Former West Ham United midfielder Alex Song has posted a picture of himself wearing an Irons kit on an Instagram story, and Hammers fans have been quick to react.
The former Cameroon international impressed during a two-season loan spell with the east London outfit between 2014 and 2016, who is still a free agent having been allowed to look for a new club by Rubin Kazan in January.
The 30-year-old may well be looking to impress potential suitors ahead of the 2018/19 campaign, but it seems unlikely new Irons boss Manuel Pellegrini would have any interest in him as he looks to bring in some youth and inject some pace into his team – the potential arrival of an electric 22-year-old attacker would have a huge impact on Javier Hernandez’s future.
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Nevertheless, West Ham supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the Song image, and while one pleaded with the board to “make it happen” in regards of a return, another said “bring him back, still better than Kouyate”.
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Amid an otherwise uninspiring batch of Fourth Round fixtures, Chelsea vs Newcastle stands out as a match that could see something of an upset.
Of course, the Magpies are far more focused on maintaining their Premier League status than silverware this season but Chelsea enter Sunday’s game on the back of a run of poor form, including elimination from the League Cup at the hands of Arsenal, so a little bit of FA Cup magic could go a very long way for the visitors.
But will Newcastle defy the odds to claim an impressive win at Stamford Bridge, or will they succumb to the quality of the reigning Premier League champions? This week’s Newcastle expert, Nothing But Newcastle editor Jonnie Gorrie, shares his thoughts and predictions ahead of the FA Cup clash…
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This weekend represents a real balancing act for Rafa Benitez. While he’ll want the Magpies to give a good account of themselves at Stamford Bridge, and the fans are understandably eager for a lengthy cup run, Premier League survival is the priority this season and Newcastle have a winnable game against Burnley at St. James’ Park on Wednesday night.
What strength of starting XI would you like to see from Benitez this Sunday?
Jonnie: “There isn’t a huge amount of depth in the squad, to be honest. It’s been hard for Rafa to rotate too much, due to the obvious limitations in the squad. That being said, Jamaal Lascelles must be rested. While our captain is hugely influential, as the defensive record without him shows, risking him for a cup tie before a massive game with Burnley just a few days after seems somewhat unnecessary, depressing as it is.”
The FA Cup usually brings chances for young players to impress in the first team, but that wasn’t exactly the case in the last round when Newcastle hosted Luton at St. James’ Park. The only academy product to feature in the 3-1 was goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, while fellow youngster Rolando Aarons could only watch on from the bench.
Are there any youngsters you’d like to see feature against the Blues on Sunday?
Jonnie: “I’d like to see Aarons given a chance. His finest moment in a black and white shirt came during a cup tie against bigger opposition back in 2014, though he’s struggled for form and fitness since. The likes of Matt Ritchie, Christian Atsu and Jacob Murphy will all be crucial against Burnley, so affording Aarons a chance would be a promising sight. If he can impress, he could be a major asset going forward.
“Woodman is another youngster who could feasibly start, though playing a burgeoning goalkeeper against one of the best attacks in Europe may not be the best idea, despite all the calls for his inclusion of late. We don’t want a Harry Lewis moment.”
Newcastle’s recent history at Stamford Bridge doesn’t make particularly encouraging reading. In fact, Newcastle have lost all of their last five visits to west London and have won there just twice across all competitions since the inception of the Premier League. Likewise, earlier this season, Newcastle suffered a 3-1 defeat to the reigning champions in a game that saw them manage just two shots on target and take just 34% possession.
What lessons need to be learned from the 3-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge in December?
Jonnie: “Understandably, Rafa Benitez set his team up very defensively in the league game, though he can perhaps afford to be a touch more expansive on Sunday. As much as we’d love a cup run, the nature of this game during this moment in time doesn’t mean it’s vitally important, so we should at least try and give the home side a game. It’s hard to underestimate the gulf in quality between the two sides, but with no Premier League points riding on it, why not try and ruffle a few feathers?”
As already alluded to, this is a pretty good time to face Chelsea by their usual standards. The FA Cup will likely be their priority competition after losing to Arsenal on Wednesday night, but they still have the top four to think about so key players will likely be rested for their midweek clash with Bournemouth. Likewise, Chelsea have begun the new year in bad form; winning once and drawing five of their last seven games; and it has lead to rumours of disputes behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge.
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How should Newcastle set up take advantage of the negative atmosphere at Chelsea right now?
Jonnie: “I’d like to see a 4-3-3 including a midfield three of Mo Diame, Jonjo Shelvey and Mikel Merino. There aren’t all too many options to rotate across the side, though that’s certainly a trio fans can get behind. Diame has invoked the ire of fans for months, though his recent performances as an industrious central midfielder who can push forward on the counter have certainly been an improvement and, with the likes of Shelvey and Merino releasing the ball from deep, it could give Chelsea’ defence something to think about.”
And finally Jonnie, let’s hear your score prediction…
The Black Cats stunned Manchester United at the Stadium of Light in the first leg, but it’s still only a one-goal advantage they take into the second leg at Old Trafford.
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet however, will be pleased to see his side improve results in recent weeks and will be confident he can mastermind a famous trip to Wembley for the Mackems.
David Moyes is becoming more and more under pressure by the game and a lot will be riding on his success in this competition this season. Failure to reach the Final could perhaps prove a disaster for the new United boss, while a victory and potential Wembley date with arch rivals City could help him get the United fans back on side.
Here’s where this game could be won or lost…
Adnan Januzaj v Adam Johnson
Januzaj has been a breath of fresh air at United this season, regularly putting in match-winning performances, despite still only being 18-years-old.
His rapid rise to United’s first team has been incredible and a lot of their play now goes through him. The key to keeping United quiet is to keep Januzaj quiet, which is what Adam Johnson may have the task of doing.
Johnson’s hat-trick in Sunderland’s 3-1 Premier League victory over Fulham gave us all a hint of the old flying Englishman we were all so used to seeing. If he can recreate a similar performance in the second leg then he has the ability to take Sunderland to Wembley singlehandedly.
Michael Carrick v Lee Cattermole
Michael Carrick has been a regular and consistent fixture in David Moyes’ team this season and has arguably been playing his best football to date.
His ability to slow the game down and dictate the tempo will allow United to contain Sunderland’s style of play, but he will also provide another form of attack if needs be.
Cattermole, on the other hand, is the no-nonsese, box-to-box midfielder United haven’t had for a long time. Cattermole’s boisterous presence in midfield got the better of United at the Stadium of Light and Poyet will be asking him for more of the same.
Danny Welbeck v John O’Shea
Welbeck has six goals in his last six games for United and is fast becoming the perfect stand-in while Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney remain sidelined. His ability to create chances, as well as score them, will provide United with added bite in their attacking threat as they attempt to regain control in this tie.
John O’Shea is having one of his best seasons at Sunderland so far and has built up a good understanding with fellow centre-half Wes Brown.
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His aerial threat at set pieces will be a big worry for United, but he’s just as effective defending them as well. If the former United defender can keep Welbeck quiet and then add some danger to Sunderland’s attack at corners, his performance could have a lot to do with who makes the Final.
Newcastle ace Yohan Cabaye admits he has yet to find the form he produced last season which made him an instant hit with the Geordie faithful.
The French international has yet to score in 2012/2013 season since re-joining the team four weeks later than the rest of his team mates after participating in Euro 2012.
“My pre-season wasn’t very good.
“I need to keep working, keep playing and need to be fit, because if you are not fit in England, it’s really hard,” Cabaye told BBC Newcastle.
Cabaye joined Newcastle in 2011 from Lille and has scored 4 goals in 39 Appearances on Tyneside, with his Premier League form last season drawing recognition from higher reputation clubs.
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The 26-year-old midfielder is yet to get off the mark this season in the first five games of the season and will be part of a Newcastle side that will take on Bordeaux in the Europa Cup as he looks set to put an end to his baron run.
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has admitted in an interview with Marca that signing Fernando Torres would be “appealing”.
What’s the word?
Benitez is well aware of the striker’s qualities having worked with him at Liverpool.
Unsurprisingly, at the age of 34, Torres does not possess the pace and sharpness that he had during his three-and-a-half-year spell at Anfield.
However, he still managed to score eight goals in all competitions and is now expected to be on the move.
While speaking to Marca, Benitez admitted that he would be keen to bring in Torres on a free transfer, but does not have any expectations.
“I think it will be harder for him to come for him, not because we don’t want to. I don’t know what’s going on in his head, but maybe he is thinking about something else. It would be appealing, but I don’t think it would be easy.”
Is Torres still good enough?
The Spaniard is no longer at the standard that would warrant him a regular first-team spot.
However, he is still capable of providing an additional option in attack that would be helpful to Newcastle.
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The Magpies struggled for goals this season, netting just 39 in 38 Premier League matches, but they were able to secure safety in 10th spot.
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Ayoze Perez ended the campaign as the club’s top scorer with 10 goals in all competitions, showing that they need more support up front next season.
As Benitez said, it may be difficult for Newcastle to convince Torres to join, possibly because he could earn a heftier pay package at another club.
As reported by The Evening Times, Celtic star Tom Rogic is facing a long injury lay-off after manager Brendan Rodgers confirmed he could be out of action until March.
What’s the story?
The Australian international suffered a knee injury during Celtic’s December clash at home to Anderlecht in the UEFA Champions League and has already missed seven matches.
While Rodgers initially confirmed he would be out for the rest of December, the time scale for his return has been pushed back after he told The Evening Times that the attacking midfielder will be out for a further six to eight weeks.
That means he’ll miss the double header against FC Zenit in the UEFA Europa League next month and potentially a huge clash at Ibrox against Rangers in March.
Will they miss him?
Despite injury and fitness issues, Tom Rogic has emerged as one of the most dangerous players in Brendan Rodgers squad over the last 18 months, scoring 16 goals and providing 13 assists since the former Liverpool boss’ arrival at Celtic Park.
That’s an attacking contribution that Celtic will certainly miss for the next two months, especially with injuries to the likes of Patrick Roberts also taking their toll on the side’s ability to create chances.
The Australian has also developed a tendency to score at crucial moments, not least his last minute, treble winning goal in last season’s Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen.
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That ruthless streak has arguably been lacking from Celtic in recent months and supporters will be hoping that Rogic will be returning as soon as possible to give their team an attacking boost.
Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas is a constantly calm and composed figure -you’ll rarely see an animated touchline display from the Portuguese, and his monotonous tone in press conferences often suggests a deep level of logical rationalisation behind every word.
But could there be more pressure on the Spurs gaffer to deliver this year than first meets the eye? Considering the wealth of finance that’s been at his disposal this summer, the successes of his predecessor and the openness of the Premier League this season, can AVB actually justify not qualifying for the Champions League come the end of May?
The Portuguese’s £107million spend during the previous transfer window, smashing Tottenham’s record transfer fee three times to land Paulinho for £17million, Roberto Soldado for £27million and Erik Lamela for £30million, was the largest total expenditure of any Premier League club in the summer, slightly edging out traditional big spenders Manchester City and eclipsing the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool by some way.
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You could certainly argue that AVB was entitled to such a luxurious free reign in the transfer market; not giving the Spurs gaffer the opportunity to compensate for the departure of Gareth Bale would have been a grave error on Daniel Levy’s part. At the same time, although Tottenham lead the spending charts this summer, selling the Welsh wonder to Real Madrid, as well as Scott Parker, Tom Huddlestone and Steven Caulker to other Premier League clubs meant that the Lilywhites’ incomings and outgoings essentially broke even, barring a few million pounds.
But even so, £107million’s worth of transfers, even if it’s come at no actual cost for Tottenham, is still a huge opportunity wasted if it doesn’t get the North Londoners any closer to Champions League qualification. Similarly, upon Villas-Boas’ arrival at White Hart Lane, Levy splashed out £60million on new talent, including the likes of Hugo Lloris, Moussa Dembele and Jan Vertonghen, to help kick-start the Portuguese’s White Hart Lane revolution.
Along the way, the Tottenham chief has been incredibly accommodating to his manager. Levy brought in a new technical director in the summer in the form of Franco Baldini in a bid to secure AVB his desired transfer targets, and back in 2012, the Spurs boss was handed a lucrative three year contract, believed to be worth £15million according to the tabloids, which currently puts him as the fifth highest paid manager in the Premier League and just £1million per-year behind David Moyes at Manchester United. Spurs fans will be quick to point out the regular inaccuracies of the British press, but Levy’s offer in 2012 must have been competitive enough for Villas-Boas to resist the urge to jump ship to lavish overspenders PSG a year later.
Overall, that’s £160million invested in AVB over the last two seasons, in addition to £15million on him personally for his management abilities and the hiring of a new technical director to aid his efforts in the transfer market. For that kind of support financially and structurally, Levy will be undoubtedly expecting a positive return from his manager.
Last season, the Portuguese went some way to pay back the Tottenham chief by overseeing the Lilywhites’ highest points total of the Premier League era, but as time goes by, it becomes glaringly obvious that Villas-Boas is yet to trump the feats of his predecessor Harry Redknapp.
With considerably less financial backing – in fact, the current QPR boss spent less than £40million throughout his two final campaigns in North London – and without the talismanic influence of a come-of-age Gareth Bale, Redknapp achieved two top four finishes at White Hart Lane in the space of three seasons, originally taking over the Lilywhites when they were at the bottom of the Premier League table back in 2008.
A rare few of the Tottenham faithful would trade-in the current Spurs boss for old ‘arry, but time is ticking for AVB to deliver before the difference between himself and his predecessor becomes disturbingly noticeable. He’s received continuous support from Levy, has been privy to an unprecedented level of finance for a Tottenham manager and possesses at his disposal arguably the most talented Lilywhites roster of the last twenty years.
Granted, the Tottenham project is still very much a work in progress. Their summer spending was almost exclusively invested in players under the age of 25 who haven’t plied their trade in the Premier League before – Paulinho for example, is still transitioning from the very different world of South American football.
At the same time, with just a year left of his three year deal at the end of the season, financially and for the sake of stability, it could make more sense on Daniel Levy’s part to let the Spurs boss try and accomplish his ultimate vision at White Hart Lane in a final term rather than go back to the drawing board.
But amid what appears to be the most open, uncertain and equalising Premier League campaign to date, you’d expect a squad headed by one of the most talented managers under the age of 40 in Europe, that’s seen £160million’s worth of investment in new personnel over the last two years, to begin effectively challenging the established order of the English top flight.
The lilywhites are currently in a strong position meet that ambition, with twenty points from their first 10 games putting them fourth in the table and on track to qualify for the Champions League come the end of the season.
Failing to do so however, and serious questions will have to be asked of AVB, especially in the modern climate where the ultimate responsibility for final league standings rests firmly on the shoulders of managers to such an extent that Alan Pardew’s three year reign at Newcastle makes him the second longest-serving gaffer in the English top flight.
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And whilst head coaches are often the scapegoat for some questionable performances from the players, Villas-Boas has no excuse if his Lilywhites side fail to capitalise this season.
He’s been continually backed by Daniel Levy in every sense, he’s been given free rein in the transfer market and an almost blank cheque to spend on new recruits over the last two years, he has an incredibly strong squad at his disposal that includes some of Europe’s hottest young talents and twenty established capped internationals, he’s paid good money for his services and has a unique opportunity to take advantage of the significant shift in the balance of power at the top of the Premier League table.
To put a long story short, Champions League qualification is on a plate for Villas-Boas and Tottenham this season, and quite frankly, finishing up in fifth place is not good enough. AVB may seem an eternally composed and calm figure, but he’ll be well aware that he needs to deliver come May-time, or it could be his head on the chopping block.
Should AVB get the axe if Tottenham don’t qualify for the Champions League this season?
Arsene Wenger’s transfer policy is well known to all that have followed the Gunners in recent years. Buy young, undeveloped talent, turn them into world class players and then sell them on at a decent profit when they get too big for their boots. This worked successfully with the likes of Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry, but more recently the club has struggled to hang onto their better players, losing Cesc Fabregas last summer, while Robin Van Persie felt the grass was greener elsewhere this year.
Wenger won’t stop his transfer policy though despite the club’s lack of success in recent years, but for every Henry and Vieira, there’s another 20 youngsters who were brought out of obscurity only to never make the grade with Arsenal. Before Wenger, George Graham and Bruce Rioch were more traditional in their transfer methods, but still bought some rubbish all the same. Check out the worst XI signings made by Arsenal in the Premier League era.
Click on Nelson Vivas to unveil the XI
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According to reports in The Sun, Newcastle United attacker Ayoze Perez, rated at £7.2m by Transfermarkt, is Real Betis’ top summer transfer target after they qualified for the Europa League this season.
What’s the word, then?
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Well, The Sun says that the La Liga outfit, who recorded a sixth-place finish in the Spanish top flight to qualify for Europe, are ready to rest the Tyneside outfit’s resolve with a bid to bring the 24-year-old back to his home country.
However, The Sun reports that Magpies manager Rafa Benitez wants to keep the attacking midfielder at St James’ Park – especially after his impressive end to the 2017/18 campaign – with the player admitting to the same source earlier this month that he is keen to stay in the Premier League.
How did Perez do this season?
It was certainly a bit of a rollercoaster season for the Spaniard.
The 24-year-old was a regular in the starting XI throughout the campaign as he made 37 appearances in all competitions, but he often struggled to make an impact in terms of goals and assists in the opening months of the season.
However, the forward did hit some form in the last couple of months to help the Tyneside outfit preserve their Premier League status for at least another 12 months, and he scored six goals and provided one assist in their final eight top flight fixtures.
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Should Newcastle sell him to Betis?
If Benitez stays at St James’ Park, it is very unlikely to happen.
The 24-year-old is a real favourite with the Toon boss, and that was shown when he stayed in the starting XI even when he perhaps wasn’t at his best.
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However, while his form towards the end of the season was impressive, he didn’t do it on a consistent enough basis and it could be a blessing in disguise for the Tyneside outfit if they let him go this summer, and bring in an upgrade to bring some more variety to their attacking play.
The whole situation could change anyway if Benitez links up with West Ham – although Magpies fans on Twitter have an interesting theory about that rumour.
Sam Allardyce’s unbeaten start as Everton manager came to an end on Saturday after Bournemouth won a competitive match in the English Premier League.Allardyce had been hoping to become the first Everton manager to be undefeated in his first seven Premier League matches but the Toffees fell to a late 2-1 defeat thanks to a Ryan Fraser double, despite looking like drawing their third match in a row after Idrissa Gueye’s second half equaliser.Bournemouth had previously failed to win in their last eight top flight matches but the three points mean they move out of the relegation zone and up into 14th position.It was a disappointing afternoon for Everton fans and they had particularly sharp criticism for returning midfielder James McCarthy.The Republic of Ireland international was starting his first Premier League match since February and looked off the pace, with many questioning Allardyce’s decision to start him and others believing he simply doesn’t have what it takes to play for Everton.Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his performance…