Rahul Lakhani

Featured Articles

Featured Articles

Ibrox News •

Russell Martin smashes unwanted Rangers records as true extent of predictable failure exposed

Rangers fans reacted negatively when Russell Martin was appointed manager, and their scepticism was fully justified.

Martin has been a disaster so far as Rangers could even end up bottom of the league before they next play again, and fans are furious.

Supporters voted with their feet as there were over 12,000 empty seats at Ibrox as Rangers lost to Genk in the Europa League, with few wanting to watch what Martin’s side has served up.

Rangers invested heavily in the summer but are even worse n...
Ibrox News •

Davide Ancelotti days are numbered as Rangers appointment mooted after Russell Martin

Russell Martin is facing the sack at Rangers after a truly disastrous spell at Ibrox.

Martin was an unpopular choice from the start, and the Union Bears have now announced protests against Patrick Stewart and the manager.

The Rangers hierarchy, including Stewart, Gretar Steinsson and Kevin Thelwell, chose Martin despite talks with Davide Ancelotti, the son of Italian legend Carlo.

Ancelotti was in advanced talks over taking the Rangers job, after years spent as a highly-regarded assistant to...
Ibrox News •

Exclusive: Ancelotti to sign Real Madrid sensations for Rangers once deal done

Rangers are reportedly closing in on the appointment of Davide Ancelotti as their next permanent manager.

49ers Enterprises are set to complete a takeover of the club, and this will see them hire a new manager to replace interim boss Barry Ferguson.

Ancelotti will leave Real Madrid alongside his father Carlo Ancelotti, but while the legendary veteran will take charge of the Brazil National Team, his son will now forge a career away from him.

The Italian’s son has been assistant manager at his...
Breaking The Lines - Curated Football Opinions •

The Redemption of David Ospina: An Arsenal Outcast Becomes a Colombian Legend - Breaking The Lines

Footballing history was made on September 6, 1995 after a cross by Jamie Redknapp in an England friendly against Colombia. René ‘El Loco’ Higuita stunned Wembley Stadium as he pulled off the iconic ‘scorpion kick’ to clear the ball, a technique which will forever be associated with the legendary shot-stopper.

Higuita is a revered figure in Colombia and is widely recognized as one of the finest goalkeepers that South America has produced. Now 58, the Medellín-born icon is now a coach at his loca...
Liverpool News 247 •

Liverpool to La Liga: Why Turf Moor's 'Portfolio Derby' is more than just a game of 90 minutes

Liverpool are set to take on Burnley at Turf Moor, in a game which could have wider meaning beyond the Premier League.

Arne Slot will face off with Scott Parker as the Premier League champions take on the freshly-promoted side, after contrasting summer transfer windows in which Liverpool spent heavily and Burnley lost some key players.

Liverpool spent £450 million on Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and others, and this was not too far behind the entire total spend of every club in the Spanish top...
The Guardian •

Villarreal fans decry Thomas Partey’s proposed signing as club’s ‘darkest day’

News that the former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is poised to join Villarreal has upset fans of the Spanish club, with hundreds signing a petition urging a halt to what has been described as the “darkest day in the club’s history”.Partey appeared in a London court on Tuesday, charged with five counts of rape relating to two women and a charge of sexual assault against a third woman. The alleged offences are said to have taken place in 2021 and 2022 when Partey was playing for Arsenal.Partey...
Liverpool News 247 •

Hugo Ekitike vs Alexander Isak: Who Should Liverpool sign?

Liverpool’s summer transfer plans are well underway, and at the top of their agenda lies a key decision: Hugo Ekitike or Alexander Isak?

Despite being long-time admirers of Newcastle’s Isak, recent reports have revealed Liverpool have made progress in talks for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Ekitike.

As the saga heats up, Liverpool News have taken a deep dive into the tactical fit of both players to determine which striker would suit Arne Slot‘s system best.

Isak joined Newcastle from Real Socie...

Goalkeeper.com | Who Will Be Spain's Number One?

As La Roja enter a new goalkeeping era, Rahul Lakhani looks at Spain between the sticks now and then…

As soon as Andres Iniesta’s shot found the back of the Netherlands’ net in Johannesburg with just four minutes of the 2010 World Cup final remaining, Spain had cemented themselves at the pinnacle of world football. The winners of Euro 2008 had found success on the biggest stage, and wrote their names into the history books with an era of dominance over global football which would continue until

Goalkeeper.com | Andriy Lunin: The First El Clasico

How impactful was Lunin's performance in the most recent Real Madrid/Barcelona clash?

When it was announced that recent Yashin trophy winner Thibaut Courtois was set to miss a short period of matches with sciatica, Andriy Lunin probably didn’t consider that the period would include the highly anticipated El Clasico match between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Only when Carlo Ancelotti that the Belgian would not be fit in time for the top-of-the-table clash could reality set in. After five years of
Villarreal USA •

Ben Brereton-Diaz profiled as Villarreal lead transfer race for Blackburn Rovers star

Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton-Diaz has been linked with a move to Villarreal, with his contract set to expire in the summer.

The 23-year-old may sign a pre-contract, and there is speculation that Villarreal could even strike a deal with his club to bring him to the club now, although he has previously stated his desire to finish the season at his club to try and help them reach the promotion playoffs.

With Nicolas Jackson and Arnaut Danjuma seemingly close to the exit door, attacking r

Why Do Teams Change Their Goalkeeper Following Promotion To The Premier League?

Out of 15 promoted sides in the last five years, nine changed their first-choice goalkeeper upon arrival to the Premier League…

Achieving promotion to the Premier League is the end-goal for teams in the Championship and the joy of reaching the holy grail, either automatically or through Wembley glory in the playoffs, is doubled when considering the significant financial boost clubs receive upon promotion.

The jackpot for winning the 2021/22 Play-Off Final was estimated to be between £100-£135
Villarreal USA •

Fulham 1-1 Villarreal: What we learned from London friendly clash

Villarreal continued their unbeaten pre-season form with a 1-1 draw against newly promoted Premier League side Fulham at Craven Cottage in London, but there were some areas of concern ahead of the upcoming campaign.

The hosts were dominant in the first half but found themselves 1-0 down after a stunning strike from Dani Parejo, and Villarreal improved after a few half-time substitutes.

Both sides missed a number of chances, but Fulham would eventually find an equaliser through Aleksander Mitro
Villarreal USA •

What Villarreal need in midfield as Capoue pens new contract

Villarreal have prided themselves on outstanding technical quality within their midfield over the years.

Bruno Soriano, Marcos Senna, Santi Cazorla, Juan Roman Riquelme and many more top talents have previously lit up the Estadio De La Ceramica, and the last two seasons have continued that trend.

Dani Parejo and Etienne Capoue were two of the club’s best performers last season, and Unai Emery looks set to continue with the pair as undisputed starters heading into the 2022-23 campaign.

However
Planet Football •

Greatest goals never scored: Giroud's 2013 scorcher that typified Arsenal

The latter stages of 2013 were enjoyable at Arsenal. Mesut Ozil had just joined for a club-record fee, Aaron Ramsey was in the form of his life and the Gunners were flying at the top of the league.

When an impressive Everton side under Roberto Martinez boasting the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley came to the Emirates, Arsenal had a chance to go seven points clear at the top and really lay down a marker in the title race.

What followed next was 90 minutes of dramatic chaos. Chances fell
Planet Football •

Arsenal's Reiss Nelson has become a goal & assist machine at Feyenoord

Arsenal’s Reiss Nelson has become a goal & assist machine at Feyenoord

Arsenal’s academy has churned out some remarkable talents in the last few years, but before Bukayo Saka, there was another prodigy that looked destined for the top.

When the winger made his breakthrough into the Arsenal first team he was regarded as one of the biggest talents to ever come out of Hale End, and by the end of the 2017-18 season he had appeared in the league and in Europe, as well as winning the Premier League
Planet Football •

With one icy nutmeg, Granit Xhaka brought calm to Arsenal's sh*tstorm

With one icy nutmeg, Granit Xhaka brought calm to Arsenal’s sh*tstorm

Nutmegging a player is one of the most satisfying things you can do on a football pitch, and even more so when it leads to a goal.

The best way to humiliate your opponent? Stick it through their legs and leave them wishing they’d chosen a different career path.

As Arsenal headed to Stamford Bridge, they knew they needed a moment of inspiration to lift them out of the rot of three straight defeats and to spark this young sid
Planet Football •

Guendouzi's chaos-assist was pure syrup of a talent Arsenal didn't tame

When the Tasmanian Devil goes on a rampage, he spins around destroying everything in sight, leaving a wake of chaos behind him.

When Matteo Guendouzi picks up the ball in midfield, there is often a similar outcome.

He gets caught in the moment, bursting forward on his own to cause carnage for both teams on the pitch.

A lot of Arsenal fans eventually grew sick of his style, as the mess left behind him was often the opposition launching a counter whilst he was out of position. However, when it
Planet Football •

An ode to Santi Cazorla's Villarreal comeback: recovery & a touch of gold

An ode to Santi Cazorla’s Villarreal comeback: recovery & a touch of gold

When Santi Cazorla limped off the pitch in Arsenal’s 6-0 win over Ludogorets in the Champions League in October 2016, little did he know that would be his last appearance for the club.

Nearly two years of painful surgeries and injury rehabilitation followed, during which time doctors had to take skin from his arm to stop his foot from being amputated.

It seemed certain that Cazorla would never kick a ball again, and he
Planet Football •

Odegaard is dictating & dummying: he's Arsenal captain material

As the scenes at the Emirates during Arsenal’s win over Wolves nearly caused an earthquake in north London, the name on everyone’s lips was neither the scorer nor assister of either goal.

Late, late goals from Nicolas Pepe and Alexandre Lacazette (but given as an own goal from Jose Sa) gave the Gunners a big boost in the race for a top-four finish, and completed a great comeback after Hwang Hee-chan had given Wolves the lead.

Despite taking a while to score, Arsenal were completely dominant, a
Planet Football •

Forget Ben White's defending, this ace pass is why Arsenal paid £50m

Forget Ben White’s defending, this ace pass is why Arsenal paid £50m

Ben White put in an imperious performance as 10-man Arsenal impressively held on to a 0-0 draw against Liverpool at Anfield in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Thursday night.

Granit Xhaka’s red card in the 24th minute meant that the visitors had to play with a man down for over an hour, an unenviable task at a ground where the Gunners have been hammered repeatedly in recent years.

Having already fielded a depleted side, it see
Planet Football •

'The best kid I've ever seen': Arsenal's Charlie Patino & a superb solo goal

Arsenal have been churning out top quality youngsters in recent years, with Emile Smith Rowe receiving a deserved England call up yesterday, Bukayo Saka becoming the star of the team and the likes of Ainsley-Maitland Niles, Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock receiving plaudits.

The success of Saka and Smith Rowe has shown there is a clear path to the Arsenal first team for academy players, which has inspired youngsters such as Folarin Balogun to sign a long-term contract and patiently wait for his o
Planet Football •

Aaron Ramsey at Juve: Where did it all go wrong for the Arsenal hero?

Aaron Ramsey at Juve: Where did it all go wrong for the Arsenal hero?

When Aaron Ramsey traded North London for Turin in the summer of 2019, he left expecting a fresh start and a regular role at one of the world’s biggest clubs.

Juventus continued their trend of high-profile free transfers, as the Welshman followed the likes of Emre Can, Andrea Pirlo and Paul Pogba in joining the Old Lady after his Arsenal contract expired.

In doing so, they made Ramsey one of the highest earners at the club,
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