All posts by z3u9t.icu

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.

Key information about St James Park

St James Park was built in 1904 and now houses the League Two outfit Exeter City. The ground is located by the St James Park railway station which has been adopted by the club and continues to help in its upkeep.

Its current capacity stands at 8,830 and it has a pitch that measures 104m by 64m. The surface is covered with grass but has no undersoil heating and no running track surrounding the field.

The record attendance at St James Park was set in 1931 for an FA Cup Sixth Round Replay when Exeter lost 4-2 to Sunderland in front of 20,984 supporters.

A history of St James Park

St James Park, not to be confused with Newcastle United’s home that goes by the same name, was built in 1904 but its history goes all the way back to the 17th century and well before Exeter City first settled into it.

Back in the years gone by, it was owned by Lady Anne Clifford who rented the land for fattening pigs of all things. This was reportedly done so that the money made could be put towards the apprenticeship of a child from the nearby parish of St. Stephen, a deal that was supposed to be renewed ‘yearly to the world’s end’.

And then, in 1904, almost 250 years after that, Exeter City moved in after merging with St. Sidwell’s United, leasing the ground with a deal that stated ‘no menageries, shows, circuses or steam roundabouts’ were allowed there. The pigs were finally gone and football could be played there but not all of the issues were immediately resolved.

At first, the length of the pitch was not right and some teams even refused to play there because of it. This was then resolved in 1920 when the club bought the land to the east of the stadium and subsequently extended the field.

Following some successful sales and a boost in finances, Exeter City bought the site in 1921 and finally started redeveloping it. A roof was added to the Cowshed stand and in 1926 they also rebuilt the Grandstand that was destroyed by fire the previous year. However, problems returned in the early 1990s with more financial difficulties.

St James Park was then sold to Beazer Homes only to later be purchased by Exeter City Council who would then lease it back to the club. With that move, the financial situation improved and developments could continue with the erection of the Big Bank stand in 2000 and the conversion of Cowshed stand into an all-seater.

But more nightmares ensued with the club going into administration following the arrest of chairman, his wife and the vice-chairman in the 2002/03 campaign, leaving the handling of the club to the Supporters Trust. But they weathered that particular storm too and in 2016, the plans for a redevelopment of the Old Grandstand were outlined, and that was the final refurbishment project to take place at St James Park.

Tickets to watch Exeter City at St James Park

All tickets to watch Exeter City play at St James Park can be found on the club’s official website. The price will vary depending on the stand chosen but adult tickets can be purchased for a sum between £17 and £23 if you buy it in advance.

Exeter City also offer a season ticket scheme and more information can be found on the aforementioned website.

Related links

https://www.exetercityfc.co.uk/ – Official website of Exeter City

Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley is set to break his silence on the failed £300m takeover bid by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian (KSA) group, according to the Daily Star.

As per the outlet, the chief executive of Sports Direct is expected to tell his critics that he is not to blame for the collapse of the prospective deal between himself and the Saudi-led consortium.

Ashley is also believed to be critical of the Bellagraph Nova (BN) Group and Henry Mauriss, who have both been reported with interest in buying the Magpies, and is expected to label them both as “time-wasters” in a forthcoming statement in what are some rather harsh words on the two other bidders.

Indeed, the Singaporean BN Group are reportedly trying to discuss the terms of their £280m offer, which is less than what the Saudis offered in their attempts to buy out Ashley.

American businessman Mauriss is also thought to be interested in buying the club, but that deal reportedly looks more and more unlikely as Ashley grows increasingly frustrated that Mauriss has not yet put a serious offer on the table for him to consider.

Nevertheless, it looks as if the current owner at St James’ Park is set to address the failed takeover bid from the Saudi Arabian group, which may answer more questions as to why exactly the deal between him and the buying side collapsed.

However, it seems as if Ashley will rule out the possibility of the BN Group or indeed Mauriss taking over in the northeast, leaving any potential takeover of Newcastle in the hands of the KSA consortium.

Geordies, can you see the takeover happening? Comment below with your views!

After missing out on signing him in the January transfer window, it looks as though Manchester United may have another chance to sign Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek again.

Reports earlier this year had suggested that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had identified the Netherlands international as a transfer target, but the 23-year-old would then later insist that he would remain at Ajax until at least the end of the season.

Can you name every one of United’s top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…

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

Now, according to Dutch publication De Telegraaf, United have stepped up their interest in Van de Beek once again, and are now keen on jumping ahead of Spanish giants Real Madrid in the race to sign him this summer.

After hearing about the update on their move for the Ajax star, fans of the Manchester side flooded to Twitter to share their reactions.

A few United fans raved about how well Van de Beek could fit into the starting line-up at Old Trafford, with one supporter even insisting that if you threw him alongside the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba, Solskjaer’s side could have the best midfield trio in the whole of Europe.

One United supporter declared the Dutchman as the “perfect” replacement for Jesse Lingard this summer – the England international of course has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford after another disappointing campaign that has seen him net just twice in 35 total games.

One of the heroes of Ajax’s famous run to the Champions League semi-finals last season – he netted three times and provided two assists in the competition – Van de Beek has been in similarly imperious form this time around.

A real goal-scoring midfielder, the Dutchman has bagged ten times in 37 games, not to mention the fact he has laid on a further 11 assists too. United would be getting a player who still has the peak years ahead of him, but has already built up considerable experience playing in the Champions League year-in and year-out.

Understandably, many United fans seem excited by the prospect of him joining this summer.

Queens Park Rangers have told Tottenham Hotspur not to waste their time unless they want to part ways with at least £20m for Eberechi Eze, according to reports.

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho is preparing for his first summer transfer window at the club and he will have his hands full getting to grips with the task at hand.

After picking up the pieces left by Mauricio Pochettino, the Portuguese has done a fine job clearing up the mess left by his predecessor, as Spurs sealed a place in the Europa League with a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on the final day of the season.

However, Mourinho will not be satisfied until his side reach the top four and will stop at nothing to win trophies. Qualifying for the Champions League must be their top priority next season but he needs to be backed by Daniel Levy this summer if he is to fulfil that mission.

It is no secret that Spurs struggled to score during Harry Kane’s lengthy absence and Mourinho must make serious adjustments in the transfer market if they are to challenge for a top four place again.

They have arguably failed to replace Christian Eriksen ever since he left for Inter Milan, although Mourinho has utilised Giovani Lo Celso and Harry Winks together to form part of the supply chain, but he is still desperate to sign a new playmaker to improve his squad.

The Lilywhites have been linked with Eze for a number of months, who has scored 14 goals and supplied eight assists in the Championship this season (via WhoScored).

According to The Sun, QPR have made it clear that he will not be sold in the summer unless clubs meet the Hoops’ £20m valuation. The 22-year-old has emerged as one of the EFL’s hottest prospects after impressing for Mark Warburton’s side so far in his time in west London.

While Levy has insisted that he will not be spending “rivers of money” in the transfer window, Tottenham’s asking price should still fall within Mourinho’s tight budget, as the chairman splashed the cash to sign Tanguy Ndombele last year.

Eze has previously admitted that he wants to “play at the highest level”, which should give Spurs the edge over their closest rivals, as they would be able to offer European football. With so many suitors circling this summer, it is arguably now or never if Mourinho wants to get his man.

Tottenham fans, do you think Levy should sign Eze this summer? Let us know your views by commenting below!

West Ham United have indicated their interest in Lazio attacker Joaquin Correa in recent days, according to Calciomercato.

What did the report say?

Correa has had an impressive season with Lazio, scoring seven goals in 22 Serie A starts and helping his side to challenge Juventus for the title.

Lazio are currently one-point adrift of the Turin giants and with 12 matches to play, Correa is likely to play an important role in the run-in.

However, it appears that his strong form has attracted interest from the Hammers, who appear to be looking to bolster their attack this summer.

According to Calciomercato, the East London club have stepped up their interest “in recent days”, although the report adds that the Rome outfit are determined to keep the 25-year-old Argentine at the club.

Correa’s current deal is set to run until the summer of 2024, which means it will likely cost the Hammers a decent sum to secure his signature.

Hammers fanatic? Test your knowledge in this squad numbers quiz

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

Ambition

West Ham have clearly set out their ambitions by signaling their interest in Correa, but given the strength of Lazio and his importance to the side, it is hard to see him swapping Rome for London this summer unless the Hammers put an offer on the table that is too good to turn down.

David Moyes’ side certainly need additions if they are to avoid another battle against relegation next season, but Correa may be slightly out of their reach.

Tottenham Hotspur have their sights set on young English talent Eberechi Eze this summer after Football.London reporter Alasdair Gold confirmed their interest in a recent Q&A over the weekend.

Back in March, The Sun claimed that Spurs were front-runners to land the QPR star after their top scout Brian Carey witnessed the player in action, and this has seemingly been backed up by Gold, who suggests the north Londoners have looked at the 21-year-old all campaign.

They also state that it could cost Daniel Levy around £20m.

Here’s what Gold said:

“[Is Eze from QPR someone we are looking at?] Yes, he is. He’s a very talented player and Tottenham have scouted him during the season.

They also have a really good relationship with QPR and that will help with any potential negotiations. On top of that he’s a Base client and Spurs have good links with that agency.

“The main hurdles for me are that Tottenham are packed with attacking midfield options right now and there will be competition for Eze.

“The 21-year-old will want to continue playing regular first-team football and it might be that Spurs would have to pay the money and then loan him straight out.

“Would that be something they could afford to do this year with all of the financial issues surrounding football and the huge gate receipt losses taken even with the season resuming.

“Spurs have to decide whether, like Steven Bergwijn, he’s too good a young player to pass up on or whether this year it’s just not doable.”

Eze has been QPR’s standout player this season having found the net 12 times whilst also providing eight assists, via Transfermarkt.

His form has seen him pick up two caps for the England U21 squad.

The difficult conundrum would be finding a place for the versatile attacking midfielder given Jose Mourinho’s riches through the middle and out wide.

Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?

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

They must also ensure that he doesn’t become a Jack Clarke 2.0, who is actually on loan at the Rs.

Gold hints that they could sign him and the loan him back out to continue to get valuable game time, but there’s also another hurdle on whether or not they could actually afford him given the pandemic crisis.

AND in other news, Spurs fans hammer Daniel Levy over major stadium update…

Christian Eriksen is currently at a crossroads with Tottenham Hotspur.

The great Dane’s contract is due to expire next summer and with no signs of Spurs actually managing to convince him to sign a new one, the two parties separating is more than just a possibility in the not too distant future.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

This really goes hand in hand with the club’s current poor run of form, seeing how the Lilywhites are struggling to stay afloat in the Premier League and falling as deep as 14th place in the table.

But Eriksen is doing well with his national team as they have recently secured a spot in the upcoming European championship, and Tottenham Hotspur’s official account quickly shared that update on social media on Monday.

Needless to say, the fans did not really appreciate it as they were quick to slam Eriksen, either criticising him or simply saying they don’t care about him at all.

Some fans even pretended they don’t even know the player at this point anymore.

You can see some of their replies down in the tweets below:

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Everton are interested in signing AS Roma winger Cengiz Under this summer.

What’s the word?

The upcoming transfer window will be Carlo Ancelotti’s second in charge of the Toffees, following his appointment as Marco Silva’s permanent successor back in December.

And according to Italian publication TuttoMercatoWeb, the Merseyside outfit have set their sights on bringing Turkey international Under to Goodison Park.

Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?

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

The report claims Premier League rivals Tottenham are also interested in securing his signature, but that Everton are the “most motivated” in the race to sign him, especially as Ancelotti “liked him already at Napoli”.

Step up

Everton’s options on the right-hand side is certainly somewhat lacking in quality. Theo Walcott has played there 25 times this campaign, but has scored just one goal whilst only providing three assists.

Under could help solve that issue for Ancelotti. The Turkish ace is naturally left-footed and would offer a different dimension to the likes of Walcott and Bernard.

Despite not getting too many opportunities to impress with Roma this season, the 22-year-old still boasts an impressive average of 1.7 shots, 1.6 key passes and 1.9 dribbles per game in the Italian top-flight.

Considerably younger than Walcott (now 31), Under would fit in well with the likes of Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin who are both still developing and growing as players.

Unlike Under, Walcott has shown no real sign of bringing anything to the table when on the pitch, averaging just 1.3 shots, 0.6 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per game in the Premier League – all of those much lower than what the Turkish winger has managed.

It’s exactly why Marcel Brands should fend off Spurs’ interest to sign the £21.6m-rated ace. Turkey icon Emre Belozoglu once described the 5 foot 8 Under as a “talent that can reach the very top” – Everton could be the team to benefit the most from that.

Meanwhile, Everton face competition from Premier League rivals for this ace.

Manchester City have received a positive update on the injury incurred by Angelino in midweek.

The Spaniard was forced off during the 3-1 Carabao Cup win over Southampton, but The Sun reported that the injury is not as serious as first feared. They claimed that the 22-year-old was suffering from cramp, which was why he duly left the field.

The full-back impressed during the win, highlighting why Manchester City signed him back from PSV Eindhoven after a stellar season in the Eredivisie. As per WhoScored, he had more touches of the ball (133) than anyone else in the game and completed 88 of his 101 passes, as well as playing one key pass.

Pep Guardiola’s left-back position has been somewhat of a gaping hole since his arrival at the Etihad – with Benjamin Mendy suffering repeated injuries, the likes of Fabian Delph and Oleksandr Zinchenko have had to improvise in that position over the last couple of seasons.

In response, ahead of another close title-chase on the horizon, Guardiola triggered a buy-back clause which allowed City to re-sign Angelino from PSV for a reduced £5.3m sum.

Angelino originally departed the club in a bid to get more game-time, with the full-back’s main spells of action beforehand coming in the form of loan spells to various clubs throughout Europe, most recently with NAC Breda in 2018.

However, after an impressive season in the Eredivisie, Guardiola opted to re-sign his compatriot and slot him in as a back-up defensive option.

The Premier League champions have been plagued with a string of injury problems ahead of an imminent trip to Anfield, with Aymeric Laporte, Leroy Sane, Rodrigo and Zinchenko all on the treatment table.

With the news coming in that Angelino won’t be joining them, Guardiola can now debate whether the youngster plays the next couple of matches in a bid to rest Mendy for their trip to Liverpool.

Indeed, judging by City’s injury record in the left-back position, the fact it was just a cramp and not something more serious will likely come as a great relief to Guardiola.

Manchester City fans, how relieved are you that Angelino’s injury is not as serious as first feared? Comment below with your views!