“As Aleksandar Mitrovic pulls up his seat, a black and white cat appears at his feet and starts nuzzling its head against some of the more valuable legs in English football. It is clear we are not going to be alone for this interview. Any introductions? Well, yes, it turns out this cat wanders into Fulham’s training ground every day and miaows outside until someone opens the door. It has been christened Miaow Palhinha (to clarify: not Joao, but Miaow) and Mitrovic is stretching out one of those big, powerful arms to give his furry friend a bit of love. …”
The Athletic

“‘Stability must be the key to progression,’ wrote Everton owner Farhad Moshiri this week in his response to an open letter from the club’s fans’ forum that voiced their concerns over the direction of the club. His words offered a measure of support to Everton manager Frank Lampard, who heads into this weekend’s Premier League game against Southampton under considerable pressure. Everton haven’t won a league game since October and sunk into the relegation zone after their most recent defeat against Brighton. Lampard is not alone. …”
The Athletic

“As part of this site, I allow for questions to be thrown my way pertaining to performance problems on the pitch, and how players can solve complex issues. I received a great question a few days ago from a goalkeeper, looking to understand how they can organize the defensive line. With a wonderful view of the action, goalkeepers must be more than just shot stoppers, and participate actively and vocally in communicating with their mates. They should not be solely responsible for organizing the entire team, but have the ability to do so through the vantage point they have on the field, and often the fearless nature they behold. …”
The Mastermindsite

“Southampton may be bottom of the league on 12 points after 18 games of the 2022-23 Premier League season, but one ounce of comfort is that they have already surpassed the worst points tally in a single Premier League campaign, set by Derby County in 2007-08. We look at the lowest points tallies in a single Premier League season. …”
The Analyst

“… Those were the thoughts of a young Bruno Guimaraes as he started his football career back home in Brazil. It’s a journey that has taken him to the league he regularly followed as a kid — the Premier League. Less than a year after his arrival from French club Lyon, Guimaraes is proving to be exactly what head coach Eddie Howe and Newcastle United wanted in their midfield — an off-ball battler who also has the necessary technical skills on the ball to help the team progress up the field. …”
The Athletic (Video)

“The World Cup can be like a shop window. A chance to see a snapshot of hundreds of different players in less than a month. Stars will emerge, and legends will be made. But transfers shouldn’t happen. But why? Seb Stafford-Bloor explains why signing a player based on a World Cup performance is a bad idea. Illustrated by Marco Bevilacqua.”
YouTube

“The lights going out is nothing new for Darlington supporters. Twice in the past 20 years the club has had to abandon its home in the town, while there were three spells in administration that eventually culminated in a drop of four divisions. A little over a decade has passed since those dark, dark days. On the field, things are looking up with Darlington going top of National League North on the cold December night The Athletic pays a visit. …”
The Athletic

“The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is widely regarded as one of the best sporting arenas in the world. The build was completed in 2019 at a staggering cost of £1.3 billion. But will it ever be able to recoup those costs? Abhishek Raj looks at the four main ways Spurs’ home ground can make its money back. Philippe Fenner illustrates.”
YouTube