Thanks all for your company and comments – ta-ra.
And on that profound note, I shall refer you to Simon Burnton’s MBM of Aston Villa-Sheffield United! Yessssssssss!
It seems that, when Gary Neville was England coach, the players called him “Boring Gary”. I guess it’s better than what the Manchester United players called Phil.
Here’s Adrian Chiles on the return of the mack.
This is now extremely exciting. The football is about to start! I’ve missed it because there’s nothing like it, and it’s been there for me through the worst times of my life, so not having it there for me during an awful time in my life made that life worse not better. Welcome back, old friend.
It’s now raining in Birmingham, of course it is. Jack Grealish told Jamie Redknapp that “I feel fit, but not fit,” and Ian Taylor notes that at the start of the season, usually “It’s the adrenaline that gets you through, off the crowd.” That’s not happening here, so I wonder if we’ll see more goals than we might ordinarily.
I love how much Micah Richards enjoys being Micah Richards. But oh dear – he’s got shoes with spikes on the front of them, so Neville and Carragher give out as you’d expect
Back to players I’m looking forward to seeing and back to hench players, imagine if Adama Traoré’s been lifting! I’m properly excited to see what he can become – his awareness is really getting there now, so if he can add a few more goals he’ll be something very special.
Gosh, Sky’s live coverage is underway! I’m a new man!
Ok, you twisted my arm – here’s a touch more Marcus Rashford.
BBC Sally: What's been the most important message you've received after all this? (meaning Boris, celebs etc)
— Mitten d'Amour (@MittenDAmour) June 17, 2020
Marcus Rashford: The ones from my mum. ❤️
We’ve just seen footage of Sheffield United’s squad arriving at Villa Park, resplendent in branded masks. I’ve not a clue what we’d have made of this six months ago.
Er, I think old Gregg Bakowsi likes stuffed crust pizza. This revelation and more in today’s The Fiver.
“Fit, rested, and well, United will be digging deep into their allotment of strength and pulling out a root vegetable of Thrilling Heroics tonight on their journey to complete what has been a remarkable season so far,” reckons @MaliciousA on Twitter.
I sort of fancy Villa, as it goes. Their need is so great, that I think they might assimilate the changes quicker, and have the players to do damage.
I think we’ve passed a few Rashfordless hours, so let’s appreciate the multifaceted magic of this.
My day job...♥️ pic.twitter.com/jgHLHg1lYN
— Marcus Rashford (@MarcusRashford) June 16, 2020
The Holte might be the greatest end in English football, just a huge mass of bodies.
And here we are at Villa Park! Andy Hinchcliffe is the house!
Less than an hour till there’s an hour to go!
Gosh, there’s a whole roundup going on on Fabrizio Romano’s Twitter. Leicester and Chelsea are talking Chilwell, Inter are in advanced talks with Brescia’s Sandro Tonali, Thomas Meunier is very close to joining Dortmund from PSG.
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It’s all go! What a purchase he’s been.
Official: Dries Mertens has just extended his contract with Napoli. ✍🏻🔵 @ADeLaurentiis pic.twitter.com/2nuYmVO1Zr
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 17, 2020
Havertz (non-)news too.
many clubs interested, no one in advanced talks to sign Havertz
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 17, 2020
Gosh, Schalke. I’d not wish that one anyone, they are miserable, but what a great move.
Dan Rose leaves Everton to join Schalke 04. The young goalkeeper has signed as a free agent. He leaves Everton after rejecting a three-year professional contract. First non-German youth goalkeeper at the Club and becomes Schalke first ever English youth player 🔵 #EFC #transfers
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 17, 2020
Earlier, I extolled Jürgen Klopp’s barnet development, but now I’m thinking it was pre-telly blow-dry because this, from earlier today, looks as it usually looks.
I guess it’s possible Guardiola leaves him out, given the possibility that he laifs in the summer. But City need to do all they can to win big ears, and I doubt there are many defences who’d prefer to face Sterling on the right and Sané on the left than Bernardo on the right and Sterling on the left.
Back to footballers getting hench, Leroy Sané also looks like he’s been lifting things. I would not want to be marking him tonight.
And here’s the greatest playoff moment of them all; one of the greatest football moments of them all, full stop.
Here’s this from the first season of the playoffs. Charlton were trying not to go down, Leeds were trying to stay up.
We discussed the lower league playoffs just a few minutes ago, so here’s more on them.
The thing is, Arsenal have some really exciting young players – Bukayo Saka is clearly good enough, Gabriel Martinelli probably is, and Joe Willock, Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith-Rowe and Reiss Nelson are squad players at the very least, perhaps more. That’s the nucleus of something, but the problem Arsenal have is finding the right players of serious quality to shepherd them through so that they stay at the club, and finding the two centre-backs that they need to be half-decent.
City away is the worst possible match to begin with because it’s the one that could most easily get messy, and then suddenly all the pre-post-season optimism evaporates. If Arsenal lose and Manchester United win, they’ll be eight points off the Champions League places and if Wolves and Sheffield United do too, six points of the Europa League places – though they’re still in the cup.
Back to Arsenal, Nick Ames explains why the next 10 games are huge for them. I do not fancy their chances, not one little bissel.
Thank you Alan Jarvis, who emails in to set me straight: “Good news! There is indeed Real Football(TM) on tomorrow in the form of the League Two Play-Offs. Colchester host Exeter before Cheltenham trek over to Northampton for the first-leg ties. A veritable feast of football awaits, some may say the meat in the Premier League sandwich between tonight and Friday. Enjoy!”
Lovely stuff – I guess that might be why tomorrow is clear of nonsense.
I wonder if, with no crowds, it’ll be easier for players to toss it off. We’ve all been there on a Saturday or Sunday – the night before was hectic, our team goes behind and ends up getting dematerialised because no one has the energy to stop it and there are no direct consequences of not stopping it.
This is superb. You can find its perpetrator @vonstrenginho.
Premier League er tilbake, og brorskapet er samlet!👨👦👦 #2pl pic.twitter.com/DiBObgB9s9
— TV 2 Sporten (@2sporten) June 17, 2020
More detail on the end of the European season.
“So, would it be fair to accuse any players who score against Arsenal of being, at best, uncaring towards our environment, and at worst, flat-out climate-change deniers?” asks Matt Dony. “That might not be what Bellerin actually said, but I think we can all read between the lines...”
This is the 2020 version of George Graham coaching his defenders to call “Lino” when they adjudged an attacker offside.
Here’s the thing: I am absolutely certain that these tournaments will be brilliant, featuring, as they do, extended buzzes of lovely football. However I fear that this will not be lost on Uefa and the G8, who will fancy replicating similar little shindigs in all sorts of eminently guessable places, ruining much in the process.
Ok, some more European football detail:
The remaining Champions League last-16 games will be played at home grounds if possible, but if not in Portugal at Estádio do Dragão in Porto and Estádio Dom Afonso Henriques in Guimarães.
The quarter-finals to final will be played as a straight knockout, which means one game, in Lisbon from 12-23 August.
The women’s Champions League will be completed 21-30 August in San Sebastián as a last-eight knockout. Man, that sounds like a belting away.
Europa League quarters will be held in Cologne, Duisburg, Düsseldorf and Gelsenkirchen, with the final in Cologne, 10-21 August.
The European Championships will still be held in 12 cities, same as before.
Uefa aren’t ruling out fans at the two European finals.
Timo Werner is also an excellent purchase – he’ll score an absolute load in the Premier League. I wonder if he’s quite good enough to elevate Chelsea from Champions League-place contenders to title contenders, but he’s a very accomplished centre-forward, better than what they have now, and a useful option out wide.
What a buy Ziyech is, by the way. He’s a lovely player to watch, so smooth and with so much intelligence and imagination. I’m surprised he stayed at Ajax as long as he did, and I’m certain both Tammy Abraham and Timo Werner will love making his acquaintance.
More European news:
Five subs will be allowed in Uefa competitions, but no new transfers.
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) June 17, 2020
So, for example, no Ziyech for Chelsea.
“Fanless football and all that,” tweets @trap_itsa, “but for diehards who watch u23s, u18s, WSL, NWSL, Ligue 1 feminine, Bundesliga frauen - 99.99% of the football has about 20 fans which are mostly staff. Super Sunday and the like are exceptions not rules.”
Yes, but I think the point is the contrast. And even in the leagues you mention, there are often supporters who affect the atmosphere, and who remind the players that they’re being watched.
Jürgen Klopp’s hair has got floppier during lockdown. Credit where it’s due, I did not think that possible, and apologies that our pictures database is currently silent on the subject.
Breaking news: Southampton strip Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg of the club captaincy
Hojbjerg is punished for saying he wanted to leave the club. James Ward-Prowse takes over until the end of the season.
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I wonder if, when watching the games, we’ll be able to hear the players talking during games, and managers coaching from the touchline. It’s not the football we know and love, but it’d be a pleasant new wrinkle before that returns.
I’ve just noticed that there’s no football tomorrow. What’s that about? Pathetic.
Afternoon all. It’s very close now!
Right, Daniel is back from his break refreshed and raring to go again ( I think). Bye.
Héctor Bellerín has not taken his eye off the climate crisis amid the coronavirus pandemic. Nope. The Arsenal defender says he will ensure 3,000 trees are planted for every victory by his team over the rest of the season.
For every game we win this season I will plant 3,000 trees to help combat the carbon emissions issues we have. I care deeply about making a positive impact for future generations. We need healthy places to play outdoors and where biodiversity can thrive in nature. Thanks to support from the team and fans, we can plant lots of trees together!
Of course, the last time the Champions League final was in Lisbon Real Madrid completed ‘La Décima’ with a 4-1 win over Atlético in extra-time. Manchester City are likely to scupper any chance of a repeat of that final.
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Sound engineers who would normally work in the music industry and have diversified into football and found themselves tasked with recreating match atmosphere for live broadcasts of matches in the Bundesliga, Spain and – as we will soon find out – the Premier League. Having watched a few Bundesliga games I think it’s worked well but in Germany, where ultras lead choreographed chanting, it was always going to seem more authentic as constant background noise is a regular thing. Still, it hasn’t stopped an alliance of fans from 16 countries around Europe from launching a campaign against fake crowd noise. The fans said that the recent return of football following the coronavirus stoppage, with matches behind closed doors, had shown that supporters were “the lifeblood of the game” and their contribution should be recognised by leagues and clubs.
We have significant concerns regarding attempts by broadcasters to replace or imitate the unique atmosphere produced by fans. Augmented reality technology, pre-recorded chants, and other forms of artificial support represent a rebuke to match-going fans. The absence of fans cannot be compensated for by a computer simulation aimed at the amusement of television audiences.
I’m intrigued to see how fake Premier League noise is dealt with later on. Football fans are much more reactive in the UK and sound engineers will have to be much more skilful to replicate the highs and lows of noise at English grounds. There are going to be loads of tired atmosphere jokes doing the rounds on Twitter too, aren’t there?
Champions League heading for Lisbon
The Champions League is heading for Lisbon, with one-legged matches set to be played in a mini-tournament from the quarter-final stage at the Estadio da Luz and the Estadio Jose Alvalade between 12-23 August. It has not yet been decided where the remaining legs of the last 16 ties will be played. Istanbul’s Ataturk Stadium was the original host venue for the final.
The ties to be completed are:
Manchester City v Real Madrid (2-1 after first leg)
Bayern Munich vs Chelsea (3-0)
Juventus vs Lyon (0-1)
Barcelona vs Napoli (1-1)
Teams already qualified for the quarter-finals:
PSG, Atalanta, Atletico Madrid, RB Leipzig
The Europa League quarter-finals are set to be played in Germany from 10-21 August in Duisburg, Gelsenkirchen, Frankfurt and Cologne.
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Hello, it’s Gregg here. I’ll be covering Daniel while he grabs some food. Away from the Premier League clubs are preparing for the League Two play-offs, where Shaquille O’Neal and Donald Trump will be among the “spectators” when Northampton take on Cheltenham over two legs. Here’s Ben Fisher with the story:
Right, I’m off for scran. Gregg Bakowski will coax you through the next hour or so.
I mentioned yesterday that I’m excited to see which players have trained on during the break, noting that Mason Greenwood has filled out a bit. And seeing Harvey Barnes on Sky just now, I think he’s another one. He’s so quick and explosive, but the composure in his finish and final ball hasn’t quite been there so far; I wonder if the break has been good for that. He’s no longer in his first session as a Premier League player, so might feel more relaxed at key moments.
All together now: Manchester, la la la.
These were not words I ever supposed to type.
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On This Day 1994 – Diana Ross does not win a lottery.
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I am falling down a World Cup rabbit hole. Hold me back, hold me back*. On This Day 1990, Michel scores one of the great hat-tricks, for Spain against South Korea.
*Do not under any circumstances hold me back.
On which point:
On This Day 1986 – France set up the greatest World Cup match that this correspondent has ever seen.
Broleeen, Dhaleeen, Broleeeen, Dahleeeeeeeen!
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On This Day 1992 – One of the great commentaries. I’m struggling to find the original Bazza, so please enjoy in tweet form.
OTD 92 - "Broleeen, Dhaleeen, Broleeen ... brilliant!" pic.twitter.com/kKnHYFTZyT
— Daniel Harris (@DanielHarris) June 17, 2020
Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, has said that he will use all five subs because it’s the only way to protect his players. I daresay circumstance is relevant here: City have nothing to play for in the league, and everything to play for in Europe.
I’m intrigued. Where do gunnersauri live?
Still doing half time penalties at mine if anyone's interested? 🧤 pic.twitter.com/L5P4V9XlmL
— Gunnersaurus (@Gunnersaurus) June 17, 2020
“I can promise you we will feel your support ... I will make the boys feel your support,” Jürgen Klopp has told Liverpool fans. Can you guess how he ended this missive?
One that springs to mind is Gary Pallister for Manchester United against Norwich. This is how he remembers it in his book:
“Afterwards, I took a bit of stick from the pundits, and while I’m always ready to own up for my own mistakes, I reckon I was treated harshly on this occasion. I was blamed for first goal, but i had been marking two men, Robert Fleck and Dale Gordon, and to this day I maintain that it wasn’t my fault. I was trying to hold the pair, the ball came over to Fleck and he nodded down for Gordon to score. Then I gave away a penalty with a rash challenge on Robert Rosario and Fleck converted the spot-kick; I had no problem in admitting full responsibility for that one.”
And some further lunchtime reading: the Knowledge, on debut mares.
Back to Willie Thorne, what a piece of joy this was; what a time this was.
Reemul Balla’s interview with Millie Chandarana is worth your time.
What is going on? Where are we?
EFL STATEMENT: COVID-19 TEST RESULTS
CHAMPIONSHIP
The EFL can confirm that 2213 players and Club staff from the 24 Championship Clubs were tested over the course of the past week with eight individuals testing positive from six Clubs.
Those players or Club staff who have tested positive will now self-isolate in line with the guidelines provided by the EFL and only those who have tested negative will be permitted to enter training ground facilities.
LEAGUE ONE
The EFL can confirm that 254 players and Club staff were tested from four League One Clubs over the course of the past week with four individuals testing positive from two Clubs.
Those players or Club staff who have tested positive will now self-isolate in line with the guidelines provided by the EFL and only those who have tested negative will be permitted to enter training ground facilities.
LEAGUE TWO
The EFL can confirm that 174 players and Club staff were tested from four League Two Clubs over the course of the past week with zero individuals testing positive.
TESTING ANNOUNCEMENTS
As the fixture programme resumes, the EFL will make a central announcement of COVID-19 test results every Wednesday at midday to continue to support competition integrity and transparency.
No specific details as to Clubs or individuals will be provided by the League.
When Villa and Sheffield United last met.
In case you missed it. You didn’t miss it.
Good to see Matt Hancock giving Daniel Rashford the praise he deserves. A true Manchester Athletic fan.
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 17, 2020
pic.twitter.com/muxjaWYilx
This piece is a year old, but explains some of the problems Brexit will cause football.
“Last week Michael Gove stated that there would no extension on the Brexit transition, so it ends on 31 December 2020,” emails David Lander.
“Given we are coming in to the transfer window could you explain what the impact, if any, is of the UK being out of transition on bringing players in from the EU. Also, given Gareth Southgate’s concerns on English players getting big-game time, could/would the Premier League bring in a ruling on a minimum number of British players per team/squad (I assume the Northern Ireland, Scottish and Welsh managers have similar concerns).”
I’m afraid this is not my expertise – and no, before you ask, I too have no idea what is. Anyone?
As far as enshrining rights for British players, there must be at least eight “homegrown” players in each 25-man squad. Obviously that can also include those not from the UK, provided they were at the club for three years before turning 21, but the intention was to help those from the British Isles.
“Greetings to you and the MBM footer team,” emails Ian Copestake. “You have been much missed! Your description of how Torreira is viewed reminds me of how Henderson used to be viewed by our lot before becoming a captaining legend!”
Greetings to you all. Henderson probably gives a bit more energy, and we should remember that he started life playing right-midfield, so creativity was part of his job-description. Which is a long-winded way of saying that no, I didn’t not expect him to hoist big ears and 90s nightmares in successive seasons.
More Ryan Fraser reflection:
We see another clip of the Rashford interview I mentioned earlier. He says that because of the break, he’s been able to get fit at his own pace without feeling the need to rush back. He must also be on the most monumental buzz – I do not envy Serge Aurier’s Friday night.
Back on Sky, Matthew Upson is rhapsodising Billy Gilmour. I can’t wait to see him play again, and wonder if he’s ready to start on a regular. Chelsea’s midfield needs something, and he might just be it.
How well do you know yourself? Find out with our quiz on the Premier League season so far.
Newcastle are home to Sheffield United on Sunday. It’s odd to think that Steve Bruce could and probably will keep them up with plenty to spare, but might still lose his job in the summer. It’s not necessarily the worst approach – consider what Southampton did with Nigel Adkins and Maurcio Pochettino – but explains why players and managers make the decisions that are best for them. Football is a brutal business.
In short: what an absolute mess. Football has been let down by so many politicians, owners and governing bodies.
Our Louise Taylor emails in a Newcastle update: “Yet another twist in Newcastle United’s seemingly interminable takeover saga has seen Henry Mauriss, an American ‘TV mogul’ register a formal offer to buy the club from Mike Ashley for £350m.
That’s, rather strangely, £50m more than the price the current consortium – Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, supported by Reuben Brothers and Amanda Staveley – have agreed with Newcastle’s current owner.
With Ashley having already exchanged contracts with the largely Saudi funded consortium and received a non-refundable £17m deposit, the only way Mauriss’s bid could possibly succeed is if the Premier League do not approve the deal they have been considering for the best part of three months.
Should the Saudi led proposal fail the League’s owners’ and directors’ test, Mauriss - the chief executive of ClearTV who is understood to believe he could take control of Newcastle as early as September - would be free to finalise a fresh agreement with the sports retail tycoon.
The Saudi buy out has been shrouded in controversy, prompting objections from human rights groups and concerns about television broadcast piracy. On Tuesday/yesterday a World Trade Organisation report found damning between Saudi Arabia and such piracy, although there was no specific reference to Newcastle or Pif.”
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My guess is that Arsenal will look to get at City down the left, with Bukayo Saka driving at Kyle Walker so that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang can run off him towards goal. But the effort it takes to establish that position, never mind execute from it, is immense, and if Leroy Sané is back, keeping the width on the opposite side, the play will be very stretched. I don’t see Arsenal coping with that.
I fear for Arsenal tonight. A fully-focused, full-strength Manchester City are – in my opinion – probably best side in the world, and it’s hard to see how Arsenal can cope with that. City’s defence is still rinsable, but keeping them out and getting the ball is a different matter.
I’m now watching yet another interview with Marcus Rashford, who is explaining the knock-on effect of doing without meals – how lives can spiral out of control, and how he didn’t know the extent of the problem until recently. That first point is a really important one, I think. It’s not just hungry kids, which is bad enough, but hungry kids feeling rejected, cranky in school, and consequently unable to lift themselves up. And consider for a moment the toll hungry kids takes on a marriage, or a family, or on the mental health of the individuals involved.
Sad news from elsewhere.
Matthew Upson and Nigel Reo-Coker are on telly saying that black players need white players to support them and, they’ll be relieved to know that I agree. Players also need the support of their clubs and countries – how powerful would it be if, the next time a newspaper attacks by dogwhistle, their reporters were banned from matches?
Xhaka is supposedly injured tonight. If so, that’s a big chance for Lucas Torreira, who offers much better protection to the back four but needs ti get better at passing the ball forwards, quickly.
Xhaka 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗠 💥🔴#GoalOfTheDay // @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/DXApLiYd1Y
— Premier League (@premierleague) June 17, 2020
Something about which I’m also wondering: what is Jack Grealish? He seems to have spent most of this season playing off the left – is that because he’s a defensive liability in midfield, or because Smith wants to reduce his defensive responsibility so he can just create?
Basically, I’m saying that this is a great game with which to get underway.
I’m interested to see what Dean Smith does tonight. He’s a keen tactician, and against Sheffield United tactics are necessary because no other team plays as they do. He’s also had the best part of three months to plan, on which point I wonder what Chris Wilder has refined in that time.
So Villa-Sheffield United, then. On the one hand, you’d think the proximity of games and ability to use five subs helps the richer clubs, who have greater squad-depth. But then you think about Sheffield United, who tend to use the same players in nearly every game, and how helpful to them the rest might have been. Their run-in is far from daunting, and if they can grab momentum tonight, they’ve got a decent chance of making the Europa League, at least.
“People realise, this is the time racism should stop,” he says. He goes on to say that it’s time to act not time to talk, and is encouraged by what the Premier League is doing. He reflects on his time living under apartheid, and how amazing it is that he got from South Africa to Leeds, and what it meant to represent his people.
Lucas Radebe is on Sky talking about racism. What a man he is.
Back to Villa, did you know that they once played a game behind closed doors, as European champions?
“Couple of points from me,” begins James Crane.
“1. Marcus Rashford (insert as many heart emojis as you see fit, but 1.3 million feels apt).
2. Now that pre-match handshakes have been binned (not before time), what chance we can go back to starting games with the glorious and proper tradition of a captain charging out the tunnel at full pelt and jumping to head an invisible ball?”
I was a big fan of the teams jogging out together, then peeling off to their end, shoulder inclined. I would happily support any move to restore that.
I guess it’s understandable in a way that Fraser doesn’t want to jeopardise any future move by getting injured, but it’s also surprising in a way that, as a player, he doesn’t want to play and do his best for his team-mates, who are in a relegation ruckus.
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Presumably that means Fraser won’t play for Bournemouth again now. That’s a huge blow for the club, who could very much do with his energy and creativity.
Bouremouth's Ryan Fraser does not sign a short-term contract extension
Allow me to interrupt myself: Ryan Fraser hasn’t signed a short-term extension to his Bournemouth contract, so can’t play for them after 30 June. Simon Francis, Andrew Surman, Artur Boruc and Charlie Daniel have all signed on until the end of the season.
Tonight’s fixtures, then. I wonder if Dean Smith will chuck McGinn in. He spoke earlier this week about the need to be careful, but Villa desperately need points and it’s hard to imagine any player, never mind a player like McGinn, being happy to sit at the side despite being fully fit.
We’ve all been there.
And what happened yesterday?! I still can’t wrap my cerebrum around it however many times I reiterate what happened, but Marcus Rashford of Manchester United and England called out the government for allowing children to go hungry, and the government knocked him back then did what he said! In the history of English football, I can’t think of any achievement to compare with that.
Preamble
So here it is, merry this league, everybody’s having no fun. Look to the future now, Villa 0 Sheff United 1.
This is a great day. Football helps us feel good, brings momentum, identity and love to our lives – my days we need that now – and provides employment to lots of people relying on clubs to survive. So, though it’s easy to be cynical about a league that, ultimately is restarting because rich people and corporations can’t afford for it not to, this is a rare occasion where what benefits them also benefits us.
Let’s be having you!
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