West Bromwich Albion are a team desperate for a goalscorer, with Karlan Grant suffering in front of goal and Brandon Thomas-Asante an unproven talent having joined late on in the summer window.

The former has just three goals this season despite having played in all of their league fixtures.

They are currently languishing in 20th, with just one win from ten in the Championship, and with just 15 goals scored in ten games (five of which came in one match).

One man who would certainly inject some confidence into this misfiring outfit is former striker Peter Odemwingie, who Steve Bruce would be wishing he had now for his current toothless side.

Across 90 appearances for the Baggies, the Nigerian marksman bagged 31 times, whilst also providing 17 assists. That means that he contributed to at least one goal once every 1.8 games.

It is not going to set the world alight but that kind of solid proficiency in front of goal, alongside a solid defence that Bruce will be desperate to cultivate, could have been the perfect combination for success.

During the 2011/12 Premier League season, ten goals in 30 appearances announced him as a pretty reliable option up front.

To bring this form down to the Championship would surely see his goals increase, and he could be the final piece of the puzzle to allow West Brom to kick on towards promotion once more.

Signed in 2010 for just an undisclosed fee, this “wonderful” forward would definitely be the answer to their prayers could they return him to the current side in his prime.

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Not only was he a huge success on the pitch, but the fact that he left and recouped a £2.5m fee made him an all-around success for the club.

If only he could bring some of that ability now, they might not have had such a lacklustre start to the new campaign.

What started out as a promotion-chasing season has quickly become all about stabilisation, but with a proper forward like Odemwingie they would certainly have more than just the one win towards their dreams.

Glasgow Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson has unearthed some gems in the transfer market in recent years to help the club to win trophies.

The Light Blues have won the Scottish Cup and the Premiership during his time at the helm, and the likes of Calvin Bassey and Ianis Hagi – who were signed by the ex-Southampton chief – played a role in those successes.

He arrived in Glasgow after Steven Gerrard’s first three transfer windows at the helm, and the former Liverpool captain was able to strike some gold of his own in the market prior to Wilson joining the Ibrox club.

One of the former England international’s first signings in charge of the Gers was winger Ryan Kent on loan from Anfield in the summer of 2018, and the attacker enjoyed a solid debut campaign at Rangers with six goals and six assists in 27 Premiership matches.

After that loan spell, Gerrard was keen to snap him up on a permanent basis and convinced the club to sign him on a four-year contract for a fee reported to be in the region of £7m.

That decision has turned out to be a phenomenal one for Rangers, as the winger has flourished at Ibrox and become a key player over the course of several years.

Kent’s former Gers team-mate Leon Balogun described him as a “wing wizard” and the 25-year-old’s statistics back that up, as he has produced 30 goals and 50 assists in 184 appearances in all competitions for the Glasgow giants.

At the time of his permanent move to Scotland, Transfermarkt valued him at just £1.58m. At the time of writing (28/09/22), that valuation has soared to a whopping £15.75m, which is an increase of roughly 897%, and 125% more than the £7m that they reportedly paid for his services.

This shows that he has developed exponentially since moving to Rangers, and that is a credit to Gerrard for spotting him and making him a key member of the team on the pitch, along with Giovanni van Bronckhorst for continuing to rely on the Englishman out wide.

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Kent racked up an eye-catching Europa League final and won the Scottish Cup. The Light Blues forward played in chipped in with one goal and five assists from out wide, as he made his presence felt on the continental stage.

This season, he has set up three goals in five Premiership outings and continues to be a star turn for the Light Blues in attack, with the ex-Barnsley loanee still having plenty more to give at the age of 25. He can continue to grow his value by putting in strong performances on the pitch, and hopefully he will enjoy another successful campaign in 2022/23.

Gerrard struck gold by signing Kent on a permanent basis in 2019, and Van Bronckhorst will now be hoping that he looks back with similar fondness in a few years’ time on a few of the players that Wilson has signed for him in the last two transfer windows.

Manchester City supporters have been handed a significant update on Phil Foden’s mooted new deal at the Etihad Stadium.

The Lowdown: Foden set for fresh terms?

The 22-year-old has been tipped to sign a new deal for the past year, with reports suggesting that he will put pen to paper on a blockbuster contract.

Since being introduced to the first team on a more regular basis at the back end of 2019/20, Foden has gone on to become a mainstay and a crucial player under Pep Guardiola.

The homegrown ace and boyhood City fan has totalled a fantastic 48 goals and 35 assists across 170 appearances in all competitions whilst also making crucial contributions towards the Sky Blues’ recent success.

As a result, Etihad chiefs are reportedly prepared to offer bumper new terms to convince Foden to remain in Manchester.

The Latest: Foden agrees new Man City deal…

Writing for the Irish Independent, reporter James Ducker of The Telegraph has shared an exciting update on the saga.

He claims that Foden has ‘agreed a deal’ which will more than double his current City salary to around £250,000 per week.

City are apparently ‘on the verge’ of announcing the midfielder’s fresh deal, which could tie him to the club ‘until 2028’.

Goal Machine! Show your love for Erling Haaland with this awesome t-shirt! Click here to buy… The Verdict: Brilliant news…

Foden allegedly being set to extend his stay comes as a real boost for the Citizens, given his quality and potential to be a one-club man.

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At his current trajectory, the England international could go on to become a City legend if he decides to remain at Eastlands for the rest of his promising career.

Foden’s love for the club is well documented, and to us it is no surprise that this brilliant news has emerged.

Aston Villa managed to continue their unbeaten run last night on the road at Nottingham Forest but will feel somewhat aggrieved that they could not find a winner against a side wallowing in 19th.

Depending on how you view their results, it actually marks just one win in their last seven now, and Steven Gerrard will certainly be feeling the pressure.

In what was a feisty affair, few stood out in a game that never really seemed to find its rhythm.

Despite dominating 61% of the ball, the Villans managed just two shots on target. One of which was Ashley Young’s scorching equaliser. The full-back impressed and would have been the standout player for the visitors if not for Emiliano Buendia.

The Argentine was one of few who continued to pry at the Forest defence, and his workmanlike yet classy performance was clearly noticed by SofaScore, who gave him a 7.5 rating for the game. This was only beaten by the extra 0.1 handed to the goal scorer.

Compared to his team’s average of 6.83, it further outlines him as one of the star players of the game.

Having been handed his first start since August, his desperation to have the ball was outlined in his 66 touches. However, he was not wasteful with it.

He was 100% accurate with his long balls and even gave two key passes, showing how creative he was throughout.

However, it was his defensive display which will have impressed his manager even more.

To combine such talent with an attitude like Buendia’s suggests that he has all the tools to become a really outstanding talent in the Premier League.

He was involved in a mammoth 13 ground duels, of which he managed to win nine. For a winger, the 25-year-old did not shirk his defensive duties to help out Matty Cash, who was returning from injury.

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His five tackles further compound his all-around display, which could only have been capped off had he scored or assisted the winner.

Pundit Jack Collins noted back in January of this year about the “stunning performances” he had been putting in. It seems that if he is given a run now, with displays such as this, he certainly could recapture that form.

Although his side were not at their best, Gerrard can at least look to Buendia as the shining light for his side on another disappointing night.

Everton have had their fair share of transfer disasters over the years since Farhad Moshiri became the majority stakeholder at Goodison Park, but it seems like the owner may be learning his lesson following the relegation scrap that the team endured last season.

The Toffees only survived a drop into the Championship in the penultimate match of the 2021/22 campaign, and after a terrible few months for the club and their supporters, it was essential that the recruitment was spot-on over the summer.

Everton signed nine new players and the improvements in the team over their first eight league outings have been discernible, now unbeaten in their last six games and 11th in the Premier League table, matching Liverpool for points so far.

Furthermore, the Merseysiders currently have the best defensive record in the division with just seven goals conceded, which can be pinpointed to newly-signed James Tarkowski and Conor Coady’s presence as a centre-back partnership which has blossomed quickly at Goodison Park.

Indeed, there was a huge desire at the club to add another striker over the summer following Richarlison’s exit and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s ongoing injury problems, although Kevin Thelwell may have dodged another transfer disaster at Everton on one particular target.

Emmanuel Dennis was consistently linked with a move to the blue half of Merseyside this summer but was eventually snapped up by Nottingham Forest instead in a deal worth £20m. However, the centre-forward hasn’t had the best start to life at the City Ground.

The Nigerian talent, who was dubbed “selfish” by Belgian pundit Mo Messoudi, has made five appearances for the Tricky Trees with no goals or assists so far, recording just 3.8 accurate passes and 11 touches per game and contributing to his team’s fall to the bottom of the league table.

Granted, Dennis has only averaged 20 minutes per match, but this could be a clear indicator of Steve Cooper’s lack of trust and belief in the striker’s ability to put Forest in a better position with his performances, something which could’ve been a nightmare for Frank Lampard had the 24-year-old been snapped up by the Toffees.

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Everton have been plagued with forward players who lack contribution and the ferocity needed to win matches, with Salomon Rondon and Cenk Tosun just two players who failed to offer anything much during the club’s most vulnerable times last season, scoring a mere three goals between them.

With that in mind, the decision not to splash out £20m on Dennis was the right call from Thelwell. Even in a Forest team who are desperate for goals, the striker is clearly not showing signs that he can make a difference in the forward line to improve their bleak situation at the City Ground.

Watch any clip of former Arsenal star Santi Cazorla in action and you are likely to be left salivating at the mouth.

During his days under Arsene Wenger’s tutelage, the diminutive playmaker was one of the classiest operators in the Premier League.

A touch like gold dust, a right foot blessed with sheer elegance and a left peg bettered by very few, he was one of the most complete players in his position.

During his time in north London, Cazorla found the back of the net 29 times – with his most vital goal being a stunning free-kick in their FA Cup triumph against Hull City.

The Spain international also assisted a remarkable 45 goals in the famous red and white, with his ability to supply teammates one of the most consistent elements of his game.

He could evade the press in sublime fashion, tip-toeing and dancing his way out of the tightest of crevices on the pitch while occupying dangerous pockets of space in the final third.

It made him a force to be reckoned with but unfortunately, his days in Islington were taken away from him too early.

He cracked a bone in his ankle and his career at the top level from that moment onwards was done and dusted. The injury would become infected with his skin splitting open repeatedly.

As a result, Cazorla became a self-proclaimed “jigsaw puzzle” with doctors having to take a part of his skin from his arm and attach it to his leg.

The Spaniard has now successfully returned to football after a whopping 668 days out and is enjoying his time in Qatar where he has been nothing short of a sensation, supplying his club – Al Sadd – with 62 goal involvements in 74 outings.

It has taken Arsenal a great deal of time to try and replace the now 37-year-old with many who possess similar tools struggling to replicate his immense numbers.

In Martin Odegaard, they have found a like-minded technician with the club captain dominating similar areas of the pitch. However, it’s in Fabio Vieira where the Gunners have unearthed a true heir to Cazorla’s coveted throne.

Possessing the ability to play as a number 8, behind the striker and on the flanks, his positional familiarity is very much like Arsenal’s former number 19.

In the words of journalist Freddie Paxton, Vieira’s touch is “top-class” with that yet another symbol of how alike the two players are. That was seen most recently against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League.

The Portuguese dynamo plucked the ball out of the sky in mesmerising fashion, before delivering a peach of a cross for Rob Holding to head home. That moment was like watching Cazorla, who for so long would supply goals in a similar fashion.

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The 22-year-old was brought to the club for an eye-watering sum of £34m in the summer but has taken to English football like a duck to water.

He was signed as an unknown quantity despite seven goals and 16 assists for Porto last term, but is quickly showing that similar numbers could well be forthcoming at Arsenal. To date, the youngster has found the net on two occasions and provided an assist throughout his limited game time at the Emirates Stadium.

His first goal for the club was a sumptuous strike, with Vieira unleashing an effort with Cazorla-esque bend and whip that came off the post and found the back of Brentford’s net.

Mikel Arteta has already described the Portugal international as a “special talent” and on the evidence above, it’s easy to see why.

Vieira has the world at his feet and has fitted seamlessly into Arsenal’s young and exciting squad. He has been the perfect addition, and one that is quickly filling that Cazorla-shaped hole that still lingered around Colney.

Sunderland have a number of promising young players in Tony Mowbray’s squad who are pushing to become regulars in the side this season.

Daniel Neil has established himself as a starter, with 14 starts in the Championship, and the likes of Abdoullah Ba, Edouard Michut, and Amad Diallo should be hoping to follow in his footsteps.

The Black Cats have enjoyed success with young players over the years, whether that has been with signings or players from the academy, but they have also had their fair share of gaffes, in gems not fulfilling their potential or leaving too early.

One player the club had a nightmare with was young forward Sam Greenwood. The attacker left the club in the summer of 2018 and is now starting to make his breakthrough at first-team level.

He joined Arsenal as the Black Cats negotiated an upfront fee of £500k – with add-ons taking it over £1m – to sell him ahead of the 2018/19 campaign, with Stewart Donald unable to convince the gem to stay after 12 goal contributions in 15 games for the U18s.

Greenwood then moved to Leeds for a fee rising to £3m in the summer of 2020 and he was promoted to the first-team squad at Elland Road in January of this year.

Former Leeds striker Noel Whelan previously hailed the young forward’s set-piece quality and described his deadball ability as a “weapon”.

Jesse Marsch has also heaped praise on the gem in the past, saying: “First of all, he has a lot of flexibility to his game. He’s played six, eight, 10, he can play striker. In some ways, it’s not fair to him to try different positions, but he’s an intelligent player. He fits within what we’re trying to build within our team.

“He’s a hard worker, he’s an intelligent guy, he’s able and that’s the reason why we use him in a lot of positions because he’s very adaptable. He understands tactics and his role and he has big talent.”

Greenwood scored 21 goals and provided six assists in 40 U21 matches for Leeds and that was enough to convince the American head coach to promote him to the first team, where he has made 17 appearances to date – assisting two goals in the Premier League.

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The 20-year-old has played four matches in the English top-flight this season and is showing that he is a player with the potential to become a regular at that level in the future, as he is being trusted with minutes at such a young age.

Therefore, former Black Cats owner Donald had a howler by failing to convince Greenwood to stay as they missed out on having a terrific young talent in the Academy of Light and were compensated with just £500k – as the add-ons were not likely to have been met due to him moving on to Leeds.

Sunderland supporters will now have to watch the rest of his career unfold and, if he continues to be a success in the top flight, wonder what could have been…

Manchester City journalist Alex Brotherton has reacted to Riyad Mahrez’s ‘poor’ penalty against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The Lowdown: Stalemate in Germany

The Sky Blues were the visitors at the Signal Iduna Park in midweek where the two teams played out a 0-0 draw, with both sides advancing to the last 16 despite it being a stalemate on the night.

The most notable moment though was when the Algerian missed a golden chance to give the Premier League giants the lead from a spot kick just before the hour mark, with Gregor Kobel making a save to deny his opponent from 12 yards.

The Latest: Brotherton’s reaction

Taking to Twitter, Brotherton claimed that Mahrez’s form has hit a stumbling block, and suggested that his penalty miss was uncharacteristic given his previous record. He wrote:

“Riyad Mahrez’s season keeps getting worse. Such a poor penalty from someone who’s been so reliable from the spot in recent years. Now missed his last two.”

The Verdict: No need to panic

Whilst City couldn’t seal a victory on the night, there’s absolutely no need to panic because the start they have made to this season has been outstanding on all fronts.

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The Etihad outfit have won eight, drawn two and lost just one of their opening 11 league games, leaving them just two points shy of leaders Arsenal.

Having now topped their European group also, the chances of them getting their hands on some silverware come the end of the campaign appears highly likely if their current form can be maintained.

West Ham United’s recent defeat to Crystal Palace saw summer signing Thilo Kehrer deputise at right-back, with Vladamir Coufal forced to watch on from the bench.

The German, clearly playing out of position, was handed the worst SofaScore rating of anyone on the pitch (5.9) yet still managed the full 90 minutes.

Whether Moyes has an issue with the Czech Republic international, or just wanted added defensive solidity up against the Eagles’ fluid front three, he blundered massively with this tactical decision.

If he is so keen on leaving Coufal out of the side, perhaps he could turn to the academy to unearth a success story similar to the one Ben Johnson has enjoyed in recent years.

Another fine right back in the making is young Harrison Ashby, who will be hoping to build on his seven senior appearances for the Hammers.

Upon first making his debut for the first team back in 2020, journalists Sam Delaney and Roshane Thomas spent time on the U Irons Podcast to praise his talents (via This Is Futbol).

Labelling him “one to watch”, the former was particularly vocal in his praise, stating: “He’s big as well. He’s like a big unit. He’s only young, but he’s like a giant.

“Usually, you’re used to seeing smaller players in those wing-back positions, but he looked big, strong, he was very fearless, decent on the ball.”

The powerful 20-year-old full-back has endured a tumultuous year, struggling for consistency given his constant swap between the youth and senior team. This has resulted in a lack of goal contributions, of which he recorded nine last season.

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What was a previously crowded position at right wing-back seems to be thinning out with each season, and soon Ashby could announce himself as the outstanding candidate for the position for the foreseeable future.

With Moyes clearly keen on handing youngsters a chance to show what they are capable of, outlined in the four academy graduates that started in their midweek win over FCSB, there is a huge possibility that soon this bombing Scotsman could be ready to set the Premier League alight.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has said that Kevin Thelwell’s connections with Wolves ‘can only help’ in Everton’s pursuit of Daniel Podence in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Everton interested in Podence

It was reported in October that the Toffees’ sporting director is looking to bring the 27-year-old to Goodison Park from his former club in January.

Everton want to sign versatile attackers who are proven in the Premier League, and the Portuguese wide man fits that profile.

The Latest: Thelwell could be key

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke claimed that Thelwell’s connections at Molineux will give the Merseyside club a ‘boost’ in their pursuit of Podence.

The journalist said: “I think Thelwell’s close relationship with Wolves can only help in their pursuit of Podence.

“We’ve already seen how well he’s worked that relationship in the summer to help Everton sign Conor Coady on loan from Wolves and that looks like a real masterstroke right now.

“He’s been a key man for Frank Lampard’s side, so I think Thelwell’s connections with Wolves will only boost their chances of a potential deal for Podence.”

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The Verdict: Worked with Coady…

Thelwell likely had a big say in bringing Wolves captain Conor Coady to Everton on loan, and he could do the same with Podence.

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The £60,000-per-week winger has not been the most prolific in the English top flight but has plenty of experience in the division (Transfermarkt), so he should need little time to adapt to playing in Frank Lampard’s side if he comes to Goodison Park.

Hailed by pundit Noel Whelan as a player who is ‘direct’ and has ‘pace’, Podence ranks in the 81st percentile for progressive passes out of all wingers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, and he would certainly add another dimension to the Blues’ attack.

Indeed, with his current deal expiring in 2024, they could potentially sign the 27-year-old for a cut-price amount in January.