A number of Southampton fans have been showering praise on former Saints midfielder Steven Davis after former manager Mauricio Pochettino compared him to Barcelona legends Andres Iniesta and Xavi.
Davis is set to be become the most capped player in Northern Ireland’s history when they take on Bosnia and Herzegovina tonight. The 35-year-old is currently playing for Rangers and his manager Steven Gerrard, as well as former Southampton managers Pochettino and Ronald Koeman, were among those sending messages to him ahead of the occasion.
The midfielder spent seven years at Southampton, arriving at the club in the summer of 2012 and helping them firmly establish themselves back in the Premier League, before he eventually left St Mary;s to move back to Rangers in January 2019, initially on a six-month loan deal before making the move permanent that summer (as per TransferMarkt).
The 35-year-old was a reliable performer for Southampton and came into his own under both Pochettino and Koeman, helping dictate the play for the Saints from the middle of the park and being part of the sides which secured four successive top-eight finishes between 2013/14 and 2016/17.
In the video paying tribute to Davis, as per Sky Sports, Pochettino described the midfielder as being Southampton’s version of Iniesta and Xavi at Barcelona. Many Southampton fans were keen to echo their thoughts over the 35-year-old’s abilities.
Saints fans react to Pochettino’s comments on Davis
Southampton fans how highly do you rank Davis amongst the club’s best players? Let us know your thoughts below!
For the third successive season, Celtic will not be competing in the Champions League, which must come as a bitter blow to all those concerned and as Neil Lennon said himself post-game: “I’ll have to carry the can, and take the responsibility for it.”
Indeed the blame should fall at the feet of the Hoops boss as in the absence of injured talisman Odsonne Edouard, he selected Olivier Ntcham to play upfront and dropped the attacking Jeremie Frimpong in favour of central defender Hatem Abd Elhamed.
A couple of baffling selection decisions have proven quite costly indeed.
They’ll now enter the Europa League’s third-round qualifying stage but don’t raise your hopes of going through in that either after the defeat to Ferencvaros on Wednesday night.
Lennon had summer arrival Alban Ajeti as well as Patryk Klimala on the bench, so it’s rather odd that neither started upfront.
But the problem in their attack could fall out wide. The Bhoys only really have Mohamed Elyounoussi and James Forrest as out-and-out options in the role – and the former is yet to impress after a one-year extension to his loan spell from Southampton.
So maybe it’s time Lennon unleashed one of his most promising youngsters, Karamoko Dembele.
He might only be 17, but the likes of Frimpong, Kristoffer Ajer and Kieran Tierney have all made a serious impact at Parkhead early in their careers.
Lennon himself has described the diminutive 5 foot 3 winger as a “real talent” and also claimed that he’s “the type of player that you want at Celtic. He gets the crowd off their feet with his football intelligence.”
Such praise has even stretched to legendary midfielder Ruud Gullit, who believes Dembele “looks pretty special” and “is exceptionally good.”
After four senior appearances already, the Celtic Park chief should call upon the young sensation a little more from the bench and then perhaps, he’ll show exactly why he should be featuring more often.
AND in other news, Celtic consider La Liga man as Edouard replacement…
Leeds United appear to be on the hunt for an additional striker this summer and a new name has been mooted by The Athletic’s Phil Hay…
What’s the word?
On the latest episode of the Phil Hay Show, he said: “One that’s definitely of interest is Michy Batshuayi down at Chelsea. Bielsa knows him from Marseille and he knows a lot about his game. He wouldn’t have to adapt massively. Despite it not happening for him at Chelsea he’s at a prime age, 26. Leeds will want to see progress in the next week or two.”
It’s not the first time that the Belgian has been mooted with a switch to Elland Road with Football Insider claiming he could cost less than £25m earlier this month.
Batshuayi is entering the final year of his contract at Chelsea and has started just one game all season across the Premier League and the Champions League.
Super-sub
Despite having Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham in front of him in the pecking order, a swoop for the 26-year-old would be perfect as Marcelo Bielsa needs a viable back-up to Patrick Bamford – especially with the Jean-Kevin Augustin saga up in the air.
One of the biggest problems surrounding the Yorkshire giants has been their tendency to suffer from burnout, it may have been what caused them to stumble last season and this year’s stop-start campaign, may have helped push them over the line finally.
This can’t happen in the top-fight otherwise they’ll be at risk of becoming a one-season wonder, which is why squad depth is needed. Batshuayi can provide that.
Over the last few seasons, he’s become widely known as the ‘super-sub’ for the Blues, so he’d be perfect for Bielsa to throw on when Bamford is in need of a break.
The Leeds boss helped Batshuayi to break onto the scene in France whilst Frank Lampard believes he’s “top class” and “hard-working”.
Victor Orta must push ahead with this move if United are to truly compete in the top-flight next season.
AND in other news, Leeds may have found the next Trent Alexander-Arnold…
Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has delivered an update on the injury status of defender Matt Targett after it was reported he was ruled out for three weeks, prompting fans to react.
The left-back arrived at Villa Park a year ago and has been a regular in Smith’s starting XI for the most part this season.
With Villa sat 19th in the Premier League standings and fighting for their top-flight status, Targett’s absence will hand Smith with a selection headache, potentially looking to call on natural left-back Neil Taylor, whilst centre-backs Tyrone Mings and Kortney Hause are also capable of shifting to the left.
The 24-year-old was expected to miss upcoming matches against Liverpool, Manchester United and Crystal Palace, games in which Villa need points to claw themselves out of the relegation zone.
However, Smith has now revealed to the club’s official website the extent of his injury and it looks like he won’t be out for as long as initially reported.
“He’s struggling, but it won’t be the reported three weeks out. It’s not as bad as first feared and he could be back for Crystal Palace.”
Reacting to Smith’s comments via Twitter account @villareport, fans gave a response with many quite critical of Targett, perhaps due to his poor recent form. Indeed in his last two appearances he has managed meagre 6.2 and 6.4 match ratings (via SofaScore).
How much do you think Villa will miss Matt Targett? Let us know in the comments section below…
Liverpool have been linked to a move for Red Bull Salzburg’s Hee-Chan Hwang ahead of next season.
According to Sky Deutschland (relayed via @LFCTransferRoom), the Reds are interested in bringing the South Korea international to Anfield this summer. However, RB Leipzig are also reportedly looking into him as a potential replacement for Timo Werner.
Hwang has had a very impressive season in Austria, tallying 11 goals and 11 assists in 25 league appearances so far. His total count for the 2019/20 campaign is 16 goals and 21 assists across all competitions (via Transfermarkt).
If Liverpool want to sign up the 24-year-old, he will reportedly cost about €10million (£9m), which is a very low amount for such a clinical goal-getter. It seems Reds fans are already on board with the idea and have taken to Twitter to urge the club to bring him in.
A couple of supporters have lauded the ‘bargain’ asking price, with one commenting ‘What a steal’ and another suggesting he would be ‘better than Werner’ as a signing due to being much cheaper. Another fan has recalled Hwang was ‘incredible against us’ after Salzburg played Liverpool in the Champions League earlier this season. The striker scored and assisted against the Reds back in October (via Transfermarkt).
Read some replies from the Anfield faithful here:
Do you think Liverpool should sign Hwang this summer, Reds? Have your say in the comments below!
What a career Liverpool legend Fernando Torres had.
He won the Champions League, the Europa League and the FA Cup during his time in England, whilst he also got his hands on two European Championship trophies and a World Cup with Spain – he was arguably one of the best strikers of this century.
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Whilst he came through the youth system at Atletico Madrid, it was at Liverpool where he truly blossomed into a world star.
Here, we walk you through his career at Anfield with the help of five symbolic pictures.
Signing for Liverpool
Torres made his debut for Los Rojiblancos as a 17-year-old, and soon became a hero at the Vicente Calderon. In 184 matches in all competitions in his first spell with Atletico, he scored 81 goals, soon reaching a point where he was too big for the club. It was in 2007 when he finally departed, joining compatriot Rafael Benitez at Anfield for £20m. That was a big fee at the time, but he would prove to be worth every single penny.
Gerrard partnership
Football – Birmingham City v Liverpool Barclays Premier League – St Andrews – 09/10 – 4/4/10 Steven Gerrard celebrates with Fernando Torres (R) after scoring Liverpool’s first goal Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Scott Heavey Livepic NO ONLINE/INTERNET USE WITHOUT A LICENCE FROM THE FOOTBALL DATA CO LTD. FOR LICENCE ENQUIRIES PLEASE TELEPHONE +44 (0) 207 864 9000.
Steven Gerrard was the top dog when the Spaniard arrived on Merseyside, but there was no in-fighting to become the star man at the club – they worked perfectly in tandem.
Gerrard assisted the striker’s first goal for the club, against Chelsea, and they would end up playing 117 times together. The England international assisted Torres 14 times, whilst the former AC Milan forward returned the favour on 10 occasions – he has not linked up for more goals with any other player during his entire career.
Manchester United record
Football – Manchester United v Liverpool Barclays Premier League – Old Trafford – 09/10 – 21/3/10 Fernando Torres (C) scores Liverpool’s first goal Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Carl Recine Livepic NO ONLINE/INTERNET USE WITHOUT A LICENCE FROM THE FOOTBALL DATA CO LTD. FOR LICENCE ENQUIRIES PLEASE TELEPHONE +44 (0) 207 864 9000.
Torres did enjoy playing against Manchester United, Liverpool’s fiercest rivals.
He scored three goals and provided one assist in eight matches against the Old Trafford outfit for the Reds, but it was often his all-round play that was too much for the 20-time English champions to handle.
Nemanja Vidic is one of the best defenders in Premier League history, but he always struggled against Torres. He said of the Reds’ number nine: “Torres was a top player. At the time he was probably the best striker in the league. He scored a few goals against United”. High praise indeed.
Euro 2008
Football – Germany v Spain – UEFA EURO 2008 Final – Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna, Austria – 29/6/08 Spain’s Fernando Torres (L) celebrates with Andres Iniesta after scoring his teams first goal Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Tony O’Brien
Torres was brilliant for Liverpool, but he was pretty special for Spain, too. All in all, he scored 38 times in 110 caps, and arguably his greatest moment for La Roja came in the Euro 2008 final against Germany.
In a tight affair, he scored the only goal of the game as Spain triumphed 1-0, with the victory setting them off on a period of domination that would see them win the next two major tournaments as well – that kind of performance only added to his reputation.
Injuries
Football – Liverpool v Blackpool Barclays Premier League – Anfield – 10/11 – 3/10/10 Liverpool’s Fernando Torres looks dejected as he is substituted after injury Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Paul Thomas Livepic NO ONLINE/INTERNET USE WITHOUT A LICENCE FROM THE FOOTBALL DATA CO LTD. FOR LICENCE ENQUIRIES PLEASE TELEPHONE +44 (0) 207 864 9000.
Here, Torres is seen leaving the field dejected after picking up an injury against Blackpool. Unfortunately for him, that was to become too common a theme. A recurring knee problem saw him miss 15 matches during the 2009/10 season, and a previous thigh issue didn’t help either.
He would never rediscover his top form at Anfield, or indeed ever again, even after joining Chelsea for £50m in January 2011. Still, 81 goals in 142 games for the Reds was a wonderful return, and he is no doubt one of the best to pull on the liver bird this millennium.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Marcus Rashford is the danger man for Manchester United against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night.
On the chalkboard
Spurs travel to Old Trafford in a huge game in the Premier League, as Jose Mourinho takes on his former employers for the first time.
And if they are to have any success, they will have to stop Rashford, who has been a shining light in an otherwise disappointing season for the Red Devils.
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United are currently 10th, level on points with Burnley, but the England international has scored seven Premier League goals in 14 appearances or one in every two.
Add into that the forward’s four assists and one gets a picture of a player who is affecting the game at the top end of the pitch.
Per WhoScored, Rashford averages three shots per game, as well as 1.4 key passes and 1.8 dribbles, while he is fouled 1.6 times per game. Perhaps surprisingly, he also makes 0.8 tackles per game while averaging a pass success rate of 76.7%.
A looming threat
Mourinho will have to find a way to stop the 22-year-old if Spurs are to take all three points.
Per those fixtures where Transfermarkt has recorded his position, Rashford has played nine times as a left winger this season and nine times as a centre-forward; he has played as the former in the last five Premier League outings.
If that remains the case, it will come down to Serge Aurier to stop him.
The Spurs right-back has been in good form under Mourinho, laying on two assists and scoring once in his first three games, but that has been as a more attack-minded presence.
He will have to keep his discipline – he was sent off against Southampton earlier this season and conceded a penalty against Liverpool – and hold his position to avoid Rashford exploiting the space in behind and creating chances for both himself and his team-mates.
It is a big job, but the defender simply has to do it.
Meanwhile, one Spurs midfielder has another huge task on his hands against United.
Allan Saint-Maximin has wasted little time in becoming a fan favourite on Tyneside through his antics on and off the pitch.He has matched his great skill and excitement at taking on defenders with digs at Sunderland fans, and now an appearance on BBC Radio Newcastle which has got fans buzzing once again.A particular highlight for some fans was the winger saying an expletive, for which he later apologised, and that comment drew an excitable reaction from some supporters.[ad_pod ]One fan suggested that he is quickly becoming one of their favourite ever Newcastle players, and if he continues to act like a maverick in all aspects of his life he could perhaps one day be a cult figure.He has achieved such a great rapport with fans despite not even scoring and only making one assist, so when he does get firing the level of support for him could be gigantic.Either way, he seems to be settled and enjoying life in the north-east and fans are certainly glad he has arrived, as their several reactions highlight.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
QPR welcome Brentford to the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium on Monday evening, where Mark Warburton will presumably be looking to get one over on his former employers.
The Bees have had an average start to the 2019/20 Championship campaign, currently sitting 12th on 18 points with five wins from their 13 games.
In QPR’s case, the Londoners are performing above expectations and currently find themselves in the playoff places before the weekend’s action kicks off – they are just three points off league leaders West Brom at the time of writing.
If Warburton is hoping to get a result against his former side, then there are two Brentford players who could prove to be a thorn in the 57-year-old’s side…
Said Benrahma
The Algerian attacker is an exceptionally gifted player who has been a lively presence in the Championship this season.
Benrahma hit an impressive ten goals and recorded 14 assists in the 2018/19 season, and has proven to be a useful outlet in the current campaign with one goal and two assists in 11 appearances.
The 24-year-old averages an impressive three shots per game, 3.1 dribbles per game and 2.5 key passes per game – he has also won the WhoScored Man of the Match award in his last two league games, against Millwall and Swansea.
Ollie Watkins
The 23-year-old has started this season on fire.
After scoring ten league goals in the entirety of last term, Watkins has already hit eight in just 13 appearances this season.
Brentford’s No.11 also averages three shots per game, while registering 1.5 key passes per game.
Additionally, Watkins is fouled by the opposition 1.2 times per game in the Championship, and he really has been a lively attacking presence in the centre-forward role so far this season.
It is no wonder that clubs like Crystal Palace are interested in the striker, and Warburton has a job on his hands to contain two of his former side’s most dangerous players.
Leeds United returned to the top of the Championship table on Saturday afternoon after they defeated Queens Park Rangers at Elland Road.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side put in a tireless showing with Tyler Roberts and Jack Harrison grabbing both goals to secure all three points.
The Manchester City loanee was first a provider as he fed the 20-year-old with the perfect ball to slot past the visiting goalkeeper and then he got on the scoresheet himself eight minutes from time.
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Harrison pounced on a defensive mistake before slamming home the second.
The 22-year-old attacking midfielder played the game at left wing-back and has often been a marmite figure in west Yorkshire despite now providing four assists in five matches, per WhoScored.
Although that attitude may be starting to change as several of the Whites faithful have been talking up his performance following Saturday’s victory.
One supporter claimed Harrison was better than Lionel Messi while another labelled him an ‘assist king.’
Others described his showing as a ‘masterclass’ and ‘excellent’ with a further member of the Elland Road crowd believing he is starting to prove his worth to the team.