The English Football Thread

[NikkiCFC 8,081]

Liverpool's £60m Anfield redevelopment delayed by 12 months due to coronavirus crisis

https://www.goal.com/en-ug/news/liverpools-60m-anfield-redevelopment-delayed-12-months/1xga5w4inoj501n18oqkiw2b3o

Do they have money for Werner?

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1 hour ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Grealish? Christ 

 

58 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

Liverpool's £60m Anfield redevelopment delayed by 12 months due to coronavirus crisis

https://www.goal.com/en-ug/news/liverpools-60m-anfield-redevelopment-delayed-12-months/1xga5w4inoj501n18oqkiw2b3o

Do they have money for Werner?

The delay is not due to money, it is due to the effect of COVID-19 on the construction industry

and yes, they have the money for Werner, unfortunately

[Laylabelle 9,406]

European leagues have until 25 May to tell Uefa whether they want to complete or cancel their seasons

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52456304

[Fulham Broadway 16,977]

The Premier League would do the same as the Dutch if they could, just reboot the whole fucking lot, which would see the Vermin miss out on their league title 

They wont though, as the clubs owe just one broadcaster, Sky,  £960 million if they do

[Laylabelle 9,406]

Thing is even if Liverpool do win it they cant celebrate it. No trophy parade unless they wait till later in the year and even then not the same. You'd want to celebrate with the fans.

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FA report confirms Champions League plan that would end Premier League top four race

The new plans would ensure that a club outside its country's top four could only enter the Champions League if they had won the title or reached the semi-finals of the Europa League the previous season

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fa-report-confirms-champions-league-21939361

A UEFA plan to limit the amount of clubs able to qualify for the Champions League has been set out in a Football Association report which details the possible end of the Premier League's top four race.

Moves to protect "elite European club revenue streams" are laid out in the FA report, which details the plans that European football's governing body have to expand their continental competitions.

The Premier League has long enjoyed a healthy tussle for the top four places in the division and Champions League qualification.

But such plans - which have long been pushed by Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli - would threaten the competitiveness of the top flight, giving little chance to anyone outside the so-called 'Big Six' of ever sitting at Europe's top table.

The new plans, which would come into force in 2024, state that the 32-team Champions League for the 2024/25 season would be chosen based on UEFA's domestic club rankings from the period between the 2020/21 and 2023/24 seasons - effectively making the tournament a closed shop.

For clubs outside that bracket, entry to future Champions League tournaments would have to come through either winning the Premier League outright, or reaching the semi-finals of a revamped 32-team Europa League.

It is the belief of some clubs that past performance in the Champions League should be placed above domestic results when determining qualifiers for the tournament, with the likes of Roma and Ajax reaching the semi-finals of recent competitions only to miss out on it entirely in future years.

Agnelli cited Roma as an example back in March when he questioned whether it was right for Atalanta to be in this year's competition, “without international history and thanks to just one great season.”

If the plan were to be in place this season then such a move would come as blow to the likes of Leicester, Wolves and Sheffield United, who have been battling it out with the more established sides such as Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham for a spot in the top four.

There are also plans for the Europa League to follow a similar pattern from 2024, with new teams able to qualify via league position or finishing in the last four of the new UEFA Conference League.

"The FA continues to work with all stakeholders to reach an acceptable position," the report adds.

snip

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PL Team of the Year: Which Henderson did our writers pick more often?

https://theathletic.com/1745218/2020/04/26/premier-league-team-of-the-year-de-bruyne-trent-van-dijk-mane/

Who would be in a Premier League Team of the Year as it stands? We asked our writers — with the only rule being a maximum of three players from one team…

Oliver Kay

A Premier League team of the season — this season — with a maximum of three Liverpool players? That’s difficult. There could easily have been seven or eight. But an unexpected challenge, having agonised over which three from Anfield to go for, was to apply the same restrictions to Leicester City.

Kasper Schmeichel? Ricardo Pereira? Jonny Evans? Caglar Soyuncu? Ben Chilwell? Wilfred Ndidi? And that’s just their back six. Manchester City have more points — and a genuine Player of the Year contender in Kevin De Bruyne — but Leicester would have more candidates for a team of the season, particularly in defensive positions.

That surfeit of Liverpool and Leicester contenders makes it more straightforward to select Dean Henderson in goal. The standard of goalkeeping has been good — not just Alisson and Schmeichel, but Vicente Guaita, Bernd Leno, Nick Pope and Martin Dubravka and others — but Henderson’s contribution at Sheffield United has been immense. A reliable shot-stopper, he has done his long-term hopes with his parent club (Manchester United) and country (England) the power of good.

Because the standout full-backs and wingers all play for the same club, I’ve compromised by ditching the wingers (sorry Mo, sorry Sadio) and going for a 3-5-2 formation instead, so a three-man central defence of Chris Basham, Virgil van Dijk and Soyuncu. The wing-backs were so difficult. Again it comes down to Liverpool and Leicester. I ended up opting for Trent Alexander-Arnold and Chilwell, but Pereira and Andy Robertson have both been excellent too. It really was a tough call.

Midfield was easier. There are decent cases for Jack Grealish and Georginio Wijnaldum, but I’ve gone for Jordan Henderson, Ndidi and De Bruyne, three players with different qualities whose level has barely dropped all season.

That leaves just two spaces in attack. The first of them goes to Raul Jimenez. He is a distant eighth in the Premier League top scorers list, but he has been superb just about every time I have watched him play for Wolves. There has been a lot of focus on Adama Traore and Diogo Jota, justifiably, but it must be so much easier to thrive in a team where Jimenez, so unselfish, so intelligent in use of space, is leading the line.

For the other place, I was torn between Jamie Vardy, which would mean losing a Leicester player elsewhere, and Sergio Aguero. I’ve gone for Aguero. There has been something of the flat-track bully about his goalscoring record this season, but at his best, in the early months of the campaign, he looked unstoppable. Two of Manchester City’s most impressive victories, away to Manchester United in the Carabao Cup and Real Madrid in the Champions League, have come with Aguero on the bench, which is food for thought as he approaches his 32nd birthday, but if you are looking for a goal on a typical Saturday or Sunday afternoon in the Premier League (remember them?) there is still no one more reliable.

(3-5-2) – D Henderson (Sheffield United); Basham (Sheffield United), Van Dijk (Liverpool), Soyuncu (Leicester); Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), De Bruyne (Manchester City), Ndidi (Leicester), Henderson (Liverpool), Chilwell (Leicester); Aguero (Manchester City), Jimenez (Wolves)

Michael Cox

The best goalkeeper in the league, in my view, has been Sheffield United’s Dean Henderson — aside from one mistake against Liverpool, he’s been close to flawless.

The major problem, of course, is restricting this selection to only three Liverpool players. I’ve used my trio in defence because whereas other attackers in the league can rival Liverpool’s front three, there are fewer realistic options in defence. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk feel like obvious picks — and while Sadio Mane or Mo Salah have had better campaigns than Andy Robertson, can you think of another left-back in the league who’s had a good campaign? I’m struggling, so Robertson gets the nod. Jonny Evans, for so long the most underrated defender in the league, is finally getting due recognition — he’s been outstanding this season and defends in a calmer way than his partner Caglar Soyuncu.

Kevin De Bruyne has been the season’s outstanding midfield player and is a surefire selection in the right-centre role, while I’ve been hugely impressed with Mateo Kovacic — his ball-carrying skills have been crucial under Frank Lampard, after a relatively quiet season playing cautiously under Maurizio Sarri. Wilfried Ndidi has enjoyed an excellent campaign in the holding role behind James Maddison and Youri Tielemans and is also capable of pushing forward aggressively on the ball when needed.

There’s so much competition up front, even without considering Liverpool players — Sergio Aguero, in particular, can feel disappointed to miss out. But Jamie Vardy remains the Premier League’s top goalscorer after an incredible start to the campaign, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been consistent in an otherwise shambolic Arsenal side and Raul Jimenez’s ability to score goals and bring others into play has made him the division’s most complete No 9 this season.

(4-3-3) – D Henderson (Sheffield United); Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Van Dijk (Liverpool), Evans (Leicester), Robertson (Liverpool); De Bruyne (Manchester City), Ndidi (Leicester), Kovacic (Chelsea); Vardy (Leicester), Jimenez (Wolves), Aubameyang (Arsenal)

Jack Lang

There was never any doubt that I would use my full allowance of Liverpool players; the difficulty was choosing which of Schrödinger’s title winners to leave out. Sadio Mane and Jordan Henderson especially have every right to feel aggrieved, but in the end I could not look past the three key men in the Premier League’s best defence. Virgil van Dijk is a colossus in every sense of the word, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson have shaken our preconceptions of what full-backs can do.

 

They are joined at the back by Caglar Soyuncu, whose muscular brand of heroism has been one of the highlights of Leicester’s fine season, and by Sheffield United’s Dean Henderson. That the Sheffield United goalkeeper’s name is now cited in every conversation about the England No 1 jersey is testament to the way he has negotiated the step up to the top flight.

 

With plenty of attacking intent elsewhere in the side, we can afford to have two holding midfielders, just to maintain order in the middle of the park. Oliver Norwood is not a massively showy player but he has impressed with his positional sense and passing range; his knack of spraying balls out to the flanks will be particularly useful in this side. Alongside him, the excellent Wilfred Ndidi gets the nod. He is a natural ball-winner whose energy and drive were hugely missed by Leicester when he was absent for a spell at the start of the year.

 

Kevin De Bruyne has been the single most compelling attacking player in the league this season, more than making up for his injury-hit 2018-19 campaign. If more of his Manchester City team-mates had met his standards, we would have had a much more competitive title race. We go for variety either side of him: the direct threat of Adama Traore and the more subtle craft of Jack Grealish. The latter has been the best player in the bottom half of the table, keeping Aston Villa in the survival picture almost single-handedly. Traore, meanwhile, has come of age for Wolves, consistently finding a final ball at the end of his bottle-rocket bursts. Both are also just massively fun to watch.

 

Four strikers have scored more goals than Danny Ings this season, but all play in teams that create far more chances than Southampton. Ings has often conjured something from nothing — two goals from closing down goalkeepers, for instance — and has been utterly clinical when the ball has fallen to him in the penalty area. That’s all we need from a striker in this side.

 

(4-2-3-1) – D Henderson (Sheffield United); Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Soyuncu (Leicester), Van Dijk (Liverpool), Robertson (Liverpool); Norwood (Sheffield United), Ndidi (Leicester); Traore (Wolves), De Bruyne (Manchester City), Grealish (Aston Villa); Ings (Southampton)

Daniel Taylor

Yes, that is Danny Ings in my attack ahead of Sergio Aguero — but if you can bear with me there is a reasonable explanation. Who would I choose to have in a Fantasy XI? Aguero, every time. Yet it is also a fact that Ings has outscored, among others, Sadio Mane and Marcus Rashford in the Premier League this season and, if penalties were taken out of the equation, he would be ahead of Aguero, level with Jamie Vardy and second in the top-scorers’ list to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Ings has done it for a Southampton side that is 14th in the league (though has been lower) and, as such, he has had fewer chances than the strikers from the elite teams. And, though I have often championed Aguero for more awards and recognition, I have also seen him have better seasons.

Aubameyang is a mandatory pick as the leading scorer from open play in the country and my third attacking position would go to Mohamed Salah — which, again, is a tough one. For starters, you could probably get a cigarette paper between choosing him or Sadio Mane. It is difficult to elect both if we are limited to three players per club (I’m already omitting Virgil van Dijk, with some reluctance, to make sure Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson are included) and Salah edges it by the finest of margins. His problem is that he is always judged by his 2017-18 season but, even though he has not reached those exhilarating heights, he has still been an exceptional performer.

My team would start with Sheffield United’s Dean Henderson in goal because, looking at the competition, it hasn’t been a brilliant year for the elite goalkeepers. David de Gea once had credentials at Manchester United to be recognised as the best in the world, but no more. Alisson has had his injury issues for Liverpool and, though it is unfair perhaps to pick out one bad match, Ederson’s accident-prone performance in the Manchester derby is still fresh in the memory.

Alexander-Arnold is an obvious selection as possibly the most watchable right-back I have seen in the Premier League. Fernandinho gets one of the centre-back slots because of his performances for Manchester City (and for making us forget that he is, in reality, a midfielder). Conor Coady has been excellent for Wolves and maybe Ben Chilwell’s inclusion might help to make up for the absence of Vardy, his Leicester City team-mate.

Midfield? Henderson would be a worthy winner of any player-of-the-year award but Kevin De Bruyne is the outstanding footballer in the league and, just because Manchester City were so far behind Liverpool, I don’t follow the logic that the individual honours have to go to a player from the team that finishes as champions.

Finally, I would find a place for Jack Grealish, who had a relatively slow start to life in the top division with Aston Villa but then proved to everyone he can flourish at the highest level. Not that it should have been a huge surprise bearing in mind his contribution to Villa’s promotion from the Championship the previous year.

(4-3-3)- D Henderson (Sheffield United); Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Fernandinho (Manchester City), Coady (Wolves), Chilwell (Leicester); De Bruyne (Manchester City), J Henderson (Liverpool), Grealish (Aston Villa); Salah (Liverpool), Ings (Southampton), Aubameyang (Arsenal).

Stuart James

First things first, I know what you’re thinking: 4-4-2? Who plays that formation these days? This, however, will be an expansive and fluid system that morphs into a 4-1-3-2 with the ball, with Jordan Henderson providing the defensive discipline (let’s be honest, nobody else is going to) that allows Adama Traore, Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish to wreak havoc behind Jamie Vardy and Raul Jimenez. Yep, you can see where this is going: you score three, we’ll score four.

Actually, you might be thinking something else when first looking at that team: where’s Virgil van Dijk? And shouldn’t Sadio Mane make the cut? Ideally, yes. But, with a maximum of three Liverpool players to choose from, this is the mother of all selection headaches and, ultimately, the lack of options in some positions (is it just me or is there a chronic shortage of quality left-backs in the Premier League?) came into my thinking.

Alexander-Arnold, who is probably turning a generation of primary school children into right-backs by making it look like the most exciting position on the pitch, simply has to be in the team. In a way, the same goes for Robertson.

If anybody is going to bring some leadership and control to a side that has 16,489 assists between and no handbrake, then it surely has to be Jordan Henderson, who has been outstanding for Liverpool this season as a footballer and a leader.

De Bruyne is a mandatory pick and, quite frankly, can do what he likes in this side. He’s been much better than Manchester City this season. Grealish, who will drift in from that left touchline and even play as a second No 10 at times (in danger of sounding like Tim Sherwood here), deserves a place in the XI after excelling for a Villa side who would be nailed on for relegation without him. As for Traore, the speed machine and Alexander-Arnold working in tandem on the right is a match made in heaven, especially as the former has been schooled in the art of defending this season.

The same can be said for the partnership up front. Vardy is the Premier League’s leading goalscorer and his pace, aggression and predatory finishing should dovetail beautifully with Jimenez, who seems a little underrated and under-appreciated — unless you’ve had the privilege to watch him play on a regular basis.

Dean Henderson, who is one of many reasons why Sheffield United have the second-best defensive record in the league, gets the nod in goal. In front of him will be Caglar Soyuncu, Leicester’s Cruyff-turning centre-back, and Jack O’Connell, who has adapted to Premier League football this season as if he has played there all his life. Whether O’Connell will be allowed to overlap as he does as one of three centre-backs at Sheffield United… oh, sod it. Why not?

(4-4-2) – D Henderson (Sheffield United); Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Soyuncu (Leicester), O’Connell (Sheffield United), Robertson (Liverpool); Traore (Wolves), J Henderson (Liverpool), De Bruyne (Manchester City), Grealish (Aston Villa); Vardy (Leicester), Jimenez (Wolves)

This week, The Athletic’s writers have been choosing their Player of the Year for their club and writing a piece explaining their pick. We are also hosting an awards night on our app and social media on Sunday April 26 to decide the awards for the season so far. Read more here

[NikkiCFC 8,081]

 

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3 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

 

If Pochettino deal falls through, former Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez expected to return to St James' Park

[milka 3,362]

2005 (with Chelsea) :

 

 

2020 (with spuds) :

[MoroccanBlue 5,320]

PL expected to resume June 8th. 

[NikkiCFC 8,081]

 

[NikkiCFC 8,081]

This is probably the safest option.

 

[MoroccanBlue 5,320]

Bristol rovers manager had a leaked phone convo (don’t know how authentic it is) to his players that no team will get relegated but promotions are final. 23 PL season 

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Sergio Aguero and all those near-post finishes. Tactics, luck, or a bit of both?

https://theathletic.com/1782903/2020/04/30/sergio-aguero-manchester-city-goal/

Why does Sergio Aguero score so many goals at the near post? You always hear about conceding at the near post being an absolute no-no for a goalkeeper (which is a bit of a myth anyway), so how does Aguero keep doing it?

This point was highlighted last week, when Twitter user @CitysEra posted a thread of the Manchester City striker’s often emphatic finishes into that area. There were 16 different examples (and there are more), including iconic strikes against Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and, of course, Queens Park Rangers.

Aguero gave an interview this week explaining his approach inside the area.

“There are times when even close to goal you can shoot with power but the goalkeepers have good reflexes and make a save,” he told TyC Sports. “In the Premier League I’ve got used to not having time to think in the area. I’ll do two touches or one touch, turn and shoot. Outside the area I’ll look for a pass or a one-two, but inside I don’t think, I shoot hard and high so the goalkeeper doesn’t have time to react.”

When you look at the goals he has scored at the near post, a lot of them tick the hard and high boxes. This one against Petr Cech in October 2013, for example…

And this one against David de Gea in April 2013…

And here Aguero is up against Alisson, from a crucial match against Liverpool in last season’s title race…

None of those top-class goalkeepers have been able to react quickly enough, given how hard Aguero has hit it.

With that United one in particular, Aguero added in his trademark stutter that has, despite what he says about having no time to think in the area, earned him a little more breathing space.

“When he gets in front of goal he has his planted foot, mainly his left because he shoots with his right. He has this little stutter where you can see him relax, and it’s as if he’s saying, ‘I’ve been here before, I’ve done this’ and it goes in,” Joleon Lescott told The Athletic when Aguero became the Premier League’s leading overseas scorer back in January.

“It’s like he’s seeing it in slow motion; ‘I’ve been here before, I’ve been in this scenario, I know exactly what to do’.”

The grabs below show his movement in the build-up to that goal against United. Stutter number one…

Stutter number two…

And stutter number three…

The other element of that goal, and many others like it, was Aguero’s ability to maintain accuracy despite hitting it so hard.

“He literally wanted to hit the centre of the ball,” Lescott explains. “You’ll see it a lot of times where he may fall over, but the ball will go where it’s supposed to be, whereas there’s other strikers that don’t fall over but the ball goes anywhere, I’m thinking Sergio wants to hit the middle of the ball, so then he knows he’s in control of it.”

Willy Caballero has played alongside and against Aguero and says he doesn’t always aim for the near post as a rule, but more likely when he’s done his research on the opposition goalkeeper and has spotted a weakness.

“Kun finishes fast and high like he says,” Caballero tells The Athletic. “But as well as that he knows how each goalkeeper makes saves, so he knows in which areas they’re strong, and in which areas he can hurt them or cause them problems. So I think he does it to disorientate the keeper. The reality is that he’s a striker that knows the goalkeepers he plays against very well.”

Aguero studies the opposition team (including the strikers) ahead of games, but there are also common areas that are difficult for goalkeepers to defend.

These were outlined by The Athletic’s resident goalkeeping expert Matt Pyzdrowski earlier this season, discussing Patrick van Aanholt’s goal against De Gea.

“It’s one of the areas goalkeepers call ‘black holes’ — around the knees, between the legs, and up by the keeper’s head,” he says. “They are the toughest areas for goalkeepers to reach with their hands or feet in order to make saves.

“When I played at Helsingborgs, my coach was Celtic, Barcelona, and Sweden legend Henrik Larsson. He used to tell us that, when he played, he would purposely shoot in these areas because he knew how difficult they were for the keeper to handle.”

That may well explain how Aguero managed to find a space at the near post despite the narrow angle, like against Everton during the 2013-14 run-in…

And against Liverpool later in 2014…

And perhaps he combined all of those factors for his most famous goal of all, the “93:20” title-clincher against QPR in 2012…

There was a great example of that little stutter, the shot was hard, it was low and maybe the element of surprise of shooting at the near post did “disorientate” Paddy Kenny, whose right foot was planted as Aguero made contact with the ball, expecting to dive to his right.

It is the most famous Aguero goal and perhaps it is the perfect Aguero goal, too.

Or maybe not.

“When I received the ball I got away from my marker and gave it to Mario (Balotelli),” Aguero explained this week. “He held it up (but fell backwards) and gave it to me from the ground, so it wasn’t so easy to hit it first time. I took a touch, I thought the centre-back was going to hit me and I looked for a penalty, but when he hit me it wasn’t strong enough to knock me over.

“I touched it again and saw I was close to the goal, so I said ‘I’ll shoot’. The worst thing was that I wanted to shoot hard across goal and it went to the near post, I don’t know what happened. After watching it back, I realised that if I had shot across goal a defender could have blocked it. I celebrated the goal and told everybody, ‘I hit it so well!’

“I have many goals like that, where I’ve wanted to hit it across goal but I’ve hit it so powerfully with the instep it goes in at the near post. Last season I scored against Liverpool with my left foot, at the near post. It was a great goal, but I wanted to go across the keeper. I got a lot of messages congratulating me but I also got one from Juan Roman Riquelme saying “how lucky are you?!” He’d realised that I didn’t want to put it there.”

Maybe we can say that with all that skill and hard work, sometimes he makes his own luck.

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Investigation: Players scared and angry over plans for the return of football

https://theathletic.com/1783671/2020/04/30/coronavirus-covid-premier-league-efl-return-closed-doors-vaccine/

As football in Holland and France came to a halt over the past week, the Premier League, the Football League and the British government are striving to restore the sport “as soon as possible”. The culture secretary Oliver Dowden said this week that he has personally held talks with the Premier League and a further meeting of top-flight clubs is scheduled for Friday to further nail down a timetable and methodology for football to restart.

Indeed, behind the scenes, Premier League clubs were made aware over ten days ago that the government favoured a rapid return to football as part of a package that could boost public spirits amid a time of global pandemic and economic downturn.

In boardrooms fearing the repercussions of missing out on crucial broadcast payments, the favourable treatment from the government has been well-received. Conversations over imminent pay cuts and deferrals have been reduced to background noise as executives plot a path to stage matches behind-closed-doors, most probably featuring several neutral locations.

Both the Premier League and the government insist that any return will adhere to guidelines set out by Public Health England. Several Championship clubs have earmarked a return to team training on May 16 to begin a three-week pre-season ahead of resuming the campaign. A possible restart for the Premier League has been earmarked for June 9. However, behind the scenes, players, coaches and backroom staff are divided over the possibility of a return. The Athletic can reveal:

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Jobi McAnuff is 38 years old and playing in League Two at Leyton Orient but in his 20-year senior career, he has featured across the top four divisions of English football. He harbours, therefore, a unique sense of perspective as he deliberates over the scheduled return for football. Due to the likely cost of testing, there remain question marks over the feasibility of a return to Football League action but for the players, McAnuff explains, considerations go beyond the financial.

McAnuff tells The Athletic: “I really find it difficult when I look at people saying ‘football will be back in a few weeks’… I just find it incomprehensible that we could even be talking about that at the moment. Sometimes people forget that (footballers) are normal in the sense that we’ve all got families, some of us have vulnerable adults. I am delivering food parcels to my parents. We’ve got wives and some have very young children, and obviously being around to support them is very important.

“A lot of people talk about the physical aspect and the damage that it could cause at that level but I do also think that there’s a big mental consideration to be looked at as well. And I think getting in players who don’t want (to return), or are not comfortable, is going to be counter-productive because there is no way you can go out onto a pitch when you’re worrying about other issues. I certainly think it’s going to be very important that you get the players on board up and down the country at various clubs. This is not a blanket decision. This is not what’s right for one is right for another. You can’t tell somebody specifically that he has to do X or Y when it comes to the health of him or his family. I don’t think you can cross that line.”

Behind the scenes, there is concern in football that the government appears to be pressurising the Premier League to organise a return to lift national morale. It particularly jars, in some quarters, as members of Boris Johnson’s cabinet were only a couple of weeks ago calling on leading players to take wage deductions. Now, however, it appears the government would like the same footballers to provide some light entertainment for the nation. Yet as the general public are told to keep their distance, plans are being formulated for the return of contact sport.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters emailed the 20 clubs this week, giving indications that the government are keen to get football back and that it will be discussed at a meeting on Friday, which clubs are describing as “make or break”. Some clubs believe there will be a discussion about free-to-air football and scheduling to have more than one game per day. A club’s director told The Athletic: “There is a mad push for it. But we have had emails from supporters, ‘We think it’s a disgrace the Premier League is getting this kind of support.’ For me the Premier League and government need to come out and say why they want players back and tested.”

The testing process itself will be complex and Premier League medical experts currently expect that the screening process will be comprised of the antigen testing that demonstrates whether or not a person has the disease, rather than to demonstrate immunity. Yet it is further complicated as there have been cases whereby individuals are asymptomatic for several days and as such, anyone in contact with players would need to be tested twice per week, while the results of tests are not instant.

One idea is to create quarantined training bases and hotels that would keep players isolated in their teams and away from their families. Yet clubs and players are warning that the participants simply do not want this. One Premier League player insisted to The Athletic he would not agree to remain in a strict sterile camp as his wife needs his support with their four children, particularly at a time where grandparents or outside help is not feasible due to social distancing guidelines. Another player, however, said he would be concerned to head into training every day and then return home, where he lives with his in-laws, who are in an at-risk category. The Premier League player, who explained he knows staff working around the clock to save lives in hospitals, concluded: “If it is so extreme that you need to lock players away, surely we need to consider why on earth we are playing football.”

The concerns are registering with clubs. A source high up at one club added: “We have one player whose wife is on the list of people who can’t come into contact with others. She got a letter in week one [advising her] to isolate. She’s the mother of his two kids. What do you do? That is the human part. You might say, ‘You’re paid a lot of money get on with it.’ But it’s not worth more than life, is it? There will be push back from the PFA and the LMA. At the minute all these talks are to do with money, and a little bit about the public being happy football is back on the telly.”

A wife of a Premier League player added: “Clearly there are concerns about health. Everyone has some sort of fear about that. It would be good for morale but at the same time it has to be safe. Hotels wouldn’t work, no one wants to be locked up any more than they have done already. That would be a major mental health risk.”

McAnuff continues: “The biggest issue is the time. If you’d asked me three weeks ago, ‘Do you think we’ll get (the season) finished?’ I would 100 per cent have said, ‘Yeah, it needs to happen.’ I’m a big advocate of getting it finished. But it has to be done at a time that is safe. Now if that time is going to take too long — I don’t think we really knew what we were dealing with three or four weeks ago — then there are going to have to be sacrifices made. The vast majority of footballers would want to finish the league. But I just think we’re getting to a point now where, for me, there are more important matters.”

While the Premier League insists it will only act on the advice of health guidelines, several individuals working within clubs fear that key decisions are being taken by people with little expertise in pandemics or risk management. One backroom staff member at a Premier League club echoes the fear: “We are going to get forced back into it. But what if players don’t want to? What if they live with vulnerable people? It’s so badly thought out and so many clubs run by dinosaurs. You have safety issues being made by people with no expertise in issues like this. A manager is to manage 25 players, not to worry about this stuff. The Premier League is too weak to do anything and is made up of 20 chief executives who can’t ignore the fact that money is needed from football coming back. It’s scary.”

Then there is the question of whether football should be putting itself ahead of other parts of society. Ambulances are needed at football matches. Acrrington’s Joe Maguire is concerned. “I can understand why the Premier League and EFL are trying to make plans for a return but I think trying to restart at the beginning of June is ridiculously optimistic,” he says. “The NHS, care workers and other key workers are under incredible strain at the moment so for us to be thinking of a return so soon, which could potentially add to that strain is very short-sighted. Anything that could add to the shortfall of PPE or put a strain on services should be avoided.

“I do worry that if we return too soon, the repercussions could be fatal. If a player picks up the virus from a team-mate who is asymptomatic during training and then that player takes it home to his family and they become seriously ill, there would be severe consequences.”

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There is, it should be said, no unanimous agreement on this issue. Several agents and players contacted by The Athletic replied with more straightforward answers, suggesting they cannot wait to compete once more and are buoyed by the hope of football’s return. One agent who represents younger players in the Premier League and Football League estimated that 80 per cent will feel this way but 20 per cent will harbour concerns.

“The players are going stir-crazy in isolation,” he quipped. “Their partners want them out of the house.”

Interestingly, many players are keen to restart as they have either deferred or agreed wage cuts during the period of isolation. Other players are desperate to return as their contracts are heavily incentivised. In some cases, a contract often reported to be worth £60,000 per week, could in fact be worth less than £40,000 per week without relevant appearance and loyalty bonuses that can be included in deals. “If you want your money, fucking play,” one agent concludes.

Among some quarters, the response is even more laid back. A Championship footballer, for example, confided in friends that he is more than happy to return to playing but is said to be annoyed that the pandemic has ruined his summer holiday. Opportunism has risen to the fore. Amid the news that the French season is cancelled and English football may resume, agents have sought to flog players on behalf of overseas clubs fearing for their finances.

One Premier League director says: “It goes something like this … ‘Are you interested in Fred Bloggs from this French club? We can get him out for €15m because his club are broke and they need money now.’ The agent then goes to the French club and says ‘I think I can get you €10m for Fred Bloggs and if I can get you more than that, I will keep 50 per cent of anything over €10m, OK?’. Blah blah blah…”

For other players, the conversation is less about their own health or public health but instead the hollow feeling of playing football behind closed doors.

“The only thing our players are moaning about when I speak to them,” says a Premier League sporting director. ‘They complain: ‘What is the point of it without fans?’ Deep down they are all kids who love football, they’ll miss that roar when your team scores.”

The same man anticipates the most fearsome battle still to be played out among clubs will be over the likelihood of games played at neutral location. “That will cause a stink from players,” he says. “The Premier League have dropped a hint to us. That is a game changer. The integrity will be totally gone.”

Yet there are more brutal financial discussions circulating in the WhatsApp groups of professional players. Some admit they are reluctant to play football in July if their contracts are due to expire this summer because one bad injury could cast doubt on their future employment.

McAnuff worries for the Football League players who will scramble for new deals. He says: “This summer will be the hardest of them all. You’re talking record numbers that will not be offered renewals. Every single player at football clubs will be affected. If it’s a renewal, that decision might be made for you because your club doesn’t have the finances. There’s already been talk about clubs lower down taking on smaller squads, so instead of having 24 or 25 pros, they might have 20 and make it up with kids. So it’s a very uncertain time out there at the moment.”

Though there are plenty of positives too, as Maguire explains: “Accrington Stanley have been superb throughout. Andy Holt (the owner) and John Coleman (the manager) have never pressurised us in to doing anything. They’ve looked after all the staff and players and I’ve felt a great unity within the club throughout this.”

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In many dressing rooms, there is, above all, faith that the club’s medical professionals will take the right decision to protect participants. As workforces go, there is quiet confidence that footballers should be safer than most, as the vast majority who have suffered gravely from coronavirus have been elderly or experienced underlying health conditions. The direct risk to players, therefore, is considered to be low.

Yet there have been exceptions and alarm bells are ringing for some. On Tuesday, one agent in Spain, for example, sent one of our writers a link to a Washington Post article that reported alleged links between coronavirus diagnoses and strokes among younger people in their 30s and 40s. The agent wanted to know whether football could truly say it is not imposing added risk on his client. On Wednesday, research by Italian immunologists based in Berlin, Rome and Vienna suggested that in the course of strenuous exercise, athletes are more likely to inhale virus particles and direct them to the lower parts of the lung. Jonas Baer-Hoffman, the secretary general of the global players’ union FIFPro warned that “very high protection standards are required” for football to return. It is true, also, that clubs must factor in backroom staff and in-house employees when assessing risk factors.

In the Premier League, virtual meetings are now taking place between the 20 club doctors in the top-flight. However, it is believed there have been disagreements over forming a consensus for health guidelines on training. Clubs will be irked by any suggestion that the integrity of their medical experts may be compromised and everyone within the game and the government insists all decisions will be aligned with advice from Public Health England. Yet several senior figures within clubs have spoken to The Athletic over their unease that doctors — employed by the clubs — may feel pressurised by their paymasters as executives may be financially aided by the season being played on, or indeed being cancelled.

“It’s so dangerous,” says one training ground source at a Premier League club. “What’s changed in five weeks? It wasn’t safe to train then so why now? There’s no cure, no vaccine. If one person gets it and dies we will be on the wrong side of history. It’s going to take someone to die for people to realise.”

Mark Leather, a former physio at Liverpool, is aware of the pressures clubs can place on medical staff to speed up a player’s return from injury. Yet in this case, he is confident clubs will act responsibly. He says: “Everyone is acutely aware of how bad it is. There is no magic cure for it. But I think that the issues of a player being frightened or reluctant, that’s like anything. If you’ve had a difficult plane journey and that causes a fear of flying, that is an issue. You can’t force a person. Think of Dennis Bergkamp. So I think clubs will be respectful of somebody who says I don’t really want to play at this moment. It is not a sign of weakness, it’s just everybody is different.

“I honestly think if you tested everybody at the club and anybody positive is isolated, the rest I don’t think will be too concerned, if there’s proof, documents, test results, ratified by independent people. It’s safe. I do not think there will be many who have an issue with that. Players are very informed about health now, much more than they were in the bad old days. They search information themselves. They will trust the club. It is not in the club’s interest to put a game on and risk a PR disaster and a public health issue.”

A current Premier League player, still to be informed of any clear schedule by his club, says: “We’re still waiting for news on when we’ll be called back in — we’ve not heard much, to be honest — but we’re all assuming that, if we are to train together ‘as normal’, we’ll be getting tested regularly to ensure as much as we can that the virus doesn’t suddenly spike down at the training ground. I know people are saying it takes a while to get test results, though, so quite how that will work I’m not sure. What happens if one player falls ill? Does that mean we all have to go back into isolation for a fortnight to stop any spread? That would put us back to square one again, wouldn’t it?

“I suppose the only way to look at it at the moment is we will be guided by the medics and the authorities as to whether any of this is possible, and then make a judgement call on it all. We’re all talking to each other, the players, so it is bound to be discussed. Am I comfortable with the thought of going back in to train? Only if the club doctor and medical staff feel it is safe. You have to go with the experts and, if they have confidence in the testing procedures, I would trust them. But, realistically, I can’t see it happening any time soon. As in training ‘normally’.”

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Above all, the consensus appears to be that players would like greater clarity and communication. Throughout this process, players have been frustrated by the approach taken by their overlords. An “us” and “them” mentality has evolved, particularly with the dreadfully-received Premier League suggestion that top-flight players should consider a 30 per cent pay cut across the board. The seeds of distrust were sown at several clubs and not every player is inclined to go out on a financial or physical limb to protect the economic security of those owners and executives they feel have been unsupportive since the pandemic emerged.

Several players have complained that they are still to receive any information at all from Premier League clubs on a possible return to training. One is so convinced the nationwide lockdown will be extended so he says he isn’t even thinking about football.

Yet developments are anticipated in the coming days. One Premier League club was told on Tuesday that it should report to training on Monday, May 18, with a view to resuming action on June 4 and ending the campaign by August 2. Time is now of the essence as players who have returned abroad to spend time with family must return this week in order to self-isolate for fourteen days before training. This plan will be debated on Friday.

A Premier League player concludes: “The past couple of weeks has been the worst time because we’re waiting for news, we’re in limbo. You just want a plan. Even if that’s them turning around and saying everything is cancelled until September. But we’re getting nothing. Money will override everything. You’re talking about a league where Huddersfield made more than PSG last season. The one thing we all want is fans. It just won’t be the same, but that’s another compromise we’re going to have to make.”

[Vesper 29,202]

The race to be England’s No 1 better than ever with Euros delayed

https://theathletic.com/1777293/2020/05/01/jordan-pickford-keeper-england-pope-henderson-foster-heaton/

Throughout much of its history, the goalkeeper position has been one of strength for the England team. For nearly 40 years, Gordon Banks, Peter Shilton and David Seaman brought reliable stability for England at the back. But following Seaman’s final match in 2002, that stability gave way to a revolving door of promising young goalkeepers. David James had his moments, Paul Robinson too. Robert Green got a handful of chances in big moments. But, they never truly lived up to expectations. 

For a time, Joe Hart presented a sturdy and solid option. A title winner with Manchester City, Hart appeared to be the long-term, top-class solution that had eluded England since Seaman’s retirement. However, his sharp decline and inconsistency leading up to the 2018 World Cup finals meant England were once again questioning the man between the posts. 

Manager Gareth Southgate eventually made the brave decision to drop Hart, who had played nearly every minute of qualification, on the eve of the World Cup, despite the less than convincing alternatives. Southgate would instead turn to his former under-21 goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, who had been relatively untested at the senior level with only three caps to his name. 

Following their final group-stage match against Belgium, questions were asked of Pickford’s performance in goal, in addition to whether his lack of experience would ultimately hinder England that summer — though some of those comments were misguided. Then came Pickford’s breakout performance against Colombia in the last 16. It was largely due to his heroics that England advanced to the quarter-finals via a penalty shootout. Another brilliant performance and clean sheet against Sweden propelled England to their first World Cup semi-final appearance in 28 years and thrust Pickford into the national spotlight. 

In just a few short weeks, the entire narrative around him changed and many were left wondering how good the 24-year-old from Sunderland could ultimately become.

Despite all the promise, potential, and praise following his impressive performances in Russia, Pickford’s form since then has been a roller-coaster of inconsistency at the club level. His faults have been cumulative rather than spectacular and, for every fantastic stop or interaction, there is a creeping sense that each match presents a new opportunity for a mistake rather than a chance at redemption. Given goalkeepers often don’t hit their peak until their early to mid-30s, and considering a natural dip in form almost always follows the high of World Cup heroics (think Paul Pogba, Luka Modric and Antoine Griezmann), a lot of the setbacks and struggles should, in all honesty, have been expected as he continues to grow and develop.

Although the criticism has been justified at times, it has also often overlooked the impact of his suspect backline at Everton, which has offered him little to no protection over the past few seasons. It’s hard enough to build consistency and confidence under the best of circumstances, let alone when your team is regularly in flux.

But Pickford isn’t blameless. His decision-making and composure have been pinpointed as clear areas for improvement if he is to develop further. Although he is still searching for the consistency required of the world’s elite goalkeepers, when you are an England starter, you are expected to perform. And it’s clear that even in the face of adversity, he should be doing better. 

Had Euro 2020 gone ahead as planned this summer, there is little doubt Pickford would have been England’s No 1 after being the starting keeper throughout qualifying and retaining Southgate’s trust. 

However, now that the tournament has been pushed back a year, it opens the door for a possible change in goal if Pickford’s inconsistency continues to be a problem whenever play resumes. Should that happen, Southgate could be forced to make a bold decision reminiscent of the one he made prior to Russia 2018. 

So here we will take a look at the goalkeepers within the England set-up most likely to benefit from the Euro 2020 delay, and who could put pressure on Pickford for the starting position next summer.

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Ben Foster

The 37-year-old retired from international football in 2011 but came back into the picture two years later, eventually earning a place in England’s 2014 World Cup squad. Though it’s been nearly six years since his last call-up, and there are no guarantees he would accept a place in the squad even if it was offered, there is an outside chance England fans could see Foster in the 23 come next summer’s European Championship, though not necessarily see him add to his eight caps. 

Foster hasn’t missed a Premier League game for Watford since his arrival from West Bromwich Albion in the summer of 2018 and has been a key figure this season in their quest to avoid relegation. Over his career, Foster has more saves than any other keeper in Premier League history (1,150), speaking both to his longevity and overall quality throughout the years. And, remarkably, his current form may now be better than it has ever been, despite the chaos around him. 

While his best displays have come at home, where he has kept vital clean sheets against Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur, his timely rescues have kept his side in matches all season long. It’s very possible that without Foster in goal, Watford may be in a far more dire situation than their present position just above the relegation zone on goal difference. 

Although it is Pickford’s intensity and passion that have gotten him to where he is, it can also hamper his play much in the same way emotional swings inevitably hurt Hart at Euro 2016. Foster, on the other hand, is the definition of cool. He rarely looks to be stressed or emotionally erratic on the pitch. Having the type of calming presence, leadership, and relaxed attitude that he brings could be a positive influence on Pickford, and help him develop his emotional intelligence, making Foster the ideal mentor for Pickford, should he get called up.

Though Foster will be 38 when next summer’s tournament rolls around, he still could have an important role to play. Southgate has continually claimed that the most in-form players will be involved for England, and if that sentiment holds true, he would be wise to look to Foster as a piece of his puzzle, even if he’d require a bit of convincing to return to the fold.

Nick Pope

Tom Heaton left for Aston Villa last summer, allowing Pope to step up as undisputed first choice for Burnley. Both have featured in England squads this season, with Pope, who kept a clean sheet on his competitive international debut against Kosovo in November, as the No 2, and Heaton third choice. At club level, Pope has excelled since emerging from Heaton’s shadow, and has been one of the stand-out performers at his position in the Premier League this season, leading all goalkeepers with 11 clean sheets. 

Pope is both long and tall, and an excellent goalkeeper in the traditional sense — or as we in the goalkeeper community like to say, “in the fundamentals of the position”. His body shape and set position, in particular, are superb, and serve as the foundation for the rest of his skill set to stand on. His positional awareness and technical efficiency — mainly in regards to his hand placement and footwork — means he doesn’t need to make any wild movements or technical adjustments as he traverses his goalmouth in preparation for each shot on target. By the time the ball is struck, he is already in the optimal position, and has his body and hands in the correct shape to make a save. 

This preparation and attention to detail is primarily what helps him keep his movements and adjustments small, while also taking the quickest and most direct path to the ball in order to make the save. And it’s a big reason he is able to make as many saves as he does look so routine.

 

Pope is also tremendous at dealing with high balls in his penalty area from open-play crosses or set pieces — an area that Pickford has struggled with at times. Specifically, it is his long reach and impeccable timing that helps him extend his range to the furthest edges of his box, meeting the ball at its highest point and catching significantly more balls than he punches deep in his area. His 37 high-cross claims, the most in the Premier League this season (Norwich City’s Tim Krul is second with 26), allows his team to retain possession while consistently avoiding second chances from the opposition in the most vulnerable area of the pitch. 

Additionally, his 16 sweeper clearances, the most in the Premier League this season (and double Pickford’s total), help him dominate the area between him and his backline. Pope’s ability to sense danger from balls that are played in behind his central defenders could be essential, given England’s style of play, and Southgate’s desire to press the opposition high when they can. 

However, Pickford does help his team more in an attacking sense with the ball at his feet than Pope, as the Everton man has hit more accurate long balls (235 to Pope’s 216) and has a higher passing completion percentage than anyone else in the England goalkeeper pool. In Southgate’s system, it is not enough for the goalkeeper to be a superior shot-stopper, he must also be able to contribute to his team’s build-up play with a very specific combination of technical and tactical passing ability. 

In particular, Southgate’s goalkeeper needs to be comfortable with the ball at his feet, able to distribute to his team-mates in different areas and distances across the pitch. He must also be comfortable serving as his team-mates’ outlet pass when they are under pressure. It is something that is a much bigger part of Pickford’s game that Pope’s, as Burnley manager Sean Dyche generally encourages him to kick the ball long(er) than Pickford does. Pope’s 37.06 per cent pass completion rate this season ranks near the bottom among Premier League goalkeepers. 

Although he only has those two caps to his name, the tournament’s delay gives the 28-year-old an opportunity to challenge Pickford for the No 1 shirt, potentially giving him more time to convince the manager of his worth. 

Dean Henderson

Henderson has had arguably the most sudden and dramatic rise to the top in English football this season. The 23-year-old on loan to Sheffield United from Manchester United is enjoying a dream start to life in the Premier League with his side seventh in the table after winning promotion last season. But it didn’t begin that way. 

In a September match against Liverpool, Henderson allowed a Georginio Wijnaldum attempt to squirm past him and into the back of the net, gifting the European champions the winner. As the ball trickled over the line, all Henderson could do was cup his head in his hands in embarrassment. 

When a goalkeeper makes a mistake, they come under the microscope more so than any other player on the pitch. Yet, in their role as the last line of defence, blunders are inevitable. 

You can often learn more about a goalkeeper from their response to making an error than from the error itself. It’s not uncommon to see a keeper become a shell of their former self, dwelling on it, beating themselves up mentally and retreating inwards as emotions take hold after making a mistake. This is the worst thing you can possibly do, and it’s how a single error can turn into multiple ones in quick succession. It’s keeping these instances to a minimum that separates the best goalkeepers from their peers. 

After making that mistake against Liverpool, Henderson had a choice: fold and go inwards, or puff out his chest and forget it happened. 

Just a few minutes after Wijnaldum’s goal, Henderson immediately had his chance at a bit of redemption when Mohamed Salah was free on goal. Despite having one of the world’s most lethal finishers charging towards him, Henderson stayed steady and calculated. He stood Salah up as long as he could and ended up making an athletic right-foot save, pushing the ball out for a corner. 

It was the type of response every manager, team-mate and fan wants from their goalkeeper after an error — but it’s not one you always see, especially from one as young as Henderson. The save may have seemed trivial at the time, but that moment perhaps set the tone for what was to come over the rest of the season.

Henderson, who earned his first England call-up in October, has been one of the Premier League’s best keepers this term, keeping 10 clean sheets — only Pope has more. His performances have been so eye-opening there has been reported transfer interest from Chelsea, while Manchester United are said to be considering the sale of David de Gea in order to clear the way for Henderson next season — a massive statement considering how important the Spaniard has been for them over much of the last decade.

In addition to his cool temperament and short memory, Henderson is also an incredibly agile goalkeeper, able to contort his body in and out of the most unorthodox positions to make saves. His stunning triple save against Norwich, which I wrote about recently, is probably the best example of this. That agility, in combination with his diving technique and power step have led to some absolutely extraordinary saves this season, even in moments when his positioning isn’t always perfect. The power step is also what has allowed him to thrive in one-v-one situations, whether in open play or on penalties. 

The biggest challenge for Henderson will be if he is able to replicate the type of performances we’ve seen from him this season should he get an opportunity at Manchester United or with England. That’s no disrespect to Sheffield United, but there is undoubtedly a greater level of pressure and scrutiny in those teams that he hasn’t faced before. 

To make his international debut ahead of a major tournament, Henderson now has a year to prove he has more reliable hands than Pickford. Time will tell if he can unseat the man at the top of the England pecking order — or even Nick Pope as Southgate’s second-choice — but his performances make a strong case for him.

On the outside looking in…

Aaron Ramsdale 

The England Under-21 goalkeeper and the Premier League’s youngest starting keeper has been a revelation this year for Bournemouth, surpassing the wildest expectations anyone could have had for the 21-year-old. However, with the likes of Pickford, Pope, and Henderson ahead of him, it’s probably a few years too early to be thinking about significant playing time at senior international level for Ramsdale. Should Bournemouth manage to avoid relegation and Ramsdale continue to develop in the Premier League next season, he could position himself for consideration if those ahead of him falter. 

Fraser Forster 

Forster once looked like he had the inside track to eventually take over as England’s starting goalkeeper until a 2015 knee injury and subsequent drop in form put everything on hold. A return to former club Celtic on loan this season has helped him to rebuild his confidence and rediscover the form that at one time had him so highly regarded. However, the Scottish Premiership is a very clear step down from the competition he would face with Southampton, and even though he has been excellent in 2019-20, it’s likely Forster will need consistent playing time in the Premier League before he is in England contention again.     

Tom Heaton 

Heaton has been a solidly reliable goalkeeper and a consistent member of the England set-up throughout the past few years. Yet nearly every time he has seemed poised to make a breakthrough and challenge for playing time, injuries have derailed him. After sustaining his most recent setback — a serious knee injury against Burnley at the beginning of January — it’s unlikely Heaton will see the pitch in the foreseeable future, greatly diminishing his chances of getting himself fit to make the final cut for Euro 2021.

[Special Juan 27,541]

I'm sorry but they have to simply end the season and do it now. All fo this restart stuff is absolutely fucking idiotic. Peoples lives in their thousands are being lost and the PL's desperation to get started is quite simply worrying.

If a player contracts this disease after the restart it sets down again, completely. There is no vaccine as of now and won't be for months possibly a year. Doctors will not give a guarantee that nobody will contract it so where does this stack up with insurances and players rights?

The fact there is a push for a date smacks of greed, desperation and is quite frankly embarrassing in all honesty.