The English Football Thread

[Vesper 31,181]

Moncler buys Stone Island for $1.4 billion

The deal is expected to close by the first half of 2021. While the two Italian brands will remain separate entities, the acquisition will see them share information on how to best capture the American and Asian markets. They will also amplify their direct-to-consumer channels for the new luxury customer and push further into sustainability.

We called up Moncler’s CEO and Chairman, Remo Ruffini, to ask him what it was that attracted him to Stone Island, and what’s next for the brand.

https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/moncler-remo-ruffini-acquire-stone-island-interview/

[Vesper 31,181]

2020-21 English Premier League

Brighton & Hove Albion       
Southampton                        

http://www.sportnews.to/sports/2020/premier-league-brighton-hove-albion-vs-southampton-s1/

https://www.totalsportek.com/southampton/

[Vesper 31,181]

 Ben White starts at DMF

 Tariq Lamptey starts at RWB

[Blue Armour 4,759]

9 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

 

It is not the same. Spurs are underdogs. Basically for starting 11 they got just two new players Reguilon and Hojbjerg. If Mou wins it with them it would be story similar to Conte winning season with us. Neutral fans love stories like that.

Also if he wins major trophy with Spurs that would go on top3 list in his career with what he did in Inter and Porto. And all of that have much more value than whatever Pep and Zidane did in their careers because it is huge overachievement.

We'll see. You have a point, and I've seen some fans claim this, but I think a lot of people jumped on the wagon after their win over Pep and city.

I'll give credit to JM and Spurs for coming through relatively unscathed, after a tough list of fixtures in the PL in the past 3 weeks.

[Blue Armour 4,759]

19 hours ago, communicate said:

What we did was we kinda asked our fb especially Chilwell to play conservative. So son like his goal against arsenal, won't play one on one against cb. 

It f*** up our offense also though because Werner can't play without support. 

It was expected that at any time, one of our fullbacks would have to hang back to watch their runners.

Shame that we didn't have Pulisic fully fit to start the game. I feel his play could have helped unlock their defense even without full-backs supporting. 

[Blue Armour 4,759]

16 hours ago, petre.ispirescu said:

Listen, I simply cannot understand why there is 'Spurs are going to win the title' vibes around and people are truly afraid they might go all the way. I mean ok maybe Mourinho might have done it this way in the past, but not when he's had that many quality, and I mean really, really good teams that are challenging, too. For me Liverpool and City are nailed on to go head to head for the league title again and are the two main candidates. Not the sole ones, but still easily the two best teams around, then there is Chelsea and it might sound funny but United will go deep, too IMHO and the thing is that all this four teams have better attacking players than Spurs.

You might think Spurs will park the bus v the big teams like they truly did v us, City and Arsenal, but they did not look that good v Burnley, West Brom and Brighton either, three wins in which they shot less than 8 or 9 shots on goal combined. In three matches...

It's like a honeymoon period for them now and Kane looks like he's playing the Kante role now. They will fall apart as soon as they go on a winless streak and Mourinho starts blaming someone, anyone. In his mind they are now first because of him, soon Son or somebody else is going to be at fault for not tracking back on Ola Aina.

On another note happy for Arsenal's brilliant title challenge yet again, fuck that obnoxious and deluded fan base.

Good point.

Looking back at Mourinho's PL title wins, there were not many teams in contention for the title race.

Also, despite this being December, we are only 11 games in., meaning another 3/4 of the season to go. Therefore, even their current position at the top doesn't mean much.

And speaking of fixture lists, any idea why some teams still have a game in hand without any official dates announced for these? You would expect them to play before the midway point in order to preserve the integrity of the competion.

 

 

[Atomiswave 6,120]

6 hours ago, Blue Armour said:

in order to preserve the integrity of the competion.

No such thing as integrity in EPL, we are witnessing it game by game now, integrity went out the window long ago.

[Strike 7,855]

20 hours ago, Jason said:

As someone pointed here out yesterday, you would think Spurs are 10 points clear at the top instead of just 2 with the way people are going on about them. Yes, they are getting the results and all that but it's only 11 games in and Liverpool, who of course are the champions, are level on points with them.  

On the other hand, it's funny to see everyone's darling last season Liverpool barely getting any love in the title race so far this season, despite being joint-top. 

This. Liverpool with so many injuries are joint top. No other team is going into games vs Leicester and Wolves and dominating in the manner Liverpool are at the moment and it is a surprise that they are hardly mentioned in the context of the title race. 

I think they are on course for around a 80-90-point haul and I can't see Spurs or Chelsea keeping up all the way. I think the media is just happy that the league is still open in December. 

 

[Jase 43,479]

14 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

This were the odds before the season by bookmakers:

Premier League outright odds 2020/21

4/5 - Man City

15/8 - Liverpool

10/1 - Chelsea

14/1 - Man Utd

33/1 - Arsenal

50/1 - Tottenham

Just going back to that, as you mentioned, that is before the season (how are Arsenal even ahead of Spurs!?). The latest odds are now this...

Liverpool - 7/4

Man City - 7/4

Chelsea - 11/2

Spurs - 11/2

Man United - 18/1

Arsenal - 250/1

[NikkiCFC 8,529]

7 hours ago, Jason said:

 (how are Arsenal even ahead of Spurs!?). 

They signed world class player Willian 

[MoroccanBlue 5,408]

3 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

They signed world class player, better than Ziyech and Havertz,  Willian 

 

[Atomiswave 6,120]

Scumbag

 

[Vesper 31,181]

Paul Pogba and comments timed to cause maximum disruption

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‘Seriously Marcos, do you know how a toaster works yet?’ Photograph: Matthew Peters/Manchester United/Getty Images

Barry Glendenning  @bglendenning

LESS THAN UNITED On any other day, news that Paul Pogba is apparently dissatisfied with life at Manchester United, has no intention of signing a new contract with the club and would like to leave as soon as possible would be greeted by whoops of delight, high fives and offers of lifts to the airport from Ole Gunnar Solskjær, assorted teammates, numerous members of the club hierarchy and tens of thousands of season-ticket holders. However, emerging as it did on the eve of a crunch Big Cup group match in Germany from which Ole and his brave boys need to take a point or go out, Manchester United have taken an understandably dim view of Mina Raiola’s interview with Tuttosport in which Pogba’s Mr 20% said his client wants a move. “Paul at Manchester United is unhappy,” sniffed Raiola. “He would no longer able to express himself as he would like and is expected of him. He has to change teams, he has to change the air. He has a contract that will expire in a year and a half, but I believe the best solution for the parties is to sell in the next market.” Raiola’s comments were timed to cause maximum disruption, coming to light at around the time Pogba and his colleagues would have been sitting down to dinner in their team hotel before Tuesday’s match against RB Leipzig. If nothing else, they will have at least prompted some interesting dinner chat.

Paul Pogba's agent says player wants to leave Manchester United in January Read more

The presumption now is that Pogba will not feature, not that he was likely to anyway considering United need a result and he’s about as reliable as the imminent tsunami of spurious transfer tittle-tattle that will link him with moves to Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain or a return to Juventus. “Get rid,” huffed Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports, upon being asked what United should do with their recalcitrant midfielder, who has pointedly not used any of his social media disgrace platforms to deny the claims. “I’ve been saying this for 12 months. Oh my god, he is the most overrated player I’ve ever seen in my life.” While United would almost certainly love to “get rid” of a player who happily trousers but rarely earns the £300,000 a week he gets from the club, finding anyone to take him off their hands for anywhere near the £89m they paid for him four years ago could prove tricky. The few clubs that can afford him may prefer to keep their powder dry for such time as the contract of a similarly expensive and disgruntled, but much better and more reliable big-name target runs out at Barcelona next summer. For now, United have more important things to worry about, but can take heart from the 5-0 gubbing they dished out to their opponents in October. Pogba played for 81 minutes of that particular game and even set up a goal, but after his boorish mouthpiece’s latest headline-grabbing antics, it will be a surprise if this unhappy camper gets to muddy his spats on the grass of the Red Bull Arena for even a single second. LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE! Join Paul Doyle from 8pm for hot MBM coverage of RB Leipzig 2-2 Manchester United, while Ben Fisher will be clockwatching the rest of Tuesday’s action. QUOTE OF THE DAY “I should have played more. Honestly, I don’t understand why I have not. I have done well every time the coach has called on me. I don’t know what else I can do. I cannot be satisfied and I’m not. I’ve never accepted the idea of not playing and I’m not going to now. It’s a very delicate situation and I don’t like it” – Miralem Pjanic is the latest happy punter at Camp Koe. Oh Ronald! RECOMMENDED LOOKING David Squires on … the booing of footballers taking a knee. It’s particularly good.

It really is. Illustration: David Squires/The Guardian

FIVER LETTERS “Arsenal supporters, it has been two years of further regression. Maybe the club’s problem wasn’t Arsène Wenger?” – JJ Zucal. “John Burridge is not the only petrolhead who has been psychologically scarred by the presence of uninvited waste products in their headwear (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs). Jeremy Clarkson apparently endured a similar experience which could help explain the genesis of the beloved epithet ‘Dirty’ Leeds” – Allastair McGillivray. “So, according to Neil Warnock, Stoke like to give visiting players stinky changing rooms (yesterday’s last line), An interesting move, but it may backfire. Years ago, the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks made a point of upgrading the visitors’ facilities. Posh towels, spacious lockers, toilets that flushed – the whole package. Why? Because it helped the club to recruit players when they became free agents. Perhaps Stoke’s management believes they are an attractive enough proposition without such gimmickry” – Mike Wilner. “Ed Taylor (yesterday’s Fiver letters) has brought up a wider philosophical question that may be answered when one-goal Joelinton squares up against a Baggies defence that has shipped 23 goals in 11 matches: what happens when a stoppable force meets a moveable object?” – Matt Richman. “Re: Capone and Fabinho being Untouchables (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs). I’m sure you’ll get the hallowed number of replies on this, but it was the team of agents hunting down Scarface that were untouchable, not Capone” – Matt Atkinson (and 1,056 others). Send your letters to [email protected]. And you can always tweet The Fiver via @guardian_sport. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’the day prize is … Allastair McGillivray. RECOMMENDED SHOPPING Available at our print shop now, Tom Jenkins’s pictures of the past decade. There’s also this Gazza picture there too. NEWS, BITS AND BOBS In a boost for free agent $exually Repressed Morris Dancing Fiver’s hopes of making the Euros, Gareth Southgate reckons a hectic Premier League schedule will lead to knacked England players next summer. “It’s very difficult to have a successful national team and the ­strongest league,” he sighed, fresh off a series of international friendlies.

There was a World Cup draw too, but we got distracted by those giant underpants in the middle. Photograph: foto-net/Kurt Schorrer/EPA

Newcastle might be able to play out a drab draw with West Brom now their training ground is open again after a Covid outbreak. Leeds defender Robin Koch will face a spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on the knee-knack sustained against Chelsea. Like George Benson and Whitney Houston before him, Jürgen Klopp believes the children are our future. “You still need the right kids, the right players,” he crooned, praising the youngsters who have stepped up during Liverpool’s knack-crisis. “Without them we would have been lost. Thank God it worked out.” Some Manchester City news. And in a blow for Barnsley fireworks shops, Mario Balotelli has joined Serie B side Monza. STILL WANT MORE? Our annual countdown of the top 100 female footballers in the world begins with Nos 71-100.

Here. We. Go. Illustration: Guardian Design

Booing those who take a knee is an act of violent disrespect, writes Barney Ronay. Jonathan Liew on the increasingly beleaguered art of crossing. Leipzig’s Dani Olmo and Juan Mata of Manchester United get their chat on together on Zoom. Liverpool’s relentlessness is ominously back, warns floating footballing brain in a jar Jonathan Wilson. Oh, and if it’s your thing … you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace. And INSTACHAT, TOO! MEANWHILE, IN THE PERSIAN GULF PRO LEAGUE …

[NikkiCFC 8,529]

Does London going possibly tiar 3 means no fans again? 

[Vesper 31,181]

6 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

Does London going possibly tiar 3  means no fans again? 

no fans

the little clubs will be fucked so hard

[ZAPHOD2319 4,976]

They may need to start issuing Prozac as a health crisis prevention to ManU fans. Their discussion of the upcoming Manchester derby,

https://www.redcafe.net/matches/manchester-united-vs-manchester-city.363/

[Vesper 31,181]

Fuck Michael Owen

the cunt said us playing Giroud is disastrous and that Manure will cruise into the CL round of 16

horrid little shitfucker

[Vesper 31,181]

Cashiered into Big Vase where they'll find old pal José Mourinho Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!  Thursday nights it is is then. Photograph: Odd Andersen/Reuters Scott Murray IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. OF COURSE IT IS It’s hard to know what to make of Manchester United right now. Last weekend, they were beyond abysmal for an hour at West Ham, two-pass moves at a premium, yet by the final whistle Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s free-form jazz collective were stroking the ball around like Brazil at the Azteca. Against Basaksehir a fortnight ago, they wowed the continent with some old-fashioned United swagger, going three goals up in short swashbuckling order, before briefly threatening to fritter away that lead in a blind panic, which they would almost certainly have done were it not for the sturdiness of the Old Trafford woodwork. And then there’s Tuesday night in Leipzig, where, if you try to blot Harry Maguire and David de Gea out of your mind, United looked nearly as competent and only a little more skittish than the team they’d confidently swept aside by five goals just over a month ago. There’s no point asking us. All The Fiver knows is this isn’t normal behaviour. Solskjær says Manchester United 'didn't turn up' before Champions League exit Read more Somewhere in a parallel universe, United were five goals down by the half-hour mark. Over there, Emil Forsberg scored when free, 10 yards out, while Ibrahima Konaté’s header nestled in the top corner instead of bouncing off the post and along the line, or Willi Orban wasn’t offside when he rammed home. But in another, Nordi Mukiele would have diverted Paul Pogba’s cross past his own keeper in stoppage time, instead of hitting the monumentally confused and unaware Péter Gulácsi, and United would have completed the most outrageous three-goal comeback in the entire history of All Football: soft penalty, crisp volleyball bump-set-spike routine, own goal. How The Fiver wishes it had come to pass, partly to witness the large mushroom-shaped cloud of fume forming over the other half of the country, but mainly because we’d have lumped large on United to win Big Cup outright, a licence to print money with things clearly meant to be. But we’re here, in this dimension of the multiverse, and those things were most certainly not. United have instead been cashiered into Big Vase, where they’ll find themselves alongside other fallen kings of Europe such as Benfica, PSV, Milan and Red Star Belgrade. They’ll also discover an old pal in José Mourinho, waiting there with Spurs, a disconcertingly gentle smile playing across his troublemaking chops, another cigar on. “Of course United become one of the top favourites to win the competition,” he twinkled, ahead of his team’s not-particularly-vital match against Royal Antwerp. “United is one of the top teams!” With Spurs currently favourites for the trophy, José has clearly decided to start with the mind games early, ahead of the inevitable pairing at some point in the knockouts. No, we can’t wait either. Yes, we’ve also got a fair idea what he’s going to do if he wins. LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE Join Barry Glendenning for piping hot MBM coverage of Midtjylland 2-1 Liverpool Under-18s in Big Cup at 5.55pm GMT, while Scott Murray will be on hand for Manchester City 2-1 Marseille at 8pm. QUOTE OF THE DAY “It was 4am [when we trained] … it was a very big surprise because you are upset, tired, and you just want to go home” – Barnsley boss Valérien Ismaël lifts the lid on life under Felix Magath at Bayern Munich and reveals how he has helped repair a Yorkshire brass band’s broken tubas.  Valérien Ismaël, earlier. Photograph: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images RECOMMENDED LISTENING The latest Football Weekly will be here soon. FIVER LETTERS “Neil Warnock has not been a manager since Herbert Chapman was a lad without learning a trick or two. When the 926th club of your never-ending career plays poorly and three of your players crock opponents with challenges so agricultural you can smell the manure, you need to do something to change the subject. Complain about ‘stinky dressing rooms’ and 72 hours later you find the nation’s favourite topical tea-time mailout is running a letter on that very topic from Mike Wilner, rather than asking why Middlesbrough can’t do it on a sunny afternoon in Stoke” – David Carr. “Was that a good or bad performance? Are Manchester United in or out of Europe? Is a Scotch Egg a substantive meal? Ole is really Erwin Schrödinger and will meet FC Heisenberg in Big Vase. I’m just so uncertain” – Brendan Donnelly. “With the Fiver Awards coming soon, may I nominate Fiver Chief Economist Noble Francis as Real Letter Writer of the Year? A Fake Letter Writer ‘honour’ could be awarded, but it would be awkward if the awardee was discovered to be real” – JJ Zucal. Send your letters to [email protected]. And you can always tweet The Fiver via @guardian_sport. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’the day prize is … David Carr. RECOMMENDED SHOPPING Available at our print shop now, Tom Jenkins’s pictures of the past decade. There’s also this Gazza picture there too. NEWS, BITS AND BOBS Uefa will conduct a “thorough” investigation into claims that the fourth official, Constantin Coltescu, used racist language during PSG’s game against Istanbul Basaksehir. The Romanian official could face a minimum 10-match ban if found guilty of breaching Uefa rules. The Queen’s Celtic manager Neil Lennon thinks everything will be hunky dory now that the board have given him a vote of confidence. “I think it sort of settles everyone down,” Lennon cheered. “It’s full steam ahead. We just need to try to get some consistency and wins now.” Newcastle players have returned to full training after a Covid-19 outbreak led to last Friday’s match at Aston Villa being postponed. Jamie Vardy has written a message of support to Leicester’s LGBT+ fans group, Foxes Pride, on the rainbow corner flag he shattered while celebrating his winner against Sheffield United on Sunday. “We are proud and grateful for the support that Vardy and Leicester City FC continue to show for Rainbow Laces,” tweeted the group.  The message from Jamie Vardy on the corner flag he broke while celebrating. Photograph: Twitter/foxespride Get the coach booked, Spurs fans. With away supporters unable to attend Tottenham’s FA Cup tie at Marine next month, the Merseyside non-leaguers are offering Spurs season-ticket holders free entry to one of their games next season. It’s an eight-hour round trip (at best – Fiver Travel Ed) from N17 to L23, but it’s the thought that counts. And Fifa president Gianni Infantino has given himself a nice big pat on the back for providing $1.5bn in Covid-19 relief payments. “Fifa had its pandemic already five years ago and now we have our antibodies,” Infantino cheered. “We are strong, we are solid and we have been able to help.” STILL WANT MORE? Our annual countdown of the top 100 female footballers in the world continues apace with Nos 71-41 revealed today. Leroy Rosenior may no longer be the best known member of his own family, but the former player and manager is trying to drive change through his work as an anti-discrimination educator and broadcaster. He speaks to Ed Aarons. Oh Ole, oh no. But at least he has his old mates in the media, says Barney Ronay. Moles in the goal, and badgers too. Plus: Lincoln United hitting the big time, and a famous 1989 field full of future pundits. All in this week’s Knowledge.  Picture of the day, right there. Photograph: blickwinkel/Alamy Stock Photo Chelsea and Manchester City face an uphill task in trying to unseat Lyon from their WCL throne, writes Suzanne Wrack. Oh, and if it’s your thing … you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace. And INSTACHAT, TOO! STAT!

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

46 minutes ago, Vesper said:

Cashiered into Big Vase where they'll find old pal José Mourinho Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!  Thursday nights it is is then. Photograph: Odd Andersen/Reuters Scott Murray IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. OF COURSE IT IS It’s hard to know what to make of Manchester United right now. Last weekend, they were beyond abysmal for an hour at West Ham, two-pass moves at a premium, yet by the final whistle Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s free-form jazz collective were stroking the ball around like Brazil at the Azteca. Against Basaksehir a fortnight ago, they wowed the continent with some old-fashioned United swagger, going three goals up in short swashbuckling order, before briefly threatening to fritter away that lead in a blind panic, which they would almost certainly have done were it not for the sturdiness of the Old Trafford woodwork. And then there’s Tuesday night in Leipzig, where, if you try to blot Harry Maguire and David de Gea out of your mind, United looked nearly as competent and only a little more skittish than the team they’d confidently swept aside by five goals just over a month ago. There’s no point asking us. All The Fiver knows is this isn’t normal behaviour. Solskjær says Manchester United 'didn't turn up' before Champions League exit Read more Somewhere in a parallel universe, United were five goals down by the half-hour mark. Over there, Emil Forsberg scored when free, 10 yards out, while Ibrahima Konaté’s header nestled in the top corner instead of bouncing off the post and along the line, or Willi Orban wasn’t offside when he rammed home. But in another, Nordi Mukiele would have diverted Paul Pogba’s cross past his own keeper in stoppage time, instead of hitting the monumentally confused and unaware Péter Gulácsi, and United would have completed the most outrageous three-goal comeback in the entire history of All Football: soft penalty, crisp volleyball bump-set-spike routine, own goal. How The Fiver wishes it had come to pass, partly to witness the large mushroom-shaped cloud of fume forming over the other half of the country, but mainly because we’d have lumped large on United to win Big Cup outright, a licence to print money with things clearly meant to be. But we’re here, in this dimension of the multiverse, and those things were most certainly not. United have instead been cashiered into Big Vase, where they’ll find themselves alongside other fallen kings of Europe such as Benfica, PSV, Milan and Red Star Belgrade. They’ll also discover an old pal in José Mourinho, waiting there with Spurs, a disconcertingly gentle smile playing across his troublemaking chops, another cigar on. “Of course United become one of the top favourites to win the competition,” he twinkled, ahead of his team’s not-particularly-vital match against Royal Antwerp. “United is one of the top teams!” With Spurs currently favourites for the trophy, José has clearly decided to start with the mind games early, ahead of the inevitable pairing at some point in the knockouts. No, we can’t wait either. Yes, we’ve also got a fair idea what he’s going to do if he wins. LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE Join Barry Glendenning for piping hot MBM coverage of Midtjylland 2-1 Liverpool Under-18s in Big Cup at 5.55pm GMT, while Scott Murray will be on hand for Manchester City 2-1 Marseille at 8pm. QUOTE OF THE DAY “It was 4am [when we trained] … it was a very big surprise because you are upset, tired, and you just want to go home” – Barnsley boss Valérien Ismaël lifts the lid on life under Felix Magath at Bayern Munich and reveals how he has helped repair a Yorkshire brass band’s broken tubas.  Valérien Ismaël, earlier. Photograph: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images RECOMMENDED LISTENING The latest Football Weekly will be here soon. FIVER LETTERS “Neil Warnock has not been a manager since Herbert Chapman was a lad without learning a trick or two. When the 926th club of your never-ending career plays poorly and three of your players crock opponents with challenges so agricultural you can smell the manure, you need to do something to change the subject. Complain about ‘stinky dressing rooms’ and 72 hours later you find the nation’s favourite topical tea-time mailout is running a letter on that very topic from Mike Wilner, rather than asking why Middlesbrough can’t do it on a sunny afternoon in Stoke” – David Carr. “Was that a good or bad performance? Are Manchester United in or out of Europe? Is a Scotch Egg a substantive meal? Ole is really Erwin Schrödinger and will meet FC Heisenberg in Big Vase. I’m just so uncertain” – Brendan Donnelly. “With the Fiver Awards coming soon, may I nominate Fiver Chief Economist Noble Francis as Real Letter Writer of the Year? A Fake Letter Writer ‘honour’ could be awarded, but it would be awkward if the awardee was discovered to be real” – JJ Zucal. Send your letters to [email protected]. And you can always tweet The Fiver via @guardian_sport. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’the day prize is … David Carr. RECOMMENDED SHOPPING Available at our print shop now, Tom Jenkins’s pictures of the past decade. There’s also this Gazza picture there too. NEWS, BITS AND BOBS Uefa will conduct a “thorough” investigation into claims that the fourth official, Constantin Coltescu, used racist language during PSG’s game against Istanbul Basaksehir. The Romanian official could face a minimum 10-match ban if found guilty of breaching Uefa rules. The Queen’s Celtic manager Neil Lennon thinks everything will be hunky dory now that the board have given him a vote of confidence. “I think it sort of settles everyone down,” Lennon cheered. “It’s full steam ahead. We just need to try to get some consistency and wins now.” Newcastle players have returned to full training after a Covid-19 outbreak led to last Friday’s match at Aston Villa being postponed. Jamie Vardy has written a message of support to Leicester’s LGBT+ fans group, Foxes Pride, on the rainbow corner flag he shattered while celebrating his winner against Sheffield United on Sunday. “We are proud and grateful for the support that Vardy and Leicester City FC continue to show for Rainbow Laces,” tweeted the group.  The message from Jamie Vardy on the corner flag he broke while celebrating. Photograph: Twitter/foxespride Get the coach booked, Spurs fans. With away supporters unable to attend Tottenham’s FA Cup tie at Marine next month, the Merseyside non-leaguers are offering Spurs season-ticket holders free entry to one of their games next season. It’s an eight-hour round trip (at best – Fiver Travel Ed) from N17 to L23, but it’s the thought that counts. And Fifa president Gianni Infantino has given himself a nice big pat on the back for providing $1.5bn in Covid-19 relief payments. “Fifa had its pandemic already five years ago and now we have our antibodies,” Infantino cheered. “We are strong, we are solid and we have been able to help.” STILL WANT MORE? Our annual countdown of the top 100 female footballers in the world continues apace with Nos 71-41 revealed today. Leroy Rosenior may no longer be the best known member of his own family, but the former player and manager is trying to drive change through his work as an anti-discrimination educator and broadcaster. He speaks to Ed Aarons. Oh Ole, oh no. But at least he has his old mates in the media, says Barney Ronay. Moles in the goal, and badgers too. Plus: Lincoln United hitting the big time, and a famous 1989 field full of future pundits. All in this week’s Knowledge.  Picture of the day, right there. Photograph: blickwinkel/Alamy Stock Photo Chelsea and Manchester City face an uphill task in trying to unseat Lyon from their WCL throne, writes Suzanne Wrack. Oh, and if it’s your thing … you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace. And INSTACHAT, TOO! STAT!

soft pen should be the insignium in ManUre's coat of arms.

[Vesper 31,181]

Goals, tricks and winning free kicks: Grealish is like Eden Hazard at his peak

https://theathletic.com/2246515/2020/12/08/jack-grealish-villa-eden-hazard/

In his final Premier League season, Eden Hazard was widely recognised as the player most likely to catch up with superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the pair entered the twilight of their remarkable careers.

The former Chelsea star hoped he could emulate Ronaldo and Messi by one day winning the Ballon d’Or.

“Messi, Ronaldo, they are on another planet, but yeah, why not? I try to be one of the best, so if I can be, why not?” he said in a 2015 newspaper interview.

In the same year, Hazard received the PFA Player of the Year award as he starred in the side that won the Premier League. For many opponents, the only way to stop the tricky Belgian was to chop him down.

Which brings us to Aston Villa’s captain Jack Grealish.

It was in the detailed analysis on Monday Night Football that Jamie Carragher drew the initial comparison between the pair, highlighting Grealish’s quick and inventive runs down the left side of attack and likening them to Hazard when he was on fire at Stamford Bridge.

Former Chelsea player Ashley Cole also compared their styles, saying: “He’s got that Hazard quality, he can beat players left and right.”

For close to two years, Grealish has been playing on the left side of attack, a blend of No 11 and No 10 — part mazy winger, part playmaker, part second striker. He is very much to Villa what Hazard was to Chelsea, and not just in terms of positioning, either.

As the Belgian was at Chelsea, Grealish is the star man in his team. He is Villa’s main source of goals and a great entertainer.

It’s too soon to suggest that he’s as efficient and productive as Hazard, who also had the on-pitch numbers (110 goals and 92 assists in all competitions) and trophies (two league titles, two Europa Leagues, an FA Cup and a League Cup) to back up his incredible talent.

But this season alone, Grealish is performing as well as the diminutive attacker once was.

Five goals and five assists after nine games means he’s on course to challenge Hazard’s 16 goals and 15 assists from 37 Premier League games in 2018-19 (his final, and most prolific, season in London).

Grealish is the most fouled player in the Premier League by some distance over the last two seasons (Photo: Tim Keeton – Pool/Getty Images)

Grealish is averaging the same amount of shots on goal (2.9) per 90 minutes in the Premier League as Hazard (2.9) managed in that season.

He averages around 20 fewer touches (63.3 compared to 82.4) per 90 minutes this season than Hazard did in 2018-19, yet makes more touches in the opposition box per 90 minutes (8.8 for Grealish, 7.4 for Hazard).

Hazard’s efficiency in his final season was what put him into that category to rival both Messi and Ronaldo.

His 16 Premier League goals had an expected goals (xG) value of 10.53, boosted by his spectacularly accurate finishing up to an expected goals on target (xGOT) rating of 15.24. The xG statistic measures the quality of Hazard’s shooting opportunities — i.e. how many goals he would be expected to score in a season. The xGOT rating measures the quality of Hazard’s shots from those opportunities. The fact that his xGOT is nearly 50 per cent higher than his xG shows that he was finishing chances excellently.

He converted 27 per cent of his shots and a remarkable 55.6 per cent of his 18 “big chances”, as defined by Opta.

This season Grealish has converted 19 per cent of his shots and two (40 per cent) of his five big chances. His five Premier League goals have an expected goals (xG) value of 2.58, boosted further to an xGOT rating of 3.03. He’s also created seven big chances after just nine games compared to Hazard’s 18 in his final season.

That’s the data box ticked, but the true likeness comes from the way Grealish bullies teams. That relentless energy on the ball is exactly what made Hazard such a success when he played in England. On top of that, Grealish has reached pretty much every other challenge set by him at Villa over the years, and his game continues to improve.

In the latter years of his Chelsea career, giving Hazard the ball essentially became Chelsea’s entire attacking system, and that’s how Villa operate with their star man now.

Away from his attacking talents, a theme in Hazard’s career in England was that every manager wanted a little more from him defensively.

“In my career, I’ve frustrated all my managers and I’ll also frustrate the next manager I have,” Hazard said in 2019.

With a team packed full of quality, every manager also managed to find a way to allow him to roam freely by rejigging the set-up that also allowed Chelsea to flourish.

In 2014-15 Jose Mourinho stuck the reliable and consistent Cesar Azpilicueta at left-back, with Nemanja Matic on the left side of central midfield in a 4-2-3-1 system that gave Hazard space to create. Diego Costa also occupied the centre-halves with strength and brute force as Chelsea won the league.

Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 set-up then allowed Hazard even more freedom to attack. Not only did Marcos Alonso as the left-sided wing-back offer protection, but Chelsea also had a left-sided centre-back mopping up, with Matic and N’Golo Kante acting as the ball-winners. Chelsea again won the league in 2016-17, finishing with 93 points.

Even in his final season, Hazard helped Chelsea win the Europa League under Maurizio Sarri. He made no secret of how much he enjoyed playing with Olivier Giroud, a powerful striker whom he felt complemented his game brilliantly.

Grealish, it should be said, does get down and dirty when he needs to. He tracks back and occasionally makes important blocks and interceptions as Villa, unlike Chelsea, have to grind it out more often.

But can they consistently find solutions in other areas of the pitch to get the very best out of their top performer?

Grealish typically wins Villa a few more points with his performances, but Hazard used to win Chelsea trophies and league titles with his. Therefore, when Grealish plays so well for a side that hasn’t won a trophy for 24 years and has averaged just 36 points per season in their last eight Premier League campaigns, the debate will always be whether playing for another club will help him scale even greater heights.

For now, though, it’s interesting to see whether Grealish can maintain his current level and cement himself as one of the Premier League’s most feared attackers.

There’s also no intention to sell, for two main reasons: 1) he’s just signed a new five-year contract, and 2) his value has rocketed to over the £100 million mark, posing the question: which club can even afford to buy him right now anyway?

The Hazard comparison rings true because there are so many other similarities. Take the fouls for starters.

Villa’s medical staff are amazed at how strong Grealish’s ankles are. The physios have lost count of the number of times they have winced in the dugout as another challenge has left Grealish in a heap. Their take is that if it was any other player, a lengthy spell on the sidelines would follow.

It was, however, the same at Chelsea when Hazard used to peel off his strapping to reveal the cuts and bruises, scuff marks and scars after games. He won 638 fouls over his seven years, an average of one foul every half an hour of game time or 26 touches of the ball.

Grealish, incredibly, has a one-in-14 ratio of fouls to touches this season. He’s the most fouled player in the Premier League by some distance over the last two seasons. Some suggest that he goes down too easily, but boss Dean Smith disagrees: “If they’re not fouls, then the referee doesn’t give them.

“You tell me the top forwards who don’t go down easy. They get their bodies in really good positions so the defenders have to go through them.”

In some ways, then, it’s an art that Grealish has mastered. Hazard had a knack of winning penalties in a way that Grealish wins fouls all over the pitch.

Those who know each individual well say the constant kicking during games irritates them, but not enough to stop either player from loving the game. They are both free-spirited mavericks and in some ways have never left their innocent childhood years behind.

In his youth, Hazard would ping shots barefooted into the top corner after sneaking on to the pitch behind the family home in Braine-le-Comte, whereas Grealish would visit his Birmingham City-supporting friend’s house “because he had a bigger garden” and play one-on-one “Villa vs Blues” games.

It was ex-boss Steve Bruce who said that when he watched Grealish train, he could still see the excited schoolboy in the playground. Bruce, now head coach at Newcastle United, also described Grealish as Villa’s “crown jewel”.

A worrying thought for opponents is that many of Grealish’s team-mates believe he will get even better when supporters are allowed back inside stadiums across the country. He’s taken his game to a new level this season. The way he glides past opponents and is able to slow down and then speed up play in the same way that made Hazard such a success is receiving global attention.

Grealish is no stranger to living up to high expectations, though. When he ripped the Championship apart, he was always asked to show his qualities in the Premier League. When he performed well for England, he was then challenged to do it against the bigger nations.

Now, he’s spoken about in the same breath as a Premier League great like Hazard. It’s a stretch to think that Messi and Ronaldo will one day come into the conversation, but like Hazard said when he was asked about the two greats: “Why not?”