BREAKING NEWS
Rescue workers have called off their search for the missing plane carrying Cardiff striker Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson. “We reviewed all the information available to us, as well as knowing what emergency equipment was on board, and have taken the difficult decision to end the search,” said Guernsey harbourmaster, Capt David Barker. “The chances of survival at this stage are extremely remote. Next of kin have been informed of this development, and my thoughts go out to the family of the pilot and passenger at this most difficult of times.”
CHELSEA v TOTTENHAM
There are no shortage of talking points ahead of Thursday’s Worthington Cup semi-final second leg between Chelsea and Tottenham at Stamford Bridge. Following a first leg dogged by tedious controversy prompted by VAR – exactly the kind VAR was supposed to eliminate – Spurs lead by the only goal of the tie. They will need that buffer, as it has been well documented that with Son Heung-min, Dele Alli and Harry Kane all absent for various reasons, they are so bereft of bodies with which to fill their forward line they may even be forced to play Fernando Llorente, a World Cup and European Championship-winning striker with just one Big Vase and three Serie A winner’s medals to his name in the centre-forward role.
Comparatively untroubled by absenteeism, Chelsea may opt not to play a centre-forward at all, having failed to sign Gonzalo Higuaín in time to make his debut under Maurizio Sarri in this game. By way of alternative, the Chelsea boss looks likely to play Eden Hazard as a false nine, a role much beloved of the kind of nerds obsessed with heat maps and turning pyramids upside down, but in which Chelsea’s best player appears as comfortable as The Fiver after getting into a crowded lift only to discover we’re facing the opposite direction to everyone else but wedged in too tightly to turn around.
Having publicly questioned the motivation of his players in the wake of their defeat at the hands of Arsenal, Sarri set about geeing up Hazard for this game by pointing out his lack of leadership skills and saying he needs to do more for the team. “He is very important for us, because he is a great player,” said Sarri. “He always can win the match in two minutes – sometimes in one minute but at the moment he’s not a leader. He’s a great player – one of the best in the world. I think he has to do more, because the potential is higher than the performances.”
While mischievous members of the Fourth Estate have been quick to pounce on Sarri’s comments and point to them as evidence that the Italian is losing his marbles and about to lose his dressing room, it should be noted that: a) they were largely complimentary; and b) Hazard has always struck The Fiver as the kind of chilled-out, laidback free spirit who probably isn’t too fussed about any mildly critical remarks his manager might make. A more emotionally fragile flower, Higuaín is an undeniably successful player, albeit one with more high-profile misses to his name than Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp combined. He will look on from the stands ahead of his debut against Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup on Sunday.
LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE
Join Paul Doyle from 7.45pm GMT for hot MBM coverage of Chelsea 3-1 Tottenham (agg: 3-2).
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I didn’t do anything in Bahrain, I didn’t do anything in Thailand, I didn’t do anything in Australia. How can they keep me locked up like this? Please help me, please. In Bahrain there are no human rights and no safety for people like me” – Hakeem al-Araibi, the refugee footballer who was detained in Thailand while on his honeymoon, has said he is “losing hope” and believes he will be tortured again or even killed if he is deported to Bahrain.
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
The Football Weekly Extra podcast will be in this general area.
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FIVER LETTER
“I realised at a very young age (about the same time I first stepped on a pitch) that I was never going to make it as a professional footballer. In terms of realisation, does this make me quicker than Usain Bolt?” – Scott Henderson.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. And you can always tweet The Fiver via @guardian_sport. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’the day is … Scott Henderson.
BITS AND BOBS
Real Madrid and Barcelona have overtaken Manchester United in Deloitte’s annual report into club revenues. Newcastle United are a new entry in the top 20 at No 19.
$tevie Mbe insists switching to a midfield diamond is not the reason for the Pope’s Newc O’Rangers slumping to a 2-1 defeat at … checks notes … Scottish Premiership high-flyers Kilmarnock. “People will look at the formation and personnel and blame me, which they can, that’s no problem,” he sniffed. “But if we don’t give Kilmarnock two gifts tonight we win the game.”
Lukaku to United. Mikel to Middlesbrough. It’s the transfer round-up.
Borussia Dortmund are sniffing around Wilfried Zaha.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst will end his four-year stay as Feyenoord head coach at the end of the season. “I have always followed my gut instinct in my career and I feel I should not carry on,” said his gut.
Neymar is knacked.
And blimey. Thierry Henry could already be on the brink in Monaco after their 3-1 Coupe de France defeat at home to Metz. “It is absolutely necessary to get something in Dijon this weekend,” he tooted. “I have the impression that there is a real problem at Stade Louis II. I have a hard time finding out why, I have a hard time believing it. The team makes more mistakes at home than away.”
STILL WANT MORE?
Andy Hunter spends a day behind the scenes at Accrington Stanley.
The lowdown on Gonzalo Higuaín, courtesy of Marcus Christenson. And a quiz to boot.
Uncovering football in the Canadian Arctic, as you do.
Oh, and if it’s your thing … you can follow Big Website on Big Social FaceSpace. And INSTACHAT, TOO!
