Archive for the ‘Football’ Category

More Bits & Pieces Including: Mesut Özil, Friendlies In The USA And A Centre Back

Posted: July 25, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur, Transfers
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Mesut Özil has retired from international football. Not for the usual reasons of being too old, or too slow or even too good. No, he has retired because he feels disrespected after racist comments were made about him following his being photographed alongside the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

What did he expect? Whilst we deplore all racism there was bound to be some reaction to such a thoughtless action.

Erdoğan is head of the oppressive government which has been accused of human rights abuses as well as being outspoken about German politics. (more…)

More On What Manchester City and Manchester United Have Brought To EA Sport’s FIFA Franchise Over The Years

Posted: July 24, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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When it comes to football games, there is really only one winner: EA Sports’ FIFA series. Part of the franchise’s success has been its ability to create a strong partnership with football leagues around the world and, in particular, the Premier League.

Manchester City and Manchester United have one of the strongest rivalries in football, with each trying to outdo the other in all aspects of the sport. As both teams have been champions of English football, FIFA has capitalised on their global support to promote the game and expose it to new customers. (more…)

More On The Anthony Martial Enigma At Manchester United

Posted: July 23, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur, Transfers
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Anthony “Marmite” Martial is reaching a crossroads in his career at the ripe old age of 22.

He is adored by some fans, hated by others. He is criticised for his demeanour which is, in fact, very similar to that of his manager. He is criticised for his lack of workrate. He is considered by some to be lazy, a player who only wants to be involved in the nicer aspects of a football match.

He didn’t do enough to convince Didier Deschamps that he was worth a place in the French World Cup squad although, in fairness, they did pretty well without him. (more…)

More On Whether Manchester City Can Be Caught Next Season

Posted: July 22, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United
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Manchester City finished last season with a few new records. Points, goals, wins – think of a record and they seemed to break it!

As of yet Pep Guardiola has only added Riyad Mahrez to his squad and, whilst he may he another world-class signing, he is still only one player.

Now it could be argued that, with the margin of victory achieved last time out there was little, if any, need to strengthen the squad. Pep, however, has always held the belief, much like his hero Sir Alex Ferguson, that you strengthen from a position of strength. (more…)

More On The Pre-Season Tours And Chelsea Selling Their Belgians!

Posted: July 21, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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So the big clubs have jetted off around the world on their pre-season tours. Manchester’s United and City are in America where they will be joined by Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Chelsea are travelling around 20,000 miles and starting off in Australia and Arsenal begin in Singapore .

These “far-away” games are followed by matches nearer home in the likes of Dublin and Nice.

Why do teams feel the need to travel so far to play a few games of football? After all, the World Cup has only just finished and a lot of players won’t even be going on tour with them. (more…)

More On Manchester United’s Preparations And Selling Wembley

Posted: July 20, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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How can a club like Manchester United not know that one of their star players does not have a visa?

The pre-season tour will already be starting without their new signings Fred and Diogo Dalot. The former because he still has a week off from not playing in the World Cup and the latter because he is recovering from injury.

Most of the rest of the World Cup participants will not be joining the tour at all so it is quite important during these friendly games that alternative tactics and set-ups can be worked on. (more…)

More Transfer Bits & Pieces From The Premier League Top Six Including Alisson To Liverpool

Posted: July 19, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur, Transfers
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Whisper it quietly readers, but Liverpool have bought a new goalkeeper. Apparently, after a costly mistake in a pre-season friendly, Loris Karius is no longer to be trusted as numero uno at the club.

Forget that he single-handedly, (almost literally), cost Liverpool any chance they may have had of beating Real Madrid in the Champion’s League final. No, it would appear that Jürgen Klopp, that soft-hearted old teddy bear, was prepared to forgive him those mistakes and continue with him between the sticks for another season. (more…)

More On How The Big Six In The Premier League Will Approach The New Season

Posted: July 18, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Managers, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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Two seasons ago three of the “big six” started their campaigns with new managers in charge. Pep Guardiola had arrived, with much fanfare and hype, at Manchester City and he would go on to lead them to….er….third place in the Premier League, 15 points behind the winners, and absolutely nothing else.

José Mourinho rode into town, checked himself into the Lowry hotel as if anticipating a short stay and then led his new club, Manchester United, to an underwhelming sixth place finish. He did redeem himself, however, by winning both of the B trophies. He picked up the Carabao Cup and the Europa League with the latter ensuring qualification for the Champion’s League. (more…)

More On VAR And The Premier League’s Top Six In The Transfer Market

Posted: July 17, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur, Transfers
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Video Assistant Referee, (VAR) as it is called by those in the know, has been a relative success in this World Cup. It has made incorrect decisions almost a thing of the past and that is the whole point.

“Incorrect decisions” suggests that a clear and obvious error has been made and VAR is there to right these wrongs.

In the final of the World Cup there were two opportunities to use VAR, or there were none, depending upon your point of view. (more…)

More From England’s World Cup Viewpoint And Corruption At Stamford Bridge Is Alive And Well (Allegedly)

Posted: July 16, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, England, Football, International Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, The World Cup, Tottenham Hotspur, Transfers
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(England supporters strike a pose which has become all-too familiar over the last 50-odd years)

Now that the dust has settled on England’s World Cup success/failure, do we really have a team capable of winning a future tournament?

On the evidence of this one the answer has to be a pretty emphatic NO.

Even the “experts” are finally starting to come round to our way of thinking which, all along, has been that this was an average England team and they put in some very poor performances on their way to fourth place. (more…)

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