Chelsea 2-0 Liverpool: Reds overrun as Billy Gilmour gives Frank Lampard something to smile about in the FA Cup March 3, 2020 It was teed up to be the tie of the round and it did not fail to deliver as Chelsea ended Liverpool’s dreams of a treble. Goals in each half from Willian and Ross Barkley of drastically differing quality were the difference as Liverpool crashed out of the FA Cup in the fifth round in [...]
It’s time for exceptional talent Phil Foden to have key role for Manchester City and England March 3, 2020 At Wembley on Sunday, Phil Foden gave us all a reminder of his talent and maturity with a man-of-the-match performance as Manchester City beat Aston Villa in the final of the Carabao Cup. The way he addresses the ball; his balance and awareness; his understanding of the way City want to play; that extra finesse [...]
Andre Villas-Boas is resurrecting his career with Marseille in Ligue 1 March 3, 2020 It seemed a case of too much too soon for Andre Villas-Boas when his time in English football ended in ridicule and his rapid rise to the top, aged just 33, overwhelmed him. The Portuguese had been hailed as the new Jose Mourinho when he arrived at Chelsea in the summer of 2011 following an [...]
Premier League broadcasting: What does Amazon’s initial success with Prime Video mean for the market? March 3, 2020 Amazon broadcast its first live football matches in December, showing 20 Premier League games to subscribers on its Prime Video platform. The decision to make a first foray into the sector was a brave, albeit relatively small, one for the US retail giant. Now that the dust has settled, it looks increasingly like an intelligent [...]
Aston Villa 1, Manchester City 2: Phil Foden stars as Blues complete perfect week with Carabao Cup win March 1, 2020 Lately, it has not been the happiest of times for Manchester City. The title they have held dear for two years is being wrenched away by Liverpool, the title they covet most looks like being out of reach until 2022, and the knock-on effect of that has been to raise doubts about the futures of [...]
Portsmouth’s fan-led revival reaches new milestone with Arsenal FA Cup clash March 1, 2020 When Portsmouth welcome Arsenal to Fratton Park on Monday night there will be a release of emotions from the almost 20,000 Pompey fans present, many of whom are responsible for the club’s slow but steady revival. The fifth-round tie is the furthest the club have progressed in the FA Cup since the 2010 final and [...]
Arsenal 1-2 Olympiacos: Last-gasp El-Arabi winner dumps sloppy Gunners out of the Europa League on away goals February 27, 2020 There is little doubt that this was the worst performance of Mikel Arteta’s reign. Arsenal squandered a 1-0 advantage coming into the home leg of their Europa League round of 32 tie as Olympiacos won 2-1 on the night following a last-minute winner in extra-time from Youssef El-Arabi to go through on away goals. It [...]
Inter Miami: How David Beckham’s dream of establishing an MLS franchise became a reality in Florida February 27, 2020 It has taken a long time, but this weekend Club Internacional de Futbol Miami will finally play their first competitive match. When they take to the pitch against Los Angeles FC on Sunday, Inter Miami’s players will be fulfilling the ambitions of one of their owners. David Beckham has been attempting to establish a team [...]
Real Madrid 1-2 Manchester City: Pep Guardiola’s tactical master plan comes to fruition in slow burn away win at the Bernabeu February 26, 2020 Pep Guardiola lives for nights under the lights at the Bernabeu. As a former Barcelona player and manager – not to mention a prominent advocate for Catalan independence – he is not a popular man inside Real Madrid’s gigantic famous stadium. But so often in the past he has thrived in the lions’ den. His [...]
As Aston Villa brace for the Carabao Cup final, is a trophy more important than Premier League survival? February 26, 2020 The magic of a Wembley cup final is difficult to replicate but the importance of winning domestic silverware appears to have become increasingly secondary to the need to remain in the Premier League. For the thousands of Aston Villa fans set to descend on London this Sunday for the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, [...]