From the first kick of all the ball – and presumably whenever they’ve seen him out and about in London during the week – Arsenal fans have been booing their former captain, Cesc Fabregas.
After Arsene Wenger’s rejected bringing back the Spanish international from Barcelona in the summer, the midfielder committed the second biggest sin to an Arsenal fan and joined Jose Mourinho over in west London at Chelsea.
Ever since then, Fabregas has become enemy No.1 for all Gooners – and he probably didn’t help things by bagging a delightful assist in the first meeting between these two sides earlier in the season.
In what has been a pulsating opening half an hour or so at the Emirates, we’ve seen Chelsea have Oscar’s neat chip headed off the line and a couple of penalty shouts for the boys in the Blue. However, one of those penalty claims was nothing more than a deceitful dive, according to the man with the cards, that is.
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Michael Oliver opted to book Fabregas – although replays suggest it may well have been a harsh call – much to the delight of every single Arsenal fan in all corners of the globe…
If the feeling around Lewis Holtby’s arrival at Tottenham Hotspur back in January was one of anticipation, then nearly two months on, it’s now perhaps one of curiosity amongst the Lilywhites’ support.
The 22-year-old German international came to White Hart Lane amongst a cascade of fanfare eight weeks ago, but where as many might have expected the former-Schalke man to be a prominent presence in Spurs’ push down the Premier League’s home straight, he’s remained more upon the periphery, rather than the forefront.
And as Andre Villas-Boas’ side’s recent hiccup in form threatens to turn into a far more sinister wobble, Holtby’s absence from the side in recent games hasn’t gone unnoticed. The Portuguese has come under fire from some for perceived tactical naivety in the defeats against both Internazionale and Fulham, but for as frustrated as fans were with the way the team was set up, it was Villas-Boas’ reluctance to play Holtby that particularly rankled.
But for as frustrating as it may be to see Holtby’s adaptation to English football progress at more of a walking pace rather than a rate of knots, supporters must be keen to not let the hype surrounding the German cloud their judgements. His integration into both this Spurs side and Premier League football is a marathon, not a sprint.
Following his initial burst of appearances in a white shirt, supporters can perhaps be forgiven for scratching their heads in regard to the lack of game time that Holtby has recently been afforded.
His cameos against both Norwich City and West Bromwich Albion away may not have been ground breaking, but in both occasions on his first two outings for the club, Holtby managed to wield a considerable impact. Certainly, he showed enough to whet the appetites of supporters even further, with his exhibition of crisp one-touch passing and positive furrows forward.
Although while impressing in bursts is all well and good, it’s maintaining an impact from kick-off that’s been a slightly tougher nut to crack for Holtby. During starts against Newcastle United and the away leg against Lyon in the Europa League, despite not playing particularly poor, he naturally looked like a man still trying to find his feet within this Spurs side.
But if supporters were in any need of a reminder of the patience needed within Holtby’s adaptation, the 3-2 win away at West Ham United last month, offered something of a reality check to a hype machine that had perhaps got a little carried away in the preceding weeks.
Holtby suffered a tough time against a steely, powerful and unrelenting Hammers midfield that refused to allow the Spurs midfield a second on the ball. It’s easy to revert to stereotype in this circumstance, but a London derby in the East End is a long way away from the technically infused battles that Holtby had been puppeteering back at the Vetlins Arena in the Bundesliga.
It’s going to take time for Holtby to be able to consistently apply his gifts within this league and just because he’s made his move mid-season, it doesn’t mean that he should be instantly expected to hit the ground running.
The counter-argument is of course that Lewis Holtby isn’t going to adapt to the rigors of English football by sitting on the bench, but it was within the success of his substitution on that night at Upton Park, that you understand how difficult it is for Villas-Boas to afford the German the game time he needs.
Gylfi Sigurdsson has been a player that’s also been in desperate need of game time and a run of starts all season, but up until recent games, that simply hasn’t happened. Yet the Icelandic international couldn’t have done more than what he did coming off the bench against West Ham to gain a start and for as much as Holtby needs game time, Villas-Boas has to remain fair.
Dropping Holtby for Sigurdsson in the North London derby was a tough, but ultimately correct decision and the way in which the former-Swansea loanee has reacted to his run in the side has wholly vindicated Villas-Boas’ selection. Had Sigurdsson not taken his chance against West Ham, maybe Holtby wouldn’t have been sitting on the bench so much in recent games.
But the fact is that he did and the problem for Villas-Boas is that he has the task of trying to carefully ease his new signing’s introduction into English football, while fighting an increasingly bitter battle for success on two fronts. Lewis Holtby is only going to get better by clocking up more time in the league, but Spurs aren’t in a position where they can afford any players an induction process.
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And it’s within the timing of his switch from Schalke, that we understand why the club wasn’t initially in any rush to make bring forward a transfer originally penned in for the summer.
Far from the suggestions of penny-pinching towards the chairman Daniel Levy, the fact is there was a reason the club originally wanted him in June as opposed to January and it had little to do with a £1.5million outlay. As his three starts in two months suggest, he arrived at the club during an incredibly difficult part of the season to bed into.
With eight games remaining and Spurs’ lead over fifth-placed Arsenal now down to four points with one more game played, when Holtby does get his chance to restart his process of acclimatization within this league, he’s going to do so under massive pressure.
And this is something supporters most bear in mind when running the rule over their new German acquisition. Regardless of how he fares up until May, next season will be the one in which Lewis Holtby should be measured up against.
Manchester United head in to this weekend on the back of three straight defeats ahead of their trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday evening.
Having enjoyed a terrific run of form, which included crucial wins over Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City, the Red Devils were brought back down to Earth with defeats at Chelsea and Everton before last weekend’s surprise home defeat to West Bromwich Albion.
Although they should still be able to secure Champions League qualification, a run of three games without a goal is certainly a worry for Louis van Gaal, and has once again highlighted the need for money to be spent for both goal-scorers and creative options.
The club have already signalled their intent to get business done early by announcing a deal has been agreed for Dutch star Memphis Depay, and there may well be more to come.
One man who continues to be linked with a move to Old Trafford is Real Madrid ace Gareth Bale.
Football’s most expensive signing has endured an indifferent campaign, and some out of sorts performances have led to plenty of criticism over in Spain. He looks the shadow of the player that performed so well at Spurs as well as Wales in their recent European Championship qualifiers, and could prove a realistic target should this continue.
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Madrid themselves have been strongly linked with a move for United goalkeeper David de Gea, and he is another with strong question marks over his future with the club still waiting to tie him down to a new contract.
Reports this week suggested the pair could be involved in some sort of swap deal, and it’s something United should seriously consider.
There’s no doubting De Gea’s importance to the team, and another superb season from the Spaniard has seen him perform heroics at times, and rightly earn a place in the PFA Team of the Year.
And although losing a player of his quality will be a disappointing, there are other goalkeepers out there who would be able to soften the blow and prove an adequate replacement, most notably Hugo Lloris of Tottenham.
If United can ensure they are able to replace De Gea with someone of similar stature like Lloris, they would still be left with a top class goalkeeper that can have a similar impact on their team.
And if by selling their current number one means they will be able to bring Bale back to the Premier League, it would certainly make an improvement to their attacking options.
Bale is without doubt the type of player that would make United serious title contenders. His goal threat means he has the ability to win games on his own, and could be the difference between winning and losing, and be responsible for a number of points over the course of the season.
If he’s not feeling loved at Madrid, that would certainly change were he to move to United, and they look like the perfect team to bring out the best in the attacker once more, and a side who would certainly give him the freedom to express himself.
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United fans would be really frustrated at seeing De Gea leave the club, and the Red Devils should be doing all they can to retain one of the world’s best keepers. But if he has his heart set on leaving, then they have to ensure they can get the best deal possible, and should only consider listening to offers if Gareth Bale is involved.
And if there’s no chance of landing the Welshman, then that should put an end to negotiations once and for all.
Chris Brunt will be missing from the West Brom side against Southampton at St Mary’s on Saturday because of a knee injury.
The 28-year-old Northern Ireland international midfielder picked up a knee injury during last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Newcastle at the Hawthorns and Baggies boss Steve Clarke confirmed that he will not be ready for the Saints trip.
“He’s not going to make it this week and it is fingers crossed for next week,” he said on the club’s website.
Full-back Billy Jones, who scored Albion’s second-half equaliser against the Magpies last week, is also struggling because of a gashed leg he suffered during the game, but Clarke is hoping he will make it.
Youssouf Mulumbu is still suspended, while Clarke also revealed that youngsters Isaiah Brown and Kemar Roofe are also missing due to injury.
However, controversial striker Peter Odemwingie, who scored both goals when West Brom defeated the Saints 2-0 earlier in the season, is set to return to the fold following a two-game absence with a knee injury.
Academy product Donervorn Daniels is set to be one of two youngsters who will be included in the squad for the trip to the south coast.
Meanwhile, loan striker Romelu Lukaku is warning his Baggies team-mates to expect a much tougher game than the home fixture back in November.
He said: “Southampton are playing very good football. I saw the game they played [2-0 win] against Reading.
“They are playing differently to the way they played at the start of the season. At the beginning of the season there was a lot of space to play, now there isn’t.
“They are very close and when they lose the ball they press to recover the ball in six seconds all the time.
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“They are dangerous up front in Lambert especially and Rodriguez, who is scoring a lot. It will not be easy but it’s up to us, we have our own qualities.
“I think they will really get at us but we have to react and take the initiative to win the game. The first goal will be really important.”
Football fever is sweeping the nation ahead of June’s big fixture and the UK’s football fans are growing ever more enthusiastic ahead of the Rio kick-off.
ACUVUE® is an official sponsor of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ and aims to raise awareness of the importance of vision and the benefits of contact lenses for football fans and sport enthusiasts.
Ex-England and West-Ham superstar and ACUVUE® Brand Contact Lens wearer, Joe Cole, has required vision correction since the age of 20 and will be using his experience on the pitch to highlight the significance wearing lenses has had on his performance to sporting fans.
Cole boasts an international career and is renowned for bringing technically gifted skills to the pitch. Yet, unbeknown to his many fans, he has played in contact lenses for 12 years.
Now opening up about his history of vision correction, Joe Cole is championing ACUVUE® as his brand of choice. Popular for having great eye and ball coordination skills, the ability to pick a pass whilst scoring those winning goals, the sporting star will be tackling some of the issues associated with vision correction and performance; specifically aiming to help debunk some of the myths with wearing contact lenses, especially among younger groups.
A child prodigy at just 16, Cole is the perfect role model for sporting teens and insists contact lenses have played a big part in his career: “As a midfielder your peripheral vision is massively important.
“Wearing contact lenses really opened up the pitch for me, improving my ability to spot passes, see runs from team mates and identify tactical opportunities with my passes.
“What is more, my ACUVUE® contact lenses have not only improved my confidence on the pitch, but off the pitch too.”
Johnson & Johnson, the makers of ACUVUE®, are committed to driving awareness about the benefit to performance when wearing contact lenses and inspiring the young generation of sport enthusiast following an established and authoritative study which showed sport as one of the major reasons for young people to want to wear contact lenses.
Ruth Graesser, Group Brand Manager for ACUVUE® said: “We believe Joe Cole is a perfect match for us given his sporting skill, passion and positive experiences with ACUVUE® over the years.
“It’s such a great opportunity for younger, active people to learn more about how contact lenses can help improve their sporting performance.”
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For more information and to better understand the benefits of contact lenses for your eyes and vision when playing sport, visit https://www.acuvue.co.uk/life-with-lenses/wearing-contact-lenses-for-sport. Additionally, please visit the FAQ section for teens for more information on how ACUVUE®‘s Brand Contact Lenses can provide you with comfort and confidence in everyday activities https://www.acuvue.co.uk/teen-faqs.
ACUVUE® offers a free trial for anyone interested in giving contact lenses a go for the first time. Visit https://www.acuvue.co.uk/freetrial for your voucher.
West Ham dipped into the Championship last summer to snap up two of it’s most prodigious talents – Diego Poyet and Aaron Cresswell – and they look set to do the same in the coming transfer window, amid reports the East London club are targeting Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson, as claimed by Mirror Football.
The 23 year-old’s 20 league goals have all-but-mathematically-confirmed The Cherries’ promotion to the Premier League for next season, and left him third in the Championship’s scoring charts.
Whether Bournemouth would be prepared to sell their key striker ahead of their first ever Premier League campaign, or whether Wilson would actually want to ditch them at this moment in time, remains to be seen.
But laced with equally promising, youthful prospects, the Hammers would be wise to further scour the English second tier for potential summer targets.
And just to prove it, Football Fancast have listed FIVE Championship prodigies West Ham should target along with Bournemouth’s latest star.
TYRONE MINGS
With rumours rife Aaron Cresswell could be snapped up by Chelsea in a £20million deal, West Ham could find themselves in need of a new left-back this summer – and no Championship No.3 epitomises their physical style better than monolithic Ipswich Town defender Tyrone Mings.
Indeed, the 22-year-old is better famed for his blistering pace and willingness to contribute going forward, this term bagging four assists in 39 Championship appearances whilst averaging 1.2 successful dribbles and 1.4 created chances per-match, but he’s also blessed with the imposing frame of a Premier League centre-half, measuring in at a whopping 6 foot 5.
He was valued at £8million by The Daily Mail in December amid rumoured interest from Arsenal and Chelsea. But neither club made a formal offer in January, suggesting the Hammers could pick up where the Premier League powerhouses left off this summer – especially if The Tractor Boys miss out on promotion to the top flight.
NATHAN REDMOND
With Matthew Jarvis hopelessly out of form, Enner Valencia a more natural centre-forward and Stewart Downing proving himself more accomplished in central capacities, West Ham have been without a genuine winger for much of the season.
Enter Norwich City’s Nathan Redmond, a pacey touchline-hugger equally comfortable on both flanks who’s claimed three goals and ten assists in 42 Championship appearances this term.
The 21-year-old has also averaged an impressive 2.4 chances created, 1.8 accurate crosses and 2.3 successful dribbles per match – the latter statistic being the third-best return in the entire division.
Also boasting 10 goals and 57 caps for England across the junior levels, Redmond’s potential is without doubt – which is why The Canaries rejected a £5million bid from Southampton last summer, as reported by Mirror Football.
Should fourth-place Norwich miss out on promotion back to the Premier League this season, however, they’ll likely be forced to sell the prodigious wideman.
DAN BURN
Dan Burn might not be blessed with the same natural talent as some of the other names on this list – or for that matter, some of the other youngsters to have represented Fulham this season.
But measuring in at a gigantic 6 foot 7, the centre-back is an incredible force in the air, this term averaging 4.5 successful aerial duels per match alongside 2 tackles and 2.1 interceptions, rendering him already capable of having some impact at Premier League level.
And still just 22-years of age, the capacity is certainly there for Burn to learn on the job. If he can improve the rest of his skills over the next few years, whilst gaining top flight experience, he’ll emerge as one of the better centre-backs in the division.
West Ham were linked with a £4million bid ahead of the January window, as reported by The Daily Mail, only for Fulham boss Kit Symons to issue an ever-cliched hands-off warning.
With Fulham now set to spend another term in the Championship, however, they might be more willing to cash in on their monolithic defender this summer.
JOE GOMEZ
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One of just four 17 year-olds to have featured in the Championship this season yet boasting an impressive 16 league starts, Charlton Athletic’s Joe Gomez’s recent performances have caught the attention of Arsenal and Manchester City, according to The Daily Mail.
The youthful defender is speedy and agile, comparable in style to a young Rio Ferdinand, and in addition to impressing at The Valley has also made waves within the England fold; he’s racked up 25 caps for The Junior Lions, and in May 2014 was named in the Team of the Tournament for the U17 European Championships.
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Having already shown great promise in the English second tier, Gomez seems destined for Premier League football at some point in his career. It’s believed Sir Alex Ferguson was also courting him for Manchester United until his retirement in summer 2013.
Despite such interest from the Premier League’s summit, Charlton’s apparent valuation of £8million should be well within West Ham’s financial reach this summer. And whilst Arsenal, City or United could offer Gomez the glamour of a ridiculous salary, closer locality and greater first team opportunities give the Hammers a more unique appeal.
ALEX PRITCHARD
Technically not a Championship player, but it remains to be seen if room can be found for Alex Pritchard in a Tottenham midfield already bursting with prodigious talent.
The 21-year-old is certainly an impressive prospect, however. Last season he claimed six goals on loan at Swindon Town in League One and he’s added to that this year with eleven goals and seven assists in 44 appearances for Brentford – earning him a spot in the Championship’s Team of the Season.
Pritchard offers a solid contribution to all-round play, this term averaging 1.7 tackles, 3 shots, 2.5 chances created, 1.1 successful dribbles and 1.3 accurate crosses per match, but the attacking midfielder’s defining gift undoubtedly remains his incredible potency from dead ball situations.
He’s probably not at Premier League level just yet but would be a wise addition for the Hammers with the next few years in mind.
That being said, Spurs’ rejected Brentford’s attempts to sign him permanently in January, as reported by The Daily Mail, so it might take an unjustifiable bid to convince them to sell in the coming transfer window.
West Ham have denied reports that Ravel Morrison will go on strike in order to force a transfer, reports Sky Sports.
The youngster is reportedly interested in a move to Fulham, with Cottagers boss Rene Meulensteen claiming the Hammers have rejected a bid for Morrison. West Ham have since reported Fulham to the Premier League.
With West Ham boss Sam Allardyce busy with transfer business, assistant manager Neil McDonald told the media that Morrison will not be forcing a move by missing training: “It is all media reports and whatever has been said… I think the club and the Premier League are dealing with that so I’d prefer not to dwell on that any more.
“There seems to be a story about Rav every week. The lad comes in and trains, sometimes he has had a little bit of a groin injury, but we’ve man-managed that. He trained on Wednesday with a huge, big smile on his face with the rest of the squad so (reports he may go on strike) are news to me.
“We look forward to him being in the squad on Saturday, he should be fit, he’s been training with the lads and he’s brought a lot of joy, especially with winning against Cardiff – he cheered everyone up when he came back as well.”
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Morrison has been a bright spark for a struggling West Ham side, with his superb individual goal at Tottenham earlier this season a particular highlight.
According to RMC Sport, West Ham United have opened talks with Inter Milan over a potential January move for Portugal international Joao Mario.
What’s the story?
West Ham continue to be linked with a number of potential signings, and it promises to be a busy end to the January transfer market for the London club.
A new central midfielder is expected to arrive, with the likes of Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Allen previously credited when it comes to potential signings.
However, according to RMC Sport, West Ham are currently in talks with Inter over a potential loan move for Mario, who is currently out of favour at his Serie A club.
Arsenal and Manchester United have both previously been linked with the Portuguese, but it appears that the current Premier League interest is coming from West Ham.
Would Mario fit in at the London Stadium?
In terms of signings that would excite the supporters, this one certainly fits the bill.
Mario, who is still only 24 years of age, scored 14 times in 75 appearances for Sporting Lisbon before making the move to Inter in the summer of 2016.
The versatile attacker scored three times in 32 appearances in all competitions last season, but has struggled for consistency at the San Siro this term.
Mario, who is valued at £23.4m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has made 14 Serie A appearances during the 2017-18 campaign, although he has found it difficult to secure a regular role.
It is thought that West Ham are trying to sign the Portugal international on loan until the end of the season, and it would be some coup if they managed to pull it off.
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The fact that Mario is capable of operating in a number of different positions makes him an attractive opposition, and he is the type of character that could thrive in London.
A lot of things would have to happen for West Ham to seal this deal, but talk of the Euro 2016 winner arriving at the London Stadium is certainly an exciting thought for the fans.
Summer signing Sead Kolasinac has found himself a surprising omission from Arsenal’s recent starting XIs in the Premier League. Despite being deemed by many as one of the best value-for-money acquisitions of the last transfer window, he was left out of the scoreless draw with West Ham and last weekend’s 1-0 win over Newcastle.
In fairness, it’s hard to dispute the decision on Wenger’s part. Arsenal have claimed four points from a possible six in the 22-cap Bosnian’s absence without conceding a goal, while his outing in midweek – an indicator that he won’t be involved in Arsenal’s next clash on Friday night – also produced a 1-0 victory over the Hammers.
That being said, Kolasinac’s sudden slump down the pecking order remains somewhat mysterious. So, Arsenal fans, do you think the left-back should be brought back into Arsenal’s Premier League starting XI to face Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool? Let us know by voting below…
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Manchester United has certainly not had the best start to a season they could have. They currently sit in seventh in the Premier League with eight points.
And with a new era under way with Louis Van Gaal, there’s inevitably going to be some players who’ll be forced to make way for the Dutchman’s reinforcements over the coming months.
Whilst some players will want to try and change their fortunes for their club and earn themselves a spot in the starting 11, here are FIVE players that I think could possibly leave United in January and get out of the whole situation altogether.
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Anderson
Anderson has only featured once for the Red Devils so far this season, coming off the bench for 20 minutes in the 0-0 away draw at Burnley.
The Brazilian seems to be out of selection at the moment at the club and has been for a while. His contract expires next summer but he still has a lot to offer as he is only 26. The likelihood is that Anderson will be sold in January to try and recoup some of the £27m that United paid Porto for his services back in July 2007. He is currently worth around £4m.
Tom Cleverley
Like Anderson, Tom Cleverley’s contract also expires next summer.
The Englishman is currently out on loan at Aston Villa but I think he should be looking to making a more permanent move. The 25 year old has been playing well for Villa, earning himself a whoscored.com rating of 6.79 over three games played.
If he was back at United though, he wouldn’t be receiving any playing time as they have better quality midfielders in the likes of Juan Mata, Daley Blind, and Andre Herrera. Leaving his parent club is a must if he wants to develop his career. There is a buying option in his loan contract whilst at Villa and I think Cleverley should prove to Villa that it will be beneficial for them to use it. Cleverley is currently worth around £9.5m.
Javier Hernandez
Also known as ‘Chicharito’, Javier Hernandez is currently out on loan at Real Madrid.
There is also a buying option in his loan contract and the Spanish giants might use it as the 26 year old has already scored twice from three substitute appearances at the club. His contract also expires next summer, but the likelihood of the Mexican being offered a new contract at United is close to zero due to the recent announcement that Colombian Radamel Falcao will be making his loan move to Old Trafford permanent.
Hernandez is currently worth around £12m and is in my opinion the best player to buy out of the five. He shouldn’t have any trouble finding a new club.
Marouane Fellaini
The Belgian has recently returning to training for the Red Devils after suffering a ligament injury during United’s opening game of the season loss at home to Swansea.
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He could be the saviour for van Gaal’s defensive problems and troublesome start, but the most likely thing to happen is that he will be sold as he does not fit the dynamic, ball-playing style the Dutchman likes. United do have a couple more midfielders out injured at the moment so he could be given a chance to prove himself.
In my opinion, he is the most likely member of this list to stay at the club. He is currently worth around £17.5m.
Nani
Currently out on loan at Sporting Lisbon, Nani was used in part of the deal to bring Marcos Rojo to United.
He was given permission this past summer to leave United by van Gaal which I think the 27 year old will take advantage of as he has been out of selection for the past two seasons.
He’s been playing well at the Portuguese club but will be available for free next summer as his contract expires. He still has a lot to offer and many European clubs are interested in him so he shouldn’t have a problem finding somewhere else to play his football. He is currently worth around £10.5m.