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It’s easy for a goalkeeper down the pecking order at a club to be forgotten about and that seems to be exactly the case with Birmingham stopper Tomasz Kuszczak.

The 37-year-old hasn’t played a single game this term and only managed ten appearances in 2017/18 too. As a result, supporters of the Blues responded to the club’s tweet wishing him a happy birthday on Wednesday by questioning where he’d actually got to.

Some of the response was extremely sarcastic as one fan said he’d had a great season whilst another asked whether he was still locked in a cupboard.

Many fans claimed they weren’t even aware he was still at St Andrews, forgetting he existed altogether.

One supporter was rather more brutal, thankful that the 6 foot 3 shot-stopper’s contract is up at the end of the season.

But there was at least one positive response for Kuszczak with an individual saying he was better than Lee Camp, the current number one.

Here’s the best of the reaction.

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Sheffield United have confirmed that their manager Chris Wilder has been awarded the February edition of the Manager of the Month award by the EFL.

The Blades have certainly been in fine form recently. Throughout February, Wilder’s side played five matches, all in the Championship. They went unbeaten throughout this period, first beating strugglers Bolton Wanderers 2-0 at Bramall Lane, then came a dramatic 3-3 draw with Aston Villa, followed by a 1-0 triumphs over fellow promotion-chasers West Brom and Middlesbrough and a 4-0 thumping of Reading.

Did Chris Wilder get it wrong in the Steel City derby? Check out the thoughts of Ingood Nick below…

13 points from five games is exactly the kind of form the Blades will need to maintain for the rest of the campaign if they’re to beat the likes of Norwich City and Leeds United to the title. Certainly, that consistent run of good results was impressive enough to earn Wilder this accolade. 

After the announcement, plenty of United fans took to Twitter to congratulate the head coach on his award…

Southampton have been one of the Premier Leagues under-achievers yet again this season.

Currently sitting 17th only two points above the relegation zone, Ralph Hasenhüttl must learn from previous managers mistakes and look to buy in the summer. For a while now, the Saints have been in desperate need for a major overhaul and, pending Premier League survival, the Austrian manager is surely the best man to trust with one of the most important summers in the club’s history.

So, with all that in mind, here’s a look at some possibilities.

Kevin Malcuit 

The 27-year-old right back could end up being the perfect replacement for Cedric, who left St. Mary’s for a move to Serie A. After Southampton were made to bring up some youth from their academy to fill the space they have looked shaky at the back which has led to them being in the position that they are in.

The French defender has been an on-off feature for Napoli this season, however when picked he is playing for the full 90 minutes.

With the lack of consecutive games, this could be the perfect opportunity for the Saints to swoop in and buy the experienced defender, in a bid to shore up their defence for next season.

Ollie Watkins 

Ollie Watkins has been one of Brentford’s key men this season in the Championship, chipping in with 9 goals and 7 assists in 28 appearances. Looking down at the wingers in the Southampton ranks none have compared to Watkins, which is a good indicator to the manager that they should try and pursue the 23-year-old in the summer.

If the Saints were to welcome Watkins into the side during the window, it could have a knock-on effect and really hit players like Nathan Redmond and Mohamed Elyounoussi to begin performing back to their best, which the manager and fans alike can only dream of having.

If Ralph Hasenhüttl can manage to bring in some of these new faces and sure up some areas in the field, there this is no doubt that Southampton can back to where they used to be and challenge in the top half of the table again.

Electronic Arts have teamed up with adidas and French boot designer Pierre Navarro to create a series of bespoke boots for some of the Premier League’s biggest names, to commemorate the release of the video game ‘Anthem’.

Players such as Jesse Lingard, Kasper Schmeichel, Felipe Anderson and Erik Lamela will be wearing the exclusive range of Anthem-themed boots, with each design based on their playing style and referencing the ‘Javelin Suit’ which best represents them from the game.

Lingard’s boots will be ‘Storm’ themed, stating that he is a ‘specialist in inflicting damage from distance’, whilst Lamela will be wearing the ‘Ranger’ boot, a piece of footwear that an ‘all-rounder that has strong defence and attack’ would wear.

Furthermore, Leicester stopper Schmeichel will be wearing the ‘Colossus’ boot to showcase his ‘commanding of the combat area’ whereas Anderson shall wear the ‘Interceptor’, a boot for the ‘most agile, equipped with lightning-fast speed’.

The man behind the designs, Navarro, who has worked with players such as Romelu Lukaku, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Antoine Griezmann, said from his studio in La Rochelle, France: “It has been a wonderful experience to be able to draw inspiration from the colours and beautiful world of Anthem and the special powers of the Javelin suits. I hope the boots can help give the players superhuman powers on the pitch.”

Following on from that, Manchester United star Lingard said: “I love that these boots are completely unique to me. I’m into my fashion so to have bespoke boots is pretty special. I can’t wait to get out on the pitch to see whether I can deliver some damage from long-range like the Storm.”

The England international will wear his boots upon his return from injury, whilst Lamela and Anderson will wear them in Tottenham and West Ham’s games against Southampton and Cardiff respectively this weekend, giving fans something to look out for.

Lamela said: “This is the first time I have ever worn customised boots like this. I’m a big fan of gaming, as are many of my teammates, so to be part of launching a brand new game is really exciting. I can’t wait to unleash some firepower on the pitch and online in Anthem!”

Hammers attacker Anderson followed the Argentine’s statement up with: “I always try to play with speed and agility, so the Interceptor definitely suits me and my style. I love the bright green of the design. Hopefully it will dazzle my opponents when I’m running at them with the ball.”

Foxes keeper Schmeichel is set to wear his boots in Leicester’s upcoming game against Fulham, and had this to say: “Power and strength are key to any goalkeeper’s game so Colossus is a great fit for me.

“I always have loved bright boots as I feel they make me look bigger and more imposing in goal.”

Anthem is a brand-new IP from BioWare’s renowned team which launched worldwide on Feb 22, 2019. Anthem is a social, connected Action-RPG with cooperative multiplayer at its heart. Players customise an array of powered Javelin exosuits and team up to face a dangerous and ever-changing world through exploration and combat. Anthem is available worldwide NOW on Origin for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Order your copy at https://www.ea.com/en-gb/

games/anthem/buy.

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Leicester are one of a host of teams interested in Cardiff loanee Victor Camarasa, according to Spanish outlet Marca. But should the Foxes follow up their interest?

What’s the word?

Per Marca Leicester are one of four teams monitoring Camarasa, who has also attracted the eyes of Tottenham, Everton and West Ham.

The Spanish midfielder is currently on loan at Cardiff where he has been one of their most consistent performers in a difficult season for the Bluebirds.

Camarasa’s parent club is Real Betis, with whom he has a release clause in his contract of €24m (£20.5m). However, the La Liga club are willing to negotiate a deal of €15m (£12.8m).

According to Transfermarkt, his current value stands at £5.4m.

Alternative to Tielemans

Youri Tielemans is the signing Leicester fans want. He’s been a revelation since signing on loan for the club but Camarasa could act as a solid alternative if Brendan Rodgers chose not to make the Belgian’s move permanent.

In Tielemans, Leicester have finally found a ball carrier, someone capable of launching defence into attack. It’s an aspect they had missed greatly throughout the first half of the season under Claude Puel.

But the 24-year-old Spaniard boasts similar attributes and would have no trouble fitting into the style of play Leicester have.

He has the ability to arrive late in the penalty area and on the edge of the box, something which is evident in the five goals he’s produced from midfield this term. Also claiming three assists in 2018/19, his contribution in the attacking phase of play from a deeper role is something the Foxes could do with more of.

The midfielder is assured in possession and in a Leicester side who like to keep the ball he would fit the bill perfectly. Goals against Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea this campaign should also stand him in good stead for a move to a better club.

Tielemans would cost Leicester a considerable amount of money, in the region of a club-record £40m in fact, but Camarasa would ultimately provide them with a cheaper and more shrewd alternative.

Owen Hargreaves, the man who won it all but could have done so much more.

The tale of Owen Hargreaves is a mightily sad one. Indeed, it is the kind of story we know the start, the middle and the end to. The kind that still shocks us when we learn of the unrelenting tragedy that befalls the protagonist and prompts us to say ‘surely something has to go right for him now, no one can be this unlucky’. The kind where the main character comes out on top at the end, but loses a leg, two arms, one eye and an ear. A manifestation of the true meaning of the phrase ‘bittersweet’.

The Canadian-born sensation made his way into the spotlight as a teenager and under the bullish leadership of Bayern Munich’s Ottmar Hitzfeld, as well as some of the finest proponents of the beautiful game the nation had to offer, in Lothar Matthaus and Oliver Kahn, embarked on his journey to international stardom with typical German efficiency.

Hargreaves likely thought he had stepped into a new stratosphere when he signed for Manchester United in 2007, and he did…to an extent.

The midfielder etched his name into the history books when he scored the winner against Arsenal to send United cruising at the top of the table with a six-point lead, but it was his performance in the Champions League final that really had the Red Devils salivating.

The Englishman managed 120 minutes against Chelsea and had to composure to score Manchester United’s fourth penalty in the shootout. Hardly surprising given the time he spent in Germany.

Hargreaves had peaked.

A reoccurring knee problem described by a surgeon with 35 years of experience in the field as the worst he had ever seen (as per the Independent) saw him out of action until his departure in 2011, and though he experienced success with Manchester City, he retired at the age of 31.

Truly one of the greatest talents this country has seen, just one that was unfortunately marred by injury.

Andy Carroll, the perfect Sunday League forward, mammoth aerial presence, and former Liverpool flop, is quite literally on his last legs at West Ham United.

According to the Daily Mail, Manuel Pellegrini has cast serious doubt over the future of Andy Carroll admitting that the forward may have played his last game for the club following news of another injury.

The 30-year-old has only managed three Premier League starts this term and a total of 453 minutes, failing to find the back of the net in each.

Asked on the status of Carroll’s injury Pellegrini replied: ‘We don’t know. I cannot tell you. We need to wait for some medical examinations and then after that, we will know.’

He was quality; an absolute bully in the forward positions that no one had the answer to; a genuine option in the international setup; an English brute the likes of Germany, France and Spain could barely wrap their pure footballing heads around.

But for that very same reason, he needs to be left behind.

Andy Carroll harks back to a time teams are now trying to distance themselves from – lumping the ball up to the big man and seeing what he can do.

It is all about total football now; the slick, easy on the eye style of play inherited from continental powerhouses; the likes of Burnley trying to play like Barcelona in their prime.

Sam Allardyce is long gone now but his legacy lives on through the injury prone donkey that is Andy Carroll. When he inevitably leaves at the end of the year, the Hammers can take in a deep breath of fresh, progressive air, as the dark cloud of his era finally floats away.

West Ham fans, how positive is losing Andy Carroll for your future? Let us know in the comments below…

The arrival of promising Brendan Rodgers has opened new doors for Leicester City, waving away the doom and gloom of their previous employer.

It has been a sad old season for Leicester City fans who, week after week, watched their title-winning side amble, limp and collapse into absolute mediocrity under former boss Claude Puel.

The Frenchman’s painfully negative football was made even worse by the fact that he had one of the best sides on paper outside the top six – littered with quality young talent such as Ben Chilwell, Demarai Gray, Harvey Barnes, Hamza Choudhury, and James Maddison.

All complimented by the already established players in Jamie Vardy, Harry Maguire, Ricardo Pereira and co.

However, as good as this all is on paper – their extremely poor run of form in 2019 has made it increasingly obvious that they are in dire need of a booster.

A Moussa Marega shaped booster, according to Portuguese outlet Correio da Manha.

Porto’s star forward has been in scintillating form this season scoring 17 goals in 34 games in all competitions, including six in the Champions League.

As far as we are aware, Marega is an incredibly physical player gifted with pace, and though his technical game is a little questionable at times, he more than makes up for it with his ability in front of goal.

Of course, it is always going to be difficult to shake Jamie Vardy from the starting line-up, which is why Marega’s preferred role as a second striker is absolutely ideal.

The 27-year-old would make a far better alternative than current options Kelechi Iheanacho and Shinji Okazaki – that much we are sure of.

Leicester fans, do you think signing another striker should be your priority, and is Marega that man? Let us know in the comments below…

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Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to react after Dejan Lovren returned to training, having been out for over two months with a hamstring issue.

The Croatian international – a runner up at the World Cup – has endured a stuttering campaign so far for the Reds, making just 12 appearances in total as he has struggled for fitness and form.

Jurgen Klopp has gotten quite inventive with his excuses this season. FFC’s James Jones think he has no one but himself to blame for Liverpol’s poor form in the video below…

Despite his return to training, Lovren will find game-time hard to come by given the form of Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk in his absence.

The duo have combined to keep four successive clean sheets from their last four Premier League appearances for Liverpool, proving to be a rock-solid pairing who can at least keep the opposition at bay despite the Reds’ struggles to score at the other end.

Lovren’s fortunes are set to worsen as Jurgen Klopp expects to have Joe Gomez fit by the end of the month, so the 29-year-old former Southampton man could find himself as the fourth choice centre-back at Anfield.

But when James Pearce announced on Twitter that Lovren could make the bench on Sunday, the response from Liverpool fans was surprisingly negative…

كشفت تقارير صحفية إسبانية موقف ريال مدريد من الموافقة على رحيل الفرنسي رافاييل فاران، مدافع الفريق لـ مانشستر يونايتد، في نافذة الانتقالات الصيفية.

مانشستر يونايتد يريد تدعيم الخط الدفاعي بلاعب مميز، حيث وضع اسم مدافع منتخب فرنسا فاران، كمرشح أول لضمه في نهاية الموسم الحالي (طالع التفاصيل).

وبحسب صحيفة “ديفنسا سنترال” الإسبانية، فإن ريال مدريد لا ينوي السماح لـ فاران بالرحيل عن ريال مدريد.

وأوضحت الصحيفة أن المسؤولين في ريال مدريد لم يؤكدوا لهم أنهم سيقبلون أو يرفضون العرض، ولكن هُناك هدوء حول مستقبل فاران.

وأكدت الصحيفة أن النادي لا يرى أن فاران يُمكن أن يرحل ، حيث يعتقد المسؤولين أنه سيعتزل في ريال مدريد.

فاران من انضم إلى لينس الفرنسي بتوصية من زيدان في عام 2011، وبعد ذلك تم تصعيده للفريق الأول، ولديه عقد مع ريال مدريد حتى 30 يونيو 2022.