Shane Long

[elroy]

From breakingnews.ie

Steve Clarke has praised the part played by West Brom’s medical staff in ensuring key striker Shane Long continues to play despite being constantly troubled by a hamstring injury.

Albion had managed to keep the injury in-house until Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni made it public during a press conference.

Long has not completed a full 90 minutes this season but has still played a leading role in the Baggies fine start to the campaign through careful management of the setback.

Clarke said: “There is an injury to Shane that everyone knows about now through circumstances we couldn’t control.

“Playing through an injury is just a measure of how much they want to play for the club, which is great.
“They put their body on the line and play with little injuries – but we also have had great help from our medical staff.

“They go about their job quietly but play their full part as well in getting the players into a good place.

“The medical staff do all they can to make my job more difficult so I’ve got more options to choose from every week.”

Clarke insists he is happy with having to juggle five strikers for two places in Long, Romelu Lukaku, Peter Odemwingie, Marc-Antoine Fortune and Markus Rosenberg.

He said: “It’s part of the job and if I didn’t want to try and juggle five strikers, I wouldn’t have them. You can’t have enough good strikers.”

[Charlie Darwin]

Clarke said: “There is an injury to Shane that everyone knows about now through circumstances we couldn’t control."
Trap?

[CraftyToePoke]

Trap?

Well, it does look that way.

[tetsujin1979]

Trap?
Probably, but if he hadn't said the Long was initially left out because of an injury concern, everyone would have been on his back for not including him

[paul_oshea]

Well it kinda goes with what Trap has been saying all along then, that Long had been injured but maybe he just didn't want people knowing, as opposed to being annoyed at being left out, maybe a bit of both.

[geysir]

Trap didn't use Long in the game because he was carrying an injury.
Would anybody have taken a blind bit of notice of what Trap said after a friendly game in Serbia, until Long uttered the denial, thereby contradicting Trap.
I wouldn't lay this one on Trap at all.
And if there was a properly organised conspiracy of silence regards Long's injury, I'd say Trap would have been able to play a lead role.

[paul_oshea]

Geysir my view differs from your view, does that mean we are in disagreement.

I think Trap when it suits him has defended himself in the media, without care for individual players or clubs or managers. I think he saves face where he feels the need to. I think he probably knew about Longs injury and keeping it quiet at club level. But too many questions lay at his feet around Long not being picked. He covered his arsch as they say in germany.

[geysir]

Geysir my view differs from your view, does that mean we are in disagreement.

I think Trap when it suits him has defended himself in the media, without care for individual players or clubs or managers. I think he saves face where he feels the need to. I think he probably knew about Longs injury and keeping it quiet at club level. But too many questions lay at his feet around Long not being picked. He covered his arsch as they say in germany.
Maybe that has some merit behind the out and out cynicism, but my main point was that it wouldn't have been an issue had Long kept his trap shut. It was only after he contradicted Trap, that it became news.

I suspect West Brom's reason for keeping his injury quiet was for insurance purposes. But that might be a tad cynical :)

[paul_oshea]

yes long seems to be the problem on this occasion.

you are seeing the world for what it is. I commend you :D

[theworm2345]

Goal Long...cross chipped in from the left side of the box, Shane gets away from David Luiz at the back post and beats Cech with a diving header in to the ground.

[tetsujin1979]

animated gif of the goal
http://cadfael.tv/image/src/1353165280337.gif
taken from 101greatgoals: http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/gif-shane-longs-diving-header-v-chelsea/

[SkStu]

Just saw it on the half-time show here. It's a super goal, the gif doesn't even do it justice! Luiz is all over him too.

[theworm2345]

Just assisted on their second, lovely cross from the right to set up Odemwingie. Nice to see Odemwingie run to him to give him credit (unlike on that goal in the Monday night match a few weeks back)

[Fergie's Son]

He had a great match. He's some player and must be at the forefront of our attack.

[DannyInvincible]

Just saw the goal on 'Match of the Day'. What was printed on his vest during his celebration? I couldn't make it out.

"Call me up, Trap!"?

[BonnieShels]

Something to do with peace. That's all I could see.

[Fixer82]

I think it was 'Rest in Peace Nana' (not too sure about the name Nana though)

[gastric]

I think it was 'Rest in Peace Nana' (not too sure about the name Nana though)

Hid grandmother died Friday and he was paying his respects to her. Brilliant goal!

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/live/match-report/261679/west-brom-2-chelsea-1

[theworm2345]

He also had a shirt on that he showed after his goal a week or two ago, don't know what that said.

[tetsujin1979]

He also had a shirt on that he showed after his goal a week or two ago, don't know what that said.it was something like "we know who we are"

[dong]

Where's that Owlsfan fella now who knows nothing about football.
This lad is a top striker. As good as any in the EPL.

[Olé Olé]

Top of the goal-scoring and assist charts at high-flying West Brom. I'm gonna re-emphasize how much I'd love to see him at a top club. He always causes problems against the better sides and had scored against Man United and Chelsea by this time last year. Admittedly, Terry was a big loss for Chelsea yesterday as David Luiz can't defend and he was given a lot of time for the cross but it was still a peach of a ball he put in and Odemwingie showed his appreciation for it.

His running was tireless and Gordon Strachan raved about the heart he showed during analysis. The best thing is that he's combining heart with end-product; it's like a combination of Kevin Doyle and Robbie Keane!

[Paddy Garcia]

I thought it was a plea to Benjamin Netanyahu.

[shakermaker1982]

Long should be the first name on our team sheet.

[elroy]

The most exciting Irish player (delivering on potential) in a long time!!?!? The lad is the real deal and a real level headed decent bloke as well.

Shows that we should not be so quick to write off lads, if they struggle for a season or two. Long was lucky to have a manager that believed in him when he was younger and not exactly slamming in the goals. WBA are reaping the benefits now, if he keeps up this form, it wont be long before a 'bigger' club will be in for him.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Yeah, that would be my only worry, if he went to being just a squad player and was only used sparingly?

[DeLorean]

Some write-up here:

BBC: Fernando Torres toils as Shane Long leads the way (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20385497)

[DannyInvincible]

Some write-up here:

BBC: Fernando Torres toils as Shane Long leads the way (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20385497)

He's been getting some glowing reviews of late. Harry Redknapp even called him "a pest" on 'MOTD' last weekend.

[Yard of Pace]

The Guardian's "10 Things from the Weekend" also used the Long v Torres contrast as one of their points. Wonderful to see him do well. I certainly never expected all this when he was a perrenial sub for Reading a few years ago.

[BonnieShels]

Long should be the first name on our team sheet.

He probably is... it just so happens it's written below where David Forde's name goes.

[DeLorean]

John O'Shea booked after 9mins for a foul on Long. Ten mins later, O'Shea clearly trips Long and Long is booked for diving. I don't really think it was worthy of a second yellow for O'Shea but it was definitely a free kick.

[rebelmusic]

Just scored..unreal mistake from mignolet. Great poaching goal though

[DeLorean]

Just scored..unreal mistake from mignolet. Great poaching goal though

A few more of those and hopefully Westwood will get a look in! Very unlike Mignolet to be fair though.

O'Shea off for McClean at half time.

[DannyInvincible]

Long's goal against Sunderland:


http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvcgqa_sund0-2wba-spherachannel_sport#from=embediframe

What a howler by Mignolet!

[SkStu]

Al Habsi's was worse!

[tricky_colour]

Al Habsi was shocking, he has got to get between the goal and the ball and then it can't go in, hard to believe he is a keeper.

[geysir]

Al Habsi was shocking, he has got to get between the goal and the ball and then it can't go in, hard to believe he is a keeper.
You mean, hard to believe that he's such a good keeper?

edit, he's actually better than good.

[paul_oshea]

reading the article in the independent. today Clarke definitely. doesn't. seem happy with trap. think trap knew well what he was doing as well....

[geysir]

Yes indeed, Trap deliberately and with malice, outed the lie because it would protect him from any further scrutiny over not playing Long :rolleyes:


Clarke needs to grow up about it, he sounds like he's on a long whining road about it. So what, he has a player who is carrying an injury susceptibility, something that nobody would have bothered about until Long said, injury! what injury!
The more Clarke goes on about it, the more I question his maturity.

[paul_oshea]

unless of course he thinks by highlighting the issue he fends off potential suitors even by devaluing him.....but ya its a wonder why he is still going on about it.

[tricky_colour]

You mean, hard to believe that he's such a good keeper?

edit, he's actually better than good.

He is not a good goal keeper, he may be good at some aspect of goal keeping but clearly he has
a fundamental problem with judgement of risk, I'm mean his attempt to save that, wel I it's the sort
of attempt I would expect from a 5 year old girl, and that is being disrespectful to most 5 year old girls!!!

Here is another blunder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESPz-Y6GV5s

You won't find Shay Given doing either!!


No doubt al hasbi will be adding more blunders to his collection over the years.

[Charlie Darwin]

Rested tonight at Swansea and already they're 3-0 down. Talisman.

[tricky_colour]

Rested tonight at Swansea and already they're 3-0 down. Talisman.


Yep I noticed that, why on earth change a winning step up?

They had just won 4 on the trot and then they go and drop their top scorer, does not make sense to me.

[Charlie Darwin]

They're managing his injury, which Steve Clarke keeps reminding us nobody would know about if Trapattoni hadn't blabbed about it. Two games in 3 days would have been too risky. I assume he was only on the bench in case someone else got injured.

[tricky_colour]

Fair enough, I guess it makes him look better when they lose without him.

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't know why Clarke is so annoyed about Trap mentioning it. He'd look far worse if people thought he was inexplicably dropping his star striker when he's in peak form.

[Crosby87]

Thats a good point charlie and the press would have been asking him about it over and over... He is making a mountain out of a molehill IMO.

[gastric]

Long linked with Liverpool. Don't think it would be a great move as he could easily end up benchwarming rather than getting a game. Also, Liverpool aren't the most stable of clubs, management wise.


http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/285668/Brendan-Rodgers-ready-to-bid-12m-for-Shane-Long/

[BonnieShels]

Seem pretty stable to me. Rodgers seems to be working it now.

If he goes to Liverpool and is working up top with Suarez that would be wonderful.

Id like to see him get WBA into the CL first. ;-)

[It Sucks]

I wouldn't read too much into this. Every half decent striker in the league is gonna be linked to Liverpool in the coming weeks.