Definitely valid. I actually think Madueke has been pretty decent on the whole though, but tailed off recently and he's not at the elite level to do it against teams like City. Not sure we get much better when the sell is 'Come and be a back up to one of our few guaranteed starters'.
I'm not sure Noni and Kai count as 'cast offs'. They were first choice players but Chelsea went in an insane direction that was all about collecting shiny new toys, which they no longer were. Both are better than their equivalents still at Chelsea. Sterling and Willian both awful though, obviously.
This is all refreshingly sane. Those two a big miss, I'd argue Calafiori even more so. Saka, Havertz and Ø haven't started together since Dec 2024, which makes it almost impossible for an attack to gel. But of course, none of this makes it any easier to swallow if we come up short in the end!
Imagine having the option of living the life that comes with playing for Napoli or Roma and choosing instead to live the life that comes with playing for Aston Villa or Nottingham Forest.
True, and of course we'll never know what he could've done. Certainly doesn't take a huge leap of the imagination to see Arteta selecting a big, physical lump up front with limited technical ability who can't hold onto the ball or play simple passes to his teammates...
I was never that convinced by him. Even before there was any talk of him leaving and he was our next big thing, he seemed very much one of those who's just physically advanced for youth level and the technical ability didn't really match. I don't think he was ever making it with us.
It looks great, I'll definitely give it a watch some time. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
I had no idea about this, Chris. I'll keep an eye out for it. Worth watching?
More people watch the World Cup final than simultaneously participate in any other event in the whole of human history. That happens because the world wants to see the match - that's the bit people are actually interested in. Gianni's FIFA have lost sight of everything that actually matters.
If they want to play songs at half time, it's not for me but whatever. But as soon as they start rearranging the football to fit around the "entertainment", something has gone totally wrong.
Beautiful. I especially love that last one!
It's becoming increasingly clear that we really need to stop letting Americans do things.
This is incredibly optimistic but I'll take it
"California". Ffs autocorrect
I'd been warned by locals how bad things could get if Deportivo lost. 2nd half was delayed over an hour by crowd trouble, and there weren't even away fans to fight with. Word was fans were trying to get the game cancelled because they were losing - I was pretty glad they managed to draw in the end!
Two years ago today, and the most worried I've ever been for my safety at a football match. El Clásico Vallecaucano, the derby match in Colombia's wildest city, Cali.
⚽ Deportivo Cali v América de Cali
📌 Estadio Deportivo Cali, California, Colombia 🇨🇴
2024
I'm convinced if he'd spent his career in Serie A and Ligue 1 he'd be held in the Kvara bracket
The best photos tell you a story. This one doesn't so much tell you the story as beat you round the head with it.
Incredible.
Two years ago today: the Bogotá derby and a crowd so raucous I felt the ground shaking under my feet from the pitch side track, 20 metres from the stand.
⚽ Millionarios v Santa Fe
📌 El Campín, Bogotá, Colombia 🇨🇴
2024
Of course, can always rely on you to sniff out some games somewhere!
There's nothing new about this. It was always easier to stomach City winning than Liverpool too because no one really cares about City. They have no rivals, so them winning is a neutral outcome that everyone can forget about quickly. Cara just didn't notice it when the other team was Liverpool.
I've always thought there should be a 20 second time limit on VAR. Less intrusive in the game and if it takes longer than that then it's not clear and obvious. Put the responsibility back on the refs on the field.
Arriving in late May? Surely you can't be doing two months in Europe with no groundhopping, Cas?!
Three years ago today, the Derby della Capitale, where the home fans did monkey chants and one ran down three rows to start on me for taking pictures of the away end. As a hostel owner in Naples told me after, 'Everyone hates Lazio.'
⚽ Lazio v Roma
📌 Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy 🇮🇹
2023
Arsenal's 7-5 comeback win away at Reading in the League Cup. Absolute chaos.
It's getting harder and harder to have a 'spare' £50 these days, but if you do jump in on helping with this. In a world of ragebaiters and Fabrizio Romanos, @glorystudio.bsky.social is the kind of sport journalism we should all try to support (and this book will be beautiful!)
If City wanted the easiest draws they should've simply tried winning every game in the group stage and finishing top. Also the side that just knocked them out 5-1 were knocked out 5-1 themselves last season... by Arsenal.
Oh my god
Fortunately, on sky Jamie Redknapp is absolutely raging at VAR over it.
I've never felt sorry for a spurs player before but... my god