Christmas is here, which means 2020 is quickly drawing to a close, and what a year it has been for West Brom.
The Baggies clinched promotion from the Championship after a two-season absence from the Premier League, though since, things haven’t really gone to plan…
Captain of the ship Slaven Bilic received his P45 earlier this month with Albion second from bottom on just seven points.
The West Brom hierarchy have turned to Sam ‘the firefighter’ Allardyce in their time of need for yet another survival bid despite the 66-year-old being out of the game for two-and-a-half years.
In his first game in charge, the Midlands outfit were thrashed 3-0 by arch-rivals Aston Villa, so Big Sam has it all to do if they are to remain a top-flight team in 2021.
But forget those worries for now, and take a look back at some finer moments with this tricky quiz.
We bet only die hard Albion fans will get close to 75% on this one! Go on, give it a go…
AND in other news, West Brom Exclusive: Sam Allardyce tipped to sign former star in January swoop…
Toby Alderweireld’s muscular injury has gifted Japhet Tanganga a chance to prove Jose Mourinho wrong after the Tottenham Hotspur coach revealed his intentions for the academy graduate.
What’s the word?
Mourinho has revealed he sees Tanganga developing into a full-back rather than a centre-half, having assessed his options to replace Alderweireld with the Belgian ruled out for the next two to four weeks after being forced off in Saturday’s win over Manchester City.
The blow deprives Mourinho of a veteran option he had started in six of Spurs’ opening nine Premier League fixtures, and is now left with Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez and summer signing Joe Rodon as his recognised senior options.
Tanganga earned his Premier League debut under Mourinho when fielded at right-back against Liverpool last term, but was later also awarded minutes at left-back and centre-half having graduated from the U23s after playing 45 times in a central defensive role.
But Mourinho does not believe Tanganga is best suited to playing centrally and has stated that he will now only look favourably on the 21-year-old in the event of an emergency.
“For me, he’s a full-back. Can he play centre-back? Yes, he can, of course he can, and he will if we need him,” Mourinho said, via quotes by football.london.
“He can play centre-back, but for me in the context of what high-level football is and especially [the] Premier League is, I see him more as a multi-functional defensive player, but I see him more as a full-back.”
Alderweireld’s loss is Tanganga’s gain
Given Mourinho’s comments on Tanganga’s future role at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Alderweireld’s muscular injury may come as a blessing in disguise for the Spurs product who is now fit once again after being plagued by back and thigh injuries since March.
Tanganga’s issues have restricted the London-born defender to just 70 minutes of action in any competition this season, coming in September’s EFL Cup win over rivals Chelsea when fielded at centre-half in a three-man backline.
But he now has less competition to build on those minutes with Alderweireld on the sidelines, and a slack showing from one of Dier or Sanchez in the Europa League against Ludogorets on Thursday night could see one of the pair miss out at Chelsea this Sunday.
Struggles at Stamford Bridge may then open the door for Tanganga to feature at LASK next Thursday as Tottenham look to lock up their progression through to the knockout stages of the Europa League.
Mourinho has previously admitted to having great confidence in Tanganga’s potential, noting in February how he felt the young charger could become a first-team regular for years to come.
“Tanganga’s already in the dressing room, with [Oliver] Skipp,” Mourinho said, via quotes by BBC Sport. “Both are fantastic kids – both kids in which we believe a lot.
“The difference is with Japhet that the big opportunity appeared. With Skipp that has not happened yet – the big opportunity to start matches and play many minutes. But both are in the first-team dressing room. And our objective – what we are working on – is to make them Tottenham players for many years.”
Now is Tanganga’s chance to stake his claim to a more prominent role in north London and prove to Mourinho that his future can be at centre-half in the absence of Alderweireld.
AND in other news, Daniel Levy can complete Jose Mourinho’s dream Spurs unit in a £22m gem who’s “like Kai Havertz”.
Leeds United are enjoying being back in the Premier League after a long 16 years away. They’ve started their returning season strongly too, banking ten points from their seven games played so far. Their season opener saw them give holding champions Liverpool more than a run for their money in a thrilling 4-3 result.
The Whites also recently held league heavyweights Man City to a 1-1 draw, which will certainly be something to be proud of.
Star striker Patrick Bamford has been on song as usual, enjoying a run of fiery form. His six goals tallied so far puts him level with Harry Kane and just two behind top goalscorer Son Heung-min (via BBC Sport). The 27-year-old late bloomer is irreplaceable for Leeds right now, which takes us on to imagining a double strike force involving him and former Whites man Chris Wood.
Leeds should have kept Chris Wood
It was a short Elland Road career for the now Burnley superstar. Leeds signed Wood back in 2015 from Leicester City for a reported £3.2million, according to Transfermarkt. His two years in Yorkshire saw him bring in an impressive goal return of 44 goals to 88 games played.
Wood’s form naturally attracted some interest and before long, Burnley came knocking with a club record fee of £15million to snap up the New Zealand international. The 28-year-old made the move in 2017 and hasn’t looked back since, much to the dismay of many.
The striker has established himself as one of the Clarets’ key players and he has enjoyed playing in England’s top flight for three years now. But with Leeds making their grand return, Marcelo Bielsa will be looking at his recent form and imagining a partnership between him and Bamford.
The two senior forwards could produce masterful displays in the heart of the Leeds attack that will keep oppositions guessing. Had Wood gone on to achieve glory with his new club, it would be a different story. But to see him playing in a club of similar calibre to Leeds, it will have Bielsa up at night knowing that he could have created something magical had he got his hands on him.
In other news, Exclusive: Chris Kirkland believes Leeds should’ve signed a Championship keeper this summer…
After easing to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Dundalk in the Europa League on Thursday night, Arsenal return to Premier League action when they renew their rivalry with Manchester United.
The Gunners are in the midst of a difficult patch in the top-flight, falling to defeats to the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Leicester in a short few weeks, leaving them stumbling.
And with United seemingly flying at the moment after a couple of huge Champions League victories, including over PSG and RB Leipzig, things look ominous for Mikel Arteta’s side when they travel to Old Trafford on Sunday.
Below is a look at the line-up Arteta may put out as he seeks for a momentum-boosting win in the Premier League.
After dropping out for summer signing Runar Runarsson in midweek, Bernd Leno will surely reclaim his number one spot in between the sticks.
In front of the German, the Arsenal boss may revert back to a five-man defence in order to give his team more security, and having rested a few of his key first-team stars on Thursday, will surely all return at the weekend.
That could see Kieran Tierney, Gabriel, Hector Bellerin and Bukayo Saka come in, with Shkodran Mustafi keeping his place from the game against Dundalk.
With Granit Xhaka surprisingly named as a starter in the clash against the Irish high-flyers, the Swiss star may be the man to drop out against United, with Thomas Partey and Dani Ceballos holding down the midfield.
And further forward, Arteta could make the huge call of giving Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the nod up front, with a returning Willian and Nicolas Pepe flanking him on either side.
Sunderland boss Phil Parkinson has heaped praise on midfielder Grant Leadbitter for his recent performances for the Black Cats.
Parkinson’s side have started the season in superb form and sit fifth in the League One standings, having drawn one and won two games out of three.
The weekend victory over Peterborough came after a 81st minute penalty from Leadbitter, who started his second consecutive game in the centre of midfield.
The 34-year-old made 14 League One appearances during the 2019/20 season but was handed a spell of compassionate leave in February due to personal reasons.
“He really deserves it. No one is more determined to play a part than Grant Leadbitter,” said Parkinson via the club’s official website.
“He wants to have a big year for the club he loves, for the fans and for his family. He wears his heart on his sleeve. I am so pleased for him and he will have felt ten-foot tall on Saturday night, I am sure.”
Now that he is back in action, the midfielder will be looking to add to his tally of 539 career appearances.
Leadbitter’s role for Sunderland this term is vitally important and Phil Parkinson can be extremely pleased that the midfielder has returned to action and is playing with such good form.
Sunderland have started the season in superb form, and fans can be happy with how the club are progressing at the present time.
It will now be up to players like Leadbitter to ensure that it continues.
Do you think Leadbitter should start every game? Let us know in the comments section below…
Kepa Arrizabalaga had yet another nightmarish match for Chelsea at the weekend after a costly error gifted Liverpool their second goal in their 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
Before the season started, Frank Lampard had made it clear that he wanted to bring in a replacement for the Spaniard after last campaign proved to be a disappointing one for the 25-year-old.
The Blues hosted the reigning Premier League champions on Sunday and lost 0-2, allowing the Reds to put early daylight between them and their potential title rivals.
Kepa’s blunder in the second half presented the perfect opportunity for Sadio Mane to score his second goal of the day and the Senegal international duly capitalised on the error to double his side’s lead.
Alan Hudson, among many others, feels that the goalkeeper’s time at Stamford Bridge is up. In fact, the Chelsea icon has slammed the club’s board for even signing him in the first place.
“This fella doesn’t look the part for me,” Hudson told CaughtOffside. “And as for a record signing it just goes to show that those ‘suits’ upstairs that make these signings are complete fools.”
Kepa joined the Blues in 2018 for a club record fee of £71m, which is also a record for a goalkeeper in world football, and Hudson feels that the transfer fee has been completely unjustified. In his two years at Chelsea, the Spain international has conceded a total of 112 goals in 97 appearances (via Transfermarkt).
“He simply has to go, for the benefit of both his own well-being and Chelsea,” Hudson continued. “I know something about keepers having played with Bonetti, Shilton, Jennings, Clemence and Corrigan in Seattle. This fella has to go.”
Major transfer target Edouard Mendy could be about to solve these problems. According to BBC Sport, Chelsea have agreed a fee with Rennes to bring the shot-stopper to Stamford Bridge. Should all go to plan, it’s likely that Lampard will deploy him straight away and look to offload Kepa in the next window.
Do you think that Kepa’s time at Chelsea is up? Have your say in the comments below…
When it comes to Arsenal, the last couple of weeks have been all about Gabriel and whether he will finally sign for the Gunners and make that long-awaited switch to the Premier League. However, it’s likely the defender won’t come cheap at all.
And for that reason, Mikel Arteta might have to sacrifice some other players in an attempt to balance the books and recoup some of that money they are likely to spend. According to a new report from The Times, Hector Bellerin is among five defenders who have been made available in the ongoing summer transfer market as Arsenal’s purge continues.
The 25-year-old right-back has been in and out of the squad due to various different injuries over the years but now seems to suddenly be expendable at the Emirates. This was echoed by an exclusive report from RMC Sport who claim Bellerin was even offered to Paris Saint-Germain who are also on a lookout for a new full-back in that area.
It was also said that even though the Parisiens are not an easy club to impress, Arsenal’s star fits the profile of what they need in their squad and that could prompt a move on their side.
However, despite the player having a contract until 2023, RMC mention it was the English side who proposed the player to the French outfit, meaning that Bellerin is indeed on the chopping list.
Verdict
He may not have had an incredibly successful run in the last couple of years but selling him at this point does seem like a weird move by Arteta. Since Ainsley Maitland-Niles is also set to join Wolverhampton Wanderers, that would leave Arsenal with only Cedric Soares available to plug those holes.
Of course, another option is to go into the market again and buy a new right-back as well. At this point, if both Niles and Bellerin are sold, the Gunners might indeed be forced to do exactly that.
The bet365 Stadium was built in 1997 and now houses the Championship side Stoke City. The ground is located in Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire and is one of the country’s first newly built modern stadiums.
Its capacity stands at 30,089 and it has a pitch that measures 105m by 68m. The surface is covered with natural grass and it has undersoil heating installed with no running track surrounding it.
Bet365 Stadium’s record attendance of 30,022 was achieved during Stoke City’s clash against Everton on 17 March 2018.
A history of bet365 Stadium
Bet365 Stadium was built in 1997 and it served as Stoke City’s replacement for their old home, Victoria Ground, where they played their football for 119 years. The first talk of potentially moving to a different venue started in the early 1990s and following the Taylor report. The idea was to either convert their previous ground into an all-seater or move to a different stadium altogether.
By early 1996, the decision had been made and the construction started during the 1996/97 campaign. In August next year, the bet365 Stadium was born but, back then, it was called the Britannia Stadium due to sponsorship reasons. However, despite the erection of their new home being done rather quickly, the opening didn’t exactly go as planned.
With only one clear access road towards the stadium, supporters from the city had to take different routes, effectively going the other way for over a mile only to use a roundabout and then turn back towards the ground. This, unsurprisingly, caused great congestions on the road. Still, after the initial complications, everything was finally set.
Club legend Sir Stanley Matthews officially opened the stadium and the first game to be played there was between Stoke and Rochdale in the League Cup and it was watched by 15,439 fans on the day. The game ended in a 1-1 draw and unfortunately for Stoke, the whole season ahead was a disaster, ending in their relegation from the league.
A decade after it was first opened, the club finally obtained full ownership of bet365 Stadium in a £6m deal after the previous joint-partnership with Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Stoke-on-Trent Regeneration Ltd. Of course, it wouldn’t be until the sponsorship deal in 2016 that the ground would get its current name.
Interestingly, in 2006, the access to the stadium was finally fixed when work took place on the A50 that allowed entrance to the ground from the eastbound direction along with an addition of a bridge across the road.
After long talks and promises of possible expansions, bet365 Stadium finally got a boost in capacity in the summer of 2017, which took the final tally to just over 30,000 that still stands to this day. The ground has been used for other events such as musical concerts, funfairs, firework displays and so on.
Interestingly, in European competitions, the bet365 Stadium is known as the Stoke ground due to UEFA regulations on sponsorships.
Tickets to watch Stoke City at bet365 Stadium
All tickets to watch Stoke City play at bet365 Stadium can be found on the club’s official website. The price varies depending on the age and the stand you choose to be seated in but the cheapest adult ticket costs £25.
The club also offers a season ticket scheme as well as memberships that can get you discounts over the course of the season.
Related links
https://www.stokecityfc.com/ – Official website of Stoke City
https://www.stokecityfc.com/club/bet365-stadium/stadium – History of bet365 Stadium
https://tickets.stokecityfc.com/ – Stoke City Ticket Office
Sorry to tease you Blues about signing players when your club can’t until the summer 2020 transfer window.
But the signings from down the years at Stamford Bridge we’re going to be looking at in this list are not the Lampards, the Drogbas or the Hazards, far from it.
I bet the West Londoners wished they did have a transfer ban when they tried to acquire these ill-fated stars…
Tiemoue Bakayoko
We start with one of the more recent ones in Tiemoue Bakayoko, someone who technically still plies his trade at Stamford Bridge but we’re unlikely ever to see in blue again.
The fact that Antonio Conte’s Chelsea forked out a remarkable £40m-ish on the sub-standard midfielder will send shivers down the spine of anyone in west London and unless the club can sell up, they’re still lumbered with him until 2022.
Jiri Jarosik
From one pricy Pensioners flop to another and Jiri Jarosik, a name synonymous in Blues folklore as one of the worst to ever represent them.
The centre-back signed from CSKA Moscow in 2005 and lasted no more than half-a-season before a loan to Birmingham City and his subsequent sale to Celtic, enough time for the Chelsea faithful to very much make up their minds on him.
Asier Del Horno
Football – Birmingham City v Chelsea FA Barclays Premiership – St Andrews – 1/4/06
Birmingham’s Jermaine Pennant and Chelsea’s Asier Del Horno
Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Tony O’Brien
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Well, Asier Del Herono’s name meant that one way or another he was always going to be laughed at in English football but he would have hoped the sniggers wouldn’t have also been caused by his performances.
The overwhelming memory most were left with from the defender’s only campaign at the Bridge was not his shoddy showings, rather his horrendous UEFA Champions League tackle on a young Lionel Messi – simply shocking.
Juan Sebastian Veron
Football – UEFA Champions League Semi Final First Leg – AS Monaco v Chelsea – Stade Louis II – 20/4/04
Juan Sebastian Veron – Chelsea looks dejected after Monaco’s third goal is scored
Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Alex Morton
Juan Sebastian Veron, what a player, Manchester United, Internazionale, Lazio, Argentina, countless trophies and memorable moments – so what’s he doing on this list?
That’s a good question.
Having joined for around £20m from Old Trafford in the summer of 2003, things never really clicked for the seminal central midfielder in west London as his successful spell in English football ended in an anti-climax and Veron went down as one of Chelsea’s worst ever signings.
Mateja Kezman
Much like Veron, Mateja Kezman represented some very prestigious clubs throughout his career, somehow.
The hit-and-miss poacher only spent the one term in England, making 41 appearances for a meagre return of just seven goals, streets away from what Jose Mourinho would have hoped for when he captured him from PSV – at least Kezman’s only real Chelsea highlight was a special one though, scoring the winner against Liverpool in the 2005 League Cup final.
Winston Bogarde
When a manager has no idea a player is signing due to the whole deal being conducted by the sporting director behind his back, it doesn’t have the makings of a great transfer. And so this proved with Winston Bogarde.
No one seemed to want the former Ajax, Barcelona and Holland centre-back at Chelsea, however, he was determined to stay until the end of his contract in 2004 to pick up his lofty £40k-per-week salary and who could blame him?
Bogarde only ever made 12 competitive appearances for the Blues, ridiculous.
Adrian Mutu
Football – FA Barclaycard Premiership – Chelsea v Everton – Stamford Bridge – 17/4/04
Chelsea’s Adrian Mutu after a missed chance
Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Richard Heathcote
Adrian Mutu’s Chelsea tale is a sad one. It could have been one of greatness if the Romanian hadn’t let him substance abuse issues ruin it by being sacked for his addiction to cocaine.
Mutu had a great record on the pitch in west London, registering ten goals and nine assists in just over a season before the cocaine story came out and the world came crashing down on him.
The reason the talented centre-forward makes the is the £15m the Blues threw away on him.
Marko Marin
There would be no such drama in the short Stamford Bridge stay of another failed attacker, ex-Germany prodigy Marko Marin.
The Pensioners thought they were getting something special when Werder Bremen finally gave up their budding 16-time German international in 2012 though he would only ever join the long list of Blues youngsters to be prolifically sent out on loan before exiting at the end of their contracts.
Franco Di Santo
Argentine frontman Franco Di Santo was once nicknamed the “new Maradona” as well as the “little Crespo,” the fact that he’s a Wigan Athletic cult hero probably explains how far he got in living up to those tags.
After a switch from hometown club Audax Italiano, the ex-Argentina international barely made any impact at all in west London and swapped Stamford Bridge for the DW Stadium in 2010 with zero strikes to his name.
Andriy Shevchenko
In contrast to Di Santo, Chelsea supporters certainly haven’t forgotten the name Andriy Shevchenko and they’re never likely to however much they might have wanted to.
The world football icon is another who enjoyed a near-perfect career apart from the one blemish on his CV, the spell with the Blues.
Just 77 matches and 22 goals will never endear yourself at a club when they’ve broken all kinds of records to bring you in for £30m, a whopping sum back then – if only he could have been like the man he’s pictured with above.
Timo Werner’s chances of joining Liverpool this summer have taken a huge dent, and it has left some sections of the Anfield faithful absolutely reeling.
According to Sky Sports, the Reds are ‘very unlikely’ to sign the German forward as it is claimed they have no plans to pursue him when the transfer window reopens at the end of the current campaign.
Cameo Clubs: Which obscure teams did these football legends play for?
It’s also believed that January addition Takumi Minamino’s role amongst Jurgen Klopp’s attack is set to increase next season, meaning the noises around a potential swoop for Werner is that it will not happen.
And this has left supporters fuming.
Werner has been a prolific talisman for RB Leipzig this season, scoring 27 goals in 36 appearances whilst also contributing 12 assists, via Transfermarkt.
He has also become one of the national team’s first choice options, notching a total of 29 caps since a debut in 2017.
With Klopp possessing the talents of Roberto Firmino, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, the 24-year-old may find it hard to cement his name down amongst Liverpool’s starting XI, unless one of the trio were to depart Merseyside anytime soon.
Here’s what fans have been saying…
AND in other news, Liverpool fans react to James Pearce’s verdict on Henderson…