20231110 Raven Newsletter

Hail GFOP!

I type with fingers soaked by the incessant rain battering Liverpool. I am actually sat in the most familiar of terrains – my Mum’s dining room table – back here to see my Dad who has been battling away in hospital. This is a trip that I will remember for the rest of my life. I am blown away by my Old Man and his strength, and my Mum and her inexhaustible well of love. Thanks for all your really beautiful messages, especially from so many of you who have gone through this defining moment in life in which you live in “Hope is the thing with feathers” mode. I feel so lucky to have this time with my Dad and to be able to talk through poignant memories with a sense of shared joy and gratitude. Yesterday, the highlight of my afternoon was when he snapped awake from a nap, and immediately launched into a 25-minute conversation about Super Paul Mullin and how exhilarated he feels watching him score for Wrexham, as if we had been in the middle of that very conversation before he went to sleep. Football will never stop doing that to you. 

One of my Dad’s other favorite footballers is Heung-Min Son. He adores the sense of optimism that the Tottenham captain embodies. So, it was a real boon for me to spend time with Sonny this week before I flew for a conversation which will drop imminently. We talked in-depth about Ange Postecoglou, what it feels like to be the audience for his team talks, and whether the synchronized James Maddison celes are spontaneous or the product of training ground practice. This was Sonny’s fourth appearance on our network, and it is incredible to listen to him grow in confidence with every appearance. Gent is life-affirming. We also filmed the first episode of a new series with PSV Eindhoven; Brighton’s prodigy Evan Ferguson; and our great friend, Ali Krieger ahead of the final game of her storied career. More on all below.  There have been many days this week when I finish an interview and feel so bloody lucky to be able to do what we do. I find the conversations very cathartic in a time of chaos – for me, both global and personal, and hope you do too. 

Lot of Football to come this weekend. We break it all down including the Premier League rumbles, NWSL Final, USMNT Avenger Assemble, Milan Milan-ing it up, Wrexham soaring and more. 

2. To the Football

i. Wolves vs. Tottenham (Saturday, 7.30 a.m. EST, USA) 🇰🇷

The “The Korean Guy” Derby. Wolves Hwang Hee-chan faces Son Heung-min in the Premier League for only the second time ever. And we all wondered, how would Tottenham’s season fare when they have to face adversity? Monday night’s 4-1 implosive first loss of the campaign against Chelsea contained a season’s worth. Defensive shield Micky van de Ven and new Tottenham signing James Maddison are now out until 2024. Eric Dier is a deputy carved from Spurs fans’ nightmares as the club brace themselves for a brutal gauntlet of games with Aston Villa, Manchester City, West Ham, and Newcastle to follow. Is the Ange slow start that he promised us going to be a slow middle-of-the-season instead? 

More: Ange Postecoglou’s high line epitomised Tottenham’s optimism - and their downfall. Good piece on Tottenham’s Monday self-destruction.

ii. Manchester United vs. Luton Town (Saturday, 10 a.m. EST, USA)

We have reached the stage of ETH’s tenure where Rasmus Hojlund is being asked if Ten Hag has his backing.  Wednesday’s shameful Copenhagen comeback was the latest shattering humiliation to befall the club as they suffered a questionable Marcus Rashford red card, and failed to hold two leads. Could they lose this one against relegation favorites Luton?  United’s nine defeats in their last 17 games suggest every opponent should fancy their chances. Ten Hag’s squad are finding ever more complex ways to implode, self-sabotage, and torture fans. His “team of moment” is now experiencing many, many bad ones. Manchester United fan group The 1958 have announced they will stage furious protests against the Glazers before the game. 

iii. Arsenal vs. Burnley (Saturday, 10 a.m. EST, P’Cock)

With Gabriel Jesus still out, Eddie Nketiah and Martin Odegaard facing fitness tests, Arsenal need to find someone who scores with the same confidence with which the club release statements. Kai Havertz will continue to be in the tabloid spotlight as the $68M the club spent on him looks like it could have purchased a lot of Ivan Toney.  

iv. Crystal Palace vs. Everton (Saturday, 10 a.m. EST, P’Cock)

The scintillating prospect of a clash between two counterattacking teams who both hate possession, passing, and proactive, ambitious football. Who will fall into the trap of touching the ball with ambition and opening themselves up on the counter? 

More: When will Everton’s FFP punishment be announced? Bring it on already.

v. Liverpool vs. Brentford (Sunday 9 a.m. EST, P’Cock)

Yesterday, Klopp’s mob were stunned by a swaggering Toulouse – experiencing their first European defeat this season in a strangely mistake-ridden performance. A damp squib way to ring up Klopp’s 450th game in charge – one which only served to reinforce the gnawing the sense this club have a tendency to underestimate or play down against lesser opponents. 

Having said that, there can be no bigger Liverpool win this season than the news that Luis Diaz Sr. was released yesterday after being kidnapped by ELN forces for 13 agonizing days, he's now in the care of a UN-Catholic church delegation. This dark chapter has a positive ending we can all draw strength and relief from. 🇨🇴

More: Salah and Mané’s relationship. As told by Bobby Chompers. Fascinating read.

vi. Chelsea vs. Manchester City (Sunday 11.30 a.m. EST, USA)

The Frank Lampard Memorial Derby.  A game which feels like it should crackle, but in this reality – 10th place Chelsea being such an experimental work in progress - the most poignant tactical question is how many red cards do City need to receive for this to be competitive? Chelsea womble in fresh-off the first true signature win of the Poch era, that slightly slapstick defanging of nine-Man Tottenham. The prospect of Haaland and Doku-ball is another level entirely. One interesting note: Anthony Taylor was appointed referee after being dispatched to oversee a Championship game last week due to his decision making in the Newcastle-Wolves game on the previous matchday.

📺 More: Full Premier League Broadcast schedule here

3. NWSL El Grande Final: Ol Reign vs. Gotham FC (Saturday 8 p.m. EST, CBS) 🏆

The writer's strike is over and nowhere is it more evident than the NWSL finals, as the scriptwriters gear up for the ultimate season finale: it's Krieger vs. Rapinoe and only one legend of the game will walk away from the sport with her (and her respective club's) first NWSL title. 

What a gift this West Coast-East Coast Beef is. Gotham knocked out both perennial powerhouse North Carolina Courage and then reigning Champions Portland Thorns, advancing to the final with THIS extra time left footed worldie from Katie Stengel. Under NWSL manager of the season Juan Carlos Amorós, Gotham have gone from dead last in the table last season to the brink of an NWSL Championship.

OL Reign meanwhile emerged as Championship finalists after a scrappy 1-0 win over Supporters' Shield winning San Diego Wave. This 47th minute Shass O'Glory from Veronica Latsko was the difference on the night, taking the Reign to their first NWSL Championship game since 2015.

NWSL scriptwriters... well played. Big day for makers of 50/50 kits.

We’ll have a special digital video previewing the final out later today. AND WATCH OUR NWSL GOALS OF THE SEASON HERE. And we have a Pod Special with Ali Krieger dropping tomorrow morning, unpacking how she anticipates saying goodbye to football. 

More: New NWSL broadcast deal worth a game-changing $60 million per year over four years.

🗣️ The Men in Blazers Women’s American Football Awards, Presented by Bud Light  

It's voting SZN. I am so thrilled about the response to the women’s part of our American Football Awards: As you may have heard on the Pod or seen on our social, we are launching three awards to celebrate what has been an incredible year in the women’s game. And we are asking you, dear GFOPs, to select the winner.

The nominees for International Player of the Year are:

• AITANA BONMATI 🇪🇸

• SAM KERR 🇦🇺

• LINDA CAICEDO 🇨🇴

• RACHEL DALY 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

The nominees for NWSL Player of the Year are:

• SOPHIA SMITH 🌹

• KEROLIN 🔵

• LYNN WILLIAMS 🗽

• SAM COFFEY 🌹

And the nominees for American Player of the Year aka The Golden Eagle are:

• NAOMI GIRMA 🇺🇸

• SOPHIA SMITH 🇺🇸

• TRINITY RODMAN 🇺🇸

• LINDSEY HORAN 🇺🇸

And where can you vote? ONLY RIGHT HERE AT THIS LINK IN THE RAVEN OR IN NEXT WEEK’S ISSUE OF THE WOMEN’S GAME NEWSLETTER.

Voting runs through November 17th at 11:59 p.m. EST. The winners will be revealed in a special YouTube Live Night of Nights in December. It has been a magical year for the women’s game. A truly incredible World Cup, a hyper-competitive NWSL season and the inexorable growth of the game we love around the world.

ONE REQUEST: Please share this newsletter with as many of your football-curious friends as possible, and encourage them to vote. We want this award to be as true a reflection of the United States fan base and their passion as is possible.

4. New Series I Love: PSV USA 🇳🇱🇳🇱🇳🇱

I am so bloody proud to launch this new series with Dutch league leading wonder PSV Eindhoven because I want to double-down in these dark times on celebrating the stories that transcend the sport and make you feel so much better about life. It has been magnificent to witness PSV, that historic club, import more Americans than the University of Utrecht on the first day of Junior Year Abroad. Ricardo Pepi, Malik Tillman and the inimitable Sergino Dest have arrived as part of a massive rebuild that has left the team as the only one in Europe’s Big 6 to hold a perfect record. Our goal with this monthly series PSV USA is to dig deeper into this incredible moment and revel in the backstory by understanding the history, DNA and youth development of this historic club.  

Listen to the Series Premiere with PSV Director of Football and former USMNT player and Sporting Director Earnie Stewart. Watch the video version on our YouTube. 

5. Can Wrexham continue to Storm Surge? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

After a comfortable win at Mansfield Town in the FA Cup and a not-so-comfortable comeback midweek win against Port Vale in the Football League Trophy, Wrexham roll back into League 2 Action against Gillingham FC (Saturday 10 a.m. EST iFollow). The Mighty Gills under newly appointed manager, former Spurs player Stephen Clemence, arrive at the STōK Cae Ras in ninth place, having lost and drawn their last two games. The Kent side last met Wrexham in the 1999/2000 Second Division, suffering a 0-1 loss on the last day of the season. The dark news for Wrexham? Super Paul Mullin is out with suspension. BTW, I spoke to him this week for a new series we are about to unfurl imminently, and I have to say, I was impressed by his humility and his focus. Gent is completely and utterly unphased by any sense of circus. 

6. Christian Pulisic is out for Milan. Can they grapple on without our Hamstrung Gent? 🇺🇸🇮🇹

After gifting Udinese their first Serie A win since May, AC Milan emphatically reversed their fortunes in the Champions League Tuesday, holding on to a 2-1 win against a PSG side that had beaten the Rossoneri 3-0 in the away fixture thanks to a trademark Olivier Giroud back post header. Milan charge down to the Southern tip of Italy for Saturday's matchup with a struggling Leece side who are winless in their last three (9 AM ET Paramount +). Christian Pulisic is expected to be ruled out for the weekend's game after going off in the 92nd minute against PSG. Tests done this week rule out serious injury, but the midfielder will miss out on the USMNT squad for the CONCACAF Nations League games against Trinidad and Tobago next week. Godspeed, Christian. 

More: Are Pulisic and Musah making Milan “America’s Team”?

7. USMNT Assemble, Brace selves to avenge past ignominies by playing two teams at once: Trinidad & Tobago 🇺🇸🇹🇹

“There’s only two US Aaronsons… two US Aa-ron-sons…” Yesterday, Paxten and Brenden were called up for the senior team together for the first time. A magical achievement for two kids who grew up battling each other in the family basement which they theatrically called “The Dungeon.” Aaronsons make up 8.333% of the 24 players called up by Gregg to face Trinidad and Tobago in home and away action in the Nations League Quarterfinals. The headlines are Christian Pulisic is out with a muscle twinge and Tim Weah is also out with hamstring knack.  Who can replace them?  Brenden Aaronson, the mighty Malik Tillman, stealth stellar young Kevin Paredes and Club América’s potent Alex Zendejas will vye for minutes. You have to believe Gio Reyna will see this as a prime opportunity to assert himself as the peerless creative heartbeat of our team. Statement games incoming? 

Schedule: First game against Trinidad and Tobago is 9 p.m. ET on Thursday at the Q2 Stadium in Austin (TNT, Telemundo, UNIVERSO, Max, Peacock, FDP Radio). Away leg is the following Monday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. ET at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (TNT, UNIVERSO, Max, Peacock, FDP Radio). 

We are stacked with content, including previews and postgame analysis with Herc Gomez joining Rog, and immediate post-game lives on YouTube. 

8. This Week at Men in Blazers World Headquarters

An absolute geyser of content coming out of Men in Blazers World HQ this week. Here are some of our favorites. Can’t knock the hustle. 

A very prescient Rory Smith on European Nights unpacks the data revolution happening at Toulouse FC after their takeover by Billy Beane's Redbird Capital that has taken them from France's Ligue 2 all the way to the Europa League. LISTEN HERE. Episode taped before Toulouse defeat of Liverpool Thursday evening. 

We mentioned it above, but THIS CONVERSATION WITH YOUNG BRIGHTON STAR EVAN FERGUSON IS MUST WATCH. Listen to what it’s like to play for Roberto Di Zerbi. Stay for his story about having to take his driving test FOUR times. Premier League Strikers, they’re just like us. 

GFOPs, if you are not listening to Men in Blazers Early Kick Off, do you even football? This is a 10-minute listen to start each day that covers all of global football’s biggest stories. Subscribe. We dare you to listen Monday morning and tell us this isn’t the shot that your morning coffee has been missing. SUPPORT AND SUBSCRIBE HERE

9. More Football, Did Ya Say?

i. The incredible story of the man with more than 5,000 football shirts.

ii. English Women’s Football and the unique fan culture it is developing and fighting to preserve.

iii. Congratulations to Sam Kerr and Kristie Mewis on their engagement. Wishing them a lifetime of strength, health, and love. Does this mean Sam can make a one-time switch now or is that now how it works? 

10. Not Football, and all the better for It

i. Anyone for turtle supper? The Great Cajun Turtle Heist. "Current Louisiana law allows residents to catch one alligator snapping turtle a day for personal use." Excuse me? 

ii. Old Genesis, New Genesis, give me Fake Genesis! When a Tribute Band Transcends the Original.

iii. What does the US Space Force actually do? If I had to find out about kinetic kill vehicles, you do too. 

iv. There Are Worse First-Date Spots Than Applebee’s. But none worse than a MiB live show.

v. After 52 years, the man on the cover of Led Zeppelin IV has finally been identified. Next up, tracking down the goat from the Pet Sounds cover.

vi. Minnesotans Have Some Really Good Flag Redesign Ideas. Give the people what they want (absolutely bonkers flags)! 

vii. Why Am I Sad at Night But Happy When I Wake Up? Writer asks a therapist to break down what it means if your mood drastically changes depending on the time of day. IT MEANS YOU ARE AN EVERTON FAN

viii. Welcome to Utopia: Language is medicine. Absolutely fascinating stuff. 

ix. Finalists for the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards have been announced. Ballon d'Or for undomesticated creatures.

x. What really happened to JFK? You know a story's going to be good when the term "dogged journalist" is in the subheadline. 

xi. If you can't get a Big Ange pre-game talk in-person, store bought is fine. 

xii. This song really helped me today: Dragon by The Amazing. Came on playlist the moment I landed in Liverpool and gave me life.

Finally, this story made my week and thanks to all of you – and I mean ALL – that have written to me about it: Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car wins country song of the year – 35 years after its debut. I find this cultural moment very meaningful. I’ve obviously talked about Tracy Chapman forever on our show and, I think, at the outset, people thought I was being ironic. But I hope GFOPs realize that could not be further from the case. I still listen to that album every day. Its impact on my life – and millions of others – has been enormous. The album came out when I was in my teens. An age at which you listen to music through your own singular selfishness, and I always believed that Tracy was singing to me and me alone. Her message was, “Big bold changes need to be made, make them quickly, don’t make excuses why not. Get out why you still can.” That lyric “We’ve got to make a decision, leave tonight or live and die this way,” when I used to play that, I knew in my mind exactly what my decision was. However, with age you realize, Tracy is singing about something more profound and global. And I love the track all the more. To Tracy.  She remains the single guest I most long to have on our show, if only so I can thank her for all she has done for the world. 

To better days ahead for all.

Let’s never take a moment of watching football together for granted,

Big Love.

Courage.

ROG