Powerful acceptance speech for best male player at CAF awards matched specially designed agbada for occasion Ademola Lookman couldn’t help reminiscing on Monday night. Crowned best male player at the Confederation of African Football’s award ceremony in Marrakech, thanks in large part to his stunning hat-trick for Atalanta in May’s Europa League final, the Nigeria forward’s acceptance speech referred to one of the lowest moments of his career. It came while Lookman was on a season-long loan at Fulham from RB Leipzig in November 2020 and during injury time of a televised Premier League game against West Ham at the London Stadium. Trailing to a late goal from Tomas Soucek, the visitors were awarded a penalty in the final seconds and Lookman stepped up to take it – only to see his weak Panenka chip loop straight into the arms of Lukasz Fabianski. “I couldn’t even describe the devastation,” Lookman told the Guardian in an interview a few months later. Continue reading...

Goals from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen gave West Ham a crucial win to increase the pressure on Gary O’Neil Peeeeeeeeeeep! Play gets underway, as bubbles float gently across the pitch. The teams are out! West Ham in their claret and blue, Wolves in their old gold. It’s nice not to see the two teams are they are meant to be. Continue reading...

Pitted against the incompetence of Wolves’ defending, the mediocrity of West Ham’s performance was not enough to bring about the end of Julen Lopetegui’s unhappy reign. Instead it is likely to be Gary O’Neil looking for a new job after his side were beaten by avoidable goals from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen. Wolves, who have the worst defensive record in the top flight, were on for a point when Matt Doherty equalised. Their inability to defend is why they are in trouble, though. It allowed West Ham to win it for Michail Antonio. This was bound to be a night of heightened emotions after the horror of Antonio’s car crash on Saturday. Although the forward survived, fans cannot help but wonder if he will ever play again after having surgery on a broken leg and it was difficult to know if the shock would affect West Ham’s focus. Continue reading...