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Earlier this week, West Brom boss Jimmy Shan claimed he now knows his best team.

The 40-year-old has relished his new role with the club after being appointed caretaker manager until the end of the season, but where the Baggies have improved in defence and continued to score goals, there is still one lingering problem.

That issue lies in midfield. Albion possess a number of quality options but choosing the right pair could prove the difference between success and failure in the play-offs.

Shan is known for developing youth so he may favour two of his younger options. However, he also has plenty of experience to choose from. Getting the balance right will be crucial.

Assessing the options

Shan hasn’t named a single unchanged team since he took over at the Hawthorns and a large part of that has been due to the inconsistent midfield.

His most reliable performer has arguably been Chris Brunt. The Northern Irishman has enjoyed a terrific end to the season and as a result, his selection should be a necessity going into the play-offs.

With Gareth Barry ruled out for the rest of the season we might have seen the last of him in a Baggies shirt. With that in mind, Sam Field has started to appear again in the squad. However, it would be a big gamble to play him in such huge games.

He shone against Reading on Easter Monday but Rekeem Harper was then preferred in the win over Rotherham. It was a selection that more than justified itself when Harper found the back of the net. However, the fact he’s been so inconsistent might mean his place is under threat also.

Jake Livermore has been injured and also pretty poor in recent months so should be forgotten about, whilst James Morrison simply hasn’t played enough football. The biggest question will likely be over Stefan Johansen. He was superb against Preston but was then incredibly disappointing last weekend.

That means that Matt Phillips, who offers far more going forward could be preferred.

The rest of the starting XI picks itself at the moment so there should be no excuse for Shan not to focus most of his attention on the midfield.

If they come up against Aston Villa, finding the right balance suddenly becomes even more important. Dean Smith has fantastic quality at his disposal in that area of the pitch and the likes of Jack Grealish and John McGinn will have to be stopped.

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Arsenal’s season is hanging by a thread after a draw with Brighton all but confirmed the Gunners’ finish outside the top four.

Unai Emery’s men looked in pole position to secure Champions League football on April 1st when they beat Newcastle 2-0 and seemingly had the easiest run-in out of the four chasing clubs.

However it wasn’t to be and many players have come under fire from fans who are demanding a revamp of the squad this summer. The likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Alex Iwobi, Granit Xhaka and Shkodran Mustafi continue to divide opinion, and there’s hope that Emery will invest in the coming months to upgrade a group that’s gone stale.

Unfortunately for the Spaniard, recent reports from France Football via Sports Witness are claiming Arsenal’s transfer budget will be in the region of €30m-€40m (£25.66m-£34.22m), figures that won’t afford the Gunners the quality they’re desperately lacking.

Fans were rightly furious by the prospect of their side having such a small budget, and took to Twitter to vent their frustration…

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Loads of Newcastle fans have been running the rule over the latest transfer news, as reports in Germany claim the Magpies are chasing Nurnberg midfielder Patrick Erras.

According to Bild, Newcastle are “keen” on a move for Erras this summer, but will face plenty of competition for his signature.

Erras will enter the final year of his contract next season, meaning it’s exactly the type of deal Mike Ashley will go for, and the report claims a whole host of English clubs are interested.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

Of course, Newcastle will be in need of some midfield reinforcements; Isaac Hayden and Jonjo Shelvey are both likely to depart while Mo Diame’s future is still anyone’s guess.

Diame is depending on a contract extension that is triggered by a certain amount of appearances, while Hayden is expected to repeat his January attempts to leave and Shelvey is wanted by West Ham.

Erras is only 24, but standing at 6 ft 5 he would provide a huge boost in physicality to Newcastle’s midfield.

Plenty of fans have given their verdict on the links though, and they’re getting more and more fed up of Ashley’s bargain hunting…

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Charlton took a big stride towards Wembley Stadium with their 2-1 victory away at Doncaster Rovers on Sunday, although the Addicks can perhaps feel fortunate to have the advantage going into the second leg, with Dillion Phillips – and his crossbar – having been called into action a few times in the first half an hour.

Two quick-fire goals from Lyle Taylor and Joe Aribo turned the tie on its head though and now Lee Bowyer’s side are just 90 minutes away from a play-off final and the chance for promotion.

Taylor’s was his 25th goal of the campaign but perhaps not his prettiest – in fact, the 29-year-old was lucky to come out unscathed after a goal-line scramble led to him diving at a foot-height ball with his head to nod home.

The former Wimbledon striker was fortunate not to have his face taken off by the defender, although Taylor’s superior reactions to the loose ball saw Lee Bowyer’s side take a perhaps underserving lead. This fearlessness shows just how much a win at Keepmoat Stadium means for the SE7 outfit but, in this instance, Taylor himself, who only arrived at The Valley last summer.

After the game, the big hitman had this to say on his opening strike:

“I thought, ‘Right, I’m going to get my head taken off here but I need to score. I have to score, I have to, I’m going to have to head this’.

“I just threw myself at it and, thankfully, didn’t get volleyed in the head and it went in!”

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

“I have to score, I have to”: There clearly was no question of ‘if’ in the number 9’s mind as he stooped to head in, but this goes beyond natural striker’s instinct – the risk attached to doing so was huge and so, in throwing himself right into the danger area, Taylor showed that he would do pretty much anything for Bowyer and his teammates.

The former midfielder turned Charlton boss has instilled an excellent spirit amongst his group of players and, while it wasn’t quite as good as the forward’s goal-of-the-month-voted free-kick in April, there’s no doubt that he would have absolutely loved Taylor’s scrappy strike versus Donny.

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This week at West Brom has once again been dominated by manager talk. Alex Neil signed a new deal with Preston which the Baggies followed up by appointing James Shan until the end of the season.

Then on Thursday, the club confirmed the appointment of Steven Reid as a member of Shan’s coaching staff.

In the build-up to the announcement and following the confirmation, West Brom fans have been crying out for former striker Kevin Phillips to return.

West Brom have been planning to add two people to help Shan for the rest of the season and Baggies supporters seem to have a preference.

One fan said that all would be forgiven if they brought back the 45-year-old.

Another supporter claimed that adding Reid and Phillips to the coaching team would be quality additions.

Was Darren Moore’s sacking unfair? The Pl>ymaker FC squad name which Championship bosses should have gone instead in the video below…

Phillips played for the club for two seasons between 2006 and 2008, scoring 46 goals in 80 games. He also helped them to win the Championship in the 2007/08 season.

Here’s the best of the reaction from Twitter.

Steven Gerrard will already have his eyes on summer additions with silverware going missing in the current campaign. One change that the Englishman has to think about making is at the pinnacle of the attack, as Alfredo Morelos constantly makes rash decisions. 

The Light Blues may not have to look far to find reinforcements at the pinnacle of the attack as Rangers youngster Zak Rudden is thriving out on loan at Scottish Championship side Falkirk at this moment in time.

Indeed, the exciting 19-year-old can operate out on the wing or up top and he’s managed to produce an impressive 12 goals and four assists in 29 appearances this season. Rudden deserves a chance in the first-team ranks next season as he’s shown he can ensure a consistent flow of goals and he has the vision to pick out a pass in the final third.

He could be Gerrard’s secret weapon next season as not many teams in the Scottish Premiership will know how he operates. And, it’s clear to see that turning to youth works as Glenn Middleton and Ross McCrorie have impressed under the guidance of the Rangers boss in the current campaign.

Kyle Lafferty could be set for a summer exit as he’s failed to make any inroads in the current campaign, while Alfredo Morelos has failed to keep his cool at times which has made him a liability. So, Rangers could be down to the bare bones in the summer with Jermain Defoe possibly being the only striker at Gerrard’s disposal.

Rudden wouldn’t be expected to score a large amount of goals in the Scottish Premiership if he was used next season, but a goal or two every now and again would certainly help Rangers’ cause.

Rangers fans, would you want to see Rudden feature next season? Join the discussion by commenting down below!

عقد بيتسو موسيماني، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالأهلي محاضرة نظرية مع لاعبي الفريق قبل انطلاق مران اليوم السبت على ملعب التتش بالجزيرة.

وعاد الفريق مساء اليوم السبت لتدريباته على ملعب التتش بالجزيرة، استعدادًا للمرحلة المقبلة التي تشهد استكمال منافسات مسابقة كأس مصر بمواجهة أبو قير للأسمدة في دور الـ٨، وخوض نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا المحدد له يوم ٢٧ نوفمبر الجاري أمام الزمالك.

وشهدت المحاضرة الحديث عن بعض التحضيرات الخاصة بالوحدات التدريبية التي سيخضع لها الفريق في مران اليوم. موسيماني يطمئن على حسين الشحات في جلسة خاصة

كما اجتمع موسيماني مع حسين الشحات لاعب الفريق، على هامش المران للاطمئنان على سير البرنامج التأهيلي للاعب، من أجل التعافي من الإصابة في العضلة الخلفية.

واستكمل حسين الشحات تنفيذ برنامجه التأهيلي على هامش مران الفريق اليوم، بخوض تدريبات بدنية وتأهيلية في “الجيم”. انتظام رامي ربيعة

وانتظم رامي ربيعة، مدافع الفريق الأول في تدريبات الكرة اليوم، بعد تعافيه من الإصابة في العضلة الخلفية.

طالع | موسيماني يوافق على رحيل لاعب جديد من الأهلي إلى البنك الأهلي

وشارك ربيعة بقوة في مران الفريق الجماعي اليوم، بعد أن انتهى من تنفيذ برنامجه التأهيلي للتعافي من الإصابة.

وخاض ربيعة برنامج إعداد قويً، انتهى خلال اليومين الماضيين، بعد أن حصل على وحدات تدريبية وبدنية متنوعة، تحت إشراف كابلو رانجواجا، مخطط الأحمال البدنية بالجهاز الفني للفريق، ليعود اللاعب اليوم للمشاركة بقوة في التدريبات الجماعية.

وقرر بيتسو موسيماني تصعيد خمسة لاعبين من الناشئين للمران مع الفريق الأول اليوم.

وضمت قائمة اللاعبين الذين تم تصعيدهم كلا من أحمد أشرف ومحمد أشرف وعمر رزق، مواليد 2001، وإبراهيم السيد، مواليد 99، وأحمد السيد غريب، مواليد ٢٠٠٢.

يذكر، أن الأهلي فاز في مباراته الختامية بالموسم المنقضي من الدوري المصري على حساب طلائع الجيش بثلاثية نظيفة.

It’s been a strange season for Mesut Ozil, hasn’t it? The German, who on his day is sublime, has been in and out of the Arsenal team, and with just 2 Premier League assists, it’s clear that he’s a player that is not at peak performance. 

It’s no surprise, then, that the attacker’s future is uncertain. He was recently asked about that very topic by Sky Sports, and he’s confirmed that he wants to stay.

As per Sky Sports, asked whether he wants to stay, he said: “Absolutely. I’ve got two more years on my contract. I don’t know after that but I’ve got two years left…[There are] No [issues with Emery]. Definitely not. There’s always speculation, everyone inside knew that our situation is positive.”

Clearly, then, on Ozil’s end, everything is fine, and his future at the Emirates is still safe. However, from the outside, it seems obvious that it’s time for the German to move on.

After all, as mentioned, statistically, he just hasn’t been good enough this term. A return of 5 goals and 2 assists is below par, and you’d expect much better from a player that has done so much good in the game. He’s not finding the passes, he’s not seeing the runs, and he’s just not offering enough moving forward.

Beyond that, it’s also worth considering that he’s 30-years-old. He’s arguably towards the end of his peak, and he is not getting any better. He’s only getting worse, and it’s clear that over the last two years, there’s been some real regression with regards to the German’s quality.

The truth is that, under Unai Emery, Arsenal are moving forward. Aaron Ramsey is on course for the exit, and with his departure, the Gunners are already moving into a new era. Selling Ozil would push them closer to where they need to be.

Arsenal fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

كشف أحمد كابوريا لاعب الزمالك المعار إلى صفوف فريق طلائع الجيش حقيقة تواصل مسؤولو القلعة البيضاء للعودة في الموسم الجديد.

وقال كابوريا خلال تصريحات لبرنامج “جمهور التالتة” عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورت”: “عقدي مع الزمالك مدته 4 سنوات، ويتبقى لي سنة في عقدي”.

وتابع: “أمير مرتضي المشرف على فريق الكرة، تواصل معي منذ شهرين وقال لي إنه احتمال أن أعود، وأنا أنتظر قرار الزمالك وتحت أمرهم”.

وأكمل: “لدي أكثر من عرض جيد، ولكن أنتظر قرار الزمالك، وبالتأكيد أتمنى العودة لصفوف الأبيض”.

طالع | ميدو يوجة رسالة إلى مرتضى منصور قبل مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في نهائي إفريقيا

وأردف: “لعبت في الاتحاد 6 أشهر وأحرزت 7 أهداف، وعدت بعدها إلى الزمالك ثم خرجت إعارة مرة أخرى لطلائع الجيش ولعبت سنتين وأشكرهم على هذه الفترة، وكنت أشتغل على نفسي لكي أعود للزمالك وهذا الأهم بالنسبة لي”.

وواصل: “لدي عروض من المقاولون وسموحة وسيراميكا والبنك الأهلي، وأنتظر موقفي النهائي من الزمالك لأحدد اختياري”.

وأتم: “لم أحصل على فرصتي في الزمالك، لم ألعب سوى 60 دقيقة فقط، وأنتظر رد الزمالك النهائي قبل يوم 11 نوفمبر”.

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Shane Long’s record-breaking goal just seven seconds into Southampton’s 1-1 draw with Watford last time out was his third strike in the last four games in what is becoming an incredible turnaround of form from the Irishman, who has previously been struggling to find the net at all.

Regardless of his recent form, the hitman’s future at St Mary’s Stadium is uncertain with his contract running out next summer and he has now spoken about whether he thinks he can secure an extension.

What did he say?

Well, speaking to The Southampton Daily Echo, the 32-year-old said:

“I think with the last four or five performances I’ve put in, there have been some good ones in there.

“I have only got a year left on my contract and I don’t think I’ve earned the right to go knocking on the door and asking for more years.

“It’s hard to validate giving a new deal out if you aren’t getting the goals or the results on the pitch.

“I am working as hard as I can to try and sway it in my direction and if it’s not to be then I will look to pastures new, but I don’t want that.”

A short time for Long to prove himself

With just three games remaining and survival not yet secured, the Saints will be hoping to end the season strongly by producing a hat-trick of high-quality performances. If they are to evade the drop, they may need more goals from the resurgent Long, who is the only Southampton striker to find the net in 2019.

Why should Southampton be more like Dortmund? Find out in the video below…

The number 7 himself knows that he cannot rest on his laurels now and that a couple more goals will go a long way in convincing the hierarchy at St Mary’s to give him a new deal, so expect him to fight not just for three points, but his future too.

This kind of spirit evidenced in Long’s comments is exactly what Ralph Hasenhuttl demands from each and every one of his players and he will surely be impressed with what the forward, who already fits the high-tempo system perfectly, has said.

If Long can continue his fine goalscoring run, it would be a travesty if he isn’t rewarded with a new deal. Let us know in the comments below, Southampton fans, if you think the striker has earned a contract extension.