West Brom have continued to strengthen the club, even outside of the transfer window.
And it’s another addition to their goalkeeping ranks – a return of someone they know well.
Last week, Ali Al-Habsi joined the club on a contract until the end of the season to provide backup to both Sam Johnstone and Jonathan Bond.
Now their former shot-stopper Boaz Myhill has returned to the Hawthorns as he makes the first transition into a potential coaching career.
The 36-year-old has been appointed as Albion’s new Professional Phase Development Goalkeeping Coach just a few months after being released by the club for a second time.
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Myhill’s affiliation with the West Brom stretches back nearly ten years after he signed from Hull City back in 2010 just as the Baggies were promoted to the Premier League.
Though, he was primarily a backup option throughout his spell in the west Midlands, having made just a total of 85 appearances for the club.
Several fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the appointment.
One supporter lauded the decision by calling it an ‘excellent appointment,’ which was echoed by a range of other superlatives including ‘brilliant’ and ‘great.’
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Another member of the Baggies faithful claimed the goalkeepers at the club were in good hands whilst one more said Myhill was ‘the GOAT.’
Just a week after lifting the biggest prize in club football, Virgil van Dijk was one game away from capping off a remarkable season with a title at international level.
The centre-back lead his side past England in the Nations League semi-finals, but fell short to Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal in the showpiece finale on Sunday.
The Liverpool defender took to
/Byhak-OFMLJ/” data-lasso->Instagram in the aftermath of the game to reflect on his side’s defeat, and insisted that Ronald Koeman’s side would go on to achieve greater things in the future.
Despite not being able to add another trophy to his collection, van Dijk can look back at the season with a real sense of pride. The former Southampton man was absolutely vital to Liverpool’s triumph in the Champions League, and was deservedly crowned PFA Player of the Year for his stellar performances this season.
With Jurgen Klopp’s men bidding to overhaul the Manchester City juggernaut and claim their first Premier League title, van Dijk will once again be counted on by Reds fans to marshal the Anfield side’s backline to glory.
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Seen as such a cool customer, the Dutchman will no doubt shake off the setback with his country and kick on again with Liverpool next season – that will be a very scary prospect indeed.
Real Madrid are lining up a move for West Ham winger Felipe Anderson as an alternative to Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, per Sky Sports News.
The Spanish giants are reportedly hoping to land the Belgium international but have earmarked Anderson as a potential fallback option.
What’s the word?
Real, who reappointed Zinedine Zidane as manager earlier this month, have made Hazard their top target, the report claims.
However, they have already seen one £60million bid rejected, while a transfer ban for Chelsea, which affects this summer, means that the Blues may simply force Hazard to stay at Stamford Bridge.
And Sky Sports claim that, as a result, Anderson has been identified as a possible summer signing.
A deal, they state, would cost the Spanish giants around £65m.
Anderson joined West Ham from Lazio last summer for a club-record fee of £36m.
He has since scored eight Premier League goals for the club but has not scored in 2019 and is currently on an 11-game scoreless streak in east London.
Bite their hands off
If this report is true, which does seem unlikely, then the Hammers should be rubbing their hands together in glee.
Owners David Gold and David Sullivan can basically name their price to Real for a player who has thus far flattered to deceive in England.
Clearly a skilful player, Anderson’s form has fallen off a cliff since the turn of the year and he is not showing any kind of consistency at the club.
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As a result, any bid north of what they paid for him should be accepted on the spot by the Irons.
Real could surely do better – their budget is such that they may well be able to buy any player in the world – but West Ham do not need to let them know that.
Instead, they should encourage their supposed interest. It is not every day that the prospect of £65m landing in one’s bank account comes along, after all.
Just two days after the last gameweek, Premier League clubs were back in action as the festive fixtures continued.
Now officially in the second half of the season, the Premier League table is really taking shape and this weekend’s action was another indication of who will be involved in the defining moments in May.
Liverpool hosted Arsenal in Saturday’s top table clash, with Klopp’s men looking to extend their lead over their closest rivals Tottenham and Man City.
Whereas, Fulham, Huddersfield and Cardiff went into the weekend desperate to move away from the bottom three.
You know the results, but what about the moments you missed on another jam packed weekend of Premier League action.
City Without A Clean Sheet Again
They may have returned to winning ways after two successive losses, but Manchester City’s frailties in defence once again showed.
Pierre-Emile Hojberg’s goal first half goal means the champions are now ten games without a clean sheet.
Andros Townsend Photographer Collision
Crystal Palace’s Andros Townsend is known for his pace and energetic playing style, but on Sunday it seems he ran out of pitch!
The midfielder crashed into a female photographer who was perched by the advertising hoardings, after the collision, Townsend checked that she was all ok before proceeding to chase down the ball.
Top class act.
Teenager Scores For Burnley
19-year-old Dwight McNeil became the first teenager to score a Premier League goal for Burnley as his side beat West Ham 2-0.
Sean Dyche handed the former Man United youngster a rare start and he duly delivered.
Joe Hart Dropped
McNeil wasn’t the only Burnley player given a rare start, Sean Dyche made five changes to the side that were thumped 5-1 by Everton on Boxing Day.
Goalkeeper Joe Hart was replaced by Tom Heaton in goal and after keeping a clean sheet (Burnley’s fourth of the season) it is likely the former England number one will find himself on the bench for the forseeable.
Morata Asleep
Alvaro Morata’s career at Chelsea is becoming laughable.
The Spaniard was left on the bench once again for Chelsea’s trip to Crystal Palace as Maurizio Sarri opted for Olivier Giroud.
On a cold day in south London, the striker was spotted almost asleep on the bench under his snood.
Ederson Taking Liberties
Considering he hasn’t kept a clean sheet in ten matches you would Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson would not take so many risks in his own penalty area.
But the Brazilian who has perfect the ‘no-look’ pass was at it again on Sunday, turning skilfully just three-yards out.
Spurs Title Challenge Lasted Three Days
After Man City lost to Leicester on boxing day, Tottenham’s 5-0 win against Bournemouth moved them up to second, with many tipping them for a serious title challenge.
But just three days later a sorry 3-1 loss to Wolves at Wembley seems to have killed all their momentum.
Kane Booked For Diving
It was supposed to be a celebratory day for Harry Kane who received news that he has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Years’ Honours list.
But the England captain was shamefully booked for diving in the second half at Wembley.
More Penalty Woes For Leicester
After one of the worst displays in their Carabao Cup quarter-final with Manchester City, you would have thought penalty taking practice would have been high on the list.
But James Maddison showed that the Foxes haven’t been practicing as he missed a 75th minute spot kick.
Rashford Skill
Pogba isn’t the only one enjoying life post-Mourinho.
Marcus Rashford was in devilish form as he assisted the Frenchman for his first goal inside five minutes, dribbling past and making Nathan Ake and Diego Rico look rather foolish.
Another Penalty For Liverpool
You know what they say about buses, you wait ages for one and then suddenly two come along at once!
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On Boxing Day, Liverpool were awarded their first home penalty for 422 days, three days later Michael Oliver pointed to the spot twice against Arsenal!
Practice Makes Perfect
There is no doubt that Paul Pogba’s mood has changed since the departure of Jose Mourinho.
The Frenchman was spotted practicing his goal celebration during his warm-up on Sunday which paid off as he scored twice in United’s 4-1 win over Bournemouth.
Fight Over Penalty At Fulham
Incredibly Fulham had a penalty taking issue also, however they had a ‘who is going to take it?’ domestic.
Aboubakar Kamara and Aleksandar Mitrovic made it very obvious they were disagreeing over who would take it.
Kamara took it and missed, Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri said:
“I wanted to kill him. That is normal when one man takes a ball, only because he scored the last penalty (against Manchester United). It should be Mitrovic, that is it.”
Mitrovic who is the team’s designated penalty taker later revealed:
“He’s a striker, he’s hungry for goals as well, maybe he wanted to score as well and he scored his last penalty,” the striker said.
“It’s normal. He’s young; these kind of things can happen. It’s normal.
“You need to take care of each other. We had a bit of an argument but in the end he took the ball and I wished him luck and told him to stay focused and score. That’s what he’d do as well.”
Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has insisted he will not allow club captain James Tavernier to leave on the cheap amidst growing interest in his services, as quoted by Sky Sports.
What’s the word?
Gerrard has led Rangers to an impressive revival this season and, having excelled on the Europa League stage, is now showing signs of improving the club’s domestic form after inflicting a first defeat of the season on SPL leaders Hearts at the weekend to disappoint those who used a Genting promo code on the match.
The Glasgow side are playing their part in what is shaping up to be an intriguing battle at the summit of Scottish football this season in the hunt for the title and European spots, although their form is attracting suitors.
Premier League side Brighton are said to be expressing an interest in Rangers captain James Tavernier and Gerrard had his say on the links after the victory over Hearts, telling Sky Sports the Seagulls will have to pay a hefty sum to land the right-back.
What was said?
“I know the CEO at Brighton (Paul Barber) very well. I used to work alongside him at the FA. He’s got my number and he knows where I am. But he best go to the owners and ask for an awful lot of money if he wants James Tavernier.
“That goes for any CEO, any owner, any club that wants my captain. They best go to the bank and get an awful lot of money out – or he’s not going.
“I would be surprised if teams don’t come (for Tavernier) because he’s been absolutely fabulous for me. Every player has their price but if the price is not right then he does not go anywhere. He stays as my captain.
“All my players are for sale. Let’s get it out in the open. Every single one of my players is for sale. They have all got a price. But they are not the old prices. It’s the new prices. So if you want them then come with loads of money and you can have them.”
A good move?
Rangers do not have the finances to fend off interest from Premier League sides but they can use any interest to their advantage, with Gerrard’s stance concerning Tavernier and the rest of his squad likely to go down well amongst the supporters.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”302265″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts The Icelandic Coutinho & The Scottish Ronaldo”]
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Tavernier, at 26, is approaching the prime years of his career and Rangers have no need to approve a departure unless a significant fee is offered in the market – but the club should do their best to ensure there are no major departures in January.
At the end of the season, reasonable offers may be considered as Gerrard could look to bring in some of his loanees on a permanent basis but losing a player like Tavernier in January would provide a huge blow to his side’s ambitions.
Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has told Bild that he has not heard of any reports linking Christian Pulisic to Liverpool.
What’s the word?
It is not the first time that the Reds have been linked to Pulisic and if the club manage to beat Real Madrid in the Champions League final, it is unlikely to be the last.
However, Bild claims that Dortmund chief Zorc has insisted that he “knows nothing” about the speculation but added that he is in “constant contact” with manager Jurgen Klopp, who previously coached the German club.
The USA international has made 40 appearances in all competitions, including 25 starts in the Bundesliga this season.
In that time, Pulisic, who moved to Dortmund’s youth team in 2015, has scored five goals and created as many assists.
Should Liverpool swoop?
The 19-year-old has shown versatility this season as he has played in midfield, as well as on the right and left-hand side of attack.
Liverpool have talented attackers in abundance, with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane firing on all fronts.
The club’s midfield has been ticking, particularly in the second half of the campaign, which indicates that Pulisic would struggle to land a first-team spot.
Reuniting with Klopp could be a good career move for the attack-minded player, but it is unlikely that he would want to sacrifice regular minutes.
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In addition, if a number of clubs come in for the youngster’s signature, the price is expected to rise and Liverpool will want to avoid a transfer battle.
West Ham’s decision to sack Slaven Bilic seemed somewhat inevitable, and yet it took place just eleven games into the new Premier League season. In many ways, that highlights how incredible the pressure now is in the Premier League, especially for the men in the dugout.
We’ve now reached a point where a handful of poor results moves pretty much any manager to the very top of the sacking odds and after an underwhelming start to the campaign at the London Stadium, West Ham’s board clearly felt compelled to part with a manager who lead them to seventh during his first season in charge.
That’s a far cry from the situation when Harry Redknappp was managing West Ham. He was given seven years at the helm – a length of tenure that’s practically unheard of at any level of the game these days -and the former Totteham boss has accordingly questioned whether the Irons paymasters should have shown more patience before replacing Bilic with David Moyes.
Watch the short video below to hear Redknapp’s thoughts on the Irons’ management situation…
Everton youngster Ademola Lookman was the star of the show for the England Under-20s after his brace helped the young Three Lions reach the quarter-finals of the Under-20 World Cup.The 19-year-old started on the left-hand side in the clash against Costa Rica with fellow Toffees Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Jonjoe Kenny – who provided the assists for the two goals – also in the side.It was Lookman who stole the show though, with two impressive finishes being sandwiched by a stunning free-kick that came back off of the crossbar.The 19-year-old only moved to Goodison Park from League One outfit Charlton Athletic during the January transfer window, scoring one goal in eight Premier League appearances.Everton supporters were quick to have their say on the performance of the young forward via social media, and they criticised manager Ronald Koeman for not giving him enough opportunities during a run-in where there was a little to play for.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…
That Liverpool can challenge for the title has become a popular belief in Merseyside, as the Reds firmly think they are capable of winning a first Premier League title. But any chance of league glory, which would be the club’s first since 1990, is not likely until Jurgen Klopp can shore up Liverpool’s back line.
With the current league table so narrow at the summit, Liverpool are potential candidates mostly because of their attacking prowess. However, questions marks surround their ability to keep the opposition out at the other end. Until this is prevented no title aspirations will become reality.
As impressive as Liverpool have been going forward this season, they have registered just one clean sheet in the Premier League.
When Liverpool are on form they are an aggressive unit difficult to curtail: both in attack and in the midfield. But individual errors and the lack of a resounding leader in defence give Jurgen Klopp’s side an obvious weak spot that is ripe for exploitation for any club in the league.
Over the years, the Liverpool teams who have been victorious domestically or in Europe, had an influential and charismatic leader stood at the heart of the defence. Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia, Alan Hansen, and Phil Thompson have all been the heartbeat of Liverpool’s success down the years. Do Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip meet the calibre of a player mentioned above?
Nathaniel Clyne and James Milner may be having a successful run of form, but not many find it difficult to create space behind Liverpool due to the gaping hole present either side of the centre backs. Their team-mates have falsely overrated both Milner and Clyne’s performances.
When the Merseysiders discuss the potential return of the glory years, one question needs to be asked – how many teams have won a Premier League title with a weak defence? The answer is none and Klopp cannot be that naive when he aspires to be the first manager since Kenny Dalglish to guide Liverpool to a league title.
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The argument presented is not a tiresome one as the facts remain clear and obvious to any onlooker. Klopp’s reputation of passion and intensity can only guide you so far. For the German to be a success at Anfield, his priority should be to strengthen his defence. Along with this, his tactical awareness needs to be re-thought as he’s likely to continue down the same road Brendan Rodgers previously did in 2014 when his defensive woes cost the Reds a Premier League title.
Last week Liverpool suffered another bump in the road in their turbulent season. Dumped out of FA Cup, the Reds will not be winning a trophy this year, but it may also be significant in their quest for European football.
Liverpool are still on course for a Europa League spot, but only have faint hopes of Champions League qualification. Getting knocked out of the FA Cup means they’ll have to grab their European place via the league, because they won’t get a place from a cup competition.
Realistically, they’re not going to make the Champions League this season. They have just too much to do. Manchester City might slip up a little bit more before the end of the season – and have a tough game against in-form Aston VIlla this weekend – but surely not enough to finish behind Liverpool. Qualifying for the Europa League would be a consolation prize of course, certainly not something they’d have eyed at the start of the season, but it’s definitely a competition they’ll expect to be involved in at the very least.
But there are teams behind them in the league that also have their eyes on the same prize. Liverpool are in fifth place, and so they’re clearly in the best position for qualification. But if Southampton and Spurs start to win games, Liverpool could be in trouble.
England get three representatives in the Europa League, and with Liverpool missing out on the FA Cup final against Arsenal who are all but qualified for the Champions League Villa will get one of those spots.
Champions League-bound Chelsea won the League Cup, so the two spots left will go to fifth and sixth place in the league. And so Liverpool will need to finish in one of those spots in order to qualify.
Currently they sit fifth, and they do have a game in hand over Saints and Spurs, but they’re only a point ahead of the Saints and only above Spurs on goal difference.
So it’s lucky for Liverpool that the two teams directly below them play each other this weekend. They’ll have the chance to gain points on at least one of those teams. Crucially, if they win their game against West Brom, they’ll gain points on 7th place by 5:15 on Saturday, when City kick off against Villa.
But if Liverpool show signs of a hangover from their cup exit and the defeats to Man United and Arsenal, it could have a catastrophic effect on their season. Both of the teams below them, even if they were to lose their next game, would still have enough games left to accrue the points to oust Liverpool from the Europa League places. Even with Liverpool’s game in hand.
There is added pressure on Brendan Rodgers, though.
In this age of managerial merry-go-rounds, impatient owners and mega-money competitions such as the Champions League, the job security for a top manager is frighteningly low. To make matters worse for Rodgers, Jurgen Klopp is available. He’s announced his imminent departure from Borussia Dortmund this summer, and declaring that he won’t be taking a sabbatical means he’s single and ready to mingle.
In fact, there has already been talk of Brendan Rodgers leaving and the BBC’s Sportsday even had a public vote asking who will be Liverpool manager next season. That’s hardly a vote of confidence for the Northern Irishman.
So finishing 7th in the league with no silverware and no European football to show for it would be disastrous for the club, the players and crucially for the manager too. It just can’t happen.
With the Champions League looking very unlikely and no cup competitions to play for, the concern is that Liverpool may struggle to get motivated for their remaining fixtures, too. That’s the kind of situation that could give hope to both Saints and Spurs, and make them believe that they can catch Liverpool.
On paper, Liverpool have the players to keep it together, they have also been in good form despite the defeats I’ve mentioned. They’ve lost the big games – United, Arsenal and an FA Cup semi-final – but the games they have left shouldn’t pose them too many problems. The only one you’d expect them to struggle with is Chelsea.
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But actually, if Chelsea lose to Arsenal and we’re left with something vaguely resembling a title race on Sunday evening, the Liverpool Chelsea game could be important. And wouldn’t Liverpool just love to cause Chelsea the same problems that Mourinho and his team bus caused the Reds at Anfield last season.
If Liverpool’s problem is getting up for the games they have left, then there should be no problem getting up for this one.
Liverpool should be fine for a Europa League spot. But they need to be careful because not getting one would be disastrous and may cost their manager his job. With Jurgen Klopp free, lurking like a lion stalking its prey, you’d fear for Rodgers if he does guide his team to a poor run from now until the end of the season. His job just might depend on his ability to motivate his team for their final few games.