Five things we learned from the Premier League weekend: Arsenal win leaves Emery with conundrum; Spurs fall at fortress Vicarage Road; and Alisson gaffe masks Liverpool progress September 2, 2018 Unai Emery heeded calls to fit both Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang into his starting XI today at Cardiff and the move paid off in a breathless 3-2 win. Lacazette was deployed centrally and thrived on the greater degree of involvement, setting up Aubameyang’s goal and smashing the late winner. Aaron Ramsey also revelled through [...]
Up front: Former Arsenal and England star Alan Smith reveals uncomfortable relationship with Ian Wright in his new book August 30, 2018 Footballers have many habits that set people’s eyes rolling. One is their penchant for releasing ghost-written autobiographies at exceptionally young ages. Wayne Rooney’s “story”, for example, was first published when he was 20 years old. Alan Smith, however, was never the typical footballer, right back to his teenage years when he insisted on taking A-levels [...]
Ollie Phillips’ Premiership preview: Saracens still the side to beat but Gloucester and Leicester are on the rise August 30, 2018 The Premiership kicks off tomorrow evening when new boys Bristol take on west country rivals Bath and I’m excited as ever for a new campaign. While it’s Bristol getting things under way, it is likely to be Saracens and Exeter who duke it out at the top of the table again. Last season’s champions Saracens have [...]
Watford shed revolving-door policy and enjoy best ever start to a season August 30, 2018 In among the multiple English champions in the early Premier League pace-setters, one place above last season’s runaway title-winners Manchester City, is an incongruous name: Watford. With three wins from three fixtures so far, the unfashionable Hornets are enjoying their best start to a top-flight season. Not since 1982-83, when a teenage John Barnes was [...]
Chris Tremlett: Jonny Bairstow relinquishing the gloves could solve some of England’s problems August 29, 2018 Jonny Bairstow might have been determined to keep hold of the wicket-keeping gloves, but I think England have made the right decision ahead of the fourth Test against India at the Ageas Bowl tomorrow. Captain Joe Root explained handing over responsibility behind the stumps to Jos Buttler was the “safest thing to do” and I [...]
Donut County review: A charming and bizarre physics puzzler about a mysterious hole August 29, 2018 Ben Esposito is an indie games developer whose previous works include mysterious-house-in-the-woods simulator What Remains of Edith Finch. A rising star in the industry, he seems drawn towards the abstract. In 2012 he worked on The Unfinished Swan, a PlayStation exclusive in which you exist in a blank white world that only reveals itself as [...]
Trevor Steven: Jamie Vardy’s England retirement is a mistake but it opens door for exceptional talent Phil Foden August 28, 2018 Tinker, modify and ask how you can improve, by all means, but I don’t think Gareth Southgate should chop and change too much when he names his first England squad of the season on Thursday. The opening match of the new Nations League against Spain on Saturday week and a friendly with Switzerland three days [...]
How Brentford play the transfer market to overachieve in the Championship and turn a profit August 28, 2018 Outside of Staffordshire and west London, Ryan Woods’s move from Brentford to Stoke City on Saturday didn’t cause much of a stir. Here was a talented central midfielder swapping one Championship side for another on loan, with the 24-year-old set to sign for a fee in the region of £7m in January once the transfer [...]
Five things we learned from the Premier League this weekend: Moura the man, Alonso the alternative, Arsenal’s defence shaky and more August 27, 2018 Jose Mourinho’s selection roulette did not pay off tonight. The Manchester United manager made six changes, mixing his squad up to face a familiar-looking Tottenham side. After a first half in which both sides missed countless opportunities, Spurs made their move as Harry Kane and Lucas Moura prompted chants of “you're getting sacked in the [...]
Sam Torrance: European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn is facing his day of reckoning August 27, 2018 Thomas Bjorn is facing a tricky time as his plans for the European Ryder Cup team begin to solidify. This week’s Made In Denmark tournament is the last event that counts towards qualification; a few days after that, Bjorn will name his four captain’s picks. He will consider the assets of all the potential candidates, [...]