Are England and Jamie Vardy missing a trick or are they better off without each other? September 4, 2019 When Gareth Southgate reconvened his England squad this week ahead of the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Kosovo he did so without one notable absentee: Jamie Vardy. With two goals for Leicester against Bournemouth on Saturday, Vardy took his tally to 12 in his last 14 Premier League appearances and underlined his claim to [...]
Economic theory can offer a lesson to struggling football clubs September 4, 2019 The expulsion of Bury FC from the English Football League last week continues to generate a huge amount of sound and fury. Regardless of the apparently dodgy nature of some of Bury’s transactions, the simple fact is that the club overspent massively in order to gain promotion from League Two last season. The surge in [...]
England v Australia fourth Ashes Test preview: Ben Stokes eyes third miracle act at Old Trafford September 3, 2019 If they want to win the Ashes back England really shouldn’t have to rely on Ben Stokes. After all, he’s already performed enough miracles in six weeks to last even the most talented sportsman a lifetime. This summer he’s won them a first World Cup and kept the Ashes alive, so really in the interest [...]
Chris Tremlett: Craig Overton selection at Old Trafford is surprising but based on solid thinking September 3, 2019 I was surprised to see the news that Craig Overton was coming into England’s side for the fourth Ashes Test against Australia at Old Trafford tomorrow. Chris Woakes is not injured, so the fact Overton, who joined the squad as a replacement for Jimmy Anderson, has moved ahead of both Woakes and Sam Curran raised [...]
Richard Gould interview: Surrey’s chief executive on T20 Blast success, The Hundred and the fifth Ashes Test September 2, 2019 Surrey are enjoying a bumper summer, but Richard Gould is worried news of their prosperity might be getting lost among other cricket events. The hype from England’s World Cup win in July has, thanks to Ben Stokes, merged seamlessly into Ashes euphoria, creating a phenomenon Surrey have been reaping the benefits of. The club’s chief [...]
Sebastian Soderberg battled his demons to break his European Tour duck and pip world No1-in-waiting Rory McIlroy September 2, 2019 Sebastian Soderberg would have been forgiven for thinking his chance to win a first European Tour title at the 50th attempt had gone when he three-putted and bogeyed the 17th hole of the European Masters on Sunday. Had the 28-year-old Swede made par he could have played the final hole with a degree of comfort. [...]
Arsenal 2-2 Tottenham: Honours even as Eriksen shines in frenetic north London derby September 1, 2019 This was a result that both teams would probably have taken beforehand but truly satisfied no one – except perhaps the neutrals, who were treated to an early contender for most breathless, frenetic and combustible Premier League match of the season. Arsenal would have settled for a point and improvements in all departments on last [...]
Premier League talking points: Struggling Solskjaer, prolific Vardy and naive Chelsea September 1, 2019 “We have dominated the last three games and we know we are on the right track, we’re getting used to that way of playing,” said Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after his team’s 1-1 draw with Southampton on Saturday. The problem is that at a club like United you aren’t afforded much time to [...]
Appropriate at Donmar Warehouse review: An expert study of sibling rivalry August 30, 2019 There’s something special about an argument between siblings. No other type of altercation conjures up that same breed of no-holds-barred viciousness, which has the ability to transform even the most composed of us into a ill-tempered child as soon as the first insult is hurled. This is the object of study in Appropriate, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ play [...]
Notting Hill Carnival’s ‘Dancing Granny’ signs underwear deal with Sloggi after video goes viral August 30, 2019 Almost 1m people attended Notting Hill Carnival’s annual carnival last weekend. One of them, Colette Zacca, left with viral fame and an underwear deal with German brand Sloggi. Read More: Notting Hill Carnival 2019: Everything you need to know about London’s best parade The 56-year-old from Stamford Hill has been dubbed “Dancing Granny” online after [...]