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Gabriel Agbonlahor believes Antonio Conte has to drop out-of-form Tottenham Hotspur ace Son Heung-min.

The Lowdown: Shocking drop off in form

It’s quite shocking what has happened to Son this season, as he was crowned as the top scorer in the Premier League last May, while he’s only managed to score in two league games this term.

Son took until mid-September to get his first Premier League goals of the season as he netted a hat-trick against Leicester City despite starting the game on the bench.

Last night’s Champions League match against Milan was yet another game to forget for Spurs and Son, as the South Korean failed to register a single shot on target and was sloppy in possession, losing the ball 13 times during their defeat (as per Sofascore)

The Latest: Son to be dropped

Agbonlahor has seemingly had enough of Son this season and wants to see him dropped, mentioning the likes of Arnaut Danjuma and Richarlison as potential replacements on TalkSport.

He said: “I feel they’ve got to get Son on form. He’s not been himself this season. Last season, joint top goalscorer, but I feel like Danjuma, the new signing; Richarlison, hasn’t scored a Premier League goal this season… they need a chance.

“Freshen it up, get Son on the bench and maybe give Danjuma a chance, and Richarlison.”

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The Verdict: Conte has to make bold decisions

Conte has only benched Son once in the Premier League this season, which was a huge call at the time given how impressive the attacker has been on a consistent basis for Spurs over the last few years. Indeed, he had been hailed as ‘incredible’ last summer by former England goalkeeper David James after he picked up the Golden Boot award.

However, that one game saw Son come off the bench with something to prove and net an impressive hat trick, so perhaps that is what he needs again to try and reignite some life into his season.

Spurs splashed out £60m on Richarlison over the summer and brought in Danjuma last month, so both of those players will be itching for more minutes, and this weekend against West Ham could well be the perfect time to rotate after a midweek game out in Italy, particularly as Tottenham’s disappointing form continued on the continent.

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has claimed that Lewis O’Brien is no longer in Nottingham Forest’s 25-man squad.

The Lowdown: Deal falls through

O’Brien was close to joining Blackburn Rovers on loan according to Football Insider, but the deal fell through due to a failure to submit the correct paperwork and the Championship club are looking to appeal the decision.

Steve Cooper’s side would then sign Andre Ayew as a free agent, he had been released recently by his former club Al Sadd.

The Ghanaian’s deal with the Premier League club will be until the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

The Latest: O’Brien out, Ayew in

Speaking live on Sky Sports News, Sheth claimed that O’Brien was removed from Forest’s 25-man squad and Ayew took his spot. He also said that Blackburn is currently appealing to the English Football League about the failed loan for the midfielder.

He stated (0:15), “He [Andre Ayew] as we mentioned before, is in Nottingham Forest’s 25 man squad for the rest of the season.

“Now we were wondering who was going to be left out because it looked like it was going to be either Ayew or Lewis O’Brien who would make it into that squad.

“Ayew we know is in there, but we were just inquiring to Nottingham Forest about whether there were any long-term injuries.

“That would mean O’Brien could still get in the squad and a longer-term injury would be omitted.

“We can now tell you because the Premier League have released all of the squad lists for every single Premier League club for the rest of the season and Lewis O’Brien is not in the 25-man Nottingham Forest squad.

“You’ll remember he was due to join Blackburn Rovers on a loan deal, on deadline day but the paperwork was not submitted in time.

“Blackburn are now appealing that decision because it hasn’t gone their way so far.

“So Lewis O’Brien in a bit of limbo at the moment not in the 25-man Nottingham Forest squad for the rest of the season, just waiting to see if the appeal is successful, whereby he can still join Blackburn Rovers.”

The Verdict: Shame for both parties

We believe that the failure of Jon Dahl’s Tomasson’s side to land O’Brien on loan is a real shame for them and the player.

The English midfielder has barely featured from the start this season under Steve Cooper, we believe a loan move would’ve been a great chance for him to get more consistent minutes.

O’Brien knows the Championship well, he’s played in the division over 100 times and in our view would be a useful asset to many teams in there.

When the player was at Huddersfield Town, pundit Jobi McAnuff praised the 24-year-old and labelled him as a midfielder who has ‘a bit of everything’ when speaking to Sky Sports (via Hampshire Live).

The Terriers had O’Brien on their books from a young age and he certainly made an impact in midfield, as he won their player of the season in the 2019/20 campaign.

In our view, it’s a real shame about O’Brien’s failed move to Blackburn, for his sake hopefully it can get resolved.

He’s still a young player and could offer a lot to the Championship, his dreams of first-team Premier League football are farm from over if he’s given more time to develop his game.  We believe that another Championship stint could allow him to do just that .

An update has emerged on Everton and their plans to strengthen their squad before the January transfer window slams shut…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, the Toffees have discussed a possible deal to sign Udinese’s star central defender Rodrigo Becao before tonight’s deadline.

The report claims that Sean Dyche is looking to bring in players in multiple positions after the sale of Anthony Gordon to Premier League rivals Newcastle United.

It is stated that a defender is on the agenda for the club, hence the interest in Becao, and that Mason Holgate and Michael Keane are two players who could be on their way out of Goodison Park if the right offers come in.

Conor Coady upgrade

Dyche could land an instant upgrade on last summer’s signing Conor Coady by striking a deal to sign Becao from the Serie A side in the coming hours.

Since arriving from Wolverhampton Wanderers ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, the 29-year-old England international has been a solid performer at the heart of the defence.

The ex-Liverpool academy graduate has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.83 in 18 appearances in the Premier League and has made 1.3 tackles and interceptions per match, whilst winning 57% of his individual duels.

Coady has been far from a liability for the Toffees so far this season but Becao’s impressive form for Udinese in the Serie A suggests that the Brazilian could come in and offer a bit more quality heading into the second half of the season.

The 27-year-old has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.15 in the Italian top-flight across 14 appearances this term. He has made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game and won an eye-catching 67% of his battles on the pitch, which suggests that the enforcer is a dominant defender who does not allow opposition players to get the better of him on a regular basis.

These statistics indicate that Becao, who journalist Bruno Quieroz once dubbed “insurmountable”, could offer more than Coady in terms of his defensive output and the efficiency with which he carries out his actions in his own third, which is reflected in their respective average ratings.

Of course, the Brazilian warrior has not played in the Premier League before and there are question marks over whether or not he would be able to adapt to English football but the data is promising and suggests that signing him is a gamble that could end up improving Dyche’s squad.

Everton were heavily linked with a move for Conor Gallagher in the summer and now a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player in the winter transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to the Daily Mail, Everton are joined by a number of Premier League clubs to have registered their interest in the Chelsea midfielder this month.

As per the report, four other top-flight sides are chasing the England international with Crystal Palace, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Southampton joining Everton.

That said, it is claimed that Gallagher would prefer to remain at Stamford Bridge to fight for his place in Graham Potter’s first team.

Imagine him & Onana

Despite Gallagher’s reluctance to leave Stamford Bridge this month, it would be a major coup for Frank Lampard in his pursuit to retain Everton’s Premier League status at the end of the season.

The Toffees have found themselves falling into another challenging relegation scrap ahead of the second half of the season with the side currently 19th in the top-flight table after collecting just 15 points and scoring just 15 goals over their first 19 outings.

As a result, the opportunity to strengthen the team and add quality could not have come soon enough for the former Chelsea boss and Gallagher would be a seismic move in the manager’s efforts to improve performances on the pitch.

The 22-year-old midfielder – who boasted a £50m price tag last summer – saw a rapid rise to fame in English football over the last 18 months after his influential loan spell at Crystal Palace earned him an opportunity to impress Gareth Southgate in the senior England team ahead of the World Cup which led to the manager selecting Gallagher in his squad at the prestigious international tournament back in November.

However, since returning to his parent club in London last summer it seems the success has stagnated with the player being given inconsistent game time this season, averaging just 39 minutes per league game, which has hindered his chances to build up some form in the team to prove his worth.

Lampard could give Gallagher – who was dubbed “Kante with goals” by Tony Cascarino – an opportunity to thrive at Goodison Park over the second half of the season by pairing him up with fellow progressive midfielder Amadou Onana in the centre of the pitch.

It’s a pairing that could just give Everton the opportunity to climb out of their perilous position.

Indeed, both players have the same number of goal contributions (2 v 2) this term and a similar pass completion rate (79.1% v 82.7%) with Onana outperforming Gallagher in a number of defensive attributes including aerial duels won (50% v 39.1%), interceptions (16 v 8) and tackles won (3o v 19).

However, the Chelsea ace makes up for what he lacks in defensive qualities outshining Onana with his attacking and progressive play including shots on target rate (44.4% v 10.5%), shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (3.32 v 1.17) and goal-creating actions (3 v 1), so combining the pair to balance out each other’s strengths and weakness could form an incredible midfield partnership.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Everton to push for the signing of Gallagher this month as his creativity and attack-minded approach could significantly improve the displays at the heart of the team, ultimately saving the side from a dreaded relegation to the Championship.

Southampton winger Samuel Edozie has been hailed by journalist Robert Warlow for the ‘big impact’ he made against Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.

The Lowdown: Saints go through

Nathan Jones secured his first win as Southampton manager courtesy of a 2-1 scoreline, but it was not the greatest of displays, with his side having to come from behind to avoid a shock defeat against League One opposition.

The visitors opened the scoring in just the second minute when Gavin Bazunu was unable to deal with an Ainsley Maitland-Niles clearance, but a brace from Che Adams was enough to see the Saints progress to the quarter-finals.

Speaking after the game, Jones told BBC Radio Solent:

“We needed to be more clinical and show more quality in certain moments and if we’d done that we would have won the game a lot sooner.

“I’ll take the win because that is the important thing. It is something to build on. There were a lot of learning curves for me.”

The Latest: Edozie breaking through

Taking to Twitter during the game, Saints Live reporter Warlow hailed Edozie for the effect he had on proceedings and tipped him to push for a spot against Brighton next week:

“Samuel Edozie making a big impact off the bench here for Saints. Surely pushing for a start against Brighton.”

The Verdict: Positive signs…

Despite only having a limited amount of time on the pitch, the 19-year-old exhibited some very positive signs, making the joint-highest amount of tackles of any Southampton player, registering two, while four ground duel successes was a figure second only to Che Adams.

The youngster, dubbed ‘incredible’ for his display by writer and Saints fan Sam Tighe, also displayed his talent on the front foot by completing two of the three dribbles that he attempted, and making one key pass.

While the Englishman’s overall match rating has been impacted by him missing two big chances, it is still promising to see him getting into positions where he could score, and on another day he would be more clinical, which was the only element missing from his performance.

The Saints take on the Seagulls at St Mary’s on Boxing Day, and Edozie has proven to Jones that he is worthy of making his first Premier League start.

West Ham United have recently expressed interest in Brazilian midfielder Pablo Maia, with the 20-year-old possibly growing into the role of the potentially departing Declan Rice, should a move to the London Stadium materialise for the Sao Paulo gem.

Brazilian journalist Andre Hernan recently revealed in a video that Irons manager David Moyes attempted to lure Maia to London by contacting Sao Paulo with a loan offer containing an option to buy, which was rejected.

Moyes has since pondered over launching a bid to bring Maia to the London Stadium on a permanent deal this winter, and with Premier League trio Southampton, Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur all said to be eyeing the youngster as well, a move should be swiftly instigated by GSB and co.

Available for a reported £9m, Maia could indeed adapt to the role that Rice currently holds so well, with The Guardian recently reporting that the 23-year-old Englishman wishes to depart the Hammers before the expiry of his contract in 2024.

Rice will leave big boots to fill, with the Irons owing a large portion of the recent success over the past couple of years to his leadership from the middle of the park.

With the midfielder – who West Ham have valued at £150m – seeming likely to leave in search of Champions League football, the club must act diligently if they are to make the transition from his departure a seamless one.

Signing Maia for a low fee in comparison to what Rice’s prospective departure is likely to yield would not only be a shrewd move, but would leave ample funding to bolster other positions in the squad.

Maia himself could certainly prove a worthwhile replacement. Labelled a “mini-Casemiro” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, he ranks within the top 4% for pass completion, 10% blocks, and 14% for aerial success rate when compared to positional peers across Men’s ‘next eight’ leagues worldwide (the division below the top five European leagues, as per FBRef).

Rice ranks within the top 5% for pass competition among midfielders across Europe’s big five leagues in 2022, with also illustrating his defensive aptitudes with 2.4 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 1.3 clearances per game at the heart of West Ham’s midfield in the Premier League this season (Sofascore). 

Maia could adapt to that role at the London Stadium and make it his own, providing a “stability” to the team, as remarked by Sao Paulo sporting director Muricy Ramalho. 

There is evidently an abundance of talent within this budding Brazilian gem, who has already earned plaudits for his Casemiro-esque ability; and with Moyes needing to make the correct replacement for Rice if the West Ham captain departs, Maia appears to be the man for the job.

Celtic, like any club, have no doubt had their fair share of missed opportunities and transfer heartbreaks over the years, with one notable case of what might have been having come in the form of current Arsenal captain, Martin Odegaard.

The Norwegian starlet had seemingly been a target for the Hoops back in January 2015, with then-boss Ronny Deila seeking a reunion with the precocious talent having previously handed the playmaker his senior debut for Stromsgodset at the age of 15.

The suggestion at the time – as per Deila – was that the Old Firm outfit were one of “20 clubs” interested in signing the teen starlet, with compatriot and international colleague Stefan Johansen stating that he had been attempting to persuade the youngster to join him at Parkhead:

“I’ve talked a lot with Martin. We keep in touch and speak on the phone a lot. I’ve told him that Celtic can be a good choice for him. The way we play would suit him. We have the ball a lot and that’s what Martin likes. He wants to be on the ball and creating chances. Every team needs a player like that.

“He also knows the gaffer at Celtic but it’s difficult when so many clubs want you. What can I say? He’s a patient boy and is very mature in the way he thinks.”
While Johansen went on to suggest that a move to an elite European club – such as Real Madrid – could prove “difficult” for the emerging prospect, Odegaard ultimately did not heed that warning and joined the La Liga giants for a reported fee of just £2.3m in that winter window.
Deila subsequently admitted that he had been in contact regarding a move for the midfielder although the lure of the Bernabeu ultimately proved too much, while the Bhoys were then unable to secure a loan move for the exciting asset later that year, despite claims that a deal had been agreed.
That failure to get a deal over the line has more than come back to bite those at Paradise, with the 46-cap sensation having gone on to blossom since then, proving a particularly impressive force since his switch to the Emirates, initially on loan, in January 2021.
Still only 23, the £115k-per-week menace has overcome a tough spell in Spain – where he made just 11 first-team appearances – to emerge as a leading figure in north London, boasting a tally of 15 goals and nine assists for Mikel Arteta’s side to date.
That includes a haul of six goals and two assists already this season, with the Gunners skipper – who has previously been dubbed a “genius” by Dan Levy – having played a vital role in his side’s surge to the top of the Premier League table.
Such has been the 5 foot 10 gem’s remarkable rise since that failed Celtic Park switch, he has now said to be worth as much as £70m – according to CIES Football Observatory – with that value only said to rise if his rich vein of form continues.
That will only rub further salt into the wounds as far as the Scottish Premiership side are concerned, with that transfer failure having proven a truly, notable howler.

Rumoured Chelsea transfer target Leandro Trossard has refused to rule out a move to Stamford Bridge, remaining coy over his Brighton future.

The Lowdown: Trossard linked with Chelsea

The Blues could be aiming to make new signings in the January transfer window as Graham Potter looks to make his mark in west London.

One player who has been linked with a move to Chelsea is Seagulls ace Trossard, who is enjoying a hugely impressive season for Brighton, standing out as a star man at the Amex Stadium.

The Belgian has scored seven goals in 13 Premier League starts in 2022/23 to date, one of which came in a 4-1 rout of the Blues, and he could feel that now is the time to move to a bigger club.

The Latest: Trossard addresses Chelsea rumours

Speaking to Belgian outlet Het Laatste Nieuws [via Sport Witness], Trossard seemingly refused to commit his future to Brighton, which may suggest that he could be eyeing up a move to Chelsea, although he downplayed having any contact from the Blues so far.

When asked about the Stamford Bridge links, he 27-year-old said:

“Chelsea have in any case not yet reported. Not with Brighton and not with me. I have to wait and see. I want to finish strong at Brighton and leave for Qatar with that good feeling.”

The Verdict: Would be a great signing

Trossard has been one of the standout attacking players in the Premier League this season and he has the ability to be a superb signing for Chelsea, against whom he has scored twice during his time in England.

The fact that Potter knows him inside out as a player, having signed him for the south coast club in 2019, suggests that the 47-year-old could find a perfect place for him in his system, and he is providing consistent end product at a high level for the Seagulls.

Neat on the ball, versatile and capable of delivering in big moments – he scored a hat-trick away to Liverpool earlier in the season – Trossard could be exactly what the Blues need to spark their disjointed attack into life.

The transfer window officially opened two weeks ago today, and while Tottenham Hotspur haven't made any additions in the last fortnight, they have been hard at work.

For example, just a month ago, the club opted to re-sign Timo Werner on another loan deal for the upcoming campaign with an option to purchase.

The German could be a useful addition to Ange Postecoglou's squad throughout the campaign, but based on recent reports, Daniel Levy and Co might already be about to sign the perfect upgrade to the former Chelsea man.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Tottenham have a 'concrete' interest in Hull City's incredibly exciting young talent, Jaden Philogene.

It's not just the Lilywhites who are keen on the young winger, as the report has claimed that West Ham United have entered into preliminary talks over the player. At the same time, a story from earlier this week revealed that La Liga giants Barcelona are also interested in the 22-year-old prospect.

Football Transfers currently value the former Aston Villa gem at just €9.6m, which converts to around £8.1m, but based on his form last season and the level of interest, it seems practically guaranteed that Hull will demand significantly more than that.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but with how well he performed in the Championship last season, it's one worth pursuing, especially as he could be the ideal upgrade to Werner.

How Philogene compares to Werner

One of Philogene's biggest strengths is his positionally versatility. He played on the left and right for Hull last season, but with Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson already battling for a place on the right, it seems far more likely that the Englishman would be looking to stake a claim to be the second-choice left-winger behing Son Heung-min, which would put him up against Werner.

So, how do the pair compare? Well, from a pure output perspective, there is not much competition.

In just 32 Championship appearances for the Tigers last season, the "astonishing" gem, as podcaster Ant Northgraves dubbed him, scored 12 goals and provided six assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 1.77 games.

In contrast, the Lilywhites' German winger scored two goals and provided three assists in 14 appearances, equating to a goal involvement every 2.8 games, and when you include his 14 matches for Leipzig in which he scored two goals and provided one assist, that average becomes 3.5.

When looking at their underlying numbers, the competition is a little closer, but the Hammersmith-born dynamo still comes ahead.

For example, the Stuttgart-born forward edges it in some metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals and assists, actual assists, progressive passes and carries, and goal-creating actions per 90.

However, the England U21 international scores more non-penalty goals, maintains a higher passing accuracy, takes more shots and shots on target, scores more goals per shot and shot on target, produces more shot-creating actions, succeeds in more take-ons, wins more aerial duels, and completes more ball recoveries, also per 90.

Maddison will love him: Spurs declare interest in £25m "monster"

The “magnificent” ace could be transformative.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 28, 2024

Ultimately, based on his form last season and his underlying numbers, Philogene looks like a better player than Werner. While the German will be a useful squad player, Levy and Co should do what they can to sign the Englishman this summer, as he could well be more than that.

Crystal Palace will host Wolverhampton Wanderers at Selhurst Park this evening for their Premier League clash, and Patrick Vieira will surely be hoping that his team can continue to pick up points to climb the table into safety.

The Eagles have turned around their poor form with four points picked up from their last two league fixtures helping them climb the table into 13th, but with the bottom half so tight they are still only two points off the relegation zone at present.

As a result, a victory in front of the home support in south London tonight is essential to widen the gap between themselves and the danger of the bottom three and Vieira will be hoping that the most recent results will inspire enough confidence in the team to take all three points from Wolves.

In terms of injuries, there are no new knocks to report but Palace will still be without Nathaniel Clyne, Christopher Richards, Jack Butland, James McArthur, Nathan Ferguson and potentially Will Hughes who is a huge doubt through illness.

With all considered, this is how Football FanCast predicts Crystal Palace will line up against Wolves…

We expect to see just two changes to the side that drew 0-0 with Leicester City on Saturday afternoon, with Vieira opting for his trusted 4-3-3 formation.

The team is likely to remain completely unchanged in defence and midfield due to the team’s resilient performance in stopping the Foxes from taking their chances at the King Power Stadium a few days ago.

However, a change up of personnel in the forward line could be in order to ensure Palace can improve their goal-scoring opportunities.

We predict that Michael Olise will replace Jordan Ayew on the right flank of the front three to add more creativity in the channels and there is no doubt that the 20-year-old can be an absolute nuisance when deployed.

Olise has delivered one assist and made 1.1 key passes, completed 1.3 tackles and won 3.4 duels per game, proving that he is not afraid to get stuck into challenges and is more than capable of winning the ball to regain possession to provide for his forward teammates.

The second player we expect to reprise his role in the starting line up is Jean-Philippe Mateta, with the striker replacing Odsonne Edouard in the centre-forward role this evening.

The £94k-per-week ace – who was previously dubbed a “special talent” by Neil Lennon – failed to find the back of the net against Leicester and was hooked by Vieira back to the bench in the 65th minute. Therefore, against Wolves Vieira could give an opportunity for Mateta to start instead.

The 25-year-old who was hailed “quick” by journalist Josh Bunting scored against Wolves in Palace’s last league game against the side, so it could be the perfect chance for Mateta to prove to his manager that he deserves the central role in the final third over the season ahead.

Crystal Palace have beaten Wolves in their last three Premier League meetings, so the Eagles are at a great advantage to seal their fourth victory against their opponents tonight and win some crucial points towards their tally on the league table.