Legal Q&A: Why has Eleven Sports breached the UK Saturday afternoon live football blackout? October 8, 2018 The traditional Saturday afternoon restriction on broadcasting live football in the UK has been challenged by online-only subscription broadcaster Eleven Sports. Lawyer Satish Khandke examines the implications. What are the legal restrictions that Eleven Sports has challenged? Uefa regulations allow the member associations of football’s European governing body to designate a blackout period of two and a [...]
Pretenders Liverpool miss chance to put pressure on champions Manchester City October 7, 2018 On an afternoon of few chances at Anfield, Riyad Mahrez was guilty of the most conspicuous miss, blazing a late penalty high into the stands when a winning goal and all three points beckoned for Manchester City. But in a few months’ time, when the battle for Premier League supremacy between two of the three [...]
Fulham 1-5 Arsenal: Gunners’ rampant attack helps optimism return under Unai Emery October 7, 2018 “We’ve got our Arsenal back.” That was the chant coming from the away end at Craven Cottage after Aaron Ramsey flicked in his side’s third goal in a 5-1 rout of Fulham. Ramsey’s improvised finish at the end of a flowing team move was the apex of a heady second half in which the Gunners [...]
Venom review: A talented cast struggles its way through this jumbled anti-hero affair October 5, 2018 Spider-Man recently made a critically acclaimed Homecoming to Disney/Marvel after years tied to Sony, leaving the alien entity known as Venom in a strange hinterland. The character’s first stand alone film is produced by Sony “in association with Marvel” as part of their new sharing agreement, but the resulting conflagration of themes and tones bears [...]
Pinter at the Pinter: Stagings of the great playwright’s short plays and poems offers a rare chance to see these unmissable works October 5, 2018 Harold Pinter was prolific, with more than 30 stage plays, almost as many screenplays and dozens of works of prose and poetry to his name. But while revered masterpieces such as The Birthday Party, No Man’s Land and Betrayal are regularly staged, there are fewer opportunities to see his equally brilliant shorter works. Director Jamie [...]
Tania Bruguera in the Tate Modern Turbine Hall continues a downward trend for the once great exhibition space October 5, 2018 The Turbine Hall is the toughest gig in contemporary art. While it must feel like a dream commission, it often proves to be a poisoned chalice. Filling the largest public exhibition space in the world requires massive art and super-massive ideas. It needs to be engaging, without descending into a crowd-pleasing fairground attraction. And while [...]
A Star is Born review: Lady Gaga shines like a supernova in Bradley Cooper’s remake of a Hollywood classic October 5, 2018 A Star is Born is a simple idea that just won’t die. This version, directed by and starring Bradley Cooper as rock star Jackson Maine, is the fourth retelling of the starstruck fantasy. Famous boy meets girl in bar, makes her a star, they fall in love, get married and she cares for his tortured [...]
Editor’s Notes: A subversive Brexit comedy? It’s about bloody time; art’s in the right place and Conservative party conference diary October 5, 2018 Whenever Brexit is introduced as a subject for comedy, it is invariably the Remainers laughing at the Leavers. I don't say this to make a populist point, it is simply an observation. Think of Radio 4 comedy, BBC panel shows and the stand-up circuit. It’s risk-free to be a Remainer – and laughing at the Leavers, [...]
England squad: Gareth Southgate’s selection of Jadon Sancho, James Maddison and Mason Mount shows refreshing change of attitude October 4, 2018 When Jadon Sancho turned down a £30,000 per week contract at Manchester City last season he was taking a big gamble. But armed with supreme confidence in his own ability, the then 17-year-old winger upped sticks amid plenty of acrimony to join Borussia Dortmund for £10m and challenge himself. Fast-forward 14 months and Sancho could [...]
Ollie Phillips: Alex Goode’s omission from England’s squad proves Eddie Jones is contradicting his own statements October 4, 2018 I find some of the messages coming from England coach Eddie Jones confusing. He says he picks players on form and his side will be comprised of the best performing players from the Premiership. But if you look at the squad that simply isn’t the case. Alex Goode has been brilliant for Saracens over a [...]