Joey O’Brien has declared his West Ham team-mates are aiming get back on track in the Premier League when they visit West Brom this Sunday.
The defender played in the Hammers side that surrendered a half-time lead in their defeat to Liverpool, for whom West Ham old boys, Glen Johnson, Joe Cole scored before James Collins put through his own net.
The east London outfit now visit the Hawthorns, hoping to pile more misery on West Brom, who are on a run of three straight defeats.
“Our aim now is to get back on track against West Bromwich Albion”, O’Brien told Sky Sports News.
“We want to take the points but it is a hard place to go and they have a good home record.
“Hopefully we can get a result but, as you saw against Liverpool, the top teams can produce little bits of magic and you are suddenly behind.
“I thought we played some decent stuff and created some good chances particularly in the first half down the right with Matt Jarvis. We looked good and that is what is disappointing because Liverpool did not play us off the park.”
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West Ham will be without influential midfielder Mohamed Diame, who suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday’s defeat. The Senegalese joined Andy Carroll, Ricardo Vaz Te and Yossi Benayoun in the treatment room.
Midfield duo Jack Collison and Alou Diarra are on course to return from a long-term knee problem and thigh strain respectively, but are unlikely to recover in time for the West Brom fixture.
Norwich’s 11 unbeaten league run came to a shuddering halt after Romelu Lukaku’s late goal snatched victory for West Brom at the Hawthorns.
Chris Hughton’s men hadn’t tasted defeat in the Premier League since losing to Chelsea at the start of October and, despite taking the lead, were undone by a late fightback from the home side.
The Baggies, who’ve stuttered of late losing three of their last four games, secured a vital three points that keeps them in contention for a surprise top-four finish heading into Christmas.
Despite having to defend resolutely as the Canaries opted to patiently keep possession Steve Clarke’s side soon got into their groove went close through a Lukaku header in the second minute.
The on-loan Belgium striker was the last player to score for West Brom over five hours ago and wasted another decent chance when shooting straight at goalkeeper Mark Bunn.
And those missed chances came back to haunt the hosts in the 23rd minute when Robert Snodgrass curled a free kick from the right into the top corner despite Ben Foster’s best efforts to keep it out.
Going behind energised the home side somewhat and Gareth McAuley was denied by Bunn from a corner, while Goran Popov lashed wide before they finally forced an equaliser to end their goal drought.
Chris Brunt’s corner was met by Jonas Olsson and when his header came back off the bar Zoltan Gera was on hand to volley the rebound into the net to level the game two minutes before the break.
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Norwich came back out fighting in the second half and Michael Turner went close with a header after meeting Snodgrass’ cross, while Peter Odemwingie drilled a low free kick wide at the other end.
With the contest finely poised Lukaku stepped up to win it for Albion, beating Javier Garrido to Popov’s cross and head past Bunn from eight yards.
Premier League outfit West Ham United hope to re-sign Joe Cole in time for their FA cup clash against Manchester United, according to the Daily Mail.
With fellow league and London rivals QPR hot on his tail, Cole will have a difficult choice deciding whether to re-join the Hammers or be reunited with his first Premier League manager Harry Redknapp.
Since leaving Chelsea the player has had a tough time finding his feet, with an unsuccessful move to Liverpool and a fleeting Ligue 1 career on-loan to Lille last season.
Returning to Anfield after his French endeavour, Cole tried ardently to force his way into Brendan Rodgers plans, an attempt that has thus far been in vain.
Cole currently has 18-months left to run on his contract and it is believed that the player and Liverpool are in the midst of agreeing a severance package for his £90,000 weekly contract.
Redknapp however will provide the Irons with a little competition for Cole’s signature.
“I’ve got a lot of time for Joe as a player and as a person,’ he said.
“I’d like to bring Joe here if I can but the deal would have to be right for the club.
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“I’ll have to speak to Brendan Rodgers. We’ll have a chat when the time’s right,” he stated.
Earlier this season, the footballing world paid due notice to the tenth anniversary of Wayne Rooney’s wonder-goal against Arsenal that ended The Invincibles’ undefeated Premier League record, and also propelled the Merseyside youngster to instant fame.
Since then, Rooney’s career has only moved forward, and his £25million move to Manchester United back in 2004 signified that the former Everton man would be a future star for club and country. But, I would argue, at least over recent seasons, it’s not perhaps in the style and manner many predicted when seeing his unforgettable strike for the Gunners for the first time in 2002. There’s been a growing debate over how the striker should be utilised, and pundits, fans and even Sir Alex Ferguson have criticised a lack of goals in sporadic periods over his career.
But are these criticisms justified? The England man has 139 league goals in 269 appearances for Manchester United including 27 last season alone – a record which should not be readily dismissed. However, there is some understandable concern. For all of his abilities, you get the feeling Rooney could still be scoring more, and on a more regular basis. Furthermore, his form for England has often left a lot to be desired.
The international game can be somewhat harder – you’re less familiar with your own team-mates, you may be playing in conditions away from home or in tournaments that you’re not well acclimatised to, and you have the weight of the expectations of a whole nation on your shoulders. But from a player who is considered one of the best attackers in the Premier League, who is arguably the star of the Three Lions Starting XI and who often shows off his brilliance for his club, is 33 goals in 79 appearances, not to mention some lacklustre performances at the same time, what you’d expect from the likes of Wayne Rooney?
So far in this article, I’ve avoided using a particular pseudonym. That pseudonym is “striker”, and additionally even the terms “forward” or “attacking midfielder” could be equally as inappropriate, which in many ways is the exact point I wish to make. Just last week, it was reported that Wayne Rooney had handed over penalty duty to team-mate Robin van Persie. Although some fans criticised the decision, stating that the England man had thrown away his chances of winning this year’s Premier League golden boot, and others believed it showed his professionalism and selflessness, I have a slightly different hypothesis.
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The reason Rooney handed over his penalty-taking role so readily and quickly is because scoring goals is not his main concern. This is not a phenomenon which I believe applies to this season directly now that van Persie has taken over as the man at the spearhead of the United attack, but over his whole career. I’ve watched him for many years now, I’ve seen him in interviews and even read short extracts from his rather dodgy autobiography, and he does not come across as a natural born striker, a footballer who lives for the rush of glory when the ball sends ripples through the back of the net, but simply a footballer who loves to play football.
It’s the same reason that Sir Alex Ferguson willingly set up against Real Madrid in the Champions League last week with arguably his biggest attacking threat playing out wide and spending most of the game keeping tabs on Cristiano Ronaldo rather than looking to get forward and penetrate the La Liga side’s defence.
Similarly, throughout Rooney’s career, he’s been placed deeper and deeper into the Manchester United midfield, and without the ball he often operates as a screener for the two deeper-lying central-midfielders. There’s even been a suggestion that he should be trusted to start a game in the middle of the park, a position in which Sir Alex Ferguson has deployed him from the bench on occasion over the past few years.
Some fans may view it as a waste – removing a man who has such ability in front of goal in terms of technique, movement and creativity from the area of the pitch that is easiest to score in does seem a rather odd move. But in my opinion, Rooney would be a dominant force in any position that he’s utilised in. It’s not his strength or his ability, but simply his attitude, his love for football, that makes me believe he can play anywhere on the pitch. It’s not unusual to find him covering for a full-back or even clearing off the line, which although may not be necessarily what you want from a striker, but as a single player in a team of eleven, it’s a fantastic characteristic for those playing alongside him.
And in many ways, it’s also an explanation for why Rooney is judged to be underperforming for the Three Lions. The fact of the matter is that he’s been playing out of position for arguably his whole international career. But playing him in his more favourable position at the tip of the midfield would only add further complications to the Gerrard/Lampard paradox which is why it’s never been considered an option by Roy Hodgson and his predecessors.
I feel the debate over Wayne Rooney will always live on. This season, he’s netted ten times in eighteen appearances. But whenever his goal-scoring form dries up, the questions yet again emerge why he’s not challenging for the golden boot year after year. Well, my answer is simple. He’s not a goal-scorer, he’s a footballer.
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He’s the kid on the playground who runs rings around his school-mates and can’t be tackled, he’s the boy in the street who spends hours trying to hit the light on the lamp-post, and he’s the young lad in the park who makes last-ditch challenges – grazing his knees and muddying his trousers in the process.
Some will always remain unconvinced. Arsene Wenger recently commented that he personally would prefer to use Rooney as a striker. So I will leave you with a simple comparison. Whom does Wayne Rooney most remind you of? Paul Gascoigne or Alan Shearer? Zinadine Zidane or Michael Owen? Ronaldinho or Ronaldo? He’s a footballer, not a striker, or a midfielder, or a defender. He’s just a footballer, in the purest sense of the word.
Atletico Madrid striker Adrian Lopez is set to targeted for a summer move to Southampton, according to reports.
Saints boss Mauricio Pochettino has set his sights on the 25-year-old Spain international having been impressed with his attacking credentials during his three years in the Spanish Primera Division in charge of Espanyol.
And a report in CalcioMercato claims the Argentine tactician will step up his efforts to take Adrian to the Premier League with an ambitious £8million bid at the end of the season.
Adrian enjoyed a successful first season with Atletico as he notched 19 goals in the side’s march to Europa League glory, but he has struggled for first-team action this time around because coach Diego Simeone has opted to pair up Diego Costa with Radamel Falcao in attack.
If Adrian is given the green light to join the Saints it is uncertain where he will fit in as Rickie Lambert, Jason Puncheon, Jay Rodriguez and Morgan Schneiderlin have all chipped in with a decent tally of goals for the side this term.
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Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has become the top summer priority for Italian club Juventus, reported The Express.
The 26-year-old’s future on Merseyside has been the subject of intense speculation in recent months and, along with a £10m bid from Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola, the Anfield club will now have to compete with Italian giants Juventus.
The Uruguayan striker, who has scored a league-high 22 goals in 31 Premier League matches, has played a crucial role for the Reds this season, and signed a new contract with Liverpool that keeps him with the club until 2018.
However, as the club faces the possibility of another year without a spot in the Champions League, rumours of the footballer’s exit are circulating more than ever.
Juve, who failed to snatch Suarez last summer, have raised their interest in the forward once again, as their attempts to sign PSG star Zlatan Ibrahimovic appear to be hopeless.
Suarez, who moved to Liverpool in 2011, is a candidate for PFA Player of the Year and has scored 29 goals in all competitions this season.
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It was nice while it lasted, but the dream is over…
It was always unlikely that Millwall would make the F.A. Cup final by beating Wigan, but you of course go into the game full of hope. But goals from Shaun Maloney and Callum Mcmanaman secured the Premier League side a final place and a Europa League spot.
It was clear to see KJ’s plan for the game was to try and sit back, hold them off and try and beat them on the counter attack. It was so obvious to see, a tackle wouldn’t go in before Wigan reached the half way line, and a three man centre midfield of a defensive midfielder, and 2 defenders said it all.
All I wanted from the game was the players to give it their all, and make sure Wigan know they’ve been in a battle for their win but first half we didn’t really get that, we gave Wigan far too much respect. In the second half the Lions came out and went for it, for a good 25 minutes there was only one team in it. We tried our best but Premier League class showed through.
I’m still extremely proud of this team for getting that far.
Yet again the result will be overshadowed by the scumbag minority few. It was shown on ESPN that Millwall fans were fighting each other during the game. What was shown was frankly disgusting and anyone who was involved should be banned, making children cry because you want to be a big man isn’t smart or clever.
But, lets remember before the whole “Millwall are scum” routine comes out (Most likely too late) that this was a very small minority, 12 fans were arrested after the events.
So 0.03% of “fans” represent the support at Wembley as a whole? I don’t think so. And I bet you anything that the majority, if not all of the idiots involved in this will not have been at Tuesday nights game against Watford.
After speaking to people who were sitting in the block where this happened, this needs to be asked, where were the police? People were shouting out for the police to get involved, but they did not and they let these troubles happen for a good 15-20 minutes before arriving, surely if they did get involved when it was first needed, maybe it would not have descended into what it did?
Also, the coverage this got was over the top, front pages calling all fans “scum” and saying Millwall fans “shame the country”, a bit over the top?
And lets look at what happened at Newcastle on Sunday, more then double the arrests than at Wembley, but what was the front page of the mirror Monday morning? Millwall of course… Yes Newcastle got a mention, but not the coverage it should have. There’s two reasons for this, one is that you don’t damage the Premier League “Brand” and that it seems to be when it comes to football, the main thing is “No Millwall, No Problem”
Back to matters on the pitch, and after yesterday’s results the Lions now find themselves only 4 points clear of the drop zone, with two games in hand, but they’re at home, we are absolutely terrible at home.
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We somehow managed to get a win against Watford at the Den, on another day they would win 4-0 to the visitors. But luck was on our side as Shaun Batt scored the winner. It couldn’t have happened to anyone else more deserving. Nearly retiring a couple of years back, he’s now played at Wembley and starting to get Championship first team football.
It’s going to be close with any of up to seven teams looking at the trapdoor next season. But to be honest avoiding defeat against Huddersfield Saturday should see us safe.
The draw for the semi-final promised the allure of a flare filled Spanish final or a pragmatic, utilitarian Teutonic tangle. In the end the semis provided several shocks that no one in their wildest imagination could have foreseen.
Borussia Dortmund faced Ronaldo and co at the Westfalenstadion in a clash of efficient and cohesive team ethic versus one man plus very experienced back up that was more than used to Champions` League semi-finals though little beyond that.
Reus gave early notice of Dortmund`s attacking prowess with a shot that Lopez could only parry into the path of Lewandowski but the Pole failed to net the rebound. It was the striker`s last error on a night when he rewrote the Champions` League record books against the club that holds most of them.
Not only did he become the first player to register a Champions` League hat-trick against Real Madrid but he is the first to claim a semi-final treble in the competition. He went one better by adding a fourth to set a record that may never be bettered.
Eight minutes after his earlier failure to capitalise Lewandowski escaped the shackles of Pepe to convert Gotze`s cross at the far post.
With Sven Bender having a blinder in midfield, blunting almost every Madrid attack before it could get going by winning the ball tenaciously, the signs were not good for Jose Mourinho`s men who were involved in a third consecutive CL semi final under the Special One.
Varane tripped Reus but the referee waved away Dortmund penalty claims and inside a minute Ronaldo levelled with his 50th Champions` League goal after a poor Hummels` back pass. An interval score line of 1-1 seemed to indicate Real had weathered the storm but Dortmund carved out a second goal five minutes after the restart when Reus played Lewandowki in to make it 2-1.
Five minutes later the Polish striker was even more impressive when Schmeizer`s miss hit shot fell to him and after a sublime touch to control the ball and drag it away from Pepe Lewandowki completed his historic hat-trick with an unstoppable drive into the top corner.
With the home fans baying for their heroes to at least match the previous evening Bayern tally against Barcelona Dortmund duly obliged and Alonso served up a gift when he up ended Reus in the penalty area and who else but Lewandowski was going to complete a night of personal triumph by converting from 12 yards.
Apart from Lewandowski`s personal achievements on the night the result was the worst ever endured by Jose Mourinho in 106 Champions` League games.
The only blemish on the night for Jurgen Klopp was the flimsiest of lifelines offered by Ronaldo`s landmark away goal. In the post match euphoria of one of the great European nights not enough praise went the way of Dortmund `keeper Roman Weidenfeller. Had he not denied Ronaldo in the dying seconds the second leg would have been less of a cake walk than some anticipated.
Real began the second leg with evident belief that they could overturn a three goal deficit and in the first period carved out more than enough really good openings to have wiped out and surpassed Dortmund`s advantage. Higuain was the main culprit, his mind seemingly elsewhere other than the Madrid capital that night. Unfortunately Madrid wasted all their chances. Some observers may have thought the men in all white were unfazed by their profligacy in front of goal believing they would go on creating until the visitors` defence was breached and then the floodgates would open. Realists knew that as the list of unconverted openings grew so Real`s chance of reaching the final diminished.
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Not surprisingly Real could not maintain their opening onslaught but even the ball boys at the Bernabeau were at warp speed to ensure the ball reached their heroes as quickly as possible.
Then with ten minutes remaining, when many neutrals had probably switched off, the home side went into a distinctly non Real mode. They threw everything at Dortmund including caution to the wind, even throwing that died-in-the-wool `they shall not pass` defender Sergio Ramos up front as a makeshift centre forward.
When Benzema pulled a goal back with seven minutes remaining and then Ramos showed himself to be two or three shades better than a `make shift` striker with a rare goal, the unbelievable looked likely. One more goal would do it.
But Dortmund were not to be denied. Perhaps driven by the prospect of rubbing Bavarian noses even more into the ground at Wembley Klopps men prevailed despite a first Champions` League defeat of the season.
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It’s time to slow down and take a deep breath now that a rather hectic summer transfer window has finally drawn to a close, racking up a record-breaking £630million Premier League spending bill in the process.
For Liverpool, it’s been a promising off-season, with a collection of astute signings from Brendan Rodgers, including the likes of Mamadou Sakho, Simon Mignolet, Luis Alberto and Victor Moses, improving the Anfield squad, while perhaps most importantly for their Champions League chances, Luis Suarez is now staying put until January at least.
But not everything has gone the Reds’ way this summer, and just to prove it, we’ve created a select XI of players the Merseyside outfit were heavily linked with this summer, but for whatever reason, never secured a deal.
Click on Shay Given to reveal the Liverpool XI they could have signed
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Throughout the World Cup qualifying rounds Joe Hart hasn’t had the easiest of runs. England fans have been scrutinising his every move because of his many high profile mistakes in recent matches and, only a few days ago, Roy Keane slammed him for his arrogant attitude.
Luckily for Hart though, this hasn’t stopped Hodgson backing him and he is still No.1 for tonight’s match at Wembley. Hodgson is not alone in backing Hart’s place in tonight’s match however, right behind him is Polish star Robert Lewandowski.
Lewandowski last faced Hart when Borussia Dortmund met Manchester City in the Champions League draw. The match may have ended 1-1, but, Hart’s outstanding performance at the Etihad last year has had a lasting effect on Lewandowski. He describes it as the “one of the best goalkeeping displays I’ve ever seen” adding “if he plays like that again then he will be very hard to beat”.
It’s unusual that the opponent has more faith in the English goalie than the fans themselves, although if he helps produce a win tonight then I’m sure we will be more than happy to be proved wrong!
Keep up with every goal, tackle, victory and heartbreak during tonight’s World Cup Qualifiers on our #GetMeToBrazil LIVE Blog below!