’s big and powerful in the box and gets on the end of crosses.

“That’s not a bad one to be fair. You would like to think he can perform in League One.

“He could suit Sunderland’s style of play, that could turn out to be a decent signing.”

Forget Wyke

Wyke’s contract at Sunderland expired earlier this week and there has been no update on whether or not he will be signing an extension at the Stadium of Light. Football Insider claimed last month that he was keen on a transfer to Scottish giants Celtic, with the Glasgow side chasing a swoop for the striker. This means that there may not be much hope for another season on Wearside for Wyke, which is why Sunderland must now forget him and move on.

Kristjaan Speakman must instead focus his attention on a move for Vokes. As Phillips explained, he could be the ideal replacement for Wyke and ease any fears that there will be a gigantic hole to fill in the number nine role next season.

The 31-year-old is vastly experienced at Premier League and Championship level, which suggests that he could thrive if he drops down to League One. Upon his arrival at Stoke in 2019, then-Potters manager Nathan Jones hailed him as a marquee level signing for the Championship, pointing out Vokes’ experience in the Premier League.

He told Stoke’s official website: “Sam is a player of real pedigree, he has been promoted from this level and he’s an experienced international and Premier League player.

“To get it done is something totally different to anything we have and we think he’s a marquee player for this level.”

Vokes has played 113 games in the top flight during his career, scoring 17 goals and providing six assists. He has also been involved in 75 goals in 276 appearances in the Championship for the likes of Burnley, Stoke, Wolves and Norwich. This suggests that he has the pedigree to arrive at the Stadium of Light and be a key player in League One, as he has proven his quality in the two divisions above.

The £33,000-per-week beast also boasts a career average of 5.5 aerial battles won per game, which is slightly higher than Wyke’s 4.8 from last season. This suggests that he could be the aerial threat Johnson needs at the top end of the pitch following the departure of last season’s top scorer for Sunderland, which is another reason why Speakman must land Vokes this summer.

AND in other news, “He’s a very gifted player” – Exclusive: Pundit reacts to major Sunderland announcement…