James Benge

The reality of the mega clubs is there's always going to be a sizeable proportion of folks with expectations utterly untethered to reality, as well as a few bad faith actors thrown into the mix. The only way to briefly quiet them is to deliver a season that matches the wildest expectations.

Granit Xhaka due for medical ahead of Sunderland move worth up to £17m. A huge investment in a veteran, expected to sign 3 year deal, but they had to convince Leverkusen to reluctantly do business. Initial £13m, if Sunderland pay all clauses he will be most expensive 32 year old signing ever in PL.

Across three and a half hours of Champions League and Euros final, did Leah Williamson put a foot wrong once (before the shootout)?

I like that foul on Carmona. Make sure Spain know that when you press you’re getting the ball or you’re leaving something on them. So much more verve and purpose from England.

Spain are so, so good that it’s almost a joy to watch them ruin your evening.

I doubt Tariq (of whom I’m a great admirer) would say this is reporting, he’s asking a question. I asked the same in 2023 and reported on it then. The proportionally minuscule investments PIF have in Clearlake are not too relevant for these sorts of deals, at most it’s a matter of personal relations

As reported elsewhere, Al-Nassr will pay an initial €30m for Felix with significant further add ons.

Understand Al-Nassr are prepared to pay Chelsea €55m for Joao Felix with talks progressing swiftly between clubs. Felix keen on move to Pro League and deal would represent a profit for Chelsea, who paid €52m for Felix last summer.

That shootout

Inside Arsenal's aggressive transfer window: Shrewd moves, big-money transfers have Gunners going all in The Gunners are staying busy in the transfer window and with more to come, boosting quality and depth in pursuit of glory

On Arsenal's all-in window

Yeah I was making a point in general terms, grasping for an example without having every PL team’s likely XI in front of me. It seemed quicker than me live googling.

Did the Club World Cup matter? Empty seats and hot days offer warnings on FIFA's challenges ahead of 2026 Were the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup's obstacles natural adversity or manufactured problems?

after four weeks and 60-plus games, the first edition of the new-look Club World Cup has come to a close — but did it really matter?

turns out, that’s a complex question to answer (but I took a stab at it anyway)

www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/...

When the deadline Palace had just got past Millwall in the fifth round of the FA Cup and had no realistic chance of Europe through the Premier League. Textor was looking for a way out but there was no obvious time pressure.

If the laws governing your game allow for the fudges by Red Bull and CFG but not for the scenario Palace and Lyon find themselves in, you really should let this one slide and reassess your regulations.

I can't make you be interested in something but the reason to use shots over goals is that they are more predictive of future output. xG is even more predictive.

Why Chelsea selling Noni Madueke to Arsenal would be a huge mistake for Blues The young English attacker could be making his way across London, but the Club World Cup finalists would be better off keeping a player who is clearly improving

No right winger took more Premier League shots per 90 last season than Noni Madueke... and they were good ones!

Only two wingers in the league averaged more progressive carries.

There's questions of resource allocation sure but that's it really.

You're right, I'm pretty certain the Arsenal fan space would be cock a hoop if Johan Bakayoko was coming from PSV. He had nine goals and an assist in 30 Eredivisie games last season at 22.

Madueke had 7 and 5 in 24 games as an 18 year old!

The thing about Madueke is that if he had worse stats but was coming from, like, Leverkusen or Porto, Arsenal fans would be over the moon about the prospect of signing that guy.

Christ, it's just embarrassing and pointless engaging with people who imagine such calculated, cynical motives behind a post on social media... especially when they don't appear to think before posting.

For starters if I were chasing engagement numbers, I'd have posted this on the other place.

Why Chelsea selling Noni Madueke to Arsenal would be a huge mistake for Blues The young English attacker could be making his way across London, but the Club World Cup finalists would be better off keeping a player who is clearly improving

Chelsea's recruitment blueprint is acquiring young stars who can deliver for them over several years. In Noni Madueke they fulfilled that?

So why would they let him go when he is on such an impressive trajectory?

I would gently suggest that you might be proving my point, raging about imagined implications and perceived cynicism.

Can you point me to where I said they were?

If you support a top level Premier League club, would you have a problem with your club signing the unknown player highlighted below?

The dumbest deal of the blueco era just feels like an unacceptably high bar for transfer mishap. It’s like something not being the worst song by Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Would have been for me before our wedding, Weird Fishes was the song we had playing when we were officially married. So I guess until anything goes wrong it’s a lock…

Pyramid a close number two for sure for me, I really love every song on Amnesiac without being mad about it as a cohesive work (by Radiohead standards). Daydreaming was so flat at Glastonbury 2017 that it kind of spoiled it for me.

All of this but now I’m thinking Radiohead really should have repaid the favour and appeared on I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue. Would have been an upgrade on Colin Sell.

He’s got me thinking about Radiohead dammit!

Best song on each album

PH: Blow Out
TB: Street Spirit
OKC: Let Down (best Radiohead song)
KA: How To Disappear Completely
A: Life In A Glasshouse
HTTT: There There
IR: Weird Fishes
TKOL: Separator
AMSP: Present Tense
Non-album: Cuttooth

a man wearing glasses and a black suit is standing in front of a sign that says ' the ' on it ALT: a man wearing glasses and a black suit is standing in front of a sign that says ' the ' on it

I feel like you should be right but a world where How To Disappear Completely exists, can you be?

Very true