#Premier League controversy

[anakeb]

Explore the weekend's football action with controversial VAR decisions, Mikel Arteta's critique, and Newcastle United's win. Discover Iago Aspas' VAR incident, condemnations of racist abuse, Nottingham Forest's surprise victory, Marcelo's Copa Libertadores win, and the Women's Super League results.

VAR decisions in football

Mikel Arteta's criticism

Premier League controversy

Newcastle United win

Iago Aspas VAR incident

Racist abuse condemnation

Nottingham Forest victory

Marcelo and Copa Libertadores

Women's Super League result

Weekend football matches roundup

[ur-mag]

Gary Neville slams Arsenal statement on VAR controversy as ‘poor and dangerous’ and calls on Premier League to act | In Trend Today

Gary Neville slams Arsenal statement on VAR controversy as ‘poor and dangerous’ and calls on Premier League to act Read Full Text or Full Article on MAG NEWS

[wusialaforeva]

Wusialaforeva controversial takes of the week

Konrad Laimer is actually a tumblr sexy man

everybody has a crush on Joshua Kimmich (not actually controversial but it needed to be said)

Fc Bayern has no business buying Flo, they should just stick with the players they habe and focus on developing their own young players —> I personally see him in the Premier League

Kimmich and his wife were convinced breast feeding works as a contraceptive. That‘s why the first two children are so close in age.

Harold Kane is a wax figure and I don‘t trust him

Bayern losing to Barca this week was a little bit funny, sorry everyone, I only say this with love and the knowledge that they‘re gonna come back and be better

[coochiequeens]

Women’s safety is more important than men's gender feelz

By Genevieve Gluck April 2, 2024

Recent landslide victories secured by a women’s football team with five trans-identified male players have sparked controversy, leading one club manager to reveal that at least 20 female players have excluded themselves from the sport in recent weeks in order to avoid competing against the men.

Frank Parisi, president of St. Patrick’s Football Club, spoke with Reduxx and revealed a range of problems that had arisen as a result of men playing in women’s football matches, as well as an incident in which a female player’s leg was broken in two places.

The Flying Bats Football Club in North West Sydney, Australia, has on its team five males who identify as transgender. The team was awarded a $1,000 prize after winning the North West Sydney League pre-season Beryl Ackroyd Cup on March 24, following a season of winning every game they played in the Women’s Premier League matches, 10-0.

As previously revealed by Reduxx, one of the five men on the women’s football team is trans activist Riley Dennis, who was previously accused of severely injuring women while participating on another women’s team. However, the problems created by the male players on The Flying Bats team aren’t limited to safety risks and fair sport for women. Female players have been self-excluding from the sport by the dozens, says Parisi, in order to avoid competing against the trans-identified men.

The information first came to light when an audio recording of Parisi speaking during a meeting on the evening of March 20 was leaked on social media.

The meeting, held at Christie Park, was organized by the Northwest Sydney Football Association in response to an informal discussion among football club presidents that had taken place three days prior. That initial gathering was convened on March 17 in order to address “concerns around how implausible it has become for any team to win against the Flying Bats as well as physical safety concerns.”

In the audio clip, Parisi can be heard describing an incident that took place “a couple of years” prior in which a female player was so severely injured by a trans-identified male player that she was no longer able to participate in the sport.

“A couple of year ago, one of the Flying Bats players broke one of our players’ legs in a game. It was a clumsy tackle from behind. Our player had her leg broken in two places and she’s no longer playing football. It was a direct result of a real bad, tall player… he didn’t get a red card. Accidents happen, but this could have been avoided,” Parisi said at the meeting.

“One of our players rushed over to try to help her, she was screaming in so much pain. At that time, she made a derogatory remark to the Bats player, which we apologized for. [She was] suspended. The Bats player, nothing happened to [him].” Parisi clarified that following this incident, the player was suspended from matches for a total of eight weeks. Parisi further revealed that 24 women had recently withdrawn their registration with his football club as a “direct result” of the possibility of competing in a match against the males on the Flying Bats team. “They’ve all said to me, ‘Frank, we do not want to play against the Bats players.’ I’m going to say it straight, there’s men playing in a women’s competition. And that’s wrong.”

Speaking with Reduxx, the president of St. Patrick’s Football Club confirmed that the player who had broken the female player’s leg was a male playing on a Flying Bats team in the 2022 season, but was unable to provide the personal identities of those involved. He emphasized that the male player could not have been Dennis, despite his history of injuring female opponents, as at the time he had not yet transferred to the Flying Bats from Inter Lions, and that the injury occurred in a different division.

Parisi also explained that of the total of 24 women who deregistered from the St. Patrick’s Football Club within the past several weeks, at least 20 stated that they had done so in response to becoming aware that they would be expected to play against The Flying Bats’ male team members.

“There’s a massive impact. I’m a very small club, we’ve only got seven teams in my club, and now I’ve lost both my women’s teams, and it was a direct result of members of The Flying Bats who were male playing in a female competition,” Parisi told Reduxx, though emphasizing that he was hopeful for an eventual resolution.

There are a total of at least nine trans-identified males playing football within the women’s leagues, “not just the five” in The Flying Bats Women’s Premier League, Parisi added, citing a comment made by another of the club presidents in attendance at the March 20 meeting.

According to regulations put forward by the North West Sydney Football Association (NWSFA), “players may register and participate on the basis of their gender identification.”

“This is not about the sexuality of the players, because I have had a lot of players on my team who are lesbians. So it’s got nothing to do with that. It’s the fact that there is a number of males… It’s more than five. And everyone is just remaining silent on this, and it’s just so wrong in so many ways.”

Last year, after winning a title, one of Parisi’s women’s teams turned down the opportunity to be promoted to the Women’s Premier League, the highest level before players can enter state-based competitions.

A Flying Bats Club Committee Member accepting a Fair Play award following the severe injury of a female player in 2022.

“Our girls played in Women’s All Age One, where there were no Flying Bats players. We then by winning that competition should have been promoted up to Women’s Premier League, and our girls rejected that. They didn’t want to play up in the women’s Premier League, because there was that Flying Bats team stacked full of male players.”

He continued: “I told the association, no, that I’ve lost a lot of players, and we can’t do that. They said, Okay, we’ll put you into All Age One, which is the next level down, a competition that we won last year.”

In 2022, the year in which a female player for St. Patrick’s FC had her leg broken by a trans-identified male associated with The Flying Bats, club president for the latter group, Jen Peden, was honored with a Fair Play award presented by the NWSFA – a fact announced to the club’s Facebook page with the comment, “We play nice.”

Last week, massive public outcry ensued after news broke of the five trans-identified players on the WPL Flying Bats team. In response, LGBTI Rights Australia, a Facebook community with over 250,000 followers, made a public statement mocking “TERF Nazis.”

“Congratulations to The Flying Bats Women’s Soccer Club who recently won the Beryl Ackroyd Cup! Transgender women have been proudly part of the Bats for 20 years, yet it took TERF Nazis up until this week to take notice,” reads the post. An image accompanying the statement is captioned, “To all the transphobes complaining, we suggest you train a bit harder.”

Flying Bats president Jen Peden told Daily Mail Australia last week: “As a club, the Flying Bats FC stand strongly for inclusion, and pride ourselves on safe, respectful and fair play, the promotion of a supportive community for LGBTQIA+ players, officials and supporters, and the significant physical, social and mental health benefits that participation in sport brings, especially to marginalized members of the LGBTQIA+ community. We are a club that values our cisgender and transgender players equally.”

She continued: “We strongly support the Australian Human Rights Commission’s guidelines for the inclusion of transgender and gender diverse people in sport.”

During the March 20 meeting, which was attended by CEO of Football NSW John Tsatsimas and convened by CEO of NWSF, Matthew Geracitano, attendees were told that a decision to boycott participation by forfeiting matches against The Flying Bats would result in “disciplinary action” being issued.

“If there was a concerted effort by teams to forfeit games against a particular opposition that would be viewed as an act of discrimination,” said Chris Salmon, Chair of the Board of Directors for NWSF. While incidents of discrimination are weighed on a case-by-case basis, possible penalties include suspensions, from as little as two months to two years.

Football Australia’s Anti-Discrimination Policy defines “excluding people on the basis of their sex and / or gender identity status from participation in a competitive sporting activity” as a prohibited form of discrimination.

[7yearsofdele]

And yet, you didn’t score a goal. You do know that’s how you win matches right? Whether or not Newcastle’s goal should have stood, you actually need to score yourself in order to win matches.

Arsenal were terrible and Arteta is still going to blame VAR.

[roamwithahungryheart]

Having a cry over Klopp's last match so I'm posting this again:

BBC SPORT - May 31st 2023

Lasso leaves Richmond, tells fans ‘don’t stop believing’

By Clive Ingram

Chief football writer

AFC Richmond fans are in a state of mourning after coach Ted Lasso announced his shock departure today. It comes at a tumultuous time for the club, hot on the heels of their dramatic face-off against West Ham that saw them finish second overall in the Premier League. However, Lasso’s infectious optimism shone through in his final press conference.

When pressed for the name of his successor, he replied “I don’t know who’s going to take over the team, but I do know this - he’s one lucky son of a gun.”

Since their promotion in 2021, AFC Richmond have had their fair share of controversies - from the fallout of Rupert Mannion’s bitter divorce battle with ex-wife and current owner Rebecca Welton (who recently sold 49% of the club’s shares to the fans), to the unfortunate death of their canine mascot, Earl Greyhound - but under Lasso’s leadership, they have learned to make the best of a bad situation.

Over the course of his tenure, a close friendship with Liverpool’s Jürgen Klopp led many to notice the similarities in their heart-on-their-sleeve approach. In one of his earliest press conferences, Lasso recalled Klopp’s advice after a rocky reception to his initiation: “it is not what people think of you when you arrive, it is what people think of you when they leave.”

The Lasso Way will undoubtedly go down in football history as one of its most pleasant surprises. Ted Lasso transformed the game into something even more beautiful—not only one full of grit and determination, but also a game with heart.

Read the statement in full below:

“First off, I’d like to address the rumour that I decided to quit this job. That’s false. I don’t quit things. There’s a difference between leaving and quitting. You don’t ‘decide’ to quit - that’s a choice. It means you’re giving up on something, and I’m not giving up on this team.

I love these guys. I love this city. Taking this job was one of the craziest, greatest decisions of my life. Do I feel good about leaving? Heck no. But sometimes there ain’t no such thing as a good answer. Only the right answer.

I may not know who’s about to take over, but I do know this - he’s one lucky son of a gun. This right here is the hardest-working bunch of fellas in the league. Now, I know you’re probably going to try and give me all the credit for that, but I’m not going to take it, because it’s not about me. It never was. Success is about teamwork. That’s what makes the dream work, right?

The way I see it, if two people can choose a movie to watch in less than two minutes, anything is possible. Don't stop believing.”

Richmond’s joyful celebration on the pitch after their final match of the season is all the more bittersweet in hindsight, and if the outpouring of love on social media is anything to go by, Ted Lasso’s legacy will leave a mustache-shaped hole in the sport that’s going to be difficult, if not impossible to fill.

Keep your eyes peeled folks I'm crawling back to this story in a pool of tears (read the story so far here)

[ballsbalb]

premier league commentators’ and pundits’ constant avoidance when speaking about roman abramovich, a genocidal, illegal israeli settlement-funding, ukrainian-civilian-murder supporting, climate-destroying, putin-loving murderer, would be hilarious if it wasn’t so insane

“chelsea’s… controversial change of… ownership..”

“the.. difficulties faced by the.. the club’s financial department in.. lieu of.. recent events”

“the.. successes.. in recent years, under.. intelligent ownership.. now i don’t endorse.. but..”

“well the ownership.. brought really great success.. and you have to applaud him for that”

like jesus fucking christ he’s a genocidal murderous corporate monster, what the fuck is this shitty revisionist bullshit lmao

[thishadoscarbuzz]

232 - Waitress

We decided to bring you a slice of joy this week with 2007′s Waitress. Starring Keri Russell as a small town waitress and inventive pie master stuck in a harmful marriage, the heartwarming film would eventually be adapted to the megabit musical with songs from Sara Bareilles. Its beginnings, however, were marked by sadness: in the months before its Sundance premiere, the film’s writer/director/costar Adrienne Shelly was tragically murdered. Waitress won over Sundance, becoming a summer hit for Fox Searchlight and generating praise for both Russell’s performance and Shelly’s delicate tone. However, the film lingered in the shadow of the previous year’s Sundance/Searchlight Oscar success of Little Miss Sunshine despite earning fans.

This episode, we talk about Keri Russell’s career and how Waitress falls between her two definitive television success: Felicity and The Americans. We also discuss the Mickey Mouse Club, the era of movies where characters don’t have abortions, and Celine Dion’s upcoming screen debut.

Topics also include various types of pie, the Sundance Houndog controversy, and the power of Felicity cutting her hair.

Links:

The 2007 Oscar nominations

Vulture Movies Fantasy League

Subscribe:

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

Google Play

Stitcher

[armchairfootballer]

Why the time still might not be right for England

With the exception of my homelands and my childhood favorites (Brazil), I'm basically a neutral when it comes to international soccer. That is to say, there's no team I routinely support over others, though there are some teams for which I typically have a stronger affinity. The sources of these sympathies are sometimes deeply rooted in childhood memories, familial ties, or simply due to specific players I admire.

But I say I'm a neutral because these allegiances can be fleeting. For example, I had always been a fan of France (I am a francophile in just about all aspects of my life), but after they defeated Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final, my mood toward them soured. I have, at times, cheered on Italy (I had several family members who were fans of Italian football growing up), but in recent years have not found much to enjoy in their performances. I grew up not supporting Argentina because they were great rivals to Brazil, but I can't help but admire and support the play of Messi, Di Maria, and others. All this underscores the fickle nature of these faux-bonds to national identities that aren't my own.

For example, in the 2020 (well... 2021...) Euro finals, I was rooting for England. Although Italy were in the midst of a historic undefeated streak, I was swept up in the narrative of "football coming home." It did, after all, seem long overdue. A chance to win a trophy on home soil again seemed most apt, and ending Italy's unprecedented run would have been just the way to do it. But, alas, it was not to be.

My support for England would have likely come as a surprise to many in my family. My mother's generation grew up in the colonies and still harbor much ill will toward the former empire. And while my mother taught in England and has close, lifelong English friends, she would never cheer for them on the pitch. She still has negative memories of English hooliganism in the 1980s when she lived there. Those were the stories I grew up with as a child.

But as an adult, I've buried my face in English football most weekends, studying the ins and outs of the Premier League. I've followed English players as they move through the academies to clubs across Europe. In short, I feel more invested in English football than I do in any other European country's. And free of the colonial shackles that pester my forebears, my Canadian citizenship adds some validity to any rationale of support.

So RA RA for England! Let's go Three Lions! Football's coming home!

Except, this Sunday, I won't find myself rooting for England. Yes, I'll be cheering on La Roja, despite my typical support for England and despite the myriad reasons why an English victory would be so meaningful. Let's revisit a few of them...

The Perennial Underperformers

England may be either the worst best team in football or the best worst team. By whatever metrics you choose, their record of success pales when compared to their historical expectations. Their only World Cup victory came in 1966 on home ground. Heavy favorites Brazil were eliminated in the group stage largely due to heavy fouling on Pelé, which led to injury. England's quarterfinal win over Argentina that year is mired in controversy. And home field advantage was probably a large factor in their wins over Eusébio's Portugal in the semis and the West Germans in the final. While the event remains a national moment of pride for Britons, not everyone views it fondly, especially South Americans who believed that the officiating in the tournament was biased toward Europeans.

Sticking to Europe, England have never won the Euros. In fact, their appearance in the 2020 final was the first time they had ever made it to the final. In the first 15 iterations of the tournament (1960-2016), England had reached the semifinals only twice. Now they've reached the finals twice in a row. As the nation that developed the game, and where the world's most esteemed league is stationed, it only makes sense that all roads lead to an England victory.

Garreth Southgate

A lot's been said about Garreth Southgate's performance as England manager, but that's all par for the course. You can't take the helm of the Three Lions without being subject to intense scrutiny and near universal disapproval by literally millions of people who don't know nearly as much about football as you do. Still, Southgate has manned the ship for the past eight years, producing some of England's best and most consistent results.

In his first tournament as gaffer, he took England to the World Cup semifinals. While they finished 4th, it was their best showing since 1990, and only the third time in the country's history that they had reached the World Cup semifinals. (Let that sink in.)

Taking them to their first ever Euro final in 2021 was another monument. Losing in a penalty shootout was utter heartbreak. Southgate had missed the decisive penalty in the 1996 Euro semifinal versus Germany. A Euro victory in penalties would have been sweet poetry, but instead, the curse endured.

Harry Kane

No one can deny that the England captain is one of the best footballers in the world. Not only is he an exquisite striker, but he excels at aspects of the game that other prolific strikers like Haaland and Lewandowski don't. The fact that he has never won a trophy for club or country to accompany the litany of individual awards and records he has accumulated is utterly unfair.

We all though that drought would come to an end in 2023-24 when Kane abandoned perennial flunks Tottenham Hotspur in favor of the one sure bet for a trophy every season — the mighty Bayern Munich. And despite another incredible individual season, Kane managed to find himself on a team that underwhelmed, finishing third in the Bundesliga, getting knocked out by a third-tier team in the Pokal, and losing the DFL-Supercup in a big way. Like Southgate, Kane must be cursed.

A win for England at the Euros, with Kane as captain, would mean redemption, validation, and immortality.

Spain doesn't need it

Another strong emotional rationale for rooting for England has nothing to do with them, but rather that this Spanish team doesn't really need this trophy. There are no legends on the Spanish team who have so far been deprived of deserved silverware. Sure, Rodri has not won the Euros or World Cup, but he has won the Champions League and just about every other trophy in Europe. And the likes of Yamal, Williams, and Pedri will be superstars for years to come and have several other chances to win a major trophy.

But England doesn't deserve it

And yet, I'm still going to be rooting for Spain this Sunday. Why? It's simple.

Spain has been the best team of the tournament. I'm not just talking results — I'm talking performances. They have played consistently well. Most of the pundits were sleeping on this team prior to the start of the tournament, with some even suggesting they may finish third in their group. But the writing had been on the wall. This team had been performing extremely well for the past two years, including winning the Nations League and (excluding a 2-0 defeat to Scotland) breezing through Euro qualifying.

Not only has their record at Euro 2024 has been impressive, they've managed their victories against some of the world's best sides. They're the only team to have won all of their games, including wins against Germany (tournament hosts, ranked #16 in the world), Italy (#10), Croatia (#9), and France (#2). More than their victories, their play has been inspiring and invigorating. The consistently exceptional play of Lamine Yamal is no surprise to those of us who watched him in La Liga last season. The breakout play of Nico Williams at this tournament has been another great Spanish highlight, and the contributions of Dani Olmo have been extraordinary.

In contrast, England has played poorly all tournament. They've looked a shadow of what this collection of players should be. Their performances have drawn condemnation from pundits, fans, and former players and coaches. Their play has lacked creativity and fluidity. And these poor performances have not come at the hands of esteemed opposition. Their semifinal against the Netherlands (#7) was the first time they had played a team ranked higher than #19 in the entire tournament. Were it not for a few timely moments of brilliance by some of the world's footballing superstars, England would not have made it this far.

You could argue that England has spent their tournament building up to the final and can now give it their all. I suppose that is a valid argument, but it doesn't hold enough water for me. I will not be surprised if England wins on Sunday, nor will I be disappointed. In fact, I would probably be very happy for them. English football deserves a win for all the strides it has made these past few years.

But you simply can't argue that England deserves to win this tournament over Spain. La Roja have been the undisputed standouts of Euro 2024. Were England to emerge victorious, you'd have to think that all the valid criticisms about their play in the early rounds would merely fall to the wayside, and would that be okay? Maybe. But if I were to look back on an England Euro 2024 victory years later, I would only remember that it was undeserved and serendipitous, and it will be somewhat spoiled for me. I want an England victory that feels deserved. I'm not saying easy — just deserved — hard-fought, well-played, spirited, and memorable. That can't happen this year.

But if not this year, then when?

[dascarecrow]

Multiversus Wishlist

You know the drill here people. I'm making a list of the characters that I want to see join the roster of Multiversus. This will be influenced by various leaks, hints and datamines for the game.

Here we go.

-Green Lantern (has been hinted at in the trailers and could be interesting gameplay wise)

-The Flash (my favorite DC superhero and would give us a speedster in the game)

-Aquaman (he's been hinted at and voice lines were datamined)

-Martian Manhunter (I just want him in because I want to see the Big Seven of the Justice League in the game)

-Hawkgirl (I'm fascinated by the Hawk mythos in DC and she would diversify the roster a bit)

-Lex Luthor (we need more villains in the game and his rivalry with Superman is legendary)

-The core Teen Titans (Robin, Raven, Cyborg, Starfire and Beast Boy. All of them would bring something unique to the table of a platform fighter. Plus Raven has been hinted at through voice lines.)

-Deathstroke (If any of the Titans get in then we definitely need their premier enemy in there.)

-Green Arrow (He's a big deal for DC and his archer based moveset could be fun)

-Beetlejuice (Voice lines were datamined and plus he's the Ghost with the Most.)

-Harry Potter (I know there's been controversy with the creator of the series but the Wizarding World is still a huge IP for Warner Bros. so I expect they'll include someone as a playable character and who better than the main character.)

-Gandalf (Was datamined and Lord of the Rings is still a big property for Warner Bros. Plus he's a wizard and that's always cool)

-The Powerpuff Girls (Voice lines were datamined for all three)

-Ed, Edd, and Eddy (Despite being one of the original Cartoon Cartoons they haven't really gotten representation in a platform fighter before so this would be a chance to fix that)

-Samurai Jack (Voice lines were datamined and besides it's freaking Samurai Jack. Why wouldn't they include him?)

-Johnny Bravo (I just want him in because he was one of the original Cartoon Cartoons)

-Numbuh One (I want to see some representation from Codename Kids Next Door and he's the most likely to get in)

-Daffy Duck (Was datamined and could be funny to see)

-The Road Runner (Mostly want them because of nostalgia for the Road Runner SNES game)

-One of the following Dexter's Lab characters

-Dexter (Main character with numerous inventions, duh.)

-Monkey (Was a superhero in the show and could be fun)

-Major Glory (Same deal as Monkey above)

-Val Halen (His magic guitar would give him a unique moveset)

-One of the following Thundercats (Because I grew up on that show)

-Lion-O, Panthro, Cheetara, Tygra

-Space Ghost (His powers are incredibly varied and we need some representation for the Hanna-Barbera superheroes)

-Secret Squirrel (I want one of the Hanna-Barbera "funny animal" characters to make it into game and Secret has numerous gadgets that would make for a good moveset)

-One of the following Mortal Kombat characters (to give Warner Bros. video games some love)

-Scorpion (Most popular MK character and has fire powers)

-Sub-Zero (Second most popular MK character and has ice powers)

-Reptile (A fan favorite and wouldn't be expected plus his reptilian powers would be fun in the game)

-Raiden (Typically the "Big Good" of MK and a good pick for a hero character)

-Liu Kang (He is supposed to be the hero of the series, which MK1 has made more clear than ever so he might have a chance)

-The Animaniacs (Yakko, Wakko and Dot could be a three-in-one fighter much like how the PPG are predicted to be and it would be just fun to have them in the game)

-Ruby Rose (I love the RWBY series and it is owned by Warner Bros so the main character making it in is a distinct possibility)

-A Bionicle character (I loved the Bionicle series, it would give Multiversus a Lego rep and I would ideally prefer Takanuva with his light powers or Mata Nui with the Kanohi Ignika giving him life powers)

[addc10]

Something About Every Player the USMNT is Bringing to the World Cup

Matt Turner: definitely our starter for the upcoming World Cup. One of the best in terms of shot-stopping. 100% save percentage right now for Arsenal in the Europa League. Well deserved start.

Ethan Horvath: a fantastic back up for the USMNT. His save in the Nations League final against Mexico cemented him as a legend. Provides reliability if we are forced to turn to him.

Sean Johnson: a veteran presence for the national team, which is never a bad thing to have at the World Cup. Has been quite good for NYCFC this season and has been a part of a system that plays out of the back.

Cameron Carter-Vickers: has been one of, if not the best, defender in the Scottish Premier League this season for Celtic. Absolutely deserving of his place and should be looked to as a starter in the back.

Tim Ream: a surprise inclusion for some USMNT followers, but certainly not undeserved. With Brooks and Richards out, Ream will be the best central defender on this roster. His age of 34 will both help and hinder his minutes, but expect him to be a starter at some point during the group stages.

Walker Zimmerman: currently playing for Nashville SC, he has consistently improved under club and country. A presence in both the air and on the ground, he makes a reliable back up for this roster.

Aaron Long: easily the most controversial inclusion for the defenders, ahead of other prospects like McKenzie or injured Richards and out-of-favor Brooks. But Long has played his career in systems built around pressing and while his current form might leave him out of the starting line up, he has been a staple of this team throughout qualifying.

Sergiño Dest: incredible talent that has at least been getting more consistent minutes since his move to Milan this past summer. A threat going forward, Dest’s chemistry with our starting wingers cannot be understated. Expect him to start at this World Cup.

Antonee Robinson: likely the USMNT’s most important defender due to his impact on both ends of the pitch. His speed is a great weapon on defense and he has been a mainstay at left-back for Fulham for several years.

Joe Scally: another absolute deserved inclusion. A 19-year old playing every game for Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga. Gladbach’s coach even praised him as their “player of the season” last year. Consistently overlooked in Europe, don’t be surprised if he gets the start over Dest.

DeAndre Yedlin: it cannot be understated how important his presence in the locker room will be. The only player on the roster who has been to a previous Word Cup. An electric youngster in 2014, he will be looked at as a level-headed leader in 2022.

Shaq Moore: the inclusion that surprised me the most, Moore had struggled in La Liga to find consistent minutes, but since moving to Nashville SC, he has been a top performer in the MLS. A sold back up for this roster.

Brenden Aaronson: an absolute revelation of a player this year at Leeds. The biggest critique from club fans has been that the youngster occasionally tries too hard. An elite presser, Aaronson is best at playing the “pass before the pass” and an excellent creator of goal scoring chances.

Tyler Adams: a similar stand out for Leeds, Adams has been looking like one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe. Who I want to see wearing the USMNT captain armband, Adams is a leader on and off the pitch. Superb reader of the game.

Yunus Musah: a 19-year-old starter in La Liga, Musah has been instrumental to the USMNT’s game play. When Musah is not on the pitch, the team suffers. A true ball carrier, Musah is often where the USMNT’s attacks start.

Luca De La Torre: although questionable due to recent injury, USMNT fans let out a collective sigh of relief upon seeing De La Torre’s name. An essential back up for McKennie, De La Torre has decisively earned his spot on this roster.

Kellyn Acosta: going from Europe-Bound youngster to being dropped from the National Team and traded is tough to come back from and lesser players may have crumbled. But Acosta boards the flight to Qatar an MLS Cup Champion (with a stunning opening goal) and a well earned spot on the roster.

Weston McKennie: arguably one of the best players the US has ever produced, McKennie is a mainstay in Juventus’s midfield and often the only positive about many of their games. A personality that you need in your locker rooms and on the field, McKennie will look to be a stand-out performer at this Word Cup.

Christian Roldan: another controversial inclusion, but Roldan’s presence and tactical mindset can only benefit the US. While not expecting much playing time, Roldan is a coach in the making and his attitude will be instrumental in leading this young squad.

Christian Pulisic: heralded as the greatest USMNT player, Pulisic will be looking to prove himself at the World Cup. But to most USMNT fans, he long since has. A leader in the team, his ability and skill will be imperative for US success.

Giovanni Reyna: for a while, it was doubtful Reyna could stay healthy enough to make this roster, and while it is still unlikely he will play a full 90 this tournament, Reyna is the difference maker you need at the World Cup. It may be controversial to say, but the most talented player on this roster.

Timothy Weah: a player with the potential to be our most dangerous player during any given game, a hard worker on and off the ball. Weah has the potential to change a game when he comes on the field and is often overlooked by the fan base.

Josh Sargent: a story of perseverance. Looking like one of our best strikers in the youth leagues, Sargent struggled in bad teams under bad management and went through a downturn in form that ended him in the Championship where he become a formidable player once again.

Jordan Morris: another controversial inclusion. Once on the precipice of a move to Europe, Morris found himself instead fighting back from a gruesome injury. To see him make a World Cup roster is a heartening. With tough completion ahead of him, it is unlikely he will see much of the field, but Morris is always a hard worker during his minutes.

Haji Wright: a surprise inclusion in this roster, Wright has just 3 caps for the USMNT, where he scored only 1 goal. However, Wright has found form this season in the Turkish League, being one of the top strikers, and his like-for-like replacement for Ferreira puts him ahead of others who were fighting for this position.

Jesus Ferreira: his work rate off the ball truly cemented his place on this roster. While it is a toss up with Sargent over who starts, you’re likely to see Ferreira at the 9 in most of the games. While he sometimes occupies space in which our wingers like to develop, he is a worthy inclusion for work both on and off the ball.

[egyptiankingg]

Second chances

Sergio Ramos & Mo Salah

summary: After the controversial incident in the 2018 Champions League final between Sergio Ramos and Mo Salah, Ramos is plagued by guilt over what happened. He reaches out to Salah's agent to apologize, but it doesn't feel like enough. In a bold move, Ramos decides to join Liverpool, Salah's team, to prove to Salah and the world that he is truly sorry. Klopp is receptive to the idea and welcomes Ramos to the team. Ramos and Salah form a strong partnership on the pitch, and Liverpool wins game after game. As the season comes to a close, Ramos and Salah lift the Premier League trophy together, and Ramos feels a sense of redemption and gratitude towards his teammate. The fic explores themes of forgiveness, second chances, and the power of admitting one's mistakes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sergio Ramos sat alone in his Madrid apartment, scrolling through Mo Salah's Instagram feed. As he looked at the Liverpool star's photos, he felt a pang of guilt wash over him.

He had never been one to apologize easily, but he knew he had to make things right with Salah. The incident in the Champions League final had been a mistake, a moment of rashness that had cost Salah his chance to play in the biggest game of his career.

Ramos had already reached out to Salah's agent and apologised, but it didn't feel like enough. He knew he had to do something more, something that would show Salah just how sorry he was.

And then he had an idea.

He would join Liverpool.

Ramos knew it was a drastic move, but he felt it was necessary. He wanted to prove to Salah and the rest of the world that he was truly sorry for what had happened. And what better way to do that than to play alongside Salah on the same team?

The next day, Ramos made a call to Liverpool's manager, Jurgen Klopp. He explained his situation and his desire to join the team, and to his surprise, Klopp was receptive to the idea.

Within a week, Ramos was on a flight to Liverpool. He arrived at the club's training ground, ready to begin a new chapter in his career.

As he walked onto the field for his first training session, he saw Salah in the distance, shooting at the goal. Ramos felt a lump rising in his throat as he approached the Egyptian striker.

"Mo, I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry for what happened in the final," Ramos said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I know I messed up, and I want to make it right. That's why I'm here."

Salah looked up at him, surprised. He had never expected Ramos to go to such lengths to apologize.

"It's okay, Sergio," Salah said, a small smile forming on his face. "I appreciate the gesture. Let's move on and focus on playing together."

And that's exactly what they did. Ramos and Salah quickly formed a formidable partnership on the pitch, helping Liverpool to win game after game. The fans welcomed Ramos with open arms, impressed by his willingness to admit his mistakes and make amends.

As the season came to a close, Ramos and Salah lifted the Premier League trophy together, arms around each other's shoulders. It was a moment of redemption for Ramos, a chance to show that he had learned from his mistakes and that he was capable of putting his ego aside for the good of the team.

As the celebrations died down, Ramos looked over at Salah, a sense of gratitude washing over him. He knew that without Salah's forgiveness and willingness to play alongside him, he wouldn't have had this opportunity to make things right.

"Thank you, Mo," Ramos said, his voice filled with emotion. "You gave me a second chance, and I'll never forget it."

Salah smiled back at him, the two of them sharing a moment of mutual respect and admiration.

It had been a long road to get to this point, but for Ramos, it was all worth it. He had learned that sometimes, the hardest thing to do was to admit your mistakes and make amends. But when you did, the rewards were immeasurable.

And as he looked out over the cheering crowd, he knew that he had truly found his place in Liverpool. A place where he could be himself, make a difference on the pitch, and, most importantly, be part of a team that was more than just a group of players.

--------

hey I hope you guys all enjoyed this!! I might be doing a mamma mia series based on footballers ofc !

[pwrestlingxpress]

AEW Has a Problem

Everything that I type here is all in my opinion and it's something I didn't want to discuss at first but feel like it's time to say it. AEW has a problem and that problem is CM Punk.

How did this problem start, you ask? Go back to the post-media event of "All Out 2022" where just minutes after regaining the AEW World Heavyweight Championship, CM Punk lashed out at the media instead of talking about his reaction to the return of MJF (aka Maxwell Jacob Friedman) from earlier that day.

His words caused a backstage brawl that resulted into suspensions of himself and all around him including Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson, Kenny Omega, Brandon Cutler, Michael Nakazawa, etc. Also, due to that brawl, both the AEW World Heavyweight Championship and the AEW Trios Championship were vacated.

The Trios title ended up being help by PAC, Rey Fenix, and Pentagon until January 2023 while the AEW World Heavyweight Championship would be returned to Jon Moxley who regained the title and held onto it until November where he lost in what many can considered controversial fashion to Max Friedman.

Many people including myself were under the impression that a deal was reached where CM Punk would be let go by the company for his actions. Not the case as we learned that this Saturday (June 17, 2023) a new AEW show will premiere called "AEW Collision" and the show will heavily involve CM Punk.

Now...how did people react to his imminent return. Not very good. From everything I heard and read, the reaction was very negative with boos almost all over arenas and on social media. AEW tried to cover it up by finding those who'll cheer his return. It didn't work. Worse than that...the announcement of his return caused slow ticket sales so what happens next...let's announce his return match.

CM Punk, Dax Harwood, and Cash Wheeler vs. Jay White, Juice Robinson, and Samoa Joe. If you're a Jay White fan, you'd be like "yay, Jay's on AEW Collision" in an exciting way but when you read he has to face Punk in 6-man tag action you like "yay, Jay's on AEW Collision" but your excitement meter goes down.

To make matter worse for AEW, they aired a VTR of Punk last night on AEW Dynamite that got the crowd booing even more. And from the people I follow on social media, all were furious that AEW keeps on showing Punk. Some even ask "why has he not been punished yet for his actions" "why is he getting awarded when everyone got punished"

These questions I cannot answer but I can say that AEW has a problem (CM Punk). They've tried almost everything to cover up the problem and instead have made it worse. And now...I read something in which this problem AEW has with Punk is so bad, I don't know how they're going to solve it at this point. That something...an interview that apparently and/or reportedly went out of control. Read some details on it and...it's not good.

The last time I watched AEW was the week before "All Out 2022" in which I was starting to question Punk's booking at the time but was somewhat proud to see Kenny Omega back in the ring. Haven't watched AEW since then and until they release CM Punk, have no intention to watch AEW again though there'll be times I'll watch certain highlights but not a full show.

One more thing I've been reading since they've been announcing his return was a proposed match against KENTA at "Forbidden Door 2023" taking place June 25th in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. From what I read, many are thrilled about the proposed match because this could solve the one issue many have, who really owns the "GTS'. Instead, I read that Punk was "not interested". Reading that really boils me up because how in the world can you not be interested in facing a former GHC Heavyweight Champion, a 3-time GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion, a 3-time GHC Junior Tag Team Champion, a former GHC Tag Team Champion, a former Global League winner, a former IWGP United States Champion, a former NEVER Openweight Champion, and a 2-time (and reigning) Strong Openweight Champion. Why in the world do you say "not interested" to someone is regarded by many to be the best the world has to offer. Read KENTA's response to the proposed match and...it's a interesting one because he'll only do it if it requires the money provided but if Punk is saying "not interested" then why bother.

Again, AEW has a problem that they've yet to solve and based on all I've read, based on all I've heard, and based on almost everything I've said here...are not even going to attempt to solve the problem and it's a shame that this is happening. None of this would have happened if they had just fired Punk. Instead, look where we're at right now. This (AEW Collision with Punk) is going to blow up in their face.

With that...done talking about Punk here. Again, everything I just typed right here on my Pro Wrestling Express is all in my opinion. Feel free to comment on your opinion in this ongoing problem that AEW has no attempt to solve at this time.

[tartt9]

unsolicited headcanon questions - What is Jamie's social media presence like? What's he like for controversies or hot takes? Has he ever done anything/said anything that went viral or got meme'd?

i love an unsolicited headcanon question so thank you for sending me this !! :')

so jamie's very active on social media. like to the point that he needs to shut the fuck up sometimes. his twitter is his most frequently used platform - he's just @ jamietartt he'll respond to all of richmond's tweets - he's got their post notifications on - and all of the premier league's tweets about him and his teammates. he also responds regularly to the three lions twitter account. but outside of football and #coygh and richmond til we die!s, it's seriously nonsense. he runs polls to see his followers' takes on things, and he's always like there is a right answer. he overuses emojis. at 2 am he'll tweet like @ PaddyOGara if you were a dog what type of dog would you be and @ IsaacMcAdoo how many eggs do you think you could eat in one sitting maximum not on average absolute maximum number of eggs pls respond quickly this is important his instagram (also @ jamietartt) is.... what you think his instagram would be. lots of pictures of him on match days, in richmond reds, blues, and yellows. lots of pictures of him hanging off of his teammates. lots of instagram stories during celebrations in the dressing room and afterwards when they're out clubbing. but it's also full of ego-stroking shirtless pictures and gym selfies where his shirts are matted to his body with sweat. he does amas more frequently than he should. keeley has to work overtime with him sometimes tbh. his tiktok (also.... @ jamietartt) is all behind the scenes with richmond/the three lions content. colin sleeping on the bus. moe having a very intense conversation with the new greyhound mascot. them actually seeing how many eggs isaac could eat in one sitting. and occasionally he just shows off his footwork on there because he likes to brag and he likes praise (canonically lmao)

his biggest controversy is, obviously, fucking off from city two weeks into their season to do lust conquers all. he still gets questions about that, still gets people who don't take him seriously as a footballer because of that. but, aside from lust, the next biggest controversy was that one time he was pictured outside of a club in london with a cigarette between his fingers. it was keeley's, and he was just holding it for her - he's never actually smoked in his life, because he takes his health seriously - but it was on a bunch of tabloids front pages the next day. he didn't make a statement. he doesn't get asked about that as much anymore, but it wouldn't surprise me if opposing team's players ask him if he want one as a cruel sort of joke if they run across each other out clubbing or something

his hot takes are mostly just like. "i think kent was a better player than beckham ever was" and he likes to start fights about that but he does fully 100% believe his own opinion when he says stuff like that. there are loads of comments on our irl tiktok that's like "he (jamie) thinks he's ronaldo" and when jamie's drunk he needs someone to stop him from replying on his main account like "no. i think i'm better than him."

as for going viral i like to think the moment he said that he and beard aren't having sex definitely still circulates on richmond twt, plus him and roy headbutting and hugging after their promotion, plus there's discussion about whatever roy said when he hugged jamie after jamie left the pitch in mom city. usfw mention in this paragraph don't read this if you don't want that // there's also the canon fact that he gets half-hard when he does particularly well on the pitch..... people Are Looking that's all im gonna say

he also just. like. says silly things if any of the lads catch him on camera saying something ridiculous it'll probably go viral on richmond twt if not further internet spheres than just richmond ygm?

tldr he's an absolute menace on the internet and somebody should probably change his passwords half the time but he's super good at fan engagement and he's doing his best to stop starting fights with strangers about himself/his teammates

[pirate-in-daps]

beware controversial uk football opinions below i don't watch football or follow football so don't come for my jugular please and thanks

i'm not a man city fan but the bare hatred people have for them is wild like

all footie teams but esp premier league teams are the same babes join us lot in league 1 if you're saying your team isn't "like that" and you'll see how "like that" they are

[trulyinspiringmovies]

The Flash

"The Flash" is a fun movie... if you choose to judge it without its numerous controversies.

Barry Allen is a speedster with the ability to go back in time. Despite the warnings from Bruce Wayne, Barry goes back in time to save his mother from being murdered. This obviously causes his future to change in unintended ways. What he doesn't realize is that changing something in the past affects both the present and the past.

It's no secret that there's been a lot of controversy regarding Ezra Miller and their behavior. I just want to clarify that this review will, for the most part, only be reviewing the movie itself in its own vacuum. I will, however, talk about my thoughts on the controversy after I've said my piece. Now that I've established the format of this review, let's get into it. So, I am a fan of the Flash. I remember rushing home from school to watch the CW television show every Tuesday. I was already a fan of "Arrow", so I remember watching the world premiere of "The Flash". I was also a fan of "Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox". When I saw that this movie would be loosely adapting that storyline, I had mixed feelings about it. Then, the initial reviews came flooding in and they were all talking about how this movie was better than The Dark Knight trilogy. The hype started to build within me because of how Warner Brothers was standing by this movie, even with all the behind-the-scenes disasters. I thought that this movie must be worth all the hype. Then I finally watched the movie in theaters and it was just okay. It's not bad, but it's not the best superhero movie ever. It's just average, maybe a little, tiny bit better than average. Ezra Miller's performance was praised by so many people in the industry, but I thought it was fine. There were a few great moments of acting, but it was teetering between good and obnoxious to me at times. The adaptation of "Flashpoint" had some good qualities and some bad qualities. There were a few changes that I thought were creative and other choices that felt uninspired. For example, I thought the connection between the spaghetti analogy and the can of tomatoes was creative, but I thought the final villain reveal was a bit uninspired. I think one of the biggest points of contention for this movie was the CGI. Personally, I thought it was bad, but not too distracting. I just don't really like the backward justification from the director about how the CGI was purposely bad because, from Barry's perspective, there are visual aberrations when going at the speed of light. Other than that, I didn't really care too much for the inclusion of Michael Keaton's Batman. I thought Sasha Calle's Supergirl was fantastic and I'm sad that we won't ever get to see her character explored. That's really all I have to say about the movie. In terms of the controversy, although there's a lot to talk about, I only really want to comment on two of them because they somewhat affected my thoughts on this movie. For starters, I think Ezra Miller's actions have been deplorable. They clearly need mental help and I hope they get it soon. I think a denouncement of Ezra's actions from Warner Brothers would've gone a long way in helping with the controversy, but instead, they never did and instead praised their acting in this film. I think that was a really bad move and I hope they finally come out in the future to address the problems instead of waiting for the drama to die down. The second thing I wanted to touch on was the cameos at the end of the film. That was truly in bad taste. I get that the studio wanted to make the universes all feel connected, but the choices were all the wrong ones. Not only were there a lot of deceased actors who couldn't give their consent to be in this controversy-ridden film, but there was also a cameo from George Reeves, who infamously committed suicide because he thought he couldn't escape his role as Superman. And to put a cherry on top of this shit sundae, all the deceased actors were brought back to life via horrible CGI. The filmmakers also didn't include Grant Gustin at all, who was arguably a more influential Flash than Ezra Miller ever was. The Nicolas Cage cameo was fun for those who knew about the Kevin Smith story, but it wasn't enough to wash the bad taste out of my mouth. All in all, I think this movie is better off forgotten. It really feels indicative of the tumultuous and ugly time that Warner Brothers is going through.

★★★

Watched on July 4th, 2023