Connect with us

English Premier League

West Ham suffer double injury blow before Aston Villa – report

Published

on

West Ham star 'very upset' with situation in London, replacement may be lined up - report

Julen Lopetegui has expressed concern over West Ham’s latest injury setback ahead of their trip to Aston Villa, revealing he is “not optimistic” about defender Jean-Clair Todibo’s availability.

Todibo, who is on loan from Ligue 1 side Nice and was briefly linked with Villa during the summer, joined West Ham in August.

The French defender was forced off before the hour mark during West Ham’s 4-1 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday.

While the exact nature of the injury remains unclear, it has left Lopetegui doubtful about Todibo’s fitness for upcoming matches.

West Ham are set to face Aston Villa at Villa Park on Friday night (8 PM kick-off) in an FA Cup third-round clash, with a return trip for a Premier League fixture scheduled later this month.

“We don’t know exactly [the nature of his injury],” Lopetegui revealed. “We have to assess him tomorrow, but I am not very optimistic with him.”

The Irons had a further setback when preparing for Saturday’s game after losing Emerson, leaving Lopetegui to field two right-backs in his back four: “We suffered an injury Friday [with Emerson] too in the last training session, that’s why he was not here.”

West Ham have suffered a significant blow with captain Jarrod Bowen sidelined for at least two months due to a broken foot, ruling him out of both league and cup matches at Villa Park.

Additionally, Michail Antonio remains unavailable for the foreseeable future, though he is now out of the hospital following a car accident. The Hammers are also missing their first-choice goalkeeper, Lukasz Fabianski, who is currently unavailable.

Unforgivable Lopetegui Actions Can Only Lead One Way

The end appears imminent for Julen Lopetegui at West Ham United after a catastrophic week. A crushing 5-1 defeat by Liverpool, followed by a 4-1 loss to a struggling Manchester City, capped a week in which West Ham conceded nine goals in total. This comes despite a squad assembled last summer at a staggering cost of nearly £140 million, while the club’s chairman remains indecisive about Lopetegui’s future.

Under Lopetegui’s tenure, the team has endured humiliating defeats: a 5-0 thrashing by Liverpool, a 3-1 loss to Leicester City, a 5-2 rout by Arsenal, a 3-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest, a 4-1 drubbing by Spurs, a 5-1 exit in the Carabao Cup to Liverpool, and a 4-0 loss to Chelsea. Even earlier in the season, West Ham suffered a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City in August and began their campaign with a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa.

In the latest debacle, Lopetegui stormed down the tunnel without acknowledging the loyal West Ham supporters who had braved the trip up the M6, despite the team’s predictable collapse.

For a coach trying to foster team spirit and connect with fans, such actions do little to inspire confidence. After a string of disastrous performances, Lopetegui seems to have run out of ideas, excuses, and places to hide. His position is looking increasingly untenable.

Dom Smith in the standard.co.uk put it succinctly:“West Ham reverted to type, tapping into the sort of frail defending that gifted Liverpool a few of their five goals” .

Unfortunately, this has become Julen Lopetegui’s hallmark at West Ham United—fragile defending and a tarnished legacy.

In contrast, one of the leading candidates to take over from him, Sergio Conceicao, made an impressive debut with AC Milan, securing a 2-1 victory over fierce rivals Juventus just four days after joining the club.

It feels like the famous final scene from naff TV quiz show Bullseye: ‘Here’s what you could have won, West Ham fans’.

Ethan Blake

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

English Premier League

Chelsea ready talks with Everton over Chilwell and Dewsbury-Hall – report

Published

on

Chelsea ready talks with Everton over Chilwell and Dewsbury-Hall - report

The Merseyside club is actively assessing options in the loan market and intends to inquire about the availability of both players during the January transfer window.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s time at Chelsea has fallen short of expectations following his summer move from Leicester City, where he reunited with former manager Enzo Maresca.

Similarly, Ben Chilwell has had minimal game time this season, managing just 45 minutes across all competitions, which came in Chelsea’s 5-0 League Cup win against Barrow.

Everton has already filled their quota of four loan signings for the season, but the potential departure of Armando Broja would open up a slot for one of the Chelsea players.

With their January transfer funds limited by profitability and sustainability regulations, the Toffees are eager to create room for a loan deal before the window closes.

Additionally, CaughtOffside reports that while there is a broad agreement with Lyon for the permanent signing of Ernest Nuamah, the deal is still pending final approval from David Moyes. Personal terms are not expected to present any complications.

Everton’s attempt to return Armando Broja hits stumbling block

Everton’s attempt to recall Armando Broja from his loan spell has hit a snag, as Chelsea is now requesting compensation for the striker’s return.

David Moyes recently disclosed that the club is contemplating ending Broja’s season-long loan after the forward was ruled out for 10 to 12 weeks with a significant ankle injury.

Broja made the move to Everton last summer despite already recovering from an Achilles injury that had previously disrupted a potential transfer to Ipswich.

As part of the agreement, Chelsea committed to covering the Albanian international’s wages during his recovery.

Ethan Blake

Continue Reading

English Premier League

Brighton now make contact over signing Cummings – report

Published

on

Brighton now make contact over signing Cummings - report

The Seagulls are gearing up for an active January transfer window, aiming to bolster their squad in several key areas as Fabian Hurzeler seeks to revive their season following a disappointing spell of form.

With Evan Ferguson’s future at the American Express Stadium uncertain, Brighton is prioritizing the addition of a young striker and has identified Daniel Cummings as a potential acquisition this month.

However, Cummings isn’t the only forward on their radar. Brighton is also competing with Liverpool for FC Nuremberg’s Stefanos Tzimas, whose impressive displays in Bundesliga II have caught their attention.

Securing a new striker could prove essential if Ferguson departs, but Hurzeler is equally focused on shoring up the defense. The manager has reportedly set his sights on a fresh defensive target.

According to The Daily Mail, Brighton has expressed interest in signing Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo, just seven months after the player’s move to Stamford Bridge.

Adarabioyo, earning £120,000 per week, has seen consistent action for Chelsea this season but has only started seven Premier League matches. The Seagulls are keen to secure a permanent deal and have reached out to their top-flight rivals to formalize their interest.

It remains uncertain whether Chelsea will approve the transfer. However, reports suggest that selling Adarabioyo could significantly aid the Blues in meeting financial regulations, potentially incentivizing them to strike a deal.

Tosin could be a quality signing

Tosin Adarabioyo has established himself as a reliable Premier League defender over the years. Recently, he has become a regular presence in Chelsea’s lineup, earning his place in Enzo Maresca’s plans. Known for his aerial strength, the Englishman ranks in the 82nd percentile for aerial duels won per 90 minutes over the past year, a quality that has drawn praise from journalist Zach Lowy.

While it might seem unusual for Chelsea to part ways with the 27-year-old so soon after signing him, the club could secure a full profit since they acquired him on a free transfer last summer. Considering Adarabioyo’s strong defensive capabilities, Brighton would do well to position themselves as frontrunners for his signature if he becomes available during this transfer window.

Ethan Blake

Continue Reading

English Premier League

Fabrizio Romano: West Ham Eyeing Move to Sign Cummings

Published

on

West Ham have made official enquiry to sign £120k-a-wk Premier League striker in the January transfer window

West Ham United may be preparing to tap into the Scottish Premiership for a potential bargain deal this January, with Celtic starlet Daniel Cummings reportedly on their radar, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Cummings, whose contract expires this summer, is eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with clubs outside Scotland. While Celtic would receive compensation for developing the young talent through their academy, West Ham are said to be actively pursuing the 18-year-old striker.

Romano’s report highlights that the Hammers are keen on bringing Cummings to London, though Celtic are making efforts to retain their rising star by offering him a new deal to continue his development in the Scottish Premiership.

Despite not yet featuring for Celtic’s first team, Cummings’ performances at the youth level have captured attention. He has scored an impressive 24 goals in 24 appearances this season, including 18 goals in Scotland’s fifth tier and six in six UEFA Youth League matches.

His standout performances, including braces against Slovan Bratislava and RB Leipzig, earned him the label “unstoppable” by UEFA.

Premier League clubs, including Brighton, have also shown interest in the 6ft 1in forward. Celtic are eager to avoid losing another promising player for a nominal fee, having seen Ben Doak join Liverpool for £600,000 and Rocco Vata move to Watford for £250,000—both players already making an impact in their new clubs.

For West Ham, Cummings could address their striker shortage, as Michail Antonio is sidelined for the season following a car accident, and summer signing Niclas Füllkrug faces his third lengthy injury spell of the campaign.

Although Cummings lacks senior experience, he could follow a development path similar to Doak’s, transitioning into the first team under the guidance of Graham Potter over time.

Ethan Blake

Continue Reading

Trending