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West Brom have completed two more signings on the eve of deadline day, confirming deals for Arsenal fullback Kieran Gibbs and PSG defensive midfielder Gregorz Krychowiak as new arrivals at the Hawthorns.
Continue reading “West Brom sign Gibbs for £7m, capture Krychowiak on season-long loan”
Manchester City are hopeful that they can strengthen their defensive options, with West Brom centre-back Jonny Evans reportedly at the top of their shortlist. They’ve made a £25m bid for the 29-year-old. Continue reading “Manchester City firm favourites to sign West Brom’s Jonny Evans, second bid made”
Continue reading “Preview: West Brom vs Arsenal – Gunners look to bounce back in tough fixture”
Continue reading “Player focus: Gibbs performs well once more when called upon”
Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerín, has revealed his pride after being named in the 2015/16 PFA Team of the Season by his fellow professionals. The fullback, 21, has been one of the Gunners’ best and most important players in an otherwise frustrating campaign in the red half of North London – with both his maturity and determination to establish his first-team credentials earning him deserved praise from both the manager and critics alike.
Continue reading “Hector Bellerín reveals pride after being named in PFA Team of the Season”
Considering Arsenal‘s shortcomings of late, and the way they’ve managed to slip away from the title challenge following a succession of frustrating results, it was a must-win game for them on Thursday evening. West Bromwich Albion are again, by no means, an easy side to beat: but one that the Gunners should’ve had no trouble prevailing against.
A well-taken brace courtesy of Alexis Sánchez either side of the half-time interval, helped Arséne Wenger‘s side to victory. Given the occasion, and following recent results, this fixture had an end-of-season feel to it. On a school night, plenty of home supporters were eager to voice their concerns over the nature of progression – or seemingly lack of – from their side.
In the day’s only Premier League FA Cup tie, Aston Villa hosted Midlands rivals West Brom just days after their 1-0 victory in the league. Who would prevail, for a place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup?
Second-half goals from Fabian Delph and Scott Sinclair sealed a sweet 2-0 victory for Tim Sherwood‘s men, over their local rivals just four days after their 1-0 Premier League win over Tony Pulis‘ men, to confirm they are the first team to secure their place in the FA Cup semi-finals.
West Brom had their fair share of chances in the opening 45 minutes, but failed to make them count. Ideye Brown especially, the Nigerian striker who had two excellent goal-scoring opportunities, which he failed to take advantage of. At the half-time interval, the scores were still level, and the game was in need of a spark.
Delph delivered that spark, in the 51st minute with a low, powerful drive beyond goalkeeper Boaz Myhill, who arguably should have done better to deny the Englishman from breaking the deadlock – but could not sort his feet out quickly enough to stop the effort.
In the final ten minutes plus stoppages to play, the game heated up once more. First, midfielder Claudio Yacob was given his second yellow card and consequently sent off by referee Anthony Taylor for a tackle on Leandro Bacuna, who slid in to try and win the ball. Controversial, as Yacob got to the ball first, and Bacuna’s slide was dangerous play in itself, but the Dutchman left the incident unscathed.
Then, four minutes later, Villa hit the visitors on the counter attack – former Manchester City and Swansea forward Scott Sinclair doubled the lead for the hosts with a neat finish beyond Myhill after turning his defender inside out, who was helpless to stop the curling effort from swerving into the bottom corner of the net. The 25-year-old wheeled away to celebrate with the home fans, but little did he know that many of them would embrace him near the advertising boards, foreshadowing the controversy to come.
In the third minute of stoppage time, young winger Jack Grealish was given a second yellow card, for simulation by the referee – who felt the youngster dived when attempting to latch onto the ball which Joleon Lescott got to first. Replays showed there was in-fact contact, so another controversial decision given by the official before the full-time whistle.
At the full-time whistle, hundreds of Villa fans ran onto the pitch and crowded the players – including captain Delph, who told the media that he was bitten by the home supporters; which is sure to be the main story in tomorrow morning’s newspapers.
Tony Pulis’ men hosted a Ronald Koeman side who were eager for maximum points to keep their top four hopes alive, but they knew it would be a tough test away from home at The Hawthorns.
West Brom hosted top four challengers Southampton, in an intriguing fixture between two sides with something to prove. The Baggies, under new maangement with Tony Pulis in charge, wanted to solidify a place in the top half of the Premier League table – with their new boss asking for consistency as he tries to get the best out of his players; including Saido Berahino – who has been heavily linked with moves to some top European clubs.
The young Englishman ironically broke the deadlock at The Hawthorns, with a rather powerful volley effort which flew past English goalkeeper Fraser Forster into the top corner of the net – after just 74 seconds on the clock. That was his 11th Premier League goal of the 2014-15 campaign, and it was a truly special one too.
The Saints were looking for an immediate response, which did not come. They dominated possession of the ball, and attempted to dictate play in midfield but were shut out effectively and efficiently by Pulis’ men whenever they got forward deep enough into West Brom’s defence. A few half-chances were squandered for either side before the break, with the half-time scoreline going in the hosts’ favour.
In the second-half, Nigerian striker Brown Ideye had a perfect chance to double the lead for the hosts after a super pass towards his path by midfielder Craig Gardner, but his hesitation to shoot in-front of goal cost him in the end, as Maya Yoshida tracked back fast enough to block and eventually clear the danger away.
Berahino was seen clutching his leg on the ground in discomfort on the receiving end of a painful-looking challenge; he was substituted off as a precautionary measure to avoid aggravating the injury problem – Youssouf Mulumbu coming on in his place; for his first appearance following his African Cup of Nations involvement.
Southampton lacked the cutting edge going forward, with Graziano Pellé missing a golden opportunity to level the scoring in the 67th minute. A teasing low delivery was fired into his path by left-back Ryan Bertrand, but the Italian striker failed to latch onto the ball and a last-ditch clearance away by defender Chris Brunt ensured West Brom kept hold of their lead.
French midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin was unlucky not to get himself on the scoresheet after having two goal-bound efforts narrowly wide. His first was an inswinging free-kick, which swerved past all of the players in the area and trickled beyond the post. His second meanwhile, was a stinging drive which was well saved by Ben Foster, just minutes after the ‘keeper was booked for time-wasting and warned about his future actions.
The hosts were inches away from doubling the lead with ten minutes to play; former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher had a half-chance from close range but his powerful effort fired wide over the bar and into the crowd behind the goal.
Pellé had another chance to end his goalscoring drought of four matches in all competitions with a goal-mouth scramble, the ball trickled towards his path but his follow-up was weak as Foster was able to smother the danger in the end. Ideye was seen hobbling painfully in the closing stages, and the physios treated him accordingly before he was replaced by Chris Baird to try and hold out for a 1-0 victory.
The fourth official signalled for four minutes of stoppage time to be added on, and The Saints continued to press attacking-wise; but West Brom held firm and secured a valuable three points in a hard-fought game despite a late charge seeing Eljero Elia‘s decent strike fired wide of Foster’s near post into the stands. The stats will have frustrated Ronald Koeman and his men no doubt, given the fact that they were heavily dominant but could not turn their dominance into goals in the match. 11 shots, just TWO on target and no goals. West Brom meanwhile had: seven shots, three on target and one goal, courtesy of Berahino’s stunning strike early on.
The result means Southampton lose ground in the top four race; staying in 5th place just a point above Liverpool and two above Tottenham – both of which have a game in hand over The Saints. Manchester United (50) and Arsenal (48) are above them in 3rd and 4th places respectively.
Mo and Sports 