West Ham’s official Twitter account wished manager David Moyes a happy birthday on Wednesday, and the fan responses have been quite simply hilarious.
While there are plenty of West Ham fans who appreciate the job David Moyes has done at the club, the majority of fans are calling for major changes this summer.
The Scotsman was brought in to secure the Hammers’ top-flight status, and to be fair he looks to have done just that.
Still, his negative, defensive football and his bizarre team selection and game management have turned a lot of fans against him, and they’re not letting up just because it’s his birthday.
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The Hammers have lost five of their last six away matches in the Premier League, conceding an incredible 16 goals in that span.
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The home form hasn’t been particularly inspiring either, as wins against Watford and Southampton have been dampened by disappointing results against Burnley and Stoke.
The club wished the former Manchester United man a happy 55th birthday via Twitter, and some of the best reactions can be found below…
“I think it will be a loss for him, for his career. He can say ‘I was European champion at Liverpool’ and I have to say that is correct. But I can say to him in the next 10 years we will compare trophies at Chelsea and trophies at Liverpool. And he will lose.”
Jose Mourinho said this ten years ago, when Steven Gerrard was still enjoying the ecstasy of being a Champions League winner. 2005 was a great year for Gerrard; aside from the Champions League win, he was named UEFA Club Footballer of the Year and Ballon d’Or Bronze.
Despite the offer from Chelsea, Gerrard stayed put and kept his loyalties in Merseyside. But, should he have signed for Chelsea after all?
Jose Mourinho may have been considered arrogant for what he had said about Gerrard at the time, but he was not far wrong. Chelsea have been dominant within these quotes, and are on course to snag the Premier League title once again this season. Being a Champions League winner was a big deal then, but Chelsea have that accolade themselves now.
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Lampard and Gerrard would have been given the opportunity to play together at Chelsea, in addition to playing together for England. No doubt they would have been a force to be reckoned with at Chelsea. But as time progressed, would they have been able to play together – or would they have been competing against each other for a regular role at Stamford Bridge?
In fact, would Steven Gerrard even be playing in England today? Look at Ashley Cole. Within his final year at Chelsea, he fell out of favour for a much younger replacement – Cesar Azpilicueta. If Cole could not keep his place at Chelsea, who’s to say Gerrard would have? He could well have been playing abroad by now like Cole, who now plays for Roma.
Gerrard’s final season has been far from favourable. Brendan Rodgers seems uninterested in the fact Gerrard will be leaving in the summer, and often choses not to start the captain. Gerrard was subbed on against Manchester United at Anfield, only to be sent off almost immediately: not an ideal way to finish your last ever home game against your bitter rivals.
The FA Cup final falls on Gerrard’s 35th birthday, but he will not be on the pitch at Wembley, as Liverpool were knocked out by Aston Villa last weekend. If anything, his last season in England has been somewhat of a nightmare. Had he been at Chelsea, he could have had the opportunity to bow out as a Premier League winner.
No matter how you weigh it up, should Gerrard have moved to Chelsea is a question that can never be answered. Had he been at Chelsea, he would never have lifted the Champions League in 2005, and all the recognition that came with it.
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He has in turn made himself a club legend at Anfield by committing to his club for the best part of 20 years. Although he will not be a ‘one club player’, he will no doubt be remembered in Liverpool’s history for his achievements.
West Brom Boss Steve Clarke has revealed he hopes to bring in “three or four” new faces during the summer to bolster his West Brom side.
The Baggies boss is keen to do his business as early as possible in the summer in order to ensure his team have the best possible preparation for the 2013/14 campaign and warned any potential suitors that his current stars will command hefty fees.
Clark feels three or four additions will allow West Brom to progress next season, but didn’t give any indication regarding the areas he hopes to strengthen.
Clarke told the Birmingham Mail: “It’s difficult to speculate how many players will come because you don’t know how many clubs are going to try to take some of your players.
“At the moment, looking at the squad, if we were to bring in three or four that would be enough – but things can change.
“Our players aren’t going to be cheap. I don’t think anyone would be wise to come for any of our players because they will cost a fortune.”
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He added: “In an ideal world we’d get early signings. The early signing last summer was Ben Foster and the other ones came in over the course of pre-season.”
With the summer transfer window fast-approaching, many football fans will be deliberating over who their club should swoop for.
Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been doing just that on social media, and for once the focus is away from current players who could be on their way out of the club.
The futures of Toby Alderweireld and Mousa Dembele have been major talking points among the fans over the last few months.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino will want his strongest possible team heading into the new season, particularly as they will be competing at the club’s new state-of-the-art stadium.
This season, the North London outfit have been unable to sustain a Premier League title challenge due to Manchester City blowing everyone out of the water.
However, the club are closing in on a top-four position as they currently occupy the final Champions League spot with a seven-point advantage.
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The team also have an opportunity to win silverware for the first time since the 2007-08 season as they remain in the FA Cup, with a semi-final clash against Manchester United on the horizon.
On Reddit, fans have been discussing who from outside of the top six clubs would they like Tottenham to sign this summer, and an array of players were thrown into the pot, some even from the Championship.
Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.
Manchester City have sunk from title winners into a squad fighting just to hold onto fourth place in recent months. The Citizens started their campaign strongly, pushing league leaders Chelsea every step of the way, but with key players now underperforming City have quickly seen their fortunes take a turn for the worse.
Manchester United, though, have seen a drastic improvement in all areas of their game, particularly when going forward.
United have won six or their last seven matches and have only lost six times all season. It took longer than expected fort manager Louis van Gaal to turn the squad into top four contenders but, true to his word, the Dutchman has done just that. And now there are only a handful of games between them and Champions League football.
Van Gaal’s men have been steadily picking up points all season but that has at times been down to the heroics of goal keeper David De Gea. When United were shaky at the back or not prolific enough up front, the Spaniard ensured that his team went away from the match with at least a point.
But in the last couple of weeks the Red Devils have organised their back line to be capable of dealing with even the most dangerous of forwards, cutting them off before they can do any real damage.
Then there is the attacking midfield trio of Ashley Young, Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata, which has been United’s most successful grouping. Even expensive new signing Angel di Maria has had a tough time breaking back into the hugely confident squad. Together with Wayne Rooney excelling up front, United have become one of the best teams when going forward.
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Keeping their best XI injury free and performing as a cohesive unit has shot United up the table and once again clubs are beginning to fear playing them, something unknown since the glory days of Sir Alex Ferguson.
Where Van Gaal knows his best squad, City’s Pellegrini now appears unsure. Key players who were vital for them last season could now be on their way out of the Etihad this summer. The powerful Ivorian Yaya Toure has been linked with a move to Inter Milan, as has Steven Jovetic, and Samir Nasri is reportedly on Juventus’ radar.
All three have underperformed, so perhaps they wouldn’t be greatly missed. But the worry is that lack of Champions League football next year may tempt their better players like Sergio Aguero and James Milner to go elsewhere.
The situation has declined so rapidly that even Pellegrini, just 12 months after leading City to their second Premier League title, may not have his job for much longer. Several replacements have been mentioned, such as Napoli’s Rafa Benitez and Borussia Dortmund’s Jurgen Klopp who has recently announced that he will indeed be leaving theBundesliga outfit in the summer.
City may look very different with a batch of new players and a new man in charge next season. United, on the other hand, look likely to stick with Van Gaal and are only in the market for a few key additions to help boost their return to the top four.
If City fail to handle the next few months correctly they may find themselves unable to compete successfully next season, and therefore potentially forfeiting their top four position.
They are a club in transition in a league that takes no prisoners. United went through it last year when they changed managers and ended up in seventh, but after a few good decisions and patience from supporters, the club are back to where they belong climbing the table and turning Manchester red once again.
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Tonight’s clash between European powerhouses in Paris will not disappoint international football fans. Prestigious teams rarely compete in qualifying matches of such a high magnitude. With Spain in danger of missing out on automatic qualifying, Les Bleus hope to widen their 2-point lead over the reigning World Cup and European Champions.
French manager Didier Deschamps plans to take advantage of Spain’s possession style and capitalise on counter-attacking opportunities. Deschamps told the Daily Mail, “We will have to use the ball well when we have it; we will have to force them to defend.”
The manager went on to say fighting for possession against Spain is “useless.” He will count on veteran defender Patrice Evra, who was an unused substitute in Friday’s match against Georgia, to limit Spain’s scoring opportunities. The Manchester United defender will help French captain and Tottenham Hotspur Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris keep Spain’s attack uncharacteristically quiet.
Spain will enter the Stade de France unusually uneasy. The teams had quite different results on Friday. While Spain only managed to pick up one point in a disappointing home draw against Finland, France dominated Georgia 3-1. Combined with home advantage, French fans believe current their hot streak could lead to the end of Spain’s current unbeaten run.
Also, Spain will be without Jordi Alba and David Silva. Nacho Monreal is expected to fill in at left back. He will be part of a back line faced with the daunting task of slowing down his Arsenal teammate Olivier Giroud or Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema. Although Giroud has been in rough form during recent Premier League appearances, the Frenchman played a critical role in Spain’s last match against France. In October, his 94th minute equaliser earned France one all-important point during their away leg of this tie. The striker also netted France’s first goal against Georgia on Friday.
Deschampes alluded that Giroud’s aerial attack would be valuable late in the match to take advantage of a tired Spanish defence. The Daily Mail quoted the manager saying, “He has that ability, and that’s a weapon I can obviously use at any time.”
Spain hope to gain freshness with the addition of Xavi and Xabi Alonso, who were out with injuries during the Finland match. Both midfielders have been seen training and should be fit for Tuesday night.
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Don’t miss out on the opportunity to watch this amazing match. It will be streaming live here at 8 pm…
Everton have been named as one of a number clubs interested in signing Watford’s Richarlison, and fans aren’t all that pleased with the links to the tricky Brazilian.
According to Sky Sports, Everton will battle Manchester United and Chelsea to sign Richarlison this summer.
The young Brazilian got his Premier League career off to a red hot start with Watford, grabbing five goals and four assists in the early part of the season.
His form has trailed off massively since Marco Silva left the club though, and it is noticeable that he has not been happy since the departure of the charismatic Portuguese manager.
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Tottenham are always on the lookout for more attacking depth to add to their array of flair and talent, and the 20 year-old’s work ethic and defensive capabilities would certainly make him a good fit at Old Trafford.
However, he would get more playing time at Goodison than at a top four club, and could become a fan favourite if he found his form again.
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That said, fans don’t seem all that impressed by the links, and some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
Steven Gerrard’s career has been punctuated by huge moments. His final duel with his club’s great adversary, Manchester United, lasted only 38 seconds. This moment, one of sheer madness, may have cost his beloved Liverpool, Champions League football.
Is it fair to place the blame on the shoulders that have carried the club for so long?
Rodgers no doubt needed his captain against Manchester United, for all of their good form going into the game; United had quietened the Anfield crowd; he needed his inspirational leader to reawaken the Kop.
Those 38 seconds will be broken down for years to come. But here they are again…..He comes onto the pitch to rapturous applause, sporting his traditional armband, one that he had, rightly or wrongly, took from Henderson. His first involvement was a trademark cross field ball, his second, a thunderous tackle on Juan Mata, his third, a petulant and pathetic stamp on Ander Herrera.
Three moments, the crowd were certainly no longer silent.
For all of Liverpool’s first half struggles, they were still in the game. Only one goal behind, after arguably their worst half of league football for a while.
His red card allowed United more time on the ball, allowing the mercurial Mata his moment. His exceptional bicycle kick was the clincher in this clash that will go a long way to deciding the top four places.
Ironically, Liverpool’s season had arguably turned due to Gerrard’s absence, the Henderson-led Liverpool had put together a superb run of form, a run of form that had allowed them to be on the brink of a European place. Something that seemed a distant memory, during the turbulent opening months of the season.
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Unfortunately for Rodgers and Liverpool, the narrative has already been written for their season. Gerrard’s early season announcement of his move to Hollywood, has meant that every event is now a ‘last.’ Imagine the furore should the manager have not put his club captain on the pitch at all yesterday.
His farewell tour has been reduced following his brainless red card. He will now miss the FA Cup replay against Blackburn and the fairytale ending at Wembley is now out of his hands.
With Man United now opening up a five point gap on their rivals, it is difficult to see Liverpool overhauling them. In positive news for fans on the Kop, Gerrard’s absence may turn out to be a huge positive, as they have already shown, this side doesn’t depend on their captain, it in fact flourishes.
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Gerrard was happy to take the blame for yesterday’s loss in his post-match interview, one that lasted substantially longer than his performance on the pitch. There is little doubt he could be blamed for yesterday. He could also be blamed for a lot more, in a season defining match, he let his team mates, his fans and his club down.
For all the good he has done for the club, for all of the moments he has had for his beloved club, his ‘last’ iconic image in a Red shirt could be him solemnly walking down the tunnel.
Norwich are preparing a summer swoop for Sporting Lisbon striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel, according to reports from talkSPORT.
The Canaries, who are now nine points clear of the relegation zone, have struggled for goals all season, notching just 27 in the Premier League, a tally only QPR have failed to match.
Despite bringing in Luciano Becchio from Leeds and Kei Kamara on loan from Sporting Kansas City in January, manager Chris Hughton is still believed to be keen to draft in attacking options.
He has highlighted van Wolfswinkel as his main target, with Sporting currently in a state of financial turmoil.
The Portuguese giants have mounting debt problems, which has led to speculation that they could be forced to sell a number of their star men this summer just to stay afloat.
As one of their most valuable assets, van Wolfswinkel could be one of the first out of the door, and Norwich are said to be willing to spend £10m to bring him to Carrow Road.
The 24-year-old was linked with the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham prior to his move to Lisbon from Utrecht, after an impressive spell in the Eredivisie.
With 22 goals since the start of last term, the Dutchman has also been a success with Sporting, alerting clubs from across Europe.
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But, as long as they avoid relegation, Norwich are confident they can lure him to East Anglia, with first-team football all but guaranteed in a yellow shirt.
Jose Mourinho is likely to rely on a strong defensive performance from Manchester United to prevent bitter rivals City winning the Premier League title earlier than any team has ever clinched it before.
Liverpool might have rattled the champions-elect with an energetic performance of pressing and clincial finishing but the former Real Madrid manager – who enjoyed many a battle with Pep Guardiola during the pair’s time in La Liga – is more likely to try to spoil the party by parking the bus.
A conservative approach is United’s big-game tactic on the road against the big teams but it is one that has only brought one win in nine trips to face their fellow members of the top six so far under Mourinho.
Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof got the nod last time out against Swansea but it will be a different kettle of fish up against a City side still smarting from their Anfield rattling.
That’s why we asked you whether Eric Bailly – valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt – should return to the United backline and the response was as overwhelming as it can be. 100 per cent of United fans want the Ivorian to be reintroduced in central defence for the 176th Manchester derby.