The Premier League has seen some world class players since its inception in 1992, indeed the likes of Thierry Henry, Eric Cantona and Dennis Bergkamp have lit up the division during this time, cementing their personal statuses as legends of the game. We’ve also seen some dreadful players during that time, players simply not fit to lace the boots of the iconic figures of England’s top division.
However, there are other players who have somehow gained a reputation as decent footballers that nobody can quite understand. You know the ones, those individuals who get picked every week by the manager but simply don’t deserve their place in the team anymore, either because of their dreadful current form or perhaps the fact that they’re way past their best. Yet, they continue to baffle all those watching by taking their place amongst the elite every week, only to turn in performances that are simply rubbish. We take a look at the Premier League XI who are living off their reputations rather than their form.
It’s not often that Sir Alex Ferguson absorbs too much in the way of stinging criticism, but he was recently offered a harsh review of his current tactical foray at Manchester United.
Calling in ahead of United’s fixture against Chelsea last Thursday, an 80-year-old woman known only as ‘Margaret from Rochdale’ went on the attack during a phone-in on their resident television channel, MUTV.
The target of her fury? Fergie’s resurrection of the diamond formation within the Manchester United midfield. Despite the set-up bearing fruit for the Red Devil’s in the 3-0 win away to Newcastle United last month, Margaret was seemingly fed up of the formation’s defensive downsides.
Dubbing the formation ‘stupid’, she said:
“It isn’t entertaining when you’re 80 years old to watch goals going in from the other side. I don’t like it. It’s going to give me a heart attack and I’m 80. You wouldn’t like to give me a heart attack, would you?”
It was a lovely little anecdote at a time when the game is probably in need of a little comic relief. But beneath the novelty of the comments, Margaret did indeed touch upon a point that is both topical and highly relevant within Old Trafford at the moment.
Whether or not Ferguson was paying too much attention to MUTV last Thursday – he has in fact since jovially admitted to hearing her views – he did inadvertently heed to her demands to at least temporarily shelve the diamond, for the trip to Chelsea. Manchester United reverted back to a more traditional 4-4-1-1 at Stamford Bridge last Sunday, which despite the somewhat controversial nature of the game, paid dividends in a 3-2 victory.
It seemed like a slightly dampening bit of tactical acumen, given the excitable talk that surrounded the set-up in recent weeks. Fans have been waxing lyrical about the prospect of squeezing Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie, Danny Welbeck, Shinji Kagawa and Tom Cleverley into the same line up. Fergie himself suggested that should the side continue to wheel out regularly, it would be ‘revolutionary’ with it going against how they traditionally play.
And in its box office exhibition against Newcastle United, it served to work an absolute treat. After a somewhat sketchy baptism in the 2-1 away to Cluj in the Champions League, the diamond came back with a bang, where it absolutely scorched Alan Pardew’s men for the opening 20 or so minutes of the first half.
Michael Carrick anchored the diamond, with Cleverley up to his left, Kagawa further forward to his right, and the mercurial Rooney as the spearhead. The deployment of four technicians so compactly consigned Newcastle’s pressing game to the chasing of shadow’s and Rooney in particular, was superb.
The visit of Stoke City to Old Trafford saw Fergie tinker with a 4-2-3-1 set-up that, despite their now customary lethargic start, ended up producing a 4-2 win. But the Champions League tie against Braga, gave the United crowd a chance to see the heralded formation in action. A failure it most certainly wasn’t, but it represented neither an overwhelming success or dependable future blueprint.
Ferguson’s side were 2-1 down at half time and despite some really quite quicksilver exchanges between the trio of Hernandez, Van Persie and Rooney, they were left bypassed at times in midfield. A twist of Shinji Kagawa’s knee saw Nani came on and the results were palpable. United looked both more fluent and comfortable in a more traditional 4-4-2.
Sir Alex Ferguson makes a very good point in that although you need width, you don’t necessarily need wingers to provide it. If the diamond is played with the fluidity and dynamism that Fergie will crave, than part of his mercurial attack can peel off and offer it, with say, a Wayne Rooney rushing in to fill the space.
But it’s very easy to let the potential attacking aesthetics, cloud the feasibility that the system offers for the rest of the team. Yes, Rooney as the spearhead of a diamond, has an almost infinite amount of potential. Acres of column inches have been afforded to his ‘natural gifts’ and how much of a domineering influence he could exert from that position.
Yet what about the rest of the team? Do Manchester United really have a set of full-backs in Rafael and the astute, yet fading Patrice Evra, to consistently provide the needed natural width, while responsibly covering the constant threat of attack down the flanks themselves?
It’s all very well neutralising Jonas Gutierrez, but when United come up against wingers with real race to burn and an ability to do damage, it could cause them problems. A seemingly permanent defensive injury crisis hasn’t helped matters, but they continue to look suspect at the back. A narrow focus of play would ensure their full-backs must stand up to the added pressure.
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And furthermore, the ever-grumbling debate about the merits of Manchester United’s engine room, offers some intriguing debate. The holding man in the diamond must be able to create as well as negate. It’s all very well having a holy attacking trinity in front of you, but without a strong influence at the base, life’s going to be very difficult.
Do Michael Carrick or Darren Fletcher bestow the all round game to make a claim for a permanent fixture there? Paul Scholes would look very good in a deep-lying play maker capacity. At 37, it might not be great future planning.
Either way, the diamond does offer a fantastic alternate outlet for Manchester United. Having tactical variety in both this league and in Europe is a superb commodity and the diamond offers an intriguing alternative for Fergie. But for the time being, it should remain just that.
Is the diamond formation a tangible solution at Old Trafford? Or are there any players in particular you feel could add to the set-up? Tell me on Twitter: follow @samuel_antrobus and bat us all your views.
From the men who seemingly can only think with their feet to those who are always ready and willing with a witty one-liner, football is an absolute mine of verbal entertainment.
With well over a century of material to gather, here is our list of the twenty best football quotes of all time in no particular order.
‘It’s often said that football is a matter of life and death. I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it’s much more important than that.’ Legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly in 1981 explaining just what football means to him. ‘Please don’t call me arrogant, but I am European champion and I think I am a special one.’ Jose Mourinho makes himself an instant tabloid favourite by bringing out this pearler in his first press conference. ‘I wouldn’t say I am the best in the business, but I’m definitely in the top one.’ Ok, we could have done a top twenty best Clough quotes without diluting the quality, but this has to be the best of the bunch. ‘No wonder he’s in the f***ing reserves.’ If you haven’t seen this on Youtube, get there now. ‘Arry Redknapp reacts with understandable fury after being hit by a wayward football. If he was leaning out of his car window, it would never have happened. ‘Chile have three options. They could win or they could lose.’ Kevin Keegan struggling somewhat with his maths. That could explain why he rarely completed a 38-game season. ‘They were lucky to get nil.’ Len Shackleton of Newcastle commenting on sorry Newport’s performance after a 13-0 drubbing. ‘Today’s top players only want to play in London or for Manchester United. That’s what happened when I tried to sign Alan Shearer and he went to Blackburn.’ Future Blackburn manager Graeme Souness temporarily relocating his future club 230 miles south-east. ‘Sometimes you lose a game, and sometimes the other team wins.’ Otta Rehhagel nearly perfectly summing up the sport of football. If only he didn’t forget about draws. Or penalties. Or abandoned matches. Yeah, he mucked that one right up. ‘I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.’ Football’s first playboy star George Best horrifies accountants all over the country with this quote. Aston Martin dealers in the Cheshire area were less concerned. ‘I was feeling as sick as the proverbial donkey.’ Sometimes there are just too many cliches to fit into a single press conference, so Mick McCarthy decided to economise and meld two together. Either that or he was just a bit of an idiot, but anyone who heard his Euro 2012 commentary knows that’s not true. ‘When seagulls follow the trawler it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.’ The poetic thug Eric Cantona at his post-kung-fu kick press conference bemusing and delighting journalists brought up on a diet of ‘At the end of the day I can only apologise to the gaffer, the lads and the fans that I’ve let down.’ ‘We must have had 99% of that match. It was the other 3% that cost us.’ Ruud Gullit getting his percentages hopelessly wrong. 102% as a whole? What about the other 8% Ruud? ‘If the ball had gone in, it would have been a goal.’ Joe Royle clearly failing to predict Pedro Mendes, Frank Lampard or Marco Devic’s attempts. At the time he felt foolish, now even more so. ‘I was really surprised when the FA knocked on my doorbell.’ Now I’m not entirely sure whether Michael Owen made a muck-up of this quote or the FA genuinely did knock on his doorbell. Either way, someone’s been a plank. ‘Liverpool will be thinking they should have won this 2-2.’ Ok, not the worst thing that anyone has ever heard Ron Atkinson say, but definitely one of the daftest. ‘If you can’t stand the heat of the dressing room, get out of the kitchen.’ Maybe if Terry Venables didn’t insist on a food preparation facility in every dressing room, England may have won Euro 96. ‘I never predict anything and I never will.’ Paul Gascoigne living up to his word for all of half a second. ‘For those of you watching in black and white, Spurs are the team in yellow.’ The ever-helpful John Motson differentiating between the team in grey and the team in grey. ‘Well we got nine and you can’t get more than that.’ The late, great Bobby Robson forgetting about the existence of the number ten. Oh, and 11. And all numbers above that. ‘Some people are on the pitch. They think it’s all over. It is now.’ The quote guaranteed to send shivers down the spine of any England fan came from the legendary mouth of Kenneth Wolstenholme.
I remember in December 2010 sitting in my friend’s living room, having a heated debate, about whether some fans have earned the right to feel hard done by when their team loses.
My friend in question was a Manchester United fan, who had openly admitted to crying when his side lost 2-0 to Barcelona in the Champions League final, in May 2009. I questioned his right to cry, needless to say it didn’t receive a welcoming reception.
However, it has since led me to question whether fans need to see their team lose and suffer the anguish of defeat to really appreciate football?
I think I maybe missed the point a little back then, in that what I had forgotten in such debates is that fans pay with their wallets, as well as their emotions, to watch their football team. Regardless of whether your team is winning 3-0, or losing 2-1, the fans are the ones who still travel up and down the country to follow their teams.
The team I decided to take issue with back in 2010 Manchester United, are the fans that often are hit the hardest usually with trips to Stamford Bridge where they’re put in the Blues’ Category AA fans section for away ticketing. This means travelling supporters have to pay £60-plus for 90 minutes of pleasure or pain, depending on the result. This is before we consider travelling and any other expenditure of the day out, particularly for away games.
The suffering for the fan also becomes relative, now while I accept that no fan of any team likes to see their team lose, some almost become immune to it. It is also underestimated the release which football is often expected to provide for people who are looking forward to their team play all week, whichever team they support.
One thing though that is communal, is that it always hurts when you are not expecting a defeat. Especially when you watch your team playing what should be a rudimentary fixture at home, it is always fraught with danger and fear that your team could lose, and if it ends up occurring it is always a bitter pill to swallow.
It may seem a strange concept to accept but it is unfair to label some fans more understanding of the nature of suffering in football than others. This is because the supporters can only deal with what is in front of them. For example, supporters of Arsenal may feel just as frustrated at their trophy drought, as supporters of Cardiff do at their frustration at not being promoted to the Premier League.
Whenever fans have to suddenly accept a standard of football at their club which is not what they believe club is capable of, it takes a while to adapt and some fans simply can’t watch their team play a lower standard of football, as it hurts them too much to see it. Don’t get me wrong there are some fans that never have and never will appreciate the charm and quality of football outside the Premier League, but it does not mean that they don’t feel the same passion and energy at every ball kicked.
I often hear fans say the Championship and lower leagues are “real”. I admit there is a feeling within it that you can take a step away from the limelight and away from the constant scrutiny of Super Sundays and the ESPN and Sky cameras. This though does not mean fans in this division, or fans of the Npower football league clubs, suddenly feel football more than those who support Premier League teams.
The point this addresses is that I don’t believe you can argue a fan has suffered more at for example Blackburn last year than Manchester United. The reason for this is that whatever the end result is at the end of the season, each fan goes through extreme highs and lows at different stages of the journey. So for Manchester United fans it may have been an extreme for them to not see their team make it to the Champions League knockout stages in the same way Blackburn fans despaired at seeing their side’s demise which led them ultimately to be relegated.
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I believe football is a commodity that fans can appreciate at whatever level their team plays, so the natural emotions are enough to grasp a true understanding of football.
And I certainly think fans who hold on to concepts such as Manchester United fans need to experience a relegation to acknowledge what football is all about are slightly misguided, as I was back in 2010.
Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry has insisted that his team-mate Mario Balotelli is happy at the club.
Reports have been circulating theta the Italian international is growing frustrated by life in the Premier League and that he yearns for a return to his homeland, where his partner Raffaela Fico is due to give birth to their child.
AC Milan are believed to be willing to offer the controversial forward as escape route, despite him having played for city rivals Inter.
But, Barry believes that Balotelli is content at his current club and doesn’t believe that he is not planning to move on:
“I think he is happy,” said the England international. “If you saw him day-to-day, you’d see no reason to think he isn’t happy.” He is quoted by The Mirror.
“He’s probably not played as much as he would have liked, but he’s kept his head as well as anybody else who isn’t getting chances.
“He started against Wigan (in City’s 2-0 win on Wednesday) and scored, so that will help him.”
Roberto Mancini has been vocal in his criticism of the player recently, but Barry feels that the 22-year-old has mental strength handle disappointment, as he showed during their win of the Latics:
“Anyone who knows Mario knows he’s not going to lack confidence,
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“If he misses two or three, he’ll keep trying the same things.
“Hopefully that goal will give him that extra bit of confidence in his play and he can improve from that.”
Imagine the perfect way to enjoy the epic highs and painful lows of your footy team in action. Imagine sitting in the company of a legend of your side, the painful intensity of another attack on your goal, the ecstasy of the ball screaming into the corner of the net, the glory of victory. Imagine if Carlsberg did Sport…
On Monday night a very special screening of the Arsenal v Reading match was held at The Carlsberg Sports Bar in the heart of London’s West End with ex-Arsenal striker Charlie Nicholas. As well as the opportunity to meet a footballing legend, football fans at the bar also received free food and drink and one lucky fan won two exclusive corporate tickets to the Boxing Day clash between Arsenal and West Ham which was presented to the winner by Charlie Nicholas & Danny Crates. The Casino at The Empire is also making a donation to the Sports Aid charity – helping young British sportsmen and women to achieve their ambitions by supporting them during the defining early years of their careers.
The Carlsberg Sports Bar have promised similar sporting surprises in the near future, so watch this space…
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Last week James Lawton wrote a piece in the Independent, entitled ‘What the NFL can teach the Premier League about financial fair play.’ Taking Arsenal’s letter to Richard Scudamore as a chance to reflect on the way other sports – namely the NFL – organise themselves to create a league based on fair play. Lawton hinted at how the Premier League could be a more level playing field, eulogising the unity seen in American Football.
I want to look at the notion of a draft system and consider whether it could be implemented and if it were, how it might play out over here.
The draft system is a recruitment process where the worst team in any given year is given the first pick of that year’s talented crop of college stars. The Super Bowl winners obviously have less of a recruitment need and are accordingly given the last pick. In this instance, the Premier League champions would pick last and the 20th placed team get a chance to sign up the next Wayne Rooney. If the worst team in the league can make the right choice, the potential for success is huge.
Firstly, the Premier League is not a closed league like the NFL, where 32 teams compete against one another each and every year. A closed league makes it easy to spread the wealth of talented nascent superstars coming through college level and onto the professional scene. I don’t have to tell anyone of the many falls from grace experienced by countless managers, players and fans after relegation from an open league, never to reach the top flight again. Although, the relegation rule renders a draft system a pretty difficult idea to bring about.
Lets look at Andrew Luck, drafted by last year’s worst team – Indianapolis Colts – with a win/loss record of 2-14. With Luck they managed to finish the 2012/13 regular season with a record of 11-5, qualifying for the postseason and a chance to compete for the Super Bowl. The same applies to the Washington Redskins and RGIII, another bad team who made the postseason after picking the second overall pick behind Luck. These guys could potentially dominate the league for years to come. Although, there are a few anomalies in the draft, like Mr-Ugg-himself-Tom-Brady who was the 199th overall pick in the 6th round of the 2000 draft. He’s kind of like the greatest quarterback of all time (discounting the fact that he lost in the AFC Championship on Sunday night to the Ravens). Some people get overlooked and drafting isn’t a key to success – it just helps to level the field.
But imagine the Premier League is a closed league, and that young players are recruited for college teams (managed by more than capable coaches) before being drafted to the Premier League according to league position. We’re not going to come up with a solution here and the results of this fantasy game won’t exactly result in hard-hitting evidence, but it’s fun to make believe now and then. So we walk through the wardrobe and are transported to the land of drafting and fairness. Lets imagine again that when Rooney was 21, and performing pretty amazingly I might add (he scored 20 goals in all competitions and United won the league), that at 21, Rooney was picked up by last place Derby in 2007/08. Plus, he was accompanied through the doors of Pride Park by a few other key players in the 2007/08 draft, players who might compliment him in the 2008/09 season (a season where Rooney and United won the league again, by the way). Think of the difference it would make on both Derby’s season and United’s. Lets not forget that Derby finished 18th in the Championship after relegation. I feel pretty confident in saying that Rooney could’ve helped them back into the top flight if the relegation rule was still in place. Otherwise in a closed league I’m sure Rooney would help Derby compete, and consequently help to attract better players who might be at the end of their contract. What would that mean for a team like Derby? If the same theory were to be applied throughout the league do you think things would be a little more competitive? Unfortunately, it’s not possible. Why would the Premier League’s top six or seven teams agree to send the country’s top talent to the worst team? And if the relegation rule is still in place in our crazy world of fairness, would they want to see the best players go to the Championship? They wouldn’t. We haven’t even factored in UEFA, a European footballing organization with regulatory powers over Europe –but you knew that. All of the top leagues around Europe would have to agree to a draft system, leaving a lot of empty trophy cabinets and perhaps even a few empty pockets. We haven’t even brought up the EU, with the freedom of movement for workers opening up the draft to a potentially bigger market. The issue gets muddied, politicized and a little more complex the deeper you get into it.
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The idea, as Lawton implies, is something that the NFL can teach us. His headline exaggerates things a little, but the implication is that we could learn from American sports. Simply put, this isn’t something that the NFL can teach us. Such drastic changes are unworkable, but it doesn’t stop a few people from paying homage to an American sport with impractical ideas. I can’t see Barcelona training up the best of the best at La Masia, only to give them up to Deportivo. We can only learn from North America on a commercial basis. But perhaps there’s another solution to make the game fairer. To start with, how about a salary cap to stop teams like Manchester City and Chelsea from stockpiling players to warm their benches. It’s a waste of talent with wider repercussions – both financially and competitively – for the rest of the teams. City wouldn’t be able to bench a player on £200,000 a week if there was a salary cap in place. Instead, you’d have to start using cheaper, younger players hungry for an opportunity. Personally, I’d like to see a little more fairness – spreading the talent around – for teams and fans who deserve to enjoy good football and the glory attached to winning silverware.
This was the kind of convincing win that Hartlepool United had been waiting for since last season.
A win that oozed confidence and purpose, a kind of victory that we haven’t seen from a Hartlepool side for several painful months.
It was a game that ticked a cliche’s statement. If you press the ball, you win the ball. Pools pressed from the front and disposed Portsmouth of the ball on quite a few occasions. If you pass the ball, you keep the ball. On the whole, when Pools passed the ball they kept it with a purpose of going forward. And, as the long suffering fans have been saying for months, if you play the kids, you will have a new lease of life. Indeed, there was a sense of urgency from a youthful Pools, a willingness to win.
James Poole, so stagnated in his performances for the entirety of 2012, was reinvigorated. He dazzled. He seized his opportunity at starting on the left of a three man attack and was in imperious form. His goal, to double Pools’ advantage at his re-start, will have gave the former Man City youngster a new dose of much needed belief. It was a cool, unerring finish that was capped with a kiss and a thanks to the stars.
There were equally impressive performances from Jono Franks on the opposite flank. Simon Walton, bar from a horrid ten minutes in the opening interval where he over hit passes at will, controlled midfield proceedings. He was capably backed up by the composed Ritchie Humphreys. At present, Humphreys is rolling back the years; he is revelling in his occupation as a sitting midfielder. Tucked in behind Poole, Evan Horwood turned in a man of the match performance. Whereas his defensive frailties often overshadow his attacking prowess, at Fratton Park Horwood dealt with fellow Hartlepool-born player Adam Reed with ease. It was testimony to Horwood that the vast majority of Pompey’s threats emanated from the left, Neil Austin territory. Going forward was where Horwood was at his best. His crossing and link up play was the source of much of Pools’ attacks.
Despite the positives, let’s not mask over the obvious dangers of extolling the marooned men. When the hosts did attack with pace the alarming gap between Peter Hartley and Sam Collins was unravelled. Thankfully, it wasn’t exposed, but against opponents of higher calibre the duo will be exploited. Neil Austin was pedestrian for much of the encounter and Pools still lack a goalscorer who would not just provide a finish to the crosses, but provide a presence. Even when Pools did attack so well down the flanks, there was still only one, sometimes two, men in the box. But then that didn’t matter when Pools seized their chances from set-pieces and one-on-ones.
Jack Baldwin opened the scoring with a header after a deep Horwood free kick. If it hadn’t been for the agility of netminder Scott Flinders, though, Baldwin’s goal could have been an equaliser or even a deficit-reducing strike.
Shaun Cooper first tested Flinders from distance before Dan Butler aimed a whistling shot at the top corner, only for Flinders to deny the strike. Flinders was keeping Pools in the game so early on, saving superbly with a pair of brilliant saves in quick succession to prevent first Darel Russell and second the nuisance David Connolly.
Baldwin, however, took advantage at his sight of goal and Pools worked hard to preserve their lead. Collins and teenage Baldwin both slid in to block the ball, Austin cleared frantically and Flinders was again in top form.
It wasn’t just 23rd placed Pompey crafting the chances. Poole coaxed numerous fouls out of his marksmen, Humphreys and Walton sprayed the ball round to push forward attacks, and both Walton and Horwood had chances from distance.
With only seconds on the clock in the second half, Pompey failed to nullify a blistering Pools attack, yet Franks’ centre was sent narrowly over by Poole. Minutes later Wyke flicked the ball on to Poole who scored to double the lead
This was now the test for Pools. So often this season they have succumbed to the pressure of leading, unable to do the basics of defending and allowing their opponents a simple route back into the game.
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Pompey came forward. Pools remained obdurate. A stubborn line of 9 refused to allow the marching blue calvary through. James Keene hit wide from 20 yards. Butler sent a fizzing ball across the box that was unmet. Eventually they were breached, via a cross from the left that evaded all in the box before Jed Wallace side-footed home. Fratton Park was aroused, the South Coast roar threatened to lift the Fratton End’s roof off its screws.
Pools suppressed Pompey, though, and sub Luke James added pace and pressure into the Pools attack. Wyke dashed forward with Poole to his right but went himself before the attack petered out. It needn’t have mattered, sub Greg Rutherford came on and settled the nerves with his first senior goal after slotting beyond Pompey keeper Eastwood.
18 games remain, another 12 victories like this would do just nicely.
You can find me on Twitter @cmbell310 for more Pool chat.
Villa have done well over the years to maintain their ever-present Premier League status, especially considering they’ve endured a couple of difficult relegation battles in their history.
Last year proved tough watching at Villa Park though as they narrowly avoided the drop under Alex McLeish in what was possibly the worst season in the club’s history. This season hasn’t been much better and another relegation battle is before them.
Given the chance, Villa’s fans would probably name last year’s starting XI as the worst to ever take to the field wearing the claret and blue, but looking back over the years, some names stand out that would be enough to make everyone in the Holte End shed a little tear.
Here is the worst XI signings made by Villa during the Premier League era:
Click on Villa Park below to see the Aston Villa Worst Transfer XI
In a week that has been dominated by their move to the Olympic Stadium and the future of their manager its imperative that West Ham stay focused on the present. With manager Sam Allardyce confirming he will sign a new contract when Premier League survival is assured the message is clear. Despite four defeats in their last six Allardyce believes two wins from their remaining nine games will be enough to ensure the Hammers remain a top-flight club. Five home matches make up the bulk of their run-in starting with West Brom on Saturday and a win would put them well on the road to safety with Wigan, Newcastle and Reading all visiting Upton Park before the campaign is out.
The Baggies aren’t to be underestimated though as many clubs have found out already this season. Steve Clarke, formerly a number two at West Ham under Gianfranco Zola, has thrived in his debut season as a manager guiding the Midlands club to eighth. Qualifying for Europe is the objective now for Albion and can close in on the top-six with victory in east London. It would also see them reach their highest Premier League points total of 47 with seven games left to play.
Team News
Kevin Nolan (toe) and Joe Cole (hamstring) are fit to return for West Ham but fellow midfielder Mark Noble (shoulder) is out.
James Morrison (hamstring) is a major doubt for West Brom after he was forced to withdraw from the Scotland squad in midweek.
What the managers said…
“I don’t think we have to wait until we’re quite mathematically safe, with 38 points both parties would say that is enough this season. Hopefully we can get to 38 as quick as possible and hopefully get to 40 points if we can. It’s disappointing that we haven’t secured safety already with our concentration and sometimes lack of goals. It’s made us linger on this subject and we want to get it out of the way and look at next season” Sam Allardyce says he will sign a new deal at West Ham when safety is guaranteed (Daily Mail)
“We are professional, we want to finish as high as we can with as many points as we can. The next target for us is to get more points than we did in the last two seasons which is 47. If we win at the weekend we will equal that, and it will give us seven games to better it. For anyone to question our commitment or our desire to do well for the last eight games is wrong.” Steve Clarke is adamant West Brom have plenty to play for in the last two months of the season (Independent)
Pre-Match Statistic: West Brom will match their best-ever Premier League points total of 47 (set in 2010/11 and 2011/12) should they beat West Ham.
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Prediction: West Ham United 1-1 West Bromwich Albion
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