“As BBC Sport reported in September, the Football Association (FA) process included canvassing the opinions of the squad – and it has emerged that took place at a ‘full and frank’ meeting with head coach Thomas Tuchel at the start of the September international break. BBC Sport has been told the squad feel that now they have been able to have their say, they can move on from their heartbreak in Atlanta on 15 July. And this was demonstrated in the last international break when England, after a narrow defeat by Spain in the first game, went on to win the next three matches impressively. …”
BBC

Manchester City’s weaknesses under Enzo Maresca are being exposed
“Enzo Maresca seemed, if not quite baffled by his side’s Saturday defeat to Nottingham Forest, then at least a little put out. After seven straight wins from the start of the season, that’s now three straight defeats, a pattern so unusual that it’s been recorded only once before in top-flight English history, by Sheffield Wednesday in 1904-05. The three defeats were all different, Maresca said, although in all of them City had had more possession and more chances. …”
Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Manchester United, Aston Villa and the unseriousness of a 4-4 draw
“Precisely 13,266 games have been played since the inception of the Premier League, and 19 of those matches have finished 4-4 (0.1%), a rarity in a division dominated by the mighty 1-0 (17.6%). It was about time we got one, though. The months of August and September, when teams are still fighting to define their top-flight seasons and fitness and motivation tend to be at their peak, have never seen a single 4-4 draw. As motivation decreases the chances of stupid scorelines increase, and that’s where the 4-4 creeps in. There’s a certain on-the-beachness inherent in the score, and it is no coincidence that it has occurred more in the second half of April, as thoughts drift to the close season and the ineffable pointlessness of a lot of late-campaign football becomes unavoidable, than in the entirety of any other month. …”
Guardian

Our League: Sprints and hugs at Nottingham Forest as Premier League sack race heats up
“This season, The Athletic is running a series called Our League, where we will attempt to tell some of the stories of the richest and most watched football league in the world, taking in the brilliance, talent, glitz, controversy, grift, venality and jamboree. No more hugs, Oliver Glasner had said, but this was a gross untruth. There were hugs for everyone on Saturday evening; hugs by the dugout, hugs for his staff and substitutes, hugs in the centre circle. From the 73rd minute onwards, this match was one giant hug-fest and Nottingham Forest’s head coach was the chief dispenser, haring down the touchline when Liam Delap pummelled his side’s third goal, right arm windmilling, grey boots flying and straight into the melee of celebrating players. …”
NYT/ATH

YouTube: Nottingham Forest v. Manchester City