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Newcastle United have completed the signing of Senegal international Demba Ba from West Ham on a three-year deal.Ba, 26, only joined West Ham from Hoffenheim in January this year, netting seven goals in 13 appearances for the club.

West Ham’s relegation to the Championship triggered a release clause in the striker’s contract, allowing him to speak to other clubs, with Newcastle winning the race to his signature.

“Demba made a great impression with West Ham last season and is a great signing for this club,” Newcastle manager Alan Pardew said.

“He has pace, excellent technical ability, is good in the air and – it goes without saying – has the ability to consistently find the back of the net. Moreover, he has a great passion to play for Newcastle United.”

The signing of Ba comes just a day after the England Premier League club’s captain Kevin Nolan moved in the opposite direction, joining West Ham on a five-year deal.

After briefly spending time with Watford as a youth player, Ba made his first professional appearance for Rouen in France, before joining Mouscron and then Hoffenheim.

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He made his Senegal debut in 2007 and has scored three goals in 10 international appearances.

We’re far enough into the season now that we can begin to evaluate which signings have worked for which teams and which new recruits haven’t quite made the grade. Of course, foreign players often need time to adjust and establish themselves in the Premier League, so any criticism of players thus far should be viewed in that light. Arsene Wenger made three major signings over the summer – two defenders and one striker. Wenger’s a man renowned for his player knowledge and his eye for a good signing. Are this summer’s signings further evidence of his genius?

Sebastien Squillaci

Arsenal picked up Squillaci for about £3 million this summer after their defender exodus saw them in need of cover in defensive areas. At the moment he seems to be the third choice centre-back, but with Vermaelen sidelined by a troublesome injury, Squillaci has had plenty of game time so far this season. Squillaci has all the qualities required from a defender at the top level. He’s strong in the air, powerful and good in one-on-one situations. More importantly for Arsenal, he’s 30 years old and has been around the block with Monaco, Lyon and Sevilla and can provide the Gunners with something they are often claimed to lack: experience. This comes across in his calm and measure performances on the pitch. Apart from a mistake against Chelsea, Squillaci hasn’t put a foot wrong. As covering defenders go, Squillaci has been a good signing for Arsenal.

Laurent Koscielny

More impressive still has been Laurent Koscielny. Arsenal picked up the French defender (of Polish descent) for £8.45 million this summer. So far he’s proved to be worth every penny. When Vermaelen returns from injury it’s likely that Koscielny, not Squillaci or Djourou will partner him in the centre of defence. Koscielny may not be the speediest centre-back, but he has a good positional sense, reads the game well and always seems to be there to put in a last ditch tackle. There may be some concerns regarding his discipline having picked up two red cards so early on in the season, but neither of them were for particularly dirty tackles. As he adapts to the league he’ll learn to be more cautious and avoid unnecessary punishment.

Marouane Chamakh

But Wenger’s star summer signing has to be Marouane Chamakh. It’s better still considering that he was picked up on a free transfer. After 18 appearances this season, Chamakh has 8 goals and 5 assists – very healthy figures. It’s not just the statistics that impress though. Chamakh has a great work rate, tracks back and works hard to link up the play. Van Persie’s injury may have thrust him into the spotlight a little earlier than Wenger planned, but he hasn’t gone missing. Could this be the 20+ goals-per-season striker that Arsenal have been missing for the last couple of seasons? If he keeps working hard, it doesn’t just seem possible – it seems probable. There’s also the mouth-watering prospect of a striking partnership between him and a fully-fit Robin van Persie. The signs are very good.

So that’s three good signings by Wenger. No surprise there. The main surprise when the transfer window closed was that Wenger didn’t bring in a new goalkeeper. Yet Fabianski is improving game-by-game and if he can cut out the costly mistakes, he could be a real prospect. Arsenal are currently second in the Premier League table. These new signings have played a big part in making this happen.

If you’re interested and want to hear more feel free to follow me on Twitter, where you can also keep up to date with the Arsenal news!

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Sam Allardyce says Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford does not deserve criticism, and quashes any claims of a bust up on the training ground.

Speaking ahead of the Blues’ clash with Brighton on Saturday, Allardyce said Pickford has been one of Everton’s “most consistent and outstanding” players this season, after the goalkeeper came under fire for his performance in the defeat at Burnley.

The 24 year-old England international made a fantastic save to deny a first half header from Ashley Barnes, but was beaten by the same man in the second half when he failed to come out and clear a long ball. Pickford was then crowded out at a Burnley corner, allowing Chris Wood to score the winner.

“There many mistakes before that one that should have been alleviated to not put Jordan in that position of whether he should have been farther out or not,” Allardyce said, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.

“If he’s made a mistake it’s not really that big a mistake, there were bigger mistakes made before that, that allowed Ashley Barnes to get in.

“So the responsibility lay in front of him a lot more and, let’s face it, he’s been one of our most consistent and outstanding players this year.”

Big Sam also disputed claims from Jamie Carragher that there may be conflict behind the scenes at Everton, after the pundit said he would have throttled Idrissa Gueye for sprinting to confront Pickford after the first goal.

“It’s not nice when it’s on the field of play,” admitted the Blues boss.

“But everybody today, in our politically correct world, think that then there is a real problem and escalate that into a problem.

“That isn’t a problem, that is someone airing their frustration in the right way, as long as it doesn’t go beyond that as a short, sharp burst.”

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Everton will welcome a return home to Goodison Park on Saturday when they face Brighton, after some torrid away results. However, Brighton will be full of confidence after last weekend’s win against Arsenal.

Everton fans, do you think you can beat Brighton on Saturday? Let us know in the comments below…

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The Championship is one of the most exciting leagues in the world. In every second tier of football around the world, nothing can beat the feeling of gaining promotion to the Premier League in England. Also, with an estimated £80m up for grabs by going up via the play-offs, lifting that trophy at Wembley, whether you’re experiencing as a player of watching in the stands, is one of the best moments in football.

Currently, Derby County occupy top spot, but the way this league has gone in the past few years, anyone in the top half of the table could potentially reach that all important automatic promotion spot. At the moment, Brentford in sixth could quite easily go into second in one matchday weekend if results go their way. Two weeks ago, Norwich City where sitting pretty at the top of the pack, now they have fallen like a stone and sit in 10th place, six points off the top – that’s how tight and punishing this league can be. Looking at the current squad and the experience of manager Steve McClaren, the Rams don’t look like slipping up anytime soon, and the recent 5-0 demolishion of fellow promotion chasers Wolves proved that.

So are the Pride Park outfit certain for promotion. Again, the way the league is, and has been for many years, anything could happen, and before you know it, Derby could find themselves scrapping at the wrong end of the table. With the squad in good shape, and players who know this league inside out, a blip during the season will not likely result in finishing in the bottom half. The severity will not be that high.

The current crop of players are good enough to perform at the highest level. England under-21 international Will Hughes is one of the most talented young midfielders in the country, and will eventually play regularly in the Premier League. Whether it’s for the club that brought him into the footballing world is a different matter.

Craig Bryson, who was voted Derby’s player of the season in the last campaign, was one of many to experience the heartache of last year’s agonising play-off final defeat at the hands of QPR. However, like Hughes, Bryson is another bright spark who can turn defence into attack in a blink of an eye, a trait that is often used at the top level. Forwards Jamie Ward and Jonny Russell have the pace and sprinting speed to cause havoc to the opposition defence, while Chris Martin, who has played in the Premier League with Norwich City, is deadly in front of goal.

Having a top gaffer in McClaren is also a fantastic asset. Yes, many will keep reminding him of his unsuccessful as the man in charge of the Three Lions, however, spending a couple of seasons abroad with FC Twente has helped become a better man manager and is now proving doubters wrong. With the intrigue and excitement of the Championship, Derby’s experience across the board at this level will be too strong for other teams and promotions should definitely be in sight by the end of the season.

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As we near the half-way point of the season, the Premier League table is starting to take shape and pressure will start to grow on the managers who are under-performing. However, those who have done well are earning their rightful praise, but who do you think has been the manager of the season so far?

As seems to be the case every year, David Moyes is once again working wonders at Everton. While the Toffees have stuttered a bit recently, having won just once in the last six, they are unbeaten in the last five and find themselves sixth in the table, just two points off Tottenham and a place in the top four.

One of the surprise packages of the season have been West Bromwich Albion, with Steve Clarke doing well in his first season at the helm at the Hawthorns. West Brom are equal with Everton in seventh place in the Premier League table and while they haven’t won in the last four in the league, the Baggies should be really proud of their achievements so far.

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A manager of the season shortlist wouldn’t be complete without the inclusion of Sir Alex Ferguson. The experienced Scot has again taken Manchester United to the top of the Premier League table, six points ahead of rivals City and looking good for another domestic crown. The Red Devils’ squad may not be as strong as some previous title-winning sides, but Fergie still manages to get the best out of them.

Who do you think the Manager of the Season has been? Have your say by Tweeting @RNRFootball with your choice of manager and the hashtag #TellWrighty

Wolves made a storming return to Premier League football last season as they romped to success in the Championship under manager Nuno Santo.

The Molineux outfit are hoping to become a top flight force following that promotion, and will be keen to add plenty of new players this summer as they seek to cement themselves as a key player in and among the top flight giants.

Money will not be a problem for the big spending Midlanders, and manager Santo will no doubt have a keen eye on some potential signings already.

Indeed, our landlord her in the Tavern thinks that the spending will soon begin for Wolves, and one player he thinks would be a good addition is Icelandic World Cup star Alfred Finnbogason, who has seriously impressed for the World Cup newcomers this summer.

Finbogason has gotten himself on the scoresheet, and despite seeing his county crash out in the groups, his performances were impressive to say the least.

12 goals last season for German club Augsburg should also not go unnoticed, and valued at only £10m by Transfermarkt, he could well be a superb addition for the Molineux club.

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Wolves have a history of signing Scandinavian players, and Finnbogason could well be the next in line to join that tradition.

Wolves fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know in the comments!

West Ham United sit 13th in the Premier League table following Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Liverpool.

On the face of it, 13th does not sound bad, but the Hammers are only three points clear of the relegation zone ahead of a massive match against Swansea City this weekend.

A number of West Ham players faced criticism from the fans following the defeat at Liverpool, and James Collins was among those to receive abuse.

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That led to former West Ham attacker Matthew Etherington taking to Twitter to defend the 34-year-old, who has been a regular for the Hammers in recent weeks.

Collins will see his current deal at the London Stadium expire this summer, and as it stands, there have been no talks over an extension.

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The veteran centre-back faced criticism on social media following the Liverpool defeat, but the West Ham fans have again shown their respect for the former Wales international in response to Etherington’s tweet.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Everyone’s favourite American import, other than syrup on pancakes, is here in the shape of Halloween. As we gear up for annoying kids pestering us for ‘candy’ all evening, let’s take our mind off of the constant interruptions of Friday night our telly with a look through this scary XI…

Any we missed? Drop your best suggestions in the comment section beloooooooooooow.

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CLICK ON HELL-AND ROAD TO REVEAL OUR XI

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Off the pitch…

Manager – Neil Warlock (Neil Warnock)         Chairman – Grave Whelan (Dave Whelan)        Stadium – Hell-and Road (Elland Road)

GK – Thibaut Court-arghhh (Thibaut Courtois)

In ghoul we have Coourtois, whose presence can scare almost any striker.

DF – Satan Baines (Leighton Baines)

Devilishly good at left-back, it’s Baines

DF – Ledley Pumpkin-g (Ledley King)

A pumpkin may have more mobility than King…

DF – Tony Addams Family (Tony Adams)

Not easy to watch… it’s Adams

DF – Per Murder-sacker (Per Mertesacker)

One way to stop attackers… it’s Mertesacker

MF – Mesut Ooooooooo-zil (Mesut Ozil)

His form has been scarily bad… it’s Ozil

MF – Frank-enstein Lampard (Frank Lampard)

Lampard can doctor our midfield…

MF – Jack-o-lantern Wilshere (Jack Wilshere)

Lighting up attacks, it’s Wilshere

MF – Charles N’Zombie-a (Charles N’Zogbia)

Back from the dead, it’s N’Zogbia

ST – Roberto Skull-dado (Roberto Soldado)

Well Spurs fans have been calling him a numbskull for a while!

ST – Ricky van Ware-wolfswinkel (Ricky van Wolfswinkel)

Transforming from promising striker to Norwich flop it’s Van Wolfswinkel

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BENCH FOLLOWs…

Bench

Casper Schmeichel (Kasper Schmeichel)

Olof Hell-berg (Olof Mellberg)

Pablo Stabaleta (Pablo Zabaleta)

Rasmus Nightmare on Elm St. (Rasmus Elm)

Sunspooky Nakamura (Shunsuke Nakamura)

Robert Vam-Pires (Robert Pires)

Zlatan Ibrahimo-witch (Zlatan Ibrahimovic)

Arsene Wenger is reportedly ready to scrap his transfer philosophy of signing young players for Arsenal by making a shock move for Chelsea’s Frank Lampard.

The Blue’s midfield legend is in the last year of his contract at the club and new manager Rafa Benitez has revealed the player will be free to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.

Signing Lampard, 34, would be going against Wenger’s usual preference of looking to sign and develop stars for the future rather than those who have already reached their peak.

Lampard has been subject of rumours linking him with a move to LA Galaxy but the England international is reported to be keen on staying in Europe.

With the midfielder able to move on for free in the summer, Wenger will be weighing up the decision of whether to make a cash offer to Chelsea for him in January in a bid to prize him away early.

Arsenals miserable start to their Premier League campaign sees them in 10th position in the table and Wenger has fallen under increased pressure to turn the clubs fortunes around.

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The Frenchman has also been heavily linked with moves for strikers Klaas-Jan Huntelaar of Schalke, and Atletico Madrid’s Adrian Lopez, as well as Everton midfield Marouanne Fellaini amongst others.

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Manchester United have been offered Marco Verratti plus cash for Paul Pogba this summer, according to The Sun.

What’s the story, then?

The Sun report that have taken a chance and enquired about the availability of United’s club-record signing, who is currently at the World Cup with his native France.

They also claim that Verratti was on the verge of signing a new contract worth £9m per year but the French champions are now willing to listen to offers – including cash only ones – for the Italian international.

They add that there is no indication as yet of whether United are willing to let Pogba leave this summer.

Is this the best World Cup ever? Give us your thoughts here and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.

This is the perfect solution for Mourinho

It is becoming increasingly clear that Mourinho thought he was getting a Michael Essien-style midfielder in Pogba, who lacks the positional discipline to play in a midfield duo, preferring to play further forward instead.

The issue is recouping the bumper transfer fee United paid for the French international and using it efficiently to sign a replacement, but that would be eradicated by a swap deal for Verratti.

If PSG are willing to give United some cash as well, then the deal would be even sweeter; allowing Pogba to return to France, ending his awkward marriage of convenience with Mourinho and procuring an elite replacement in one swoop.

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