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Crystal Palace are no strangers to snatching bargain buys from the clutches of their rivals.

The south Londoners did just that in 2011 when moving to sign Glenn Murray from Brighton, a man who would go on to net 30 Championship goals in the 2012/13 campaign to fire the Eagles into the Premier League.

However, cast your mind back two years before the English marksman arrived at Selhurst Park, and Crystal Palace once again nabbed a future club legend from a rival of theirs.

With fellow south London outfit Charlton needing to offload players from the wage bill after failing to confound the 888sport odds and suffering relegation to League One, Palace – who had just been docked one point and fined £20,000 for ineligibly fielding Rui Fonte on the final day of the 2008/09 season – snatched the midfielder on a free transfer.

In terms of being eased into life at his new club, Ambrose was instead thrown into treacherous waters.

Just months after his arrival, the club was plunged into administration and also docked ten points, transforming their ambitions for the campaign from playoff hopefuls into serious relegation candidates.

Assets were stripped. Neil Warnock – who had signed Ambrose – left for QPR, the highly-rated Victor Moses was sold to Wigan, and the future of the club was in jeopardy. Crystal Palace needed a saviour, but any potential buyer would surely prefer to throw their millions at a Championship club rather than one relegated to League One – survival was imperative.

So, when the final day of the season came around, and Paul Hart’s Palace side needed to avoid defeat against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough to avoid the drop, nails were being bitten.

However, coming into this game with 19 goals already under his belt from midfield in his debut campaign, Ambrose wasn’t in the mood to see the Eagles go out with a whimper.

It was his coolly converted effort from Sean Scannell’s second-half cross which put Palace 2-1 up, where they eventually earned the point they needed thanks to the midfielder’s 20th strike of the season – that 2-2 draw may have saved the club from extinction.

Steve Parish and the rest of the ‘CPFC2010’ consortium eventually swooped in to save the club financially, but it was Ambrose whose incredible goalscoring efforts decided things on the pitch, and all for free.

This inspired free transfer would go on to net 37 goals and record 23 assists in 124 appearances for Palace.

Ambrose is without question a cult hero in SE25, and his work helped provide a platform for the Eagles to mount a promotion charge in 2013, which would lead to them still playing top-flight football seven years later – the club’s longest run in the Premier League.

His goals after arriving on a free transfer helped Palace shape their own future – it truly was a piece of wizardry from Warnock.

Chris Ramsey has received an MBE for services to football and diversity in sport, and his achievement has been met with a multitude of well-wishes on social media.

Now QPR’s Head of Coaching, the former Swindon player has been a tremendous servant to the club over a period of five years, and many supporters feel he is well worthy of such an accolade.

Watch Queens Park Rangers Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

He displayed his great loyalty by staying at the club and accepting a reduced role when he was sacked as manager in 2015, which says a lot about his character and desire to help move QPR forward.

Such a mindset has garnered him much respect amongst the fanbase, and seemingly the wider community, as his years of service have now been rewarded.

He first joined the Hoops while Harry Redknapp, who he knew from his spell working at Tottenham, was in charge, acting as Head of Player Development, and would have overseen the progression of young players such as Harry Kane and Danny Rose.

Many QPR fans appreciate what he has given to their club and football as a whole and have issued praise upon him, as the following reactions show.

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

Leeds United have struggled for goals recently.

There are no two ways about it, the Whites have scored more than once in just one of their previous eight league games, and their rock-solid defence has really carried them through this period.

This weekend they may have to find the net a couple of times to overcome Blackburn Rovers, as the Lancashire outfit are turning into quite a prolific attacking force.

Indeed the Rovers have scored eight goals in their previous five league outings, and with Tony Mowbray’s side netting four in their last two against two real top six contenders in Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End, Leeds may need to score two or three times to get a result against the Ewood Park outfit.

This means that United may have to try something a little bit different, and fortunately, they’ve been preparing for this eventuality.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Leeds’ training regime

If Leeds are looking for goals they should implement something they’ve apparently been working on in training in recent weeks.

Last month Adam Pope reported that Leeds are working on ways to improve their chances of scoring from corners. However, on the pitch, nothing has changed.

United haven’t scored from a corner since those comments, and they’ve not really tried any new routines, but this weekend could be the chance to unleash those new techniques and in doing so, they may unearth a new secret weapon.

Blackburn’s sturdiness

The reason it may be time for Leeds to try something different from their set-pieces this weekend is because it’s going to be tough to score the traditional way from a corner against Blackburn.

Mowbray’s men have conceded just three times from set-pieces this season, and with the 6 foot 5 Tosin Adarabioyo coming back from injury last month teams have found it even harder to do anything from a corner.

Therefore, Leeds shouldn’t just ignore corners as a route to goal by crossing in balls for goliaths such as Sam Gallagher and Adarabioyo to just comfortably nod them clear.

If there was ever a time for Marcelo Bielsa to try out his new corner tactics it’s this weekend.

West Bromwich Albion must have thought they were heading to the Championship summit away at Oxford United, with a slim 1-0 win in their favour as the clock ticked nervously down.

The hosts had other ideas right at the death, though, as a scramble in the box managed to evade a number of Baggies shirts before Tottenham Hotspur loanee Dane Scarlett fired home instinctively to secure a 1-1 draw for the U’s.

Whilst Des Buckingham’s home side celebrated coming away from the game with a share of the spoils in dramatic style, Carlos Corberan would have been enraged at his own team’s last-gasp collapse, as many of his usual star performers had an off-day at the Kassam Stadium.

West Brom underperformers away at Oxford

There were a number of culprits on the Baggies’ end that put in lacklustre displays, especially towards the end of the game as the away side presumed the three points were safely in the bag.

But Scarlett pounced at the perfect opportunity to seal a 1-1 draw to capitalise on lax West Brom defending, and players such as Tom Fellows for Corberan’s men were also way off the pace compared to his usual blistering best in attack.

Away from helping himself to an impressive five assists from ten Championship clashes so far this campaign, the homegrown Baggies product never got going at the Kassam, compared to his partner down the left flank in Karlan Grant who scored West Brom’s only goal of the lunchtime kickoff.

Fellows would only amass 25 touches of the ball from his uneventful 70-minute showing, with the 21-year-old also failing to register a single shot or a successful dribble as the game ended up simply passing him by.

Corberan will want Fellows to get back to what he’s capable of in important Championship fixtures to come, with West Brom now winless in league action since the end of September, which will have made that late Scarlett goal an even more bitter pill to swallow.

The goal could well have been avoided if West Brom didn’t allow for a needless throw-in to happen, after one poor defensive performer in Semi Ajayi kicked it out of play for Scarlett to then become a last minute hero for the U’s.

Ajayi's numbers vs Oxford

The ex-Rotherham United defender, despite coming in at a towering 6 foot 4 frame, would also lose out when pinball ensued after the throw-in, failing to get tight to the header that then fell to the young Spurs starlet’s path to fire home.

It was a less than convincing display from Ajayi across the full 90 minutes too, seen in Express and Star journalist Lewis Cox dishing out the 30-year-old with a sub-par 5/10 rating post-match, labelling his performance as ‘mixed’ away from his ‘costly’ decision to gift the home side a chance from a throw-in.

Stat

Ajayi

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

60

Accurate passes

45/53 (83%)

Clearances

3

Blocked shots

0

Interceptions

0

Tackles

2

Total duels won

4/7

Stats by Sofascore

Failing to register a single interception or block a shot in the 1-1 draw, on top of missing out on three duels being successfully won, Ajayi will just hope he can bounce back when he next has an opportunity to showcase his quality.

Corberan will be thinking about potentially changing things up in the heart of defence moving forward, to try and tweak areas of his side to kickstart a positive run of form again, and must instantly ditch the centre-back from the starting XI after this shocking display.

Still, he won’t go overboard for the mid-week trip to Ewood Park, as West Brom continue to hunt for an elusive win in league action after experiencing a slight sticky patch.

West Brom ace was in the TOTY alongside Eze & Watkins, now he's unemployed

West Bromwich Albion never managed to get the best out of this midfield talent.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 17, 2024

It’s taken Regis Le Bris just over three months to transform Sunderland from Championship strugglers to bona fide promotion contenders. Last term, under Michael Beale and Mike Dodds, the Black Cats finished 16th in England’s second division, just six points above the relegation zone. This season, however, after nine games played, they are top of the table, having won six and drawn one.

Biggest coup since Defoe: Le Bris could land a 'lifelong Sunderland fan'

Sunderland would love to secure this mammoth deal in January.

1 ByKelan Sarson Oct 8, 2024

Le Bris’ side looked to be facing defeat against Leeds last week after Joel Piroe and Junior Firpo had canceled out Chris Rigg’s opener, however a stoppage-time error from Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier gifted Sunderland a point.

“The mindset of the team was good because right until the end we believed that it was possible and then it happened with a mistake,” Le Bris, who was appointed as Sunderland boss in July, said after the draw. “I think we deserved this draw.”

Tommy Watson loving life under Le Bris

One player who is particularly enjoying life at The Stadium of Light right now is youngster Tommy Watson. The 21-year-old winger, who came through Sunderland’s academy, has been a regular feature in Le Bris’ matchday squads this season, despite not having too many minutes to strut his stuff in front of fans.

He made his first-team debut in a 2-1 defeat to Watford in late September, coming on as a late substitute, and has since made two further cameos against Derby and Leeds. Speaking with Sunderland’s official website, Watson spoke of his delight at finally being given a chance to shine on the big stage.

Talking about making the transition to the first-team under his new manager, Watson said: “It’s a bit of a jump up. The games in the Championship are more organised and teams are set up better and harder to break down so you get fewer chances.

“It’s class to be honest. I’ve been waiting a long time for the opportunity. I’ve been on the fringes for quite some time, but the idea of working towards more first-team minutes is a real target.”

Poveda injury update dampens Sunderland mood

Life might be looking up for Watson at the moment, but for Ian Poveda, things aren’t so great. The Colombia international, who joined Sunderland in the summer from Leeds United, has seen his start to life on Wearside hampered by injuries, limiting him to just 44 minutes of Championship action so far this season.

Speaking with the media ahead of last week’s draw with Leeds, Le Bris revealed that he will now have to make do without Poveda for a further “four to six weeks” after the 24-year-old suffered yet another injury setback.

“It’s a shame,” Le Bris said. “But the Championship is long, we still have 38 games to play. Ian is going to be helpful for the team, but he is going to need time to recover.”

Glasgow Rangers return to Ibrox stadium this evening for the first time this season for a League Cup quarter-final clash.

Dundee are the visitors to Glasgow and the clash gives Philipe Clement a chance to perhaps rejig his starting XI from the tie against Dundee United in the Premiership last week.

The Light Blues are the holders of the League Cup, defeating Aberdeen in the final last December. Despite the sluggish start to the campaign, Clement will be aiming to defend the trophy as it could certainly give the club a boost by reaching the semifinals.

The Belgian stuck by his tried and tested XI last week, but ahead of the home tie tonight, he could make four changes to the starting XI, which will see a few of his summer signings finally make their maiden starts.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the team that the manager could send out to try and claim a spot in the last four…

1 GK – Jack Butland

The goalkeeper has played every minute of every game so far and this is highly unlikely to change heading into the match tonight.

He hasn’t quite shown the form that he displayed during his first few months at Ibrox, although he has conceded just seven goals in eight matches, keeping four clean sheets in the process.

2 RB – James Tavernier

Like Butland, the captain has featured in every minute of the campaign, registering two assists across all competitions.

This is a far cry from the attacking numbers he displayed last season, with many reckoning he has regressed over the summer. While this could be a chance to give him a rest, it appears as though the Englishman is the first name on the team sheet, regardless of the opposition.

If he can open his account for the season tonight, it could give him a major confidence boost.

3 CB – John Souttar

Ever since Connor Goldson departed Ibrox during the transfer window, Souttar has emerged as the main centre-back in the squad.

Aged 27, the defender is coming into the peak years of his career, finally overcoming the injury issues that plagued his first season in Glasgow. If he remains fit, the former Hearts man could be a vital asset to the Light Blues over the next few years.

4 CB – Neraysho Kasanwirjo

The League Cup clash represents a chance for the Dutchman to make his first start for the Gers.

He spent last season on loan at Austrian side Rapid Vienna, making 28 appearances for the club.

His inclusion in the starting XI will mean Robin Propper drops to the bench. The Dutchman, who cost just £1.5m from FC Twente during the summer, has played five times for the club this term, but it could be time for a rest.

5 LB – Jefte

The Brazilian has impressed since joining permanently during the summer, showing flashes of brilliance.

He is only 20, but there is no doubt that Jefte has a promising career ahead of him. Clement will be wary of overusing him, especially with Ridvan Yilmaz missing due to injury, but it appears Jefte is taking everything in his stride.

Another start beckons against Dundee.

6 CM – Connor Barron

Like Jefte, Barron is another young talent who joined the Light Blues in the summer, proving he could generate the club millions in profit in the next few years. The former Aberdeen man has been excellent domestically, averaging a 91% pass success rate while recovering four balls per game.

There are other options that could slot into the heart of the midfield, but Clement will persist with the Scot tonight.

7 CM – Mohamed Diomande

The Ivorian is beginning to form a solid partnership with Barron in the middle of the pitch, but he certainly needs a big performance tonight.

While he has created three big chances and averages one key pass per game, Diomande loses possession 10.4 times on average per game, showing that he could be slightly better when on the ball.

8 RW – Vaclav Cerny

It was clear that Clement had to bolster this area of the team during the summer and Cerny arrived with a big reputation. He scored four goals in the Bundesliga last season, proving he has what it takes to shine in one of the best leagues on the continent.

The winger missed the clash with Dundee United due to illness, but if he has recovered, he will slot straight back in this evening.

9 AM – Nedim Bajrami

Tom Lawrence may have scored the winner last week, but he could be dropped in order to give Nedim Bajrami his very first start for the Light Blues.

The Albanian scored after just 23 seconds for his nation against Italy at Euro 2024, and it will be intriguing to see how he performs at Ibrox tonight. If he delivers a solid display, it might mean Lawrence remains on the bench from then on.

10 LW – Oscar Cortes

The on-loan Colombian returned to the starting XI last weekend but was given only 45 minutes as a precaution by Clement following his return from injury.

45 minutes in the tank would have helped his overall match fitness. Due to Rabbi Matondo being injured, Cortes will once again be unleashed from the starting XI in a bid to terrorise the Dundee defence.

Everton are yet to make a signing in the summer transfer window and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the club's pursuit of a potential target.

What's the latest on Everton's interest in Ashley Young?

According to Everton transfer insider Alan Myers, the Toffees are plotting a move for former Aston Villa and England ace Ashley Young who is currently a free agent.

Myers took to Twitter to reveal:

"Everton have held talks about the possibility of bringing former Aston Villa defender Ashley Young to the club, the 37-year-old is available on a free transfer, nothing decided yet, talks are continuing."

Would Ashley Young be a good signing for Everton?

It was reported last week by The Athletic's Patrick Boyland that Everton are sacrificing long-term prospects for short-term necessities after finding themselves battling against Premier League relegation over the last two seasons.

The Merseysiders escaped a drop down to the Championship with just two points to spare on the final day of last season and now Sean Dyche will be looking for ways to steady the ship at Goodison Park by any means necessary.

As a result, the signing of Young may not be an appealing prospect for supporters when envisioning the long-term future of the club due to the fact he turned 38 this weekend, however, he could provide an ample solution to one of Everton's biggest pain points.

Dyche struggled with the lack of depth in his full-back roles due to numerous injury issues plaguing the wide defensive flanks; Seamus Coleman, Vitaliy Mykolenko, Nathan Patterson and Ruben Vinagre all suffered setbacks over the 38-game campaign, often resulting in the need to deploy centre-backs Mason Holgate and Ben Godfrey to cover the positions.

For that reason, Young could, in fact, be a highly valuable move for Everton if he could emulate his strong presence seen at Villa Park last season.

Over 29 Premier League appearances, the 5 foot 9 former England international scored one goal, won 62% of his aerial and ground duels combined and kept eight clean sheets for Aston Villa, as well as averaging 2.1 clearances, 50.5 touches and 1.7 tackles per game, as per SofaScore.

When comparing his output to that of the full-backs at Everton, only Nathan Patterson completed more tackles per 90 (2.6), whilst only Mykolenko completed more blocks per 90 (0.5) and more key passes (0.6) than Young, according to WhoScored.

Not only that, the 38-year-old is comfortable and experienced in playing both right-back and left-back meaning he could cover for both sides of the defensive set-up, having been lauded for that versatility by former Villa boss Steven Gerrard, who also dubbed him "outstanding".

Young's experience, leadership skills and strong presence in the back line could make the same much-needed impact that James Tarkowski had on the Everton squad upon his arrival on a free transfer last summer, with the ex-Burnley centre-back having enjoyed a solid debut campaign at Goodison.

Lauded as "the best English centre-half we have that's playing regularly" by BBC pundit Danny Murphy back in October, the 30-year-old started every single Premier League game last season, with his average match rating of 7.20, as per Sofascore, seeing him ranking joint-first in the Toffees squad (excluding Asmir Begovic who featured just once in the league).

With Tarkowski having evidently proven a bargain capture on a free, Dyche could now repeat the transfer masterclass by snapping up the services of the Stevenage-born veteran without paying a penny on transfer fees.

With that being said, the signing of Young could be a great piece of business for Everton this summer as he could add depth to the full-back roles and provide Dyche with a utility player who can provide quality in various roles next season.

Newcastle United are expected to officially complete the signing of Italy international Sandro Tonali this week as their second piece of incoming business this summer, following Yankuba Minteh through the door.

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that the Magpies have delayed their announcement and that it will arrive in the coming days, with the central midfielder poised to join from Serie A giants AC Milan.

However, Eddie Howe and Dan Ashworth still have around two months left of the summer transfer window to bolster the squad with further additions as they prepare for Champions League football next season.

One player who has been linked with a switch to St. James’ Park ahead of the 2023/24 campaign is Rennes attacking midfielder Lovro Majer, who is said to be available for a fee in the region of €40m (£34m).

What is Lovro Majer’s style of play?

The Croatian is a silky left-footed number ten who could become Howe’s own version of Manchester City magician David Silva if he arrives on Tyneside this summer.

Majer's performances for Rennes in France last season earned him a comparison to the Spaniard, who currently plays for Real Sociedad in LaLiga at the age of 37.

As you can see in the above graphic, as provided by Opta, both players excel at receiving touches in the opposition's box and are able to create chances at an impressive rate among their positional peers.

Silva was an outstanding creative threat for City during his time in England as he registered 106 assists in 309 Premier League matches, which is an average of an assist every 2.91 starts. This shows that the mercurial talent was capable of providing his teammates with goalscoring opportunities on a regular basis.

Majer is a player who has the potential to offer a similar level of quality in possession, based on his form for Rennes since the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

Over the last two seasons, the Croatian maestro has racked up 13 assists along with 12 'big chances' created in 39 Ligue 1 starts, which works out as an assist every three starts on average.

The 25-year-old, who was once lauded as "phenomenal" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also managed nine assists in 31 league games for Dinamo Zagreb in the 2020/21 campaign before his move to France.

These figures show that the 21-cap international has been a consistent creative threat for his clubs over the last three years, which suggests that he has the potential to be an outstanding creator for Newcastle in the same way that Silva has been throughout his career.

No Magpies midfielder produced more than six Premier League assists last term and Majer, who has conjured eight or more assists in two of the last three league seasons, could come in to provide a boost in that department as a player with the ability to unlock a defence week-in-week-out.

Manchester United have reached an impasse in their pursuit of Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount, according to a new update from Sky Sports.

Is Mason Mount joining Man United?

Man United have now made multiple offers for Mount, with their most recent bid being worth £55m, however, Chelsea are demanding £65m to part with the midfielder, despite the fact he has just one year left on his contract.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Red Devils are unwilling to match the Blues' asking price, however, the "door remains open" to do a deal if the Englishman's current employers are willing to accept the £55m offer, which they believe is "fair".

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has now offered a fresh update on United's pursuit of the 24-year-old, saying:

"Interesting developments in Manchester United's pursuit of the Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount. We understand that United are now refocusing on other targets as there is what's been described as an impasse in their pursuit of the Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount.

"It's not a case of Manchester United pulling out of a deal for Mason Mount, we are told that their latest offer, worth £55m, which was of course £50m guaranteed payment plus £5m in performance-related add-ons, that remains on the table, and that bid was rejected by Chelsea last night."

Sheth goes on to add that United retain an interest in Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo, among a number of other players.

Will Mount leave Chelsea?

Chelsea are certainly driving a hard bargain, given that the England international has just one year remaining on his contract, meaning they risk losing him for free next summer if they fail to offload him.

The Red Devils have agreed personal terms with the central midfielder, however, they should not be held to ransom by Chelsea, and it is a wise move to refocus on other targets if the Londoners are unwilling to accept a reasonable bid.

Caicedo could be a solid alternative option to the Chelsea star, but it must be noted they are two very different types of players, with the Brighton midfielder specialising defensively, ranking in the 89th percentile for interceptions per 90 over the past year.

Mount has most commonly played in a more advanced midfield role throughout his career, however, his 2022-23 campaign was very disappointing, scoring just three goals in all competitions, which is even more reason why United should not pay over the odds.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in adding Marc Guehi to their defensive line this summer as Ange Postecoglou readies himself for a spending spree.

Will Tottenham sign Marc Guehi?

News of Tottenham's interest in the centre-back has come from Charlie Eccleshare, a Spurs correspondent for The Athletic, who announced that the club have been looking into the Englishman's signature for a while.

Speaking on the Last Word on Spurs YouTube channel, Eccleshare stated: "Marc Guehi is another one who I've heard mentioned. He is someone Spurs have been looking at for a while. Really good player. Really, really talented, I think he would fit the bill".

Tottenham have been strongly linked with a number of centre-backs during the transfer window already, with Fabrizio Romano recently reporting that Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba is also on the club's radar. Clement Lenglet, who spent last season on loan at Tottenham, has also been touted with a permanent move.

Guehi would be a major coup for Postecoglou if a deal can be struck, especially considering the 22-year-old has already reportedly attracted interest from Champions League clubs Arsenal and Manchester United.

Signing Guehi would not be cheap, however, with Palace reportedly wanting £50m to part ways with the former Chelsea man. Considering Spurs need to strengthen heavily across their squad for next season, spending such a large sum on one player may not be wise with potentially cheaper alternatives out there.

The Lilywhites have already captured Dejan Kulusevski's signature on a permanent deal, spending £25m in the process, while they are closing in on a new goalkeeper – Guglielmo Vicario. Spurs are also heavily linked with Leicester City midfielder James Maddison.

Why do Spurs want Guehi?

Guehi enjoyed a fruitful season with Crystal Palace last season, playing 37 times in the Premier League. A modern defender, Guehi has a good range of accurate passing, with a 91% short pass and 93.2% medium pass completion percentage.

While his long range passing accuracy is significantly worse (just 56.3%), he ranked in the top 14% of Premier League centre-backs for attempted long passes, meaning he's willing to take risks to switch possession.

Guehi is very comfortable with the ball at his feet, ranking in the top 12% of centre-backs for successful take-ons last term. Willing to play his way out of trouble, the defender could be exactly what Postecoglou is looking for in his new system at Tottenham.

The Eagles man is also comfortable playing on the left-hand side of a back two, despite being right-footed, and at 22 has plenty of time to improve his game. He also finished runner-up in Crystal Palace's Player of the Season vote last campaign, showing how well respected he is at Selhurst Park.