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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…

West Brom defender Nathan Ferguson has come in for severe criticism this weekend after a rather shocking performance culminated in the 19-year-old being sent off.

Following the Baggies’ 2-2 draw with Charlton Athletic, Joseph Masi of the Express & Star handed the youngster a 4/10 while giving his showing a damning review.

What’s he said?

Albion remain top of the Championship despite drawing a second game in the space of just a week as Josh Cullen’s spot-kick in injury time clinched a point for the visitors.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The referee deemed that Semi Ajayi made enough contact to bring Naby Sarr down inside the area in the 94th minute much to the anger of Slaven Bilic and the whole of the Hawthorns.

Earlier in the match, the official did himself no favours by wrongly attempting to send off Grady Diangana for Ferguson’s rash challenge.

Masi of the Express & Star gave his thoughts on the academy graduate’s performance, he said:

“The teenager has enjoyed an outstanding start to the season. But he was way off his best here.

“After Ben Purrington whipped in a cross, he fell asleep allowing Chris Solly to volley over.

“Ferguson was also turned by Gallagher in the build-up to Johnstone’s double save.

“Deservedly given his marching orders for what was a poor challenge on Solly. 4″

Must do better

Ferguson was handed a harsh lesson on Saturday afternoon, but it is one he probably needed at this stage of his career.

Everything up until this point had been rather rosy, he had won two Man of the Match awards in front of the Sky Sports cameras and displayed his versatile ability to an outstanding level by playing at both right-back and left-back.

His performances have been so good this campaign that he’s been linked with moves to some European heavyweights like Atletico Madrid and Juventus, while Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace are two other teams rumoured.

Maybe it is a case of it all coming too quickly for the England U20 international as since these rumours have surfaced, he’s put in two successive performances that have been some way off his usual level as seen by WhoScored rating him no higher than 5.80.

Since being sacked from his position as manager in December of last year, Jose Mourinho has remained a divisive figure for those associated with Manchester United.

Some fans have admired his brutal honesty and even called for him to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently, the man who succeeded him upon his departure in December 2018.

But his bullish ways when talking about Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw while serving as Old Trafford boss have unlikely been forgotten – his treatment of the latter reportedly left the United players stunned, believing Mourinho was bullying the left-back.

The football was also fairly dire at times, too.

His exit left a bad taste around Old Trafford, and the many contrasting emotions surrounding the former Real Madrid, Inter and Chelsea boss presumably leave many wondering what the general consensus on the Portuguese boss actually is.

While it is by no means a concrete barometer of that, the image below shows that a portion of the Red Devils supporters, at least, still hold their club’s former manager in fond regard.

Mourinho was a pundit for Sky Sports at Sunday’s game between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, and a few United fans sat below the box were photographed waving and applauding the 56-year-old.

He duly returned their fond greeting by waving back, and while this doesn’t entertain any kind of narrative that the entirety of Old Trafford adores the man who was sacked last year, it does show that at least a handful of them still enjoy the sight of the divisive character.

From Mourinho’s perspective, if he still feels anything towards the Red Devils, he will have been presumably annoyed to see them throw away a 1-0 lead with just five minutes left on the clock against Liverpool, although at least he got a nice reception from the fans below him.

Arsenal supporters have their doubts about Unai Emery’s team selection ahead of their clash with Sheffield United on Monday night.The Gunners find themselves third in the Premier League table after only one defeat from eight matches. However, not everything is rosy at the club.

They currently have a goal difference of just +2, after conceding 11 goals so far, more than the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion and Burnley, while Mesut Ozil’s situation remains unclear. He has played just once in the league this term.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, thus, has been something of a saviour. His seven goals in eight Premier League games have helped the Gunners climb the table.

However, it appears that supporters are slowly starting to lose faith in the manager’s tactical approach to games.

A tweet from an Arsenal fan account has urged the Gunners not to be “overly negative” as they go into the game at Bramall Lane but the majority of respondents do not seem too hopeful.

One fan accused the manager of being a “stubborn coach” with a vision that fans don’t seem to understand.

Here you will find some of the best responses from Arsenal fans:

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Even though Real Madrid’s clash with Granada was a 4-2 win, it didn’t come without any costs.

Toni Kroos, their midfield general, had to be subbed off due to an injury, and while that is undoubtedly a huge loss for Los Blancos, they have someone who can shine in his absence.

On the chalkboard

Without exaggerating too much, Kroos has definitely been one of the few shining lights in Real Madrid’s squad.

Even when the squad was underperforming, the German was dropping masterclass performances left, right and centre. But now that he’s out injured, Zinedine Zidane will have to somehow replace his presence in the middle of the park.

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The return of Luka Modric to the squad is good news, of course, but one other young star seems to be rising in form and with Kroos out, the spotlight just might be his to take.

A bet on the future

Real Madrid Castilla, while not as popular as some other footballing academies on the planet, is still full of talent.

And one such talent is already playing in the senior squad under Zidane – Federico Valverde.

The 21-year-old Uruguayan has been given a much bigger role in the 2019/20 season than ever before. The game against Granada was actually his 30th game for the Galacticos overall and the assist he made was his first in his career as a senior player.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

Before that, in 2018/19, he only managed 650 minutes in 16 games in La Liga while now, after only five, he’s already on 262.

This does suggest there might be a bigger role for him to play in the ongoing campaign and Kroos’ injury might have opened the door completely.

Valverde was one of the best players on the pitch against Granada, too.

He tallied one assist, three shots, one key pass and 61 touches on the night. Not to mention that he also recorded three tackles and one clearance.

By all standards, it was a brilliant display and with enough continuity and trust from the manager, he can only get better.

An injury to a key player is never a good thing but it just might have a silver lining for Los Blancos in the form of Valverde.

Only time will tell.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Having signed Joelinton from Hoffenheim, Newcastle’s deadline day signing of Andy Carroll certainly raised a few eyebrows.

Yes, he had been a hero during his first spell on Tyneside, scoring 33 goals in 91 outings, but his miserable luck with injuries underlined his status as a major gamble; he missed 24 games in total in 2018/19. There is also the question of whether the Englishman can play second-fiddle to the club’s record signing.

But, after catching a brief glimpse of the pair playing together towards the end of the Premier League clash against Brighton last weekend, Steve Bruce may find it worthwhile to get the duo into the starting line-up at the same time.

The Premier League has often shied away from the old-school 4-4-2 combination in favour of a more continental, possession-based approach.

What Newcastle have on their hands, however, is a pair of centre-forwards who are unlike anything in the division. And that could be the secret to their success this season.

On the chalkboard

Both standing at over six feet tall, Joelinton and Carroll could provide a real throwback to the strike partnerships of yesteryear.

The latter’s bread and butter throughout his storied career has been throwing himself into battle with the opposition’s centre-backs, physically bullying them and dominating them in the air – look no further than the fact he has won 6.2 aerial duels per game as a career average.

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The man he could partner, Joelinton? Well, the Brazilian has won 4.2 aerial duels per game this season, and playing the two of them up top would give Newcastle a platform to build from. The Magpies aren’t blessed with an abundance of nimble, tricky players who want to engage in intricate passing.

What they do have, however, is some wide-men who have a real penchant for getting deliveries into the box.

The likes of Allan Saint-Maximin, Christian Atsu and Matt Ritchie could provide incredible service from the flanks – the latter two, in particular, have both averaged more than a cross per game this campaign. Atsu has 1.3 and Ritchie has 1.7. Saint-Maximin has played just 57 minutes but has yet to have his crossing statistics recorded by WhoScored.

So what could a potential line-up with both Joelinton and Carroll in it look like?

More than anything, having such a physically dominant duo up top would give opposition teams something else to think about.

Going more direct, winning headers and second-balls in and around the box would cause havoc, and it would give Bruce’s side a far greater attacking threat.

It may be old-school, but it could be exactly the new approach Newcastle need.

A number of West Ham supporters have laid into Said Benrahma’s first half performance in the Premier League clash against Everton.

The Hammers are back in league action this afternoon after the international break, making the trip to Goodison Park to take on the Toffees.

A win could see West Ham jump as high as fifth in the table, but Everton went into the game with a 100% home record in the Premier League so far this season.

It is an interesting match-up between two good teams, while the former Merseyside rivalry between David Moyes and Rafa Benitez arguably gives the game some extra spice.

One player who struggled in the first half was Benrahma, who failed with his final ball on several occasions, sending two crosses into the stands in quick succession during a frustrating afternoon for the Algerian.

West Ham fans react to Benrahma’s display

The winger was evidently guilty of being wasteful with his end product, his goals and assists drying up after an excellent start to the campaign, and these West Ham fans on Twitter reacted negatively to his performance.

“Benrahma has last season’s boots on”

Credit: @gbitj

“Benrahma needs to get subbed”

Credit: @JamieBotterill5

“Benrahma needs to calm down and compose himself before shooting”

Credit: @LFabianski1

“Positive start from the bois. Just need a bit more composure from Benrahma”

Credit: @OficialCLtweets

“Benrahma reminds me of Coutinho, his lack of strength and willingness to get stuck in ruins the flow of our game. However, his first touch is that good he can produce something from nothing”

Credit: @JsBahra

“Benrahma needs to change boots quicktime”

Credit: @MattyClark5

In other news, a journalist has made a key claim regarding a potential West Ham transfer target. Read more here.

It’s inevitable that not all transfers go well, but getting the majority of your new signings correct is a vital aspect of modern-day football. Everton Football Club have certainly found that out the hard way.

The days of teams being made up of a collection of homegrown talents are long gone and the need to appease fans and keep up with rivals via an influx of new, expensive arrivals every summer has become the norm.

Some sides have adapted to this change better than others in recent years, though, with the likes of Manchester City, Leicester and Brentford all achieving success at their respective levels largely due to solid recruitment.

However, not all clubs have been so astute in the transfer market. Everton have experienced new-found wealth under the ownership of Farhad Moshiri, although spending their fortune effectively has proved rather challenging.

The likes of Alex Iwobi, Moise Kean and Davy Klaassen have all arrived for substantial fees without ever coming close to repaying the Toffees’ outlay on the pitch. But one recent acquisitions time on Merseyside has been far more disappointing than all of the others.

In the summer of 2019, Jean-Philippe Gbamin arrived from Mainz 05 after Everton paid his £25m price tag.

After making 95 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit, Gbamin had cultivated a reputation for being an intelligent, mobile holding midfielder capable of dribbling, shooting from distance effectively and dictating play with his impressive range of passing.

Yet nobody could foresee the misfortune that would consume the 26-year-old’s career. In his first season on English shores, the engine room operator managed just 135 minutes of Premier League action before a series of injuries sidelined him for the remainder of the campaign.

An Achilles tendon issue followed on from a serious hamstring problem, and following his comeback in April, Gbamin was consigned to the treatment table once again after spending just 11 minutes on the pitch against Crystal Palace. All of that has led to the midfielder missing a whopping 619 days of football.

But things are finally starting to look up for the Ivory Coast international. He completed only his second full 90 minutes in an Everton shirt against Huddersfield Town in the EFL Cup in the opening weeks of the current campaign, providing hope that he can start to put a miserable chapter of his career behind him.

Nevertheless, Everton’s director of football undoubtedly had a transfer shocker over the £65,000-per-week flop. A return of four appearances in just over two years has seen Gbamin’s market value plummet to just £13.5m despite him entering his prime years.

Whether the African can resurrect his career at Goodison Park remains to be seen, although it’s unlikely he’ll ever reach the heights he appeared destined to prior to his arrival.

And, in other news…Everton increasingly likely to sign £187k-p/w gem, fans surely buzzing 

BBC pundit Micah Richards has criticised Junior Firpo after Leeds United’s disappointing defeat to West Ham on Saturday.

The Lowdown: Leeds suffer another setback

The Whites remain without a win in the Premier League this season following yesterday’s 2-1 home defeats against the Hammers.

Raphinha gave Leeds a first half lead at Elland Road, but Firpo’s own goal was compunded by a 90th-minute winner from Michail Antonio.

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The Latest: Richards criticises Firpo

It was a frustrating day at the office for Leeds and indeed Firpo, who saw the ball deflect heavily off him for the equaliser, and he didn’t cover himself in glory throughout the game.

Speaking on Match of the Day [via MOT Leeds News], Richards was disappointed by the left-back’s involvement in the goal, saying:

“Firpo will just come into your picture here. He’s playing left-back, he’s gone one-on-one, but he stays there. He leaves massive space, Phillips goes out and Bowen is by himself.

“Cooper doesn’t want to be isolated, but he tries to get in a position and they end up with an own goal – he’s not doing anything.”

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The Verdict: Must do better

It hasn’t been the most convincing start to life in a Leeds shirt for Firpo following his summer move from Barcelona and he must learn from such lapses in concentration.

The defender has made five league appearances already but he hasn’t always looked strong defensively and he lost possession 10 times against West Ham, also giving away three fouls. As per WhoScored, he is the lowest-ranked performer in Marcelo Bielsa’s squad this season, with an average match rating of just 6.09.

It is still early days and new signings can take time to settle in England, though, so patience is required from supporters. However, the Spaniard cannot afford too many more errors like the one against West Ham.

In other news, some Leeds fans were critical of another player against West Ham. Read more here.

Newcastle United are now reportedly keeping a close eye on John Swift ahead of a potential move in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Swift on fire

Swift has been nothing short of on fire for Reading so far this season, with seven goals and three assists in seven games in total in the EFL Championship (Transfermarkt).

With the summer window closed, the midfield player will now likely gain a lot of interest in January.

The Latest: Newcastle keeping tabs

As per Football League World, the St. James’ Park faithful are one of a number of teams who are now keeping a close eye on Swift ahead of a possible move.

Aston Villa, Brentford and Sheffield United are also said to be interested in his signature, as he has now entered the final year of his contract with the Royals.

The Verdict: Sign

By averaging more than a goal or assist a game at the moment, Swift is clearly showing that he can make the step up from the Championship up to the Premier League.

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The £25,000-per-week ace is also winning no fewer than 4.7 of his duels per game in England’s second division, and averaging 3.1 key passes, two shots and 1.3 successful dribbles per match (Sofascore).

Nonetheless, being English, he would help fill in the North East club’s homegrown quota, and would certainly be another handy asset to have in Steve Bruce’s squad.

In other news, find out what ‘good news’ has emerged on this Magpie here!

Former Celtic centre-back Ramon Vega has been named as a possible contender to replace Dominic McKay as Parkhead CEO, The Herald report.  

The Lowdown: McKay’s exit

News of McKay’s Parkhead departure was confirmed on Friday, with the Hoops revealing it was down to personal reasons.

The former chief executive was only in the position for 72 days, with Michael Nicholson appointed on an initial temporary basis.

Nicholson is one of five contenders to land the job on a full-time basis in a report by The Herald’s Ewan Paton, and the sports reporter has thrown in a former Hoops player into the mix.

The Latest: Vega links

Vega’s combination of football and business knowledge could be the ‘perfect’ blend at Parkhead, according to Paton.

The reporter states that Vega has worked in an advisory role for a number of clubs across Europe.

Paton highlighted Edwin van der Sar as an example of a former player having a positive impact in the boardroom, with the ex-goalkeeper Ajax’s CEO.

The Verdict: Replacement ASAP?

With McKay’s exit confirmed last week, if Celtic want a new man in, it could be handy to get cracking as soon as possible.

Vega studied a business degree during his playing days and is still keeping an eye on football, so he could be a shrewd option to approach over the vacant position.

As Paton mentions, van der Sar has helped Ajax off the pitch when it comes to making profits on numerous players, so Vega could have a good balance when it comes to Ange Postecoglou and Dermot Desmond.

In other news: ‘Could be huge’ – McAvennie ecstatic at what he’s ‘heard’ from ‘a few Celtic people’.