Sunderland fans are absolutely furious with Lee Camp after the goalkeeper’s horrendous display made life easy for Sheffield Wednesday on Monday.
There looked to be life in Sunderland’s season on Friday night as the Black Cats romped to a 4-1 win against playoff chasing Derby, but fans’ hopes were soon quashed by some horrific defending in Monday’s defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.
The Owls left the Stadium of Light with a 3-1 win, courtesy of goals from Lucas Joao, Tom Lees and Atdhe Nuhiu, but if truth be told they didn’t have to work all that hard.
Sunderland were actually the better team for large parts of the match, but some shambolic defending combined with Camp’s ability to make any cross look dangerous shattered their survival hopes.
The 33 year-old keeper, who started his career with Derby, joined from Cardiff in January, but has far from impressed fans.
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Despite a few great saves since the move, Camp’s struggles with balls into the box have frustrated fans, and been made even worse by the shaky defending in front of him.
Fans have been mercilessly attacking Camp for his performance, and some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
Gary Cahill’s first season as Chelsea captain – having replaced John Terry in the summer – hasn’t quite gone as planned.
The Blues have slumped from runaway champions to fifth – facing the very real prospect of Europa League football next season – and on a personal level, the former Bolton defender hasn’t featured as much as he would have liked.
Nevertheless, the defender – valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt – got the nod from Antonio Conte on Saturday as Chelsea played out a dress rehearsal for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Southampton.
It looked as if Cahill’s return would turn into a nightmare as the Saints raced into a 2-0 lead and with just 20 minutes remaining, Chelsea were staring down the barrel.
Three goals in eight minutes turned the game on its head and Cahill’s numbers from the game are quite solid and he made a late claim to be in the starting 11 for the cup semi at Wembley.
Seven headers won and four clearances are the standouts as Cahill helped the Blues ride out a late onslaught but his other numbers also showed evidence of a man who wasn’t rusty and is ready to take his chance if he gets the nod at Wembley.
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There has been no shortage of cash at Manchester City ever since Sheikh Mansour bought the club in 2009.
The Abu Dhabi-borm billionaire is a major reason why the Premier League club have become a powerhouse in England.
At the weekend, City earned their third league title in seven seasons after taking an unassailable 16-point lead.
Manchester United’s shock 1-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday officially handed their neighbours the crown.
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The joy came after a difficult week in which the club were knocked out of the Champions League by Liverpool in the quarter-finals and were beaten 3-2 by United at the Etihad Stadium.
With the league title wrapped up, attention now turns to the summer transfer window.
According to the Daily Mail, City’s hierarchy are prepared to put all their faith in manager Guardiola by handing him in excess of £100m to spent on new players.
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The publication claims that the club are likely to target a new central midfielder and a winger, but could end up recruiting four new faces before the window closes.
City fans have been giving their reaction to these reports on Twitter.
Newcastle United supporters have been pretty downbeat in the Transfer Tavern this week after seeing their team’s four-match winning run in the Premier League come to an end at the hands of Everton on Monday night.
Rafa Benitez’s men went into their clash with the Merseysiders off the back of beating Arsenal, Leicester City, Huddersfield Town, and Southampton in their preceding four games, a run which saw them breach the 40-point mark and thus all but seal their place in the top-flight next season. Yet they were unable to keep their impressive run going on Monday night as a Theo Walcott effort six minutes into the second half was enough to clinch all three points for Sam Allardyce’s side, thus leaving Newcastle tenth in the division.
As such, there have been many quiet Magpies supporters in the Tavern in the last few days, several of whom are hoping that their team can finish the season strongly to build momentum ahead of the 2018/19 campaign.
In the meantime though, there has been much for our resident Newcastle fans to discuss, not least recent reports linking their club with a move for Hull City striker Abel Hernandez.
And while the 27-year-old might well be a useful addition to Benitez’s squad, the Magpies must forget about a move for the forward and instead land £13.5 million-rated Championship star Tom Cairney (as per Transfermarkt).
Ultimately, while Hull’s Hernandez has been in fine form for the Tigers this term in netting eight goals in just ten appearances, he has suffered repeatedly from injuries in the last few years, hence his lowly appearance tally this time round.
Even his Premier League record, in which he has netted eight times in 49 games, isn’t horrendous, but it would be too big a risk for Newcastle to take given his injury problems over recent years.
Whereas they know exactly what they’d get with Fulham’s Cairney, who has without doubt been one of the best attackers outside of the Premier League in the last few years.
The 27-year-old inspired Slavisa Jokanovic’s side to the Championship play-offs last season with 13 goals and 11 assists for the Cottagers, and while his first half of this season was disrupted by injury, he has still managed four goals and five assists in their run to second place in the table.
Thus, it’s just a matter of time before the Scotland international makes the step up to the Premier League, and if Newcastle are keen to move to the next level themselves in the coming years, a peak and in-form Cairney can certainly help them with those aims.
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Ayoze Perez has performed much better recently for the Magpies, but one still senses that they need a number ten with greater attacking pedigree and an ability to make things happen out of very little – Cairney can do just that.
Obviously, it would be a risk given the 27-year-old hasn’t played much in the Premier League, but given his fine form for Fulham in the last few years, and indeed the age he is at, the Magpies must forget about Hernandez and instead focus their efforts on luring Cairney to St James’ Park.
According to various reports, Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri has a €14.5million (£12.75m) relegation clause in his contract – but who should sign the Swiss international?
Stoke City were relegated on Saturday courtesy of their 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace, and there will surely be multiple Potters looking to leave the club this summer.
West Ham fans have been discussing the possibility of signing Shaqiri and teammate Jack Butland, but the Swiss winger has been linked with a whole host of Premier League clubs.
Though Shaqiri certainly struggles with consistency, he possesses an absolute star quality that very few players have, so plenty of managers will be queuing up for the relatively low £12.75m release clause.
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The Hammers and Toffees have both been linked with moves for the 26 year-old, who has eight goals and six assists in 35 league appearances this season.
Both clubs could be going into next season under new management, so it would be no surprise to see them swoop for some new talent to freshen up their squads.
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One would have to think West Ham have the upper hand, as the Swiss man could relish the opportunity to link up with former teammate Marko Arnautovic.
So, Everton and West Ham fans, where would Shaqiri be the best fit? Let us know by voting in the poll below…
West Ham United announced on Wednesday that manager David Moyes would be leaving the club following the expiry of his contract at the end of the season, and Shakhtar Donetsk manager Paul Fonseca is one of the frontrunners to replace the 55-year-old at the London Stadium.
The east London outfit finished the Premier League season in 13th position after taking seven points from a possible nine available in their final three fixtures, but poor performances and results – and discontent among the London Stadium faithful – among other things, meant that the Scot wasn’t offered an extension to his deal.
It is no surprise to learn that Fonseca could be near the top of the list of potential targets given his brilliant record with Shakhtar – it is a rumour Hammers fans on Twitter are delighted with – and the fact that he will soon be a free agent unless his own contract is renewed in the next few weeks.
The Portuguese boss has overseen 73 win in 93 matches in all competitions, with his team scoring 205 goals during that period, conceding 82, as per Transfermarkt.
The fact that the Ukrainian outfit were only narrowly knocked out of the Champions League in the knockout stages by eventual semi-finalists AS Roma shows that they have plenty of quality available in their squad, and some of those individuals could make a real difference for the outfit from the English capital in the 2018/19 campaign.
Here are three Donetsk stars Fonseca should bring to West Ham with him, if he is appointed…
While Pablo Zabaleta generally impressed at right-back and right wing-back for West Ham this season, he is getting no younger and has just one year remaining on his contract.
It is clear that the east London outfit need to find a long-term solution on the right-hand side, and they could get their answer if Fonseca is appointed and brings Butko with him to the London Stadium.
The 27-year-old Ukraine international is a regular in the XI for Shakhtar, and as well as showing his defensive skills he has also shown that he can get up and down the pitch and is a threat in the final third too by providing eight assists in 29 appearances in all competitions this term – something Zabaleta often struggles to do now he is 33 years of age.
Cheikhou Kouyate and Mark Noble impressed in the final couple of fixtures of the season after below-par seasons, and it remains to be seen whether those displays will be enough to ensure that they start the 2018/19 campaign in the starting XI.
Kouyate in particular probably needs replacing if the Irons are to kick on, and it seems certain that a new defensive midfielder will be arriving at the London Stadium this summer.
If Fonseca is appointed as Moyes’ successor, he should look to bring the impressive Stepanenko with him, and the 28-year-old would arrive with plenty of experience having made 238 appearances in all competitions for the Ukrainian outfit.
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It was often West Ham’s defence rather than their attack that let them down this season, but while they have the likes of Manuel Lanzini, Marko Arnautovic and Joao Mario – if he returns following his loan spell from Inter Milan – on their books, they shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to add quality players in those attacking areas.
One player Fonseca could look to bring to the London Stadium with him if he gets the Irons job is Bernard, with the left-sided Brazilian one of Shakhtar’s key men in recent years with 28 goals and 35 assists in 157 appearances.
The fact that he will soon be available on a free with his contract due to expire next month is just another reason why he should arrive alongside the Portuguese boss.
According to Sky Sports, European giants Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan are both interested in signing £16m-rated West Bromwich Albion striker Salomon Rondon this summer, and Newcastle United should be looking to bring the Venezuela international to St James’ Park.
What’s the word, then?
Soccer Football – Premier League – West Bromwich Albion vs Tottenham Hotspur – The Hawthorns, West Bromwich, Britain – May 5, 2018 West Bromwich Albion’s Salomon Rondon in action with Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld REUTERS/Phil Noble EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Ple
Well, Sky Sports report that the 28-year-old has a release clause of £16m in his contract following the Baggies’ relegation to the Championship this season, and he is attracting interest from huge clubs like Atletico and Inter.
Rondon has been in England with the west Midlands club since 2015 and while he couldn’t prevent them going down this term, he still impressed many with his committed and hard-working performances up top.
Meanwhile, one of Magpies manager Rafa Benitez’s main priorities this summer will be to bring a new centre-forward to the club to boost their chances of finishing in the top seven next season, with Aleksandar Mitrovic looking likely to go, Joselu failing to make a big impact following his move from Stoke City last summer and Islam Slimani not making a positive impression during a difficult loan spell.
How did Rondon do this season?
In what was a difficult campaign for West Brom, the Venezuelan was one of their better performers and netted 10 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions, providing a further four assists.
The 28-year-old impressed with his high work-rate and general all-round play as a strong striker, and according to WhoScored.com he won 162 of the 371 aerial duels he faced in 36 Premier League outings to prove that he is up for a battle.
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Would he be a good signing for Newcastle?
He certainly would be.
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While he may not a really prolific striker – he has 28 goals in 120 appearances in total for West Brom – he does still provide that goal threat and more importantly is unselfish nature and hold-up play helps to bring his teammates into play.
Because of his height and strength he would also be vital at both ends of the pitch for the Magpies next season, and if Benitez, whose high ambitions will be met if Mike Ashley gets a deal over the line for a 28-year-old Champions League attacker this summer, gets the right players in and around him then his side’s goal tally should be much higher than it was this season next term, and that could be the key to them finishing seventh and the best of the rest.
Tottenham Hotspur are certainly on the right path, despite the fact that they have not won a trophy in a decade.
Mauricio Pochettino has shaped a young, vibrant and title-challenging team over the last few years, but they need to take that next step.
Moving into a brand new state-of-the-art stadium will certainly push the club in the right direction, but they need reinforcements in order to compete once again with the Premier League elite.
Pochettino has proven that he can help young players thrive, so it is worth suggesting that the club swoop for Borussia Dortmund star Christian Pulisic this summer.
The 19-year-old – valued at £40.5m by Transfermarkt – has been linked to numerous top-level clubs due to his performances in Germany over the past two seasons.
The USA international, who scored four goals and created five assists in the Bundesliga during the 2017-18 campaign, is versatile in that he can play across the midfield in an attacking position.
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The majority of Pulisic’s playing time has been on the right side of attack, which would give Tottenham another option.
We asked you if the North London club should swoop for the teenager, and the outcome was overwhelmingly in favour of a transfer.
Manchester United fans were forced to watch on as their bitterest rivals Liverpool fought Real Madrid for the biggest prize in European football on Saturday and then again as the Reds secured the signing of highly-rated midfielder Fabinho from Monaco.
In a World Cup summer, where all of England’s elite clubs will be spending big; Manchester City in pursuit of European glory and the rest trying to bridge the points chasm, doing smart business early is the key and Jurgen Klopp has done exactly that with his sudden swoop for the Brazilian who can play at right-back and in central midfield.
That is what United fans are hoping their club can provide after a season in which they failed to win a trophy despite it being Jose Mourinho’s fabled second campaign, where he is supposed to win the league.
They didn’t do that and as Liverpool impressed with their blistering football on the pitch, some United fans are becoming worried by the speed they’re doing business off it; especially compared with United…
Ademola Lookman should seriously consider signing for Tottenham Hotspur rather than fight for a place at Everton.
What’s the word?
The 20-year-old moved to Goodison Park from Charlton Athletic last year, but a change in managers has disrupted his progress.
The youngster moved to the Merseyside outfit when Ronald Koeman was in charge, but his game time was eventually limited and he was sent out on loan by new boss Sam Allardyce in January.
During a short spell at Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, Lookman scored five goals and created three assists in 11 league appearances.
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It seems, though, that his future at Everton is under question following a report in The Mirror claiming that the youngster is at risk of being axed from the squad.
The club’s new director football Marcel Brands has insisted that he needs to balance the bonds, which could result in some fringe players leaving.
According to The Mirror’s transfer blog (June 5, 13:16), Tottenham have expressed an interest in signing Lookman.
Is Spurs the right place for him?
Mauricio Pochettino needs some established players to take Tottenham to the next level.
However, the Argentine coach has worked wonders with young talent and Lookman’s versatility would certainly fit into the club’s ethos.
The youngster can play anywhere across the attacking midfield areas, as well as up front, but he can cause the most damage from out wide.
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Depending on how Marco Silva wants to proceed at Everton, it may be in Lookman’s best interests to join a club like Tottenham.
Pochettino, more than anyone, is likely to give the England Under-21 international a chance in the first team.
If Lookman finds himself in a situation where he can choose to stay at Everton or move to Tottenham, then the latter option should win out.