When it comes to West Ham United, striker signings can seem quite odd. The club has a propensity for throwing good money at bad strikers, leading to a fair few shocking buys over the last few years. One player who looks like he might break that curse, though, is Sebastian Haller. The former Eintracht Frankfurt man has enjoyed a strong career in Holland and in Germany; will that translate to the Premier League?

What makes him so special?

His exceptional all-around game. Quality in the air, a strong passer, and a solid finisher; there is not much that you would say that Haller has to work on to get better. For a team that needs to be able to link up its numerous attacking threats, his ability to play regular lay-offs and flick-ons should be essential to their lasting success as team.

Haller is a very impressive player, with his natural physicality ensuring that he can get involved in the build-up as well as get his team moving up the pitch. His natural finishing instinct, too, plays a major role in his ability to stand out so much in the attack. You can rely on him to get the ball to his teammates, but also to finish moves off.

Any concerns or doubts?

His biggest issue is one that you would not expect from a quick glance; Haller has a nasty habit of losing the ball when he should be able to hold it up. This can be an exercise in frustration for a lot of fans who watch him, as he has the technical and physical traits to be better at this side of his game. However, it’s not a major flaw; it’s something that he merely has to get better at over time.

For West Ham, though, Haller represents a striking package that should make a big difference to their ability to get goals.

Manchester United have had a rough time of it in the last few years. Since Alex Ferguson left, the club has been in a bit of a bind. Changing manager and transfer policy constantly has led to a bloated, imbalanced squad that has a lot of petulance at the top end. One name that might give a bit of hope to United fans, though, is Mason Greenwood.

Having already played last season and having scored in pre-season, Greenwood very much looks ready to step up and make a difference this year.

What makes him so special?

The thing that makes him stand out is his maturity and his quality for one so young. While many youngster are out with friends, or playing console or casino games Mason Greenwood was grafting away at the sport he loved. Despite being 17, he plays with a full view of the pitch and already shows an impressive range of technical prowess. He’s got excellent dribbling quality, he’s a crisp passer, and, as his goals in pre-season have shown, he’s not lacking in the finishing or confidence department either.

Greenwood shows a level of arrogance that you would want from a young player, but he’s not taking it too far. Already, he seems to have a good grasp of when to start and when to stop.

Any concerns or doubts?

It would be hard to say as he’s got so little first-team senior experience, but that would probably be the big challenge. With Romelu Lukaku seemingly on his way out of the club, it would be odd to see United playing with a strikeforce of Marcus Rashford and Greenwood.

While faith in two academy kids at a club like United would be very much a positive, it’s not something they could realistically rely upon. If Greenwood takes longer to adjust to the senior game than some might expect, it could hurt his development if United start stumbling. Overall, though, there isn’t much to worry about with this kid; mentally, he’s ahead of the curve. As stated, he’s an old head on young shoulders. While others were dreaming of night clubs, checking out the best casino in usa , of stardom, this lad got his head down and the results are already something special. One to watch!

With the UEFA Champions League Final just around the corner, there’s been a lot of tension in the build-up. For Liverpool, the long wait feels like it could slow down the incredible momentum built-up in recent months. It also won’t help that Tottenham Hotspur, their opponents, have had more than enough time to get key players back fit. Will that tell in the end for the biggest game in the recent history of either club?

Spurs Team News

Tottenham are definitely the happier of the two sides with the long break until the final. They look set to only be short Ben Davies. They can welcome back a whole host of players, including Jan Vertonghen, Davinson Sanchez, Harry Winks, Harry Kane, and Victor Wanyama. Given how key some of those players are, it can only be a good thing for Spurs.

While not all of them will be 100% fit, it’s the biggest game of all of their careers. Finding energy reserves to fight through the pain barrier shouldn’t be so tough for these Spurs players.

Therefore, it’s easy to see how Spurs can come into the tie feeling like the team with momentum and positive ascendancy. However, as has happened before, fitness gambles could lead to more problems than solutions on the day.

Liverpool News

Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, have little issues to worry about in terms of fitness. Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah both have passed fit by all accounts, with only Naby Keita being ruled out definitively. While injuries can re-occur from a fitness perspective, the Reds are in a fine position just as the season comes to an end.

Last year, fitness and form of key players – including Salah and then goalkeeper Loris Karius, cost the Reds on the big stage. This year, they look to be primed to handle the pace and intensity of the match. Unlike last year, though, they are the favourites. Can a Klopp side be at its best when it has to handle being the ‘big’ team on such an occasion?

Liverpool, though, look in excellent form with regards to their injury list. While Keita is a big loss given his exquisite form in the end of the season run-up, the fitness of so many other key players – especially Firmino – will take a huge amount of weight off of the shoulders of Klopp.