UNSOCIAL MEDIA
IFOUND it quite commendable when Sky and BT joined the Premier League and the Football League in a widespread blackout of social media platforms last weekend in protest at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram allowing players of all colours and persuasions to be targeted by nasty, dim-witted, and in some cases malicious trolls. What would be more impressive though is these august bodies uniting to end the pre-match kneel down in support of Black Lives Matter and, in the case of Sky, stop lecturing us on the subject just before kick off on every game they show. If they don’t then I can’t wait to see and hear the crowds’ reaction when (if) attendances are allowed to return to normal.
Speaking of which
“Football can be a source for good with a vibrant campaign that explores how homelessness, high rents, low pay, poverty education disparity, and disillusionment all fuel division, blame culture, and cause racist, sexist and homophobic views to percolate.” Not surprisingly this claptrap is brought to you from The Guardian and speaking for myself football is many things but chiefly it’s a way to put aside any woes and just enjoy a bit of escapism, even if it’s only for a couple of hours a week. You want to sort out society’s ills? Get to the ballot box, assuming that is that you can find anyone worth voting for.
A rocky road
While I understand the anger among football fans at the way their beloved clubs treat them, forcing the postponement of fixtures to make their point probably isn’t the smartest thing to do at a time when certain owners, particularly the Americans, have been looking at empty stadiums for over a year. To the Yanks our football clubs are mere “franchises” and exist purely to generate profits for their American business interests. For example, does anyone really think Stan Kroenke favours the Gooners over his LA Rams, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rapids, and Denver Nuggets? Not a chance. Woolwich’s role is to supply a steady stream of income to be used to offset the costs of his US-based “franchises”. Similarly take Liverpool; there’s a reason Liverpool’s owners are known as The Fenway Sports Group with the key word here being Fenway, which is of course the name of the famed Boston Red Sox stadium. United’s owners also own current Super Bowl champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers and I would venture that they’re more invested in Tom Brady than Paul Pogba. Make no mistake, this lot wouldn’t hesitate to take their “franchises” into a league with no promotion or relegation because that’s how things work across the pond, and also, given the opportunity, wouldn’t flinch at the idea of moving their “franchises” to China if it was financially advantageous for them to do so.
Question
How is it that VAR can see a man’s armpit hair is offside yet cannot see a clearly deliberate stamp on a players head?
Team of the week
Sam Johnstone West Brom, Serge Aurier Spurs, Issa Diop West Ham, Ben White Brighton, Ben Chillwell Chelsea, Mason Mount Chelsea, Kai Havertz Chelsea, Gareth Bale Spurs, Ferren Torres Citeh, Ollie Watkins Villa, Michail Antonio West Ham. Manager: Graham Potter Brighton.
This week’s games
Premier League today 2:30; Leeds vs Spurs. 5pm; Sheffield United vs Crystal Palace. 7:30; Citeh vs Chelsea. 10:15; Liverpool vs Southampton. Tomorrow 2pm; Wolves vs Brighton. 4:05; Villa vs United. 6:30; West Ham vs Everton. 9pm; Arsenal vs West Brom. Monday 10pm; Fulham vs Burnley. Tuesday 10pm; Southampton vs Palace. Wednesday 8pm; United vs Leicester. 10:15; Chelsea vs Arsenal. Thursday 10pm; Villa vs Everton. Friday 10pm; Newcastle vs Citeh. Championship today 2:30; Barnsley vs Norwich, Cardiff vs Rotherham, Derby vs Sheffield Wednesday, Watford vs Swansea. With the top six in the division done and dusted, all eyes should be on the bottom of the Championship table where two out of Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham, and Derby are joining Wycombe in League One and which two will be decided by today’s results. A win for Derby means they will definitely stay up and Rotherham and Wednesday will be down, which would I assume put a massive smile on Mark Ryan’s handsome visage. A draw at Pride Park will relegate Wednesday and leave Derby fretting on Rotherham’s result at Cardiff; three points for the Millers and it’s curtains for the Rams, which probably would have the opposite effect re Mark’s smile. Any other result in Cardiff and again Derby will be safe. A Wednesday win will see them safe if Rotherham fail to win at Cardiff. Confused? So am I, an interesting day ahead. Other games to watch: Leeds vs Spurs and Citeh vs Chelsea. If it’s goals you’re after than Elland Road looks like the place to be. Marcelo Bielsa clearly doesn’t believe in sitting back, while Spurs, now Jose Mourinho has done one, can be expected to field a front four containing the likes of Gareth Bale, Heung-Min Son, Harry Kane and Dele. Mouthwatering doesn’t begin to describe it. (0-0 guaranteed.) Meanwhile this evening in sunny Manchester we have a dress rehearsal of the upcoming Champions League final between Citeh and Chelsea. A win for Citeh clinches the Premier League title but Chelsea, intent on cementing their place in the top four, won’t make it easy for them. This will be a tactical battle between two coaches with differing philosophies and should be a good watch. Ordinarily I’d fancy Citeh but Chelsea’s counter attacking against Real Madrid on Wednesday was superb, with N’Golo Kante in top form, if he can suppress Kevin De Bruyne then it’s game on.
F1
Spanish Grand Prix tomorrow, 4pm. Four races done with three wins for Lewis Hamilton and just the one for Max Verstappen, so what can we expect tomorrow? Mercedes have won six of the last seven in Barcelona, with Hamilton taking the chequered flag five times, so it’s fair to say that we may again see Mercedes dominate, especially given their performance in Spain last year where Hamilton was never put under pressure by Verstappen. Thus far, Hamilton has made mistakes early on in each race but his undoubtedly superior skill set has seen him overcome those difficulties and put Verstappen firmly in his place. More of the same tomorrow? Probably.
And Finally
Last week’s question: what do Diego Maradona, Sir Vivian Richards, Queen Elizabeth, and Joe Louis have in common? They all have sporting arenas named after them: Napoli’s San Paulo stadium was recently renamed in the Argentine’s honour; the great cricketer’s stadium is in St Peters Antigua; Her Majesty’s can be found in Hong Kong (until China gets the hump); while the Joe Louis Arena is in his hometown of Detroit. This week: which club has played Real Madrid five times in European competition without once playing at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium?
Stop press
Following the scenes at Old Trafford last Sunday that caused the postponement of the match with Liverpool the Premier League have hit Manchester United with a penalty — Bruno Fernandes will take it.