All posts by n8rngtd.top

Plenty of Aston Villa fans have been going wild on social media following Louie Barry’s FA Youth Cup goal against West Brom on Friday evening.

Villa booked their place in the final for the first time since 2010 with a 4-1 win over their rivals.

The semi-final was played at Villa Park and was broadcast on BT Sport, with goals from Barry, Carney Chukwuemeka and Brad Young, as well as an own goal, ensuring that Sean Verity’s side will meet Liverpool in the final.

However, it was Barry’s first half effort that had plenty of fans talking. The 17-year-old, who scored at the same end against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the FA Cup third round back in January, curled an unstoppable effort beyond the Baggies goalkeeper to put Villa back ahead in the early stages.

Villa fans react

The club shared Barry’s goal on their official Twitter page on Friday night, and these Villa supporters heaped praise on the youngster, with one describing the goal as ‘sensational’.

“Scenes we wish we were there for! What a talented player!”

Credit:@MatthewPonter 

“Oh my word…”

Credit: @charlcox6

“brilliant”

Credit: @catrinedwards18

“Sensational #UTV”

Credit: @farky1210

“Barry to Young. Just like the good old days.”

Credit: @A1istair

“Our future is just on another level”

Credit: @PhillWhitehouse

In other news: Villa join transfer race for former Chelsea starlet, find out who it is here. 

Following a turgid team performance in Sunderland’s play-off semi-final first leg defeat earlier this week, Lee Johnson must unleash Chris Maguire in the reverse fixture this Saturday.

With the Black Cats’ season very much hanging in the balance after their 2-0 defeat against Lincoln City on Wednesday, Johnson’s side must simply go all-out at the Stadium of Light this afternoon if they are to have any chance of playing in the Championship next season.

Indeed, in the first leg, the 39-year-old Sunderland boss made the rather strange decision not to involve Chris Maguire over the course of the 90 minutes, something which appeared to backfire rather substantially considering they left the game scorelless.

However, Johnson must right this wrong on Saturday, as the 32-year-old has proven on countless occasions this season that he has the capability to be a game-changer for his side.

Having started a mere 11 League One games for the Black Cats this season – making a further 22 appearances from the bench – Maguire has nevertheless returned an impressive haul of five goals and five assists, as well as creating seven big chances for his teammates.

What makes these returns all the more impressive is that the forward’s goal involvements have often come at crucial moments, such as restoring his side’s lead in an eventual 3-1 win over Plymouth Argyle, setting up Charlie Wyke’s winner in a 1-0 victory against Swindon Town and scoring a 97th-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Crewe Alexandra.

The man who Jack Ross labelled an “enigma” has very much shown that he is a man for the big occasion, and occasions do not come much bigger than having to overturn a 2-0 deficit in a play-off semi-final to save your season.

As such, Johnson simply must unleash the £4,400-per-week forward on Saturday in order to give his side the best possible chance of avoiding yet another season in the third tier of English football.

In other news: SAFC gain transfer boost over “fantastic” £8m machine which will surely have fans buzzing – opinion

Leeds United are monitoring Club Brugge winger Noa Lang ahead of the summer window.

That’s according to the reliable Mike McGrath of The Telegraph, who shared the news in his transfer notebook on Tuesday evening.

McGrath claims the Whites have watched Lang, with the 21-year-old recently turning his loan from Ajax into a permanent deal.

He’s played all across the front line this season, scoring 16 goals and registering 10 assists in just 33 games during the current campaign.

Leeds aren’t the only side keen on Lang, with the Dutch starlet having a host of admirers.

Transfer Tavern take

The report claims that Leeds view Lang as a player who can provide competition for Jack Harrison and Raphinha, so we feel he could well come in at the expense of Helder Costa.

Marcelo Bielsa has handed Costa just 13 league starts this season and the club are thought to be willing to listen to offers for the Portuguese winger this summer.

Should he seal an Elland Road exit, it seems as if Victor Orta could be on to his replacement in Lang, who may well fit right in under Bielsa.

He has an eye for goal, can play on either flank or through the middle and is still early into his career. Valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, he could come at a price similar to the one Leeds paid for Raphinha (£17m), who has been a revelation in Yorkshire.

In other news: Noel Whelan makes big Marcelo Bielsa claim, find out more here. 

Pep Guardiola has been handed a huge injury boost at Manchester City ahead of the Carabao Cup Final against Tottenham Hotspur, as Kevin De Bruyne is expected to be fit for the game at Wembley.

The Belgian international was forced off through injury in the FA Cup Semi-Final defeat against Chelsea recently and missed the midweek win over Aston Villa.

However, Pep Guardiola confirmed in his pre-match press conference that the talismanic midfielder is feeling ‘much better’ and that he had trained with the first-team squad ahead of Sunday’s game.

It will undoubtedly be a massive boost for the Spanish manager if De Bruyne is fit to play, as the 29-year-old has been a driving force behind the Citizens’ superb season thus far.

In 24 top-flight appearances, the former Wolfsburg man has contributed five goals and 11 assists, averaging an excellent 7.56/10 rating for his performances.

This comfortably ranks him as City’s best performer in the top-flight this season, whilst his performances in the Champions League have also been exceptional, so it is clear just how important he is in Guardiola’s side.

Spurs’ new manager Ryan Mason will surely be worried that City could dominate the final on Sunday should De Bruyne start, as he clearly has the ability to dictate the game and turn it in City’s favour, whilst his 3.3 shots per game average in the Premier League immediately marks him out as a serious goal threat.

Last season, De Bruyne earned a lot of praise from Premier League legend Thierry Henry, with the Frenchman suggesting that:

“Kevin saw me at Vincent Kompany’s testimonial (at the start of the season) and he said: ‘This year, I’ll get you,’ and I said: ‘You will because you are just incredible’.

“His brain is somewhere else, it’s just ridiculous. I came across him (with Belgium) and worked with him and he’s one of those guys you just have to let play because if you start to understand and comprehend what he’s doing, you’re going to have a headache. He’s on another planet.”

Therefore, if De Bruyne is fit to play then Guardiola should definitely hand him a start, as he could prove to be the game-changer at Wembley.

And, in other news… Mansour call is massive news for Pep, De Bruyne will be delighted 

Mark Warburton’s Queens Park Rangers head into their penultimate Championship fixture of the season on Saturday with nothing more than pride at stake.

Following their 3-1 defeat to Norwich City last weekend, QPR find themselves occupying 10th place in the table, 15 points behind sixth-placed Barnsley and 23 points above Rotherham United in 22nd.

As such, the Rs’ upcoming clash with fellow mid-table side Stoke City this Saturday does not have a great deal riding on it, but Warburton would still want to see his team leave the Bet365 Stadium with a result in order to finish as high up the table as possible.

So, will the 58-year-old be making any changes to his starting XI? Here’s our predicted XI, along with the latest team and injury news…

In terms of injuries, both Luke Amos and Charlie Owens remain sidelined for Warburton’s side, while defensive midfielder Geoff Cameron is also a doubt.

As for the starting XI, we expect there to be two changes from the team which lined up against Norwich last week, as well as a slight tweak in QPR’s formation.

Having been brought off at half-time after a distinctly average performance against the Canaries, George Thomas drops to the bench for the clash with the Potters. His replacement last Saturday, 22-year-old Sam Field, takes his starting spot this time around.

Meanwhile, Charlie Austin also makes a return to the starting XI following his impressive second half cameo against Daniel Farke’s side, taking the place of Christopher Willock in a move which sees a change in formation from 3-4-2-1 to 3-4-1-2, with the 31-year-old partnering Lyndon Dykes up top.

In other news: Get it done: Bhatia must seal QPR swoop for £1.8m-rated ace who “works his socks off” – opinion

Leeds United have been linked with an incredible move for Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero, in what would surely be the biggest coup of Victor Orta’s career.

The Argentine has been one of the best strikers in Premier League history, with only Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney and Andy Cole scoring more goals in the competition.

He has been called a ‘genius’ by Frank Lampard in the past and will go down as one of the greatest foreign imports the English game has seen.

Aguero has confirmed that he will leave City at the end of the season, alerting a number of a clubs who could look to snap him up.

[freshpress-quiz id=“351040″]

Leeds linked with Aguero move

Leeds are thought to be one of those teams, with 90min claiming Marcelo Bielsa is interested in a stunning move for the world-renowned star.

It is stated that Aguero has been ‘pinpointed’ as a replacement for likely outgoing striker Rodrigo, with Marcelo Bielsa keen to link up with his fellow countryman.

He also wouldn’t have to move house, given Manchester and Leeds are in relatively close proximity, which acts as a further bonus for the player.

Transfer Tavern take

Aguero may be turning 33 this summer, but he could be a fantastic addition for Leeds, still possessing outrageous ability in the final third.

That eye for goal and match-winning instinct could take the Whites up another level next season, so at least attempting to sign him makes complete sense.

His mentality could rub off on those around him, having won four Premier League titles and being on the cusp of clinching a fifth.

Of course, a move would surely depend on Orta convincing him to take a wage-cut, but at 33 perhaps the chance to link up with his countryman Bielsa could tempt him into a short-term deal.

If the Whites’ DoF could pull it off, given he has built his reputation at Leeds off finding bargains and young talent (BBC), it would be a real show of intent and a mega coup.

In other news, one pundit believes a key Leeds player should be surprisingly dropped against Fulham. Find out who it is here.

Writing a message on Twitter, Czech Republic ambassador Libor Secka has proposed a charity match between West Ham United and Slavia Prague, with many Hammers fans in agreement and pleading for it to happen.

The two clubs have been enjoying a great relationship recently, arguably highlighted by the Hammers’ acquisitions of Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal in the summer, and the ambassador to the Czech Republic in London has thought of a worthwhile initiative for a good cause.

This would be to raise money for Isla Caton and her treatment for a rare form of child cancer called Neuroblastoma, with further care needed in Barcelona as the fight continues (JustGiving).

After meeting with the child’s family recently, Secka has proposed a charity match between Slavia Prague and West Ham United, prompting many West Ham fans to support the idea on Twitter. He wrote: “Without addressing the Boards of both clubs is not possible to organise Charity match for Isla Caton between Slavia Prague and WHU. Do you support my effort to go ahead with the initiative?”.

As the prospective event could support an important cause, while giving the Irons and Slavia a chance to play each other, it’s little wonder that so many Hammers fans are in full support of the prospect.

Check out some of the verdicts from social media below.

West Ham fans adore Slavia charity match proposal

“I think it will be lovely to see all the teams play ! See how West Ham cope with Slavia and all for a good cause, Mr. Ambassador if you could use your power to help this it will be amazing! I’m in”

Credit: @Thehammerone1

“Libor this would be an amazing gesture. Isla’ s family and WHU supporters would flock to see this game and support this little girl. Make it happen please and GSB please”

Credit: @Roberto120916

“PLEASEEEEE”

Credit: @Shaneo_300

“Huge respect”

Credit: @SenorSoucek

“Yesssssssssss”

Credit: @joelitt78828048

“An absolutely wonderful idea!”

Credit: @IronessWest

“100%”

Credit: @ScoutSoucek

“Ohhh yesss this would be amazing has to happen and for a great cause now too”

Credit: @CristianoCruzJ

In other news: West Ham are readying a swoop for this £18 million-rated ace, find out more here.

Charlie Adam has shared his delight after Glasgow Rangers confirmed that Steven Davis has signed a new one-year contract at Ibrox.

Adam delighted at Davis news

Davis was set to be out of contract at the end of the campaign but, despite being 36 years of age, the Gers have decided to keep him at the club for another 12 months.

The 55-time Scottish champions shared the news on their official Twitter account, and former Rangers midfielder Adam responded by saying this was “great news”.

Big news

Adam is far from a popular figure among many supporters, but surely Gers fans will have trouble disagreeing with him on this one. While Davis does not have long left in his career, he boasts plenty of experience; and with 40 appearances in all competitions so far this term (Transfermarkt), he has played a vital role in the Gers’ 2020/21 success.

With 45 goals and 94 assists throughout his time in the game, he can contribute directly to goals, but his importance to this Rangers side cannot be measured solely in that way. He is a cool, calming influence in the middle of the park, and he deserves all the accolades he continues to get. Who knows, he may even get himself another deal at the end of next season as well.

In other news, many Rangers fans are livid at this pundit’s comments.

Daniel Levy must cash in on forgotten Tottenham Hotspur defender Juan Foyth this summer amid latest claims from his loan club, Villarreal…

What’s the word?

Speaking to Spanish outlet AS, Villarreal boss Unai Emery revealed that he would like to sign the 23-year-old permanently following a successful spell thus far, he said:

“If I would keep [him]? The truth is that it is something that we must wait, but if it were up to me, yes, I would keep [him] with us.”

Although it is claimed that the La Liga outfit may not be able to afford the €15m (£13m) option to buy, so they will have to negotiate with the Spurs chairman in order to keep hold of him past the current season.

Get rid

The report goes onto suggest that Foyth has been one of Emery’s most utilised players, featuring 23 times in all competitions, which is one fewer appearance than what he’s managed for Spurs since the start of the 2018/19 season.

Indeed, the versatile Argentinian has struggled to break into the first-team in north London and the fact that Jose Mourinho was willing to ship him out despite losing the vastly-experienced Jan Vertonghen speaks volumes.

It’s hard to envisage him ever coming back and making an impact at this stage, especially as the Spurs boss is lusting for a ‘transformative’ signing at the back that can echo the rewards of Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool, and Ruben Dias at Man City.

Finances will be tight once again, so it would be wise to now cash in on Foyth to get the money rolling ahead of the summer.

The £9m-rated defender, who earns a reported £36k-per-week in N17, will merely be stealing a wage if he returns to Spurs at the end of the season as he’s surely a fourth or fifth choice behind the likes of Eric Dier, Toby Aldweireld, Davinson Sanchez and Joe Rodon.

If Mourinho gets his wishes, then he’ll only slip further down the pecking order.

In the past, Mauricio Pochettino has lauded the “clever” centre-back someone with “a lot of potential” and “quality” but we’ve never really seen it – last season in the Premier League, he averaged a 6.03 WhoScored rating, which would see him sit comfortably as their worst player this season.

Villarreal want to keep hold of him, so Levy may not get a better time to offload the 2017 signing. It’s time to get rid.

AND in other news, 22 y/o gem could be a perfect replacement for Matt Doherty…

Many fans of West Ham United have been reacting to a post on Twitter which relayed “unbelivable” footage of the Hammers’ right-back Vladimir Coufal.

Following West Ham’s narrow 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday – a game in which, despite the loss, David Moyes’ side more than held their own against the runaway league leaders – footage emerged of the club’s £7.2m-rated defender visibly upset by the result.

After West Ham United relayed the clip of the 28-year-old on Twitter, fans of the Irons flocked to have their say on the matter, with many heaping a considerable amount of praise on the £31k-per-week right-back, both for his display in the City fixture as well as his performance in general since joining the club last October.

So, what exactly did these West Ham United fans have to say in reaction to the footage of Vladimir Coufal?

“I love this man so much. He’s barely been here 6 months and a narrow loss to the best in Europe is making him this sad. Hopefully, we use this energy for a win against Leeds.”

@ScoutSoucek

“This guy is becoming my favourite player at an alarming rate.”

@jackgambardella

“This man has so much of my respect. What an incredible person. Any club would be beyond proud to have someone like him in their squad. To see how much it matters to him is such a rare thing to see in today’s day and age.”

@LaRoseanne

“I actually love the two Czechs. Totally transformed the team – brilliant signings.”

@leeroy_acko1

“Loved that. Like he had lost a cup final! So nice it means so much to them out there.”

@Nobby_1977

“If you showed me this video at the beginning of the season, I would’ve thought we just got relegated. Shows how far we’ve come.”

@Icevain7

“Superb mentality.”

@j22oph

“We love to see this kind of attitude in a player.”

@philosophinator

“This man is immense. Best signing ever.”

@s60ttb

“What a player. Unbelievable attitude.”

@sfeehan27

In other West Ham United news, fans wanted this Premier League ace after a contract claim, find out more here!