The English Football Thread

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2020-21 UEFA Nations League, Group Stage

Belgium   
England   

http://www.sportnews.to/sports/2020/nations-league-belgium-vs-england-s1/

https://www.totalsportek.com/england/

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damn 1 nil

Teliemans

[1chelsea 864]

2 Nil
Mertens

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Gareth Southgate needs to be sacked ASAP.

The fact of the matter remains that in five Nations League games since September, a manager with some or all of Harry Kane, Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood, Tammy Abraham, Jadon Sancho, Danny Ings, Phil Foden, Raheem Sterling and whoever else The Fiver has forgotten at his disposal has seen his team score just one goal from open play – and that was a spawny deflection. 

[Jase 43,479]

 

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Liverpool unlikely to sign defender, Traore deadlock, Carmo latest

https://theathletic.com/2197832/2020/11/16/ornstein-liverpool-defender-january-adama-traore-carmo-united/

Liverpool’s loss of Virgil van Dijk and now Joe Gomez to long-term knee injuries has generated speculation that they will use the January transfer window to strengthen in central defence.

But despite the absence of their first-choice centre-back pairing, it understood the Premier League champions currently have no intention of entering the winter market to bolster in that position or any other.

Van Dijk damaged ligaments during the trip to Everton in October and Gomez also underwent surgery having suffered a tendon problem training with England last week.

Joel Matip has battled fitness issues of his own, while a hamstring complaint put Fabinho on the sidelines and Dejan Lovren was not replaced after his move to Zenit St Petersburg in July.

As a consequence, Jurgen Klopp’s side have been linked with options including RB Leipzig centre-back Dayot Upamecano, Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli and Bayern Munich’s David Alaba. However, The Athletic is told that, as things stand, Liverpool are not planning to bring anyone to Anfield for now with all recruitment work taking place at present focused on next summer.

Although these situations can change and Liverpool have shown flexibility in the past, they are not prone to knee-jerk reactions and do not anticipate deviating from this path even if results were to deteriorate. It is said to be a joint decision between Klopp and the club’s hierarchy.

It is not impossible that a summer scenario is brought forward to January if the need and availability match-up, but at the moment that is considered to be unlikely and the focus remains on finding internal solutions.

Matip came through the recent draw at Manchester City unscathed and Fabinho will be assessed ahead of Sunday’s visit of Leicester City. Rhys Williams, 19, has featured in three Champions League games this season and Nat Phillips, 23, impressed against West Ham United in the Premier League.

Amid the disappointment of seeing key personnel ruled out, there is also recognition the situation could provide opportunities for players who might not have got the chance in normal circumstances — and as long as the team stays competitive, that would be viewed as a positive development.

Liverpool sit a point behind early-season Premier League leaders Leicester and are in firm control of their Champions League group, thanks to a 100 per cent record from their opening three fixtures.

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Traore feels he’s not being picked because of contract deadlock

Talks over Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Adama Traore signing a contract extension have reached deadlock, Dermot Corrigan and Tim Spiers understand.

Traore looked set to sign a new deal last month, but the Spain international believes the offer doesn’t reflect his value to the squad.

There is no pressing urgency from either side to resolve the issue imminently, with Traore’s current deal running to 2023. But The Athletic has been told the 24-year-old believes he is being left out of the XI as a result of him not having agreed to the terms on offer.

“Adama thinks it could be part of a strategy to get him to sign a new contract, but he does not want to,” a source says. “So that’s why (he thinks) he’s not in the team. He’s a bit pissed off, to be honest.“

A separate source rejected that suggestion, saying head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has left Traore on the bench purely for football reasons. Daniel Podence has impressed having started Wolves’ past five league games, with Traore’s most recent start coming in the 4-0 defeat at West Ham on September 27.

Neither Nuno nor Traore have been directly involved in the contract talks. The stand-off comes just as the Catalan-born former Barcelona youth teamer is making a splash at senior international level. After a lengthy “tug of war” with Mali, for whom he also qualifies through family, he made his competitive debut for Spain in October and immediately impressed fans and pundits with his direct running and end product.

If Traore were to leave, Wolves would expect to get at least double the £18 million they paid Middlesbrough for him in 2018.

Wolves have tied down Raul Jimenez, Conor Coady, Pedro Neto and Max Kilman on long-term deals recently, and Nuno signed a three-year contract in September.

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Premier League to provide rapid coronavirus test after internationals

There were major concerns among some Premier League clubs that their build-up to the resumption of fixtures next weekend would be significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 testing protocols, especially when it came to players returning late from international duty.

It was feared — in particular by those clubs who play top-flight games on Saturday — that squad members who are not due back in the country until Thursday would either be required to compete having benefited from little-to-no preparation time or find themselves ruled out completely.

That is because players cannot re-enter training grounds until receiving a negative coronavirus test result through the league’s official service, which to date has taken around 24 hours.

There are 28 players from eight clubs (Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion) who could feature outside of England for their nations on Wednesday before scheduled domestic matches three days later. They include Kevin De Bruyne, Edinson Cavani, Toby Alderweireld, Emiliano Martinez, Jorginho and Miguel Almiron.

But The Athletic understands the Premier League now has the capacity to produce rapid test results and that will be made available for the first time later this week, which should enable those international returnees to begin training shortly after giving a sample (provided it comes back as negative).

The news was relayed to club doctors at a meeting last Tuesday and it raises the prospect of a much slicker procedure for top-flight sides. Players and staff are currently tested twice a week by the Premier League and additionally by UEFA if their club are in European competition.

The rapid turnaround option is being administered by the league’s existing testing partner Prenetics as it continues to develop its operation and seeks to become increasingly efficient.

A number of clubs have already trialled the system and a decision to implement it across the board would be need to be made by the 20 shareholders.

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United to face competition for Braga defender Carmo

Manchester United have been linked with a move for young Portuguese centre-back David Carmo in recent days. But any potential suitors are likely to face stiff competition for his signature.

Carmo, who only made his Sporting Braga debut in January, has drawn early comparisons with Virgil van Dijk due to his commanding physique and ability on the ball.

That has piqued interest throughout Europe. The Athletic understands at least 10 different clubs have held discussions with the player’s representatives — a number of them Premier League sides, including one of United’s “big six” rivals.

Italy’s Roma came closest to signing Carmo in the summer transfer window but had a €17 million bid rejected.

The 21-year-old had a release clause of €20 million at that time, but this rose to €40 million when he signed a new contract last week.

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Legal team want to interview Bennell in prison

It is four years to the day since Andy Woodward waived his anonymity to speak about the years of sexual abuse he encountered as a youth-team player at Crewe Alexandra and set off what the FA described as the worst crisis in the history of the sport, writes Daniel Taylor.

The numbers have been mind-boggling ever since. In the first 16 months alone, 2,800 incidents had been referred to Operation Hydrant, the specialist police unit investigating the abuse of children in football. In the same timeframe, 849 alleged victims had come forward, naming 300 suspects and referencing 340 clubs at all levels. Of those, 77 were professional clubs.

All of which might help to explain why we are still waiting for the FA’s independent inquiry, led by Clive Sheldon QC, to be concluded. Many of the victims have been frustrated by the lack of communication from Sheldon’s legal team and had never expected, four years on, that they would still be waiting for news.

The Athletic’s information is that the report might finally be ready for publication before the end of the year.

Manchester City will also be publishing their own QC-led inquiry at some point. First, however, their independent legal team is exploring whether the former coach and talent-spotter Barry Bennell is willing to be interviewed from behind bars.

Bennell, described by a judge as “sheer evil” and “the devil incarnate,” is serving a 36-year prison sentence for raping and molesting boys in City’s junior system and, later, as Crewe Alexandra’s youth-team coach.

Investigators for City are trying to find out how he got away with it for so long, and who knew what, during Bennell’s seven-year association with the club.

They want to see if Bennell will co-operate and, though there is every chance he will say no, they have been trying to make arrangements with the prison in Cambridgeshire where he is likely to spend the rest of his life.

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Who has the best defence in the Premier League?

https://theathletic.com/2200245/2020/11/16/premier-league-best-defence/

It’s the season of terrible defending, according to many. In the Premier League, there has been an average of more than three goals per game — no English top-flight season has come close to that level since 1966.

This season’s goal-per-game rate was even higher a few weeks ago, but managers have responded in recent games, shoring up their back lines and putting in some dogged performances. Clean sheets rarely been more priceless.

But whose defence is best? Whose would you want as your back four (or five) if you had a big game tomorrow?

Our writers make the case here for the teams who have conceded the fewest goals so far. Then have your say below.

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Manchester City (Goals conceded: 9)

Whisper it but City’s defence is actually doing all right at the moment. It’s been a problem for them for the past year or more, highlighted by their issues as soon as Aymeric Laporte got injured, with Pep Guardiola preferring to use Fernandinho than pair up John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi.

The left-back situation has been a mess for a while and, in all honestly, it still is. Joao Cancelo has not been the most reliable defender but he has improved of late, even out of possession and, apart from Kevin De Bruyne, he has been City’s main creative threat. Laporte is back and he seems to have a very solid and reliable partner in new signing Ruben Dias. Kyle Walker is probably City’s player of the season so far.

City’s patchy defence last season was not done any favours by a porous midfield and an occasionally lethargic forward line that failed to stop counter-attacks. Liverpool streamed through at will recently, but the back line held up under the scrutiny and showed the kind of defensive mettle that hasn’t been associated with Guardiola’s team for a while now.

Sam Lee

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Aston Villa (Goals conceded: 9)

When talking about the Premier League’s best defensive line, few fans will rush to mention Aston Villa. But they should.

Since “Project Restart”, Dean Smith’s team have gone from having the worst defensive record in the league to the joint-best. It was during lockdown that Smith used the break to show his players what a cohesive defensive line should look like, with videos on how Manchester City cover and fight for each other. That is a passion you can clearly see has passed into 2020-21.

Smith’s current four-man defence is set in stone: Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Matt Targett.

Notably, Cash, who joined from Nottingham Forest for £16 million, has solidified his place in the starting XI thanks to his willingness to win the ball and ability to make attacking runs from deep, something Villa fans feel they have not had the pleasure of watching for some time.

With centre-backs that are consistently winning aerial duels and full-backs that are quick and able to not just make tackles, but win them and not draw the foul, Villa’s defence have been turning possession over higher up the pitch a lot more compared to last season.

It’s also pretty useful to have defenders who aren’t afraid of scoring: Mings already has two goals and one assist and Konsa also has a goal to his name.

Holly Percival

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Tottenham Hotspur (Goals conceded: 9)

From the horror of conceding three late goals against West Ham United to letting in just one in their next three games, it’s been quite the defensive turnaround for Tottenham. Looking at the season as a whole, Spurs have the joint-best defence in the league.

The recent solidity has been, in large, down to the partnership formed by Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld, both of whom relished the aerial challenge of playing Burnley and were then resolute against Brighton & Hove Albion and West Bromwich Albion. Neither is the quickest, but with the pacier Davinson Sanchez out of form, the hope is that Dier and Alderweireld can be Mourinho’s equivalent of the John Terry-Gary Cahill axis that helped deliver the 2014-15 title. If Sanchez can start building his confidence again, he and the highly-regarded Joe Rodon offer quicker alternatives.

Spurs’ defence is also helped by having four strong full-backs in the squad. Summer signings Sergio Reguilon and Matt Doherty have broadly been the first-choice picks, but in Ben Davies and Serge Aurier, Mourinho can call on, respectively, greater defensive nous or an additional attacking threat. Then there’s the discipline of midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, which means Spurs are less vulnerable to counters when their full-backs bomb on.

With a daunting set of games on the horizon, Spurs’ defenders now have the chance to show they can shut out the division’s very best.

Charlie Eccleshare

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Leicester City (Goals conceded: 9)

Like an old football that has been kicked into the rose bushes, Leicester City’s defence has had to be patched up this season.

Of last season’s regular back four, only Caglar Soyuncu started the campaign before he, too, was sidelined through injury. The same can be said for key defensive midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, who actually started the season as a makeshift centre-back because of Brendan Rodgers’ limited options.

However, the switch to a back five and the arrival of 19-year-old wunderkind Wesley Fofana has ensured Leicester’s rearguard has provided the solid foundation for their best start to a Premier League season.

Veterans such as Christian Fuchs and Wes Morgan have stepped up to plug gaps, while relative rookie James Justin has displayed his versatility, switching from left to right on demand and even playing as a third centre-back.

The cavalry could arrive before Christmas, with Soyuncu, Ricardo Pereira, Timothy Castagne and Ndidi all approaching full fitness, but it is testament to those who have stood in that they haven’t been missed as much as feared.

Rob Tanner

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Wolverhampton Wanderers (Goals conceded: 9)

Wolves’ defensive rigidity is nothing new. Since the start of the 2018-19 season, when they returned to the Premier League, Wolves have the third-best defensive record in the top flight. Only Manchester City (67) and Liverpool (71) have conceded fewer than Wolves’ 95 goals in those two and a bit seasons.

Their record compares favourably when stacked up against far more expensively-assembled back lines such as Manchester United (104 goals conceded), Arsenal (109) and Chelsea (103). Oh, and in their last 22 Premier League matches, Wolves have kept 13 clean sheets. Thirteen.

And yet the central defensive trio Nuno Espirito Santo has selected for their last three games possess a combined total of three international caps, all of which have been earned this season by Conor Coady (Willy Boly and the London-born Max Kilman are uncapped but the former has just joined up with Ivory Coast for the first time).

Wolves’ solid defence relies not on individual brilliance but on an unyielding defensive system in which every man knows his role inside out. Forged in the hills of Austria in 2017, Wolves’ 3-4-3/3-5-2 formation has been enlisted for every single game of Nuno’s tenure.

The back three are incredibly well protected by wing-backs, deep-lying central midfielders and forwards who defend from the front. A clean sheet is always Wolves’ priority. The defensive system means Coady, Boly, Kilman, Romain Saiss and the rest are very rarely left isolated at the back, so any lack of pace isn’t exposed.

The system works. Whether it’s Kilman or Nelson Semedo or Fernando Marcal, if a new player is dropped in, they tend to do so seamlessly, because their roles have been seared into them daily via repetitive, incessant training drills.

And it means that when Wolves aren’t exactly smashing goals in at the other end, like now, they can still regularly pick up points.

Tim Spiers

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Chelsea (Goals conceded: 10)

The mere notion of arguing for Chelsea in this conversation seemed ridiculous only a few weeks ago, but Frank Lampard’s new-look team is still taking shape — and recent matches have given cause to believe that they have found a defensive structure worthy of a Premier League title contender.

Edouard Mendy looks like he was designed in a lab to be a good Premier League goalkeeper: formidably tall, fundamentally solid and unwaveringly calm. In front of him, Thiago Silva is performing like the elite defensive leader Chelsea have lacked since John Terry left Stamford Bridge. Kurt Zouma’s overwhelming physicality makes for an impressively complementary centre-back partnership and although full-backs Ben Chilwell and Reece James spend most of their time acting as auxiliary wingers, neither is easy to exploit defensively. There’s also the small matter of N’Golo Kante, arguably still the best midfield destroyer in world football, patrolling the space in front of them in Lampard’s fluid 4-3-3 system.

Chelsea’s improved defence has yet to prove itself against the very best opponents, but as long as Silva’s 36-year-old body stands up to the rigours of a relentless schedule, their defence now looks as reliable as any in the Premier League.

Liam Twomey

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Arsenal (Goals conceded: 10)

Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa is fresh in the memory but, so far this season, scoring goals has been a bigger issue than keeping them out. It’s not been an easy ride for Mikel Arteta at the back, with constant injury setbacks leaving his back line stretched extremely thin.

The frequent use of a back three has given him more stability, with Kieran Tierney dropping in as a left-sided centre-back and Gabriel excelling as the middle man. The 22-year-old has been exceptional in his reading of the game, timing of the challenge and confidence in possession. Arteta’s main issues come from the right side of the defence but with Calum Chambers returning alongside Shkodran Mustafi, Rob Holding and David Luiz, the Arsenal manager has the options. That’s before 19-year-old William Saliba is added to the equation.

Adopting this system after last season’s restart, Arteta found it especially useful in the run-up to Arsenal’s FA Cup final win over Chelsea. However, opting for a better defensive structure — with which Arsenal had conceded the least amount of goals (seven) heading into the Villa game — has come at the cost of less having attacking impetus. That is a sacrifice which may force a change in approach when Premier League football returns.

Art de Roche

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West Ham (Goals conceded: 10)

It may not have felt revelatory at the time, but the defeat to Newcastle United at the beginning of the season gave David Moyes important agency. As the gloom descended and civil war raged over the Grady Diangana affair, Moyes was ditching his back four and rebuilding West Ham in mind and body.

The new back three, often collapsing to a five, has made them dense and difficult to cut through. Angelo Ogbonna’s resurgence has played a part, as has the reappearance of Fabian Balbuena. The insertion of Aaron Cresswell’s left foot into that central rearguard has been a novel tweak, too, not least because of how it complements the work of Declan Rice and Arthur Masuaku with the ball.

Other than that, it’s not complicated: West Ham are good in both boxes, organised at set pieces and unafraid to play long, direct and out of trouble.

But they’re also more rugged. They’re physically bigger and mentally tougher, a team more loyal to Moyes’ style. Defensive midfielder Tomas Soucek has been an outstanding signing and right-back Vladimir Coufal is on a similar path. These are sharp-elbowed footballers with muddy knees and the kind that wouldn’t have looked out of place at Goodison Park a decade ago. Importantly, they’re also the sort that wouldn’t have been found at London Stadium until very recently.

It’s a project still, rather than a completed work, but Moyes’ West Ham are now more than just a papier-mache of tissue-thin reputations.

Seb Stafford-Bloor

 

Cast your vote now…

 

 

results so far

 

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Man Utd fear Mason Greenwood could throw career away like Ravel Morrison

Ravel Morrison was tipped for big things at Manchester United but his career went off track, and Old Trafford officials are desperate for Mason Greenwood to avoid the same fate

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/man-utd-fear-mason-greenwood-23010284

Manchester United officials are desperate for Greenwood to avoid the type of downward spiral that cost Morrison his Old Trafford career.

And that’s why after several key meetings, Solskjaer and his staff have devised a strategy to get the teenager back on track.

Having watched gifted Morrison – now 27 and playing with Den Haag in Holland – fail to fulfil potential that could have made him a world-beater, there is a genuine belief that Greenwood could fritter his career away.

Solskjaer, United’s coaches and even former boss Sir Alex Ferguson believe Greenwood could have the world at his feet with a natural goal-scoring ability that makes him exceptional – even up against fellow strike partners Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.

But even before Greenwood was caught smuggling girls into England’s team hotel and breaking their bio-bubble with fellow Manchester City youngster Phil Foden before the game in Iceland in September, concerns were growing that the United star wasn’t putting all his energies into his football career.

Stories emerged of being late for training on occasions – denied by Solskjaer – and there is concern that late nights mean he isn’t getting the required rest and sleep needed to perform at the highest level.

Mystery also surrounded his absence from the squad at Goodison Park before the latest international break as United won 3-1 against Everton.

Solskjaer claimed the teenager had an illness.

But explaining why Greenwood had not been included in the England Under-21 squad for games against Andorra and Albania manager Aidy Boothroyd made no mention of that.

He said: “It was felt from Man United that the best course of action was to sit out this one.

“He has had a lot of niggling injuries and a lot of things going on in his life.”

There’s still huge disappointment within United that Morrison’s immense talent was lost.

Morrison has had ELEVEN clubs in the eight years since leaving Old Trafford including West Ham, Lazio, QPR, Middlesbrough as well as spells in Mexico and Sweden.

[Jase 43,479]

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/12135429/efl-to-allow-teams-five-substitutions-from-friday

The leagues below the Premier League are going back to the 5 subs rule, starting this Friday, while the Premier League are the only ones now still with the dumb 3 subs rule.  

[LAM09 6,551]

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/12135429/efl-to-allow-teams-five-substitutions-from-friday
The leagues below the Premier League are going back to the 5 subs rule, starting this Friday, while the Premier League are the only ones now still with the dumb 3 subs rule.  

https://amp.theguardian.com/football/2020/nov/18/premier-league-begins-move-to-reintroduce-use-of-five-substitutes

Hope it's done ASAP

[Jase 43,479]

Guardiola has signed a contract extension until the end of 2022/23 season.

[Atomiswave 6,072]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

Guardiola has signed a contract extension until the end of 2022/23 season.

Another huge investment coming his way shortly...Messi will arrive in Jan or summer at the latest.

[Atomiswave 6,072]

Referee David Coote taken OFF VAR duty for Liverpool's clash against Leicester after fan backlash ahead of what would have been his first Reds game since Merseyside derby - when he allowed Jordan Pickford's lunge on Virgil van Dijk to go unpunished

 

You see the BS at work here, how many times have we been fucked hard thanks to VAR? Did they do this for us? Like fuck they did.

How was Taylor given a second Chelsea-Arsenal FA cup final? This league from top to bottom is horse shit.

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2 hours ago, Atomiswave said:

Referee David Coote taken OFF VAR duty for Liverpool's clash against Leicester after fan backlash ahead of what would have been his first Reds game since Merseyside derby - when he allowed Jordan Pickford's lunge on Virgil van Dijk to go unpunished

 

You see the BS at work here, how many times have we been fucked hard thanks to VAR? Did they do this for us? Like fuck they did.

How was Taylor given a second Chelsea-Arsenal FA cup final? This league from top to bottom is horse shit.

fuck yes!!!

outrageous shit here

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Pep Guardiola, Lionel Messi and a gruelling episode of Taskmaster

A somewhat unerring shot of Pep appearing to be grilled by his bejardiganed self. Photograph: Matt McNulty/Manchester City FC/Getty Images

Barry Glendenning  @bglendenning

ALL PART OF THE MASTERPLAN? While the news that Pep Guardiola has signed a two-year extension to his contract that should keep him in charge of Manchester City until the end of the 2022-23 season is undeniably important, it is one of those stories that didn’t come as much of a surprise. The Fiver knows better than anyone that when you’re handsomely remunerated for excellence in the line of football-related duty, working daily in an state-of-the-art environment that is lavishly tailored to your every need and employed by bosses who would happily break the bank to keep you on board, there’s no real need to play hardball when it comes to pledging two more years. And so it came to pass, as Pep was pictured beaming broadly with expensive pen poised over paper, looking for all the world like Donald Trump pretending to work in the Oval Office, except without the general air of confused ineptitude, upside-down pen and blank sheet of paper.

Pep Guardiola commits to Manchester City by signing new contract to 2023 Read more

“Ever since I arrived at Manchester City I have been made to feel so welcome in the club and in the city itself, by the players, the staff, the supporters, the people of Manchester and the chairman and owner,” parped Pep, having applied his John Hanc0ck to the new deal. “Since then we have achieved a great deal together, scored goals, won games and trophies and we are all very proud of that success.” Having thanked his employers for their faith in him, he added: “The challenge for us is to continue improving and evolving and I am very excited about helping Manchester City do that.” Quite whether Pep will be able to do that remains to be seen. While nobody can question his ability to put together a title-winning side, something he has achieved at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City, he has never before stayed in any managerial post long enough to try to build two. Like a big-name Manchester-based manager before him, he must build a team capable of knocking Liverpool off their perch, while also guiding City to that elusive first Big Cup triumph. Think of it as a particularly gruelling and humourless episode of Taskmaster, with the British football media looking on from their throne as they prepare to sit in sneering judgement. And of course, with Lionel Messi out of contract at Barcelona next summer, talk is already rife that Pep has got his ducks in a row in a bid to help convince the Argentinian to sign for City, after being linked with a move to Manchester last summer. “I’m tired of always being the problem for everything at the club,” sighed Leo on his return from international duty, in response to recent accusations from Antoine Griezmann’s former Mr 15% that he had treated the French striker deplorably. The chances of the world’s best player finally moving elsewhere look pretty high, and unless Barnsley turn his head with a better offer than the one they recently made Mario Balotelli, Manchester City looks as likely a destination as any. QUOTE OF THE DAY “I’m not coming back just to come back, I’m coming back to reconquer my position in world football” – Lyon superstar Ada Hegerberg gets her chat on with Suzy Wrack about her recovery from knee-knack and subsequent tibia-gah.

Yes, Ada. Photograph: Jeff Pachoud/AFP/Getty Images

RECOMMENDED LISTENING It’s only Football Weekly Extra.

FIVER LETTERS “When the team that I have supported since childhood wins, the joy factor of my weekend generally rises by about 10 or maybe 15%. However, when my team’s historical, or local rivals loose, I’m over effing moon. Is it time that I gave up football?” – Chris McHallem. “Given the non-ability-to-score misfortunes of Republic O’Ireland lately, may I suggest that the ‘O’ be replaced by a ‘0’?” – Gerry Rickard. “Can I be the first of 1,057 people to suggest that Karren Brady’s complaints about state money being used to the benefit of Premier League clubs (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs) would find a more sympathetic audience if she wasn’t vice-chairman of Taxpayers FC” – Ed Taylor (and no others). Send your letters to [email protected]. And you can always tweet The Fiver via @guardian_sport. Today’s winner of our letter o’the day is … Gerry Rickard, who wins a copy of Glove Story 2 – Another Book for Every Goalkeeper, Past and Present, by Rob Stokes [postage available to UK only, sorry – Fiver Postal Ed]. NEWS, BITS AND BOBS Rebekah Vardy has brought a libel action against Coleen Rooney only as a last resort to “vindicate her reputation”, the high court was told at a preliminary hearing of the high-profile dispute between the pair.

Rebekah Vardy arrives for a training session at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham earlier on Thursday as she prepares to take part in, er, Dancing On Ice 2021. Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA

They’re dancing on the streets of Blaenau Ffestiniog (socially distanced, of course) after Wales secured promotion to the top tier of the Nations League. “If you could bottle that feeling and see what you’ve seen in the changing rooms you’d make millions,” cheered caretaker manager Robert Page. It’s all change in the WSL after Spurs sacked managers Karen Hills and Juan Amoros, while West Ham parted company with boss Matt Beard. Fifa has announced measures that will lead to clubs facing fines and transfer bans if they discriminate against players during pregnancy. “There [are] too many questions for me about what maternity leave consists of,” warned Watford striker Helen Ward. “It’s a tough subject and one that needs a lot of work.” With Euro 2020/21/?? in mind, Olivier Giroud could look for a move from Chelsea in the January window. Pope’s Newc O’Rangers pair Jordan Jones and George Edmundson have been banned for seven games after breaking Covid-19 rules by attending a house party. Paul Tisdale is the new manager of Bristol Rovers. “His ambition and long-term goals mirror that of the club’s ongoing strategy, to build a Bristol Rovers DNA,” whooped chief suit Martyn Starnes. And if you weren’t feeling old enough already, Fabio Cannavaro’s son Andrea has signed for Lazio’s youth team. STILL WANT MORE? Barry Glendenning rigs up his chalkboard to peel through the chaos and select a Premier League team of the season thus far. Because: why not? Barney Ronay finds signs of life within England’s dead game with Iceland.

Big Phil Foden and the crew. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Erstwhile Barclays Premier League promotions man and shorts enthusiast Owen Coyle speaks to John Duerden about coronavirus, coaching in the Indian Super League and Robbie Fowler. Tom Sanderson reckons T1te is the best man for Brazil’s World Cup hopes. Oh, and if it’s your thing … you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace. And INSTACHAT, TOO! ALWAYS LOVE A SCORPION GOAL

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[Jase 43,479]

 

[Vesper 27,341]

5 minutes ago, Jason said:

 

pack of cunts