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Glasgow Rangers have started this current campaign in fantastic form.

Despite being 18 games into the new term, the Ibrox outfit remain unbeaten in all competitions. Their performances have seen them open up a nine-point lead at the top of the Premiership, whilst Steven Gerrard’s side also lead the way along with Benfica at the top of their Europa League group.

This season is one like no other, though. It is going on in the midst of a pandemic, with the country currently on lockdown. Of course, the coronavirus was an issue last term, with the Scottish season being curtailed early after it was deemed unsafe to continue.

To avoid such a situation happening again, and thus the confusion that followed, the SPFL sent a number of questions to the 42 clubs in Scotland’s top-four tiers asking their thoughts on a number of corona-related issues. They have now released the responses via a statement, and it seems that just 20 clubs have backed the proposal to give the governing body the power to end the season without needing to put it to a vote.

This has attracted the attention of the Gers supporters, and they have slammed the authority – they have had problems with them in the past. They took to Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the Rangers fans had to say below

In other news, Rangers fans are delighted with this latest commercial partnership.

Manchester United will change their transfer strategy if they can’t sign Jadon Sancho this summer.

According to Duncan Castles, quoted by @ManUnitedZone_, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side will turn their attention to signing a new left-back instead.

Sancho remains United’s top target but the Red Devils are having difficulties dealing with Borussia Dortmund’s demands.

If they can’t get what they want, Castles claims Solskjaer will look to strengthen the defence.

Speaking to The Transfer Window podcast, the transfer expert revealed Man United are interested in Monaco left-back Fodé Ballo-Touré.

It is understood that the Red Devils want to sign a full-back who will be backup for Luke Shaw. Brandon Williams will then be moved to cover for Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the right flank.

The 23-year-old played 21 games in Ligue 1 last term, making 1.7 tackles per game, averaging 1.1 interceptions, and completing 1.7 clearances on average, although he failed to register a single goal or assist via WhoScored.

Despite his best efforts, the Frenchman received a lower WhoScored rating than both Shaw and Williams.

A strong dribbler, he still needs to work on his passing ability and levels of concentration before he can be taken seriously.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, loads of United fans slammed “another Mendy” on social media in reference to Manchester City’s Benjamin Mendy, who also came from Ligue 1 but has been criticised for his own lapses in concentration, a trait he seemingly shares with Ballo-Toure.

Meanwhile another added “respect Ethan Laird,” – the academy graduate has impressed with the reserves this season but could find his chances limited if the club sign Ballo-Toure as well.

Scroll through some of the scathing reactions so far…

United fans, do you think Ed Woodward will sign Ballo-Toure this summer? Let us know down below!

It seems that West Ham United are still going strong for James Tarkowski. A defender is surely very high on David Moyes’ list of transfer priorities and Burnley’s ace seems to fit the bill.

However, in all likelihood, even if the Hammers somehow get this deal over the line, it won’t be a cheap operation, that much is certain. Recently, West Ham have bid around £27m to land their target but the Clarets want more.

And they want a lot of money. Following Nathan Ake’s switch from Bournemouth to Manchester City, the defenders’ price tags in general have suddenly skyrocketed. For that reason, Burnley want nearly double the initial offer.

But when everything is said and done, Tarkowski just might be worth that much. And for that reason, it’s quite surprising to Ally McCoist that his quality hasn’t attracted more suitors.

In fact, he could definitely do much better than West Ham. Here’s what he had to say about the whole transfer saga for TalkSPORT: “When you talk about £27m. That’s a great price because he’s a good player, he’s definitely a good player. You’re taking a chance on that all day.

“It would make sense to me [if he left], but I thought there would be more clubs interested, to tell you the truth. And if you’re sitting in his shoes, is it a good move for him going to West Ham at this moment in time? I’m not sure it is. Maybe he’s just hanging on to see what will happen.”

Verdict

It does feel like West Ham are being quite ambitious with this signing, simply because it may cost them a small fortune. With the current circumstances limiting their budget greatly, it does beg the question whether they even have the financial power to get this deal over the line.

And if so, it will undoubtedly deplete the warchest almost entirely, leaving nothing more for additional reinforcements.

Is that the right way to go?

Key Information about City Ground

Nottingham Forest have been residents of City Ground since 3 September 1898, and it is situated a few hundred yards from the Reds’ old stadium – Town Ground.

It was named in celebration of Nottingham’s newly-awarded city status in 1897, and the famous stadium currently holds a great capacity of just over 30,000 making it the seventh-largest stadium in the EFL Championship.

The all-seater stadium comprises four stands; The Main Stand (south), The Brian Clough Stand (north), The Bridgford Stand (east), and The Trent End (west).

A history of City Ground

Just £3,000 was needed to finance the move to City Ground, and two-thirds of it came from Nottingham Forest supporters themselves by purchasing “shares” for just £5 each. The ground was not owned by the football club when they had the chance in 1935, with it being offered from Nottingham Corporation for £7,000.

A terrible incident occurred in the summer of 1968 when the newly rebuilt Main Stand was destroyed by fire which broke out during a First Division match against Leeds United. Thankfully there were no casualties despite an attended crowd over 31,000. The fire started in the tunnel alongside the dressing rooms and it tore through the wooden construction of the stadium, destroying the club’s records, trophies and memorabilia in the process. After this event, the Reds were forced to play six home games at Meadow Lane; however, they failed to win there once.

The 10,000 capacity Brian Clough Stand was built in 1980 during the period of Forest’s iconic European and domestic success. The new stand featured 36 executive boxes and a large dining area with a plan to add a new dimension to the previous club hospitality arrangements. Twelve years later work began on the redevelopment of the Bridgford Stand to increase the capacity to 7,710.

The lower tier of this east stand was soon allocated to away supporters, and it can also accommodate 70 wheelchair supporters. Famously in 1996, City Ground was selected to be one of the European Championship venues, and the Trent End was notably rebuilt during the same year to hold 7,500 fans which took the grounds overall capacity to 30,445 which still stands today.

Recently, Nottingham Forest announced that an agreement was made with the City Council for an extended lease on the City Ground. This new lease means the club are now able to proceed with their plans to redevelop the stadium and surrounding areas. It is proposed that at the end of the current 2019-20 season, construction will begin on building a new modern state-of-the-art stadium to reach an increased capacity of 38,000 which would make City Ground the largest stadium in the East Midlands.

Tickets to Watch Nottingham Forest at City Ground

Adult season ticket prices start at just £365 which works out to be just over £15 per game. Seniors can purchase season tickets from £220, youths from £140 and children from just £35.

Related Links

https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/ – Official website of Nottingham Forest

https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/tickets/ Nottingham Forest Ticket Office

Many Everton fans have been slamming the confirmed transfer of Kieran Dowell to Norwich City for an undisclosed fee as it was posted on the official website of the Merseyside club.

Indeed, the 22-year old was a shining light in the EFL Championship in the 2019/20 season, spending two separate loan spells first at Derby County and then Wigan Athletic.

It was perhaps the latter where Dowell most made his mark, scoring a relatively impressive five goals and making a further two assists from midfield in 12 games in England’s second division, according to Transfermarkt.

One of his standout displays was netting a well-taken hat-trick in the 8-0 thumping of Hull City, after which several members of the Goodison Park faithful called for his return.

However, the Toffees have decided to let go of the Englishman permanently, which has not gone down well with some EFC supporters.

These Blues slammed the news of Dowell’s departure on Twitter:

Evertonians, would you have let Dowell go? Comment below!

After arriving from Sampdoria in the summer of 2018, Lucas Torreira enjoyed a relatively impressive debut campaign at Arsenal. The pint-sized midfielder featured an incredible 50 times for the Gunners, scoring two goals and providing a further five assists. But rather than what he could offer going forward, it was his defensive tenacity that gave the north London side something they had been missing.

Last season, as per Whoscored, Torreira averaged 1.9 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game, and showed flashes of the kind of defensive midfielder Arsenal needed. But his start to the current campaign saw former Gunners manager Unai Emery utilise him further forward, trying to get him to press from the front.

But on Monday night, interim head coach Freddie Ljungberg once again deployed him as one of the two deeper-lying midfielders, and the Uruguay international showed exactly what he can bring to the table. As per Sofascore, he managed a 7.3 match rating – the third-highest of any Gunners player. And when looking at the underlying numbers it is easy to see why. The £26m man won all five of his ground duels, completed all four of his attempted long balls, and made one interception and tackle too.

And just days after coming under criticism from sections of the Gunners support, Arsenal fans were quick to head to Twitter to praise their midfielder for his much-improved display.

Many Gunners fans were quick to hail Torreira’s passing and his use of the ball, and insisted that his passing into the likes of Mesut Ozil were the key to getting a victory against the Hammers.

Whilst Emery’s experiment with Torreira was understandable in the sense that he wanted someone who could win the ball back high up the pitch, it deflected from the fact the Uruguayan is a more natural holding midfielder. And he showed that with an imperious display against the Hammers on Monday night. If Ljungberg continues to employ him in that position, the north London side should get rich rewards from it.

Meanwhile, Arsenal fans have been raving about this star’s virtuoso display against West Ham.

Everton star Richarlison has opened up about the Twitter spat he had with Flamengo fans back in September.

Speaking to Esporte Espetacular (via Sport Witness), the Brazilian had a lot to say about the Blues fans and how much he appreciates their support.

“The affection of the fans is wonderful. I love it,” Richarlison laughed. “I keep singing at home the music they made too… It’s more or less like this: ‘He’s Brazilian, he only cost 50 million we think he’s brilliant, Richarlisonnnn.'”

The 23-year-old also spoke about the online argument in which he found himself involved with Flamengo fans on Twitter last year. The debate followed a statement from manager Jorge Jesus claiming his side would finish inside the top six if they were to play in the Premier League. Richarlison disagreed with his take and got into a disagreement with supporters.

“I respect it [Jesus’ opinion], but I don’t think so. Talking about top six is kind of heavy. But other than that it’s just a joke on the internet, chit chat with fans. Zero problems.”

The forward went on to say “Of course I’ll defend my team” if somebody was talking about them. He then weighed Flamengo up against Everton and stated: “I think Everton win.”

Richarlison’s latest comments, coupled with his tally of 12 goals for the season so far, ought to further endear him to the Goodison Park faithful.

What do you make of Richy’s comments, Blues fans? Join the conversation in the comments below…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Darren Bent has suggested that Manuel Pellegrini should play Felipe Anderson out wide, as reported by Football Insider.

What did he say?

The Brazilian was played in a central role as West Ham United went on to beat Chelsea 1-0, ending a run of eight games without a win in all competitions.

During his 71 minutes on the pitch, the 26-year-old made four tackles, two interceptions, while he didn’t manage any key passes or shots.

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Despite eventually winning the game, Bent suggested that Pellegrini needs to get Anderson back out wide, while speaking to Football Insider: “I like him playing on the wing. He can use his pace and skills to isolate a full-back when on the wing, whereas it’s more congested in the middle of the pitch so it’s hard to make an impact.

“Yet he did show glimpses against Chelsea, so you have to hope he can build on that.

“Anderson must be someone who frustrates fans more than most as they must be watching him thinking ‘we know what you’re capable of’ but he just hasn’t hit the same heights yet this season.”

Keep him out wide

It can be argued that Anderson’s creativity was nullified by playing in a more central role, as he was not as effective in this area, falling below his season average of 1.3 shots, 1.2 key passes and 2.2 dribbles per game.

Even though the Brazilian is still yet to score a goal this season, he has got three assists and this indicates that the wide areas give him more freedom to utilise his dribbling ability in a way that gets him in positions to make an impact in the final third.

The decision to move him back onto the left-wing would also arguably benefit his teammates, especially Pablo Fornals.

Aside from Nathan Holland, Anderson is the only natural left-winger at the club, so the Spaniard was forced to play out wide when he is more comfortable in a central role.

It could be worth Pellegrini switching Anderson and Fornals around for Wednesday night’s game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Speaking on Sky Sports, Jamie Redknapp has revealed he believes Manchester City are “starting to get over the edge”.

What did he say?

After pipping Liverpool to the Premier League title last season, City have produced a rather disappointing defence of their crown this year. Having seen the Reds win yet again away at Bournemouth earlier on Saturday, Pep Guardiola’s side knew they needed a major result against arch-rivals Manchester United at the Etihad.

Instead, the Citizens were blown away by a scintillating attacking performance from the Red Devils in the first-half, and Nicolas Otamendi’s late goal only proved to be a consolation.

And speaking after the game, Redknapp admitted that the Manchester side may just be reaching the end of their trophy-laden tenure, with injuries and age catching up with them.

He said (as quoted by The Daily Mail): “City can’t come back from 14 points. It’s impossible. At the start of the year they didn’t buy a centre-back when they lost Kompany. Then they had the injury to Laporte. Fernandinho then goes out of midfield. Rodri doesn’t sense danger like Fernandinho. Silva’s now coming to the end. They’re the best side I’ve seen in the Premier League but they’re just starting to get over the edge, whereas Liverpool haven’t had that disruption.”

Time to start afresh

The fact City won the Premier League title on back-to-back occasions looks an even more incredible achievement given how things are panning out this season. Teams are always looking to bridge that gap, and with that target always on your back, you know you can be set up for a mighty big fall. And unfortunately for Guardiola’s side, they are experiencing that now.

How well do you really know Raheem Sterling? This quiz will separate the best from the rest…

Liverpool’s frankly ridiculous start makes even a decent beginning like City’s look abysmal. By no means have they been terrible – they have won ten out of their opening 16 games after all. But it maybe reflects on how it could just be the perfect time to start afresh. Guardiola must be retained, that itself is for certain, but the playing staff is in need of a revamp. As Redknapp alludes too, age and injuries are beginning to take its toll, and next summer could be an opportune time to start from scratch so to speak.

Meanwhile, have a look as to how the stars may be aligning for this Manchester City ace to truly make his mark.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Looks like Brendan Rodgers is really starting to put his foot down when it comes to making this ‘his team’.

He looks set to go all out when it comes to bringing in those who thinks can improve squad, and it seems as though he may have convinced the board to dig deep into the bank account with a rather large transfer fee being quoted.

What’s the story?

According to reports in The Mirror (Print edition, 6/11/19, page 51), the Foxes are lining up a club record £45m bid for Real Sociedad’s 26-year-old defender Diego Llorente.

The club’s current record stands at £40m which they spent on Youri Tielemans this past summer (via The Guardian).

Llorente, whilst predominantly a central defender, can also play as a defensive midfielder, with the Sociedad website describing his versatility as ‘a real asset’, whilst also praising his positioning and strength in the air.

Watch Leicester City Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Looking for the future?

We’ve discussed before that Leicester are dangerously low when it comes to centre-backs right now, so whilst he may offer versatility, it’s more than likely that he is going to be played at centre-back should he make the move to the King Power Stadium.

Plus, when you consider the numbers that Wilfred Ndidi is putting up this year, it was always going to be a hard job to dislodge him from that spot.

A move like this, as mentioned earlier, would give Rodgers a real chance to put his identity on the team, and show the footballing world that he is doing this with ‘his players’ rather than with the ones he inherited like Jamie Vardy, the aforementioned Ndidi, Kasper Schmeichel and others.

It’s well known that Rodgers likes his team to have an emphasis on passing the ball and keeping possession, and someone like Llorente will give his side a boost in that area.

Current centre-back Jonny Evans’ pass completion percentage this season stands at 86.7%, whereas Llorente’s stands at 87.6%. So whilst they are almost identical, the Spaniard does have a five-year age advantage on his Northern Irish counterpart, so this move would see the Foxes being able to keep up this style of play for years to come.