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Celtic supporters have been waiting for an absolute age to see some of their new signings in action for the first time.

The Hoops are yet to field Giorgos Giakoumakis and they may have to be a little more patient with the Greek striker after he sustained an injury in the warm-up on Thursday.

They are also yet to see the likes of Liam Shaw and Osaze Urhoghide play for the senior side after arriving from Sheffield Wednesday.

Some fans haven’t been too impressed by their first glimpses of James McCarthy but one player who did become a talking point after their 3-0 win over Raith Rovers was Liam Scales.

On the chalkboard

The Irishman arrived with little fanfare in the final weeks of the window but he could become one of Ange Postecoglou’s most underrated acquisitions.

Capable of playing at full-back, wing-back and in the middle of defence, he is blessed with great versatility which should be an enormous help considering the sheer number of injury problems that Celtic have.

Carl Starfelt missed the defeat to Livingston with an illness while Greg Taylor’s absence of around 12 matches could open up a door for Scales to feature on the left.

However, there is a sense that the 6 foot 2 Irish defender’s qualities outweigh merely playing second fiddle. Instead, he could eventually prove to be Celtic’s long-term heir to Kristoffer Ajer at Parkhead.

The Norwegian departed Glasgow this summer as he joined newly-promoted Premier League side Brentford in a £17.5m move.

His departure had been a long time coming, and judging by the Bees’ defensive record this term, he has been a big miss for Postecoglou’s men.

Ajer has never been the best defender but he leads by example and stands up when it really matters. John Hartson said last season: “He’s grabbing the bull by the horns and he’s almost dragging the team through, even to these draws.”

What makes the Norway international so like Scales? Well, they’re both versatile defensively, good in possession and they have long levers which help them gallop forward from the backline.

Hartson added: “You see him [Ajer] making these lung-bursting runs forward, he’s marauding with that big stride, he’s challenging, on his backside, making blocks, in the opposition’s penalty area.”

If you compare those words to quotes collected about Scales, you can see why we’re making such a strong comparison.

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Collie O’Neill, his former manager at UCD, once remarked: “Liam likes to get forward. It’s not often you have guys on the wing who are tall and attacking, but when he gets going into his stride, he’s quick and strong. He can just whip past people.”

Fitting into a similar physical profile, it would be eye-catching if Scales did become like Celtic’s much-hailed Norwegian.

That said, he will be striving to make his own name in Glasgow in the coming years.

AND in other news, Celtic have just been rocked by another big blow, Hoops fans are surely gutted…

Kieran Devlin says there will be ‘conversations’ to be had at Christmas if Ange Postecoglou continues to struggle. 

The lowdown

A 4-0 home defeat at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday compounded Postecoglou’s misery.

It leaves Celtic point-less after two Europa League matches, and things aren’t looking particularly rosy domestically either.

Having followed up a defeat at Livingston with more dropped points against Dundee United, they’ve slipped to sixth in the Scottish Premiership table, already six points behind reigning champions and archrivals Rangers.

The latest

In The Athletic’s fan discussion around the Bayer Leverkusen game, Devlin was asked by a supporter ‘at what point… we say Angeball just doesn’t work with these players’.

In reply, he urged fans to wait until both first-choice full-backs return from injury ‘at the earliest’.

Anthony Ralston’s ‘limitations’ and Adam Montgomery’s ‘inexperience’ are apparently clear at Europa League level.

Josip Juranovic and Greg Taylor are both sidelined at the moment, and ‘given the importance of the full-back roles, that’s a problem’.

However, he adds that ‘if it isn’t working by Christmas, you have that conversation’. By that point, the Hoops’ injury woes should have abated.

The verdict

It’s still too early for Postecoglou’s position to really be questioned. He’s implementing a change of philosophy, and often that will involve incurring short-term pain in the pursuit of long-term benefits.

The injuries are a pretty significant mitigating factor too, of course, while the massive amount of turnover in the squad this summer has played its part.

Celtic should be viewed as a club in transition right now and, as tough as it may be for a club and fans base so used to winning, expectations ought to be lowered for the time being.

In other news, there’s been a transfer development at Celtic Park.  

West Ham will host their first-ever Europa League group stage match at the London Stadium this evening and David Moyes will be looking to build on their recent form.

The Irons kickstarted their quest for glory in Europe with an impressive 2-0 win at Dinamo Zagreb, arguably the toughest of all the teams in their group.

Meanwhile, back in the Premier League, the Hammers secured a last-gasp victory against Leeds United on Saturday afternoon, meaning they have lost just once across all competitions since the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

Moyes has plenty of selection headaches facing him heading into kickoff, especially with a clash against Brentford this weekend, so what sort of side could we see in east London tonight?

Here’s what Football FanCast are predicting…

There could be as many as six changes from the win at Elland Road as the Scotsman balances injuries and rotation.

We may see PSG loanee Alphonse Areola return between the sticks, handing veteran shot-stopper Lukasz Fabianski a rest, whilst there is one enforced change to the backline.

It’s believed that Vladimir Coufal is a doubt for this clash, so he may not be risked, even if he does make the squad and with his usual back-up, Ryan Fredericks also out through injury, Moyes may have to turn to 21-year-old academy graduate Ben Johnson.

He will join Kurt Zouma and Aaron Cresswell, who both remain from Sunday, with Issa Diop coming back in after he was described as a “colossus” for his performance against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup last week.

The 6 foot 4 titan’s involvement also allows Angelo Ogobonna a rest.

Elsewhere, Declan Rice was doing pre-match press duties, which could provide a clue into him starting but he may be joined by Alex Kral, rather than Tomas Soucek as the usual Czech starter needs a break.

Further up the pitch, we could see Manuel Lanzini and Nikola Vlasic return to the starting XI, playing alongside Pablo Fornals and Michail Antonio.

It means there is no place for either of Said Benrahma or Jarrod Bowen, who are likely to start on Sunday against the Bees.

AND in other news, ExWHUemployee drops exciting behind-the-scenes West Ham claim. fans are surely buzzing…

Leeds United youngster Charlie Cresswell has made a huge impression with former professionals, according to former Whites striker Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: Cresswell’s breakthrough season

Marcelo Bielsa has had a shortage of centre-backs at times this season, with Diego Llorente, Robin Koch and Pascal Struijk all unavailable on occasions.

It has meant that Cresswell has been drafted into Leeds’ defence and the 18-year-old has made two appearances overall, playing 90 minutes in the 2-1 defeat at home to West Ham.

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The Latest: Whelan gives huge praise

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan was full of praise for Cresswell, claiming that some former professionals with whom the 46-year-old has worked have been left “staggered” by the teenager’s ability and potential. He said:

“There’s no ignoring him after that performance and how good he was.

“The applause from the fans, people inside the club, ex-professionals I work with, they were just staggered at how good he was on that day with everything he put on that field.

“He was immense, he was like a veteran on the day, rather than a young boy stepping in. Everything about his game I loved. The physicality and the way he dominated at times.”

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The Verdict: One for the future

For 18, Cresswell was such a confident presence in the West Ham game, making three clearances and winning one tackle, and he looks like a defender with a big future ahead of him.

For the time being, it is important that he is allowed to grow as a player at his own pace, rather than being thrown in regularly when he is too young.

There is no doubt that Cresswell looks like a possible future regular for Leeds, though, and he has shown that he can do a job already if required. Whelan’s praise certainly seems to be well-placed.

In other news, Phil Hay has provided a Leeds injury update. Read more here.

Many West Ham United fans are far from happy with comments from Rio Ferdinand, who said that Newcastle United should go all-out to sign Declan Rice.

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last week or so, you will be aware of the seismic news which has come out of the northeast. A Saudi Arabian consortium completed a takeover of the St James’ Park club (BBC) and now they are likely to have plenty of money to spend on new players.

Rice is one of the Hammers’ star players and was instrumental in them qualifying for the Europa League last term. However, he has turned down a new contract at the Irons and has attracted heavy interest from Chelsea (The Sun) and Manchester United (Marca).

Ferdinand, who used to play for West Ham, has suggested that the Toon should move for Rice, and the 42-year-old’s remarks have not gone down well at all with some of his former club’s supporters.

The comments were shared on Twitter by The Daily Mail and they attracted plenty of attention from West Ham supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about Ferdinand’s comments on Rice

“Can’t stand the bloke. Forgot his roots and where he came from. Same reason why West Ham fans hate Lampard.”

Credit: @Mdp_coyi66

“Rio would sell his nan for a fast buck”

Credit: @MickJHansford

“His affiliation with anything West Ham has completely gone for me !!”

Credit: @costahammer

“@anton_ferdinand Have a word with your brother mate. Can’t be heading up West Ham takeovers then putting this out”

Credit: @HEvzWhu

“Wonder how many other clubs he will tell to buy Rice. Disliking him more and more these days”

Credit: @JayKerton1

“Rio, remember your roots, you should want West Ham do well, not sell one off our main players! No respect for West Ham at all, this is like 3rd time you mention other clubs go for Rice”

Credit: @kevalaaarrr

In other news, West Ham have been joined by a Premier League club in the race to sign this forward

With Southampton set to take on Burnley this afternoon after grabbing their first league victory of the season with a 1-0 win over Leeds United last weekend, Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl revealed that he has almost a full squad at his disposal apart from Jack Stephens, who is still recovering from a knee injury he picked up earlier in the season.

Taking this into account, it seems as though Hasenhuttl has a few big calls to make about who starts against the Clarets today.

On the chalkboard

One decision that we think should be fairly easy for him to make is to drop Mohamed Elyounoussi out of the team on this occasion.

The Norwegian started and played the majority of the match against Leeds, failing to register one shot on target or make one accurate cross or long ball. He also lost possession 19 times and racked up an average passing accuracy percentage of 68%, ultimately earning himself an uninspiring overall match rating of 6.3/10, making him the lowest-rated Saints player on the day according to SofaScore.

Given how the winger, who is currently valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, was taken out of the team for the 3-1 defeat against Chelsea, it seems as though he failed to restore the faith Hasenhuttl put in him when he started against Leeds, which says to us that he may not be good enough to play at this level on a consistent basis.

So far this season, the 27-year-old has made six appearances for the Saints in the Premier League but has only managed to score one goal, which came during their 2-2 draw against Newcastle United, proving that he is not a consistent threat in front of goal.

Looking ahead to today’s game, we feel that Southampton would probably have a better chance of beating Burnley without Elyounoussi in the starting XI, instead seeing if he can have a positive impact off the bench if needed. The numbers suggest that he has not been good enough to warrant a place in the starting XI, especially after the Leeds game.

In other news: Saints could unearth ideal Romeu heir with “excellent” 18 y/o ace, Ralph is a big fan – opinion

Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney is reportedly set to miss his side’s Carabao Cup fourth round clash with Leeds United on Tuesday night.

The Lowdown: Leeds head to Arsenal

The Whites trade Premier League duties for domestic cup action on Tuesday, making the trip to the Emirates as they look to reach the quarter-finals.

While the league clearly takes precedence for Leeds, particularly given their struggles at the moment, a good cup run could turn their fortunes around after a worrying start to this campaign.

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The Latest: Tierney set to miss out

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post‘s Joe Urquhart on Monday, Tierney is expected to be an injury absentee for the game.

The Scot missed Arsenal 3-1 win over Aston Villa last Friday with a bruised ankle and he is unlikely to be fit in time to take to the field.

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The Verdict: Boost for Bielsa and co

Tierney has been an impressive signing for Arsenal, providing quality and tenacity at left-back – he has averaged 1.3 key passes per game in the league this season – so he could be a miss for the Gunners from a creativity sense.

Should Raphinha be deemed fit to start in north London, he could be buoyed by Tierney’s absence, although it remains to be seen how strong Marcelo Bielsa’s starting lineup will be, as he potentially rotates his squad.

In other news, Phil Hay has provided another worrying Leeds injury update. Read more here.

Crystal Palace could create a formidable attacking duo after they were linked with a move for Manchester United striker Anthony Martial.

The controversial 25-year-old has often divided opinion during his time in English football, and it seems as though his days at Old Trafford are numbered.

And earlier in the week, he was linked with a shock move to Selhurst Park.

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Palace are interested in securing Martial’s services over the coming months as new manager Patrick Vieira looks to complete the overhaul of his first-team squad.

It’s claimed that the Red Devils have placed a £40m price tag on the France international, but it could be a price worth paying to pair him with compatriot Odsonne Edouard in south London.

While his talent and natural ability has rarely been disputed, Martial’s work rate and consistency have often come into question since United splashed out a significant fee to prize him away from Monaco back in 2015.

It seemed as if the attacking talent was finally going to fulfil his potential after he enjoyed a fabulous 2019/20 campaign, bagging 23 goals and providing a further 12 assists in 48 appearances for the Red Devils in all competitions.

His outstanding displays caught the eye of several impressed onlookers, including former United title-winner Robin van Persie, who claimed that the Frenchman is a “world-class” player.

“Martial always have an eye for his teammates and that’s what sets him apart from the others. That’s why I think he’s a world-class player,” said the Dutchman.

However, he was unable to build on that standout campaign last term and has seen himself fall even further down the pecking order last United this time around.

The acquisitions of Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo have limited Martial to just 247 minutes of action in the opening weeks of the current campaign, signalling that an imminent exit could be on the cards.

And the prospect of Martial linking up with his French compatriot Odsonne Edouard at Selhurst Park is surely a potentiality that the Palace supporters would love to see.

Both men are capable of playing either on the left-wing or through the middle, meaning intriguing rotations and exciting interchanges could become the norm at Palace, should he make the move.

It remains to be seen whether the capital club’s hierarchy follows up their reported interest up with a concrete offer, but it’s certainly a deal that chairman Steve Parish should be considering if he has the required funds available.

And, in other news…Imagine him and Olise: Parish must revive Palace interest in £18m-rated magician 

West Brom rescued a point at home Middlesbrough on Saturday after Grady Diangana found an equaliser in the second half after Josh Coburn had put the visitors ahead.

One Baggies player who featured in the 1-1 draw but failed to have much of an impact was Jordan Hugill, who replaced Callum Robinson at the start of the second half.

During his time on the pitch, the 29-year-old had just 22 touches of the ball, 12 fewer than Baggies goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, completed only seven passes, had just one shot at goal which was off target, won just one of his eight duels and lost possession nine times. He ultimately earned a fairly uninspiring overall match rating of 6.3/10, making him the lowest-rated West Brom player on the day according to SofaScore.

This shows that Ismael’s gamble to see if Hugill – who had a loan spell at Middlesbrough in the 2018/19 season – could have secured a win didn’t pay off, as the striker let his manager down somewhat by his lack of impact on this occasion.

Since joining the Baggies in late August on a season-long loan from Norwich City, the 29-year-old – who is currently valued at £1.8m according to Transfermarkt – has made 13 appearances for West Brom in the Championship. He has started five of those but has only managed to score one goal, which suggests that although he’s getting regular minutes under his belt at The Hawthorns, he hasn’t had much impact in front of goal, much like his performance against Middlesbrough.

If Ismael is going to keep giving Hugill opportunities and the striker isn’t able to produce the goods, then West Brom should have no thoughts of potentially signing him on a permanent basis when his loan deal expires at the end of the season, especially if they win promotion to the Premier League by the end of it.

In other news – Forget Diangana: West Brom “leader” with 83% pass accuracy was Ismael’s hero on Saturday 

The previous summer transfer window was a fairly busy one for Southampton with the likes of Danny Ings, Jannik Vestergaard and Ryan Bertrand among others leaving the club and the likes of Romain Perraud, Adam Armstrong and Lyanco joining the Saints.

In addition to those three new players that joined in the summer, Southampton also managed to secure a deal for 18-year-old full-back Valentino Livramento from Chelsea’s U23 side for a reported fee of £5m.

The teenager arrived with a lot of potential and excitement behind him given how Chelsea’s first team manager Thomas Tuchel revealed that the west London club tried their hardest to keep hold of the defender before he made the move to St. Mary’s.

In his short time with the south-coast club, Livramento has already proved himself as an important and impressive member of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad. He’s played more minutes in the Premier League than any other outfield Southampton player and earned himself an overall season rating of 7.05/10 for his performances, making him their second-highest rated player according to WhoScored.

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With this in mind, it seems as though Southampton could be following up their swoop for Livramento with a move for another Chelsea youth star in the near future.

Another masterclass inbound?

It has recently been reported by The Sun that Southampton, alongside fellow Premier League side Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion are interested in signing 19-year-old midfielder Ben Elliott from Chelsea’s U23 side.

As a product of the Blues’ youth academy, as Livramento was, Elliott has made 20 appearances for their U18 team, scoring four goals and providing three assists, showing that he has some attacking talent in him, as well as making eight appearances for their U23 side.

In addition to the trio of Premier League clubs that apparently have their eyes on Elliott, the report also says that Chelsea are keen on securing the midfielder’s future at the west London club which suggests how highly they value the youngster, who described himself as being “hungry” for success after winning the first youth trophy of his career.

Given his age, we feel that Southampton should definitely explore the possibility of signing Elliott whenever they can as he could well follow in the footsteps of Livramento and become an integral part of Southampton’s squad.

A number of Chelsea’s former academy stars are starting to make a name for themselves this term with Marc Guehi stepping up at Crystal Palace and the aforementioned Saints youngster starring too. Thus, there is every reason to believe that Elliott could follow in a similar direction and become a like-minded masterclass in the transfer window.

Considering the age of current Saints midfielder Oriol Romeu (30) who could be on his way out of the club in the next few years, it may pave the way for Elliott to take his place in the team if he does join the club. This would be a deal that makes plenty of sense.

In other news: Forget Armstrong: “Unbelievable” Saints gem who made 4 key passes was Ralph’s hero – opinion