With Tyrone Mings ruled out of action, Kortney Hause would no doubt have been hoping to make his mark in the Aston Villa first-team. The 24-year-old has been on the periphery of his side’s return to the Premier League, featuring predominantly in the Carabao Cup, making four appearances.

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But with Dean Smith’s side’s £20m summer signing injured, the centre-back has seen his game-time increase dramatically, playing every single minute of the last three games in the top-flight. And against Norwich on Boxing Day, Hause delivered an immense display to help his side keep a clean sheet and ensure a massive victory over their relegation rivals.

Red Herring or Real Hero: Only hardcore Villa fans will get all of them right….

As per Sofascore, the 24-year-old’s 8.0 match rating was the joint-highest of any player on the pitch, and when looking at his underlying numbers, it is easy to see why. The 6 foot 3 man won an incredible 13 of his 14 total duels, made nine clearances and also made five tackles. After seeing his display, Villa fans flooded to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the defender’s performance.

A few fans insisted Hause was their man of the match after his commanding performance, despite Conor Hourihane being the man to net the winner for Villa.

A couple of Villa supporters also raised the intriguing question of what Smith’s side will look like once Mings returns, with one fan in particular claiming that it would be incredibly difficult to drop him even once the latter is fit.

The nature of the Premier League is that it takes an entire squad to be on their toes and ready to come in whenever needed. And in Hause’s case, that came about thanks to Mings’ absence. The 24-year-old can take a lot of credit for filling in the defender’s shoes, helping Villa to a much-needed victory against the Canaries on Boxing Day and giving Smith a real headache about whether he stays in the team for the long-term.

Meanwhile, these are the two issues that Dean Smith must prioritise in the January transfer window.

West Bromwich Albion won’t be entering the New Year sitting top of the table despite holding the first place for the majority of the Championship season so far.

The Baggies slumped to just their second defeat of the season but in doing so, handed Leeds United the chance to retake control at the summit.

Both teams will meet each other later this week with the potential to open up a three-point gap to begin the new decade.

Albion were beaten 2-0 at the Hawthorns by Middlesbrough on Sunday afternoon so Slaven Bilic will need to make improvements quite quickly.

Daniel Ayala headed home a Lewis Wing cross in the 17th minute before striker Ashley Fletcher clinched all three points with a stunning strike in injury time.

The home support wasn’t best pleased following the match with several fans taking to Twitter to share their thoughts as Matt Phillips took most of the flak.

‘Very lethargic’ and ‘woefully out of form’ were just two phrases used to describe how the 28-year-old has been performing in recent matches while one went as far as comparing him to his form in their relegation season, claiming he was hiding from passes and running down blind alleys.

It has led to many asking the question to why Chris Willock isn’t even involved in the matchday squad, especially with Grady Diangana out injured…

Willock was signed on deadline day by Bilic but is yet to feature for the senior side despite impressing in the U23 setup. He has bagged four and assisted five in just ten Premier League 2 appearances, per Transfermarkt.

If the 21-year-old isn’t introduced then others would like to see some sort of movement in the transfer window, which reopens in a matter of days.

One member of the Hawthorns faithful asked that Phillips and Kyle Edwards were replaced while another was less harsh and merely wanted some injection of pace and energy to come in and liven up the wide position.

The Scottish winger is currently Albion’s joint-top scorer with seven league goals so maybe this run of form is just a blip, but Bilic will need to find a solution fast as failure to see off Leeds this week will give them a monumental boost towards their title hopes while the Baggies’ could come crashing down.

Whose Line Is It Anyway: Roy Keane, Graeme Souness or Adrian Durham?

And in other West Brom news, this summer signing is proving to be a long way off playing anytime soon…

Tanguy Ndombele played well for Tottenham Hotspur in midfield as they drew 2-2 with Norwich City on Saturday.

On the chalkboard

The France international was picked to start at Carrow Road despite manager Jose Mourinho suggesting that he asked not to be selected for the Boxing Day fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion.

And he gave a timely reminder to the Portuguese that he could be an integral member of his squad for the foreseeable future.

Per WhoScored, he touched the ball 88 times, fewer than only Christian Eriksen, and enjoyed a pass success rate of 90%. Ndombele also completed six dribbles and won one aerial duel.

This was a performance that will have made fans sit up and take notice – one gorgeous piece of skill saw Ndombele attempt a rabona cross – but he could play further forward in Mourinho’s system.

Money talks: How much did Levy pay for each of these Spurs stars?

Defensive-minded

Mourinho eventually opted to shift Ndombele back and play him in front of the defence in a role that is usually occupied by Eric Dier.

The Frenchman is a dynamic presence in the centre of the pitch and he carries the ball remarkably well but he needs space in which to operate.

In defensive midfield, he was dispossessed five times purely because of where he was collecting the ball.

One feels that moving him higher up to allow him the freedom to burst forward and occupy a similar space to Dele Alli would give Dembele an added effectiveness in the final third.

He has already scored two goals for the club this season and he could be another weapon for Spurs to deploy in attack.

Shackling him by playing him deeper is not going to bring the best out of Ndombele.

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho must bring the best out of one man at Spurs. 

Jurgen Klopp has been talking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool’s match against Tottenham on Saturday. The big fat Liverpool quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Anfield? The 52-year-old covered a variety of different topics, such as injuries, and his Spurs counterpart Jose Mourinho. He was also asked where he plans to use Takumi Minamino in the future. He replied: “He can play second striker, all that stuff, for Japan he plays as No.9, he can play on the wing.”

The 22-time Japan international is clearly versatile, and some fans were delighted by the way Klopp explained that he can use him in a number of positions.

Having a player who can cover so many areas of the pitch when he is selected should be worth his weight in gold for his boss, and as the Reds chase that first Premier League title in 30 years, he could give them an added edge.

It appears some would like to see him line up in a number 10/playmaker position.

Whilst he has not played too many games in that position, Transfermarkt still says he has appeared 34 times in attacking midfield, and he has done rather well, scoring 12 goals and providing seven assists during that time.

There are a few comedians about as well, it seems.

Klopp may be good, but not that good. Although it would be funny to see Minamino’s 5 ft 8 in frame between the sticks!

One fan has even suggested that he could be used like another Liverpool player.

The Switzerland international has played in a variety of positions for Klopp, including left-wing, right-wing and centre-forward, so it is a good comparison to make.

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We will see over the coming months where the former Borussia Dortmund boss uses him in his starting XI.

Elsewhere, Liverpool are interested in this 23-year-old compared to Arjen Robben.

The form of Rangers’ Borna Barisic has seen him attract interest from both Napoli and AS Roma but a recent report suggests the club have absolutely no intention of selling this month.

What’s the word? 

Steven Gerrard brought Barisic to the club in the summer of 2018 but the left-back failed to establish himself as a regular in the starting XI until this season.

His performances in the ongoing campaign have seen him blossom into a strong attacking asset, with a return of 13 assists from 27 appearances revealing the extent of his prowess in the final third. 

While his form may have commanded him interest from two of Italy’s most prestigious clubs, a recent report from the Daily Record suggests he’ll be staying at the club until the summer at least.

The report claims sporting director Ross Wilson values the player well in excess of £10m and senior sources at the club are adamant that he won’t be moving at such a vital stage of the campaign. 

Shaping Ross Wison’s reputation

That senior Ibrox figures are taking such a staunch stance on Barisic’s future at the club could play into Wilson’s hands in the summer window. 

Wilson’s current valuation of the player is vindicated by the Croatia international’s form so far this season, but his perpetual rise could inflate that figure throughout 2020. 

After all, he is one of the key players in a potentially history-defining season in the SPFL and if he can take his assist tally beyond the 20 mark he’s bound to raise a few eyebrows across Europe.

Croatia’s Euro 2020 campaign, meanwhile, will see Barisic go under the European spotlight. International competitions are notoriously a place where reputations are forged and transfer conquests begin, so a series of fine showings from full-back would almost certainly lend Wilson reason to increase his valuation on the negotiating table.

If Rangers hold firm this month, manage to clinch the SPFL title and then sell Barisic following a glowing Euro 2020 campaign, the financial rewards could be game changing. 

With Wilson still relatively new to the role at Ibrox, his ability to maximise a colossal fee for Barisic could well shape his reputation at the club. 

Arsenal fans have been hitting out at Mesut Ozil after a graphic showing the Germany international’s attacking contribution since he signed his new contract at the club emerged.

According to The Telegraph, since the playmaker signed a new £350k a week deal back in January of 2018, he has scored and assisted just nine goals in 43 games (prior to last night’s game), leaving him 103rd-place in the Premier League. However, head coach Mikel Arteta came out in defence of the ace, claiming Ozil needs the right structure to perform (via football.london).

The player endured a tough time under former manager Unai Emery, making just seven appearances before the Basque-born coach was sacked by the club (via Transfermarkt). However, under, Arteta, the mood has changed completely and the attacking midfielder has featured in every single one of the fixtures under the former Manchester City assistant coach.

Fans were left lambasting the 31-year-old after the stat about his attacking contribution came out as they took to Twitter to react. Here is a selection of tweets from the Emirates Stadium faithful:

Arsenal fans, do you think the club should sell Ozil in the near future? Let us know your thoughts!

Arsenal, it seems, are close to signing Flamengo defender Pablo Mari.

Globo Esporte first appeared to share the news, saying that the 26-year-old was on his way to London, whilst Nicolo Schira then revealed that the Gunners would be paying €10m (£8.4m) and that he would sign a contract until 2024 – although Sky Sports claim that a loan deal is far more likely.

Now, a photo is doing the rounds appearing to show Edu at Rio de Janeiro airport with the former Manchester City man, whilst another shows the pair already landing at Heathrow airport.

Quickfire Quiz: How much do you know about Arsenal’s history in the January transfer window?

With the deal within touching distance of completion the Emirates outfit’s supporters have been talking about their potential new arrival, and it seems they are torn on whether they are happy to see him join them.

Many are delighted with the apparent new addition.

Mari had a good 2019 with Flamengo in Brazil, playing in 22 matches in the league as they finished top, whilst also appearing in six Copa Libertadores games – Flamengo also triumphed in that trophy as well.

Other supporters, though, are not as happy.

Even though he is 26 years old, he had only played 32 matches in any country’s top flight prior to making the switch to Brazil.

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With the deal looking close to completion, it remains to be seen whether he will prove to be a good addition.

Meanwhile, this ace has been a major casualty since Unai Emery left Arsenal.

Mark Harrison has been swooning over Aston Villa youngster Louie Barry after he signed from Barcelona, as quoted by the club’s official channels.

What did he say?

Subject to international clearance, the move has been completed for the 16-year-old to join Villa, which will initially see him go into the academy setup.

When he was last in the U18s of an English side, he got four goals and three assists from 13 appearances for West Bromwich Albion in the U18 Premier League.

Harrison, Aston Villa’s Head of Academy, has spoken about how delighted he is to have the youngster among his ranks: “It [Barry’s signing] sends a powerful message about the ambition of this football club. We’re delighted – Louie is a local person and his family are all Villa fans, as is Louie.

“He is still a very young man but as he’s developed, he’s always been one player that you always recognise as having outstanding attributes. He’s got a fantastic mentality, he’s desperate to do well for this football club.

“He’s really driven, he’s got great family support, but in terms of what he can achieve, we firmly believe that he can be an outstanding number nine for this football club.”

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An exciting signing

Barry’s pedigree at youth level is not exclusive to club football, as he has also shown himself to be a valuable asset for England, scoring a combined 10 goals from 14 appearances across the U15s, U16s and U17s.

Former Talent ID Manager for the English FA, Daniel Dodds, who currently works as Head of Academy Recruitment at Nottingham Forest has also been full of praise for the teenager.

Red Herring or Real Hero: Only hardcore Villa fans will get all of them right….

When being interviewed by The Scouted Hub, he even likened Barry to Jamie Vardy, stating: “As a player, his real strength is his work rate, he’s constantly pressurising the opposition when they are on the ball, looking to create opportunities for himself to nick the ball high up the pitch.

“He is quick, and looks to play off the shoulders of the defenders, always looking for space behind them to be able to run into. He’s good in 1v1s and scores a lot of goals from balls in behind that he can run onto. He’s very much in the mould of a Jamie Vardy.”

When Villa fans are hearing references such as that, alongside the fact that he has just spent the second half of 2019 training at La Masia, there should definitely be a reason to join Harrison in his enthusiasm towards the acquisition.

Meanwhile, Villa’s transfer pursuit shows that they have learned from their past mistake.

According to a new report by ESPN, Manchester United have enquired about the possibility of signing Barcelona’s midfielder, Ivan Rakitic.

The Red Devils were made known of his availability in the transfer market and since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is desperate for some additions to his midfield, with Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay both out injured, this could be a big scoop for him.

Look away now, United fans: The Big Quiz on Man Utd under Solskjaer…

However, it’s also important to note that ESPN emphasise the deal is not yet close as Rakitic’s desire to keep his family in Spain could present a potential stumbling block for the English outfit.

The Croatia international has enjoyed a glowing career and commanded esteemed praise in the process.

This is what a handful of footballing experts have had to say about him…

Jose Mourinho, current Tottenham Hotspur manager

Mourinho is a certified fan of Rakitic and he’s not afraid to show it. Back when he was still doing punditry for BeIN Sports, the Portuguese manager heaped praise on the midfielder.

Most notably, he called him one of the most underrated players on the planet and emphasised the work he’s doing on the pitch that goes unnoticed in the public eye.

Here’s what he said for BeIN Sports, as quoted by Bleacher Report:

“Before I leave let me tell something, because I want to say this for a long, long time. For me, Rakitic is one of the most underrated players in the world.

“He’s a fantastic player at every level. He does defensive work on the right side to compensate [for Lionel] Messi, he runs miles, in ball possession he’s fantastic, he’s simple, he’s effective.”

Xavi, former Barcelona player

Xavi is still held in the highest regard in Barcelona’s pantheon of all-time greats and his words are bound to carry weight in the footballing world.

A couple of years back when he was talking about Luka Modric and Rakitic, Croatia’s two mastermind midfielders, the Spaniard dubbed Blaugrana’s man as one of the best signings in club’s history.

Here’s what he said, as quoted by BarcaBlaugranes:

“They are two of the most complete midfielders in the world, two modern footballers, they have it all.

“Rakitić is one of the best signings Barca have made in their history. Every day he gets better, he knows how to adapt to what the team needs, and in every moment he lives a footballing maturity that is extraordinary.”

Luis Enrique, former Barcelona coach

Another great testament to Rakitic’s skill comes from a little story his former gaffer Enrique used to tell back in the day. Before he joined Barcelona, the midfielder was playing his football at Sevilla and interestingly enough, Enrique decided to sign him instead of Toni Kroos.

When explaining his choice, he went on to heap praise on the Croatian, emphasising some of his best qualities while citing the very performance that made him choose him instead of the German.

Here’s what he said when speaking to Catalunya Radio, as quoted by BarcaBlaugranes:

“Sevilla’s star marked our best player with such discipline, with such a capacity… then offensively, we all know the characteristics he has. Great runs, passing, ball control, ability to maintain the ball, ability to play the final ball, strategy… he has it all as a player.

“And on top of that, his behaviour at the personal level when you ask about him. And that’s something we always ask before we sign someone: how is he as a person? Because this is key.”

Verdict

Even though he is now 31 years old, Rakitic is still an excellent squad player who could potentially fill that void in Man United’s midfield and give Solskjaer what he needs.

However, if ESPN’s report is anything to go by, nothing is in the bag just yet.

edWest Brom got back on track at the weekend, winning their first league game in seven attempts whilst also taking control of their throne back from their nearest challengers, Leeds United.

The situation

Slaven Bilic made measures to bolster his defensive ranks in the transfer window, making a surprise swoop for Cardiff City full-back Lee Peltier, possibly under the presumption that academy grad Nathan Ferguson was leaving for Crystal Palace.

The Croatian has also opted to start fellow youth player Dara O’Shea in recent weeks, starting him at right-back during their last two Championship outings as well as in their FA Cup victory over West Ham United.

It now appears as if he has a wealth of options at his disposal defensively, which only raises question marks over who will feature – and who won’t.

Rising doubt

The player that has been dropped recently, at the expense of O’Shea’s involvement, is summer signing Darnell Furlong.

He’s played 26 times in the league this season but has only managed to feature for a total of 25 minutes in back-to-back matches as a substitute.

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As the Irishman is a centre-back by trade, it surely raises doubt over whether or not Bilic actually trusts Furlong as it makes much more sense to play the natural right-back in his position.

Even the arrival of Peltier was quite the shock, he’s another right-sided option who has played 25 times this season for the Bluebirds.

Given that there is now serious competition in his role and his recent exclusion from the starting lineup, it seems the 24-year-old’s immediate future is a little suspect as there’s been nothing to suggest he should be dropped.

Where is he from?! Can you name which obscure countries these famous players have represented?

In fact, he’s been one of Albion’s most consistent performers this campaign, averaging a rating of 6.84 as well as 1.8 clearances, 1.1 tackles and 0.8 key passes per game, via WhoScored.

This weekend’s trip to Millwall will provide further clues into whether it’s actually an issue or merely team selection.

And in other news, here’s what fans have been saying about Nathan Ferguson this week…