Football in Five

My 5 hot takes this week

1. Abuse in Football –

What a terrible week in Football showing how backward the world is and how Football is still stuck in the last century and beyond. Xenophobia, Racism & Homophobia all rife and frankly it is unacceptable. It started with Sir Jim’s disgusting comments about immigrants colonising the country and costing the country money which is immensely hypocritical from a man who resides in Monaco so he doesn’t pay tax in the UK.

Manchester (where his football team are based)is a city built on immigrants who are Irish, Jewish, Pakistani, Indian, Jamaican amongst many others. Having lived in Manchester for over a decade, it’s diversity make it the city it is today. I wonder what the near 20 immigrants in the Man Utd first team think of Jim’s comments?

Next up were the shameful scenes in Portugal with poor Vini Jnr having to he subjected yet again to disgusting monkey chants not only from “fans” but also from players and managers. I can’t decide what I was more ashamed or embarrassed by Mourinho’s putting the blame ultimately on Vini’s shoulders or by Prestianos defence of i didnt call him a monkey i called him a faggot. That definitely makes things better doesn’t it , im not a racist im homophobic?!??!???!?!?

The only ray of light is the likes of Kompany, Henry and other high profile footballers stepping up and calling out this unacceptable behaviour. Let’s stamp it out and have meaningful bans, fines and let’s actually Kick it Out.

2. Champions League Quality –

We are getting now to the business end of the season and im here for it. The Champions League didnt fail to produce this week. Some outstanding performances and highlights this week – Newcastle, PSG, Bodo Glimt, Club Brugge, Galatasaray all standing out.


The (not so) new Champions League format has been able to throw up more competitive knockout matches and amongst so called minnows ( They are obviously not minnows in their own countries). Records were smashed – Galatasaray hitting 5 in a knockout stage for the first time, as for Gordon he was the first English player to score a hat trick in the first half, fastest hat trick (33 mins) , most European Goals for Newcastle and most goals in a Champions League season. 

The Italian giants are on the brink of exiting the competition. Juventus have a 3 goal deficit to make up and with Galatasarays goal threat and their leaky defence, I believe that tie is done and dusted. As for Inter, their tie with Bodo is finely poised and Inter needing an early goal to turn around the game but don’t bet on Bodo knocking out last seasons finalists.

Arguably tie of the round was Club Brugge and Atletico Madrid finishing at 3- 3 with an absolute roller coaster of a game. With Lookman and Alvarez on song I fully expect Atleti to take Club Brugge back to Madrid and spank them. Other teams heading into the next round i think are Real and PSG.

All of this is making for a very juicy end of season with the in form teams joining the fray in the next round. Exciting teams ahead.

3.Arsenal Choking –

After 3 mins of the game on Wednesday when Saka nodded through Sa’s leagues in his new free number 10 role. I was fully expecting Arsenal to run out winners with a 3-4 goal demolition of Wolves. The rest of the first half petered out as Arsenal struggled to break down Wolves low block. At the same time Wolves weren’t looking likely to score at all and were just hanging in the game. Even when Hincapie extended the league Arsenal still didn’t look in control. Then when Bueno scored a worldie Arsenal were hanging on, time wasting and then the inevitable happened and Edozie finished after a shocking error from Raya.

Why why why though?! Arteta hasn’t kept the same time in his last 15 games and although arguably there is no such thing as a first 11 there is a core 8/9 players that should be starting. This inconsistency i believe is causing problems for this Arsenal team , the chopping and changing of Arsenals attack is meaning the likes of Martinelli, Trossard, Jesus, Eze Gyokeres, Madeuke, Saka, Merino, Havertz, Odegaard, Nwaneri is creating more problems for Arsenal rather than the opposition. This may partly be down to injury but also to Arteta having tooo much choice. I believe he needs to take a leaf out of Carricks book at Man Utd and just pick a settled front 4/5 and give confidence to these players to work their magic without the risk of being taken out of the next game or played in a different position.

This is however making for an exciting title race as we enter the final third of the Premier League season.

4. New Manager Time –

Tudor and Periera your time is now!!!!! Are Tudor and Periera able to get a tune out of the Spurs and Forest teams? Tudor goes into the North London derby buoyed by their rivals stuttering to the end of the season.

All eyes will be on the formation and the way Tudor sets up this Spurs team and i reckon he will chop and change in his⁰
short stay as he is out of a lot of his first eleven.  I believe this game will be won or lost in Spurs left back area/ Arsenal right wing area. Who the hell is Tudor going to pick at Left Back? With Porro out so Spence has to play Right back and Udogie out he has limited choice. I personally would play Spence Left back and Gray Right back and play with a very low block and try and get Arsenal to break me down.

Additionally, I believe the key to getting Spurs out of this bad run of form is playing Simons in a free number 10 role. He is simply not a winger and Frank struggled to get the best out of him – play him behind Solanke and keep a very central team with little width for this game at least and make yourself hard to beat. Im intrigued to see what Tudor can do- he “only” needs to win 4 out of his 12 Premier League games to be considered a success and leave with his reputation in tack. With that Spurs midfield (Gallagher, Bissouma & Sarr for tomorrow I believe at least) he will struggle.

As for Periera, I think we are in for a great ride . This Forest team is very talented and is wholly underperforming. Gibbs-White, Anderson,  Hudson Odi,  Hutchinson, McAtee, Murillo, and Lucca are all top 8 players and with Periera tendencies to play free flowing attacking football i believe we will have some high scoring games and like Tudor if he can win 4 of his last 12 games he will be absolutely fine. Dyche couldn’t get a tune out of Gibbs White and he is the key to Forests survival. Anderson is turning into a Champions League player and it is criminal he is fighting a relegation battle. Forest have Liverpool in his first Premier League game and Man City in the next 3 games. Those two games are free hits and any points is a bonus. The Fulham and Brighton games are the litmus tests for Periera and with a Europa League tie in the middle the next five games will be make or break for the season and i truly believe Periera will be absolutely fine. Let’s judge him after the next 5 league games. In a month’s time after the Spurs game if Periera can get 7 points out of 15 then he will be golden.

5. Glasner to Go –

Oliver it didnt have to end like this?! Less than a year after Palace first major trophy Glasner has managed inexplicably to become a villain in the majority of Palace fans. Glasner should quit win or lose after the next game as he is now dialling it in. I would love him to quit after thumping Wolves tomorrow but he won’t. Glasner is last man standing and the longer he stays the more he ruins his reputation, he is struggling to get a tune out of this Palace team and now without Uncle Mark and Magic Eze they are a much poorer team and are in a relegation battle. A loss tomorrow and Parish will make the call for him anyway. Glasner you need to leave the party as it is getting too late and you have school tomorrow morning! Palace have won only 1 game out of the last 15 and have struggled against poor opposition. They are getting worse and not better. Palace havent helped Glasner by selling the crown jewels and replacing them with inferior players but and it is a big but they have international players still who should be more than capable enough of a mid table finish but now Glasner has told everyone he is leaving is he able to get an extra 10% out of his team and the answer is simply no – why fight for a man who has repeatedly said the squad and team isnt good enough and that he is leaving as the team doesn’t meet his ambition. Glasner you need to go now and save Palace as you are simply making things worse for everyone involved