#thinking about jamie redknapp again

[killeroos]

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN: US ROAD TRIP Season 1 Episode 1 - American Football

[player1064]

accidentally outing themselves on live tv? dunno how or if anyone else at sky knows but it’s something they’d do providing some images from the carraville discord that we were talking about yesterday

god they WOULD end up accidentally outing themselves bc they already can't keep their hands to themselves imagine how much worse they would be.......... I shudder to think............

---

“I’m here pitchside with Gary Neville –“

“—Carragher were meant to be joinin’ us, but he’s late getting up from London.”

“Yes, quite. I’m sure he’ll be arriving soon. In the meantime – Gary, what are your thoughts on United’s starting line-up tonight?”

*

Gary is nodding along to something Kelly is saying when his attention suddenly shifts to something off camera. He rolls his eyes as Jamie comes crashing in, bag slid halfway down his shoulders, seemingly unaware of the producer holding his earpiece who’s trying to get his attention.

“Sorry, love,” he says as he hurries up to Gary, immediately stepping into his personal space. He ducks his head down to press their lips together in a quick greeting before he continues, “there was a crash on the M6 or summat, a whole section of the road was closed off. Bloody nightmare, I’m tellin’ ya.”

As he talks, he doesn’t seem to notice Gary’s wide eyed stare, the blush rising in his cheeks, or Kelly clamping a hand to her mouth while her shoulders shake in laughter.

Gary tries his best to compose himself and turns to the camera with an expression caught between terror and amusement, and he says “well, now that Jamie’s very kindly provided us all with a traffic update I think it’s time for us to hear from our colleagues in the studio.” When the light of the camera turns off, he reaches out to give Jamie a slap round the back of the head and hisses “live television, James, how many years’ve you been doin’ this again?”

“Wha?” Jamie looks over, already surrounded by a small hoard of tech people and a make-up artists trying to get him camera ready as quickly as they can.

“Oh my God,” Gary mutters, pinching his brow. “Jamie, you dolt, you just kissed me in front of our live audience of what – a million people?”

“I never,” Jamie says with an offended glare, far too confident for someone who definitely fucking did.

“Oh my God,” Gary repeats. “You don’t believe me? Check your fucking phone.”

*

“You don’t even get Sky Sports in America, Philip, how have you already seen it?”

“Tray sent it to me, it’s all over Twitter.”

“Oh, well that’s just great then in’t it?” Gary huffs. At Jamie’s questioning look, he repeats “it’s all over Twitter, apparently.”

For a moment Jamie looks almost proud that he’s a trending topic, but he shuts his expression down when he sees Gary’s glare and turns back to his own phone call (“no, Ma, I –”)

“I just don’t understand why you didn’t tell me, Gaz,” Philip whines down the phone. “I tell you everythin’”

“An’ I keep askin’ you not to tell me everythin’! Isn’t a man entitled to a little privacy?”

*

Group: STF Gang NO PARENTS > Jill: who had money on it being Jamie cos I’m pretty sure I’d said Gary > Roy: I think we all said Gary > Ian: statistically it was most likely to be Gary. > Ian: but Roy said it’d be while they’re covering a match so I think he wins it > Jill: :(((

*

(24 new messages)

Stevie G: > you’re trending on twitter what have you done now > NEVIlLE??? Carra have some self respect

J Redknapp: > you melt 😂 > everyone in the studio is running around panicking rn

MO: > did everyone know except me?? > you’re shite at texting I didn’t even know you had a boyfriend > I didn’t even know you liked men? > Gaz is nice though we should all go for drinks sometime

*

(57 new messages)

Scholesy: > twat why didnt u tell me > u was moaning about him just last week

Philip MU mob: > you hung up before I could say but proud of you Gaz!

Roy Keane MU mob: > does this mean we’re allowed to tease you two about it on camera now > here if you need anything > [image: a blurry, blank-faced selfie with a thumbs up]

BIG MEEKS: > you could do better 🙄😉

[sadroundface]

hmm

Jamie stumbles out of the dining room, the air is bad in there, his cousins are laughing too loud, the food is spinning in circles in his stomach, the walls are closing in again.  If Franko gave him a pale, worried look as he left without even an excuse, he didn’t see.

She looks contrite.  He’s learned that word from Franko.  She says she’s sorry.  She just thinks Jamie understands sadness.  All the Lampards, Redknapps.  It’s not just because of Pat.  There’s something. 

And Franko comes in in his joggers and grey sweater with two cocktails in his hands.  You didn’t finish your drink, love, I figured you’d want it.  Oh God, but it’s dark inside of Jamie now having to hear this.  No one would remember to bring him his drink.  He’s a piece of shit.  A dumb baby is what he is.  He’s scared.

Franko sits next to Christine on the sofa and places the drinks on coasters on the coffee table and presses a kiss to Christine’s lips—it’s open-mouthed to distract her because he manages to stare at Jamie the whole time, and Jamie is less nervous now.  Right where Christine’s sitting he’s fingered Franko till he came hard into the flowered cushion.  He’s put his hand over Franko’s mouth and let Franko bite it and lick and grunt.  Franko’s sloppy when he fucks, he’s a bit of an animal, like he never learned in order to impress a girl.  Franko never wanted to impress a girl and now he brings Christine her drink and calls her love--

Franko says he is sorry about his Dad.  He says gets stuck when his Dad’s like that.  Jamie knows this. Franko would never have to say that out loud to him.  He agrees that Christine deserves better.  Dad’s just old-fashioned, he says.

Christine says don’t make excuses for him and Franko says I know but he’s my only parent and maybe you can’t understand. 

Your only parent—for fuck’s sake Frank.  You don’t care about that.  He’s just an hour from here and you never go see him anymore.  Christine says it and Jamie thinks it.

Franko runs his hand over his beautiful soft thinning hair and pulls the sweater off.  His nipples are hard underneath through his white undershirt and Jamie swallows and Franko stares at him again when Christine buries her head full of long dark hair into Franko’s shoulder.

I love you Jamie he mouths and he strokes Christine’s hair and kisses her head.  I love you Jamie and then he mouths it fuck me Jamie. There’s something wrong with them. Lampards, Redknapps, there’s always been something. 

[longeyelashedtragedy]

Ok, let’s go:

Blood, bone, teeth, scar, flesh, tears, moan, groans, fang, wounds

blood

It takes a while.  Leo waits, licking the last taste of Kieran’s blood off his fangs.  He looks around the room, studying everyone. (arsenal criminals au)

“Yeah?  Sure, I’d like to see them handle this.”  Granit’s blood goes cold, then angry-hot.  (dangerous au chapter 8)

She’s glad to have an outsider.  Fresh blood, fresh eyes. (she may not remember me...i think i quoted this sentence before hahah)

bone

There was more she could have added.  But part of the Lampard-Redknapp weirdness sinking into your bones was piling secrets on top of other secrets. (she may not remember me...this is the closest i've got!)

teeth

“Well, yeah, I’ve brushed my teeth like I do every morning.  It’s our vacation, I wanted to get up and do something.” (she may not remember me...)

He opens his mouth wider for tongue.  The car hits a pothole and their teeth clatter together. (10022)

until Jamie exploded—Stop fucking talking about it, stop it, next person to say a word gets their teeth knocked out and I mean it!  Stop!  (jamie did a bad bad thing)

scar

note that if i ever write "my envied lady" it will have a Scar Mention in it, but i'm not up to that part in my draft 👀

otherwise i've got nothing in my WIPs--though dangerous AU certainly mentions it a lot in the already published chapters!

flesh--got nothin

tears

Sergio tears his eyes away from the thin, see-through fabric of Geri’s old shirt. (tranquilo, amor)

Silent tears are running down Agon’s face.  This is real but it’s not.  It’s not real, it can’t be fucking real.  But it is. (dangerous au chapter 8)

Jamie darts into the kitchen and pops open a cold beer for his cousin.  He’s only gone a minute, but when he gets back to Franko, there are tears on his chubby cheeks.  Oh God. (jamie did a bad bad thing)

“Good girl.”  Louise tears herself away and walks up to their camp against the rocks. (she may not remember me...)

Granit looks around at the fading posters—Johan Cruyff, Arsenal, Tears for Fears, Stone Roses—and then sits down on the thin plaid blanket. (dangerous au, christmas chapter)

moan

“Calm, love,” Shakira says, soothing him, and the tone of her voice makes Sergio moan even though it’s been so long since he’d had any dicks up his ass that he’s already sore. (tranquilo, amor)

And yet Ben had wanted that.  Had loved Leandro feeding from him in public, up against the wall of a dirty, steamy club or pub or on a park bench at night.  He’d moan and Leandro would feel his arousal hot and hard against his thigh in public and—  (arsenal criminals au)

everything else is "moans!"

groans

A cousins’ vacation, just two lads.  A honeymoon.  He kisses Jamie’s mouth, in that case.  Jamie groans again. (she may not remember me...)

“Classy,” Pilar groans.  “Why don’t you cut it out and behave?” (tranquilo, amor)

fang

closest i have is "fangs"

Mikel Arteta is curled up in Granit’s lap, kissing his thighs all over, and Leandro’s fangs are deep in Granit’s neck, drinking himself silly. (arsenal criminals au)

wounds

absolutely nothing except some chapters of dangerous au that are already published!

[ohsnapcracklepopfriends]

Here it is friends. Part one of my Taylor-Swift-nostalgia induced carraville fic. I will be writing a short part two but I figured I’d get this up now and it could be read on its own at this point. I haven’t proof read it so please excuse any mistakes but I hope you enjoy!

Jamie undid his tie. It was a plaid tie, blue instead of red to suggest his neutrality. It was a good day or at least it should’ve been. Liverpool beat Everton two to one, he’d had a good show (no one was harassing him on Twitter yet and Gary had made a few mistakes, Jamie thought that qualified a pretty good show), and he had a date at eleven. He should be fucking buzzing but Jamie just feels the idle hum of numbness. Even the five-goal thriller that was their first game of the night hadn’t got his heart pumping like it used to. 

Gary walked in silently, startling Jamie who quickly pulled on a jumper. Not that his state of dress mattered, Gary’s eyes stayed glued to the floor. He walked to the far corner of the dressing room to change out of his suit, as far away from Jamie as possible.  He hadn’t said a word to Jamie all night when the cameras weren’t rolling. It hurt. Especially when Gary was so good at acting like everything was fine when the commercial break ended. He even fooled Jamie a few times.

Kelly knocked on the door, making sure they were both decent, before walking in to say goodnight. Jamie watched as Gary smiled at Kelly, as he laughed with her about something. Jamie used to do that: make Gary laugh. Kelly turns her attentions to Jamie. She compliments him on his interview tonight and asks him where he and Tom are going for their date. 

“It’s quite late,” she comments, “you can’t really be going to dinner.” Jamie give her a fake laugh. 

“I’ve got a reservation and everything Kells. We’re going to that new vegan place. He’s picking me up.” You heard that right: vegan. Because on top of everything, Tom fucking cared about animals and the environment. Jamie wasn’t complaining too much, though. He could suffer through some tofu if it meant not having to go to Gary and his old haunts. 

“Ooh!” Kelly said, “do I get to meet him? Redknapp keeps talking about how lovely he is, I figure I could judge for myself.” Ah, yes, Redders. Running into Redders had been an accident. They managed to bump into him at the golf course the week before. Tom was good at golf, unlike Redders, as much as he tried to be. Tom gave him a few pointers, helping Redders fix his posture for his swings. They ended up playing a whole round together while Jamie played ping-pong with an eight-year-old girl in the clubhouse. Redders hadn’t shut up about how Tom’s wonderfulness and his perfect swing since. Jamie nodded at Kelly. He figured he couldn’t do any more damage. 

The three of them stood in the parking lot waiting for Tom’s car to pull in. He wasn’t late of course, he never is, they just got out earlier than anticipated. Gary had tried to skitter off to his car but Kelly practically dragged him back up on the curb. Gary, despite trying to put on an agreeable face, looked about as miserable as Jamie felt. Jamie thought he was slightly better at hiding it though. 

At 10:59 Tom’s blue Volkswagen pulled in. One minute early. He wore a nice checked shirt with the first few buttons undone. His hair and shirt were miraculously crisp and clean after a full day of work. He looked like a fucking god with his symmetrical face, sharp bone structure, and straight nose. Kelly certainly took note of that. “Our Carra is a lucky man!” She whispered before going over to Tom to introduce herself. Tom shook her hand and complimented her dress which, to be fair, was a very nice floral pattern. 

Tom stuck his hand out for Gary to shake. “Hello Gary, my name’s Tom. It’s nice to meet you.” Gary takes a minute to collect himself and takes Tom’s outstretched hand giving it a firm shake. 

“It’s nice to meet you as well.” It sounds remarkably fake, of course it does, but Tom doesn’t seem to notice. He just turns towards Jamie with a perfect smile. 

“You have such lovely friends, Jamie. It was nice to meet you both.” Jamie wasn’t so sure about that but played along and let Tom walk him to the car. Tom opened Jamie’s door for him before walking around to get in himself. He saw Kelly sling an arm around Gary’s shoulders as they drove away. Jamie took a deep breath and remembered it was all for the best. He reminded himself that this was what he wanted: stability. He didn’t want to fight anymore. The words Gary had said that night still rung in his ears. He was sure his own snarls were not forgotten either. 

It started to rain as they parked but Tom had an umbrella. Gary never had an umbrella. You’d think that living in Manchester he’d learn to at least keep one in his car. Instead, he resorted to sprinting away from the rain as fast as he could trying to avoid the rain, he wasn’t as fast as he used to be. But Tom was prepared, he always was. He held the umbrella for the both of them as they walked around to the front of the restaurant. 

“James, try the torte it’s quite delicious.” Jamie hated being called James. Absolutely hated it. Not when Gary said it though. His stupid manc accent stretched the vowels into velvet. When Gary said it he felt special. Tom’s polished London accent made him feel posh, pretentious, and twatty. James. Ugh. It was like the word torte. It’s a fucking cake, just call it what it is. Jamie took a bite of the torte. It was good if you ignored the aftertaste of soya in the frosting, a little dry, but Jamie nodded his head like it was an orange mcflurry. He let Tom finish the dessert. 

They’re in the car. Tom’s dropping Jamie off at his apartment. Tom must have noticed that Jamie had been quiet and switched the topic to something a little more in his wheelhouse: football. They were talking about England and possible squads for the upcoming international break. Tom started talking about moving Kyle Walker into midfield and Jamie couldn’t take it. 

“That’s bollocks. Where is the one place on the field where we actually have players? Fucking midfield. Gareth’s drowning in defenders but not experienced ones. Playing Walker in midfield fucking undermines Henderson and leaves the young centrebacks overexposed.” Tom laughs for some reason. Jamie doesn’t find it funny.

“Well, you would certainly know.” This is what you want, he reminds himself again. Peace, calm, stability. This is happiness. But, fuck, Jamie missed Gary. He missed the challenge. He missed the little crease between Gary’s eyes. He missed Gary’s squeaky voice when he gets worked up. He missed fighting and bickering with Gary over things that didn’t matter. He missed screaming at Gary and Gary screaming back. He missed the really hot sex they’d have after such screaming matches, making Gary scream in a different, more satisfying way. He missed Gary’s laugh, his smile. It seemed to Jamie that neither of them have smiled much since that day. Jamie thought that smiling didn’t seem worth it if Gary wasn’t smiling back. 

Jamie checked his phone. It was nearing 1 am. He had a handful of messages from Kelly. Jamie didn’t want to read about how great she thought Tom was, he fucking knew that Tom was great. On paper, he was fucking perfect. The perfect boyfriend. The dream guy. Not for Jamie though. He dreamed of an angry, passionate, crazy, wonderful manc. He opened his messages anyways though, figuring Tom would want to hear what Kelly thought about him. 

Jamie. I know you’re on your date but we need to talk. Can you call me? It’s about Gaz. The first one read.

He’s at mine. Really upset. He said not to talk to you so I figure you know what’s going on. That sounded about right. Kelly caring more about Gary’s well being than Gary himself. Gary was too stubborn to care. 

Call me please. The last one read. Fuck. They’d made a mess of things. Not only had they made a mess of themselves, but they’d also dragged the others into it. 

“Can you pull into that park up there?” Jamie asked Tom. He nodded and turned down the radio, waiting for Jamie to say something more. He didn’t though. Not until he got out of the car and puked some partially digested salad in the grass. Tom came over to him and rested his palm on Jamie’s mid back. Gary used to pet his hair, carding his fingers through it, on those mornings after he’d had a little too much to drink. 

Jamie laid on his back in the middle of the parking lot. The rain soaked through his thin shirt in seconds. Tom looked down at him concerned. “I can’t do this, Tom. You’re so lovely. I mean you’re so fucking lovely but I just can’t—”

“I get it, James. You’re still in love with him.” The bastard still looked perfect even drenched with rain. Jamie guessed that he probably looked like a drowned rat. Jamie must have been giving him a confused look because he laughed and explained further. “I saw the way you used to look at him on the tele like he’s the fucking sun. I saw the way you looked at him tonight like being around him was tearing you apart. Besides, I’m pretty sure half the nation knew there was something going on there.” Jamie laughed at that. They had been pretty obvious. And not just Gary, apparently. Apparently, he was just as open of a book. He needed to call Kelly. 

She picked up after three rings. “Hi Carra,” she whispered, “needed to get out of the living room, Gaz’s sleeping on my couch.”

“Is he okay?” Jamie asked, not really wanting to hear the answer. 

“He’s a wreck, Jamie. He misses you.” I miss him too, Jamie didn’t say, so much. 

“Can I come round?” Jamie asked. Kelly said yes so long as Jamie can get Gary the hell out of her living room and gave Carra her address. 

Thankfully, Kelly’s place was nearby, about a mile away. Jamie didn’t know where he got the energy considering he was dead on his feet a few minutes before, but he ran there as fast as he possibly could. His water-filled shoes squished loudly with every step. He got there in seven minutes and was panting heavily when he knocked on the door. Kelly let him in wordlessly. 

Gary was still sleeping on the couch when he walked into the living room. Kelly gave him a nod and walked into the kitchen. Jamie kneeled next to Gary and cupped his cheek with his palm. Jamie hadn’t realized how much he’d missed that simple feeling. Gary’s forehead was still crinkled in his sleep. His eyes were dark like he hadn’t slept much. Jamie hadn’t either. It was hard to sleep alone, without Gary’s comforting weight on his chest. Jamie took Gary’s hand from where it was tucked under his chin and intertwined their fingers. The weight of Gary’s hand in his set relief running through Jamie’s body. Gary started to stir at that. 

“James?” Jamie smiles at that. His stupid name sounds beautiful coming from Gary’s mouth. His eyes weren’t even open yet and Gary already knows it’s him. “What are you doing here?” He opened his eyes slightly but upon seeing Jamie they were wide open. Gary’s eyes were red and bloodshot. Jamie just wanted to yank him into his arms and hug him forever. 

“What are you doing here, you muppet? Bothering Kelly at 2 am?” Jamie said playfully. Gary flushed slightly. “Come on, Gaz. Let’s get you home.” He grabbed Gary’s hand to pull him up. Gary stumbled when he tried to take a step. Carra looked down at the empty beer bottles and figured that was why. He grabbed Gary’s arm and slung it over his shoulder. Gary’s head rested in the crook of Jamie’s neck, his soft breathing tickling at the skin there. 

“Kelly,” Jamie called softly into the kitchen, “we’re leaving.” She came out to stand in the doorway in her fluffy, pink bunny slippers that Jamie had somehow not noticed before. Jamie thought he should get Gary a pair. 

“Set an alarm,” she said, “he wakes up early. Don’t let him bolt.” Jamie figured Gary wouldn’t be racing out of his apartment at 5 am with the hangover he was sure to have but it was still a good idea. Gary was an unpredictable, stubborn bastard at times. Jamie thanked her and helped Gary down to his car. 

It was still pouring when they got out of the building because clearly the gods wanted Gary to either sober up or catch his death. Thankfully, in his upset Gary had forgotten to lock the car meaning Carra didn’t have to fumble around for his keys in the current weather. Except, that Gary wouldn’t get into the car. He sprawled his limbs over the door so Jamie couldn’t push him inside. 

“Gary, if you don’t get your arse in that car, I’m going to leave you out here to drown.” Obviously, he wasn’t serious but he figured that Gary might be drunk enough not to know that. Gary just smiled up fondly at him and stayed put. 

“I love you,” he said, looking like the most radiant, beautiful thing Jamie had ever seen in his life. His hair was a mess, stuck down to his forehead. His cheeks were bright red from a mix of alcohol and the cold. His eyes were still red but god they held all the love in the world. Jamie could see that somehow, after everything, Gary still loved him, truly loved him. After all the things he said, screamed, did, this man--this beautiful man--still loved Jamie every ounce as much as Jamie loved him. It didn’t matter what he should want, he wanted Gary and all of his adorable, infuriating flaws. His recipe to happiness was just that: his own. He didn’t need stability, calm, peace. He needed to feel something. 

Jamie cupped his face for the second time that night. He ran his thumb over Gary’s wet, stubbly cheeks. Jamie couldn’t help himself. He kissed Gary with all of the kisses they’d missed in the past two months. The two months of pain, loneliness, desolation. He kissed Gary with all of the love he had in his cold, wet body and Gary did the same. Gary moved slower than Jamie, less frantically but no less enthusiastically. Gary clutched at his jacket like a vice, unwilling to let go. Jamie moved his hands around Gary’s body. He wanted to make sure that everything was still as he remembered it. And it was. Of course, it was. He had Gary in his arms, it didn’t matter that the rain had picked up. Though, he was sure he’d hear about the soggy interior of Gary’s car in the morning. He pulled away reluctantly for breath and rested his forehead against Gary’s.

[hops1982blr-blog]

Weekend Football

Welcome to my first blog. I’ve chosen an incredibly original subject to write about, that being men’s association football, seeing as nobody ever talks about it and it’s seldom seen on TV.

 However, despite this, I am going to try and look at it from a different angle including TV coverage. I’d like to use the word ‘irreverent’, but this just reminds me of an irritating, try-hard ‘comedian’ who’s just got his (or her) own vacuous show on some late-night slot on BB3 (RIP) or ITV2.

 A little about the author. I’m a cantankerous, cynical sports fan, born in the 80s, a misty-eyed romantic, harking back to ‘the good old days’ of football in the 90s, when players like Shearer, Gazza, Baggio and Weah were my heroes. When social media and being ‘woke’ wasn’t a thing; players weren’t trying to make side careers in broadcasting, making clothes, giving themselves nicknames like ‘J.Lingz’ or being cool and looked like the supporters on the terraces.

 And so, as you’re losing the will to live, onto the football. The weekend started (for me, at least) with the lunchtime kick off at the Olympic Stadium for West Ham vs. Tottenham. Of course, all the talk was about Jose’s return, and I’ve a feeling he took the Spurs job simply because the first game was the welcoming prospect of facing West Ham; like returning from holiday and getting a hug off your mum, this was as nice a comeback as is possible.

 The downside of the lunchtime kick-off is that we’re forced to watch the game on BT Sport. From the annoying, smarminess of the presenter Jake Humphries, a man who’d probably show you his bank balance on a night out, to the twee, cockney geezer analysis of Joe Cole. How appropriate that this match featured the ‘Ammers, because the latter always reminds me of a member of Albert Square.

 The game itself was as underwhelming as Joe’s hairline, with West Ham playing up to their ‘mumsy’ role and allowing a Spurs team with only one away Prem win in the last 12 months to romp into a 3-0 lead, before showing some sort of commitment and getting a couple of late goals back. In truth, 3-2 flattered West Ham, who were so bad in the opening 45 minutes, that it prompted the pundits to laud Dele Alli, who is now apparently ‘back’, a conclusion that was drawn primarily from one on-the-floor back flick to Son which brought about the second goal, and not much else in the way of hard evidence.

 Accordingly, Mourinho had a part to play with a fantastic bit of man management in which he supposedly asked ‘Dele’ if he was the real person, or if it’d been his brother playing for the past year. With insight like this, why is ‘The Special One’ (I hate that nickname, so please read it with the highest level of cynicism humanly possible) wasting his time managing Tottenham and not involved in the Brexit negotiations or middle east peace negotiations? It baffles me.

 Fast forward past Gillette Soccer Saturday, which is now becoming trite given that Charlie Nicholas and Phil Thompson are still on our TVs every week. With a similar, baffling level of ubiquity, they’re like a football version of Ant & Dec, but without any of the wit, charm or entertainment value. Nicholas still thinks he’s living in the 80s with his poncey haircut and daft earring, and Thommo is just annoying, spitting out heavy clichés with his guttural scouse accent for six hours each and every grinding Saturday afternoon.

 Saturday tea-time brings us the delights of crisis club (again, find that sarcasm level and ramp it up to 11) Man City at home to Chelsea, who, as many before me have remarked, have become weirdly likeable. I guess when John Terry isn’t involved with a club, they immediately become 1,000 times more affable and it feels acceptable to not hate them.

 The game itself was dull, with not much to talk about except the disallowing of Raheem Sterling’s goal because his armpit was offside. Thank God for VAR, otherwise the heinous, egregious error to award Sterling that goal would've stood. What a time to be alive and how grateful we should all be that this fantastic piece of technology has been brought in to 100% improve the world's greatest sport. Truly joyous. As is probably obvious, I hate, hate, HATE VAR. It’s sucking the life out of football, with its sanitation and cleansing of passion. I’d rather see 100 incorrect decisions per season that be forced to spend five minutes watching the fun police disallowing a goal because a striker’s pubic hair is beyond that of the last defender.

 Talking of fun police, in the studio are Roy Keane and Jamie Redknapp, a couple of pundits whose opinions are polar opposite in terms of validity. Keano could tell me that Primark made the world’s best garments, and I’d believe him. On the other hand, Redknapp would, for me, struggle to sell water to a man dying of thirst. He should be put out to pasture now, free to pursue his interests, which no doubt include heading into town after the match to see how young a woman he can pull (to be clear here, I’m not suggesting he’s the new Adam Johnson, just more that he’s probably a bit of an old sleazebag) and trying on as much aftershave as possible.

 Saturday ends with Match of the Day, which is still the only way to watch Premier League highlights. If you don’t enjoy watching and listening to the obvious dad jokes of Lineker, then you’re probably someone who votes for the Brexit party and can’t see past your right-wing views. On the other side of that weird, low table they have are Danny Murphy and Alan Shearer.

 Murphy, for me, always looks like he’s just stepped out of Burton’s menswear but is annoyed at himself for once more going back in after being disappointed with his previous purchases. I heard a BBC commentator/presenter once say that Murphy is ‘hilarious and great company’. That same commentator also spent some time in a correctional facility in the early 2000s, so his gauge of fun and good company might be somewhat skewed. Shearer is Shearer. As a Blackburn fan, I won’t say a bad word against him, and his punditry has drastically improved over the years, but he does have a habit of, have a habit of repeating himself, which is his idiosyncrasy that I find quite endearing.

 As I’m writing this, Sheffield United are playing Man United. In the studio, Graeme Souness and Brian Deane are both dressed like country gents who are about to go shooting pheasants and grouse at Sandringham (with Prince Andrew and Jamie Redknapp, perhaps?), and on the field, another Blackburn connection is Phil Jones, the gift that keeps on giving, handing the Blades the lead with a fantastic piece of misjudgement that allowed the striker Lys Mousset the opportunity to pull the ball back and give his team the lead. The final 25 minutes was chaos, with two mid-table sides scrapping it out to a 3-3 draw with awful defending getting the assists.

 That’s all I can muster this week. If you managed it, congratulations on getting to the end. What will football bring us next week? I can hardly contain my excitement at the prospect.

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

The Counterfeit Candidate by Brian Klein

 Action-packed thrill-ride from beginning to end. This story is one of conspiracy, intrigue, crime, and moves between continents and time periods with facility. Settle in for a great story that will leave you thinking…what if?

 What I liked:

* The plot, writing and story told

* The way it made me think about the past and what could have happened if something like this story had truly happened

* The dark gritty reality of the story

* That it had me doing google searches and reading about various places and characters in the book

* Wondering about what would motivate the various characters

* The police procedural aspect of the story

* Being able to hate the bad guys entirely – saw no redeeming qualities in them

* Thinking about who I would cast in the roles of the characters if this were to be made into a movie

* Wondering about the true relationship between Braun and Hitler

* Stepping into the past without actually having to be there

* Reading a debut novel by a new author

 What I didn’t like:

* Exactly what I was meant NOT to like

 Did I enjoy this book? Yes

Would I read more by this author? Yes

 Thank you to MidasPR for the ARC – this is my honest review.

 5 Stars

  BLURB

 Set between Berlin in 1945 and Buenos Aires and San Francisco in 2012 – the story looks at ‘what if’ Hitler didn’t die in the bunker in 1945 and instead escaped to Buenos Aires – how did the subsequent story unfold?

 Buenos Aires, 8th January, 2012 Three thieves carry out the biggest safe depository heist in Argentine history, escaping with more than one hundred million dollars' worth of valuables. Within hours, an encrypted phone call to America triggers a sinister manhunt as the thieves are tracked down and face the consequences. Meanwhile in San Francisco, 22nd January, 2012 Senator John Franklin, hailed as the "Great Unifier", secures the Republican Presidential nomination and seems destined for the Oval Office.  Despite the sixty-seven-year interval and a span of thirteen thousand miles, these events are indelibly linked.   Chief Inspector Nicolas Vargas of the Buenos Aires Police Department and Lieutenant Troy Hembury of the LAPD are sucked into a dark political conspiracy concealing an incredible historical truth which stretches from the infamous Berlin bunker to Buenos Aires and to Washington and which threatens the very heart and soul of American democracy.

    AUTHOR BIO

 Brian is an award-winning Television Director, with over twenty-five years' experience in the industry. His work regularly appears on Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC and Sky. Amongst his directing credits are twenty-five seasons of the iconic car show, TOP GEAR and five seasons of A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN ROADTRIP, Sky One's highest rating entertainment show.  He was part of the core team that produced twenty-two series of the controversial car show that became the biggest TV phenomena in the world, with 350 million weekly viewers in 120 countries and  worked extremely closely with TV heavyweights, Jeremy Clarkson and James Corden, high profile comedians, Jack Whitehall, Alan Carr, Tom Allen , Romesh Ranganathan and Micky Flanagan, sports stars turned presenters, Freddie Flintoff, Jamie Redknapp and Ronnie O’Sullivan and TV chefs Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White. He has also directed two feature-length films for BBC Worldwide and five entertainment specials for Netflix. THE COUNTERFEIT CANDIDATE is his debut novel and is to be advertised in The Bookseller shortly. 

 For review copies of ‘The Counterfeit Candidate’ and for further information please contact Sophie Ransom on sophie.ransom@midaspr.co.uk (m) 07714 344482.

    THE COUNTERFEIT CANDIDATE BY BRIAN KLEIN – THE INSPIRATION (IN HIS OWN WORDS)

Trailer: https://f.io/PfYC_WJy

 FROM THE AUTHOR ABOUT THE BOOK

The basic idea for The Counterfeit Candidate had been buried inside my head for over thirty years but, I’d never been brave or confident enough or indeed had the time, to try and write it. In the end, it took the totally unexpected arrival of a pandemic and the first lockdown to turn the idea into a reality. Like millions of people, when the virus struck and the world shut down, I lost all my work and found myself sitting at home wondering what to do. I was a television director, with nothing to direct.

 For the previous thirty years I had directed many of the UK’s most popular and enduring shows, including Top Gear, A League Of Their Own, The Grand Tour, Watchdog and Crimewatch. I was part of the core team that produced twenty-two series of the controversial car show that became the biggest TV phenomena in the world, with 350 million weekly viewers in 120 countries. I worked extremely closely with TV heavyweights, Jeremy Clarkson and James Corden, high profile comedians, Jack Whitehall, Alan Carr, Tom Allen , Romesh Ranganathan and Micky Flanagan, sports stars turned presenters, Freddie Flintoff, Jamie Redknapp and Ronnie O’Sullivan and TV chefs Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White. My diary for March – December 2020 was rammed with new programming involving many of these artists and then Covid closed everything down.

 I sat at home wondering what to do next and then a remarkable event happened. I decided I would try flesh out my idea of the safe deposit robbery, which I knew would be a key element of the story. I thought I would begin my research by finding a real bank in Buenos Aires that housed a vault with a safe depository and I was truly astonished when my initial google search threw up the fact that in January 2011, the Banco Provincia in Buenos Aires, was the victim of one of the biggest safe deposit heists of all time. Thieves tunneled their way in and escaped with an estimated hundred million dollars’ worth of merchandise. It was a bizarre feeling, as I’d had the idea for the robbery twenty years before it happened in real life!

 That was a key moment as it inspired me to begin the writing process and for the following twelve weeks, I worked ten hours a day, seven days a week and became totally obsessed with the project. The end result was a 90,000 word, first draft. No one was more surprised than me or my wife and daughter who witnessed the entire process unfold. My only escape from constant writing was a daily, late night walk with the family dog, Georgie, a gorgeous Frenchador (yes, a Labrador/French Bulldog combo!), who became my thinking companion, when I wanted to explore plot lines.

 I always knew the idea required two timelines, one following Hitler’s secret, post-war life in Argentina and the other, a contemporary setting for the robbery and the 2012 Presidential campaign. I soon appreciated that in effect I was writing two books and the only way I could make that work, was to write them comletely separately. So, the contemporary story came first and then, when that was complete, I set about writing the story of Hitler’s post-war life in Argentina and his outrageous plan for building a Fourth Reich in the United States.

 I have always been fascinated by conspiracy theories. JFK’s assassination, the moon landings, Princess Diana’s car crash, all come to mind. But they don’t come much bigger or more controversial, than the apparent suicides of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun in the Fuhrer’s notorious bunker in war-torn Berlin on 30th April 1945. It’s a highly contentious event that has generated countless books, articles and documentaries and the truth is that, even today, views differ on what really happened.

 It’s well recorded that in July,1945, just three months after Hitler’s supposed death, Stalin met with Churchill and Roosevelt at the Potsdam Conference in Germany, where he cast doubt on the official story of the Fuhrer’s death. He astonished the two western leaders by claiming that Hitler had eluded his Red Army, escaped from Berlin and was hiding somewhere in Patagonia. The genie was well and truly out of the bottle and a new conspiracy theory was born.

 As a student, I studied Hitler and the rise and fall of The Third Reich at Queen Mary College, where I completed a degree in History and Modern Politics. I’ve always had a gut feeling that Hitler wasn’t the kind of man to take his own life, but then again, there is a great deal of compelling evidence, and eye-witness testimony, to suggest he did. However, for the purposes of writing The Counterfeit Candidate, I went with my gut. I couldn’t help wondering, “What if….”

 THE IDEA

 What if Hitler escaped from Berlin at the end of the war and built a new life, using a false identity and perpetuated his dynasty. How would that singular event change the course of history and impact on the lives of millions of people around the world.

 What if, in the present day, Republican Senator John Franklin, an American born citizen on the verge of securing the Presidency, was, in reality, Adolf Hitler’s grandson. A man, groomed from birth by his family to become the most powerful leader in the world.

 The contemporary part of the story is set in January, 2012 and chaos breaks out, when a sensational safe deposit robbery, at a seemingly impregnable bank vault in Buenos Aires, ignites the possibility of exposing this incredible historical truth. The three audacious thieves who carry out the heist, have no idea the contents of Box 1321, one of ninety raided in the robbery, contain original documentation and film that can expose the real identity of the presidential candidate. They are hunted down in a blood-soaked manhunt in pursuit of the explosive materials hidden inside the box.

 For The Counterfeit Candidate, I created a fictional account of Hitler’s escape from Berlin, involving a perilous night-time drive through enemy lines from Berlin to the coastal port of Kiel ,set on the north-west coast of Germany. Then a seven-week sea passage on a dilapidated cargo boat, transports the Fuhrer, Eva Braun and Hitler’s personal secretary, Martin Bormann to the Argentine port of Rio Gallegos. The location I chose for their new life, El Calafate in the province of Santa Cruz, in Patagonia, is a real town.

  I named the farmhouse which became Hitler’s new base, ‘El Blondie,” as I liked the conceit that the name of the Fuher’s new home would be a permanent memorial to his beloved dog, who he had left behind in the bunker. A creature he loved far more than any human.

  The idea of Hitler and Bormann creating and building one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world, seemed plausible to me. It would provide them with a huge multinational vehicle, perfect for laundering the vast sums of money they had taken out of Germany. It would also give them a platform of power and respectability for Hitler’s son, enabling him to set up a new home in the United States, where he could father an heir, who could go on to become a world leader, achieving the ultimate prize of the Presidency.

 Martin Boorman is a key figure in the book and the arch manipulator behind the masterplan to land Hitler’s grandson in the White House.

 I decided it was essential to try and make this part of the story feel as authentic as possible. So, I weaved into the narrative a number of real-life characters. Early on, we meet Hitler’s support team who were living in wretched conditions inside the infamous bunker. His driver, Erich Kempka, personal valet, Hans Linge, private physician, Thomas Morrell and his long-time chef, Constanze Manziarly.

 Later in the story, once Hitler is living In Argentina, we see him interact with two fellow notorious Nazis who we know, really did escape to Patagonia, Josef Mengele and Adolf Eichmann. One of the chapters covers the audacious abduction of Eichmann by the Israeli secret service, Mossad, in 1960, which was a global news event at the time. In my story, Hitler tries in vain to help Eichmann avoid capture but to no avail.

 I also created a number of prominent scenes between the Fuhrer and the iconic couple who ruled Argentina, Juan and Eva Peron. If Hitler did settle in El Calafate, there is no question he would have been supported and protected by the Peron regime, who were openly pro-Nazi supporters

 In one particular encounter, the couple are guests of honour at Hitler’s 60th birthday party, where Maria Callas makes a cameo appearance singing an aria from the Fuhrer’s favourite Wagner opera, Rienzi.

 Lockdown meant I had no choice but to plough the internet for research for many aspects of the story, although fortunately I had prior knowledge of Hitler from my University studies and I had travelled extensively across South America, both for filming and social purposes. When it came to locations, Buenos Aires provided a wonderful, stunning backdrop for so many scenes. One of my favourite locations featured in the book is without doubt the renowned, Recoleta Cemetry, considered by many to be the most beautiful burial ground in the world.

 One of the principal figures in the story, Matias Paz, is a former fascist mercenary whose office happens to be located next to the cemetry. He regularly visits the mausoleum of one of his idols, Argentine boxing legend, Louis Angel Firpo, who was known as the “Wild Bull of the Papas.” Paz holds a number of key meetings with his staff, sitting on a stone bench in front of the giant marble statue of his hero, which provides a stunning backdrop.

   The truth is, when I began the project in Lockdown, I had no idea if I was capable of completing it and trust me, when I say, no one was more surprised than me, that the book finally got written. However, almost as challenging as writing the story was securing a literary agent and subsequently a publisher, but somehow I managed it and here we are !

Eva Braun

Eva & Hitler with their dogs

[freenewstoday]

New Post has been published on https://freenews.today/2021/02/28/roy-keane-defends-jose-mourinho-amid-tottenham-sack-pressure-with-message-to-daniel-levy/

Roy Keane defends Jose Mourinho amid Tottenham sack pressure with message to Daniel Levy

Manchester United legend Roy Keane thinks Jose Mourinho cannot “trust” some of his Tottenham players. Spurs lifted some pressure on the under-fire Mourinho by thrashing Burnley in the Premier League on Sunday.

Gareth Bale, Harry Kane and Lucas Moura scored to put the north Londoners 3-0 up after just half-an-hour against the Clarets.

Bale scored again before the hour mark as Spurs secured a victory that moves them within six points of fourth-placed West Ham having played one match less than the Hammers.

Spurs came into the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with Mourinho’s future the subject of ever-increasing speculation.

The north Londoners had lost five of their previous six top-flight games before their hammering of Sean Dyche’s men in the capital.

And speaking pre-match, Keane came to the defence of the Portuguese coach and insisted he could not trust the likes of Alli and Bale, who have featured very sporadically under him this season.

Keane – who also stuck up for Mourinho over his demise at United by claiming the players “downed tools” – has suggested that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy needs to provide the manager with a better squad to work with.

Mourinho is safe in his job for now with the Carabao Cup final to come against Manchester City in April and Spurs into the last 16 of the Europa League, while their victory over Burnley boosts their hopes of a top-four finish too.

And speaking before the game against the Lancashire outfit, Keane said: “I expect them to win today and I expect them to be in the top seven or eight but this idea that Spurs automatically should be in the top four…

“If you analyse the players he’s got, he’s chopping and changing for a reason, because he can’t trust them.

“They played West Ham last week, we were talking about Bale, he came on and made a difference. What did he do? He put a corner in.

“He’s come in to Spurs to get into the top four and he can’t get into the starting eleven. Mourinho’s working with these players day-in, day-out and your eyes don’t lie to you.

“We’re talking about Dele Alli. I’m sick of talking about Dele Alli, what’s going to happen with this kid? We’re looking at his stats from two or three years ago.

“He’s lost the hunger, the eye of the tiger, he’s not going to get Tottenham back into the top four. We have the same conversations every week.

And Keane also said: “I think Tottenham have got so many average players. You talk about the pressure Spurs are on to get in the top four and all this carry-on, Kane and Son, take them two out of that team and Spurs are an average Premier League team and I’m being polite.

“I think Spurs were better two or three years ago with the [Kieran] Trippiers and the [Christian] Eriksens and when [Dele] Alli had the hunger. This Spurs team, they’re good on their day, like lots of teams.

“Jamie [Redknapp] makes the point saying they’ve got international players, if you can trap the ball you can play for your country these days.

“Everybody plays for their country, if you don’t play for your country you’re a bad player. That doesn’t guarantee anything.

“Who out of this Tottenham team would get in the Liverpool team, the Man City team, the Chelsea team? You wouldn’t touch any of them. Son and Kane.

“I’d take them two, outstanding, but the rest of them I wouldn’t touch them.”

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[gokul2181]

Lampard wants 'collective sit-down' over VAR controversies | Football News

New Post has been published on https://jordarnews.in/lampard-wants-collective-sit-down-over-var-controversies-football-news/

Lampard wants 'collective sit-down' over VAR controversies | Football News

Frank Lampard. (Reuters Photo)

LONDON: Apart from Liverpool wrapping up the Premier League title the only other inevitability about the restart of the season has been VAR controversy, and this week has provided it in spades. West Ham United manager Davis Moyes was “spewing” after Tomas Soucek’s strike was chalked off for an offside decision that took close to four minutes for VAR to sort out. A day later it was Jose Mourinho’s turn to look flabbergasted after Harry Kane‘s equaliser at Sheffield United was wiped off as VAR official Michael Oliver decided that Lucas Moura’s arm had made contact with the ball in the build-up. Brazilian Moura had actually been fouled, and was sliding headlong across the turf when a Sheffield United defender blasted the ball against him from point-blank range, the ball then spinning to Kane who shot home. Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder, who has had plenty of grievances with VAR this season, including a disallowed goal at Tottenham, sympathised, calling the decision a farce. Former Liverpool and Tottenham player Jamie Redknapp, working as a Sky Sports pundit, said it was the worst decision he had ever seen and that common sense had gone out the window. The forensic use of VAR to apply current offside and handball laws has been the biggest gripe. “We need a reflection at the end of the season, a collective sit-down — managers, players, referees, anyone who loves the game — to have an input and get it closer to where we want it to,” Chelsea boss Frank Lampard said on Friday. Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti agreed that it was as much a case about the rules as VAR. “It was a really complicated and difficult decision, but the decision they made comes from the rules that are in place at the moment,” he said of Tottenham’s disallowed goal. “Maybe at the end of season we can think about changing this kind of rule.” Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers also called for common sense to be applied. “It’s becoming very forensic and we are starting to lose the spirit of our game,” he said. Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson said both Soucek and Kane’s disallowed goals had been hard to understand. “VAR has had a very bad week,” he said. Former Premier League referee Peter Walton said Tottenham’s disallowed goal stemmed from a rule change brought in after they benefited in last year’s Champions League quarter-final when Fernando Llorente’s tie-winning goal was allowed despite the ball brushing his arm. Soccer law-makers IFAB subsequently changed the handball law to say that if the ball strikes a player’s hand, elbow or arm — accidentally or otherwise — in the build-up to a goal it will be ruled out. “This match may prompt IFAB to look again at how handballs are penalised,” Walton wrote in The Times. “But by the letter of the law as it is written, Tottenham can have no complaints.”

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[sadroundface]

ao3 tag: 'too drunk to consent'

They gently clink glasses and some of the red liquid dribbles down Frank’s chin as he sips.  Jamie thinks if he kissed it away it’d be red red red Frank’s lips wet mouth sloppy tongue all over Jamie’s tongue God God God think of being at Nan’s apartment or something so you don’t come just from Franko not knowing what to do with his red red red tongue red red red 

“Fuck, this is strong,” Frank says.  “If Christine made this for me I’d think she was trying to get me into bed.  Would tell her that too.”

“Mine’s strong too,” Jamie lies without guilt.  “She has to get you drunk to get you in bed?”

“These days? Doesn’t hurt.”

Jamie can’t decide whether to ask what he means. Frank’s spreading his legs out on the sofa.  His thighs are still crazy, powerful.  Two engines.  The Nike joggers cling.  They have the Chelsea logo.  They have his initials.  It’s a fucking tragedy.  Why can’t they just be two horny teenagers, the right genders, the right genes? “Remember Ayia Napa?”

“Fuckin…whole internet remembers Ayia Napa.  The video still pops up everywhere.  Who d’you think’s still getting off to it?”

“No, not that.  When we went for my 23rd birthday.  Your 18th.”

Jamie watches Frank’s eyes, follows the curves of his round cheeks upwards.  At Chelsea he looked different.  Now the Franko that he knew is back.  Just older, a man in some ways, but in all the right ways just…Franko.

“Oh, that.  Not much.  Your friends kept calling me fat.  I was hungover all the time.  Didn’t keep me properly hydrated.  Mum told you to.”

“Anything else?”  Limping through the lobby hair unwashed eyes red red red rimmed whoever did it!  The guys talking, which one of us?  Watch your drinks at the club tonight lads, it couldn’tve been just alcohol.  He’s strong, bet he could fight back if he was just drunk—until Jamie exploded—Stop fucking talking about it, stop it, next person to say a word gets their teeth knocked out and I mean it!  Stop! 

(He’s just feeling guilty because he couldn’t protect his baby cousin, you know?  He’d do anything for Frankie.)

Frank’s eyes are blank.  Dead.  It’s never been anything else.

“No.  Not really.  It was just a beach holiday, you know, I’ve been on lots since then.”

“Okay, then.”  Frank’s cocktail is disappearing remarkably fast down his throat. Maybe that’s a sign.  “Fuck cricket.  Let’s watch a movie or something. Keep you up late so Christine goes to bed.  I’ll save you from her.”  I’ll save you because you’re mine you’re mine 

Frank burps again and giggles and Jamie brushes some of Frank’s hair off his forehead.  Carefully, because it’s soft and thinning.  He leans into his cousin’s face and speaks soft like his hair. Flirting. He didn't get to flirt in Ayia Napa.  “What d’ya think, Franko?  Will you let me save you?”

“God, please.”

“You didn’t have to marry her, you know.”

“Jamie—Jamie Frank Redknapp—you fuckin’ idiot.  Imagine what Dad would’ve said if I never got married.”

“Oh, I know.  I heard him say it anyway.”

[wsmith215]

Conor Coady: Wolves captain says playing behind closed doors is necessary but not ideal | Football News

Coady says Wolves are keen to finish the season but stresses the importance of a cautious approach

By Dan Sansom

Last Updated: 15/05/20 8:20am

3:12

Wolves captain Conor Coady believes the Premier League is on track to return after being involved in ‘Project Restart’ talks this week

Wolves captain Conor Coady believes the Premier League is on track to return after being involved in ‘Project Restart’ talks this week

Wolves captain Conor Coady says playing behind closed doors is “not the most ideal situation” but understands it is necessary if Premier League football is to return next month.

The government says it is “opening the door” for football to return in June and the Premier League has already started planning for matches to be played without supporters due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Wolves defender Coady has already played behind closed doors this season – in a Europa League draw at Olympiakos in March – and says although it is required, the situation is difficult to get used to.

1:10 Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Jonathan Van-Tam told the government briefing how they will decide on the return of elite sport

Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England Professor Jonathan Van-Tam told the government briefing how they will decide on the return of elite sport

“I’ll be honest it’s really tough. From my point of view it was a tough game to play because it’s so different,” he told Sky Sports News.

“Supporters make this game. You live to play in front of supporters – the extra 10 per cent that they give you is huge on a football pitch.

“The adrenaline, the nervous energy that you get when you go out onto a football pitch all comes from that because you want to impress, you want to do well.

“But we understand that things moving forward aren’t normal. We understand that to get football back on that is one of the situations that we’re going to need to deal with but it’s not the most ideal situation.

“Ideally you’d play in front of 32,000 at Molineux cheering for Wolves and hoping that we win. It’s looking that for quite a long time that’s not going to be the case and so it’s up to us to adapt and move on as quickly as possible.”

0:35 Wolves forward Diogo Jota says the experience of playing behind closed doors at Olympiakos in March was a ‘strange’ experience

Wolves forward Diogo Jota says the experience of playing behind closed doors at Olympiakos in March was a ‘strange’ experience

Coady: It’s important we take little steps

Premier League captains – including Coady – held a meeting with the Premier League and medical experts on Wednesday afternoon to talk through the protocols which will be in place to make sure training is as safe as possible.

Mark Noble and Troy Deeney led calls for guarantees over player safety before football resumes, and Coady says he understands their concerns.

“The conversation [PL meeting] was fine,” he said. “All the players were brilliant in putting their point across on how they want to do things so hopefully it can move forward and the Premier League will do what they need to do.

“We respect everybody’s opinion and decision on how they want to move forward because this is such a horrible time.

1:17 Watford captain Troy Deeney and West Ham skipper Mark Noble have voiced concerns over the Premier League’s ‘Project Restart’

Watford captain Troy Deeney and West Ham skipper Mark Noble have voiced concerns over the Premier League’s ‘Project Restart’

“I can understand different points of view from everybody. I’ve got the same reservations – we’ve all got families – I’ve got three boys and a wife at home, but it’s a respect for other players and their decisions and that will always be the case with footballers and people in general so you’ll never take that away.

“People will come to their own decisions on how they want to move forward and we’ll respect that as players.

“It’s such a cautious situation and I can understand doing baby steps as we come in. We all want that date to say right Wolves are playing on June 12 or June 13, we all want that but I think we all realise that this is such a tough situation that we’re in and I think it’s important we take little steps at a time until we get ourselves back.”

‘We’re determined to get back on the pitch’

Premier League clubs could start training again next Tuesday if proposals are backed by players and managers and approved by the government and Public Health England.

Wolves returned to training this week for individual sessions and fitness training, where strict social distancing measures are in place and players are required to wash their own kit.

“We’ve been back in training this week, training individually, and it’s been really good,” Coady said.

“It’s not normal and we want to get back to as close to normal as soon as possible but we have to go through these steps and the doctor, manager and staff have been fantastic with us.

1:01 Former Liverpool players Jamie Carragher and Jamie Redknapp discuss how players may struggle for form and fitness upon their return to Premier League football due to the coronavirus pandemic

Former Liverpool players Jamie Carragher and Jamie Redknapp discuss how players may struggle for form and fitness upon their return to Premier League football due to the coronavirus pandemic

“I can only speak for myself and the lads at Wolves and all the lads are determined to hopefully get back on the pitch and get playing football because from our point of view that’s what we want to get back doing as soon as possible.

“We love playing football, we love being out on the pitch. I think if we could get back it would be fantastic and that’s something to look forward to.

“We’ve had a fantastic season – it’s a season that we have loved and we don’t want to forget about it so quickly. The run we’ve been on and the journey we’ve been on this season has been amazing.

“There’s nine games left and I just hope that we can play it out and then see where we go, we want to keep on improving as a football club.”

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[soccerdrawings]

Five Doubts You Should Clarify About Top 8 Best Soccer Leagues In The World | Top 8 Best Soccer Leagues In The World

10. Kalidou Koulibaly — SSC Napoli

8 best soccer players | World, Amazing gardens, Sweets cake - top 10 best soccer leagues in the world | top 10 best soccer leagues in the world Almost all of Europe's bigger clubs are rumoured to be absorbed in demography Kalidou Koulibaly abroad from Napoli.Manchester United and Manchester City appetite him, says Transfermarkt, as does Chelsea, according to Calcio Mercato. Football Espana says Real Madrid are afterwards him, and Football Italia says Paris Saint Germain are, too.Why wouldn't they be?The Senegalese has been unwaveringly solid for a cardinal of years now, and was as acceptable as anytime in 2019. He was called Serie A's best apostle for aftermost season, and additionally in the Africa Cup of Nations' Aggregation of the Tournament. 9. Sadio Mane — Liverpool FC When addition is accustomed Lionel Messi's allowance of approval, you apperceive they charge be good.At 2019's FIFA Best Awards, the Argentine voted Sadio Mane as his cardinal one amateur in the world. Unfortunately for the Liverpool ablaze however, he didn't alike accomplish the top three in end."It's a abashment to see Mane accomplishment in fourth place," Messi told Canal at the time, says Goal. "Mane accomplished a abundant year that was aberrant for the absolute Liverpool team. That's why I chose him." 8. Eden Hazard — Real Madrid Few in apple football accept bigger dribbling abilities than Eden Hazard. That's approved best by the actuality that over the aftermost decade, the Belgian completed added acknowledged dribbles than any added amateur in the Premier League, managing an absurd 909 during his time with Chelsea. Since affective to La Liga, he's maintained those aerial standards, averaging 4.4 dribbles per adventurous — the additional accomplished in the analysis abaft alone Lionel Messi. He has alone played seven amateur this appellation due to abrasion however, so already he's absolutely fit, that boilerplate is acceptable to acceleration alike higher.

The world's best footballers: the top 8 list | Football .. | top 10 best soccer leagues in the world 7. Paul Pogba — Manchester United Paul Pogba didn't alike accomplish the top 50 of Business Insider's best players of 2019 list.Since affective to Manchester United in 2016, the Frenchman has bootless to carbon the anatomy he showed at antecedent club Juventus. That is by no accountability of his own, however.Former United administrator Jose Mourinho bootless to see eye-to-eye with Pogba, oft either arena him out of position or abbreviating him completely. The 26-year-old additionally wasn't helped by the audible abridgement of affection about him at Old Trafford. A added authentic absorption of Pogba's adeptness is aback he plays for his country. He leads the band like a accurate midfield general, arena with flair, grace, and adeptness in according measure, but best importantly, with a smile on his face.A adored Pogba is a apple chic Pogba.   6. Kylian Mbappe — Paris Saint Germain If you were to attending at Kylian Mbappe's bays cabinet, you wouldn't accept he is still alone 21 years old.A Apple Cup, three Ligue 1 titles, and the Coupe de France are aloof a few of his aggregate honours. Individually, he's won the Golden Boy award, the Ligue 1 Amateur of the Analysis trophy, and Ligue 1's top scorer prize. He additionally has 122 career goals to date already, which is far added than both Lionel Messi (50) and Cristiano Ronaldo (36) had managed by the time they accomplished the aforementioned age.Should he abide in the aforementioned fashion, the Frenchman has the aptitude to beat both as the avant-garde game's greatest anytime goalscorer, and conceivably even, player. 

Ranking - Top 8 Best Football League In The World - top 10 best soccer leagues in the world | top 10 best soccer leagues in the world 5. Kevin De Bruyne — Manchester City If Kevin De Bruyne were a car, he'd be a Rolls Royce Phantom. Classy, elegant, and luxurious, but with a able 450 bhp agent hidden abroad beneath its hood. The Belgian ablaze plays the adventurous effortlessly, but to adverse effect.His ambit of casual is additional to none, and, aback accumulated with his abstract aboriginal blow and astute acquaintance of what's accident about him, it agency he can behest any game.The 28-year-old's adeptness to alluvion accomplished defenders at the bead of a accept additionally evokes memories of a prime Zinedine Zidane. 4. Virgil Van Dijk — Liverpool FC "Think of the best defenders in Premier League history — John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, and Nemanja Vidic. Van Dijk is all three players formed into one."Those were the words of above Liverpool and England ablaze Jamie Redknapp, according to Goal.A adventurous statement, but one difficult to altercate with accustomed aloof how accomplished the Dutchman has been aback his move to Anfield in aboriginal 2018.His Terry-esque heart, his Ferdinand-esque brain, and Vidic-esque animality accept adapted Liverpool's aback four into the best in Europe. Should Jurgen Klopp's ancillary win its aboriginal anytime Premier League appellation as accepted this season, a lot of acclaim will, and accurately so, go to Van Dijk.  3. N'Golo Kante — Chelsea FC On the pitch, N'Golo Kante does not comedy like a superstar. He doesn't accept agitating footwork, he rarely scores, and he never absolutely acreage himself in hot water.  

Global Club Soccer Rankings | FiveThirtyEight - top 10 best soccer leagues in the world | top 10 best soccer leagues in the world Off it, he doesn't act like one either. No blatant cars (he still drives a Mini Cooper), no adorned artist clothes, and no partying til the aboriginal hours. But that is absolutely what makes him so unassumingly, but terrifyingly, brilliant. Whether it's block the brawl relentlessly for 90 mins, sitting in advanced of the aback four, or arena as an advancing midfielder, the able 28-year-old consistently adds value, and a lot of it.  2. Neymar — Paris Saint Germain Neymar didn't accept a decidedly memorable 2019. Injuries, suspensions, poor form, advancing alteration rumours, and off-field problems all fabricated for one of the affliction years of his career.A asperous 12 months abreast however, the Brazilian charcoal an acutely accomplished footballer, who has the adeptness to change a adventurous like no added amateur in apple football, bar Lionel Messi. Seductively skillful, a acute passer, and capital finisher — Neymar has it all in his arsenal. At 27, he still has affluence of time to accomplish his abeyant as the world's best which he showed during his time at Barcelona.  1. Lionel Messi — FC Barcelona Lionel Messi has already been mentioned a lot in this article, alike afore we've accomplished him. "Lionel Messi's allowance of approval." "Bar Lionel Messi," "Behind alone Lionel Messi."Anything and aggregate every added amateur does gets instantly compared to the Argentine. Why? He is the best. At everything.He runs with the brawl like no added player, passes a brawl bigger than anybody else, and, of course, he array the best goals — 717 in absolute to date. Diego Maradona may accept been adored with God's hand, but Messi got the rest. 

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Spurs criticized over Pochettino sacking - football

Tottenham Hotspur’s decision to sack Mauricio Pochettino six months after leading them to the Champions League final has sent shockwaves through the football world, with pundits saying the club should have given him more time to turn the season around.Spurs sit 14th in the Premier League with only 14 points after 12 games, a situation that prompted club chairman Daniel Levy to make the “extremely reluctant” decision in an attempt to salvage their campaign.Former Manchester United and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has already been linked to the job, with Sky Sports reporting that talks between were at an advanced stage with both sides confident a deal could be reached later on Wednesday.Pochettino led Spurs to four consecutive Champions League finishes despite a relatively small transfer budget and former Spurs striker Gary Lineker said the club would be hard-pressed to find a suitable replacement.“He helped the club to punch massively above their weight for years,” Lineker said on Twitter. “Good luck with finding a better replacement ... ain’t gonna happen.”Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher criticised the timing of the sacking, saying Pochettino deserved more time.“I think he should have been given until the end of the season to try and get Tottenham back where they should be and where Tottenham should be really is not actually in the top four,” he said.“Tottenham should be a top-six club but he’s made them a top-four club and also a club who almost won the title, almost won the Champions League.”Spurs midfielder Dele Alli thanked the Argentine on Twitter.“I can’t thank this man enough,” the 23-year-old said. “He’s taught me so much and I’m so grateful for everything he’s done for me. Good luck and hope to see you again my friend.”However, with only 25 points from their last 24 games stretching back to last season, former Spurs manager Harry Redknapp said the sacking was inevitable.“The results have not been good enough, they’ve not performed well enough. That’s what gets you sacked as a football manager,” Redknapp said, adding that he would return as an interim manager until the end of the season if he was asked.“They’ve had one Champions League final and, if you look back at the run, really everything went their way a little bit. But they’ve not won a trophy in five or six years with an incredible squad of players, full of internationals.“People talk about the players there all loving him. If they love him that much, maybe they should have started playing a bit better. At the end of the day, they’ve got him the sack.” Source link Read the full article

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Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal AS IT HAPPENED: Mohamed Salah brace maintains perfect record | Football | Sport

LIVERPOOL 3-1 ARSENAL | MATIP (41), SALAH (48, 58), TORREIRA (84)

Fabinho and Jordan Henderson come into the Liverpool midfield

James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the bench

Summer signing Nicolas Pepe makes his first start for Arsenal

Alexandre Lacazette is a substitute along with Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Joel Matip heads home a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner

Luiz concedes penalty when tugging Salah’s shirt – Egyptian converts

Salah doubles his tally when leaving Luiz for dead and slotting home

Substitute Lucas Torreira scores a consolation goal for Arsenal

Liverpool XI: Adrian, Fabinho, Van Dijk, Wijnaldum, Firmino, Mane, Salah, Henderson, Robertson, Matip, Alexander-Arnold

Arsenal XI: Leno, Sokratis, Ceballos, Aubameyang, Maitland-Niles, Monreal, Pepe, Luiz, Willock, Guendouzi, Xhaka

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

LIVERPOOL 3-1 ARSENAL

FT: Liverpool the only remaining side with a perfect record in the Premier League. It’s actually a new record for the club, who have now won 12 consecutive games. Arsenal were better than the 3-1 scoreline suggests and will win plenty of away matches with those kinds of performances.

93: David Luiz, never short on confidence, decides he’s going to shoot from the free-kick. It’s about 30-yards from goal… miles over.

92: Booked! Virgil van Dijk is the second booking of the afternoon when handling the ball with Alexandre Lacazette backing into him.

90: Four minutes of added time.

89: Arsenal seeing all of the ball in these closing stages but Liverpool are defending well enough. Henrik Mkhitaryan on for Matteo Guendouzi. Adam Lallana on for Roberto Firmino.

87: Alexandre Lacazette drives into the penalty area before reaching the byline. He flicks it up and subsequently appeals for a penalty for handball. Nothing doing.

LIVERPOOL 3-1 ARSENAL | TORREIRA

84: GOAL! Arsenal pull one back through substitute Lucas Torreira. It won’t see them take home any points but it displays a real sign of character.

There’s a scramble inside the Liverpool penalty area and Torreira capitalises by firing low into the corner.

83: Looks like Unai Emery is experimenting a bit with Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe on the pitch. Tottenham up next for Arsenal – could we see all three start?

80: We’re pretty-much at a walking pace now as Liverpool look to protect their clean sheet. You suspect there are more goals in this if they pressed the accelerator.

Alexandre Lacazette on for Joe Willow who, once again, has done himself proud.

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

78: Standing-ovation Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who arrives for Sadio Mane.

75: Nice move from a tired Arsenal. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finds Nicolas Pepe on the right, who tries to scoop the ball back over to the striker. James Milner spots the danger and glances it behind for a corner. Cleared.

72: Jordan Henderson spots Mohamed Salah steaming in at the far post but Bernd Leno reads it and races off his line to collect.

69: Wijnaldum off, Milner on. Jurgen Klopp sends in the veteran to make sure no silly business occurs.

66: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looks like he’s through on goal after a lay-off from Nicolas Pepe but Virgil Van Dijk moves over to usher the ball back to Adrian.

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

63: “Mo Salah, Mo Salah, running down the wing” reverberates around Anfield. Home fans are loving this. Absolutely loving it.

Lucas Torreira replaces Dani Ceballos.

61: They are queuing up! Andrew Robertson and Sadio Mane nearly trip over each other as they look to nail a fourth. The Scotsman eventually wins out but blasts it straight at Bernd Leno.

LIVERPOOL 3-0 ARSENAL | SALAH

58: GOAL! Liverpool running riot. Mohamed Salah running riot. This could be a cricket score now as the Egyptian king does what he does best.

Fabinho sends it forward and Salah leaves David Luiz for dead with a clever spin. He bears down on goal and calmly slots it beyond the outstretched Bernd Leno.

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

57: Liverpool toying with Arsenal now. It’s played between Mane, Firmino and Robertson, who eventually crosses for Salah to head over the crossbar.

54: So wasteful from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. He breaks the offside trap and is through on goal but takes an eternity to shoot. Eventually Joel Matip gets back quickly to stab the ball from under the Arsenal striker’s feet.

52: Mohamed Salah has been directly involved in seven goals in his six Premier League appearances against Arsenal (five goals, two assists), scoring in all four of his home games against them.

51: Where do Arsenal go from here? That was literally the nightmare scenario for Unai Emery’s side at the start of this second half. Handbrake could be released now…

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

LIVERPOOL 2-0 ARSENAL | SALAH

49: GOAL! Mohamed Salah picks himself up and takes the penalty. He makes no mistake with a superb spot-kick right into the top left-hand corner.

50: Penalty to Liverpool! Luiz has a very Luiz moment when tugging on Salah’s shirt inside the penalty area. No real arguments from anyone.

48: Not since March 2018 has Virgil van Dijk been successfully dribbled past in the Premier League. 539 days and 50 matches later, Pepe delivers.

No messing around from the Reds, who instantly test Bernd Leno with a low cross that the goalkeeper clutches. Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were ready and waiting to pounce.

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

LIVERPOOL 1-0 ARSENAL

45: And we’re back underway folks. No changes for either side.

“In Pepe, Arsenal have probably had the best player on the pitch. He is a special talent. I’ve been so impressed with him,” Jamie Redknapp said on Sky Sports. He’s certainly a fan of the £72m signing.

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

Twitter round-up

Joey: Virgil Van Dijk dragged Matteo Guendouzi halfway across the area before Joel Matip headed in. Why isn’t VAR looking at that?

Ryan: I’m loving football right now. The days of parking the bus are well and truly beyond us. Managers have pressed the ‘accelerate and shoot’ button on every players boots!

Sully: How did Pepe miss that chance? For a player who has had a very decent 12 months he should be scoring his first goal for Arsenal.

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

LIVERPOOL 1-0 ARSENAL

HT: And that’s the break. Arsenal certainly had their chances – Nicolas Pepe in particular – but Liverpool take a one-goal lead in with them at the break thanks to Joel Matip.

46: Good chance wasted by Sadio Mane, who shrugs off Ainsley Maitland-Niles before heading over the crossbar. Bullied the Arsenal defender there.

45: Incidentally, that was Joel Matip’s first Premier League goal since scoring against Southampton 11 months ago. two minutes of stoppage time.

43: Arsenal just switched off for a second and they were punished. A goalless draw at the break would have priceless for Unai Emery’s side. Liverpool tails up now.

LIVERPOOL 1-0 ARSENAL | MATIP

41: GOAL! Liverpool make the breakthrough thanks to a centre-back but it’s not the one you would have expected.

Trent Alexander-Arnold sends in a cracking set-piece and there’s Matip to rise highest and unleash a bullet header past Bernd Leno.

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

40: Mohamed Salah backs into Granit Xhaka inside the penalty area. The Egyptian spins and leathers a half-volley wide of the target. Roberto Firmino then fizzes one straight at Sokratis.

38: Jurgen Klopp will be quite disappointed with his full-backs today. You can’t fault Andrew Robertson or Trent Alexander-Arnold’s energy levels – it’s just that final ball hasn’t been good enough on several occasions.

35: There’s a VAR check for a potential red card at Anfield. They are checking to see whether David Luiz swung an elbow in the penalty area. We can’t actually see that – and nobody in the stadium knows what’s happening either.

A Liverpool corner is eventually swung in… and Arsenal break!

Nicolas Pepe runs the length of the field, beating Andrew Robertson with absolute ease. He’s done everything perfectly until the shot – which was poor to say the least. Very impressed with the Ivorian.

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

33: He likes a shot does Nicolas Pepe. The winger puts it on his left and is allowed to pick his spot with a beautiful curling drive. Just wide.

30: I can’t decide whether I’m absolutely loving the bravery on display from Arsenal here – or think it’s ridiculous.

The diamond is allowing Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold acres of space – but Unai Emery’s side have exposed Liverpool’s defence on more than one occassion having sucked the full-backs forward.

27: I suppose that’s a compliment to Arsenal. Sadio Mane looks frustrated when spanking a terrible effort high into the stands. Not his finest. But that makes sense having put him in my fantasy football team this week.

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

24: Suicidal stuff from Arsenal. Ceballos is pinned in next to his corner flag, so decides to spray it across the penalty area where Sadio Mane gratefully collects. He fires quickly but Bernd Leno sticks it.

Lovely interchange between Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino sees the Brazilian’s effort blocked.

21: Good break from the visitors as Joe Willock strides downfield. Roberto Firmino, ever-willing, chases him all the way back to the Liverpool penalty area. Nicolas Pepe has a crack from distance but it’s not enough to cause Adrian any problems.

19: Tell you what, It’s been all Arsenal in the last five minutes. The Gunners are always looking for the long, diagonal ball up to Nicolas Pepe. The summer signing’s got plenty of space when the Liverpool full-backs are bombing forward. First goal will be crucial today.

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

16: There’s some optimism for Arsenal here. Nicolas Pepe looks seriously dangerous when creeping in behind this Liverpool defence. He spins away from Andrew Robertson but the referee penalises him for handball.

13: “I’ve seen these mad types of goalkeepers over the years”, Gary Neville says as Adrian needlessly races off his line to clear a ball that Virgil Van Dijk was perfectly capable of dealing with. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang collects but his lob bounces inches wide.

10: Georginio Wijnaldum momentarily forgets he’s not Lionel Messi when attempting to flick Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner in at the near post. The ball drops for a second bite, but he slices it off target.

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

8: Oh Arsenal… It’s brave. Not many sides would try to play out from the back against a pressing side like Liverpool – but the Gunners are going to try. It immediately fails with Sadio Mane stealing it off Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

5: Liverpool don’t often have a free week to prepare for these fixtures. Surely that can only be bad news for Arsenal.

Grant Xhaka gifts Liverpool a free-kick on the left flank. Arsenal organise themselves with a very high line. The ball is whipped behind the line but Roberto Firmino can’t connect.

3: Guess what? Liverpool are pressing Arsenal like their lives depend on it. Jurgen Klopp plans to heap pressure on Sokratis and Luiz from minute one.

Arsenal are in a diamond formation. And it’s that diamond formation that’s allowed Andrew Robertson to fly down the left and fire narrowly across goal.

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

LIVERPOOL 0-0 ARSENAL

1: Hello everyone, sorry for my incredibly late arrival. I’ve not given you the À la carte treatment because of Manchester United’s somewhat embarrassing defeat to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford today.

I should have gone À la carte, always go À la carte…

Anyway, I’m in position, you’re in position and YNWA has been belted out from all corners of Anfield. We’re underway in the clash of the two sides with perfect records.

Someone is going home without one.

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

Team line ups in:

16:45: The team line ups are in and Nicolas Pepe is handed his first start for Arsenal.

Pepe comes in with Alexandre Lacazette dropping to the bench.

For Liverpool, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah all start as Jurgen Klopp’s men look to maintain their 100 per cent record.

Afternoon…

16:20: Hello everyone and welcome to our LIVE coverage of Liverpool vs Arsenal from Anfield.

I’m busy covering Manchester United’s clash with Crystal Palace right now, but I’ll get things underway the second that has finished. I promise.

I will, however, provide you with the line-ups and team news the second they arrive. Standby for a possible full Nicolas Pepe debut…

Liverpool vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League score, goals and updates (Image: GETTY)

LIVERPOOL vs ARSENAL – TEAM NEWS

Liverpool XI: Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Mane, Salah, Firmino

Arsenal XI: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, David Luiz, Monreal, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Willock, Ceballos, Pepe, Aubameyang

Source link . More news

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Is Jose Mourinho the right man for Manchester United?

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Is Jose Mourinho the right man for Manchester United?

Manchester United crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday night with under-fire manager Jose Mourinho being punished for his negative approach.

The defeat by Sevilla raises fresh questions about whether Mourinho is the right man for United, with the FA Cup now the club’s only hope of silverware this season.

Sportsmail‘s experts Martin Keown, Jamie Redknapp, Chris Sutton, Ian Ladyman, Ian Herbert and Chris Wheeler give their verdict on whether United should persist with Mourinho.  

Jose Mourinho is under scrutiny after Manchester United’s Champions League elimination

MARTIN KEOWN – He’s arrogant, why can’t his team match it? 

After every big win, Jose Mourinho seems to become too clever for his own good.

Why change the team that beat Liverpool on Saturday? Scott McTominay must have been wondering what on earth he had done wrong and Marcus Rashford was pushed to the right having been brilliant on the left.

After important results Mourinho can become too arrogant. We saw it before this game when he hit back at comments by Frank de Boer.

United need to play in the bold and bolshy way their manager conducts his press conferences. It is what the fans expect. They want to see their team dictating play and dominating, not reacting to the opposition. 

The United manager decided to deploy Marcus Rashford on the right flank against Sevilla

Old Trafford is a strangely intimidating place for the home team when the pressure is on. I played there for England against Greece when David Beckham’s last-minute free-kick sent us to the 2002 World Cup.

As we were chasing a result, the ground was almost like a theatre with people watching anxiously in silence — as a player, that works against you.

Romelu Lukaku has the ability to be a top striker. Rashford can embarrass any full back on the planet. Mourinho has the personnel but does not seem to want to use them in a dominant manner. He is the right man for the job but he needs to let these players play.

It is five years since United last won the Premier League. While the team have been in transition, they have lost their aura.

Playing the way they did against Sevilla is not how to get it back. 

United’s only realistic remaining chance of glory under Mourinho this season is the FA Cup

JAMIE REDKNAPP – Don’t go yet, but DO liven up your play!  

Did anyone think that Jose Mourinho was going to go to Old Trafford and play vast, expansive football?

With Mourinho you get a proven winner, not pretty football.

The problem this season is that Pep Guardiola has proved you can be utterly dominant while playing great football.

Manchester City are playing almost a different sport to the rest of the Premier League.

Mourinho may not be the only manager under pressure to compete with City but United are the only team in the top four who are not enjoyable to watch. 

Nemanja Matic and Eric Bailly look dejected during United’s defeat by Sevilla at Old Trafford

United can still win the FA Cup this season in what would be a third trophy in two years for Mourinho.

They are nine points clear of Chelsea in a top-four spot and are likely to invest heavily again to try to close the gap on City next season.

Mourinho will point to the fact that United are rebuilding but, in terms of the way they play, you cannot say that any real progress has been made.

While I argued in my Sportsmail column recently that Mourinho had not done enough to earn his new contract, I equally do not think he should leave the club.

After this defeat by Sevilla, it is clear that now is the time for Mourinho to change his approach.

CHRIS SUTTON – If you’re going to bore use then win trophies…

When you play this kind of negative football, you have to back it up with trophies. Jose Mourinho will point to his League Cup and Europa League triumphs last season but those are not titles Manchester United should be aiming for.

Mourinho said in 2013: ‘I don’t want to win the Europa League. It would be a big disappointment for me.’

The most staggering thing about his comments after Tuesday’s defeat was his acceptance of the result. It suggested that Mourinho and United are content with their current position. Are they no longer reaching for the stars? 

United signed Romelu Lukaku from Everton last summer for an initial fee of £75million

SUPER STAT 

 162 – Times Alexis Sanchez has lost possession in the Premier League for Manchester United — more than any other player in the division since he joined the club in January.

Mourinho has spent close to £300million but has failed to mount a serious challenge for the biggest prizes. It all boils down to their style of play.

Had it been Real Madrid or Barcelona, I could understand that United would want to be cautious. But Sevilla? They are fifth in La Liga.

Mourinho is a proven winner. He remains the right man for the job but he faces two choices. Either he gets his team playing on the front foot or proves that his negative brand of football can get results. 

Chris Smalling cannot hide his frustration after United crashed out of the Champions League

IAN LADYMAN – He can’t survive if he carries on playing like this 

Manchester United are already a better club under Jose Mourinho.

They have better players and a manager who can win things. He may well win the FA Cup this season.

The club failed to nourish and regenerate United’s first team adequately during Sir Alex Ferguson’s final years in charge, and every manager has paid the price for their lack of foresight and poor planning.

That rebuilding process goes on and few managers are better built than Mourinho to handle the inevitable criticism and focus that will come his way during that time. 

Mourinho’s United side have been criticised in some quarters for their negative approach

JOSE MOURINHO’S RECENT CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RECORD 

2017-18 – Manchester United – Last 16

2015-16 – Chelsea – Last 16

2014-15 – Chelsea – Last 16

2013-14 – Chelsea – Semi-finals

2012-13 – Real Madrid – Semi-finals

However, if Mourinho is to continue beyond this summer — an off-season that will witness more heavy spending — he simply cannot continue to encourage the kind of moribund football played by his team recently.

There is a myth about Mourinho that says he has always played this way. That isn’t true. He has always been a pragmatic coach, one who can suffocate a game when necessary. There is a skill in that.

But he has not always been so dreadfully unambitious. His first Chelsea team did not play that way when they won Mourinho five major trophies in three seasons.

So as the 55-year-old looks to the future and plans the ongoing rebuilding of his United squad, he must try to envisage a time when he attempts to play some proper football again.

If Mourinho does not do that then he cannot — and should not — survive.

Mourinho now finds himself under pressure to alter United’s playing style in search of success

IAN HERBERT – Categorically NOT the right man for the job 

It’s what Jose Mourinho says, as much as his team’s pitiful defeat by Sevilla, that tells you he is categorically not the man to restore Manchester United to the high plateau.

His utterances have become a stream of distraction techniques, calculated to deflect from where the team actually stand. Monday’s savage attack on Frank de Boer had those present scrambling to discover what the Dutchman had actually said about the club.

Ludicrous, imagined slights have turned him into a dour individual — bereft of that old capacity to light up a room or make good players great. The diminution of Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez is on him. The advance of Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah — both Mourinho rejects — mocks him weekly.

Sir Alex Ferguson also laid false trails after defeat. His ‘typical Germans’ barb deflected from 2010 Champions League elimination by Bayern Munich. But there was usually a sunny demeanour when he arrived to talk the following Friday.

Mourinho is the caretaker: the man who has restored credibility to a great club. Others must now locate the heights.

Mourinho has struggled to get the best out of star players including Paul Pogba this season

Alexis Sanchez has been unable to make a major impact since joining from Arsenal in January

CHRIS WHEELER – They have no choice but to make it work

For those fans who believe that Jose Mourinho was never the right choice for Manchester United, the Champions League debacle against Sevilla provided plenty of justification.

They were raised on the exhilarating football of Sir Alex Ferguson, and what they are seeing right now is the polar opposite of that.

It’s even more painful because Manchester City are sauntering towards the title under Pep Guardiola playing a brand of football they want to see at Old Trafford.

Will Mourinho’s teams ever play in the best traditions of United? No. Does that make him the wrong fit? In the long term, yes, it probably does.

Winger Jesse Lingard, who came on as a substitute, was left devastated by United’s defeat

Mourinho’s joyless demeanour — sniping at rival managers and pundits — is mirrored by his team’s performances.

But after three years of drifting in the wrong direction under David Moyes and Louis van Gaal, United needed stability.

They went for a headline act to rival Guardiola and have backed him to the tune of £295million. They knew what they were getting.

Changing any time soon would represent another backward step in the difficult post-Ferguson era.

For now, United and Mourinho have no choice but to try to make this work.

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