Author Archives: 1960s: Days of Rage

About 1960s: Days of Rage

Bill Davis - 1960s: Days of Rage

Why the Black Stars deserve to fail

“… Fast forward four days and Ghana was two goals up against Mozambique by the 90th minute, qualification all but sealed. Ofori was right after all. Hang on. Not quite. Then came a criminal capitulation of confidence and competence, which ironically had Ofori right in the mix. Mozambique’s Geny Caramo pulled one back by beating Ofori from the spot a minute into injury time. Three minutes later, Ofori, with the ball seemingly heading for a goal kick, hesitantly—and inexplicably—touched the ball, conceding a needless corner kick that dramatically ushered in a late Mozambique equalizer, a glorious glancing header from Reinildo Mandava. The Black Stars, who had a 2-0 lead courtesy of two Jordan Ayew penalties, had found a way to bottle it. It was unbelievable, yet strangely expected. …”
Africa Is a Country

Jurgen Klopp turned doubters into believers – but now the day Liverpool dreaded has come

“As football news bombshells go, Jurgen Klopp’s announcement on Friday morning was right up there. It is one of those stories that initially left you wondering whether someone was having you on. Your eyes narrowed and you took a closer look to check whether that really was Liverpool’s official social media handle and whether that really was an interview with Klopp, rather than some kind of AI creation. But no, that really was Klopp furrowing his brow, exhaling, taking a moment to compose himself, looking straight into the camera and saying: ‘I will leave the club at the end of the season.’ …”
The Athletic (Video)

Eric Dier’s German accent is actually ‘completely normal’ – this is why

“If you’ve been on the internet at all in the last couple of days, you will probably have seen the clip of Eric Dier conducting a post-match interview with German TV, shortly after making his Bayern Munich debut against Union Berlin on Wednesday. The interview is in English, but the reason it became notable is Dier’s accent, which has an unmistakable German inflection. …”
The Athletic (Video)

AFCON 2023 round of 16: When do the knockout stages begin? Who plays who?

“It’s business time in the Africa Cup of Nations. The group stage is done and dusted, and from Saturday, January 27 until Tuesday, January 30, the 16 remaining teams will duke it out to reach the quarter-finals as they tussle to be crowned kings of the continent. Reigning champions Senegal led the way by winning three games from three in the group stage but some of their fancied rivals have struggled to replicate the same level of success, with the likes of Egypt, Cameroon (and hosts Ivory Coast) qualifying for the knockout rounds by the skin of their teeth. Meanwhile, for as much as Equatorial Guinea and Cape Verde have impressed by sauntering to qualification, Ghana and Algeria are among the heavy-hitters that have already returned home with their tails between their legs. Here, The Athletic runs through the last-16 showdowns on the horizon. Who faces who, where are the games and when will the first knockout matches of AFCON 2023 take place. …”
The Athletic (Video)
Africa Is a Country: Explaining Afcon upsets
Guardian: How Zambia’s Patson Daka stayed focused to write history at Afcon

AFCON 2023 permutations: How Ghana, Ivory Coast and other teams can still reach knockout stage Ivory Coast

“The Africa Cup of Nations has been every bit as exciting as it promised to be. Equatorial Guinea, a nation with 1.6million inhabitants, thrashed hosts Ivory Coast 4-0 on Monday. Cape Verde, an archipelago of 10 small volcanic islands off the coast of west Africa, threw up the tournament’s first upset on the second day, beating four-time winners Ghana 2-1. And we have not even reached the knockout stage yet. …”
The Athletic

Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 4: How Jota and Nunez laid on a finishing masterclass

“Liverpool march on. Jurgen Klopp’s side moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League table after an emphatic win at Bournemouthextended their unbeaten run in the competition to 14 games. They have played a match more than second-placed Manchester City but this was another test impressively overcome by Liverpool as they prepare to try and book a trip to Wembley on Wednesday in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup. We dissect the big talking points at the Vitality Stadium. …”
The Athletic

Why are Premier League forwards increasingly choosing one of football’s most difficult shots?

“… It’s a quirk we seem to be enjoying more regularly — the one where players shoot from a wide angle and, just when they look nailed on to whip an effort into the far corner, they swiftly reverse the shot to the near post — wrong-footing just about everyone in the stadium. … Let’s go straight into the tape. In this first instance, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah comes inside against Arsenal’s Oleksandr Zinchenko, his body shape — and the large area of the goal uncovered — suggests he will shoot across David Raya (black arrow), but he swiftly pivots to close his body and strike through the ball towards the smaller area at Raya’s near post (white arrow). …”
The Athletic

The Gambia at AFCON: Several pay rows, one near disaster and a 3-0 defeat

“As a small Air Cote d’Ivoire propeller plane took off from the Gambian capital of Banjul last Wednesday, some of the passengers started to feel drowsy. From his seat, Tom Saintfiet thought it was unusual when a few minutes later, the aircraft, which was flying to Abidjan, fell quiet. He looked around and many of the travellers — including members of the Gambian national football team, bound for the Africa Cup of Nations — were already sleeping. …”
The Athletic

AFCON players on being pressured to miss tournament: ‘It shows disrespect for Africa’

“Sebastien Haller was furious. In December 2021, the forward — who was playing for Ajax at the time — was asked if he planned on playing at the Africa Cup of Nations the following month. … Ismaila Sarr was caught in the middle of a row between Watford and Senegal regarding his participation at the same tournament. Watford insisted Sarr was not fit enough to play due to a knee injury, but Senegal’s medical team wanted to make their assessment. …”
The Athletic

AFCON is a playlist

“Music and African football have always been inextricably linked. Think of some of Africa’s most iconic moments in football: Roger Milla and his dance at the corner flag, Siphiwe Tshabalala and Bafana Bafana on the half-turn in synchronized rhythm, and Robert Kidiaba bum-bouncing after a goal. It’s not just the players that punctuate the rhythm of play with dance, at times the terraces at Cup of Nations tournaments can turn into impromptu flash mobs. With just a few days to go before we kick off the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, we’ve put together our official Africa Is A Country playlist, exploring some of the most iconic songs in African football and explaining why they mean so much to so many on the continent. …”
Africa Is A Country (Video)

Ivorian football heritage

“As a footballing country, Cote d’Ivoire only started having real success at the club and international level in the 1990s. The first African Cup of Nations title that the national team obtained was in 1992 in Senegal. That very same year, Africa Sports reached the summit of continental club competitions by winning the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1992 and then again in 1999. Its biggest rival, ASEC Mimosas won the Champions League in 1998. These glorious years, however, were dashed by political chaos and instability, which began at the start of the millennium. …”
Africa Is a Country

AFCON opening night: Colour, chaos and the mood is really cooking

“I mean, where do you start? Sometimes it is impossible to express the things you have witnessed and do it justice. You see travel shows, taking you to parts of the world you would never go to and they make you think you have felt the place. Yet no amount of film, no number of photographs and maybe no number of words can recreate energy, certainly not the energy on the road from Abidjan to Ebimpe, where informal settlements crash and blur and it is a challenge to know where you really are. …”
The Athletic

Ivory Coast, China and the murky truth behind AFCON’s most high-tech stadium

“Four men in uniform are studying the Stade Alassane Ouattara Ebimpe with their arms folded. They are locals and their uniform is a combination of floral-patterned shirt, jeans and flip-flops. Such is their fixation, it seems as though they are waiting for what has been called the most advanced football arena in Africa to express itself, maybe even take off and fly away. The stadium certainly looks like a spaceship, one that was landed incongruously on the red earth of semi-rural Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s de-facto capital. It is not a machine-beast, lumpen or identikit, but an architectural wonder with subtleties, such as a roof that curves and swoops around its giant bowl like an ocean wave or a skateboard rink. Below, enormous coliseum-style pillars support a fascia that includes latticing reflective of the Ivory Coast’s tricolour flag. …”
The Athletic

The Radar – The Athletic’s scouting guide to the Africa Cup of Nations

“Welcome to The Radar — Africa Cup of Nations edition. What you are about to read is the result of a lot of hard work from our team of writers, data analysts and designers, who have combined to bring you a guide to the 24 players we think you should pay particularly close attention to at the 2023 (yes, it’s being held in 2024) Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, starting on January 13 and finishing on February 11. Below, you will find some of the tournament’s best and most exciting players split into three categories. There are eight superstars — globally renowned players from some of the biggest African footballing nations, all of whom have the ability and experience to dominate the upcoming tournament. …”
The Athletic

Will an African nation win the World Cup in the next decade?
“With Morocco’s performance at the last World Cup, do you see an African nation winning the tournament in the next decade? Honestly, no. The World Cup is a slightly odd tournament in that it’s pretty much never had a shock winner – maybe West Germany in 1954, but their subsequent performances have diminished what a surprise that felt at the time. Perhaps all that means is that we’re due a shock but there seems to be something about the magnitude of the occasion in the latter stages of the competition that ultimately benefits the elite. …”
Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

AFCON: Your guide to the games, the stars and the storylines
“The 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations starts on Saturday, with hosts Ivory Coast taking on Guinea-Bissau. The biennial competition, which first took place in 1957, sees 24 teams battle it out to be crowned Africa’s champions. At the last AFCON, Senegal beat Egypt on penalties to win the tournament for the first time. …”
The Athletic

The footballers who escaped one of the most dangerous countries on Earth
“David is an Eritrean footballer, a refugee who thinks government agents are still watching him even though he fled the country a long time ago and is now thousands of miles away. Though he has claimed asylum abroad, his fears mean that he often sleeps with a chair pressed against the door of his bedroom. Sometimes he will have nightmares about a group of men armed with weapons bursting in and taking him away. …”
The Athletic

Arsenal 0 Liverpool 2: Home side wasteful again as Alexander-Arnold impresses

“Two of the sides fighting for the Premier League title engaged in a very enjoyable FA Cup encounter on Sunday afternoon. Arsenal hosted Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium, with both sides signalling their intentions by naming strong XIs. Mikel Arteta’s side dominated the first half, hitting 13 shots, 11 more than their opponents, but — as so often recently — their finishing repeatedly let them down. …”
The Athletic
The Athletic: Why buying a new striker is not the answer to Arsenal’s scoring slump (Video)

Morocco are favourites to win Afcon – can they repeat World Cup heroics?

Morocco’s Abdelhamid Sabiri celebrates scoring their second goal with Yahya Attiat-Allah in their friendly victory over Brazil, a rare success in their post-World Cup matches.
“Morocco are heading to the Africa Cup of Nations with unprecedented expectation resting on their shoulders. The tournament, initially due to take place last summer but postponed by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) because of the rainy season in the host country, Ivory Coast, will be marked by the Atlas Lions trying to follow up a historic World Cup and add to a legacy that has eclipsed any other African nation. …”
Guardian

The speed of Jordan Henderson’s disillusionment reflects how great his regret must be

“When Jordan Henderson sat down with The Athletic in September, five weeks into his Saudi Arabian adventure, he was effusive about the experience. … But he is not the first expat to find that the honeymoon period can wear off fairly quickly. The first rumours of disenchantment surfaced in early November: that he and his family were finding it hard to adapt to life in Saudi Arabia (or indeed across the border in Bahrain, where his family are living) and that, professionally, he was struggling with the drop in standard. …”
The Athletic

Inverted full-backs? It’s time to bring back the phrase ‘half-back’ instead

“Forgive the self-indulgent introduction here but, back in 2010, I devised the term ‘inverted winger’. In an article about the increasing tendency for managers to field right-footed wingers from the left and left-footed wingers from the right — then something of a recent trend — it was time to come up with a proper phrase. At the time, the trend was to refer to them as ‘inside-out wingers’, which was clearly unsatisfactory. Not merely did it sound somewhat childish, but it also accidentally implied the opposite of what was happening. The wingers were moving from outside to in, not inside to out. …”
The Athletic

Matchday 1: Kenneth Kaunda – Maher Mezahi

“In the final episode of ‘Matchday 1’ of the African Five-a-side podcast, we profile Zambia’s first president, Kenneth Kaunda. Kaunda so loved football and supported the national team that they were nicknamed the “KK11” in honor of him. We also explore how Kaunda got parastatal conglomerates in Zambia’s Copperbelt to sponsor domestic clubs and spur local football development. Special thanks to the research of Dr. Hikabwa Chipande and his extensive research on this subject which served as the basis for this episode.. …”
Africa Is a Country (Video)
Africa Is a Country Maher Mezahi is a football journalist based in Algiers who studies the cross-section between history, politics and football on the African continent.

Why Newcastle conceded a Premier League record xG against Liverpool

“Sometimes statistics can be misleading, but there was nothing deceptive about Liverpool’s record-breaking expected goals (xG) return of 7.27 from their New Year’s Day game against Newcastle United. Head coach Eddie Howe may refute that his side were “open” in the 4-2 defeat at Anfield, but when your opponents take 34 shots, including 15 on target, then it is indisputable that there are fundamental deficiencies in Newcastle’s defensive setup. …”
The Athletic
The Athletic – Liverpool 4-2 Newcastle reaction: How Salah left for AFCON in style with double
The Athletic – Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah now heads to AFCON – how on earth can they replace him?

Kylian Mbappe’s transfer status: Free to talk to clubs, Real Madrid’s deadline, PSG’s stance

“Today, as we begin 2024, Kylian Mbappe enters the final six months of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), which means he will be able to negotiate with clubs who are interested in signing him on a free transfer at the end of that deal. Aged 25, Mbappe is already a World Cup winner, runner-up and Golden Boot winner, and widely recognised as one of the finest football players on the planet. His future has also been the subject of frenzied and protracted speculation with the Frenchman frequently flirting with Real Madrid and falling out with PSG. …”
The Athletic

Free agents in 2024 – the players who can now sign pre-contract transfer agreements

“This season’s winter transfer window is now open, meaning clubs can officially start the scramble to add reinforcements or offload players deemed surplus to requirements. Premier League sides can do business until 11pm GMT on Thursday, February 1 — and, following discussions with the major leagues around Europe, that will also be deadline day in La Liga (Spain), Serie A (Italy), Ligue 1 (France) and the Bundesliga (Germany). But while clubs who want to sign players under contract must negotiate and, usually, pay a transfer fee during a FIFA-determined transfer window, wise forward planning allows ‘pre-contract agreements’ in some circumstances. The Athletic explains what these are and which players due to be out of contract in the summer could now step up transfer plans. ….”
The Athletic

Debt-ridden and off the pace, Barça seek Davids Effect to revive season

“First they tried to bring back Lionel Messi, then they did bring back Dani Alves, briefly. Rafa Márquez returned to take over the B team, Xavi Hernández came home, this time as coach, and Deco arrived again, the former midfielder turned sporting director. They attempted to get Carles Puyol to join them. And now Joan Laporta, the president who also came back, re-elected to the post 17 years after he first ran for it and a decade after he had departed, wants Edgar Davids to return to FC Barcelona. …”
Guardian

Athletic Bilbao’s Basque-only ‘philosophy’ – and why some are calling for change

Athletic players celebrate their win over Atletico Madrid on December 16
“For much of their 125-year history, Athletic Bilbao have been recognised for their unique player policy. Known as a philosophy by those connected to the club, it dictates that Athletic only use players who have been born or brought up in what is defined as the Basque Country, a region of northern Spain and across the border in France of three million inhabitants that shares linguistic, historical and cultural ties. …”
The Athletic (Video)

Burnley 0 Liverpool 2: Can Nunez fill Salah void? And why was Jota return so crucial?

“Liverpool are back at the top of the Premier League. Jurgen Klopp’s side made the most of playing before Arsenal and Aston Villa in this round of fixtures, beating hosts Burnley 2-0 in a curious game which showcased their best and worst characteristics. Liverpool were far superior for long spells at Turf Moor but only led through Darwin Nunez’s sixth-minute goal for the vast majority of the evening, courtesy of a combination of poor finishing and some controversial refereeing decisions. Diogo Jota, back after injury, finally made certain of the points and ensured a two-point cushion over Arsenal, who play West Ham on Thursday. …”
The Athletic
The Athletic: A Liverpool matchday in The Albert – the pub next door to the Kop

Barcelona review of the year: La Liga triumph – but problems are mounting

“This has been a strange year for Barcelona. They started by winning the Supercopa de Espana in January with a scintillating display against rivals Real Madrid. One month later, the Negreira case emerged — and we are certainly far from the end of that. Xavi’s side were crowned La Liga champions in May, but defeat by Madrid in the Copa del Rey and Manchester Unitedin the Europa League saw them fall short on other fronts. …”
The Athletic

First World War Christmas truce: How much football was actually played?

“It’s one of the best-known stories about the First World War: the Christmas truce of 1914, when soldiers from both sides spontaneously laid down their guns and, for a few hours at least, acted as if they weren’t trying to wipe each other out in a cruelly pointless war. Part of the story was the football match that broke out in No Man’s land. The image of the two sides uniting, in a manner of speaking, over the common language of sport became incredibly evocative, a slice of normality amidst the horror. …”
The Athletic

Coventry City 2–2 Bristol City (1977)

“On 19 May 1977, the English association football clubs Coventry City and Bristol City contested a match in the Football League First Division at Highfield Road, Coventry. It was the final game of the 1976–77 Football League season for both clubs, and both faced potential relegation to the Second Division. A third club, Sunderland, were also in danger of relegation and were playing their final game at the same time, against Everton at Goodison Park. As a result of many Bristol City supporters being delayed in traffic as they travelled to the game, the kick-off in the Coventry–Bristol City game was delayed by five minutes, to avoid crowd congestion. … Sunderland made a complaint about the incident, and the Football League conducted an investigation, but both Coventry and Bristol City were eventually cleared of any wrongdoing. …”
YouTube: COVENTRY CITY 2 BRISTOL CITY 2 MAY 1977

Through the Looking Glass of Big Data: SSC Napoli 2015/16 and the Vindication of Maurizio Sarri: Part One

“Before Luciano Spalletti’s new-look Napoli led by Kvicha ‘Kvaradona’ Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen conquered the Serie A in 2022/23 for the first time since a certain Argentinian had led them to the Scudetto over 30 years prior, it was the unassuming rise of Maurizio Sarri seven years prior that had seemingly marked the start of a new era in the history of the club. Sarri’s appointment to the top job in July 2015 at Napoli had come as a surprise to many in the Neapolitan media as he beat out the more-vaunted likes of Cesare Prandelli and Luciano Spalletti himself to replace Rafa Benitez, freshly departed for Real Madrid. ‘We won’t have a winning Napoli with him,’ the typically outspoken Diego Armando Maradona told the press at the start of the season. …”
Breaking the Lines
Breaking the Lines – Part II: A First Campione D’Invierno (Or, Tuscan Men Love to Curse)
Breaking the Lines – Through the Looking Glass of Big Data: SSC Napoli 2015/16 and the Vindication of Maurizio Sarri: Part Three

The top 5 surprises of the 2023/24 season so far, featuring Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen and Serhou Guirassy

“There was plenty of interest over the summer in how much momentum Xabi Alonso‘s Bayer Leverkusen could take from their great end to the previous campaign. A 14-match unbeaten run in the spring had seen them into the UEFA Europa League semi-finals and carried them up to sixth in the Bundesliga. Few could have possibly foreseen that everything would click into place so seamlessly for Die Werkself to rise to the top of the table and stay there with the swagger of real league leaders – putting together another astonishing unbeaten run stretching to 25 matches in all competitions (and counting) this autumn. …”
Bundesliga (Video)

Tear gas, cages and midnight lock-ins: The reality of being an away fan in Europe

“Penned in cages. Tear-gassed by police. Forced to queue for hours by heavy-handed stewards. Locked in stadiums until midnight and enduring transport chaos. This has been the reality of life for travelling supporters in European competition this season, with seemingly every fanbase having a horror story at their treatment by host clubs or local security forces. When set against a general backdrop of disorder across the continent — from fatal stabbings in France to games being played behind closed doors in Greece or called off altogether in Turkey — it appears that life for away fans in Europe is grimmer than ever. So, what is the reality? In the last week, The Athletic attended three games in two countries — Napoli vs Braga and Atletico Madrid vs Lazio in the Champions League, and Real Betis vs Rangers in the Europa League. This is what we discovered. …”
The Athletic

Liverpool 0-0 Man Utd: 34 shots for Klopp’s team, Varane impresses, Onana passing key

“Liverpool were frustrated against Manchester United as they dropped two points at Anfield in a 0-0 draw. The home side dominated possession and had more chances but the visitors, arriving on the back of their midweek Champions League exit, showed resilience. Liverpool’s 34 shots are the most in a Premier League game by a team that failed to score since Manchester United’s 38 against Burnley in October 2016 and the fifth most in the competition’s history (since 2003-04 when Opta have the data). …”
The Athletic
Guardian – Erik ten Hag: from Ming the Merciless to circling the Old Trafford plughole – Jonathan Wilson
Guardian – United stoop to trench-digging for pragmatic draw at Liverpool

World Cup 2022 migrant worker diaries, one year on: Death, regret, joy and trying to return

“One year ago tomorrow, a bisht-wearing Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup trophy into the Qatari night. That moment would not have happened without migrant labour. Foreign workers, making up more than 90 per cent of Qatar’s population, built eight stadiums, miles of roadway and dozens of accommodation blocks. The deaths of thousands of these workers remain unexplained. During the tournament, FIFA and Qatari organisers have pushed back against discussion of migrant worker rights, insisting that it was time to focus on football. Over that month, with the help of human rights researchers Equidem, The Athletic published four instalments of diaries written by migrant workers. …”
The Athletic

The story of Saddam Hussein’s psychopath son Tifo Football

“Uday Hussein was a sexual sadist, drug addict and psychopath – but he was also the man in charge of Iraqi sport, especially Iraqi football, which he ran using torture, theft, extortion and murder. This is his story, his lengths to control Iraqi football, and how he was brought down. Written by James Montague. Illustrated by Philippe Fenner.”
YouTube

France struggles to find right balance as violence at matches escalates

Marseille’s supporters light flares at the Stade Vélodrome.
“When Fabio Grosso’s bloodied face was plastered across the front page of L’Équipe on 30 October – ‘Disgust and shame,’ the headline read – there was already a prevailing sense that the spate of violent incidents in French football was plumbing new depths. Lyon’s Italian coach was injured as the team bus was pelted on its arrival at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille for a high-stakes Olympico showdown. To make matters worse, Nazi salutes and racist chanting were seen and heard from a small minority of the Lyon fans who were already inside the stadium. The match was postponed and played without away fans more than a month later. …”
Guardian

Liam Henderson: the Scottish footballer who built his career in Italy

“… Liam Henderson has been living in sunny Italy for almost six years now but he still seems amazed by the endless summer. Last August, as the transfer window was about to close, he left Serie A side Empoli on loan for Palermo in the second tier, heading down to Sicily. It wasn’t a career setback though. Palermo is 80% owned by the City Group and they have assembled a highly competitive, ambitious squad with the goal of promotion. Henderson is a key piece of the puzzle. …”
Guardian

Spain: 2023-24 La Liga – Location-map, with 3 charts

“… The map page shows a location-map for the 20 clubs in the 2023-24 La Liga, with recently-promoted and -relegated teams noted. (Promoted in 2023: Granada, Las Palmas, and Alavés; relegated in 2023: Valladolid, Espanyol, Elche.) The map also shows the 17 Autonomous Communities of Spain, and the 20 largest Spanish metropolitan areas. Those 20 largest Spanish metro-areas, with their 2018 population estimates, are listed at the top-centre of the map-page. …”
billsportsmaps
W – La Liga

Turkish referee punched: League suspended after Ankaragucu club president hits official

“Turkish football has been suspended by league bosses after the referee in a top-flight match was hospitalised after being punched to the ground by a club president at the end of the game. Faruk Koca, president of Super Lig side MKE Ankaragucu, raced onto the field and hit referee Halil Umut Meler after a draw against Caykur Rizespor. Meler was left hospitalised after being knocked to the floor by Koca, whose team had conceded a 97th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw. …”
The Athletic
NY Times: A Referee Is Punched in the Face, and Turkish Soccer Feels the Blow

How often do Premier League champions score last-minute winners? Less than you might think

“Trent Alexander-Arnold smashing home a late winner against Fulham in front of the Kop. Declan Rice clambering above a defender to nod in against Luton Town. Or Rice, for that matter, striking late against Manchester United back in September. We see these goals and we think of Steve Bruce’s header against Sheffield Wednesday in 1993 or Federico Macheda’s curler against Aston Villa in 2009. We’re conditioned to think that late goals are a regular feature of title-winning champions. But is that really the case, or do we simply remember a few standout examples and exaggerate how frequently champions rely on late winners? Let’s look at the numbers… ”
The Athletic (Video)

Barcelona’s Champions League loss means more damage for Xavi – not just for the result

“Barcelona’s Champions League defeat by Antwerp did not stop them from progressing to the knockout round as group winners, but it can certainly affect Xavi’s position as manager. On Wednesday night in Belgium, Barca went 1-0 down after just 76 seconds to a goal scored by 18-year-old Arthur Vermeeren, the quickest strike the Spanish side have conceded in 12 years in the Champions League. …”
The Athletic (Video)

Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool: Determined table toppers, penalty delays and Alisson’s return

“Substitute Harvey Elliott was the hero as Liverpool came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 at Selhurst Park. The 20-year-old hadn’t scored since January’s FA Cup tie against Brighton but he put that right with a brilliant stoppage-time winner. Jean-Philippe Mateta had fired Palace ahead from the penalty spot on a day when Jurgen Klopp’s side were far from their best, but after Jordan Ayew’s red card the visitors stepped up a gear late on. Mohamed Salah equalised before Elliott delivered the killer blow to spark wild celebrations. …”
The Athletic
The Numbers Behind Mohamed Salah’s 200 Liverpool Goals
YouTube: Mo Salah’s 200th Goal & Late Elliott Winner! Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool

Manchester United 0-3 Bournemouth: Ten Hag’s toothless side outfought and outpressed – The Briefing

“Manchester United suffered a humbling defeat at home to Bournemouth, losing for the sixth time at Old Trafford this season. Erik ten Hag’s side, who began with Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund on the bench, were toothless, struggled against the press and conceded sloppy goals as they lost 3-0. In winning, Bournemouth became the last of the current 20 Premier League teams to claim a win away at United in their history. …”
The Athletic
Guardian: Manchester United stunned 3-0 as Bournemouth break Old Trafford duck
YouTube: INCREDIBLE win at Old Trafford | Manchester United 0-3 AFC Bournemouth

What happened to Andres Iniesta after Barcelona?

“When Andres Iniesta announced he was leaving Barcelona in 2018 many thought he would announce his retirement from the game. But no, now approaching his 40th birthday he is still playing professional football. But where? What happened to Iniesta after Barcelona? Written by Seb Stafford-Bloor. Illustrated by Alice Devine.”
YouTube

The biggest punishment in Premier League history

“Everton have been given the heaviest points deduction in Premier League history. It is a ruling which puts them at serious risk of relegation and it’s a judgement they also intend to appeal. How did they get here? What have they done wrong? Why are they going to appeal? Explained by Patrick Boyland and Matt Slater.”
YouTube

Euro 2024 draw analysis: Spain, Italy, Croatia in toughest group, England happy, France v Netherlands

“A virtual ‘group of death’ for Spain, Italy and Croatia, a kind draw for England and a juicy meeting between France and the Netherlands were some of the highlights of the Euro 2024 draw. Our expert panel of James Horncastle, Raphael Honigstein, Matt Slater, Dermot Corrigan and Mark Critchley assembled to offer their verdict on what lies ahead in Germany next summer — from the players who can make the tournament their own, which group they consider the toughest, and, crucially, who they are backing to win it. …”
The Athletic
W – UEFA Euro 2024

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

Champions League grades: Arsenal earn high marks, Celtic woes drag on

“A+ Five Arsenal goals by half-time, and six different scorers by full-time, this was Mikel Arteta’s team at their attacking best, and they took heavy vengeance on the French team they previously lost to. Kai Havertz, after his goal at Brentford at the weekend, began the scoring on a night when Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka in full flight tore their opponents apart. Top of the Premier League and safely qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League in their first appearance for five seasons, things are shaping up very well for the Gunners. …”
Guardian

Manchester City keep conceding from counter-attacks – should Guardiola be worried?

“Pep Guardiola was presented with an observation following his side’s 3-2 home victory against RB Leipzig on Tuesday. The five goals his Manchester City side have conceded in the Champions League this season have all been essentially the same. Whether it has been against Leipzig, Young Boys or Red Star Belgrade, City have been undone by a ball in behind the defence leaving the opposition in a one-against-one with their goalkeeper. …”
The Athletic

The Drug That Football Fears

“There is a painkilling drug in football that is described as ‘Evil’. It is feared within the game, and can be highly addictive. It will be added to the banned substance list, leaving many players in a race against time to wean themselves off it. This is the story of Tramadol’s use in football. Written by Daniel Taylor. Illustrated by Marco Bevilacqua.”
YouTube

Daniel Heuer Fernandes, Hamburg’s goalkeeping playmaker – ‘I’m our 11th outfield player’

“Hamburg’s Daniel Heuer Fernandes might be the most watchable goalkeeper in Europe. Those who have seen him know why. For those who have not, the best way to describe him is as two separate players: the goalkeeper and the footballer. Heuer Fernandes, 31, is an excellent shot-stopper. He is nimble and agile and has made some brilliant saves over the past few years. But he is really Hamburg’s 11th outfield player, too, and not in the cliched, ’keeper-who-is-good-with-his-feet sense. He can actually play. …”
The Athletic
W – Daniel Heuer Fernandes

When is the Copa America 2024 group stage draw? Date, teams, pots and format explained

“The Copa America returns to the U.S. for its 2024 edition and there is a little more than half a year until it gets underway. The USMNT were one of the teams to confirm their place at the tournament during the most recent international break, leaving just two more of the 16 participants to be decided. Before those remaining spots are filled, the draw for the tournament’s group stage will be made in Miami. Here is everything you need to know. …”
The Athletic
W – 2024 Copa América

Why are football stadiums so expensive to build?

“Manchester United and Chelsea share a problem they cannot hope to run away from. Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge might be able to narrate storied chapters of the Premier League’s history, but neither can project a compelling future. At least not in their current states. The famous homes of Manchester United and Chelsea have become weights that threaten to hold back their owners. They are not fit for an elite long-term purpose. …”
The Athletic (Video)

2023-24 FA Cup, 2nd Round Proper: Location-map, with fixtures list & current league attendances

“… Eighth-tier side Ramsgate (from the Isthmian League South East Division) beat 5th division/National League side Woking, 2-1, at Ramsgate’s ground, Southwood Stadium, in Ramsgate, on the northeast coast of Kent. There was a packed crowd of 3,000 there, which exceeded the ground’s capacity by 500. Woking took an early lead, with a goal in the 13th minute. But Ramsgate equalised in the 40th minute, when Canterbury, Kent-born GK Tom Hadler boomed a long 70-yard goal-kick that London-born MF Tijan Jadama deftly trapped, on the fly, then bundled in {see photos and captions below.} Ramsgate took the lead for good in the 72nd minute, when former Man Utd MF Lee Robert Martin scored, on a nicely played set piece from a corner kick. …”
billsportsmaps
W – FA Cup

Arsenal have accepted how they must play to win a Premier League title – Jonathan Wilson

“A sign of champions, the theory has it, is winning ugly. No side can be at their very best all the time and so, over the course of a season, there will be occasions when a team that is going to win the league has to gut it out, to keep going with their plans, to keep believing, whether that means withstanding pressure or burgling a late goal. Not all points are won with beauty; some have to be fought for or stolen. In a title race, character matters as much as ability. …”
Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Juventus make a point against Inter as talk of title grows louder in Turin

“On the eve of this season’s first Derby d’Italia, both managers insisted they would not “sign for a draw”. Simone Inzaghi was pragmatic, claiming he would never do that ‘unless it’s the second leg [of a knockout game] and you already won the first.’ Massimiliano Allegri found a way to be even more so, saying: ‘No. We need to play the match that starts at 8.45pm.’ Those replies were as inevitable as the question being posed. Neither manager could pre-declare a willingness to settle for a point in a game against their most likely rival for the Serie A title. Yet it was reasonable to think that outcome might suit them both. …”
Guardian

Conspiracies, suspicion and mutiny – this is the Premier League in 2023

“Walking down Goodison Road can feel like stepping back to a time a world away from the steel-and-glass office-block conformity of the modern Premier League landscape. On one side of the road are terraced houses as well as the Blue Dragon Chinese takeaway, the Goodison Cafe and The Winslow Hotel. On the other side, the faded grandeur of one of England’s most historic football grounds. …”
The Athletic

Union bid farewell to Urs Fischer, the FußballGott who created dreams

“It is often trite to describe a particular goal as the turning point of a season. Especially with late goals, we have the tendency to let the emotion describe them, as if they are more important than they actually might be. Divorcing events from emotion has never been a speciality of Union Berlin, however. This is a club and a fanbase that feels everything. The club whose supporters literally gave their own blood to raise funds to fill empty coffers, who rebuilt a crumbling stadium with their own hands – and who, on the back of a horrendous run of 12 successive defeats which turned what should have been a dream season into an unfolding nightmare, chanted not for their head coach to be sacked, but emptied their lungs with the gospel that he was still a FußballGott to them. …”
Guardian