Bit of a drab England game against Hungary. Jack Grealish getting dropped for Bukayo The Great was amusing. Would have been nicer if he’d been able to rescue the game.
What I think we’re all loving is the decline of Harry Kane. The highest level in football requires the physical and mental working in tandem. The Spurs striker isn’t at the races in his head. His failed move this summer has totally rattled him. It is quite something to see how something like that can take from the best on the planet in your position, to a total bum in a matter of 3 months.
What was Daniel Levy thinking turning down that money? One of the shrewdest businessmen in football has been going through a midlife crisis. He sacked Poch for superstar Jose Mourinho. Now he’s turning down mega cash for a player in decline? Imagine the damage Spurs could have done with £120m this past summer. It’s stunning that he chose to keep a loyal player against his will… and pair him with Nuno.
THOMAS PARTEY SCORED AGAIN. I think that’s 4 goals in 4 games for Ghana. WHAT IS GOING ON?
Honestly, he gets in so many good positions, he really should be, at the very least, hitting the target. Imagine if he could pop up with 8 goals a season? Someone from midfield has to move the needle on goals. Hopefully this blip in form translates into Premier League games.
We also saw Emile Smith Rowe score a fantastic goal on the counter-attack for the U21 team. Goals shouldn’t be a problem this season once everyone clicks. It’s a confidence thing. We’re getting the ball into the right areas, now we need to start converting.
The left back position of Kieran Tierney was a guaranteed for him last season, but this time around, there’s a young talent making waves. Nuno Tavares scored a goal and bagged a couple of assists as Portugal U21s smashed Lichenstein. The Portuguese is super raw and there’s plenty to work on with his decision making, but it’s good to have a player breathing down the neck of KT who hasn’t had the brightest of starts.
William Saliba is now captaining the French U21 side. A fantastic honour for the player who is making his mark at Marseille and making it harder and harder to be ignored next summer. The club went out of its way to sign leaders this summer, it’s nice to know that we have one coming back to the club after a good loan.
Right, short one again today. See you in the comments. Also, take a watch of the podcast.
Ozil was great at the final pass but he wasn’t one who controls the tempo of the game. Cesc is the first name that comes to mind on that front – does that make for a better comparison for Odegaard?
I would hope fabregas is seen as the model for playmaking, attack-minded central midfielders at arsenal, not Ozil.
The Bard It may be naive, but otherwise you shrug your shoulders and hand the trophies over to the Clubs that outspend you. IMO, if you offer a player a decent wage and he refuses,then sell him provided the transfer fee matches his value. That means long-term contracts with players like Saka and ESR. And early extensions. That way you get foreknowledge of their intentions, and act accordingly. No more of the hand-to-mouth stuff, the late forays, we saw from Wenger. How much did the departures of Sanchez and Ramsay cost the Club, the cive-aways like Miki? . And there… Read more »
FIFA is going to end up destroying football
Just seeing that COMNEBOL WC Qualifiers are scheduled for later on today. Weren’t these international games supposed to be completed by Wednesday.
At some point, they will start scheduling international games for the Friday before club games.
Off topic:has a’one seen nasri new rotund look?
Am sure he is willan’s role model…..looked like a retired chef methinks.
In what criteria do we want to raise ESR and Saka’s wages?
On one hand some if us on here complain that those players are low on productivity in terms of assists and goals and other hand you argue that they ought to be earning 100 and above.
It is either they are worth a wage increase when they produce in the next couple of season or not.
You can’t eat your cake and have it.
If we are generous with Ben Whites salary, theres No reason to stop there.
Dissenter
However big FIFA thinks it is, the major clubs of UK and Europe are bigger. Without them, there would be no money in the pro game.
The way things are going, European Super Leagues run properly by the Clubs are becoming a certainty, no longer a doubt.
And bully for that! The rules should ensure decent – not exorbitant – wages for players and sensible – not confetti – money for investment.
Now that yet another oil state has decided to buy a football club and ‘buy’ trophies, you do have to wonder what that will do to wages and transfer fees. The more clubs you have bidding to pay over the odds the higher they will rise. It comes to something when fans on a blog are justifying raising footballers’ wages at a time when the cost of living is rising due to a man-made pandemic and everyone is struggling. If a wage of £25k per week (£1.25m per annum) or £50k (£2.5m p.a) isn’t enough reward for 14 hours of… Read more »
Is the money that serious that FIFA is willing to destroy football as it is to get their hands on a few extra quid?
What a horrible organization
Tom that tells you everything you need to know
Because no one will be on here saying El Neny is quality
I consider myself centrist with left and right of center opinions on various issues but when it comes to gender and pronouns I have absolutely no idea what is going on if I’m honest I have a very simple (scientific) outlook on gender which I only consider an exception for people who have actually had surgery to change their bodies. But all this them pronouns and people not identifying as something they scientifically are is something I simply can’t get my ahead around. I don’t understand the logical conclusion of it. It’s also the same people saying a person who… Read more »
Mulerise I saw the Nasri pic but the funniest part is the article said he only retired 2 weeks ago
Either he’s been on a SERIOUS pie diet or he was playing obese at his last club
Jokes
Everyone can be whoever they wanna be. But in areas where physicality matters, like in sport, you should be considered your original sex. For example a top 30 male tennis player will probably dominate the female tennis top to bottom. The other option is to have a separate transgender discipline, but again transgenders that were originally male will dominate it. I can see a lot of fraction in the future happening regarding those issues.
It’s widely known that Rafa’s uncle – Tony Nadal, made the decision that Rafa learns to play tennis with his left hand, so he is harder to play versus, even though Rafa is a right-handed person.
I’m just stunned at the possibility that someone might make a similar strategic move by physically changing their sex in a desperate effort to win trophies, fame and money.
Glenn Hoddle, Jacques Santini, Juande Ramos, Martin Jol, Villas-Boas, a washed up Mourinho….why anyone would consider Daniel Levy a shrewd businessman within the football world is beyond me.
AFC Forever Football is the most watched sport on the planet, and the PL the most watched league There’ll always be big money involved, the PL is probably this countries most famous global export, and created £3.3 billion directly, and £7.6 billion indirectly, in 2016/17 for the treasury If that money doesn’t exist, then the burden on the least well off increases, wealth creation is a good thing The value to a football club is always on the pitch, and that makes talent valuable I love that a kid with nothing but a football, a pair of boots, and a… Read more »
“Everything was closed,” said Fekir, in an interview with BetisTV and Moveistar+, via The Mirror.
“I passed all the interviews, I spoke with Jurgen Klopp, he told me that he loved me, we all did it and, when we were about to sign, there were problems with my representative and the negotiation broke down.
“They said it was because I had knee problems, but the truth has been proven over time. My knee is super good.”
We should have moved for him in the Summer of 2019. Great player.
Damn-Laurie Cunningham would have been an Arsenal great. Just imagine him with Liam Brady feeding him out wide and Frank Stapleton as his striking partner. This from the recent BBC article on him.
‘Arsenal showed interest and Cunningham was given a trial, followed by a schoolboy contract in 1970. But the Gunners played a rigid ‘give and go’ style that left little room for Cunningham’s buccaneering gallops. It had just won them the double. He was released in 1972 with the note: ‘Not the right material.’’
Pedro, I was quite taken with your dad’s story on grand designs. Glad it worked out for him. He seems like a right character with a very individualised colour pallette.
Raptora it’s already started happening tho in a few cases
There was a single school in America where these two 6 foot something well built boys had had gender reassignment surgery and absolutely battered their female counterparts in the school athletics smashing all their records
It made the news with the natural girls complaining there was no point even showing up with them there
For me I don’t care what you wanna do with your body and the like but I don’t think in physical sports it’s right
Pedros dad was ok grand designs? That’s really cool!
I dont think logic or sentiment comes into it with football wages. I dont like it but its market economics. I have no doubt Newcastles entry to the mega rich will drive up transfer fees and wages. It seems vaguely absurd to be willing to pay £300000 a week to kick a football around but it’s what it is. My concern is we might lose our youngsters.
New documentary about Wenger and the Invincibles, and about Wenger’s early life and background.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2021/oct/14/arsene-wenger-invincible-documentary-trailer-highlights-managers-achievements-video
Rich
Yes their “careers are short” but if you’re earning £100,000 + a week you won’t have too much to worry about in life.
Remembering that many folk survive on just £20-£30k a year or less.
Anyone with big feet, big hands and an adams apple should Not be allowed to walk around without the longstuff,
thats fraudlent and deceptive.
China1….lol…..sure he wasn’t known for discipline, just have to look at Henry to see a prime example of retired but fit sport personalty
Being wealthy doesn’t eliminate life’s worries fyi
Footballers earn enough.
The problem is that most are either naïve or outright dumb and invest it stupidly and end up bankrupt. More than half!
If you earn that much in just 10 years to so, you should use 50 % to buy real estate, put the other 50% in the bank and you’re set for life, and a much richer life than 95% of the population.
Jamie
That is true.
Kris
“The problem is that most are either naïve or outright dumb and invest it stupidly and end up bankrupt. More than half!”
That’s basically BS
Most footballers invest their money properly and go on to thrive
The ones that go into penury are few and far between, they make the news but they aren’t the norm.