Daily Archives: December 3, 2023

Newcastle 1 Manchester United 0 – Listless Rashford, flash Gordon and which United can challenge?


Newcastle United epitomise what Manchester United wish they could be. They are tactically astute, travelling on an upward trajectory, organised off the pitch, and now — courtesy of Saturday’s 1-0 victory at St James’ Park — deservedly above their visitors in the Premier League table. Manager Erik ten Hag, who spent most of the 90 minutes on Tyneside standing alone in the technical area with his arms crossed, said he was trying to ‘energise’ and get a ‘reaction’ from his team. It didn’t work — and that is either down to the players not being capable of carrying out his instructions or choosing not to listen. The same could not be said for his hosts. …”
The Athletic
The Athletic: Newcastle 1 Manchester United 0 – Listless Rashford, flash Gordon and which United can challenge?
YouTube: Newcastle United 1 Manchester United 0 | Premier League Highlights

The politics of hosting AFCON


“A decade later, in January 2024, Ivorians will finally welcome the continent and the world to the next AFCON. Economic and sporting realities are making it harder for sporting tournaments to find hosts. In the past, hosting gigs were keenly sought after and contested by different countries. The appeal of welcoming thousands of visitors and positively impacting economic and tourist activities was usually viewed positively while winning bids was always a good tonic for political leaders. Yet, expansion means growing tournament costs and the need to maximize economic output, while mitigating CAF’s financial difficulties is making it harder to find hosts. This trend might impact AFCON, the continent’s premier football competition. …”
Africa Is a Country
Africa Is a Country: Who are you rooting for – Laurent Dubois

Liverpool 4-3 Fulham: Was this the moment Anfield started to believe in a title bid?


Liverpool are renowned for their comebacks, but even by their standards, this was special. Two goals in the last 10 minutes, scored by Wataru Endo and Trent Alexander-Arnold, turned a damaging 3-2 defeat against Fulham into a 4-3 win that kept Jurgen Klopp’s side firmly in contention near the top of the Premier League table. …”
The Athletic

Thirty years of the backpass ban: The story of modern football’s best rule change


“… [Kyle] Campbell is a real estate lawyer in California these days. But back in 1991, he was playing in goal for the United States at the Under-17 World Championship in Italy, where he performed brilliantly and was named in FIFA’s team of the tournament. Campbell saved a penalty from Alessandro Del Piero in that opening game against the hosts, and Pele presented him with his man of the match award afterwards — a state-of-the-art twin-cassette JVC stereo. Yet the story that he dines out on is handling that first ever backpass. …”
The Athletic