Arsenal look out of ammo.

Published: Monday, 04 November 2024

Well that’s a bit of a turn up. No-one saw this one coming. Edu is leaving.

That’s all we know right now but you can be sure more of the details will emerge over the next 24 hours or so.

It’s funny - I’m not suggesting for a minute that I had any idea, but I was going to ask the question ‘what’s really wrong with Arsenal’ today.

I intended to make the argument their slump couldn’t simply be because Odegaard is missing. A club the size of Arsenal should be able to absorb the loss of one player - no matter how good he is. That’s why I don’t buy into the argument that Rodri is irreplaceable at City.

Arteta has looked out of sorts recently. Having said that - I’m not convinced that knowing Edu’s plans (Arteta will definitely have had knowledge) should’ve affected things in any way at all on the pitch. It’s just all a bit odd. But there’s definitely something not right.

They were way off the pace you expect from a team with title ambitions at Newcastle. The Toon didn’t really have to work that hard to beat them. Arsenal had just one shot on target over the 90 mins - nothing in the second half when they were trailing. That’s poor. Really poor. They were completely out of ammo.

As Arsenal appear to be running in mud, Liverpool impress more and more. Brighton were terrific most of the afternoon and might have got out of Anfield with a win but for two minutes and two seconds of madness.

That’s how long it took Liverpool to overturn Brighton’s lead and they weren’t really ever in trouble after that.

I keep saying there will be sterner tests to come for Liverpool - and they keep pushing back on that brushing aside every challenge they’ve faced.

Mo Salah’s latest cryptic tweet has caused a bit of a stir, which is exactly what he wanted of course.

Two seasons back he was definitely leaving the club - that was until Liverpool had a dramatic of mind  - sold Mane and decided to make Salah the highest paid player at the club.

The article in Saturday’s Mail, based on Simon Hughes’ new book Chasing Salah, must have made interesting reading for some. It confirmed what I’d been saying during the period the two of them played together. Do you remember? Liverpool fans used to hammer me for it. They didn’t like each other.

My information now is that Salah wants to stay, but it’ll take a 3-year deal to settle him down.

Broken City? Seriously? Broken? I’ve read one headline after another like that all weekend. Broken? They started 11 internationals at Bournemouth.

Amongst their subs were de Bruyne, Lewis, Doku and Savinho. Guardiola chose to make only two changes during the game. Broken? No. Nowhere near broken and to suggest that undermines what a fantastic performance Bournemouth put in.

And more credit where it’s due - well played Forest. Well played Chris Wood - again. What a season he’s having. Forest won’t finish anywhere near the position they hold now, but for the time being they should enjoy what they’re doing.

Leicester keep plugging away. I’ve always thought they might just have enough, but there’s clearly trouble at Wolves and West Ham.

West Ham’s problems are all of their own making and I don’t have an ounce of sympathy for them. It’ll get worse there before it gets better. They’re certainly going in another direction since forcing David Moyes out. It’s just not the one they wanted to go in. Frank Lampard?

Wolves is a difficult one for me. I like Gary O’Neill and I thought they might have turned a corner by now - but it’s not happening. 

Palace stumble on. One minute you think they’ve sorted things out then they slip up again. Gareth Safegate?

And of course we can’t finish without a word on United. Why has it taken so long for every pundit working to wake up and admit how bad they are? We know why don’t we? Because doubtless they were all asked to go easy on ten Toast - just as they were on the subject of Sancho last season. And the PGMOL this.

This is how bad it is at United. It’s going to take £1b to get the team right. They are way off. There’s little or nothing for Amorim to work with, although I must say I’m looking forward to seeing his ‘pressing pentagon’ in action. Perhaps the brains trust should re-sign ten Toast’s ‘pressing monster’ Nout Workhorse to help him with that?

At last….but why did it take so long? The mess is on you Sunny Jim.

Published: Monday, 28 October 2024

When everybody is talking about the same thing my natural instinct is to go in another direction, but on this occasion that’s impossible.

At last. But what on earth took United so long? What a shambles of a club they are right now.

Ten Hag should’ve been sacked in the summer. He wasn’t a United manager when he was appointed. He wasn’t a United manager when he was in post. He was never going to be a United manager.

He was weak. He cut a pathetic figure week after week on that touchline. He was clueless. All he had to offer in both pre and post match conferences was ‘we schtick together. We schtick to the plan’. Nonsense. In recent weeks I don’t think even he was convinced he was the right man for the job.

If he’d had any pride or dignity he’d have walked out in the summer when he found out Ratcliffe and his brains trust were hawking his job all round Europe. In the end he was their fourth choice for his own job.

It was typical of Ratcliffe’s penny pinching that ten Hag was kept on. The bottom line is Ratcliffe wouldn’t pay the going rate for a top coach. So they triggered an extra year in ten Hag’s deal and then tried to persuade us he’d been handed a new contract. That lie quickly back-fired.

Instead of firing ten Hag they sacked his back room team and started appointing people they’d chosen to put round him. Is anyone even a teeny bit surprised van Nistelrooy has been given the job?

It was the Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana who famously warned that those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it.

That strategy never works. Never, ever works. It didn’t go too well for Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers did it? There are so many examples of failed tinkering down the years - keeping the coach but changing everything around him.

So that makes another famous philosopher, Aldous Huxley correct - the English writer said ‘the most important thing we learn from history is that we never learn from history’.

Ratcliffe’s bungling last summer was of monumental proportions. As if United didn’t have enough bad players at the club he somehow sanctioned the purchase of de Light. Is he really an upgrade on Maguire? What does Zirkzee do? Who else was in for him?

If Ugarte was a player he would never have been allowed to leave Paris. I know those guys well. They’re not stupid. Even ten Hag wouldn’t play him.

Yoro? Who knows. Maybe. But he wasn’t going to change anything in the first X1 at his tender age.

Sekoun Kone? I’ve no idea - but again, he wasn’t one that was going to fix things immediately.

United are a mess and Ratcliffe and his brains trust have done nothing to suggest they know how to fix it. Of course - as soon as Ratcliffe started feeling some heat he was doing to act and that’s why ten Hag has gone now.

Ask yourself this. Which top player would sign for United right now? The answer is no-one. Even if they could persuade one - where would the money come from to buy him?

Go right through ten Hag’s signings - how many of them would they get money back for? Antony? Hojlund? Perhaps they’d get half of what they paid for him. Onana? Maybe, but I’m not convinced. He proved to be what I said from the outset - a liability and nowhere near as good as de Gea.

How did United end up buying so many duds? The list is almost endless. It’s actually really scary. Of course they’re not all down to Ratcliffe and co, but they only a made things worse in the summer.

Somewhere in America the Glazers must be sitting pissing themselves. They no longer get mentioned. There’s no blame on their shoulders anymore. They’re still taking huge chunks of money out of the club in dividends - and that’s after banking £1.25 billion - and they still own three quarters of it.

What actually did Ratcliffe buy? What was he thinking? From the Glazers point of view it wasn’t just the sale of the century - it was the sale of this and any other century you care to mention. Madness.

I wait with bated breath the next act from beneath Ratcliffe’s big top circus tent. Fred Karno would be proud to have put on a farce like the one we‘re witnessing now.

On the field - top marks to Arsenal for standing firm in serious adversity. Arteta played it exactly right hanging onto what could yet be a very valuable point.

Everton battled well for a point as well. Sean Dyche should be applauded for changing things around and getting something from the game v Fulham.

Of course Guardiola was going to applaud Russell Martin and Saints. Any opposition team rolling over and playing as Guardiola wants will get his seal of approval.

There maybe trouble ahead for big Ange. I really can’t work Spurs out.

Ipswich were unlucky at Brentford - who I really like watching. Frank has got them playing some really exciting football. They go from back to front so quickly - with no frills - and it’s refreshing to watch.

It was another really poor weekend for our officials - but how many times do I say this? As bad as it was - I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like the pen West Ham got. Michael Oliver should be stood down for a few weeks. He indulged himself and made a complete fool of a colleague.

David Coote did not make a ‘clear and obvious’ error. Oliver should never have got involved in the process. You could see as Coote turned away from the monitor he knew he was doing the wrong thing. So is that three VAR errors now Howard? 😂.

And after more lengthy delays - some three minutes long - to call ridiculously tight off-side decisions - can I ask again where our automated technology is? It’s long overdue now and there still no sign of it. Why not?

Turns out it wasn’t much of a test for Liverpool.

Published: Monday, 21 October 2024

It was billed as Liverpool’s first big test of the season. Turns out it wasn’t.

I thought Chelsea were passive and largely ineffective and that description would sum up Cole Palmer’s contribution as well. I’m a massive Palmer fan, but he had a day to forget - just four shots - none on target and he created only one chance for his team mates. In total, Chelsea only had two shots on target. Forest provided a much stiffer test - and Liverpool failed that one.

But on this occasion fair play to Liverpool - they beat what was in front of them, despite a series of bizarre decisions from the ref.

My first question about his appointment would be why? This was only his second game of the season. It was too big for him. He was way off the pace. Why give him such a big game when he hasn’t been reffing?

Chelsea should’ve had a pen before Brooks eventually gave Liverpool one. Sancho’s foot was clearly trodden on Kop end. Pen. Why was there no review?

Salah tried to con one out of Brooks before Curtis Jones did. You could hear Brooks’ mind working ‘damn, I’ve just turned one down l, I’ll have to give this’. Yes, there was contact but it was no more or less than there had been on Sancho. It certainly wasn’t enough to send Jones tumbling.

I thought the next one might have been. Ok, Sanchez got something on the ball, but it continued towards goal and had Jones not been brought down he might easily have scored.

Incidentally - Chelsea won’t win anything with Sanchez in goal. He’s not good enough.

I can understand why Arsenal fans were furious that Chelsea’s Tosin wasn’t sent-off in a replica of the incident that saw Saliba dismissed the previous day. Perhaps the difference was that Howard Webb wasn’t at the game?

The PGMOL tell us that Webb had nothing to do with Saliba’s sending off so we must believe them. But who was he texting? Was he ordering pizza? A car home? Dinner somewhere? We’ll never know. What I do know is that it wasn’t a good look to get caught on the phone at that moment.

Back to the football - I don’t believe either incident was a red card offence. I’ve no idea why VAR got involved at Bournemouth. It was a subjective call therefore the decision should’ve been the on-field refs. Yellow was the correct card. They should’ve stayed with it.

There was a lot of fuss about City’s winner as well. The first thing to say here is that Silva wasn’t offside, but that wasn’t the offence that should’ve been looked at. Silva clearly impedes Sa’s ability to get to the ball. The series of pictures below clearly show Sa complaining about Silva blocking him on his line at the previous corner. Silva did. The video is better but I’m not allowed to post that.

WhatsApp Image 2024 10 21 at 13.20.23WhatsApp Image 2024 10 21 at 13.20.40WhatsApp Image 2024 10 21 at 13.20.50WhatsApp Image 2024 10 21 at 13.21.57

This is something that needs to be looked at. Arsenal do it all the time as well. Officials have got to be better at spotting these things. 

I’ve got sympathy with Gary O’Neil’s view that there is unconscious bias when contentious calls are made. We’re always told ‘refs are human’. So it follows doesn’t it? They’re bound to be intimidated by big names.

Two other things from that game. There’s a glaring foul as Wolves build towards City’s goal in the 93rd minute. Nunes fouls Guedes - tackles him from behind - catches him and brings him down. If Wolves get that free-kick, they keep the ball and get a point. Chris Kavanagh waves play on. It was a shocking decision.

O’Neil pointed out post-match that Wolves had a goal ruled out in a game v West Ham last season that was very like Stones’. He right. They did. Where is the consistency?

There isn’t any - and it drives us all mad. For Webb to claim that VAR has made only two wrong calls this season is laughable. The guy should be sacked if he really thinks that.

What was he doing appearing on Gary Neville’s Overlap podcast? Why? I know they pay guests well but surely he didn’t take a fee? Isn’t his own programme Sorry! the place to be expressing this thoughts during another grilling from Michael Owen?

So according to reports in The Telegraph MbS controlled the Newcastle take-over. No. I don’t believe it. They go further suggesting whats app messages allege British govt involvement as well. No. This can’t be true. I distinctly remember Tracey Crouch, in her review on football governance, stating the game needed an independent administrator and casting doubt on the Newcastle deal going through if one had been in place.

Independent? Perhaps she meant govt regulator? Which is really what we’ve been talking about all along. And the Newcastle deal was always going to happen because the govt at the time wanted it to.

Did you see the piece with Trevor Birch in the Times? Birch is chief exec of the EFL - a good man. I was delighted to read the EFL have no plans to introduce VAR any time soon because Birch and his colleagues believe his league’s emphasis is on ‘authentic’ football. Good decision Trevor. The EFL is exactly that. Don’t ruin it.

I’m delighted with the appointment of Thomas Tuchel. England need a ‘winner’ in charge and Tuchel fits the bill. For the first time since 1965 I now genuinely believe England might just win the World Cup. That’s what Alf Ramsey promised a year before he did it - and Tuchel is making the same noises. Good luck to him.

Never mind all this racist nonsense that the England team should have an English manager. Carsley is Irish for goodness sake - which is why he didn’t sing the national anthem in Dublin.

And to those that claim international football isn’t that if national teams don’t have one of their own in charge I’d say this. Tuchel becomes the 47th coach working for a ‘foreign’ team. And weren’t you all screaming for Guardiola to get it? He wants Brazil. They want Ancellottti.

If you really do want an English leader why not Emma Hayes? She’s the most successful English coach working right now. Why not? Or are you all the misogynistic sexist you accuse me of being?

I don’t care too much that Eddie Howe wasn't interviewed, but I would like to know which BAME candidate was - in line with FA policy.

Under the heading RECRUITMENT the FA say this in their guidelines:

‘Shortlists for interview will have at least one male and one female, Black, Asian or of mixed heritage candidate’. So….? Names please Mr Bullingham.

Of course it’s your decision Jim.

Published: Monday, 07 October 2024

I’m not kidding. I can’t recall watching a worse PL game than Villa v United.
It was awful. Coaches are going to have the game done away with if they keep serving up rubbish like we saw at Villa Park.

Newcastle/City was bad enough for 45 minutes the week before, but the pain went on from start to finish at Villa. At one point I thought I was watching walking football. Dreary doesn’t cover it.

How many times did Martinez and Onana stand outside their box with a foot on the ball? I know the idea is to invite the press and then work the ball out - but no-one ever pressed.

Clearly Villa were feeling the effects of their big night against Bayern, but that’s not really an excuse. If they want to mix it with the big boys they’ve got to do better, especially when there’s nothing to beat in front of you.

United were scared stiff. Putrid again. Ten Hag has excelled beating his own record for their worst ever start. How bad has it got to get before Ratcliffe and the brains trust act?

Sunny Jim told the BBC’s Dan Roan Friday it wasn’t his call whether ten Hag stays or goes. That doesn’t wash Jim. Of course it’s your call.

There’s so much I could say about the shambles at OT, but I’m so tired of it I can’t bring myself to go there again.

It’s beginning to look as though Sunny Jim’s has done it again though. His foray into football hasn't worked out at all well so far. If you want to know what I’m referring to watch this. It’s long but a really well researched piece by the award winning journalist Alfie Potts Harmet. Sunny Jim doesn’t come out of it too well.

We Need To Talk About Sir Jim Ratcliffe

What’s going on at Spurs? Not only did they make complete fools of themselves at Brighton - they did me as well. I really enjoyed watching them in the first 45 at the Amex and said so on beINSPORTS. They were good. And on the back of the win at OT I found myself thinking they might just have got it right at long last.

But oh no. The wheels came off again second-half in a very Spursy way. What is it about them? No wonder big Ange couldn’t take his eyes off the floor when he spoke afterwards! At best - they might win another cup one day, but it looks as though Fergie was right all those years ago - they’ll never win the title again.

Having said that - let’s add that Brighton were terrific as they turned the game on its head. Good luck to them. Regulars know I’ve got a really soft spot for Brighton. Roberto who?

Chelsea/Forest was really good as well. Both teams will hear from the FA as a result of the fight and Nicolas Jackson will be on a charge of his own. How funny was it watching Cole Palmer take a front row seat as manbags were being thrown about? He’s class.

The game was good though. Forest deserved something, despite Chelsea creating 38 attempts at goal. Based on Sunday’s game it would take Villa and United an entire season to make that many chances.

Kai Havertz scored for the seventh consecutive home game v Saints. A year ago we were all scratching our heads wondering why Arsenal had paid £65m for him. I’m sure I’d have had something to say, but fair play to Mikel Arteta. Havertz is now undroppable.

And while we’re on this subject - it looks as though the Arsenal boss was right about changing his keeper as well (hands up) but it was really good to see Aaron Ramsdale get such a good reception on his return to the club.

As Bayern Leverkusen fail to follow up on last season I wonder if Xabi Alonso is having any regrets about bottling a return to Anfield?

Have you seen the top of League One? Never mind Birmingham and Wrexham - how about Mansfield in third place? Nigel Clough is at it again. It’s probably too late for Clough jnr to get another crack at a big club, and that’s a shame. Like Cole Palmer, Clough is a class act. Keep it going Nige.

In his column in the Telegraph today the former head of the PGMOL - Keith Hackett - writes that we saw ‘a number of strange decisions this weekend’. That’s an understatement Keith.

Rashford should’ve gone for two yellows at Villa. He was petulant when he lashed out at Leon Bailey and deserved a second yellow.

Arsenal should’ve had a pen first-half when Havertz was wrestled to the ground v Saints. Palace should’ve had one v Liverpool when van Dijk pulled Guehi back. No foul said the PGMOL’s Matchday centre, claiming van Dijk let go quickly. Really? How come Eriksson was booked for an exact same offence in the opening five minutes at Villa then?

Arsenal’s second should’ve been disallowed. Merino is off-side and clearly affecting play as he goes to head the ball. It’s baffling as to how that was given. Bournemouth had one disallowed that was virtually identical.
And Leicester should’ve had a pen for handball when Zabarnyi handled.

It was a shambles of a weekend, but I guess Howard Webb will tell us his guys have only made one mistake all season on the next episode of Sorry! Nothing to see here…..

Hapless. And hopeless. But it’s not all his fault.

Published: Monday, 30 September 2024

This is going to surprise a few people.
I actually felt a little bit sorry for ten Hag yesterday (Sunday).

What must he have been thinking as he stood on that OT touchline, in the pouring Manchester rain, watching the team he assembled for £600m being torn to shreds by Spurs?

‘It’s United lads….’ That’s all big Ange will have to say when they meet again in February.

Ten Hag was lost. He didn’t have a clue what to do. Hapless and hopeless. He wasn’t a Utd manager when they appointed him. He isn’t a Utd manager today. He never will be.

He’s insipid. Weak. Full of excuses. There are so many stats that condemn him, but here’s the most damning of all. In their last 15 league games Utd have picked up 19 points. Everton have collected 21.

So why did I feel a little bit sorry for him? Well - because it’s not all his fault. Granted - if he’d had any pride or dignity he’d have walked in the summer when Ratcliffe was hawking his job around Europe. In the end he was 4th choice to keep it. How degrading.

So this is all on Ratcliffe and his brains trust now. Of course they should’ve sacked ten in the summer, but the man who’s cancelled staff lunchboxes, stopped the supply of free matchday programmes for some, demands people use Uber’s, sacked the kit manager of some 27 years service and the media guru, didn’t want to pay the going rate for a top coach. What’s that old saying about paying peanuts?

Ratcliffe, Brailsford (what was in the Jiffy bag Dave?) Ashworth and Wilcox also wanted someone who’d do as he was told. Thomas Tuchel decided he could afford to say ‘no’.

So here we are. United are 12th, having scored fewer goals at OT than either Liverpool or Spurs - facing a tricky European tie this week and almost inevitable defeat at Villa Park. Surely they’ll bring the curtain down on this sorry saga then? I hope they’ve still got Tuchel’s number?

I’d love to be able to talk about the first-half at Newcastle - but I fell asleep. What a bore-fest again City. They really can be a hard watch. I read they completed 249 passes before getting three shots on target. Wow. Newcastle hit the target twice from 168 passes.

What would Kevin Keegan - the King of the entertainers - make of it all? Knowing him as I do I’m pretty sure he’d hate it.

Post match Guardiola complimented Eddie Howe on Newcastle’s approach. ‘They try to do the right things’ he said. Really? Who decides what the right things are Guardiola?

Ask any Geordie whether he/she would rather watch what these two served up Saturday - or a Keegan team ripping into the opposition. I know the answer.

There is perhaps a dim light at the end of the tunnel. Have you noticed how many teams are now lumping the ball into opposition territory from the kick-off? It’s something I’ve been talking about for a long time so I was grateful to Gregor Robertson in The Times at the weekend for putting a number on it.

It was 15 of the 20 PL teams the previous match week. Bournemouth and Brentford have been doing it for a long time. By getting the ball forward, Thomas Allardyce’s team scored goals in just 12 and 13 seconds in their previous two games. We flagged this on beINSPORTS Saturday - only for them to do it again - this time after 37 seconds.

Maybe this virus will spread? Let’s hope so. That teams will want to put the ball in areas where they can actually hurt teams? Where chances can be created and goals scored?

I guess Big Sam was right after all? That there is no ‘right way’ to play. That set-pieces are important as well. Allardyce was the first set-piece ‘specialist’ in the game. Remember? Graham Taylor will be smiling somewhere as well I guess.

I’ve nothing but sympathy with Forest’s belief that the poor standard of refereeing is blighting the game. What a joke that pen award was at The City Ground. Whatever happened to ‘the referee’s call’? Remember? It was point 1 in a six point review conducted by Howard Webb - more on-field decisions and less VAR intervention. Can’t help themselves can they?

Before we leave the subject of refs - no more Saudi moonlighting for Michael Oliver I see. Quite right too. I was surprised no-one mentioned his part-time job last weekend.

Leicester were unlucky at Arsenal. They had a real go didn’t they? If they keep it up a first win won’t be far away. Fair play to the Gunners though. They got the job done.

Ipswich were good as well. Delap looks like a player. Who would you say is better value right now - him or Zirkzee? Didn’t Delap used to play his football in Manchester as well? Right under the noses of the brains trust?

A quick question on Zirkzee. Where does he fit in when Hojlund is fit?

Finally - Cole Palmer. Wow. What a player. He’s streets ahead of Bellingham. I can’t think of better money ever being spent. What a rick Guardiola dropped letting him go. He’s already worth £100m more than Chelsea paid and he’s only going to get better. I love watching him.

The Gunners were six seconds from a statement win

Published: Monday, 23 September 2024

Six seconds. That’s all there was of the game left. Michael Oliver ended the match exactly six seconds of playing time after City’s equaliser. That’s how close the Gunners were to a statement win.

I thought they were terrific. If they’d held on they would’ve deserved the win. I don’t buy the accusation their performance was ‘anti-football’. No it wasn’t.

There are two sides to a game of football - offence and defence. Arsenal took the game to City in the first-half - then, after shooting themselves in the foot again, put on a magnificent show of dogged defending.

It made me laugh when I read David Silva making those allegations - and whining about Arsenal’s ‘dirty tricks’. My goodness, what a glorious irony. Guardiola teams have always engaged in dirty tricks. He invented them at Barcelona and developed them at Munich and City.

Having said that, you’ve got to be careful if you go down that route. I’ve no sympathy for Trossard. What he did was just plain daft, so soon after Declan Rice was punished for kicking the ball away. He deserved to go.

But if he hadn’t been booked for doing that, he could easily have been booked for the foul that led to the incident. There was no need make that clumsy challenge - right on half-time, handing City a chance to have a crack at goal from the free-kick.

I do agree with Arteta that Doku should’ve been booked. He too kicked the ball away, but let’s not forget it would’ve been a simple yellow. Trossard was on a yellow when he committed his crime. The guy must have the brains of a rocking horse.

There’s no question Oliver dropped a bollock by not booking Doku. We want consistency.

He was also a bit naughty allowing Arsenal to take the free-kick - from the wrong place by the way - in the build-up to Arsenal’s first goal. Walker was a bit slow getting back in position, but protocol demands he should’ve been allowed to do so.

There’s an argument Arsenal’s second should’ve been disallowed. Ederson is clearly stopped from getting to the corner by two Arsenal ‘blockers’. They do it all the time and I’m a little surprised officials haven’t cottoned onto it yet. I thought it was a foul.

So both sides have reason to be a little miffed, but I enjoyed the game. It was great to see Arsenal go toe-to-toe with City, whilst also believing they could win it. That was a massive change in their mind set from last season

Oh dear Rob Jones. What were you thinking? Let’s take the sequence of events, that led to three red cards being shown at Brighton, in order.

Gibbs-White’s challenge on Pedro was poor and he should’ve been booked. In fact, there’s a case he should’ve seen a straight red. There was an identical challenge by Preston’s Sam Greenwood that saw him sent-off in their game v Blackburn.

The problem at Brighton was that Jones saw nothing wrong with Gibbs-White’s tackle. He clearly signalled he thought Gibbs-White got the ball and he gave a throw to Brighton.

It was the 4th - Antony Taylor - that changed his mind. I know there’s always a conversation between the 4th and a match ref, but Taylor shouldn’t have got involved once Jones had made his decision.

And it got worse. As all hell let loose in the dug-outs you can see Taylor telling his more junior colleague to send Nuno off. That can’t be right. Suggesting yes. But making decisions from the touch-line? No. It was not Taylor’s place to do that and he made Jones look a fool.

There was a lot of confusion as to why Tottenham’s Vicario wasn’t sent-off for handling outside the box. I’m not convinced John Brooks saw the offence as Vicario got himself into a real mess, juggling the ball on the edge of his box, but it didn’t matter.

The first two times the keeper touched the ball he was inside his area. The third time he wasn’t, but it wasn’t a red card offence. It would’ve been if Vicario had denied Brentford a clear and obvious scoring attempt, but that wasn’t the case - so VAR couldn’t get involved and Brooks was off the hook

Interesting times at West Ham eh? For the first time in their history they’ve lost their first three homes games. They were poor - very poor - against Chelsea and fans were leaving the Taxpayers Stadium long before the end.

I read Jacob Steinberg in The Guardian Saturday morning referencing the ‘style revolution’ that’s supposed to be happening at West Ham. ‘It’s moving slowly’, he wrote. Adding ‘West Ham look no less dowdy after swapping David Moyes for Julen Lopetegui’.

Is that the David Moyes who picked the Hammers up when they were in the drop zone - took them to a sixth-place and seventh-place finish and delivered a European trophy? How many times have we said ‘be careful what you wish for’?

And finally. At last - execs at the European Clubs Association are talking about shutting the transfer window before the season starts. I hope they do it. It makes a lot of sense.

Slotball went flat this weekend

Published: Monday, 16 September 2024

Well that was interesting. Forest strangled Liverpool and thoroughly deserved their win.

I don’t think we can draw too many conclusions just yet, but I thought Liverpool were slow. Slow all over the pitch and so was the passing.

What that was down to is hard to say, especially because they were so good at United a fortnight ago. (Not that there was much to beat at Old Trafford).

And before Saturday there’s been no sign so far of them over-passing and displaying a style that I said in an earlier blog would frustrate the Anfield faithful.

It’s been suggested Slot got it wrong because he picked 11 starters who’d been on international duty. If it was an error I don’t think Klopp would’ve made it. He knew our league better than Slot. For the record Forest started only three who’d been away

In Holland you can probably get away what Slot did. The intensity is less severe in the Eredivisie. In our league there’s no hiding place. It’s full on all every week. I guess Slot will learn that and we should give him time, but this weekend Slotball went flat.

How much do we hear about ‘small margins’ these days? I thought it was interesting to see Christian Romero appearing to criticise Tottenham’s travel arrangements for players who were on international duty.

The Mail report he reposted a message by an Argentinian journalist that claimed Spurs ‘gave an advantage’ to Arsenal because they were ‘the only PL club that made their players come back from their national teams without their own logistics’.

In English, the journo and Romero were saying Spurs should’ve organised private flights for players - not rely on national federations to book scheduled flights. Arsenal’s players arrived back in England Thursday - Spurs’ Argentinian contingent on Friday.

Perhaps Romero has got a point? Maybe there is something in his argument. If there is, I wonder if he thought about organising his own travel? Players can certainly afford such luxuries these days and I’m certain he would’ve done for a shopping trip!

What is for sure is that Arsenal were good - very good - and Spurs were poor. I hope The Gunners do a job on City the same way next week - and this time believe they can win. None of the neutrals amongst us wants to see City run away with the league surely?

My message to Arsenal would be ‘don’t be scared to win’. They were at The Etihad last season. 0-0 wasn’t good enough. I’ve said this before - they had City by the throat that day but froze. They didn’t ‘believe’. And that cost them the title. It wasn’t the Villa defeat.

Quickly on the winning goal at Spurs. Arsenal scored 22 set-piece goals last season. Spurs conceded 16. Over to you Ange….

Do I sense a little unrest amongst Tottenham fans - not just with the result but with Postacoglu?

Well played Newcastle. What a start they’ve had. Perhaps the Saudi’s were right to stop spending after all? Of course I’m being a little facetious. It’s a great ‘start’, but the Toon are way short on numbers if they’re to mount a sustained challenge for honours.

It was great to have Tim Cahill back in the beINSPORTS studios this weekend. Cahill works in Qatar, but has been consistently busy during his time here, so we haven’t seen as much of him as we would’ve liked.

He was in great form Sunday though and he’ll be back next weekend when he’ll be joined by David Moyes.

I had dinner with Moyes towards the end of his time at West Ham but I haven’t seen him since, so I’m lookong forward to catching up with him as well. He too has been a bit busy recently!

He was one of UEFA’s technical observers at the recent euros with the likes of Fabio Capello and Aitor Karanka. Their report makes interesting reading.

If you want a summary read Paul Joyce’s piece in The Times today. One or two things leapt out at me. For instance - there wasn’t a goal scored from a direct free-kick at the tournament. How on earth did that happen?

Set-pieces and long throw-ins became really important as a result. Really? Over to you Big Sam….😂.

Be sure that we’ll be talking to Moyes about all the conclusions the panel came to. There’s a whole lot more to it of course than the things I’ve picked out - including how passing the ball quickly - with purpose - is so important these days.

Don’t lose faith in Utd. The xG wasn’t bad

Published: Monday, 02 September 2024

Here’s the good news for Utd fans. And I’m quoting the manager ‘You can see the xG we didn’t concede as many goals. I don’t think we are in the same pattern’. Nope. Nor me. I’ve no idea. But I guess it means something to somebody and it might just be encouraging if it does.

Anyway. The interview went on like this ‘we stick together. And on the second-half we show some resilience’. What? Your team was hopeless in both halves.

How many times have I said he lives in a parallel universe? It’s embarrassing. Remember - this is Manchester Uniiiited.

I’d sack him now. No. I’d have sacked him in the summer. Maybe even before that. He’s not the right man to manage United. He’s reducing them to a laughing stock.

‘I’m not Harry Potter’, he went on to tell reporters. He’s right. I’d say more Graham Potter.

Everything I’ve argued came home to roost Sunday. United were awful. Simply awful - on the back of ten Hag’s Benitez moment when he claimed he’d had more success than Jurgen Klopp in the last two years. Fact. Let’s throw a McEnroe in while we’re at it ‘you can not be serious’. What was he thinking when he tried to taunt Liverpool like that?

If there had been any Utd fans left inside Old Trafford on the final whistle surely they’d have let ten Hag know how they were feeling? All you could hear were Liverpool supporters, who‘d enjoyed watching their team ram those daft words back down ten Hag’s throat.

I wonder if the clever people running United have got the balls to sack him during this break? Why not?

I also wonder how many Utd fans are now wishing the Qatari bid had prevailed? They would’ve swept away the whole stagnant sorry mess that Utd have become - invested millions on and off the field and put the club back in the big time.

I don’t want to spend any more time on this subject - except to say our game needs a strong Utd. I don’t take pleasure now - nor have I ever - in their decline.

I thought Liverpool were good. No more. But they didn’t have to be. They swept Utd away without getting out of second gear. I’m hoping my reservations about Arne Slot were wrong. In fairness, he’s made a great start and what players are saying leads me to believe they’re enjoying working with him.

Anyone would think he’d got a magic wand. Ah - Harry Potter maybe? It’s taken him no time to get the Anfield machine running smoothly, proving it can be done. They’re second after three wins and they haven’t conceded yet.

Doubtless ten Hag will point out that Utd were top for 17 hours earlier in the season?

Let this be my last word on Declan Rice’s sending off. Why all the hysteria? ‘The worst red of all time’ screamed Piers Morgan - leading the Arsenal collective indignation.

A couple of things here. It wasn’t a red. For delaying the re-start he was booked. He’d already been booked so he had to go. He was stupid. He knew what he was doing. I’m afraid the laws of the game apply to England internationals the same as they do anybody else.

I agree Chris Kavanagh could’ve looked away - and he might’ve done had Rice not collapsed like a pack of cards trying to get Veltman sent-off.

I also agree that Pedro should’ve been booked - but that wouldn’t have negated Rice’s offence.

Arteta said pre-season Arsenal would need to be perfect in order to win the title. They were imperfect on Saturday and only have themselves to blame for dropping two points. The laws of the game were implemented correctly.

A quick mention for Russell Martin, who reckons his suicidal approach to the game would be ‘questioned less I was foreign’. No it wouldn’t Russell.

Wise up man before it’s too late. Saints remind me of Burnley last season - who were, of course, managed by a foreigner. He too insisted he wanted to play the ‘right way’. He too got spanked most weekends and his team were all but down by Christmas.

I said then Vincent Kompany’s approach was a season long interview for a better job. Burnley fans reared up in his defence. But was I right wasnt I? His mate Guardiola played him into Munich - and Burnley went down. He got what he wanted and he didn’t care a jot about Burnley.

I’m not saying Martin is auditioning, but he’s heading for the exit door if Saints don’t change.

Did anyone else see the article in the Sunday Mirror re-shirt sponsorship by gambling companies?

The Mirror reported PL clubs netted £530m from shirt sponsorship deals in the summer - £125.5m of it from gambling companies. That’s a rise of £50.5m from the previous season.

How long is it since PL clubs agreed to ban front-of-shirt gambling sponsors? Oh that’s right - July of 2024. And a ban comes into place in 2026. You couldn’t make it up. ‘Gamble responsibly’ guys.

There’s nothing good at Goodison right now.

Published: Monday, 26 August 2024

I felt really sad for Evertonians this weekend. Watching the slow decline of a once great club - no, great club, for the die-hards these past few seasons has been painful.

I know that because I sit with one every week. Andy Gray - who was a big part of the greatest era the club ever had. I listen to him sharing thoughts with old team-mates. The worst part is they’ve almost all become immune to bad news, bad games and bad predictions about what lies ahead.

This is not Man Uniiiiited. This is Everton. But sadly the demise in the fortunes of both clubs is very similar.

I said I feared for Everton after last week’s home defeat to Brighton - largely because I couldn’t see where any improvement might come from. Improvement? It got worse at Spurs.

Everton were hopeless. Hapless. In some ways they were lucky it was only four.

And what about those pictures at Euston Station of Evertonians abusing their team as they boarded a train for Liverpool? That was bad.

I’m half with Neal Maupay, who made the point on Twitter scenes like that shouldn’t happen. Of course they shouldn’t. But are they understandable? Too right they are. If you’re an Evertonian right now they definitely are.

The players will always get it in the neck when things don’t go well on the pitch, but the mess at a Goodison isn’t this groups fault. They don’t go out to play badly.

It’s not their fault half of them - like Maupay - shouldn’t be at the club. They’re not good enough. But it’s all Everton have got right now. And that won’t change any time soon.

Looking for a small crumb of comfort Andy reminded me (when we went to work Sunday) that Everton didn’t win any of their first five games last season. I have to admit I was a little bemused. ‘So?’ I said. ‘And your point is….?’ 

I know really. He’s trying to say things got better. They did in fairness. But, even then, they were miles off where they should be. And it’s worse now.

Do we blame Dyche? Yea - a little bit. But it’s not his fault either really. He’s doing his best. The bottom like is it’s a shit-show at Goodison.

It’s clearly Moshiri’s fault. I’d still like to know the real reason he got involved at the club. You’ll notice I didn’t say ‘bought the football club’. Alisha Usmanov has a whole lot of questions to answer as well.

I can’t write half the things I hear about the pair of them. If you want more - follow Simon Goodley in The Guardian.

Is there hope? John Textor might be the answer, but he’s got to shift 47% of Crystal Palace before he can make a move. And even then - is a hard nosed American businessman going to spunk good money when he could probably buy the club out of administration a few months from now?

Everton is a fine football club. Most of my close friends are Evertonians. I have grown really fond of the club down the years. Why? People there were good to me when I worked in Liverpool. Add Andy, David Moyes, Reidy, big Joe Royle, Andy King, Adrian Heath, Elton Welsby and his boy Chris, who I work with again - there’s so many of them.

David Moyes? I wonder. I love big Dychey - but David Moyes? I don’t know. But I do know this - his heart lies at Goodison. It always has.

It didn’t take long for VAR to get busy did it? Or for managers to be raging about it - despite what we were promised by Howard Webb (no - not this time 😂) pre-season. Of course Bournemouth’s winner should’ve stood. Iraola was spot on. Why did VAR get involved? Didn’t Webb (nooooo) tell us on-field decisions would stand unless very clear and obvious mistakes had been made?

It was a subjective call as to whether Outtara handled the ball - therefore a decision for the ref - not VAR. If VAR wanted to get busy ok - but David Coote should’ve gone to the monitor to make the final call.

I’ll tell you what was ‘clear and obvious’ and that is the ball was rolling when Sanchez smashed it to Jackson before Cole Palmer scored for Chelsea Wolves. Why didn’t VAR get involved there?

Oh that’s it - ‘technology doesn’t get involved checking re-starts’.  What a load of bollocks. Why not? I hate to see goals disallowed, but if we’re ruling them out as we did at Bournemouth or for stray toe-nails, then we should in ‘matter of facts‘ such as a moving ball. More likely is VAR didn’t spot it.

Chelsea were terrific by the way. As good as I’ve seen in recent memory. Admittedly, Wolves fell to pieces after an encouraging first 45, but Chelsea were ruthless. Maybe? Just maybe? And I guess that’s why we never give up on our team. I know Evertonians won’t.

Chelsea and Everton left with opening day blues.

Published: Monday, 19 August 2024

Raheem Sterling’s representatives say he wants ‘clarity’. I’d say he got it yesterday (Sunday) when he was left out of Chelsea’s matchday squad.

Chelsea couldn’t have been much clearer.  He’s on too much money (350,000/week) and they want him gone.

That’s fine. The problem is that Chelsea agreed to those terms and he’s got three years left on his contract. If they want out on the deal they’ll have to find a way to compensate him. He hasn’t asked to go.

Clubs love talking about a lack of loyalty when a player makes a stand and wants to leave, but that works both ways. Sterling hasn’t done anything wrong - so treat him properly. Ben Chilwell hasn’t done anything wrong either. The same applies.

Sterling featured in all six of Chelsea’s pre-season friendlies so what’s happened? This doesn’t feel like a decision Maresca has made. More one that Todd Boehly and overly-clever football committee have.

What’s happening with Gallagher Todd? Has someone realised after yesterday’s limp performance perhaps those young boys need a solid pro amongst them? Someone who understands Chelsea? Someone who understands what fed-up Chelsea punters want?

And Osimhen? Mikel Jon Obi told beINSPORTS at the weekend that he’s exchanged messages with the player and that Osimhen is desperate to sign. So what’s the hold up? Mind you - if I exchanged messages with him I’d advise him to steer clear of the madhouse.

What a start it was for Everton. It really couldn’t have been much worse. What worries me is not how bad it was - more that I can’t see how it gets better.

I watched Ipswich buzz about a bit - full of energy and enthusiasm. Eventually they ran out of steam and Liverpool picked them off. They were very good second-half playing more like a Klopp side. You could argue they were solid and sensible in the first - absorbing Town’s exuberance, but I enjoyed the second more. If they keep that up they’ll still be worth watching.

Anyway - Ipswich have got a naivety about them that both gives them a chance, but will likely cost them. I guess what I’m saying is they can get better.

Southampton did ok. They’ll have to learn quickly in order to survive, but they suggested there’s more to come as well.

We don’t know about Leicester yet, but I’m guessing they’ll be the same - although I expect Spurs to beat them tonight (Monday). 

But Everton? Wow. They looked so bad. They’ve got all the same problems as last season. Where are the goals going to come from? Where’s the energy? There’s no youth. No legs. Young’s sending off was an accident waiting to happen. He’s a terrific pro who’s had a wonderful career - but playing at full-back at 39?

I’m genuinely worried for the Toffees. There’s so much shit still to come down the line off the field I don’t know where they turn for answers on it.

Well done Sam Barrott. He dropped a real bollock at Brentford, but owned it. It’s so refreshing when a ref does that.

Of course he should’ve waited before blowing his whistle and disallowing Eze’s clever free-kick. You could see he was hoping VAR would help him out and tell him the ball was in the net before he whistled - but it wasn’t, so his decision stood.

Eze told us all later Barrott admitted he’d made a mistake. Good on him.

United? What more is there to say. The only question surely is ‘how long does ten Hag get?’ As I said last week - players and fans alike must’ve been gutted when news broke he was staying.

Just to expand on what I tweeted Friday - never tell your opponents you’re not ready. I know Guardiola did a similar thing - but there’s a huge difference. City are good. They could afford to still be getting ready Christmas. In fact, they often are, but they’re always top.

What ten Hag was really saying was ‘don’t blame me if we lose v Fulham’. It was typical of him. It’s never his fault. Although he always takes the credit if they get a lucky win - which Friday’s result was.

The last few days of the window are doing to be interesting. It ‘slams shut’ at the end of the month of course.

Who gets Ivan Toney? Do Chelsea get the Osimhen deal done? How can Chelsea keep spending? Perhaps they know there’s a transfer ban on the way?

Toney and Osimhen are about the only big deals left to do. It’s been quiet again hasn’t it? Are there no big stars left to trade or have we killed all the excitement with the sustainability rules? It would be a shame if that were the case.