Every team has one, the player whose career had so much promise until it stuttered and stalled due to host of injury problems. Instead of etching themselves in the club’s history with man of the match displays, these frustrating stars end up becoming more familiar with the club physio than the man on the terrace.
Infuriatingly unreliable but packed with potential if only they could stay fit, these players offer brief moments of genius that encourage fans to believe they will prove their greatness, but after a handful of impressive showings they end up back on the treatment table collecting their bumper wage packets.
Whether it’s bad luck in the tackle or enduring countless fitness battles that can never be won, there are a number of talented stars that have had their ambitions curbed by an inability to complete 90 minutes on a regular basis. During the Premier League era certain players have made a name for themselves as the ‘sick note’ of their respective sides or been deprived of prestigious careers due to unforeseen heartbreak as their battle to return to fitness is as ill fated as their playing days.
With that in mind, it’s time to take a look at the Premier League’s Greatest Injury Prone XI.
Click on Kirkland below to see the greatest Premier League XI ‘that never was’
As reported by The Daily Mail, Arsenal could make Nice midfielder Jean-Michael Seri one of new manager Unai Emery’s first signings this summer.
What’s the story?
The paper say that Emery was interested in signing the Nice midfielder while he was manager of Paris Saint-Germain, trying to sign him in January, and is set to revive his interest.
He has a £35m release clause in his contract, but the Gunners will face competition from the likes of Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund for the signature of the Ivory Coast international, according to the report.
What can he offer Arsenal?
Seri is a player who excels on the ball more than off it and has the ability to carry the ball from the middle of the park into the final third, using his physical strength and low centre of gravity to retain possession.
According to WhoScored, the player has a 90.3% passing success rate in Ligue 1 this season, so certainly has the technical ability to make an impact at the Emirates. With 67 key passes this season too, it’s clear he can be penetrative when needed.
Creativity isn’t his main strength, but that technicality complements his physicality and defensive contribution, making him the kind of midfield all-rounder that Arsenal could do with next season.
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Should Arsenal make their move for him this summer?
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has claimed that former Everton manager Ronald Koeman was wrong not to put more faith in Jonjoe Kenny.
The 20-year-old has been a regular feature in the side since Koeman was sacked by the Toffees in October.
Kenny, who came through Everton’s youth system, featured in the Dutchman’s final game in charge, which was a 5-2 defeat to Arsenal at Goodison Park.
Under David Unsworth and current manager Sam Allardyce, the full-back has made a total of 12 appearances in all competitions.
The youngster has impressed and even created an assist in the Toffees’ 4-0 rout over West Ham United last month.
Kenny also played an important role against Swansea City on Monday night as he won a penalty in a 3-1 win at home.
Carragher has now spoken of his frustrations that the youngster was not given a chance earlier in the season.
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According to the Liverpool Echo, the former Reds defender said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football show:
“This lad has come into the team. I was screaming for him to get a chance under Koeman. He was excellent at the other end of the field [in attack]. It’s all what he deserved. He’s come into the side and has got his chance. He’s associated with being a touch tackling defender, but he’s helped them get a goal.”
West Ham avoided a second round scare to cement their place in the next stage of the Capital One Cup at the expense of League 2 Cheltenham. The Robins made it difficult for West Ham throughout the first half, with early chances from Sam Deering and Matt Richards unable to penetrate Adrian’s goal.
But West Ham’s Premier League experience showed as they scored either side of half-time, a nightmare for an opposition manager. Ricardo Vaz Te gave the London side the lead just three minutes before half-time, scoring directly from a free-kick to the despair of Mark Yates.
The former Cheltenham player was then fuming when just 40 seconds into the second half, former Manchester United youngster Ravel Morrison wrong-footed the Robins defence to curl in a second for the Irons. Morrison was later named Man of the Match, and his performance sparked a flurry of complimentary tweets from Hammers’ fans, all looking forward to the future with the 20-year-old at the club. However, it seems Morrison may have watched Ashley Young too much in training during his time at United, after he was booked for simulation.
Cheltenham did manage to give the Hammers a scare after Spanish debutant Adrian hit a language barrier with James Tomkins, leading to the keeper bringing down Sam Deering. Richards stepped up to score the penalty, but he and his teammates were unable to find an equaliser later in the match.
Sam Allardyce will be pleased that his side got through, but may be concerned by his their poor finishing. The hosts had 17 attempts, but only seven of which were on target. And he wasn’t the only one unhappy with the Hammers’ shooting. @hannahbaglee tweeted: “I can’t believe I got smacked in the face with a football, West Ham players need better aim.”
Hammers assistant coach Neil McDonald spoke to the press after the match, and suggested that Morrison would be in contention for West Ham’s Premier League match against Stoke on Saturday: “I think he has shone tonight and has tried to knock on the manager’s door with a good performance and another goal. He’s continued what he did in pre-season, scoring goals from midfield, which is great. He’s shown what he can do and now has to wait for his chance when the manager picks him in the Barclays Premier League.”
West Ham will find out who they will face in the next round of the competition on Wednesday evening.
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Was it relief for West Ham fans? Who do you want in the next round?
Sir Alex Ferguson insisted he is not worried by Manchester United’s defensive frailties at the start of the season, Sky Sports reports.
Manchester United secured a tense 3-2 victory at newly-promoted Southampton yesterday, thanks to a hat-trick from Robin van Persie.
But the win was not without its hairy moments, as United conceded two goals through headers from back-post crosses.
“Everything we did in preparation for the game has all been to deal with back-post crosses and they scored two goals off them so that was disappointing.
“But credit to Southampton they are good at it,” Ferguson admitted.
The Red Devils have had a number of key defensive personnel out through injury, with Johnny Evans, Rio Ferdinand, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones starting the season on the treatment table.
Ferguson was keen to highlight the problem after what was a tough game for his side: “This season we’ve had four centre-backs injured for the first game. Carrick has played centre-back at Everton and we’ve had Valencia at right-back.
“If we get the centre-backs back that’ll give us a really good chance.”
But the situation is improving for United with Ferdinand making his return to the side yesterday, while Evans is now available for selection.
The return of Ferdinand alongside Vidic would have been a welcome sight for United, although the way in which Rickie Lambert consistently caused problems for the duo means it will take some time for them to re-form their partnership.
The introduction of Paul Scholes was however, the difference. The influence of Scholes was evident, as he was given time and space to find the likes of van Persie and Javier Hernandez, create havoc in the Saints defence.
“His vision and consistency of passing gave us complete control of the game,” said Ferguson.
The performance of van Persie was also a major plus for United, with the Dutchman now scoring four goals in two starts for the club.
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Although he could have easily ruined Sir Alex’s 1,000th League match in charge after taking a soft penalty at 2-1, which Kelvin Davies managed to save easily.
But his two goals in the final five minutes of the match showed his class and typified a classic United comeback.
There is something of a symmetry about Arsene Wenger leaving Arsenal just as their bitter North London rivals Tottenham embark on the very project that hamstrung the Frenchman’s ability to provide success for so long; moving to a brand-new stadium.
There were years of austerity at the Arsenal for an extended period following the move to the Emirates Stadium; leaving the Gunners unable to mount a real title challenge and forced to sell their best players due to the greater financial packages and trophy aspirations on offer elsewhere.
That may leave Wenger uniquely qualified to comment on the challenges of keeping a North London side competitive while overseeing a stadium move and he commented that Spurs may be forced to sell Harry Kane to fund the new arena ahead of his final game at the helm of Arsenal.
We asked you whether there were any weight in Wenger’s argument but the response was fairly conclusive.
81 per cent of Spurs fans feel that they can afford their new home without the sale of the talismanic Kane and you can check out the full results of the poll below…
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West Ham may be in the early stages of a new era, with a new manager, new style of play and bunch of exciting new players. But there still remains a sense of familiarity in east London.
The Hammers have made hard work of their Europa League qualifying rounds thus far, and they’ve been less than convincing in their friendlies. New boss Slaven Bilic was never going to come in and get instant results from a group of players so used to playing hoof ball over the last four years, but some fans are already growing frustrated with the fact that they’re having to worry about a third qualifying round second leg trip to Romania on Thursday. Just how has it come to this already?
One thing that appears to have remained from previous eras is the Hammers’ rotten luck with injuries. A season rarely passes without the Irons losing a key man to a long term lay off. Last year, injuries to the likes of Winston Reid, Diafra Sakho, Alex Song and Andy Carroll arguably prevented the east Londoners from keeping up their early season flirtation with a top six finish – they ended up in 12th.
And just a month in to their new season (the Europa League qualifiers started on July 3rd), they’ve already lost Enner Valencia for up to three months with a knee/ankle injury, while Andy Carroll isn’t scheduled in for a return to action until October. This leaves Slaven Bilic with just Diafra Sakho, Mauro Zarate and young Elliott Lee for options up front, which isn’t ideal when you’re faced with a Europa League schedule and an opening day Premier League meeting with Arsenal.
So it’s no surprise to learn that buying at least one goal scorer is Bilic’s main priority this month, as well as adding some extra strength to other areas in the squad.
So we asked Hammers fans to vote for the players they want signed the most before the summer transfer window slams shut. The results, unsurprisingly, aren’t exactly unexpected. Though they are very much on the cards to becoming reality if reports are to be believed.
Here’s the top five players Hammers fans are crying out for this month…
5. Moussa Sow
The Senegal international has been linked with a move to the Boleyn Ground, even before Enner Valencia’s injury last Thursday.
The Fenerbahce striker’s first team opportunities in Istanbul have been limited since the arrival of Robin van Persie and Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has reportedly identified him as the ideal man to come in and score some goals.
Bilic will know all about Sow’s ability from his time managing in Turkey with Besiktas and will no doubt have in mind the fact Sow has played alongside star striker Sakho for the national team, eliminating any fears of the two strikers failing to develop an understanding.
The fans also appear to have identified the pros of bringing Sow to the club, with 263 fans giving him a thumbs up in our poll.
4. Alex Song
Alex Song’s loan switch to West Ham raised eyebrows all over Europe last summer, and it wasn’t a surprise when the midfielder hit the ground running and bossed the Hammers’ midfielder during the opening half of the season. He was a key part of the side that occupied a top four spot over Christmas.
West Ham have made it no secret that they want to sign Song permanently this summer and with negotiations with Barcelona ongoing recent reports claim a deal is pretty close to being agreed.
With a Europa League schedule to negotiate alongside a league campaign, strength in depth will be vital for Bilic, and having an experienced midfielder like Song to call upon could prove vital for the Croat.
And West Ham fans are hopeful that Song will be donning the famous claret and blue next season, with a huge 342 giving him a big thumbs up.
3. Charlie Austin
Despite suffering relegation with QPR last season, Charlie Austin remains a much sought after striker who has been linked with the likes of West Ham and Newcastle this summer.
That’s partly down to Austin’s impressive tally of 20 Premier League goals last term, which ultimately proved that he’s a top flight striker and one that needs to continue playing at the level in order to boost his chances for England.
QPR are stubbornly holding out for £15million for Austin’s services and both the Hammers and Steve McClaren’s Newcastle have baulked at such a hefty price tag for a player with just a year remaining on his Loftus Road contract.
However, the Hammers claim to still have money in the bank for further reinforcements and despite trying to sweeten up the west London club with a £12million offer plus Matt Jarvis, may eventually give in and stump up the full asking price.
The Hammers faithful appear to be desperate for their club’s owners to do just that, with many on Twitter tweeting David Gold and demanding he does all he can to get Austin in claret and blue before the window shuts.
That’s reflected by the fact 360 fans voted him in as their third most wanted signing this month.
2. Javier Hernandez
Javier Hernandez’s Manchester United future looks to be in the balance after his unsuccessful loan spell with Real Madrid last term.
Old Trafford chief Louis Van Gaal hinted earlier this summer that Chicharito still has a part to play for the Red Devils, but you’d expect the Dutch boss to cash in if the right offer is put on the table for the Mexico international.
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Tottenham are also thought to be eyeing a move for the striker, but reports this morning claim the Hammers have made an offer of almost £12m to tempt United in to selling.
There’s no doubting how much of a coup a signing like this would be for West Ham, and it would certainly signal their ambition of reaching the proverbial ‘next level.’
Just the fact the Hammers have been mentioned in the same sentence as the striker this summer has had the fans excited, and 413 Irons fans who took our poll voted him in as a player they really want to see signed before the end of the window.
1. Alen Halilovic
The Croation wonder kid has previously been labelled ‘the next Luka Modric,’ which means his reported imminent switch to the Boleyn Ground is a surprise to everyone across Europe.
The Barcelona midfielder wants to be playing regularly and the Catalan giants look like they’re going to let him leave the Nou Camp this summer in order to fulfil his needs. Compatriot Slaven Bilic is an admirer of Halilovic and looks to have moved quickly to get his man before anyone else hears of his availability.
West Ham have already signed midfielders Pedro Obiang, Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini this summer but would have been mental to pass up the chance to sign Halilivic for just £5m, which is the fee they are reportedly paying Barcelona for his services.
So it’s no surprise 475 West Ham fans voted him in as the number one player they want to see in claret and blue by the end of the month. And if today’s reports are to be believed, they won’t have to wait too long – a deal is expected to go though by the end of this week!
Liverpool are set to go head-to-head with local rivals Everton in the race for Wigan striker Arouna Kone, according to reports from The Metro.
The Ivorian was one of the Latics’ main stars last term, turning in a number of impressive displays to help them claim the FA Cup.
However, he could not steer them clear of relegation, and, as a result, is said to be keen to move on.
Roberto Martinez was said to be hopeful of tempting the 29-year-old to follow him to Goodison Park, but the Spaniard will have to fend off interest from Merseyside rivals Liverpool.
The Reds are said to be in the market for attacking reinforcements this summer, with the future of star striker Luis Suarez far from certain.
Brendan Rodgers is thought to see Kone as an ideal candidate to add another dimension to his front-line, and is keen to press ahead with a cut-price move.
The Wigan star is said to have a £6.5m release clause in his contract, a figure that the Anfield giants could easily match.
Liverpool are reportedly close to completing a move for Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas, but Rodgers is still keen on Kone due to his knowledge of the English top flight.
Liverpool fans, is Arouna Kone the man you want? Or should Brendan Rodgers be looking at bigger names?
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West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce admits he was disappointed with the lack of defensive quality his side showed in their 9-0 Capital One Cup Semi-Final aggregate loss to Manchester City.
The Hammers succumbed to a record League Cup Semi-Final loss at the hands of Manuel Pellegrini’s goal-hungry City after respective 6-0 and 3-0 defeats to heap more misery on their season.
And Allardyce admits believes his side didn’t give themselves much of a chance after some horror defending in both legs.
“City have scored 19 goals and conceded one to get to the final, which shows you the quality of their team, but I was a little disappointed with the way we conceded the goals,”Allardyce told whufc.com.
“We’ve got to protect our goal better and, while that might be harsh in this game, it’s about making sure we make teams work much harder for the goals that they score.
“Ultimately, if you give a team like this the chances we gave them, then they are going to punish you and they did.”
And Allardyce also bemoaned his side’s current shortage of luck after he felt Ravel Morrison should have been awarded a penalty in the second-half last night’s second leg at Upton Park.
“Of course, Rav should have had a penalty but the way it is for me, we aren’t going to get one even if one of their players punches one of our players in the face,” he added.
“Everything is conspiring against us, but we have to keep our heads up and play some of the football we played with an effective finish and be tighter at the back.”
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According to reports in the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United are still in the hunt to sign £4m-rated Carpi striker Jerry Mbakogu this summer, although perhaps they should be taking a look at an out-of-favour Spaniard in the Premier League instead.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the Yorkshire Evening Post says that the Yorkshire outfit are considering making a move for Mbakogu at the end of the season after the 25-year-old finally secured Italian citizenship, giving the Nigerian centre-forward the right to move to England even though he has never been capped by the African country.
The Yorkshire Evening Post says that the Whites have been trailing the attacker since the summer and have first refusal on this summer, and it will be up to them to decide whether they do move for the £4m-rated man, or not.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United signed striker Joselu from Stoke City last summer, and while he was a regular starter in the first-half of the campaign, he has found first-team minutes harder to come by in 2018.
How has Joselu done overall this season?
Rafa Benitez brought the tall Spaniard to St James’ Park in order to get some goals and boost his side’s bid to preserve their Premier League status following their promotion from the Championship.
However, the 28-year-old regularly struggled in front of goal and has just four in 28 top flight appearances for the Magpies this term, with Dwight Gayle and loanee Islam Slimani above him in the pecking order in recent weeks.
Given his struggles, it would be no surprise if he was loaned out or sold at the end of the season.
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Should Leeds move for him?
They certainly should.
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Director of football Victor Orta should know his Spanish compatriot well, and while things perhaps haven’t worked out for him at St James’ Park, he could prove to be a huge hit in the Championship for the Whites.
The 28-year-old is 6ft 4in tall and decent in the air, while he has shown that he isn’t afraid to put a shift in for his team – something that hasn’t always been the case with loanee Pierre-Michel Lasogga, whom fans on Twitter are split on the long-term future of, this season.
The fact that they could potentially get him on loan or for a cut-price fee should be another added incentive for the Yorkshire side.