Premier League

Subterms

    More stories

    • 213 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Chelsea made ‘most expensive substitution in history’ in single change worth MORE than Brighton’s entire matchday squad

      by

      CHELSEA made the ‘most expensive substitution in history’ in a switch which cost more than Brighton’s entire matchday squad. The Blues lost to the Seagulls on Saturday in what was their fourth defeat in five.
      Frank Lampard turned to his very expensive bench in an unsuccessful attempt to turn the tide against BrightonCredit: Alamy
      The struggling Londoners are have slumped into the bottom half of the table and have only the Champions League left to play for.
      In complete contrast, Brighton are upwardly mobile despite Chelsea taking their manager earlier this season – and having sacked him since.
      The contrasts between the two clubs could not have been more evident when caretaker boss Frank Lampard turned to his bench with the game at 1-1.
      In a quadruple change, Hakim Ziyech, Joao Felix, Reece James and Mateo Kovacic were all introduced while Enzo Fernandez, Christian Pulisic, Raheem Sterling and Wesley Fofana made way.
      READ MORE ON CHELSEA
      As first reported by football finance boffin Kieran Maguire, the substitution may well work its way into the Premier League record books.
      The 57th minute change saw £83.2m worth of talent coming on the pitch and a combined £281.5m walking off.
      The swap saw a total of £374.7m of players either being subbed on or subbed off in the space of a minute
      While that figure alone is staggering, it becomes even more extraordinary when Chelsea’s subs alone are compared to Brighton’s team.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST FOOTBALL BETTING SITES IN THE UK
      The south coast club’s entire matchday squad amounted to just £83.1m, which is less than Fernandez’s transfer fee alone.
      While the Argentine midfielder cost £107m and Wesley Fofana’s transfer came to £70m, Brighton’s biggest expenditure was the £20m fee for Adam Webster and the £15m it cost to acquire Pervis Estupinan.
      Meanwhile, eight of Brighton’s matchday squad cost nothing or came through the youth academy, including Lewis Dunk and Solly March.
      In contrast only James, Mason Mount and Trevoh Chalobah emerged from Chelsea’s academy from their matchday squad.
      Fans were stunned as the cost of the Blues’ subs emerged.
      One supporter wrote: “I don’t know whether that makes me want to laugh or cry.”
      While another simply said: “Unbelievable.”
      Despite the quadruple swap, it was Brighton who went on to win the game thanks to a rocket from Julio Enciso. More

    • 213 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Fans praise ‘humanity at its finest’ following incredible act of sportsmanship from forward after rival suffers injury

      by

      FOOTBALL fans have praised a footballer after his incredible display of sportsmanship.SK Brann star Bard Finne was chasing a through ball and appeared to be winning a footrace with Odd star Sondre Solholm when the defender pulled up injured.
      Brann striker Bård Finne kicked the ball out of play when his opponent went down injured instead of trying to score 👀His team ended up losing the game 2-0 ❌pic.twitter.com/gnNaIVLt1m— SPORTbible (@sportbible) April 17, 2023

      Bard Finne was praised for his show of sportsmanship against OddCredit: Getty
      The striker paused play after opponent Sondre Solholm pulled up injuredCredit: Twitter / @tv2sport
      Finne then kicked the ball out of playCredit: Twitter / @tv2sport
      Solholm appeared to tweak his hamstring and tried desperately to keep up with Finne.
      Fortunately for him and his side, Finne decided to stop play and kicked the ball out of play so his opponent could receive treatment.
      Solholm was substituted with the score level at 0-0, but Odd coped well in his absence and won the game 2-0.
      Nevertheless fans were impressed with the sportsmanship on display and praised Finne.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      One reacted saying: “Wow! Humanity at its best. Great sportsmanship.”
      Another added: “Real compassion ❤️”
      A third said: “I would give the Fair Play Award to Brann striker, Bard Finne for doing this in a Norweigan Premier League match. Top level sportsmanship.”
      However not everyone agreed and some criticised Finne, suggesting he should have tried to score.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST FOOTBALL BETTING SITES IN THE UK
      One fan said: “Nothing to applaud here, he should have tried to score first.”
      Another added: “He would be dropped next game if I was gaffer 🤦🏻‍♂️” More

    • 200 Shares129 Views

      in Soccer

      Man Utd and Liverpool transfer boost as Alexis Mac Allister ‘will 100% quit Brighton’ in summer

      by

      ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER is set to leave Brighton at the end of the season, according to reports.The 24-year-old has been linked with a move away from the Amex Stadium since his World Cup triumph with Argentina in December.
      Mac Allister is set to leave Brighton at the end of the seasonCredit: Getty
      And according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, he is “100% guaranteed” to leave when the summer transfer window opens.
      Romano tweeted: “Understand Alexis Mac Allister and his camp consider summer move as 100% guaranteed. The expectation is for an early transfer.
      “Alexis will give his best for Brighton until June.
      “Liverpool and Man United will discuss with player side soon.”
      Read More on Man Utd
      Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp reportedly made Mac Allister his top transfer target last week after the Reds pulled out of the race to sign Borussia Dortmund and England midfielder Jude Bellingham.
      Dortmund have set an asking price of £130million for Bellingham which has been deemed far too expensive by Liverpool officials.
      Instead, they have turned their attention to Mac Allister, who is expected to cost around £80m.
      However, several other clubs including Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City and Arsenal have also expressed an interest in signing him so a bidding war could ensue.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST FOOTBALL BETTING SITES IN THE UK
      Mac Allister’s father, Carlos, recently revealed that the midfielder will likely seek a move away at the end of the season.
      He said: “Normally, the upcoming transfer market will find him playing for another club, we don’t know which one yet as the talks are starting.

      “It’s very likely that Alexis will be playing in another team in the summer.”
      Mac Allister joined Brighton from South American side Argentinos Juniors for £7million in 2019 on a four-and-a-half-year deal.
      He agreed a 12-month contract extension in October, meaning his current deal expires in June 2025.
      Brighton also have the option of extending his contract for another year. More

    • 263 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Real Madrid fuming as ‘disaster’ ref Luka Modric called ‘one of worst ever’ will be in charge of crunch Chelsea showdown

      by

      A REFEREE Luka Modric has labelled a “disaster” has been put in charge of Real Madrid’s second-leg clash against Chelsea. Daniele Orsato will be the official at Stamford Bridge tomorrow for the huge Champions League quarter-final game.
      Daniele Orsato has refereed many high-profile matches at club and international levelCredit: Rex
      Luca Modric has been outspoken on his views on Orsato previouslyCredit: Rex
      Madrid hold a two goal lead after beating Chelsea at the Bernabeu and will be looking to get the job done.
      But the Mail report there is “panic” from Madrid at the decision to appoint Orsato to the role given club grievances with him before.
      Modric has been the most critical of the Italian ref after taking issue with his officiating in last year’s World Cup semi-final between Croatia and Argentina.
      The Croatian midfielder felt that his country should have been given a corner shortly before Argentina went up the other end and won a penalty which Modric also thought was unjust.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      The Real Madrid star, 37, said: “It’s a key moment in the game, he doesn’t give us a corner and he whistles a penalty, which wasn’t for me, because he shoots and collides with our goalkeeper.
      “I can’t believe he whistled that penalty. That changes the game.

      “I never talk about referees, but today it’s impossible not to talk. He’s one of the worst I know.
      “Not only because of today’s game. He’s whistled me many times and I never have a good memory of him. He’s a disaster.”
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST FOOTBALL BETTING SITES IN THE UK
      Orsato also wound up Real Madrid when he officiated their first-leg last 16 Champions League defeat in 2020.
      Sergio Ramos was sent off late on for dragging back Gabriel Jesus and City won a penalty when Dani Carvajal took down Sergio Ramos.
      But Orsato was also in charge of Real Madrid’s dramatic extra-time win over Manchester City in last year’s Champions League’s semi-finals and awarded them a penalty.
      In total the ref has officiated seven Madrid games with Los Blancos winning three and losing four.
      The Spanish club will be favourites for the game regardless of the referee with struggling Chelsea without a win in six. More

    • 188 Shares149 Views

      in Soccer

      Mason Greenwood’s potential new club revealed as European giants ‘show interest’ in Man Utd star

      by

      MASON Greenwood’s potential new club has been revealed – with a major Serie A team “showing interest” in the Man United star.Greenwood, 21, hasn’t played for his current club Manchester United since his arrest in January 2022.
      Greenwood hasn’t played for his club in over a year
      The striker had attempted rape charges against him dropped earlier this year but his team is carrying out its own investigation.
      He will remain suspended until the end of the 2022/23 Premier League season, according to reports.
      All charges against the footballer, including attempted rape, actual bodily harm and coercive or controlling behaviour, were withdrawn by the Crown Prosecution Service earlier this month.
      It came after 12 witnesses, including the woman at the centre of the allegations, refused to co-operate.
      MORE ON GREENWOOD
      The club has reportedly rejected several offers from Turkish clubs for the player.
      And now it’s been revealed that AC Milan has been making inquiries about the striker.
      The club reportedly appreciate the “technical ability” of the 21-year-old.
      If Greenwood does leave United, his shirt number will be up for grabs – and one player is primed to take it
      Most read in Football
      The Express reports that Brazilian star Antony could inherit the shirt.
      Antony has struggled since moving to Old Trafford last summer, with three goals and no assists from 17 league matches.
      A new shirt could help Antony find the form which has eluded him so far this season.
      Greenwood, who earns around £100,000 a week and is contracted until 2025, is still unable to play for United or train while the Red Devils carry out an internal probe.

      This is said to involve interviews to get his version of events and checks on his physical and mental health.
      Manager Erik Ten Hag hopes this process will be complete before the summer but it cannot be confirmed, it is understood.
      Prior to his arrest, Greenwood was valued at around £50million and regarded as one of European football’s hottest young talents.
      But United’s women’s players reportedly don’t want him to return to the club.
      According to reports in The Athletic, “the feeling is strong” amongst the team that he should be let go – and is shared by some in the men’s dressing room.
      Read More on The Sun
      Fans are also said to be uncertain about his return.
      Greenwood, who was dropped from a multi-million pound boot deal by Nike following his arrest, has made 129 appearances for United, scoring 35 goals and winning one England cap. More

    • 200 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Arsenal fan Laura Woods mercilessly trolls Jamie O’Hara as ex-Tottenham man’s ‘apple crumble’ gag fails miserably

      by

      ARSENAL fan and talkSPORT presenter Laura Woods mocked colleague Jamie O’Hara after his failed “apple crumble” gag.The Gunners spurned a two-goal lead for the second week in a row on Sunday as they drew 2-2 with West Ham at the London Stadium.
      Laura Woods got her own back on Jamie O’HaraCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Jamie O’Hara got his desserts all wrongCredit: The Sun
      Arsenal’s dropped points came 24 hours after Manchester City beat Leicester 3-1 at the Etihad.
      And it means Pep Guardiola’s side are just four points adrift of the league leaders with a game in hand and a home match against Mikel Arteta’s men on April 26.
      O’Hara, whose Spurs side lost 3-2 to Bournemouth on Saturday, poked fun at Arsenal by posting a picture of an apple crumble on social media.
      However, he actually ended up sharing an image of an apple pie – which left Woods in stitches.
      READ MORE ON LAURA WOODS

      Speaking on The Sports Breakfast, she said: “My favourite moment from the weekend was that he [O’Hara] sent me a DM about Arsenal’s performances, forgetting that I watch football and understand what happened to Spurs as well.
      “Then I went on to his Twitter page, loads of people tagged me in this, what he meant to do was post a photo of an apple crumble, right? To say that Arsenal are crumbling. But he didn’t – he just put a pie up.
      “So there’s just a piece of pie. Come on, Jamie. You can’t even get that right! It wasn’t even a crumble, come on, Jamie! Bless him.”
      O’Hara, who has watched Spurs’ rivals Arsenal far outperform his side this season, then came on to the show and had his say.
      Most read in Football
      BETTING SPECIAL – BEST FOOTBALL BETTING SITES IN THE UK
      The ex-Spurs man gloated: “Arsenal crumbled, didn’t they Laura? I’m sitting here sipping on Arsenal’s tears! It’s a good day, Laura. It’s a good day.”
      When Woods pointed out that O’Hara was quick to mention Arsenal rather than his beloved Spurs, he added: “Of course I’m going to bring Arsenal up, why would I want to talk about Tottenham? Tottenham’s season is over! Let’s talk about your mob who have crumbled.”
      Carrying on the back and forth, Woods replied: “Speaking of crumble, do you know how to identify a crumble yet, or are you still putting pies on social media?
      “You had one job to get that right, Jamie, and you put a pie on instead of an apple crumble. What are you like?!”
      But O’Hara, who played 56 times for Spurs, refused to be drawn in by Woods, saying: “I’m in so many Arsenal people’s heads and I’m loving every minute of it.
      “I said it all along, they will fall apart by the end of the season. The pressure will get to them and it has.”
      Woods snapped back: “Arsenal are still top of the league. You couldn’t even beat Bournemouth over two games, home and away.
      “You let leads go left, right and centre. Yes, Arsenal are doing it. I won’t defend that at the weekend because I thought it was very poor, but the fact that the best thing in your life at the moment is Arsenal losing while they’re still top of the league says a lot about your sorry little attitude.”
      O’Hara responded: “It’s so good. I’ve got the fishing rod out and even Woody’s got a bite on it, whey!”
      Read More on The Sun
      Before Woods finished the hilarious conversation by saying: “Number one thing that makes Jamie happy in his life is nothing to do with his personal life, his family or anything like that. It’s Arsenal falling away and getting under Laura Woods’ skin!”
      Despite drawing their last two games, Arsenal can still move seven points clear of Man City with a win at home to Southampton on Friday. More

    • 200 Shares169 Views

      in Soccer

      What Boehly told Chelsea flops in hour-long dressing-room rant as he singled out ‘disillusioned’ big-money signing

      by

      TODD BOEHLY reportedly tore into Chelsea’s flops during an explosive hour-long rant after the Brighton defeat.Co-owner Boehly splashed out £4.25billion to buy the club from Roman Abramovich last May and a further £600million on new signings in his first season.
      Todd Boehly let rip at the Chelsea flops after the defeat by BrightonCredit: Alamy
      The Blues were outplayed by the Seagulls before getting a hammering from BoehlyCredit: Getty
      However, it has not paid off yet with the Blues, currently way down in 11th in the Premier League, on to a third manager of the campaign in interim boss Frank Lampard.
      Boehly was pictured gesticulating and appearing to argue with frustrated fans from the directors’ box during Saturday’s 2-1 loss at home to Brighton – a third defeat out of three for Lamps.
      And after the game, the American billionaire went down into the dressing room at Stamford Bridge for a full 60 minutes alongside co-owners Behdad Eghbali and fellow board member Hansjorg Wyss.
      As reported by The Telegraph, the trio made their feelings known after Lampard had addressed the squad.
      READ MORE ON CHELSEA

      Boehly allegedly labelled the current struggles as “embarrassing”, falling well short of the standards and expectations of the board and insisted they had spent big in the transfer market in order to win trophies.
      According to The Guardian, one senior player – signed for a big fee in the last 12 months – is said to have been singled out by Boehly, with that star allegedly feeling disillusioned and disgruntled.
      One source told The Guardian the “whole thing was weird” but Lampard and No1 Kepa Arrizabalaga tried to play it down.
      Interim boss Lampard said: “I’m comfortable with Boehly entering the dressing room.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
      “There was criticism of our old owner not coming to games, that wasn’t always true.
      “But when an owner is very invested it’s their prerogative to have the input they want, it shows passion.”
      Kepa added: “Todd comes to the changing room in every game. He had different chats with us after different games.
      “I am not going to say what he said. It is normal when he came.”
      It is understood the co-owner did end his speech a positive note, though, trying to motivate the players ahead of the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid.
      Frank Lampard has lost all three of his matches in charge since returning as interim bossCredit: Getty
      The Blues were reportedly told the current situation is ’embarrassing’Credit: Reuters
      Chelsea trail 2-0 – despite the owner boldly predicting a 3-0 win in the Bernabeu – going into tomorrow’s return fixture at Stamford Bridge.
      Boehly told the underperforming players that dumping out the holders is their chance to keep the season alive, stop the rot and give the fans something to cheer at long last.
      While the hands-on approach shows Boehly and Eghbali are taking their ownership seriously there is no doubt that, barring a miracle in Europe, this first season will be a major failure.
      The eye-watering outlay on players and dismissal of two head coaches will only worsen the financial situation, too.
      Missing out on European football will further compound the issues, with the Blues reporting losses of £121.3m for 2021-22 and £274m across the last two campaigns.
      Read More on The Sun
      That has prompted a Stamford Bridge panic with pressure mounting on Boehly to cut the losses and balance the books or risk Financial Fair Play sanctions.
      As a result, as many as eight first-team players including Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic could be sold in the summer – while N’Golo Kante is at risk of being released as a free agent.
      Boehly was spotted seemingly arguing with disgruntled Chelsea fansCredit: Getty
      Chelsea must beat Real Madrid to have any chance of saving their seasonCredit: AFP More

    • 163 Shares119 Views

      in Soccer

      What happened to ex Newcastle striker Demba Ba and where is he now?

      by

      DEMBA Ba played for three Premier League clubs and was a proven goal scorer in England’s top flight.Here, we look at his football career, and where he is now after retiring.
      Demba Ba played for West Ham, Newcastle and Chelsea during his time in the Premier League
      Who did Demba Ba play for?
      Demba Ba is a Senegalese former professional footballer who played as a striker.
      Ba’s first stint in the Premier League was for West Ham, joining in January 2011 with the Hammers struggling against relegation.
      He scored seven goals in 12 league appearances for the club, including braces away at West Brom and Wigan, but he could not prevent them from the drop.
      Due to a clause in his contract, he was allowed to leave on a free at the end of the season.
      READ MORE ON NEWCASTLE
      Newcastle ended up signing Ba on a free transfer in 2011, and he quickly made a name for himself as a deadly finisher.
      Hattricks at home to Blackburn and away to Stoke helped Ba to eight goals in his first 11 league appearances for the club.
      He scored home and away against Manchester United that season, including a spectacular finish in a 3-0 at St James Park in January 2012.
      Ba helped Newcastle to an impressive fifth place finish, their highest since 2004.
      Most read in Football
      The following season saw Ba continue his good scoring form, with 13 league goals in just 20 league games.
      Ba moved to Chelsea in January 2013 for a fee of £7million.
      He scored two goals on his debut in a 5-1 win against Southampton at St Mary’s in the FA Cup.
      He then scored his first league goal for the club against the same opponents at Stamford Bridge, this time a 2-2 draw.
      Ba scored a stunning acrobatic in the FA Cup quarter final replay against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, helping the Blues to a 1-0 win.
      He also scored a stunning goal, this time an overhead kick, in the 2013 semi final, but couldn’t prevent Chelsea from losing 2-1 to Manchester City at Wembley.
      Chelsea won the 2013 Europa League after a 2-1 win against Benfica in the final, but Ba was not involved and didn’t receive a medal as he was cup-tied, having played for Newcastle earlier in the tournament.
      The following season saw the arrival of Jose Mourinho for a second spell as Chelsea manager, and Ba struggled for game time.
      However, he did chip in with a number of vital goals during the 2013/14 season.
      This included a vital late winner against Paris Saint-Germain at Stamford Bridge that sent Chelsea through to the Champions League semi final on away goals, as well as a goal against Anfield against Liverpool, best remembered for the Steven Gerrard slip beforehand.
      Ba wanted to stay at Chelsea, but the arrival of star striker Diego Costa signalled the end of his time at Stamford Bridge.
      What happened to Demba Ba?
      Ba joined Turkish side Besiktas for the 2014/15 season.
      He came close to scoring against Arsenal with a spectacular effort during the Champions League qualifiers, with his attempt from the halfway line tipped onto the bar by Wojciech Szczesny.
      He was able score 18 league goals in his first season, but was soon on the move again, this time to Shanghai Shenhua in China.
      Ba suffered a broken leg during his second season with the club, which some suggested could have ended his professional career.
      Nevertheless, his surgery was successful and he returned to competitive action.
      Ba re-joined Besiktas on loan in January 2017, helping them to win the league title.
      After a short spell with Turkish club Goztepe S.K. in 2018, he returned to Shanghai.
      After returning to Turkey once again, this time with Istanbul Basaksehir, Ba won the second Turkish league title of his career, scoring 13 league goals as the team pipped Trabzonspor to the post by four points.
      His second season saw him score only five league goals, but he did score a famous goal in the Champions League, in a 2-1 win against Manchester United.
      Ba joined FC Lugano in the Swiss Super League, but retired in September 2021 after playing just three times for the club.
      Where is Demba Ba now?
      Since retiring, Ba has worked as chairman of North American football team Albion San Diego.
      He was previously part owner of San Diego 1904, a team he founded with other footballers such as Eden Hazard.
      This team merged with Albion San Diego after they lost a major source of financing during the Covid-19 pandemic.
      Read More on The Sun
      In 2021, he was asked by Ralf Rangnick to join him on the coaching staff at Manchester United, during his interim spell in charge there.
      However, his Visa was not accepted and he was not able to join. More