The English Premier League is currently evaluating plans for the return to the competition after nearly two months of being postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has forced the cancellation of sports around the globe.

According to some reports, the Premier League could look to get creative with their plan to return to action, including the possibility of game times that are shorter than the habitual 90 minutes.

This plan would theoretically be put in place due to the increased number of games per week, a plan that the league could be forced to implement in order to finish the 2019-20 season before the end of the summer.

Reducing the number of minutes per match would theoretically reduce the physical toll on players’ bodies if they are forced to play two or three games per week, reducing the risk of injury and fatigue issues.

No definitive plan has been put in place, however, as Premier League teams are still waiting to find out when their season will get back underway and when teams will be able to return to training sessions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced leagues around the world to deal with unprecedented situations, some of which, as this case demonstrates, may require unprecedented solutions.

The post Premier League Reportedly in Talks to Shorten Games Post-Return appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The English Premier League called for a temporary suspension of the competition before the beginning of last week’s slate due to the ongoing outbreak of the coronavirus.

Now, league leaders and club representatives have spoken and decided that the competition won’t be back until April 30th, at the very earliest.

Teams engaged in a conference call on Thursday morning to discuss the league’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, which has forced the postponement and cancellation of sports leagues around the world.

While no date was originally given when the league decided to suspend its competition a week ago, we now know that it will take at least until the end of next month for things to get going again.

At the present time, it’s unknown if the games will have to be played behind closed doors, or if fans will be allowed into the grounds to see the matches.

What does appear to be clear is that the Premier League is determined to finish the 2019-20 season. Liverpool currently holds a huge lead in the competition and will eventually win the title, however, there is plenty still left up for grabs in terms of Champions League and Europa League spots.

For now, fans will have to wait for one of the world’s most popular leagues to resume once again.

The post English Premier League Won’t Return to Action Until April 30th, at Earliest appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Arsenal goalkeeper Peter Cech on Tuesday announced he will retire at the end of this season, closing a career that spanned 20 years, including 15 in the premier league.

“Having played 15 years in the Premier League and won every single trophy possible, I feel like I have achieved everything I set out to achieve,” – the former Czech Republic international said. “I will continue to work hard at Arsenal to hopefully win one more trophy this season.”

Czech, 36, spent most of his Premier League career at Chelsea. He won 13 trophies in the 11 years he was with them and kept a record 228 clean sheets. In 2015, Cech joined Arsenal after losing his place to Thibaut Courtois and helped them with the 2017 FA Cup.

Both Arsenal and Chelsea thanked Cech for his contributions to the clubs.

“For your consummate professionalism for being the perfect role model, for the 50 clean sheets, for your honesty, your integrity and for your inspiring work with the Arsenal Foundation, we want to say—thank you Petr Cech,” Arsenal said of Czech through a tweet.

Chelsea released a short statement that sums up what the keeper did for them.

“A champion on and off the pitch. Enjoy your retirement,” the statement read.

The post Arsenal Keeper Petr Cech to Retire at the end of this Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

A new manager is keen to stamp his authority on a new club. To make his mark, and mold the team into his vision of a successful future.

Player trading is an integral part of this process and every transfer carries an inherent risk. Will a player bought be as good as before? Will one sold be a star of the future elsewhere?

Everton, with more money than most clubs in the Premier League, knows those risks all too well. Last season, they lacked astuteness in the transfer market. Today, many fans question whether the club has taken further leave of its senses as the announced the capture of Richarlison, a 21-year-old Brasilian striker, from Watford in a $55m deal.

Richarlison joined Watford at the start of the 2017-18 from Fluminense in a $15m deal. He started brightly; enthusiastic and energetic, he grabbed three goals in his first seven appearances, as well as an assist. Watford appeared to have dug out a gem.

He carried on in a similar vein of form, scoring his fifth goal in 12 appearances against West Ham in November 2017.  An assist a month later was his last telling contribution to the season and by May, he registered five goals in forty appearances, with four assists.

Yet Everton chose to spend $55m on a player whose statistics barely justify a fifth of that total. It’s a huge vote of confidence from Marco Silva, the Everton coach appointed in May. He managed Richarlison at Watford and got the best form of the season of the striker. If he doesn’t get a similar response, the Portuguese may once again find himself terminated before Christmas.

The post The Riskiest $55m Transfer in Premier League History appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Jurgen Klopp delivered a hammer blow to Liverpool’s title hopes at his press conference today. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, he confirmed, will miss the whole of next season due to injury.

The midfielder suffered multiple ligament damage in his knee during the Champions League semi-final against Roma.

Medical staff believes he will make a full recovery and the club is monitoring his progress closely. Liverpool is keen not to rush him back to avoid further injuries associated with player recovery, such as hamstring strains.

The player requested only a tight circle of staff know the severity of his injury. With the club preparing for its’ sixth Champions League final, Oxlade-Chamberlain felt the bad news would be disruptive to the squad.

Liverpool fans worst fears were fed further when Klopp added that it would be a “bonus” if the midfielder played before next May. Their concerns reflect his outstanding form prior to suffering the injury.

Having initially struggled following his £40m move from Arsenal, Oxlade-Chamberlain became an integral member of the Liverpool team as the season progressed. According to some observers, it was close to the best of his career and certainly the most consistent.

He was almost certain to play a significant part in Gareth Southgate’s England squad this summer. Critics of the one-dimensional style believe his absence severely limited the England coaches options.

The post Injury Wrecks Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Arsenal announced the signing of Lucas Torreira today in a $35 million deal. The Uruguay international is Unai Emery’s fourth signing of the summer. After passing a medical, he signed a five-year deal with the club.

Torreira was a key member of the Uruguay side which reached the World Cup quarter-finals in Russia. They fell to a 2-0 defeat to France last week, bringing their run to an end.

Torreira began his career with Italian club Pescara, before moving to Sampdoria in 2015. There he learned his trade which culminated in him earning his first international cap earlier this year. After a substitute appearance in Uruguay’s first match, Torreira started their four other games at the World Cup finals.

He joins defenders Sokratis and Stephan Lichtsteiner in Emery’s reshaped squad. Goalkeeper Bernd Leno also joined from Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen.

These are exciting times for the former Premier League champions. Arsenal fell won their last championship won in 2004 and fans expect the new-look squad to end that drought.

While Torreira will be a key member of the Arsenal squad next season, it’s unclear who will partner him in midfield. The Gunners were lackluster during 2017-18 and performed poorly. That form led to former boss Arsene Wenger being sacked in May after 21 years in charge.

Emery’s appointment as head coach brings the club a new era; one that fans hope will bring back the glory days.

The post Arsenal Land Lucas Torreira in $35m Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Everton youngster Nikola Vlasic has vowed to make a breakthrough next season after a disappointing first season in English football.

Vlasic joined the Toffees last summer but struggled to break into the first team of the club during the season. Though the 20-year-old played this weekend as the club drew 1-1 against Southampton, this was the first time that he played at Goodisan Park since January.

He only managed to score two goals from 19 appearances this season which is not impressive. Both of his goals also came against Apollon Limassol.

Despite a frustrating first season, Vlasic believes that he has managed to learn a lot.

He said: “I hope next season will be my season.”

“If you are not in the team, it is up to you to work hard and wait for your chance.

“Of course you expect that competition for places. With so many good players, you need to fight for your position. I expected that and I knew it would be hard. But I think better days are coming for me.

“I was always training hard, waiting for my chance. When I played before I thought I played well and I think I have adapted well enough to English football. Of course, I can be better but this is my first season here and it was always going to be hard coming into the Premier League. But I hope next season will be my season.”

The post Everton youngster Nikola Vlasic vows to learn from frustrating first season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said that he is confident that Aaron Ramsey will extend his contract with the Gunners.

The 27-year-old Ramsey has been with the Gunners since 2008 and has gone on to score more than 57 goals from 320 appearances for the club. His current contract is set to expire at the end of the season which has led to speculation surrounding his future.

The Welsh international is a key part of the Gunners first-team and scored a brace to help the team complete a 4-1 win over CSKA Moscow during the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday.

“Yes, I’m confident, he’s not at the end of his contract, he has one and a half years to go. From my side it is clear, but you always have to find an agreement,” Wenger told reporters on Friday.

“We want him to stay. He’s one of these guys who has been here for a long time. He will be an important player in the future of this club.”

The post Arsene Wenger is confident that Aaron Ramsey will sign a new contract with Arsenal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Former Liverpool star Craig Bellamy spoke out about how he thinks that Everton has gone wrong this season.

The Toffees endured a disappointing start to the season and ended up parting ways with former manager Ronald Koeman. After spending heavily during the summer transfer window, many ardent fans of the club would have been hoping that they could challenge for a place in the top four but that was not to be. Since taking over the club, veteran manager Sam Allardyce has guided the Merseysiders out of the relegation zone and into mid-table.

However, the brand of football which the club has been playing has not been impressive and many are still not convinced that Allardyce is the right candidate to lead the club going forward.

“What it (victory over Liverpool) would do to lift Sam Allardyce (let alone the team) at this present moment,” – Bellamy told The Debate.

“Look, Everton’s a good football club, got very good footballers, but it just hasn’t been (good), from the start of the season I thought their recruitment wasn’t great. They don’t have as much pace in the team as I’d like, a lot of good footballers but that attacking threat, people who can just run by people, run off people, running without the ball. Recruitment is huge (this summer).”

The post Craig Bellamy speaks about why Everton have failed this season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Tottenham star Son Heung-min has labeled his team-mate Harry Kane as the “best player in the world”.

Kane, who is widely regarded as being one of the best strikers in the world, will not play again for his club till next month after suffering an ankle ligament injury during the win over Bournemouth two weeks ago.

Spurs are currently aiming to secure a top-four finish this season in order to ensure that they qualify for next seasons Champions League. They have a crucial game against fifth-placed Chelsea next Sunday in what will be a key game in terms of the top-four race this season.

While Kane is absent, Spurs could opt to utilize Son in the center of their attack. While Kane is not in the same class as Kane, he is ready to take on the extra challenge after scoring several times during his past four appearances.

“Harry Kane is, of course, very important for England because he’s the best player in the world,” – Son told Sky Sports News. “This is football, so sometimes you get injuries, but as Tottenham we need to play without Harry. It’s very sad but the other players have to be ready. I’m not like Harry, the same type, but I’m just trying to practice every single day. It’s a good opportunity to make something happen. I’ve proved a lot of things in Tottenham in two and a half years, I’ve enjoyed it a lot and I’m really happy to be there because they work hard and this is what I want.“

The post Harry Kane best player in the world according to Son Heung-min appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The English Premier League is currently evaluating plans for the return to the competition after nearly two months of being postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has forced the cancellation of sports around the globe.

According to some reports, the Premier League could look to get creative with their plan to return to action, including the possibility of game times that are shorter than the habitual 90 minutes.

This plan would theoretically be put in place due to the increased number of games per week, a plan that the league could be forced to implement in order to finish the 2019-20 season before the end of the summer.

Reducing the number of minutes per match would theoretically reduce the physical toll on players’ bodies if they are forced to play two or three games per week, reducing the risk of injury and fatigue issues.

No definitive plan has been put in place, however, as Premier League teams are still waiting to find out when their season will get back underway and when teams will be able to return to training sessions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced leagues around the world to deal with unprecedented situations, some of which, as this case demonstrates, may require unprecedented solutions.

The post Premier League Reportedly in Talks to Shorten Games Post-Return appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The English Premier League called for a temporary suspension of the competition before the beginning of last week’s slate due to the ongoing outbreak of the coronavirus.

Now, league leaders and club representatives have spoken and decided that the competition won’t be back until April 30th, at the very earliest.

Teams engaged in a conference call on Thursday morning to discuss the league’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic, which has forced the postponement and cancellation of sports leagues around the world.

While no date was originally given when the league decided to suspend its competition a week ago, we now know that it will take at least until the end of next month for things to get going again.

At the present time, it’s unknown if the games will have to be played behind closed doors, or if fans will be allowed into the grounds to see the matches.

What does appear to be clear is that the Premier League is determined to finish the 2019-20 season. Liverpool currently holds a huge lead in the competition and will eventually win the title, however, there is plenty still left up for grabs in terms of Champions League and Europa League spots.

For now, fans will have to wait for one of the world’s most popular leagues to resume once again.

The post English Premier League Won’t Return to Action Until April 30th, at Earliest appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Arsenal goalkeeper Peter Cech on Tuesday announced he will retire at the end of this season, closing a career that spanned 20 years, including 15 in the premier league.

“Having played 15 years in the Premier League and won every single trophy possible, I feel like I have achieved everything I set out to achieve,” – the former Czech Republic international said. “I will continue to work hard at Arsenal to hopefully win one more trophy this season.”

Czech, 36, spent most of his Premier League career at Chelsea. He won 13 trophies in the 11 years he was with them and kept a record 228 clean sheets. In 2015, Cech joined Arsenal after losing his place to Thibaut Courtois and helped them with the 2017 FA Cup.

Both Arsenal and Chelsea thanked Cech for his contributions to the clubs.

“For your consummate professionalism for being the perfect role model, for the 50 clean sheets, for your honesty, your integrity and for your inspiring work with the Arsenal Foundation, we want to say—thank you Petr Cech,” Arsenal said of Czech through a tweet.

Chelsea released a short statement that sums up what the keeper did for them.

“A champion on and off the pitch. Enjoy your retirement,” the statement read.

The post Arsenal Keeper Petr Cech to Retire at the end of this Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

A new manager is keen to stamp his authority on a new club. To make his mark, and mold the team into his vision of a successful future.

Player trading is an integral part of this process and every transfer carries an inherent risk. Will a player bought be as good as before? Will one sold be a star of the future elsewhere?

Everton, with more money than most clubs in the Premier League, knows those risks all too well. Last season, they lacked astuteness in the transfer market. Today, many fans question whether the club has taken further leave of its senses as the announced the capture of Richarlison, a 21-year-old Brasilian striker, from Watford in a $55m deal.

Richarlison joined Watford at the start of the 2017-18 from Fluminense in a $15m deal. He started brightly; enthusiastic and energetic, he grabbed three goals in his first seven appearances, as well as an assist. Watford appeared to have dug out a gem.

He carried on in a similar vein of form, scoring his fifth goal in 12 appearances against West Ham in November 2017.  An assist a month later was his last telling contribution to the season and by May, he registered five goals in forty appearances, with four assists.

Yet Everton chose to spend $55m on a player whose statistics barely justify a fifth of that total. It’s a huge vote of confidence from Marco Silva, the Everton coach appointed in May. He managed Richarlison at Watford and got the best form of the season of the striker. If he doesn’t get a similar response, the Portuguese may once again find himself terminated before Christmas.

The post The Riskiest $55m Transfer in Premier League History appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Jurgen Klopp delivered a hammer blow to Liverpool’s title hopes at his press conference today. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, he confirmed, will miss the whole of next season due to injury.

The midfielder suffered multiple ligament damage in his knee during the Champions League semi-final against Roma.

Medical staff believes he will make a full recovery and the club is monitoring his progress closely. Liverpool is keen not to rush him back to avoid further injuries associated with player recovery, such as hamstring strains.

The player requested only a tight circle of staff know the severity of his injury. With the club preparing for its’ sixth Champions League final, Oxlade-Chamberlain felt the bad news would be disruptive to the squad.

Liverpool fans worst fears were fed further when Klopp added that it would be a “bonus” if the midfielder played before next May. Their concerns reflect his outstanding form prior to suffering the injury.

Having initially struggled following his £40m move from Arsenal, Oxlade-Chamberlain became an integral member of the Liverpool team as the season progressed. According to some observers, it was close to the best of his career and certainly the most consistent.

He was almost certain to play a significant part in Gareth Southgate’s England squad this summer. Critics of the one-dimensional style believe his absence severely limited the England coaches options.

The post Injury Wrecks Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Arsenal announced the signing of Lucas Torreira today in a $35 million deal. The Uruguay international is Unai Emery’s fourth signing of the summer. After passing a medical, he signed a five-year deal with the club.

Torreira was a key member of the Uruguay side which reached the World Cup quarter-finals in Russia. They fell to a 2-0 defeat to France last week, bringing their run to an end.

Torreira began his career with Italian club Pescara, before moving to Sampdoria in 2015. There he learned his trade which culminated in him earning his first international cap earlier this year. After a substitute appearance in Uruguay’s first match, Torreira started their four other games at the World Cup finals.

He joins defenders Sokratis and Stephan Lichtsteiner in Emery’s reshaped squad. Goalkeeper Bernd Leno also joined from Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen.

These are exciting times for the former Premier League champions. Arsenal fell won their last championship won in 2004 and fans expect the new-look squad to end that drought.

While Torreira will be a key member of the Arsenal squad next season, it’s unclear who will partner him in midfield. The Gunners were lackluster during 2017-18 and performed poorly. That form led to former boss Arsene Wenger being sacked in May after 21 years in charge.

Emery’s appointment as head coach brings the club a new era; one that fans hope will bring back the glory days.

The post Arsenal Land Lucas Torreira in $35m Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Everton youngster Nikola Vlasic has vowed to make a breakthrough next season after a disappointing first season in English football.

Vlasic joined the Toffees last summer but struggled to break into the first team of the club during the season. Though the 20-year-old played this weekend as the club drew 1-1 against Southampton, this was the first time that he played at Goodisan Park since January.

He only managed to score two goals from 19 appearances this season which is not impressive. Both of his goals also came against Apollon Limassol.

Despite a frustrating first season, Vlasic believes that he has managed to learn a lot.

He said: “I hope next season will be my season.”

“If you are not in the team, it is up to you to work hard and wait for your chance.

“Of course you expect that competition for places. With so many good players, you need to fight for your position. I expected that and I knew it would be hard. But I think better days are coming for me.

“I was always training hard, waiting for my chance. When I played before I thought I played well and I think I have adapted well enough to English football. Of course, I can be better but this is my first season here and it was always going to be hard coming into the Premier League. But I hope next season will be my season.”

The post Everton youngster Nikola Vlasic vows to learn from frustrating first season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said that he is confident that Aaron Ramsey will extend his contract with the Gunners.

The 27-year-old Ramsey has been with the Gunners since 2008 and has gone on to score more than 57 goals from 320 appearances for the club. His current contract is set to expire at the end of the season which has led to speculation surrounding his future.

The Welsh international is a key part of the Gunners first-team and scored a brace to help the team complete a 4-1 win over CSKA Moscow during the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday.

“Yes, I’m confident, he’s not at the end of his contract, he has one and a half years to go. From my side it is clear, but you always have to find an agreement,” Wenger told reporters on Friday.

“We want him to stay. He’s one of these guys who has been here for a long time. He will be an important player in the future of this club.”

The post Arsene Wenger is confident that Aaron Ramsey will sign a new contract with Arsenal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Former Liverpool star Craig Bellamy spoke out about how he thinks that Everton has gone wrong this season.

The Toffees endured a disappointing start to the season and ended up parting ways with former manager Ronald Koeman. After spending heavily during the summer transfer window, many ardent fans of the club would have been hoping that they could challenge for a place in the top four but that was not to be. Since taking over the club, veteran manager Sam Allardyce has guided the Merseysiders out of the relegation zone and into mid-table.

However, the brand of football which the club has been playing has not been impressive and many are still not convinced that Allardyce is the right candidate to lead the club going forward.

“What it (victory over Liverpool) would do to lift Sam Allardyce (let alone the team) at this present moment,” – Bellamy told The Debate.

“Look, Everton’s a good football club, got very good footballers, but it just hasn’t been (good), from the start of the season I thought their recruitment wasn’t great. They don’t have as much pace in the team as I’d like, a lot of good footballers but that attacking threat, people who can just run by people, run off people, running without the ball. Recruitment is huge (this summer).”

The post Craig Bellamy speaks about why Everton have failed this season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Tottenham star Son Heung-min has labeled his team-mate Harry Kane as the “best player in the world”.

Kane, who is widely regarded as being one of the best strikers in the world, will not play again for his club till next month after suffering an ankle ligament injury during the win over Bournemouth two weeks ago.

Spurs are currently aiming to secure a top-four finish this season in order to ensure that they qualify for next seasons Champions League. They have a crucial game against fifth-placed Chelsea next Sunday in what will be a key game in terms of the top-four race this season.

While Kane is absent, Spurs could opt to utilize Son in the center of their attack. While Kane is not in the same class as Kane, he is ready to take on the extra challenge after scoring several times during his past four appearances.

“Harry Kane is, of course, very important for England because he’s the best player in the world,” – Son told Sky Sports News. “This is football, so sometimes you get injuries, but as Tottenham we need to play without Harry. It’s very sad but the other players have to be ready. I’m not like Harry, the same type, but I’m just trying to practice every single day. It’s a good opportunity to make something happen. I’ve proved a lot of things in Tottenham in two and a half years, I’ve enjoyed it a lot and I’m really happy to be there because they work hard and this is what I want.“

The post Harry Kane best player in the world according to Son Heung-min appeared first on SportzBonanza.