Premier League: United Flatten Chelsea and Qualify for the Champions League!

Manchester United played host to London side Chelsea FC in the penultimate match of the Premier League season earlier today at Old Trafford. United and manager Erik ten Hag knew they needed just one point from this match in order to finish in the top-4 and qualify for the Champions League next season. Contrarily, Chelsea and interim manager Frank Lampard came into the match with very little to play for. It has been an absolutely dismal season by their illustrious standards, as they find themselves in the bottom of half of the table and floundering in 12th place. Lampard fielded an exceptionally young side for this match, probably in an attempt to get some of the younger players experienced going into next year. Given that United have been nearly unbeatable at the Theatre of Dreams this season, most expected the Red Devils to get the result needed and seal the last available CL spot.

The first half was an odd one, but nevertheless overall positive for United. They got the first goal just 6 minutes in, thanks to a well-placed header from midfielder Casemiro. United won a free kick on the left wing, which was played into the box by fellow midfielder Christian Eriksen. No one was near Casemiro when he got his head to it, and after a quick VAR check for offside the goal was permitted to stand. Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga had no chance. It wasn’t a technically complicated goal, just poor marking by the Chelsea defense and a good quality ball over the top by Eriksen. Casemiro has now scored in consecutive matches, while also rediscovering some of his magnificent form in his role as a defensive midfielder from earlier in the season.

Chelsea dominated the next 30-35 minutes after that though. They created a litany of chances, but I have to sit back and laugh at their comically poor finishing during this period of the match. Several players missed gilt-edged chances, including winger Mykhailo Mudryk and striker Kai Havertz. Chelsea were doing extremely well to get the ball forward and at getting it into dangerous areas, but they really should have finished some of their chances. They were doing everything right in terms of opening up the United defense, but they couldn’t hit the back of the net to save their lives! This period of play was a microcosm of Chelsea’s awful season: good play in the build-up and chance creation, but atrocious finishing. There was another concern for United when winger Antony dos Santos went down injured after a fairly innocuous-looking challenge, and he was stretchered off and replaced by striker Marcus Rashford. Well wishes to Antony on a speedy recovery.

The Blues’ misery was further compounded however deep in first half stoppage time. Casemiro brought the ball forward and played a sensational no-look, chipped pass out to his right and into the feet of winger Jadon Sancho. Sancho was in a bit of space and looked like he might shoot, but he wisely played it across to the unmarked striker Anthony Martial who tapped in for 2-0 with Kepa stranded. An excellent passing move that was truly against the run of play! Well done to Casemiro and Martial, but special credit to Sancho for making the right decision. He has consistently had struggles with making the right decision at the right time this season, as he usually dawdles on the ball and the chance goes begging. This time though he got it exactly right! 2-0 United at half time, with Chelsea likely demoralized given their opportunities to score.

The second half was much more dominant from United. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes went close first, striking the angle of the crossbar/post after center back Victor Lindelof did well to win the ball high up the pitch. Chelsea were not strong on the ball, but they did well to keep United from scoring again for about 30 minutes or so. However, United did get the decisive 3rd goal on 73 minutes from the penalty spot. Bruno was dancing on the left side of the penalty box, and he beat Chelsea right back Wesley Fofana with a nutmeg. Fofana then stuck a leg out though and tripped Bruno, and of course Bruno went down as if he’d been shot. Referee Stuart Atwell pointed to the spot, and there wasn’t much complaining from the Chelsea players. Bruno stepped up and sent Kepa the wrong way with a low finish to his right. 3-0, and United were now confidently on their way to the top-4!

They weren’t finished however! Just 5 minutes later, Fofana played a ball across his own box that was wayward, and it allowed Bruno to pounce on the ball. He crossed it back towards Rashford in the center of the area, and his touch took it past the last Chelsea defender. Kepa did well to stick out his left leg and save the initial shot, but the rebound fell straight to Rashford. He took it around Kepa with ease and had a tap-in from about a yard out. 4-0! Utter domination in the second half and a thorough beat down of a (usually) competitive rival. A special shoutout to Rashford on scoring his 30th goal in all competitions this season! He is the first United player with a 30 goal season since Robin Van Persie exactly ten years ago.

Chelsea got a consolation goal on 89 minutes from forward João Félix after a fine run and finish which ruined keeper David De Gea’s clean sheet, but it was nothing more than a consolation. This was United’s day through and through. Realistically they could have have had 5 or 6 goals today. Substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho struck the crossbar late on, and substitute midfielder Scott McTominay had a close-range effort saved by Kepa in stoppage time. Atwell blew his whistle shortly after that and United were through to the Champions League next season!

United also moved into 3rd place for the time being, two points ahead of 4th placed Newcastle. There is still one match to play for all teams on Sunday, but the heavy lifting has now been done. 5th-placed Liverpool can no longer mathematically catch them, and the Scousers can look forward to spending their Thursday nights playing in the Europa League next season. It would be nice if United beat Fulham in their remaining match next Sunday to lock up 3rd place, but 3rd vs. 4th matters little in this context. Top-4 was the goal for ETH and the lads at the beginning of the season, and they’ve locked it up with a match to spare. The club can look forward to the revenue generated from these European matches, along with being more easily able to attract top-level talent in the summer. Given how this season started for United with consecutive losses, to be where we are is nothing short of a magnificent achievement for this manager and group of players.

United’s final match of the season is not until June 3rd when they play in the FA Cup Final against Manchester City at Wembley. Due to the importance of the fixture, it will be interesting to see how ETH manages the last Prem game on Sunday. Fulham have naught to play for similar to United, so will he rest all of his usual starters? Will he keep them out there to continue momentum? Either way, the match against City will be extraordinarily difficult. United and Inter Milan are the only two clubs standing between them and the Treble.

I will do a match report for Fulham and the FA Cup Final, and I think I will do another post about the prospective sale of the club early on in the close season. This season is already much, much better than the last one though. Thank you, Mr. Erik ten Hag and his coaching staff!

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

FA Cup: A Scrappy Victory Over Everton

Manchester United hosted Everton at Old Trafford today in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup. This was the first match in football’s oldest single elimination tournament for both sides this season, but their respective forms coming in to the match couldn’t be more different. Manager Erik ten Hag has United flying high having won six in a row in all competitions, while Everton manager (and former England international) Frank Lampard knew he was very much on the hot seat after Everton’s rather dismal run of form. Both managers fielded fairly strong teams for this match, which isn’t always the case in the early rounds of these tournaments. Almost all pre-match pundits and online “experts” were picking the Red Devils to win comfortably.

Things did indeed get off to a flying start for United when they found themselves ahead just 4 minutes into the match when winger/forward Antony dos Santos tapped home a cross from forward Marcus Rashford. Rashford brought the ball forward down the left wing and hit his cross along the ground which rolled past two Everton defenders. Antony slid in at the last second and nudged the ball in from close range at the far post with Toffees keeper Jordan Pickford stranded. Good job by the Red Devils to get the ball forward quickly and well done to Rashford for putting the ball in a dangerous area, but it must be said this goal was largely the result of poor defending by Everton. Rashford’s low cross really should have been cleared by either of the Everton defenders it rolled past. A goal emblematic of Everton’s problems this season – a lack of confidence and self-belief.

Those doubts were eased somewhat for the Toffees when they got an unexpected equalizer just ten minutes later. A cross was played in from the right side of the United penalty area low and directly at keeper David De Gea, who mysteriously couldn’t quite get the ball cleared away from in front of the goal. It looked like De Gea was trying to kick the ball away first time, but his control was poor and the deflection fell straight to Everton center back Connor Coady who provided the simplest of tap-ins. An absolute howler from De Gea, it must be said. Left back Tyrell Malacia maybe could have done better to prevent the cross from coming in, but De Gea should be clearing that cross every time. Very poor decision from him to use feet like that. De Gea is a player that is reliant on confidence to play well. In the past, he has let his mistakes get the better of him mentally, and they can compound as a result. He’s made some very fine saves in the past few matches and he is still the undisputed No. 1 keeper at United, but he cannot let this mistake go to his head in the coming matches.

Everton were rejuvenated by their goal, and kept running at United for the rest of the half. When United were on the ball, they seemed to lack ideas in the final third and really struggled to break a down suddenly much-more-awake Everton back line. It was 1-1 at halftime.

United came out in the second half on the front foot again though, and were soon rewarded for their attacking intent when Rashford caused Coady to turn the ball into his own net on 52 minutes. The in-form Rashford did well to take the ball to the end line and get in a cross from the left hand side of the box. Coady probably had time to take a touch and clear it, but he wasn’t aware of the space he was in and took a wild swipe at the ball. All he ended up doing though was lifting it over Pickford, who again had little chance to remedy the situation. Rashford won’t be credited for the goal, but he created it virtually on his own. Sometimes you get lucky when you play with attacking intent!

The next 20 minutes or so were filled with more disjointed attacks and solid defending from both sides. Everton had the ball in the back of the net via substitute striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin around the 75 minute mark, and at first it appeared to be a good counter-attacking goal from Everton. After a VAR check though it was determined they were offside in the build-up, and the goal was disallowed. United escaped with a bit of luck on that one. There was definitely an offside in the build-up on the right wing, but it was the second time United failed to clear the ball after a cross from near the end-line. Credit to the big man Calvert-Lewin for stealing across the face of his marker to turn the ball in. It was still 2-1 to United though.

The final major action of this match came deep in stoppage time when substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho was brought down from behind in the Everton penalty area. Garnacho had beaten his marker and was close to providing a cross when the Everton defender effectively jumped on his back. Stonewall penalty. No doubt about it. Rashford stepped up to the spot and beat his England teammate Pickford with a low shot for 3-1. The final whistle went shortly after that and United were through to the 4th Round!

So yes, a victory. Always nice to keep winning. Rashford was excellent, midfielder Casemiro was excellent, and fellow midfielder Fred put in a very tidy shift off the bench. All praise and plaudits to them. However, this match again underlined United’s need for a big/hulking center forward. We need not only a deadly finisher, but a strong player on the ball who can hold up play with his back to goal. A striker of any sort would improve the team, but a big physical specimen would be ideal. Rashford is playing out of his skin so far this season, but if he is unavailable for any length of time, the attack is going to suffer. Striker Anthony Martial, winger Jadon Sancho, and Antony all need to be scoring/assisting more. It is also clear that there is a significant drop off in the play of our midfield once Casemiro is subbed off. I have been beating the drum for a defensive midfielder for ages, and now that we finally have one we seem intent on riding him into the ground. Casemiro is a truly exceptional player, but we need to be developing his replacement now. He won’t be able to play in every match, and the midfield can’t rely solely on him to function.

United will look to improve in their next match, when they host League One side Charlton Athletic at Old Trafford in the League Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday, January 10th.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

United Edge Past Everton at Goodison Park

The Red Devils traveled to the blue half of Liverpool earlier today for a Premier League match with Everton FC at the storied Goodison Park. While Everton are not the main Liverpudlian rival of United, they always seem to play us extremely tough and even if United win, it’s never easy for them to do so. The Toffees are also managed by former England midfielder Frank Lampard, who is still looking to prove himself at the managerial level after an up-and-down start to his career. United and manager Erik ten Hag, fresh off the win in Europe at midweek, were looking to get back on track in the domestic league and continue their slow but steady march up the table.

United had a small amount of possession to begin the match, but Everton were on the front foot just 5 minutes in thanks to defensive midfielder Alex Iwobi. England keeper Jordan Pickford cleared the ball long and into United’s half, where United recovered it and the ball was eventually played to United’s own defensive midfielder Casemiro. Casemiro is normally very reliable in possession of the ball, but he lost it under a stiff challenge from an Everton player and it broke into the path of Everton striker Demarai Gray. Gray brought the ball forward and spotted Iwobi off to his right, and played a pass to him before running into a wall of United defenders. Iwobi was mostly by himself though just outside the “D” on the edge of the United penalty area. It was a curling, looping shot that flew just past the inside of the post, just barely past the reach of the diving David De Gea. It was a poor goal to concede from United’s point of view given that it was largely due to their own making. But that is what can happen in the Prem! If you lose possession in a dangerous area, there’s a good chance you’ll get punished for it.

But United were not on the back foot for long, as just nine minutes later they were able to find an equalizer from Brazilian winger Antony dos Santos. Bruno Fernandes won the ball inside the center circle, and quickly played a pass onto the run of striker Anthony Martial. Martial spotted Antony to his right in space, and played a diagonal pass to him along the ground. Antony met the ball just outside the Everton penalty box, took a touch, and then clipped the ball with his left foot into the far corner of the goal with Pickford beaten. It was a lightning-quick goal and a direct result of Everton making their own error in a dangerous area. Then it was just great vision and passing from Martial, with a sublime touch and finish for Antony.

The match slowed down a little after that, with the next bit of action happening at 36 minutes. Bruno had managed to put the ball in the back of the net after some neat work down the left from fullback Luke Shaw, but the goal was disallowed for an offside in the buildup. A negative development however was Martial sustaining what appeared to be a groin injury and needing to come off, with striker Cristiano Ronaldo replacing him. Despite Ronaldo’s less-than-stellar form this season, it’s never bad to have that kind of depth off the bench.

Ronaldo had a tame effort on goal saved by Pickford on 40 minutes, but he finally opened his Premier League scoring account for the season on 44 minutes after a good run and finish. Casemiro gave away possession again to Iwobi inside his own half, but won it back promptly and spotted his former Real Madrid teammate on a run down the left wing. Casemiro astutely played it to him, and Ronaldo ran with the ball into the box before slotting it low and just past Pickford for 2-1. United finished the half strong and were good value for their 2-1 lead. Credit to Casemiro for atoning for his errors and getting himself an assist.

Unfortunately for the neutrals, the second half was much more tame than the chaotic first one. It took roughly 20 minutes for anything of note to happen for either side. Shaw was called into action to clear away a header in the box at one end, and then at the opposite end Everton right back Séamus Coleman made a last-ditch clearance of a cross from winger/forward Marcus Rashford towards Ronaldo.

It appeared that United had sealed the points on 80 minutes via a goal from Rashford, who collected the second ball from a long header, rode the challenge of an Everton defender, took it past Pickford, and then slotted it home. However, VAR checked the goal and it was adjudged that the ball bounced off Rashford’s arm during the attempted tackle from the Everton defender, and the goal was disallowed. Dubious at best, for me. The ball ricocheted off of Rashford’s upper arm completely randomly and from close range after the challenge. It’s unclear what else Rashford is supposed to do there. Goal should have stood!

It was a nervous final ten minutes plus stoppage time due to the disallowed goal. Everton had a lot of possession around the United penalty area, but they couldn’t fashion many clear chances. The towering midfielder Amadou Onana should have done better with his free header in the box on 90 minutes, but he couldn’t manage to get clean contact despite being mostly unchallenged by anyone in red. United academy product and recent Everton signing James Garner then challenged De Gea from distance, forcing the Spaniard into a diving save that also kept the ball off the head of Onana. United then had to fend off a series of corners from Everton, with Pickford coming forward for the last of them and almost getting a touch on the cross into the box. After one last clearance, the ref blew his whistle and United were victorious.

A good win, if a tad closer than it needed to be. As has sometimes been the case this season, United were guilty of not capitalizing on the chances they created, particularly in the first half. While it’s true that the VAR decision on Rashford’s goal was controversial, this match should have been over well before the 80th minute. Everton are tough to play at home, but United certainly could have played better. Congratulations to Ronaldo on scoring his 700th club goal! Absolutely staggering. The official Man of the Match was Casemiro I believe but for me it was actually Luke Shaw. He was a real nuisance for Everton going forward today and also contributed heavily on the back end, making some clearances in the dying seconds. When Shaw has competition for his place (Tyrell Malacia), he suddenly transforms into the best left back in the world, and the team really benefits from it.

With today’s win United now move up to 5th in the Premier League table, one point off Chelsea in 4th place. They are nine points off league leaders Arsenal, but they have a game in hand as well. Next up is Omonia Nicosia again in the Europa League on Thursday, but this time the match is at Old Trafford.

Glory Glory Man United!

United Struggle to a Draw With Fulham, But Clinch 2nd Place Anyway

Fulham FC travelled north from London today to take on the Red Devils at Old Trafford. There was literally nothing on the line for Fulham other than pride, as they had been already relegated earlier this month. United however were keen to secure three points because it meant that we would be guaranteed a 2nd place finish in the Premier League with a match to spare. Second place is of course not where Manchester United aspires to be, but given how the season has gone it would most definitely be a solid achievement and a measurable improvement over the 3rd place finish last season.

The atmosphere inside Old Trafford was a curious one thanks to the return of roughly 10,000 fans. They were allowed inside the ground today for the first time in 14 months due to the pandemic, and while people were certainly happy to be back at their favorite place there was also a negative element to it as well. Almost every single United supporter was wearing a green and gold scarf and holding Glazers Out signs. This author supports the protests of course, it just sucks that the Glazers have made the situation so bad that we can’t even really enjoy the return of fans. These protests were clearly a continuation of the protests at the weekend before the Liverpool match and of course the now infamous protests a few weeks ago. By the way, #GlazersOut of course.

In terms of the football, United continued it’s recent stuttering form. Back-to-back losses against Leicester City and then Liverpool (ugh) meant that second place could have been in real jeopardy had we lost again today. The first half was mostly positive, with Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani scoring an absolute belter of a goal when he chipped the Fulham keeper from about 45-50 yards out. There was more than a hint of offside about the goal, but fortunately it was ruled by VAR that Cavani was back onside when Bruno Fernandes (seemingly) flicked David De Gea’s long ball through to him. When he first got it I thought he might run with it more, but he had spotted the keeper off his line and hit a laser shot past him.

United created a host of chances but could not convert any more of them. At halftime though United probably still felt confident of holding on, as Fulham had offered little going forward. The second half though was a different story. Fulham grew into the game a little and United’s attack all of a sudden looked like they had never met each other before. We could work to open chances but the final ball would then be off or someone would scuff their shot. Fulham’s center backs played well after conceding the opener and did a good job of clearing things out. Fulham even got an equalizer thanks to some shoddy United defending, with Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka being primarily at fault for the goal. Fulham left back Joe Bryan was unmarked at the back post and converted a cross from point-blank range into De Gea’s goal at the 76th minute.

United created a few more chances but again failed to convert them. It was a bit of a dud in terms of the final match at Old Trafford this season but a point is of course better than nothing. It clinched us at least 3rd place at that point. It was worrying that the attack couldn’t figure out how to score more goals. Another worry is conceding cheap goals like we did today. Center back Harry Maguire gets a lot of stick from the media and supporters of other clubs, but it is clear that this defense is nowhere near as good without him. He’s been injured for the first time in his United career, and apparently will struggle to be fit for the Europa League final on May 26th in Poland. I certainly hope he can give it a go because he is the club Captain and a rock in the back four.

Chelsea, of all clubs, then did us and themselves a massive favor by beating Leicester City 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. The draw for United clinched 3rd, but we needed help from Chelsea to clinch 2nd. Chelsea also look strong to finish in the top 4 now as well, but that final spot is still up for grabs. The race for 3rd/4th is really the only storyline that has yet to be fully written this season. The title race has been decided and the relegation battle went out with a whimper; but Chelsea, Leicester, Liverpool, and maybe even Tottenham and West Ham are all arguably still in contention for Champions League football (and the boatload of money that comes with it) next season. Chelsea again look well-positioned and Liverpool may just beat out Leicester, but nothing is certain yet.

So this season in the first four games we played piss poor, then for most of it we played generally very well, only to play like piss once again the final four games. Odd season, and definitely influenced by COVID restrictions and the lack of fans. There is still one more Premier League match left away to Wolverhampton Wanderers next Sunday, but it is utterly meaningless to us as we are locked into 2nd place. I imagine manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will heavily rotate the squad to save the first team for the Europa League final.

Awards were given out by the club today, and the fans voted Bruno Fernandes as Player of the Season. An easy choice for sure, having recently broken England legend Frank Lampard’s single-season goal record for a midfielder with 28. The players however voted for left back Luke Shaw as Players’ Player of the Season. For Shaw to be recognized as such is great for him and it is well deserved, his contributions to Fulham’s goal today aside. Shaw is still the best left back in England both offensively and defensively, and will probably be a huge contributor for England this summer at the European Championships as well. Well done to both Bruno and Shaw!

It is customary for the players and manager to address the fans over the PA system after the final home match of the season. I’ll leave you with a quote from the manager’s speech, “I know we’re not where we need to be in terms of the league, but hopefully we can bring a trophy back in a few (sic) days’ time.”

Champions League: Round of 16 Review

When play was suspended back in March, only half of the fixtures for the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League had been decided. It was already decided that Red Bull Leipzig (GER) will be playing Atletico Madrid (SPA) and Atalanta (ITA) will be playing Paris St. Germain (FRA). Only the first leg in the top half of the bracket had been played though, which meant that the fixtures between Manchester City vs. Real Madrid, Lyon vs. Juventus, Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich, and Napoli vs. Barcelona still needed to be played. All quarterfinal matches will be played in one-off playoffs in Lisbon, Portugal in order to minimize travel and risk of COVID exposure for players, coaches, and staff. The sprint to the European Cup is on!

Manchester City (ENG) vs. Real Madrid (SPA) (Man City lead 2-1 on aggregate from first leg)

This was one of the more intriguing match-ups of the round for a variety of reasons. Both teams are capable of scoring goals almost at-will. City manager Pep Guardiola is Catalan through and through, and therefore dislikes Madrid with a passion. Meanwhile, Real have just come off yet another title-winning season in La Liga under the legendary Zinedine Zidane. The tie was finely poised at 2-1 as well, with City knowing that a draw or victory would mean they would move on. Guardiola was under a fair amount of pressure to deliver for City in this match, as he has been somewhat under-performing in Europe the past few seasons for both City and his former club Bayern Munich.

The match was electrifying from almost the get go, and it was surprisingly City who took the lead via England forward Raheem Sterling after mistakes at the back by the Madrid defense. That would be a theme of the night for Real, unfortunately. Karim Benzema did get an equalizer later on in the first half for the Madridistas, but they were ultimately undone at the back again by City forward Gabriel Jesus. Along with an inability to play the ball out from the back, Madrid forward Eden Hazard looked completely off the pace and possibly even unfit for play. Zidane also made some uncharacteristic errors with his substitutions, and City deservedly advanced 4-2 on aggregate.

Lyon (FRA) vs. Juventus (ITA) (Lyon lead 1-0 on aggregate)

I unfortunately did not get to watch this match due to watching Man City, but based on the highlights I saw I have to commend Lyon for standing up to the superstars of Juventus and doing enough to hold them off. It is difficult to prevent Juventus from scoring in any situation, and especially so at their home in Turin, Italy. Juventus have also just won their ninth consecutive title in Serie A, also known as the Scudetto.

Portugal forward and all-world player Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in the match for Juventus, once from the penalty spot and the other an absolute screamer from about 26 yards out. Those two goals were not enough though. Dutch forward Memphis Depay converted from the penalty spot for Lyon in between those two goals, giving Lyon an absolutely crucial away goal. For those who don’t remember, the “away goals rule” is the tie breaker in case the score is level on aggregate after two games. Away goals are deemed to be more valuable under this rule, so the team that scores the most away goals is given the tie breaker.

Lyon won 1-0 in France back in March, so even though they lost 2-1 to Juventus they still advance 2-2 on aggregate because they scored in Italy and Juventus failed to score in France. This was a pretty big upset given that Juventus are absolutely loaded with talent throughout the team. Lyon have good players too of course, but most people had Juventus advancing as far as the final. To show you the level of calamity this is for Juve, less than 24 hours after their unceremonious exit from the tournament they sacked manager Maurizzio Sarri and have replaced him with former player and Italian legend Andrea Pirlo. All credit to Lyon though, they defended well in both legs and scored just enough to sneak by. Well done. Good defending can take a team quite far in a tournament such as this one.

Lyon will play Manchester City in Lisbon on August 15th in the quarterfinals.

Chelsea (ENG) vs. Bayern Munich (GER) (Bayern lead 3-0 on aggregate)

As indicated by the scoreline, this fixture was already feeling a little lopsided. Chelsea are good, don’t get me wrong, but Bayern are another level this season. They have the best player of this current season in Robert Lewandowski, accompanied by a team of world-beaters at almost every position. When I say Bayern are stacked, I mean they are STACKED. They edged out Borussia Dortmund to win the Bundesliga for the umpteenth time, and they look poised to make a deep run in this tournament.

Chelsea just couldn’t keep up with them today in Germany, and it wasn’t really fair to expect them to. You could argue this tie was over before a ball was even kicked, but the fact that Bayern won 4-1 today tells you just what kind of mood they are in. They could have kicked it back and forth among themselves and settled for a boring 0-0 draw, but they really went for it and Chelsea were put to sword. Lewandowksi was in sensational form again and was involved in all four goals for Bayern. If he is not scoring, he’s creating for others. Chelsea’s suspect defense let them down again today, but I think most Chelsea players and manager Frank Lampard will be happy with how this season has went for the most part. They were without budding American superstar Christian Pulisic today, and he was needed for Chelsea to have any chance at overturning the deficit. Bayern advance 7-1 on aggregate.

Ze Germans are now probably favorites to go and win this whole thing.

Barcelona (SPA) vs. Napoli (ITA) (tie level 1-1 on aggregate)

Saved the most entertaining game today for last. This tie was an intriguing one as there was potential for an upset here as well. Barcelona did have the advantage on away goals after the first leg in Naples, Italy but Napoli knew on the return leg in northern Spain that if they scored they could really put pressure on the Catalan giants and possibly sneak a victory like Lyon did the day before.

The match was played under absolutely sweltering conditions, and maybe that had something to do with why Barca were almost caught napping 90 seconds into the match when Belgian winger Dries Mertens struck the post for Napoli. Barca settled down a little bit after that shot across the bow and took the lead via French center back Clement Lenglet, who headed in from a corner. Barca took a 2-1 lead on aggregate, which interestingly only slightly added to their advantage. Had Napoli scored they would have been level both on the night and on aggregate thanks again to the away goals rule.

Barca knew they needed another one, and it was the man they so often turn to who went and got it for them: Lionel Messi. Not even going to bother describing this one. You have to see it to believe it (featuring some excellent commentary from Peter Drury).

He is a wizard. A genius. The best of all time. You can throw superlative after superlative at him and you still won’t be able to fully describe just how good this man is. Not only is he capable of doing this sort of thing, he does it routinely. It is true that he is getting older and on the tail end of his prime, but clearly he is still capable of going into God Mode and obliterating defenders’ hopes and dreams. You can know exactly what he’s going to do, but it won’t matter because sometimes he is unstoppable.

Barca thought they had a third seven minutes later when Messi converted from close range again after a cross into the box by Dutch midfielder Frankie de Jong, but after VAR took a look it was determined that Messi handled the ball when the cross arrived. It was 50/50 for me, but VAR overturned the goal. It didn’t really matter though, as just before halftime Barca were awarded a penalty by VAR, which Uruguayan striker and Donkey Face Luis Suarez converted with ease. At 3-0 on the night and 4-1 on aggregate you felt this tie was done and dusted.

There was a minor hiccup for Barca though when Napoli were awarded a penalty late in stoppage time of the first half, which was dispatched effectively by Italian striker Lorenzo Insigne. Barca still had a big lead, but if you were Napoli you felt slightly better being down only 2 goals on aggregate instead of 3.

The second half was a much more tepid affair though, and no further goals were scored. Barca simply kept possession and choked Napoli out like a boa constrictor. The tie ended 4-2 on aggregate and Barcelona advanced.

Hoping to have my colleague Jose do a write up previewing Barca’s next match. They play Bayern Munich in Lisbon on August 14th. Should be an excellent match up!

Other QFs

Atalanta takes on PSG in Lisbon on August 12.

Atletico Madrid plays Red Bull Leipzig on August 13.

 

A Draw – But Now Just One Point Away from the Champions League

It’s been a tumultuous few days for Manchester United, after exiting the FA Cup at the weekend in rather tepid fashion at the hands of Chelsea. I was going to write a separate post about the match, but I figured since United took the match off from playing I could take a match off from writing. It truly was a dismal performance, which was down to a combination of fatigue, injuries, a forced change in tactics, and a poor team mentality. Ultimately, after I calmed down a little bit, I realized that an FA Cup exit was worth it if it meant securing the top tier of European football next season.

I’ve discussed the importance of the Champions League before, but I think it bears explaining again. Not only is it the highest level of football in terms of level of skill, it is also very lucrative. Teams can expect an extra £20 million in revenue from the extra televised matches, and in United’s case it would mean saving an additional £22 million in rebates to Adidas, our kit maker. That £42 million could really come in handy next season for signing new players or much-needed upgrades to Old Trafford.

Thanks to Tottenham Hotspur beating Leicester last week, United were level on points with Leicester City and only a point behind Chelsea in the race for the top-4. A win would put United in strong position to secure a place in the top-4, while a draw would also be helpful but less so. The only thing that would be disastrous is a loss. The opposition today was an East London club called West Ham United, sometimes shortened to just West Ham or the Hammers. They came into the match on the lower end of the table, but knew that a draw and the resulting point would mean that they are mathematically safe from relegation this season. Their main striker Michail Antonio has been in sensational form since the restart, scoring the most goals out of anyone in the Premier League. With solid midfielders like Declan Rice, Mark Noble, and Tomas Soucek, it’s a wonder that West Ham aren’t doing better than they are.

In contrast to recent matches, United looked very sharp in the first five minutes. Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes both went close to giving the Red Devils an early lead. West Ham settled in more though and grew into the game as the half wore on. United looked slow in possession and gave away the ball far too easily on many occasions – a trend that would continue throughout the match.

West Ham worryingly got the opening goal via the penalty spot from Antonio, who sent David De Gea the wrong way. No valid complaints about the penalty call. West Ham had a free kick on the edge of the penalty area, when Rice struck it towards United’s wall of players and Paul Pogba put his hands up to stop the ball from hitting him in the face. It was a clear penalty unfortunately, although I suppose it’s a natural reaction to raise one’s hands to prevent something from hitting it. Still though, Pogba should have taken it on the face. As a footballer, that’s part of the game. Pogba, for his part, apologized to the team after the match so he clearly knew he screwed up. Down 1-0 at halftime though was still terrible and I had a very apprehensive feeling in my mind.

But to their credit, United kept pressing forward in the early part of the second half and were rewarded for their endeavoring play. Pogba made some amends for his earlier error by bringing the ball forward and playing it to striker Mason Greenwood on the edge of the Hammers penalty area. Greenwood played some incredible 1-2 passes with fellow striker Anthony Martial, with Martial doing very well to draw defenders and create space for Greenwood. After 4 quick passes the ball was at the feet of Greenwood, and he made no mistake with the finish past West Ham keeper Lukasz Fabianski. Still thoroughly impressed with the teenager Greenwood and I loved Martial’s hard work to create the chance for him. Center forwards do more than just score goals, and I think Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has finally implanted that idea firmly in Martial’s head.

The match slowed down more after the United goal, despite both sides striving for a winner. De Gea made a great save to tip the shot of West Ham midfielder Jarrod Bowen over the bar, and substitute striker Odion Ighalo went close later on for United after some great dribbling by Greenwood in the penalty area. Although it was nervy at times, the match ended 1-1 and United temporarily moved into 3rd place in the table.

A win would have been better, but a draw will a do in this situation. United, at least temporarily (as Chelsea played later on in the day) had a 1 point advantage over Leicester and a goal differential tiebreaker over Chelsea despite being level on points, which meant that United jumped two places in the table from 5th to 3rd.

United’s players look tired; it must be said. OGS is in between a rock and a hard place here. Many fans are calling for midfielders Fred and Scott McTominay to get more playing time so as to rest Bruno, Pogba, and Nemanja Matic more, but it does not appear to be that simple. Despite Fred and McTominay playing well before play was suspended, they haven’t consistently looked their best since play resumed. Neither of them is a naturally creative midfielder, either. They typically do not look to play that killer forward pass like Bruno or Pogba would. Matic is our only natural defensive midfielder at the moment, and his possession and ball retention are key to shaping the United attack. McTominay and Fred do not appear to have these skills at the same level as Matic, at least not currently. Our best XI has a midfield 3 of Matic-Pogba-Bruno, but when we rest any one of those 3 players we don’t look good enough.

Only one Premier League game left, though. Sunday morning America-time away to Leicester City. A win or a draw will ensure United qualify for the top 4, no matter what.  If United were to lose, they would then have to hope that Chelsea also lose to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Only one point away from ensuring that we continue on our return to glory. One measly point. Leicester can score, but their defense is suspect. Come on United!

Rival Watch

Chelsea knew that a point would ensure that they finish in the top-4, but they were playing the champions-elect Liverpool at Anfield, always a very tough place to get any kind of result. I won’t do a whole recap, but the match ended 5-3 in favor of Liverpool. It was a thriller of a game and it was interesting that Liverpool very much did United a favor today. Chelsea are a very inconsistent team and their manager Frank Lampard has to wonder what more he has to do to get them to play consistently. One thing he could do it seems would be to play American midfielder Christian Pulisic more. He had a hell of a game today and almost single-handedly rescued Chelsea from an even more-embarrassing result with an impressive goal and even more impressive assist. He looked like the best player on the pitch once he came on. I knew this guy was good, and he seems to be growing into a true superstar. Americans, take note!

Prem Table:

3. United – 63 points

4. Chelsea – 63 points (-15 GD)

5. Leicester City – 62 points

A Wild Day in the League Cup

The second round of the League Cup, officially known as the EFL Cup or by the dumb sponsor name Carabao Cup, took place today and yesterday. The League Cup is kind of a bizarre tournament because it is considered by many fans, players, and managers alike to be the least important trophy any English club contends for each season. This is at least true at the Premier League level, with the much more expansive FA Cup the preferred single-elimination tournament for many of the bigger teams. For me, the League Cup comes across as a bit of a cash grab by the Football Association. More games = more revenue, the players’ health and fitness be damned. Like any trophy though, it only has as much value as people place on it. This year, it is surprisingly hotly-contested.

Manchester United took on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in west London earlier today. United were hoping to continue their good run of form in recent away matches, and I was very happy to see that they did. Several players stood out for United including young left back Brandon Williams and midfielder Scott McTominay, but the obvious Man of the Match today was striker Marcus Rashford. He scored both of United’s goals in the 2-1 victory, one from the penalty spot and the other via an absolutely freaking fantastic free kick from 35 yards out. While it was good to see Rashford get back on track from the spot after a bad miss last week, this free kick is absolutely other-worldly.

How about that??? United have some excellent free-kick takers in our history, including but not limited to Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, and George Best. This one is up there with the best goals from any of them. Exquisite. It is so incredibly hard to do what he’s done just there, especially from that distance and straight-on. There was no angle for him to work with, so he made the angle with the flight of the ball!

That was the go-ahead goal after a poor defensive effort allowed a Chelsea equalizer. Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi (Bat-Shoe-ah-yee, for those curious) picked up the ball in midfield, ran past 3-4 United defenders unchallenged, and unleashed a ferocious shot low and away from keeper Sergio Romero that found the bottom corner.

That defensive error was the black mark on an otherwise very good United performance. It’s true that Chelsea manager Frank Lampard played a younger side and didn’t really seem to personally care about the result, but a win away at Stamford Bridge is always good for morale. Three away wins in a row for United and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer! Whatever he’s changed or whatever he is now doing he wasn’t beforehand is working. Special shout-out again today to Welsh winger/forward Daniel James for continuing to win penalties for us. I hope Rashford gets some rest soon, he’s definitely earned it.

*****

Interestingly, as good as the United-Chelsea match was, it was not even close to the best match of the day. That honor belongs to the Liverpool-Arsenal match from the other side of the League Cup bracket.

I don’t even know where to begin with the recap on this match, but the final score says a lot. The match ended in a 5-5 draw (yes, 5 goals apiece) and Liverpool then won 5-4 on penalties. Absolutely insane. Arsenal will probably feel like they gave it away, given that they lead 3-1 at one point and then 4-2 at another, but it was an incredible fightback from Liverpool to tie the match at 5 all in the 94th minute.

This match had absolutely everything: high intensity, world class goals, crappy goals, good defending, atrocious defending, and high level passing. Again, both sides fielded younger teams as both Jurgen Klopp and Unai Emery clearly chose to focus on other tournaments, but there was certainly no drop in quality. What was most incredible is that the goals seemed to get better in terms of skill required with each goal scored. At least 4 of the 10 goals scored could be considered for goal of the season!

It was a fantastic advertisement for the League Cup today. I just hope that the players don’t push themselves too much this early in the season. Still quite a long ways until trophies and medals are handed out.

Tomorrow morning’s draw for the quarterfinals of the League Cup will feature: Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Everton, Aston Villa, Leicester City, Colchester United, and Oxford United. Colchester and Oxford are the two lowest-ranked remaining teams. I’m hoping United draw either one of them or perhaps Aston Villa, but knowing our luck we’ll get Liverpool or City.

Should be an interesting last 8, no matter what!

 

United Get the Season Off to a Flying Start With Victory Over Chelsea

Well I think it’s safe to say that no one was expecting a 4-0 victory for either side, let alone one with United winning. Going into the match I think most reasonable minds expected a tense and low-scoring affair.

And to be fair, that’s what it was for the first 60 minutes or so. Chelsea came out in the first 15 minutes and dominated possession, and it was only thanks to the post that striker Tammy Abraham was denied an opener. Midfielder Ross Barkley looked to be in particularly dangerous form, along with Abraham and winger Pedro. United had to do a lot of defending in that opening period, but despite being on the back foot I was very impressed with new signings Harry Maguire (aka Slab) and Aaron Wan-Bissaka (AWB). Both of them were tremendous throughout the match. More on them below.

Marcus Rashford opened the scoring from the penalty spot against the run of play in the 18th minute. Chelsea’s French center back Kurt Zouma clumsily fouled Rashford in the box, and a penalty was given. I’m fairly sure United midfielder Andreas Pereira suffered a foul earlier in the build-up as well, but referee Anthony Taylor correctly played the advantage and Rashford dribbled the ball into the box. He was fouled again by Zouma and the ref gave the penalty. Taylor himself had a very good day by all standards and I am happy the referee and VAR were largely a non-factor in this match.

United had to endure a bit more pressure after that, as Chelsea searched for an equalizer. It almost became a game of which team can “out-press” the other. Both teams used their pacy forwards and wingers to press the back lines throughout the first half in an effort to win the ball high up on the pitch, which resulted in some very entertaining (and also nerve-wracking) end to end football in the first 45 minutes. The defense and keeper David De Gea did just enough to keep Chelsea out though, and United got to half time with a slim 1-0 lead despite Brazilian left back Emerson hitting the post again for Chelsea. It was good to be ahead for sure, but the Red Devils were certainly not out of the woods.

More of the same happened in the opening 15 minutes of the 2nd half. Chelsea were on the ball quite a bit, and United had to dig in and defend some more. Emerson once again hit a powerful shot that was pawed away by keeper De Gea. Once the 60th minute hit though, it was all United. Maguire won the ball back outside our own box and played the ball to Rashford out wide on the left. Rashford used his electrifying pace to bring the ball forward, and then played a ball out wide right to Jesse Lingard. By that time, Anthony Martial had made his way into the box and joined Rashford in the penalty area. After a nifty exchange between Lingard and Pereira in the right channel, the latter hit a cross into the box that was bundled over the line by Martial for United’s second. Chelsea’s Spanish right back Cesar Azpilicueta switched off for a second and Martial gained a favorable position on him before he poked it home with his first touch. Martial actually missed it with his right foot but the ball hit his opposite knee anyway and rolled over the line. It doesn’t matter how they go in, as long as they do! A great counter-attack by United. Sir Alex Ferguson was watching from the stands today and you know he would have been very happy with a goal like that.

I think Chelsea’s mentality was very fragile after that. They looked like the better team for large portions of the match, yet still found themselves down 2-0. That’s disheartening for any team. I think that was part of the reason for how quick United got their third.

The match had barely restarted when United won the ball in midfield, and our excellent Frenchman Paul Pogba hit a sublime pass over the top into Rashford, who had made a very intelligent run into a gap between Zouma and Azpilicueta. Pogba had actually been somewhat quiet in this match up until that moment. He looked to be about a half-step behind everyone else in the first half, to be honest. But the talent and quality of Pogba is such that he can play like crap for most of the game but still conjure up a moment of magic out of nowhere. Rashford’s first touch was excellent as he knocked the ball ahead of him, and once the young Englishman is away on the ball there are very few people in the world who can catch him. He took his time, composed himself, and slotted home to his right past keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. It was an absolutely sublime goal that came completely out of nowhere. Even the match commentators were still talking about the 2nd goal when Rashford was through for the 3rd! After a quick VAR review for offside, the goal was awarded and the United players knew they were free and clear. It was great to see everyone celebrating the goal together as a team. Two goals within 90 seconds of each other are incredibly difficult for any team to come back from.

Chelsea’s misery wasn’t over either. They poured men forward in search of a goal, and in the 80th minute they found themselves with a free kick in an attacking area. The ball played in was crap though and it fell to Scott McTominay in the United box. McTominay saw Pogba peeling in for a pass in front of him, and after receiving the ball Pogba played a lovely 1-2 with Martial in the left channel. After the return pass from Martial, Pogba was free to run forward with two Chelsea defenders attempting to corral him. Pogba played a pass out to the right at the edge of the box to substitute winger (and another new signing) Daniel James. James at first seemed to be unsure if he should shoot or cross it back, but after a mishit he composed himself and unleashed a shot. The ball took a deflection off  the leg of Emerson and wrong-footed Kepa for United’s fourth. It was a goal on his Premier League debut for James, which served as a nice cherry on top of United’s day. Again, it was very good to see the whole team celebrating as one. McTominay in particular was very vocal in leading the celebrations, and everyone was incredibly happy for the 21 year-old. To score in front of the Stretford End for United on your debut is the stuff dreams are made of!

Chelsea didn’t really do much more after that, and the match ended without many further incidents of interest. While Rashford (2 goals), Pogba (2 assists), Martial (goal), and James (goal) all had very good days, I think Man of the Match for me either goes to Maguire or AWB. Along with Victor Lindelof and De Gea, they were fantastic in United’s defense and were very deserving of the clean sheet today. Not conceding in the opening period was very important, as it gave the attackers more time to get involved in the game. Psychologically, if you know you have some very good defenders in your team, you are more inclined to take risks going forward. If it works you can get a goal, and if it doesn’t you know that your defense will help you to recover the ball. Like in many other sports, defense wins championships. AWB won basically every tackle he attempted, while Slab Head was a commanding, physical presence in the box and never looked unsure of himself.

It was not a perfect game for United, but it was about as good as anyone could have expected from the opening match. We do look a little light in midfield, especially when Pogba isn’t playing well, but that didn’t hurt us too much today. It’s very clear that our defense has markedly improved, and our forwards are hungry for goals. When this team puts in the work required, we will be difficult to beat.

I am excited to see where we go from here. I don’t think we will be able to effectively run the high-press for the entirety of this long season, so Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have to switch up his tactics slightly for other matches. Of course, this is only one match and it would be foolish to make predictions this early, but this is a fantastic foundation to build on going forward. A 4-0 victory over one of the traditional “top 6” sides is a huge confidence booster for this team. OGS’s summer plan of buying young and hungry players with something to prove seems to have been a wise ploy so far.

On a brief aside, for the American readers of my blog, Christian Pulisic made his Premier League debut for Chelsea today as a substitute in the 2nd half. He was shepherded by AWB for most of his time on the pitch, and didn’t really have a chance to impact the match because of that. He did look to be quick and made a few good runs into the box, but Chelsea’s mentality was gone for most of the time he was on and the ball wasn’t really played to him. I think he needs more playing time before we can decide if he can hack it in the Prem or not.

United travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers for their next Premier League match on Monday. Wolves were a problem team for United last season, so they will be looking to exact a bit of revenge on them hopefully. If we play like this again though, I don’t think Wolves will have the ability to consistently stop us.

Glory Glory Man United!

The Transfer Window Closes and the Premier League Returns to Action

Early August is the season of the sports tease. My two favorite sports that I watch are the NFL and European football, and both start around the same time of year. The NFL’s preseason is just getting underway, while United’s preseason and the British summer transfer window are officially in the books. Everything is just getting started and I am sick of waiting for my sports to come back!

With the window closed, no club in Britain may acquire a player contracted to another club until the window re-opens in January. British clubs can still sign “free agent” or non-contracted players, but there aren’t many of those and the ones available aren’t very good.

In contrast, the European transfer window is still open, and will be for most of the leagues abroad in until September 2. Each country’s football association set the dates of their respective transfer windows. British clubs voted last season to move the deadline day up from the end of August last season. I think the idea was that it would ensure that each manager’s squad was more or less settled before the season began the following weekend. However, this move seems to have backfired a bit. British clubs are now at a disadvantage, because the European giants now have more time to get finances together to buy a player from England. Moreover, if a player leaves for Europe from England after August 8th, the English team can’t sign someone to replace him. Perhaps the Football Association will hold another vote about this to see if this is what clubs in Britain really want.

Anyway, short window or not, I am semi-pleased with the business Manchester United has done. There are positives and negatives here, and I think the Glazer family and Chief Executive Ed Woodward have done somewhat OK here. To recap, we brought in Welsh left winger Daniel James, English right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and English center-back Harry Maguire. We definitely strengthened the defense, which was one of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s objectives in the close season. The club spent about £140 million collectively on these players. A lot of money to be sure, but given that we are one of the richest clubs in the world, we can afford it.

We lost Ander Herrera on a free transfer, Antonio Valencia’s contract wasn’t renewed, and we also sold Romelu Lukaku for a rumored fee of £74 million. I have already aired my grievances about the Herrera situation, but I was pleased with the Lukaku transfer. OGS made it clear last season that he wants to use Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial as his strikers, and Lukaku became surplus to requirements. We got a lot of money for him out of Inter Milan, which is great for a player we don’t seem to need anymore.

My concerns however outweigh the positives from this window. We still don’t have a Director of Football/Technical Director. The supporters, including myself, have expressed their discontent with this on social media which hopefully reignites the fire under Woodward to bring someone in. As good as Woodward is at making money for the club, he is not good at keeping track of contracts and managing the overall footballing direction of the team. The Board of Directors like him because he makes money, but eventually they need to realize that profits are directly tied to success on the pitch. A DoF with a vision for the club would enable us to consistently compete again. The funds we got for Lukaku need to be re-invested into the club, and hopefully that’s what happens. I can’t imagine the uproar if we don’t buy a midfielder in January.

Now, to be fair, it does seem that we at least had a plan for this window. Get young, British players who have something to prove and stay away from the bloated wages commanded by established stars. This explains part of the reason why the Paulo Dybala transfer from Juventus fell through. The Argentine attacking midfielder wanted a ton of money each week and it was clear the only reason he would consider coming is for the wages. This club doesn’t need players like that. Let someone else overpay him, I say. Had he come, I have a feeling Dybala may have turned into Angel “Snake” Di Maria 2.0; a guy who plays well at first but then falls out with the club over petty bullshit because he didn’t really want to be here anyway. We have signed players who seem to embrace the club’s philosophies and values. That is good.

But again, problems remain. We still haven’t signed a midfield replacement for Herrera and our midfield looks incredibly thin. Paul Pogba is our best player and arguably the best midfielder in the world, but aside from him we are shockingly lacking in creativity in the middle. Scott McTominay looks to be a good defensive midfielder, but players like Andreas Pereira and Fred are going to need to step up their games massively this season when teams double and triple team Pogba. Clubs will believe that if you stop Pogba, you have a good chance of stopping United. Fred and Pereira will have to show them otherwise. Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic are no longer fast enough to play against the bigger clubs, and I hope to see OGS make McTominay our starting defensive midfielder.

Martial and Rashford will need to score 20+ goals this season for us to compete with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool. Pogba will need to add 10-15 goals and as many assists. I would also like to see more midfielders and defenders getting in on the goal scoring action as well. Five goals over the course of the season off the massive head of Maguire from set pieces would be great, for example.

OGS has also had a summer to tweak his tactics and develop new strategies with the team, so hopefully our play is a little less one-dimensional this season. I’d like to see different formations throughout games tailored to the strengths of the players on the pitch. That’s what a good manager does; he puts his players in the best position possible to win matches. OGS knows that managers can have incredibly short tenures in this day and age, so he will be keen on coming out of the gate strong.

The Premier League returned to action today with Liverpool’s 4-1 win over newly promoted Norwich City. Sadly, Liverpool don’t seem to have slowed down any after their incredibly successful campaign last year. Even though it was the bloody Scousers, it’s great to see the Premier League back. It’s one of the most entertaining leagues in the world and I am excited for this new season.

OGS and United get the season underway at Old Trafford against Chelsea FC on Sunday morning (Aug 11) America-time. It’s rare to have such a big match on opening weekend, and it is one full of intrigue and headlines. Chelsea and England legend “Fat” Frank Lampard is now the manager in West London after his successes at Championship side Derby County last season, so it’s match-up of former players as managers for both clubs. OGS and Lampard have dueled on the pitch before, and now they get to duel from their respective technical areas. USA star Christian Pulisic will also be making his Premier League debut for the Blues, so many Americans will be keen to see how he does in a very physical league.

Needless to say, I am excited. Let’s get this party started! Let the goals, drama, and Hot Takes commence!