EVERTON GET BIG BOY HOME WIN 🔵

Hail GFOP!

I type with fingers filled with hope after watching one of the most passionate performances I have ever witnessed. Everton 3 Newcastle 0. A game which ended with Everton fans defiantly bellowing “We shall not be moved,” Jordan Pickford dropping his gloves to battle all-comers like some kind of Premier League Chris Osgood, and that Ginger Benedict Arnold, Anthony Gordon, staggering off the field after a 3-0 pistol whipping. An epic night of ferocious collective football and mutinous energy that saw Shite McNeil playing like the Ballon d'Or Winner Elect and even Beto finally score – an experience that was so joy-filled, it felt as if one of my own kids had just found the back of the net. I am so proud of my club. There are so many others that are better than us. But name one that is more tenacious and defiant?

I honestly did not think my dad would live to see Everton win another home game again. Hope. Football gives you such hope in life.

ii. At MiB, this period is the most hectic in the year. We are building out our Holiday Extravaganza content (which is IMMENSE) while planning for 2024 in which we hope to take so many new big swings, on YouTube, on the Women’s side of the game, and around the delirious reality of the Copa.

In terms of the Holiday extravaganza, we are girding our loins to film with the mighty John Oliver, Becky Sauerbrunn, JJ Watt, John Green, and Rory Smith amongst others. Watch our Socials for more. 😍 There will be new episodes of Early Kick Off on the daily.

WEEKEND MIB PROGRAM NOTE: 🚨 We will DO IT LIVE! Sunday after Tottenham’s final whistle against Newcastle on our YouTube page. Come and join us and react to all the games by joining us LIVE ON STAGE 🍻🍻🍻

2. To the Football

Premier League returns to action after announcing a new $8.46B four-year British broadcast deal starting in the 2025-26 season. For the first time, all matches outside of Saturday 3 p.m. kick-offs will be broadcast live in the UK as they are in the US. More money pumped into the Premier League, more hype, more reinforcement of its unassailable position as the world’s most-watched sports league. 

i. Tottenham Hotspur vs. Newcastle United (Sunday, 11.30 a.m. EST, USA)

Two wounded, shellshocked teams collide. All the joy Spurs gleaned from last weekend’s pugnacious draw with City lasted just 90 minutes of learning that Thursday nights are for the Moyes. Back to the dark narrative. Tottenham are losers of four in their last five. Their last three at home (for the first time since 2008!). The first Premier League team ever to be ahead in five straight games and not win any of them. Look at poor Sonny’s face when he is told of this fact. The table of points dropped in the Premier League from winning positions since Nov. 6 makes for strange viewing: Manchester City and freefalling Nottingham Forest are tied for second with six points. Spurs are untouchable in the lead with 14. Fourteen! A human agony of love and loss, and history repeating itself. Cue slight change in tune for Ange. “I am not here to play good football, I’m here to win.” Injury-ravaged Newcastle will have Everton fans’ taunts still ringing in their ears after Kieran Trippier’s mistake ridden performance sent them to a dizzying defeat at Goodison Park. They have won just once in seven away games this season but will draw strength from the fact they have beaten the last three Big Six teams they have faced. 

A bolt of hope for Spurs fans: Kulusevski is the perfect winger for Ange Ball. 

ii. Aston Villa vs. Arsenal (Saturday, 12.30 p.m. EST, NBC Proper)

Villa fans. Arsenal dreamers. Narrative fans, lend me your ears. League leading Arsenal head to Fortress Villa Park to face their former manager, Unai Emery, who has re-emerged with a vengeance with Tom Hanks’ mob, ripping off a club record-equalling 14th successive home win by embarrassing Manchester City midweek. They are within four points of the Gunners at the top and surging on their best form since 1930-31. Arsenal will still have the crackling adrenalin of surviving Luton Town, and a pair of David Raya-clangers flowing through their veins. Are they a vulnerable team who leak three to the Hatters, or potent Kings of the Late Show? 

More: The story of Unai Emery’s Premier League Redemption Journey.

iii. Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool (Saturday, 7.30 a.m. EST, USA)

Caoimhin Kelleher’s Liverpol arrive at Selhurst Park two points off the top, and with Roy Hodgson wobbling. After Wednesday night’s meek 2-0 home loss to Bournemouth, Uncle Roy added to the sting for the Palace faithful who have seen a two decade-low five points gleaned at home. Liverpool fans have been spoiled here in recent times. Jurgen Klopp has never lost at Selhurst Park, indeed his team are unbeaten against Chris Richards’ red and blue army in their last 12 Premier League meetings.

More: Fascinating article about TAA and the rise of the hybrid player and how a fundamental tactical challenge revolves around other player’s abilities to learn how to cover for them.

iv. Luton Town vs. Manchester City (Sunday, 9 a.m. EST, P’Cock) 

It is a quarter of a century since these two teams last met – and then, both were buried deep in the third tier. Although the Kenny has barely changed since then, City are an unrecognizable entity. So much so, that their current winless run of four games, seems like a shocking free fall. Pep admitted his side are “struggling a little bit,” after summoning just two shots all game against Aston Villa midweek, the fewest a Guardiola side has recorded in a league match. Anyone experiencing City-Schadenfreude should listen to Jurgen Klopp: "If somebody would write City off that would be the biggest joke in the history of football.”

More: The two year countdown to City judgment has begun. And it feels ridiculous. Great writing by Barney Ronay.

Interesting: City Football Group: Who are their 13 teams and how are they doing?

v. Manchester United vs. Bournemouth (Saturday, 10 a.m. EST, P’Cock)

“We’re McTominay’s team now.” United hope to burnish the meager crumbs of beating Chelsea as evidence of forward momentum. Indeed, victory would leave them level on points with Manchester City, at least until Pep’s mob play on Sunday. Incredible but true: Andoni Iraola’s unbeaten in four. War Cherries will prove a sterner test of Ten Hag’s progress than Poch did midweek. 

More: United accelerate plans for January clearout.

vi. Everton vs. Chelsea (Sunday, 9 a.m. EST, USA)

Points Deduction-Houdini's Everton have already climbed out of the Relegation Zone. They welcome Chelsea fully aware that with their true points haul, they would be ahead of the unstable compound that is Poch’s mob, in 10th place. I am old enough to remember before Thursday night, when Everton were considered to be tragic at home. I also know Chelsea are the most inconsistent team in football – they seem to take a game on, and a game off. After Wednesday night’s insipid defeat at Old Trafford, Nico Jackson is due for an “on game.” GFOP @Sir__Greg tweeted me this wisdom: @rogbennett did Everton get their points deduction too early?

Lovely to read: Dele on course for return in new year. Godspeed.

3. Copa America Draw 2024 went down. Will the United States emerge from that Group C? 🇺🇸🇺🇾🇵🇦🇧🇴

Last night was the Copa America draw. If you missed it, it was electric. I josh. It was eye-bleedingly dull, played out by CONCACAF and CONMEBOL officials who sported matching suits with their federations names woven in gold, while declaring live on stage, “At CONMEBOL, we don’t care about money.”

After a chaotic, slapstick, disorganized draw, the United States was left with Darwin Nunez’s 11th FIFA-ranked Uruguay, strong-by-CONCACAF standards Panama, and eminently beatable at sea-level Bolivia. First of all, this is a group we should be able to emerge from intact. Gregg testing himself against Marcelo Bielsa and Uruguay in the final group stage game at Arrowhead Stadium, feels like a clash ripped from fan fiction. That game will be exactly the kind of tough challenge we have yearned to test ourselves against stiff opposition. This is our opportunity. I have to believe we can emerge with six points. Brazil could await in the quarter-finals. Let’s prove ourselves to ourselves and do this.

4. This Week at MiB World Headquarters 🍻🍻🍻

i. We feel the need. The need for Cheese. Another new episode of our new YouTube series “This Week in Wrexham” hosted by Tomi “Cheese” Lewis. The series is an inside look at what it has been like to be a long, formerly-suffering supporter of the World’s Biggest Little Club, Wrexham AFC. This week, Tomi sits down with the owner of the now world-famous Turf pub Wayne Jones to talk about what it is like to rub elbows and sling pints with the likes of Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd. Plus, a FA Cup match day with massive stakes. WATCH HERE. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

ii. As part of that series, we’re also sitting down with some of the biggest names at Wrexham to talk about the club’s journey and their own individual, quite remarkable career arcs. Tuesday, we dropped a fantastic conversation with long thrown-in King and club captain Ben Tozer. LISTEN HERE. An incredibly open and honest convo about loss, mental health and the spirit to carry on. ❤️

iii. And one more reminder that we will DO IT LIVE! Sunday after Tottenham vs Newcastle on our YouTube page. Your chance to drop knowledge on the Pod. Why shoot the breeze about it, when you could be about it. 🍻

5. More Football, Did You Say?

i. Great profile of Xabi Alonso, Liverpool star-turned most coveted coach in football.

ii. Fascinating: Women’s Football must be careful of following the Men’s game into the Financial Cesspit.

iii. Santos. Pele’s iconic club team is relegated for the first time in their 111-year history!

6. Our US Boys Don’t Sleep: Milan and PSV 🇮🇹🇳🇱🤌🤌🤌

AC Milan make the short trip Northeast to Atalanta (Saturday 12 p.m. EST Paramount +) for what Italian papers are billing the "Battle of the Nigerian Arrows," with Milan's Samuel Chukwueze set to line up against his International teammate and ex-Everton dashed hopeful, Ademola Lookman. The Rossoneri racked up a second straight win in Serie A last weekend against Frosinone, with Christian Pulisic scoring in the 3-1 victory. Under-pressure Milan manager Stefano Pioli will look to avoid any further injuries in his squad against eighth-placed Atalanta, with next Wednesday's Champions League clash with Newcastle looming. Fans will hope Portuguese winger Rafael Leao's return to training Tuesday is a sign he will be available at the weekend, if not for Newcastle. Meanwhile, media reports suggest ex-Chelsea coach Antonio Conte could be set to replace Pioli in the summer. 

More: Whenever I have felt low this week, I have listened to this Pulisic goal call. It is just EVERYTHING. I would listen to a whole game commentated by this man in his Italo-English. "Chris Pulisic” kills me everytime. 

ii. PSV play this Tuesday against Arsenal. They beat Heerenveen 2-0 with Pepi scoring again just two minutes after he subbed on. Fifteen straight Eredivisie wins for PSV now. Fifty-two goals scored. Just six conceded. Only team playing in Europe's top 10 leagues yet to drop a point. 

iii. One more European game of note: Barcelona take on local rivals Girona this Sunday (3 p.m. EST ESPN +) for an uncharacteristically competitive Catalan Derby as both teams battle for their place at the top of La Liga. In just their second season back in the top flight (and their seventh since being acquired by The City Group) Girona are on a Leicester 15/16 like run, and sit 2nd behind Real Madrid. Four points adrift, 3rd placed Barca will look to close the gap on their neighbours and retain their six game unbeaten record against Girona. 🇪🇸

Men in Blazers x Bud Light Sweepstakes - Exclusive Prizes for GFOPs 🍺

You’ve long known about the GFOPs at Bud Light’s support of the game we all love. Now, they’re giving us the chance to give away some exclusive prizes only to those of you reading this newsletter. Entering is easy: just head to budlight.com/MIB to enter for your chance to win signed gear, exclusive Bud Light merch, and more.*

7. The Reds play The Green 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Wrexham travel to enviro-warriors, Forest Green Rovers (Saturday 10 a.m. EST iFollow) 3 days after the FA issued a decision charging Rovers with fielding an ineligible player in their FA Cup first round tie against Scarborough. Wrexham return to League Two play for the first time since late November after a win in the FA Cup second round against Yeovil and a defeat to Burton in the Football League Trophy. The Dragons will be without on-loan goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, who returned this week to Arsenal to have jaw surgery which will see him out for a few weeks. Even on points and goal difference with 3rd placed Barrow, Wrexham will look to pick up points against 23rd placed Rovers, who, powered by their vegan pies, have only one win in their last five.

More: If you missed it, a look into the Wrexham pregame ritual of endless crisp butties.

8. Not Football, and all the better for it

i. As a potato chip addict I adored this piece: How do you reduce a national dish to a powder? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down????

ii. Kiwi chicks have been born in Wellington, New Zealand for the first time in 150 years. Apparently everybody celebrated during the Women's World Cup. 

iii. Their Bodies Were Donated to Harvard. Then They Went Missing. Real banner week for stories about body donation: Organ & Body Donations: Last Week Tonight.

iv.. Longtime Frasier viewers are deeply upset that he wears jeans in the reboot. Do not underestimate the influence of Julian Nagelsmann!

v. The Drag Queens fighting performance bans in Texas. No drag shows, no Shakespeare, no high school plays??? No way to live.

vi. What is it like to be a crab? The joys of being a ‘simpler’ animal. 

viii. Fun with statistical analyses! Which Movies Are The Most Polarizing? (Answer is always “Saltburn.”) 

ix. 20 greatest Christmas carols of all time. Worth a read just to see what The Guardian has labeled, "The Ed Sheeran of carols".

x. Britain’s fiercest libel firm can pursue anyone, anywhere. Terrifying stuff.

xi. Stephen Merchant and Martin Freeman break down The Office Christmas special, 20 years later. Tim and Dawn forever. 

xii. Man voted Italy's most handsome leaves modeling to become a priest. When you win most handsome at age 17, where else to go but God? 

xiii. A farewell to Shane MacGowan by Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie 

xiv. This made me laugh. A lot. The video is just so immense. Anyone who has done live television knows the adrenalin and boredom of the repeated moment before going live. But the switch from casual to grave in this video is just a peak moodswing.

xvi. If you want to watch something magnificent: Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story on Hulu. It is really, really, really good.

xvii. This song drove me through the week: Us and Them by Adam Newling. Gravel voice lovers unite. 

That is it for the week. Rest in peace to poet, Peaky Blinders actor, activist, and Villa fanatic Benjamin Zephaniah. Such a truth seeing-talent. I will leave you with his words: 

We can all be refugees

Sometimes it only takes a day,

Sometimes it only takes a handshake

Or a paper that is signed.

We all came from refugees

Nobody simply just appeared,

Nobody’s here without a struggle,

And why should we live in fear

Of the weather or the troubles?

We all came here from somewhere.

To better days ahead for all.

Let’s not take a second of watching football together for granted. 

Big Love

Courage.

ROG

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