Aston Villa have had a rather turbulent season in their latest Premier League campaign having sacked Dean Smith after a run of five consecutive defeats to then appoint Steven Gerrard in November.
Since the former Liverpool midfielder came in, the Villans have racked up five wins, two draws and six defeats, with only one of those wins coming in their past seven league games.
One player, in particular, that has not had the easiest of seasons in a Villa shirt is defender Ezri Konsa.
With 21 league appearances under his belt, the centre-back has only managed to earn himself a rather underwhelming overall performance rating of 6.44/10 from WhoScored, making him the lowest-rated player currently in Gerrard’s squad that has started more than two league games.
Looking at his defensive statistics, the 24-year-old, who has lost 35 duels this season, has only been able to achieve an average of one tackle per game, which is lower than the likes of Emi Buendia, Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Sanson.
The same can be said for his average of interceptions as well with just 0.6 made per game, the same number as Ashley Young and Axel Tuanzebe who have both played significantly fewer minutes than Konsa.
Even for clearances and blocks, the Englishman has not been able to match the same average as fellow centre-back Tyrone Mings, even though the 28-year-old is seen as a liability for Villa by 66% of voters in a poll ran by Football FanCast earlier this year.
Having got himself sent off in the 3-3 draw against Leeds United earlier this month, it could be argued that Konsa has been a liability for the Villans at times this season, despite previously being labelled as “Mr Consistent.”
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With Calum Chambers being brought in during the recent January transfer window and having the likes of Joe Gomez linked with a summer transfer move to the Midlands club, the defender will have to fix up his performances throughout the remainder of the campaign or else he could be at risk of being left out of the team for the foreseeable future if Gerrard doesn’t believe in him.
In other news: Big mistake: “Bullish” AVFC gem with an “abundance of talent” is proving Gerrard wrong – opinion
Leeds United have struggled to find the back of the net at times in the Premier League this season with just 29 goals scored in 27 games, which is a big drop from the 43 that they had netted at the same stage in their previous campaign.
This unfortunate statistic could be put down to the fact that they have had to go through the majority of the season without Patrick Bamford up front as a result of injuries after the Englishman scored 17 goals in 38 league appearances last year.
While the Yorkshire club could have done with an extra goalscoring option in their squad this season, one former Whites figure hasn’t had much trouble finding the back of the net since leaving Elland Road in a £5.4m deal.
In 122 appearances for the club, 29-year-old striker Kemar Roofe scored 33 goals and provided 14 assists for the Whites before joining Belgian club RSC Anderlecht in the 2019 summer transfer window.
Despite making just 16 appearances for Anderlecht, the striker, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £26k-per-week according to Salary Sport, managed to score seven goals and provide three assists before joining Scottish club Rangers a year after his move to Belgium.
Since making the move to Ibrox, the Jamaican has racked up 30 goals in 63 appearances across all competitions, showing at both clubs what a deadly attacking threat he has been since moving away from Leeds.
With the benefit of hindsight, it could be said that Victor Orta and the club made a big mistake by letting Roofe leave when he did, as he could have been a valuable asset for the team in Bamford’s absence this season.
Having been praised in the past by former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard for his “unbelievable” long range Europa League goal against Standard Liege, which was described as being “a moment of genius” by the current Aston Villa boss, Roofe has certainly thrived in terms of scoring goals since ending his time at the Yorkshire club.
Perhaps the best piece of praise since departing Leeds came from Gerrard who once described his livewire attitude like a “Duracell bunny.”
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Moving forward, now that the former Leeds forward has moved on and is enjoying his time in the SPFL, the best thing Jesse Marsch’s side can do now is to focus on their own players and fight until the end of the campaign to avoid getting relegated to the Championship.
In other news: Orta can seal dream move after Leeds plot bid for £20m gem, he’s a “new Luis Suarez” – opinion
Kevin Campbell has claimed that it is a “make or break” few months for Rangers star Aaron Ramsey’s footballing career, reacting to the news that the Ibrox man drafted in his own doctors behind the scenes.
The Lowdown: Ramsey’s injury woes
The Wales international has always been renowned for his injury woes over the course of his career, rather than being remembered for his undeniable talent.
In total, the 31 year-old has missed 153 games due to various issues across his career, with Transfermarkt’s list of injuries for him spanning three pages.
Even across the 2021/22 season, the midfielder has suffered five separate spells out; one of which has kept him out of action since Rangers’ emphatic 4-2 at Borussia Dortmund in February.
However, the 31-year-old recently returned to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s matchday squad as an unused substitute in the Light Blues’ 1-0 win over Aberdeen.
The Latest: Campbell reacts…
After it was revealed that Ramsey had spent £30,000 on flying specialist physios into Glasgow behind the scenes, Campbell, who regularly features as a pundit for Sky Sports, claimed that the remainder of the season could be huge for the Welshman’s football career.
Speaking with Football Insider, whose headline claimed this is a potentially ‘career-ending period’, he said:
“This has been Rambo’s problem for a while now.
“It’s been very difficult to keep him fit. That’s always been the case with him, I don’t think anybody could question his talent though.
“To show consistency of performance you have got to be available. Let’s be honest, the availability hasn’t been there.
“People are always going to question you and say things if you are not available.
“Aaron Ramsey needs an injury-free run until the end of the season now. It’s make or break time.”
The Verdict: Big few months ahead
Having played just 94 minutes of football for Rangers, Ramsey’s redemption move has certainly not gone to plan as of yet.
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Whilst he is on loan with the Scottish side, the Glasgow club have the option of making the deal permanent in the summer, but it is hard to see Ross Wilson and co committing to a permanent move given his troubles so far.
Rangers are currently preparing for tomorrow night’s round 16 Europa League clash against Red Star Belgrade, so summer transfers are likely the last thing on the supporters’ minds at the moment, but what a shame it would be to miss out on a player of Ramsey’s ability due to his lack of availability.
In other news: Rangers: Chris Jack concerned about potential summer exodus
Rangers have been dealt a big injury setback over Ibrox central midfielder John Lundstram…
What’s the latest?
Gio van Bronckhorst has revealed that the Englishman has picked up a knock ahead of the club’s Scottish Cup quarter-final clash today.
In his pre-match press conference, the head coach admitted that “we have a couple concerns with Lundstram’s ankle” and this could see him miss out on the squad.
Rangers take on Dundee FC away from home in the cup before travelling away to Serbia to take on Red Star Belgrade in the second leg of their Europa League clash.
Livid
Van Bronckhorst will surely be livid with the ex-Sheffield United man’s injury as his absence will come as a major blow to the side.
Lundstram has been excellent in recent months after a tricky start to life at the club and losing him for any period of time would be a big setback for the Gers as they would be missing out on his quality performances in the middle of the park.
Through July, August and September – Lundstram failed to average a SofaScore rating higher than 6.9 as he settled in after his move to the club on a free transfer from Sheffield United. From October to the end of February, the midfielder averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.0 or higher in four of the five months for the Gers.
This suggests that he has been able to step up to the plate after a difficult start to the campaign. He was unable to hit the ground running at Ibrox but has now found his feet and is showing that he has the quality to be a big player for the club moving forward.
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Lundstram has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.90 in the Premiership this term overall. In 22 appearances, he has completed an impressive 90% of his attempted passes whilst making 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game. He is reliable in possession and capable of winning the ball back on a regular basis, which is why van Bronckhorst will be livid with this injury.
Hopefully, it is not a long-term issue and, at worst, he will only miss this clash with Dundee FC in the Scottish Cup. Losing him for an extended run of matches would be disastrous for the Gers given his recent form the Dutch head coach will be crossing his fingers over the midfielder’s fitness.
AND in other news, GvB must now unleash Rangers’ “wonderful” £4.5m-rated “leader”, time is running out…
Aston Villa correspondent Ashley Preece has been reacting to the announcement of a new deal for midfielder Tim Iroegbunam.
The Lowdown: Contract until 2027
Villa, who recently handed professional terms to midfielder Tommi O’Reilly, confirmed on Friday that they have finalised a fresh contact for Iroegbunam.
The 18-year-old only arrived at Bodymoor Heath last summer from West Brom and has clearly impressed Steven Gerrard. He has been a regular in the matchday squad since December and even made his Premier League debut in the 2-0 win over Brighton at the end of February.
Iroegbunam’s new contract runs until 2027, with Villa announcing that he will ‘become a full-time member’ of Gerrard’s first-team squad.
The Latest: Preece reacts
Preece firstly relayed the news regarding Iroegbunam’s maiden England under-19 call up via Twitter on Friday.
He then responded to the new ‘long-term’ deal for the midfielder, labelling it a ‘brilliant day’ for the Villa player.
The Verdict: Good news
Villa and Gerrard clearly rate Iroegbunam, so it’s good news that he has committed his future at the club until 2027.
You’d expect that he could feature from the bench in Villa’s final nine Premier League games of 2021/22, gaining more senior experience in the process, especially with the club comfortably sitting in mid-table.
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As mentioned, he is now a first-team player, so next season could be a breakthrough campaign for the teenager as he looks to follow in Jacob Ramsey’s footsteps.
In other news: ‘Not much more the club can do’ – Worrying claim emerges on coveted Aston Villa ‘star’.
According to a report from Italian news outlet Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Tottenham Hotspur are considering a club-record deal to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.
The Lowdown: Big interest
Spurs aren’t the only side believed to be keen on the 23-year-old with Newcastle United, Manchester United and Arsenal all linked to the ace.
However, with Kane once again being touted with a possible switch to Manchester City, the Lilywhites could be the most desperate of the lot in the need for a centre-forward signing.
This most recent update would suggest that Nigeria international Osimhen is a leading candidate to fill the void if Kane does indeed depart in search of big trophies.
The Latest: Breaking the bank
According to the Italian source (via SW), Tottenham are among the clubs making ‘evaluations’ regarding the Napoli man ahead of the summer transfer window.
Furthermore, the report states that any move for the 18 times-capped Nigeria star would cost ‘around €100million’ (£83million), which would shatter Spurs’ current £54million record expenditure for Tanguy Ndombele (Transfermarkt).
The outlet believes Daniel Levy and Co. would have that sort of cash to splash if Kane were to leave.
The verdict: Conte is a fan
Boasting 63 goals and 17 assists in 145 career outings across spells with VFL Wolfsburg, LOSC Lille and RSC Charleroi, it’s clear to see why Tottenham would be interested in the Nigerian striker.
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So far this season Osimhen, who was recently described as ‘unplayable’ by football writer Zach Lowy, has scored 15 times and registered four assists in 25 outings across all competitions. He has proven his quality against Premier League opposition too, scoring both goals in a 2-2 draw at Leicester City.
Given the need for an attacking addition with or without Kane beyond this summer, it’s little wonder that Conte would allegedly personally approve of a move for the Napoli frontman.
In other news: ‘I doubt…’ – Pundit claims Tottenham ace may have played final game for the club, find out more here
Arsenal are finally back in action this evening following the latest international break with an away clash against Crystal Palace.
The Gunners secured a 1-0 victory away at Aston Villa in their previous league outing prior to the break, whereas the Eagles managed to earn a 0-0 draw against Manchester City at Selhurst Park in their previous league game.
Patrick Vieira’s side then beat Everton 4-0 in the FA Cup to secure their place in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium, showing how strong they are in defence and lethal in attack.
Looking ahead to this evening’s showdown, it seems as though Mikel Arteta’s could welcome back one of their key figures that was not involved for their country during the break.
What’s the news?
According to a recent report from Football.London, Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has been in training at London Colney leading up to tonight’s fixture after testing positive for the global pandemic while away on international duty with England.
Speaking in his latest press conference on Friday, Arteta had this to say on the situation.
He said: “Bukayo is feeling good, he’s training today hopefully, if he is still feeling as he was yesterday.”
Great news for Arsenal
Taking into account how the winger has more goal contributions than any other Arsenal player in the league this season with nine strikes and five assists to his name, it’s safe to say that he is a big player for the Gunners and it will be a huge boost for them to have him on the pitch.
To further highlight the Englishman’s attacking prowess and importance to his side, the 20-year-old has racked up a total of 99 shot-creating actions, the seventh-highest out of anyone in the Premier League ahead of the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Allan Saint-Maximin.
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In addition to his impressive attacking play, his overall performances have earned him a season rating of 7.07 from WhoScored, making him the highest-rated player in Arteta’s squad.
Taking all of this into account, having Saka available to play this evening would surely increase the away side’s chances of securing another win and taking a step closer to securing a top-four finish.
In other news: Arteta must ruthlessly axe “shocking” £18m-rated AFC liability, he’s “not world-class”
Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona and USA full-back Sergino Dest this summer, according to journalist James Marshment.
The Lowdown: Dest doing well at Barca
The 21-year-old may not always have been a guaranteed starter for Barca this season but he has still enjoyed plenty of playing time for the La Liga giants.
Dest has started 15 league games in total, chipping in with three assists in that time, and he has been hailed as ‘spectacularly good’ by manager Xavi.
The American is currently contracted with Barca until the summer of 2025 but that hasn’t stopped interest emerging from Leeds.
[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]
The Latest: Leeds keen on move
Taking to Twitter, TEAMtalk editor Marshment claims that Dest is seen as Victor Orta’s second American transfer target this summer, along with Brenden Aaronson:
“TEAMtalk understands that Leeds are pushing forward with plans for the summer window and, subject to Prem survival, remain actively in pursuit of Brenden Aaronson.
“He’s not the only American on their radar either, with sources informing us that Sergino Dest is also a target.”
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The Verdict: Hugely exciting option
Dest would be a superb signing if Jesse Marsch manages to pull it off, with the youngster someone who could come in as both a current and long-term key man.
He already has 48 La Liga appearances to his name, meaning he has proven himself in a top European League, and he will be a key figure for the USA at the World Cup later this year.
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Dest could be seen as an eventual replacement for Luke Ayling, who turns 31 later this year and hasn’t always been at his best this season, despite his winner at Wolves. They could compete for the right-back spot, with the former eventually becoming the undisputed first choice.
In other news, a journalist has dropped a key Leeds update regarding one player. Find out who it is here.
It may only be Wednesday but this has been another classic week in the life of a Manchester United fan.
Before their remarkable 4-4 draw with Bournemouth on Monday, Ruben Amorim had taken aim at two of the club’s academy players in the form of Harry Amass and Chido Obi.
Why he did that is anyone’s guess, but it’s certainly not the way you get players and indeed supporters onside. There’s never a dull moment at Old Trafford right now, eh?
That 4-4 draw was all rather silly. From a positive point of view, United’s forward line looked as good as it has done in years. The defence, however, is a different story. It’s a mess.
Perhaps signing a midfielder or two in January could help smooth things over.
Man United targeting a host of Premier League midfielders
Reports in recent months have suggested that two of INEOS’ key targets for 2026 are Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson.
However, it’s likely United will have to pay a premium for their services and alternatives are being sought.
One of those alternatives is said to be Bournemouth’s Tyler Adams, according to reports. Adams was named in the starting lineup by Andoni Iraola on Monday evening but his audition lasted just a matter of minutes when he hobbled off with an injury.
His replacement on the night was 22-year-old Alex Scott, the latest target said to be in Man United’s crosshairs.
That’s via Samuel Luckhurst of The Sun who reported at the beginning of the week that Old Trafford chiefs are now weighing up a move for Scott.
The report notes that United are ‘monitoring’ the player and could look to bring him in if Kobbie Mainoo leaves the club. The hope is that the Red Devils would only lose Mainoo on a loan deal for now.
Why Scott could be another Mainoo for Man Utd
Of course, all of the talk in recent months has been about Anderson and Wharton. If Amorim and Co could bring one of England’s top midfielders to the club then Old Trafford would be euphoric.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Scott doesn’t represent a bad alternative, though. Recently handed his first England call-up by Thomas Tuchel for the November international break, it speaks volumes about his progression and potential. He really does stand a chance of being at the World Cup next summer.
Why? Well, the young midfielder has been making waves ever since he was at Bristol City in the Championship. In the 2022/23 campaign, he was awarded the second tier’s Young Player of the Year Award.
A move to Bournemouth followed and he’s quickly established himself as one of the most promising young players in the Premier League too. As Como scout Ben Mattinson put it, he has made the step between divisions “seamlessly.”
While he has only scored three goals and registered four assists during his time at the Vitality Stadium, this is a player who oozes class and brings a lot of poise to the middle of the park.
Hailed as the “Guernsey Grealish” by some, one United media personality stated during the game with Bournemouth on Monday that he “looked like prime [Roy] Keane”.
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As he battled his way through proceedings at Old Trafford, he was particularly strong in the duel and was always on the front foot, trying to play forward. That’s something United could certainly benefit from, particularly if he’s going to replace the forward-thinking Mainoo.
Scott vs Man Utd
Minutes played
85
Touches
39
Accurate passes
19/26 (73%)
Shots
2
Successful dribbles
1/1
Defensive contributions
5
Ground duels won
3/4
Aerial duels won
2/3
Stats via Sofascore.
A midfielder with a wide skillset, Scott ranks highly for some important metrics, notably when it comes to progressing the ball.
According to FBRef data, he sits inside the top 14% of midfielders in the Premier League for progressive carries per 90 minutes with 2.01, while he also ranks among the best 9% for successful take-ons with 1.01. He’s particularly adept at drawing a foul too, ranking inside the best 11% of positionally similar players in the top-flight for that metric.
Scott is also more than happy to do the dirty work, making 1.34 interceptions per 90, a stat that places him within the best 14% of midfielders.
So, he’s cut from a similar cloth as Mainoo. They both possess dynamic skillsets and while they don’t score a lot of goals, their impact on progressing and breaking up play makes them valuable players.
As bad as Shaw: Man Utd star had his worst game for the club vs Bournemouth
Manchester United drew again at Old Trafford in a frantic 4-4 draw with Bournemouth.
It’s been a tough season for the red half of Liverpool so far, with poor results, injuries and a certain incident involving ‘you know who’. But if we delve past the surface of seventh place in the Premier League and race scandals it’s actually been a season where the positives outweigh the negatives at Anfield.
The days of boardroom disruptions are long gone, with the Fenway Sports Group showing that Americans can run a ‘soccer’ club and king Kenny establishing a feeling of gradual improvement. Although some signings have been underwhelming, the displays of a choice few have offered genuine hope for a sustained charge to the summit of the division over the next few years.
It may be too soon to say that a return to the glory days is just around the corner, but the foundations are being put in place for a bright future.
Click on Warror Sports to unveil the top 10 positives from Liverpool’s season so far
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