From Rubiales to Greenwood, Mendy and Saudi: an ugly summer for The Beautiful (broken) Game
It is often said that sport reflects society and considering the sheer state of men’s football, that speaks volumes. It has been a miserable old summer.
Articles By Peter Fitzpatrick
The ten biggest transfer deadline day deals ever: Ozil at the Emirates, Robinho, Rooney
Transfer deadline day is looming and plenty of business is yet to be conducted. But it will take some doing to top any of these massive moves.
Minimum requirement for Newcastle United and Eddie Howe now is forward motion
What constitutes success for Newcastle United this season? Making it a true Big Seven and a trophy? Is that realistic?
Romelu Lukaku legacy is more missteps and misses; he remains unclaimed and unloved
Romelu Lukaku is unwanted – not just this summer but by fans of the clubs he played for. He has scored a lot of goals but the moments have been ...
Chelsea and Spurs men among five who look ‘like a new signing’ this season
Some players have turned up to the Premier League with a point to prove and fall into the category of one of football’s more derided terms: ‘Like a new signing.’
England men and Gareth Southgate under pressure to produce a Euros hat-trick
First the women in 2022, then the boys in 2023, and next the men in 2024? This England generation needs a trophy…
Man Utd have been poor on and off the pitch; Ten Hag must earn his beans again
It really didn’t take long for the optimism around Man Utd in pre-season to dissipate; Erik ten Hag has work to do once again.
Chelsea to push through £1bn mark for a striker? Drogba and Costa need company…
Spending that amount of money on a new Chelsea team and not buying a No. 9 seems ludicrous. They need a new Drogba/Costa.
Football didn’t start with Premier League in 1992, you know; it’s more than an old man’s refrain
Why are we talking about a Premier League goals record for Harry Kane when we talk in all-time titles and trophies? It’s a curious dichotomy.
Benfica are the greatest salesmen in football; even Brighton cannot touch them
Goncalo Ramos is the latest but there have been many, many more, with Portuguese and South Americans being sold for a massive profit.
Is Jurgen Klopp the new Arsene Wenger? Is the ignominious end coming?
There are a lot of similarities between the rise and now the potential fall of Jurgen Klopp and Arsene Wenger. Has his Liverpool side peaked?
Neymar is one of the great ‘what if?’ players; his legacy is the worst transfer of all time
Neymar moved to PSG six years ago and it has been a transfer failure for all involved, including the skewed and bloated market itself.
Chelsea face Liverpool in opening fixture for first time since football changed in 2003
It was 20 years ago that Chelsea best Liverpool in an opening-day fixture that signalled a changing of the guard in English football.
The Manchester United Banter Era began 10 years ago today under David Moyes
It is the 10-year anniversary of the start of Manchester United’s long and arduous Banter Era, though it started with Community Shield victory.
Manchester City may be vulnerable post-Treble like Man Utd but at least one challenger must step up
Pep Guardiola and Manchester City swept all before them last season but can they achieve something remarkable and unique by winning a fourth title in a row?
Mbappe, Neymar could leave as PSG prepare for a desperate last throw of the dice with Luis Enrique
The football landscape is changing and that could have drastic repercussions for Paris Saint-Germain, who must know it is now or never this coming season.
Carra is right: Why are Liverpool dallying over Lavia after forcing three-year rebuild into one summer?
Liverpool left themselves in a position where a three-year rebuild had to be carried out in three months, yet still they waste time before the season starts.
Are Brighton finally approaching their ceiling or will those selling Seagulls just keep flying?
No club in England is run better than Brighton and this has been yet another summer of sensible recruitment and sustainable selling. But is this their peak?
Gianluigi Buffon set records and standards for fun in a peerlessly brilliant career
It feels weird to say Gigi Buffon was the best keeper of a generation, considering just how vast his career was. He was the best of about five by the ...
Harry Kane: Trophies, trailblazer and Tuchel? Or Spurs, Shearer, Son and settling down?
Harry Kane could stay at Spurs to break the Premier League goals record, or uproot his entire family to join Bayern Munich and win some hollow trophies.
Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton know the true challenge for a promoted Premier League club
Staying up as a promoted Premier League club can often be the easy part; establishing yourself as part of that elite order is the true challenge.
Hojlund, Amrabat would complete Man Utd’s evolution into a Ten Hag team by following Klopp
Erik ten Hag knows copying Pep Guardiola’s construction of Man City is beyond reason, but following the Jurgen Klopp challenger blueprint is fine at Man Utd.
Pochettino faces captain slog at Chelsea as leadership void trickles down from Boehly to squad
Chelsea have only had six captains in the Premier League era, but a leadership void at Stamford Bridge leaves the Blues with few viable armband candidates.
Ramsdale’s three Arsenal seasons are almost up but Arteta’s Raya plan still comes as a shock
Aaron Ramsdale has played a big part in Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal revolution but the looming spectre of David Raya continues an Emirates goalkeeper trend.
Top ten Spaniards in Premier League history ranked as Liverpool and Man City icons take places
David Silva was a magician – and might be retiring – but he misses out on the title of best Premier League Spaniard to another player hanging up his boots.
Jurgen Klopp’s second great Liverpool side could be built around his forgotten £37m signing
Liverpool signed Luis Diaz in January 2022 but this might be considered his first full season, timed perfectly for Jurgen Klopp’s grand Anfield rebuild.
Premier League transfer rumour XI includes pair Liverpool could not capture despite £88m bids
Try as they might, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and indeed no Premier League side could ever sign these gossip column regulars.
Green shoots on Evan Ferguson boots after a new low for Irish in Premier League
Last season saw the nadir of Irish involvement in the Premier League but on the other hand, there’s Evan Ferguson.
Spurs need to sell Harry Kane and have faith in the positivity of Postecoglou
With Harry Kane, Tottenham are stuck in a ‘win now’ cycle; sell him and put some eggs in the Postecoglou basket instead…
Darwin Nunez next: Where will he rank among Liverpool No.9s since Robbie Fowler?
Darwin Nunez takes on the Liverpool No. 9 shirt this season so we run through the good, bad and the Andy Carroll of the 10 to wear it since God.