All posts by n8rngtd.top

Leeds United put in an impressive performance, keeping their first clean sheet since returning to the Premier League, as they went on to beat Sheffield United 1-0.

Patrick Bamford and Jack Harrison will understandably take a lot of the plaudits, due to their respective involvements in the only goal of the game.

However, plenty of other players are deserving of praise for their individual contributions to the cause and Luke Ayling is certainly one of those.

Is it Haaland Snr or David Hopkins? Your Leeds knowledge will be put to the test with this quiz…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

He epitomised what Marcelo Bielsa demands his players bring to the team, as he was relentless, played with conviction and showed the quality in his game.

The mix of these qualities can be seen in the 29-year-old’s defensive statistics from the match, as he completed all four of his attempted tackles, while also making two clearances – Enda Stevens was the only player on the pitch to make more tackles.

He also battled for the ball well in the air, winning two of the three aerial duels that he competed in throughout the 90 minutes.

The right-back also showed attacking intent, completing all of the four dribbles he attempted, which is more than any other player on the pitch managed.

In addition, he completed 75% of his passes, one of which was a key pass, and also got two shots off.

It was an all-action performance from the Leeds man, who has shown, alongside his teammates, that he can take the step up from Championship level, translating Bielsa’s philosophy in a higher division.

Ayling’s overall performance, as well as those from various others in the team, is likely to leave the Argentinian feeling very satisfied.

According to The Telegraph, Brentford are demanding around £28m for rumoured West Ham target Ollie Watkins.

What’s the word?

Reports in recent weeks have claimed that the Hammers remain interested in the striker, but it appears they are set to face significant competition for his signature.

Best of the Decade: Top scorers & creators – Can you name them?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

Aside from revealing how much it could potentially cost for any side to sign Watkins in this transfer window, The Telegraph also claims that talks between Aston Villa and Brentford are ongoing as they look to thrash out a deal.

Unless West Ham act swiftly, the 24-year-old could be plying his trade at Villa Park instead of the London Stadium next season.

Make or break for David Moyes

After the truly stellar season Watkins enjoyed with Brentford in the Championship, it’s no surprise to see a number of Premier League sides look to secure his services.

He racked up an impressive 26 goals in 50 games, with former Hammers ace Trevor Sinclair raving about him after a goal-scoring display in a 1-0 win over Preston.

With The Telegraph claiming that Villa are in negotiations with Brentford over Watkins, it’s really make-or-break time for David Moyes on whether the Hammers can lure him to the London Stadium.

After the struggles Sebastien Haller endured in his debut season in English football, West Ham could desperately do with a finisher who can handle the pace and intensity – boxes that Watkins ticks.

If the Hammers are genuinely interested in signing the 24-year-old, then it’s time for GSB to put their money where their mouth is, or risk seeing him come back to haunt them next season.

Scottish publication The Courier have claimed that Coventry City boss Mark Robins sent a scout to cast an eye over Dundee United striker Lawrence Shankland.

Sky Blues boss Robins followed up his excellent promotion and title winning League One season last term with a number of significant arrivals at the club.

A whole host of new faces came into the Warwickshire based club including the likes of Gustavo Hamer, Ben Sheaf and Callum O’Hare.

Starting the Championship season, the Sky Blues lost their opening fixture against Bristol City but an excellent result at the weekend saw Robins’ side beat Queens Park Rangers.

Following that victory, Robins has now been linked with a potential 10th summer signing in the form of Shankland.

The report claims that a Coventry scout attended Dundee United’s 2-1 win over St Mirren, a game which saw the striker score an impressive volley.

Valued at £585,000 by Transfermarkt, the 25-year-old Glasgow born striker has netted 129 goals during his career in which he has made 256 appearances.

This could prove to be a superb signing for Coventry and one that would add some consistently proven firepower to Mark Robins’ squad.

Shankland’s record in Scottish football is impressive to say the least, last season alone he netted 24 goals in just 26 Championship appearances for Dundee United.

Whilst he may need time to adjust to the life in England, a striker with such a pedigree would still be well worth a gamble.

Do you think Shankland would make a good signing for Coventry City this summer? Let us know in the comments section below…

Despite his good showing against both the likes of Manchester City and even against Chelsea in the FA Cup victory, a new report from The Sun claims Arsenal have put Ainsley Maitland-Niles on the transfer list. And if that wasn’t shocking enough, they go on to state the 22-year-old could indeed stay in London and move to Tottenham Hotspur instead as Jose Mourinho’s men have shown some interest in the youngster.

Needless to say, this is quite the claim from the papers but the Gunners are in dire need of raising some funds and that could well include selling their talent to the highest bidder. In fact, The Sun state they are hoping to get around £30m for the England U21 star but may also have to settle for £20m due to the outside circumstances and the financial struggles of most teams out there.

And since Mourinho is planning a rebuild of his own in the ongoing summer transfer window, Maitland-Niles could be a welcoming addition to the team. Of course, Spurs are not nearly the only ones registering their interest as the same outlet mentions ‘every Premier League club in London except Chelsea’ might go in for the 22-year-old.

Mikel Arteta, on the other hand, likes him a lot and if Arsenal were not in this financial hole, in all likelihood he would’ve liked to keep him. But this sale is more of a necessity than anything else. At least if the Gunners want to go shopping themselves.

Verdict

Buying a player from your city rivals is always a slightly controversial thing, especially when you’re trying to snatch away their talented academy product. But Mourinho’s interest in Maitland-Niles is not that surprising.

The 22-year-old is quite versatile and despite not getting a big chance throughout 2019/20, he can still perform on a high level across multiple positions both in midfield and in the backline. This kind of adaptability and potential is something Spurs could definitely use in their squad.

Key information about East End Park

The new East End Park was built in 1920 and is now the home of Dunfermline Athletic FC. The stadium is located on the edge of the Garvock residential area to the east of the town centre, and has four stands surrounding it.

Its maximum capacity stands at 11,480 with a pitch that measures 105m by 64m. The surface is covered with natural grass with undersoil heating installed and has no running track around it.

The record attendance was set during a Dunfermline Athletic home clash when a crowd of 27,816 people watched their game against Celtic on 30 April 1968.

A history of East End Park

Dunfermline Athletic have been using East End Park ever since the club was formed back in 1885 but in 1920, the Board of Directors purchased some land from the North British Railway company, essentially laying out the current location of the stadium. It was then that the ground was moved ever so slightly from a position that was more to the west of the city.

The construction started immediately after and the club soon added a wooden stand with a low roof and a pavilion, following it up with terraces which would increase the capacity to 16,000 when the club was promoted to the First Division in 1926.

However, the early 1930s brought more problems as Dunfermline struggled to make ends meet on the financial side of things, forcing the club to host greyhound racing in order to gather more funds. It helped them stay afloat but it also meant that they would have the dog track cut across the corners of the pitch for a while.

In 1934, and following another promotion, a roof was built over the northern terrace and a year after that, the eastern one was also improved. The renovations were put on hold during World War II and it was not until 1951 that crush barriers were installed. Still, a great period of improvement commenced between 1957 and 1970 that coincided with the club’s several qualifications for European competitions.

In 1962 they constructed a two-tier Main Stand and soon after further improved their terracing. It wouldn’t be long until Dunfermline also recorded their highest attendance when Celtic came to visit in 1968, attracting a crowd of 27,816. Needless to say, with so many people there for a huge clash, chaos ensued as they scaled the stand roof and floodlight pylons to gain access to the ground. One person even died from the fall.

In the late 1990s, East End Park was finally converted into an all-seater, setting the capacity at 12,509 but that figure would further shrink to settle at 11,480. In 2003, the club decided to cover the pitch with artificial turf but has since reverted back to grass two years after that after continuous reservations from both coaches and players.

Dunfermline have also added executive boxes along the South Stand, replacing the lower deck seats in the process as well and there haven’t really been that many changes to the stadium in recent years. In 2011, the North Stand was closed for a while due to financial reasons but the club announced it would restore its function only a year after that.

Tickets to watch Dunfermline Athletic at East End Park

All tickets to watch Dunfermline Athletic play at East End Park can be found on the club’s official website. The most expensive admission price for adults is £22 if you choose the South Stand but the price varies for different age groups as well as the location you choose.

The club also offers a season ticket scheme and more information can be found on the aforementioned website.

Related links

https://www.dafc.co.uk/ – Official website of Dunfermline Athletic

https://www.dafctickets.co.uk/ – Dunfermline Athletic Ticket Office

Ipswich Town have joined Sunderland in the race to sign recently-released Everton left-back Luke Garbutt, according to The Northern Echo.

Despite making a number of summer signings already, bringing in Bailey Wright and Aiden O’Brien, and agreeing a new contract with Tom Flanagan, Black Cats manager Phil Parkinson knows that he may still need further additions to his squad if they are to earn promotion to the Championship in 2020/21.

To that effect, the Sunderland boss has shown interest in former Everton man Garbutt, although it is now being reported that League One rivals Ipswich are also keen on the 27-year-old.

The report claimed that Ipswich see themselves as favourites to sign the defender after having him on loan last season.

The Tractor Boys are also claimed to have held talks in an attempt to sign him permanently, whilst Sunderland officials are said to have issued a formal contract offer, as per The Northern Echo.

Garbutt is expected to resolve his future in the coming days as the majority of Football League sides have already returned to pre-season. The new League One campaign is due to begin on the weekend of September 12.

Judging by The Northern Echo’s report, Ipswich seem to be in pole position for Garbutt, who could be inclined to go back to a club with which he is already familiar.

However, Sunderland came closer to the play-off places than the Suffolk outfit last season, so if they can make a convincing case to the defender, it could open up an exciting transfer tussle between the two clubs.

Do you think Garbutt would be a good signing for Sunderland? Let us know in the comments section below…

The Daily Record has suggested that Glasgow Rangers and Steven Gerrard should look at bringing in Stewart Downing this summer.

The 35-year-old currently plays for Blackburn, and his contract is set to run out at the end of this current campaign. Downing is actually a former teammate of Gerrard’s, with him playing with the Gers boss following his £20m move to Anfield in 2011.

Now, as a free agent this summer, he could be available for a move to Ibrox, and there is no doubt that he would add a potentially massive edge to Gerrard’s squad. There are few players who are as experienced in English football as the 35-time England international – he has made 408 appearances in the Premier League and 171 in the second tier as well during a career that has taken him from his home town of Middlesbrough to Sunderland, the Reds, Aston Villa, the Rovers and West Ham United.

He has been a creative force no matter where he has been, regularly averaging over 1.5 key passes per match, and he has regularly contributed with a number of goals and assists.

At his age, and with the likes of Ryan Kent for Gerrard to choose from, it is unlikely Downing would be a guaranteed starter, but his experience could be a huge boost to the Gers’ chances of winning a first major trophy since 2011. It may be a deal worth looking at for the 54-time Scottish champions.

Let us know what you think below!

Newcastle United’s takeover is still not complete, but as ever, it nears completion.

And it appears as if former Magpies boss Rafa Benitez has caught wind of the situation and is said to be interested in an emotional return to St James’ Park.

The Telegraph claim that the Spaniard, who is now in charge of Chinese Super League outfit Dalian Yifang, is keen on returning to the northeast side under new Saudi Arabian-backed ownership and already has an idea of the sort of players he could sign.

Premier League duo Ross Barkley and John Stones are two signings mentioned as United will have a new wealth of riches at their disposal.

Chelsea’s Barkley is valued at just £19.35m by Transfermarkt and has featured just 20 times this campaign, providing three goals and four assists.

The single toughest football logo quiz of all time…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

Whilst Man City’s Stones is worth approximately £32.4m and has also been restricted in his game time, playing in just 12 Premier League games this term.

The Telegraph also state that Steve Bruce is likely to be given a chance to stay on as Newcastle boss, so Benitez may need to be patient if he truly wants to swap China for a return to Tyneside.

WHILE in other news, Lee Ryder delivers promising verdict on Mike Ashley at Newcastle…

Liverpool have reportedly opened up negotiations with a new forward, but sorry to disappoint, it’s not Timo Werner.

According to Le 10 Sport, the Reds are laying the foundations to clinch Lille striker Victor Osimhen this summer with talks beginning with his representatives over a potential switch to the Premier League.

The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

The Ligue 1 outfit’s president, Gerard Lopez, has even confirmed that he’s already received offers for the 21-year-old with Manchester United and Chelsea reportedly also keen.

Osimhen has been in fine form this campaign, finding the net no fewer than 18 times in 38 appearances, including strikes in the Champions League with one coming against Chelsea.

The Nigerian, however, has split opinion amongst the Anfield faithful as many seem to have their sights set on RB Leipzig’s talisman instead.

He could cost the Merseyside club between €70m (£61m) and €80m (£70m) whilst currently Transfermarkt value him at £24.3m.

And they’ve been letting their feelings known on Twitter, replying to LFC Transfer Room with their thoughts.

Here’s what has been said so far…

AND in other news, Liverpool fans react to Timo Werner transfer update…

Celtic youngster Tsoanelo Letsosa is attracting interest from all over Europe, leaving the club in a battle to keep him, according to Football Insider.

Letsosa is one of a number of young talents currently turning heads at Celtic Park, with Karamoko Dembele also on the books at the club.

He was one of the key players for the Scotland under-16 team in the Victory Shield as they eventually ran out joint winners. On the day in the final, Letsosa was named man of the match.

Football Insider reports that scouts from over 60 clubs attending the event were impressed by his ability and potential.

Letsosa joined Celtic in 2017 and has risen through the age ranks, but he is yet to make a senior appearance.

The report states that some of the elite clubs from across Europe, including in the Premier League, are now looking to sign Celtic’s latest prospect.

The Scottish champions will be looking to keep hold of their top talent as they prepare to battle Rangers for domination over the coming years.

Steven Gerrard has brought Celtic’s great rivals back into contention; they’re now only trailing them in the title race on goal difference.

With big Premier League clubs said to be sniffing around, it would surely not be a surprise to see Letsosa leave Scotland for England.

After all, this would not be the first time a top Premier League outfit managed to lure one of the most promising talents in Scotland to England.

Back in May 2017, Chelsea managed to snatch Billy Gilmour away from Rangers in a £500,000 deal. Based on the above, it seems Letsosa could be next.

Celtic fans, can the club keep hold of Letsosa? Tell us what you think in the comment section below!