Vesper

first time since 1937 that a Sunderland native has captained a winning side at Wembley

first time in 29 years that a side winning the playoff final at HT has lost the game

I wager we will try to buy Watson from Brighton for £40m in 2 years, lolol

Sunderland went into the playoffs with 5 straight defeats no team has even won the playoffs even losing 3 in a row before they started the play-offs

Sheff U blew SO many sitters and chances they should have won by 4 or 5 goals

Sunderland upsets Sheffield United 1 2 on a 95th minute game winning goal by a teen sub Tom Watson EPL bound

adidas Originals x Wales Bonner Karintha Suede https://nakedcph.com/products/adidas-ori-adidas-x-wales-bonner-karintha-suede-supcol-earstr-utiblk-jr0268 Dive into the fusion of classic design and contemporary flair with the adidas Originals x Wales Bonner Karintha Suede, a standout piece from the footwear category. Bridging heritage aesthetics with a modern twist, these sneakers are an ode to the timeless elegance of adidas Originals. The soft suede upper presents a premium touch, while intricate stitching pays homage to Wales Bonner's meticulous craft. Perfectly balancing comfort and style, this pair is set to become a quintessential part of your collection. Embrace the seamless blend of tradition and innovation, making every stride a statement in sneaker culture. As part of the esteemed NAKED Copenhagen selection, these sneakers deliver unparalleled style and sophistication for those who refuse to compromise on flair.

Ready, Set, Draw! Vans x Yusuke Hanai Connect for Artful Graphic Capsule https://www.sneakerfreaker.com/releases/vans-yusuke-hanai-old-skool-price-buy-release-date/ Rooted in Southern California skate culture, Vans have long stood at the intersection of creativity and self-expression. From checkerboard Slip-Ons to cult-loved customs, the brand's silhouettes have become canvas and icon all at once: built for boardfeel, adopted by everyone from outsiders to revered creators. Now, as part of its ongoing 'Artist Series', the label teams up with Japanese multidisciplinary creative Yusuke Hanai for an expansive collection, inspired by the illustrator's deep ties to 1950s – 70s surf and counterculture. Known for blending optimism with hand-drawn charm, Hanai creates bold, playful graphics which mix detailed line-work with the artist's warm and inviting style (despite those sulky little faces). Vans and Hanai first joined forces in 2016 and reunited again in 2019. Crafted with eco-conscious materials like renewable canvas uppers and bio-based foam insoles, this collaboration puts the Cali label's Old Skool silhouette at centrestage. A grey 'Stormy Weather' palette runs across the model, while Hanai’s original illustrations, hand-drawn detailing and the motivational phrase 'One Foot In Front Of The Other' appears scrawled on the midsole. Elsewhere, organic cotton t-shirts made from recycled polyester carry the same playful energy – stamped with Hanai’s signature artwork. The tongue-in-cheek offering also includes shorts, caps and reversible tote bags, all designed with sustainability in mind. A special launch event is set for May 29 at the Vans Store Harajuku, with live music from Texas 3000, a set by DJ Katoman and signed postcards for the first 50 customers. Pre-sales kick off on the day, ahead of a wider release through Vans stores and select retailers.

Diogo Costa Gregor Kobel Lucas Chevalier Jan Oblak Anatoly Trubin Marco Carnesecchi Matvey Safonov Guillaume Restes Joan Garcia Mike Maignan Mile Svilar Noah Atubolu Mads Hermansen Zion Suzuki Bento

Florian Wirtz: Liverpool in talks with Leverkusen as star snubs Bayern Merseyside club have formally spoken with Bayer Leverkusen after £126million-rated Germany playmaker turns down approach of Bayern Munich https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/liverpool-florian-wirtz-transfer-bayer-leverkusen-xwrjvjps5 Liverpool have formally spoken to Bayer Leverkusen and are now the frontrunners to sign Florian Wirtz after the Germany attacking midfielder turned down the advances of Bayern Munich. The development marks a significant step in the club’s pursuit of the 22-year-old star, who is understood to have been impressed by the scale of their ambitions under Arne Slot. A deal will remain complex because of Leverkusen’s £126 million asking price, but there is a feeling that they will accept a lower base figure and that a chunk of any fee can be paid in add-ons. Richard Hughes, the Liverpool sporting director, will lead the negotiations and look to drive Leverkusen down, having established a line of communication with the German club over the £30 million deal for Jeremie Frimpong. Liverpool are the favourites to secure the statement signing of Wirtz after growing pessimism in Bavaria regarding the German champions’ hopes of landing the player. Sources in Germany have indicated that Wirtz, who can play in a number of advanced roles, has turned down Bayern despite holding talks with coach Vincent Kompany. Instead, it is Liverpool’s vision for the future and their plans to continue to develop one of the most sough-after talents in Europe that has influenced Wirtz. When Liverpool sold Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona for £142 million in January 2018, the structure of the deal included a sizeable amount of easily achievable add-ons. Liverpool also have the potential to boost their budget by selling players such as Darwin Nunez, who has been the subject of interest from Saudi Arabia, and goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher who is eager for regular first team football. He is close friends with Frimpong, who has already passed a medical at Anfield, with his arrival set to be confirmed when the transfer window opens. They sit beside each other in the Leverkusen dressing room and Frimpong, 24, used to give Wirtz lifts to training before he could drive. That link-up would make a move less daunting. Leverkusen have wanted Wirtz to sign a new deal with a lower release clause that would come into effect after the 2026 World Cup, but the strong interest in the player has complicated their hopes of doing so. They are also loath to sell to Bayern, who succeeded Leverkusen as Bundesliga champions this season. Wirtz has operated from the left in a 3-4-3 system this season but can also play off the right, as a false nine and as a No10, giving Slot the versatility and technical ability that he craves. Liverpool have said they have not made a formal approach over Wirtz, and denied they held a meeting with the player in the north west this month. However, they will hope to complete the signing and recruit Wirtz who had also attracted attention from Manchester City, who pulled out earlier this week.

if we buy Garnacho I am going to lose my mind he is not just overrated AF, he is dressing room poison from what I see

IF TRUE we should be ALL over that

Rom seals it 2 nil no way Cagliari scores 2

McTominay with a wondergoal to perhaps win the Scudetto

Wanna score goals in transition? Sign Emanuel Emegha Clubs are lining up for the Strasbourg striker. Who should pull the trigger? https://scoutedftbl.com/why-everyone-wants-emanuel-emegha/?ref=notebook-newsletter If the transfer rumour mill hints at any indication of reality, there's rarely a moment when the scouting departments of big and upwardly-mobile clubs decide they’re satisfied with their strikers. This looks especially true for the upcoming summer window: Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and more are all on the hunt for a centre-forward. Enter Emanuel Emegha. The 22-year-old Dutchman is the latest success story from the Sturm Graz Striker Factory, and joined BlueCo-owned Strasbourg in 2023 for a reported €13 million. He's scored 14 goals in 27 appearances this season, translating into 0.55 non-penalty goals per 90 minutes - the 7th-highest in Ligue 1. A young, prolific goalscorer is always bound to attract attention, and Emegha has been linked to a wide variety of clubs, including Chelsea, Newcastle United, Roma, Crystal Palace, and West Ham. Emegha’s performance and the gathering clouds of interest merit a deeper dive. But to do that, we'll need to understand more about Strasbourg, their tactical approach, and the platform the young forward has been given. All this will lead us to a simple conclusion: if you play fast and hard, Emegha should be on your radar. Let's dig in. 💡 Coming up... • How Strasbourg are one of France's most dynamic sides • The raw speed and shot volume that makes Emegha so enticing • ...and the misses that make him less so • Who's gunna fix him? How do RC Strasbourg play? Liam Rosenior’s Strasbourg aren’t your typical side in possession. They’re the kind of team that goes from a deep build-up like this… …to a pseudo-counter-attacking situation like this, within seconds. Strasbourg are yet another upwardly-mobile side in Europe that look to bait the opposition’s press close to their own goal before suddenly changing tempo and swiftly attacking the space the press leaves behind, creating ‘artificial transitions’. Strasbourg take the highest share of their touches in their own third in the league (40.4%) but also take the 4th-fewest touches in the final third per shot (10.6), indicating how much they move the ball around in their own third yet how quickly they try to get a shot off in the opponent's. As you can see in the plot below, that makes them the mirror image of a more conventional possession-based side like PSG. As a result, Strasbourg regularly create high-quality chances, with the 3rd-highest xG/shot in the league (0.13). snip

Who are Chelsea's untouchables? Or rather, who should they be? https://siphillipstalkschelsea.substack.com/p/who-are-chelseas-untouchables With the next summer transfer window now right around the corner and a lot of the talk being about who Chelsea might sell and who they might buy, I wanted to speak on ‘untouchables’ seeing as though this is a word used a lot in Chelsea briefings. So in my opinion, an untouchable player is a player that you would not even think about selling no matter what the offer is. So an indispensable player. A player who has to be one of the first names on the team sheet every single week and would walk into most other teams. We did something similar to this recently, but I’m intrigued again to see how many players in our squad you feel are or should be untouchable? Let’s vote on our Chelsea untouchables! I’m not going to bother voting on players like Robert Sanchez, because unless someone is going to do it as a joke, ain’t nobody voting him as an untouchable! So, are these players untouchable in YOUR opinion? As in you would not even think about selling…. snip

The SPTC Podcast - Group Chat Round Table Jai, Si, Danny & Luke cover the latest Chelsea transfer news and look ahead to Forest and Betis 2 hrs ago • Si Phillips, Jai Mcintosh, Danny Windsor, and Luke Rushbrook https://siphillipstalkschelsea.substack.com/p/the-sptc-podcast-group-chat-round

that could be one of dozens, lol

15.20pm - Claims Chelsea are sending Sancho back According to @DiscoMirror, who is a Manchester United correspondent, Jadon Sancho will return to United this summer.

Sources: Chelsea eyeing Cristhian Mosquera but have PSG problem A Dean Huijsen alternative pops up https://siphillipstalkschelsea.substack.com/p/sources-Chelsea-eyeing-cristhian Chelsea missed out on signing priority centre back target Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth purely because Real Madrid decided to make a move in the end. They hadn’t entered the race and Chelsea thought they had their man, but as I always reported, if Real Madrid entered for Huijsen then it would be game over for all the other interested sides because that was always his first choice move. He got his dream move, and Chelsea now move on to other centre back targets as they look to bring in at least one new one, possibly two, this summer. One alternative to Huijsen is Valencia’s Cristhian Mosquera [featured image]. The 20-year-old Spanish youth international has had an excellent season and has emerged as one of the best U21 defenders in Europe. He is believed to be available for a fee of around £16m this summer and has a host of clubs lining up at his door. The stumbling block for Chelsea is PSG, as SPTC sources have heard that they are VERY interested in signing him. But he has now become a serious option for Chelsea this summer as well as they weigh up targets after a year of scouting him this season.

EXCL: Newcastle make contact for Chelsea target Blues may look elsewhere https://siphillipstalkschelsea.substack.com/p/excl-newcastle-make-contact-for-Chelsea One Chelsea target this summer that had been looking destined to happen, and still might of course, is Jamie Gittens of Dortmund. The English youngster was not the most popular of targets amongst Blues fans, and those fans might be pleased to hear that it is all of a sudden not looking as likely as it had been. This is for two reasons. SPTC sources have heard that Newcastle have come in for Gittens and have reached out to make an enquiry about signing him this summer. Other clubs are also closely monitoring the situation of Gittens too, Chelsea have very much been one of them. There are some scenarios where Chelsea can still look to do a deal with Dortmund that includes Gittens, because the Blues have some players that the German side are interested in as well, namely Carney Chukwuemeka. So there is absolutely something that can still be done here if Chelsea really want to go all in for Gittens. The second reason that Chelsea may be about to look elsewhere for a new winger this summer if his fee looks like it could now be rather more inflated since they have got Champions League football, and that will put Chelsea off. Nothing has been decided on Gittens yet, but Chelsea would be unlikely to enter any wars to sign him and will only move if at a reasonable fee, or if they can do some sort of unofficial swap deal. Rodrygo from Real Madrid is absolutely a winger option that we are exploring, as we reported last week. Remember, Chelsea can offer more wages if they get UCL and will also be willing to go out of their structure for the right players.

Rodrygo ending up at Arse/Pool/Citeh would be a disaster for us especially Pool or Arse