Manchester United vs. Tottenham: Boulevard of Broken Dreams Derby 💔

Hail GFOP!

I type with fingers filled with wonder. Everton have an entire Big Boy point of their very own, that no one can take away from them. OK. OK. I am old enough to remember what a “points deduction” is, but let a boy dream. New American owners, the Freidkins – AKA the Cavalry – claim to be coming. We have hope again. Yes, let’s forget that historically, Everton Hope has been inextricably connected to Shattered Hope and screaming to the skies, “Nothing can go wrong now can it?” I guess that depends on how you define the word nothing.    

BTW: Happy 10th Birthday to this Jags goal of wonder.

b. This has been some week. It began in Burnley whom I watched net a 94th minute winner alongside my friend JJ Watt. This was my first game ever at Turf Moor and I was blown away by the time warp splendor of the ground. An authentic gem. I would honestly love to take a group of readers there and marvel in the beers, pies, and Bene and Hot wonder of it all. I spent Monday evening in the company of Joel Embiid, a gent who plays basketball for a living but lives for football and wanted to do little else than go deep on the City-Arsenal brouhaha. The impact of all of this is to reinforce the sense that this nation – for so long averse to the charms of the game we love – has become a proper diehard football nation. 

c. It has been a terrific week at MiB Gardens. The dual highlight for me was an interview with Dominik Szoboszlai which is forthcoming, and a morning spent talking to Mark Ashton, Ipswich’s CEO, who explained the scintillating business story of his side’s back-to-back promotions. Two pieces I really loved – Sam Mewis’s fine interview of Chelsea’s quiet powerhouse, Guro Reiten, and This Week in Wrexham in which Tomi Caws dropped a masterpiece marking the 90th anniversary of the Gresford Mining Disaster in which 266 locals lost their lives, a tragedy which is critical to understand to truly appreciate the town. I am blown away by both Sam and Tomi and so proud they ride with us at MiB.  

d. The Men In Blazers Television Show is BACK this Sunday, a very special episode featuring two of the baldest coaches in the Premier League. An up and comer named Pep Guardiola and from Chelsea Football Club, formerly Pep’s assistant at City, the Daniel LaRusso to Guardiola’s Mr. Miyagi, Enzo Maresca. The show drops Sunday on Peacock. It will be AVAILABLE HERE, along with every episode of the MiB TV Show from the past four seasons.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: 🚨🇺🇸🍺 WE'RE LOOKING FOR AMERICA'S BEST SOCCER BAR 🇺🇸🍺 🚨

Today we are kicking off one of our most important pursuits yet – to find the best soccer bars in America. We are scouring our great nation and we want you GFOPs to help us find them. Your submissions will help us find the best soccer bars in the USA, where fans share in winning and losing and make great memories together through football. 💙

Our America’s Best Soccer Bars, sponsored by Michelob Ultra, quest begins with you NOMINATING YOUR FAVORITE SOCCER BAR HERE and with your help, we’ll celebrate the best bars across our nation and ultimately crown one of them the Men in Blazers Best Soccer Bar in America.

Share with your friends, your barmates, your supporters' groups and help us find America’s Best Soccer Bars. 💙

2. To the Football 🍻

i. Manchester United v. Tottenham Hotspur (Sunday, 11.30 a.m. ET, USA)

Two teams perpetually queuing up to kick a proverbial football with Lucy holding collide in this. United just continue to United. Two wins from five league games. Impotent in front of goal. The latest shame, drawing with Ten Hag’s modest old Dutch club team, FC Twente in the Europa League. Just look at this extraordinary goal United conceded and count the number of collective mistakes and half-assed pathos it required. True team effort. Big Ange continues to play frogger against the English media, promising silverware whilst his team are slumped midtable. Can we celebrate Brennan Johnson though? Rising up, in the crosshairs of the social media mob, to deliver three goals in three straight games. Humanly magnificent. 

ii. Newcastle United v. Manchester City (Saturday, 7.30 a.m. ET, USA)

How will City fare Rodri-less against undefeated-in-10-at-home Toon? The man Pep Guardiola called “irreplaceable” sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Arsenal, had surgery this morning, and will be out all season. Everyone knows the statistics. Since signing that human Ark of the Covenant in 2019:

Win/Loss percentage with Rodri: 74%/10.9%

Win/Loss percentage without Rodri: 64%/33.3%

However, City have survived the absence of KDB for long spells, and in the four games Manchester City played without Rodri this season, they still won them all. This is where Pep Guardiola’s brain in a bottle earns the big bucks. Kovacic doing his best Rodri impression worked. Rico Lewis might step up in cometh the hour mode. John Stones can also step up. Expect this to be a MacGuffin. But it is going to be a fascinating MacGuffin to witness tactically nonetheless. 

More: Might young Rico Lewis be the new Rodri? 

And: Huge love to Newcastle United's CEO Darren Eales who will step down from his position after being diagnosed with a chronic form of blood cancer. Darren was the founding President of Atlanta United and is a force of nature. One of the game's true characters. We send our love and wishes for better days ahead. 

iii. Arsenal v. Leicester City (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Peacock)

Still unbeaten. Surviving the gauntlet of North London Derby-Manchester City Maul in back to back weeks. David Raya and Ben White are injury doubts. Hopefully Arsenal’s set piece coach spent time this week working on that “not kicking the ball” after conceding a foul thing that is called on Arsenal players and Arsenal players only.

I loved this piece: Are Arsenal King of the Dark Arts or the Premier League’s first NFL-level prepared team?

iv. Chelsea v. Brighton (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Peacock)

Strange to type this about Chelsea, but this is a clash of two of the delights of the season. Chelsea face their dazzling futures team, still unbeaten under child-warrior Fabian Hürzeler, with a swagger of their own. Enzo Maresca could not be more organized if he was a regional manager at the Container Store. His Chelsea are unbeaten in their last four PL matches, with Nico Jackson buzzing, Cole Palmer menacing, and Christopher Nkunku blowing balloons at will.  

v. Wolverhampton Wanderers v. Liverpool (Saturday, 12.30 p.m. ET, USA)

Winless bottom o’the table team hosts the soaring Red Lot who are second from top. Arne Slot has taken the loss to Forest on the chin and rebounded, with his stingy team maintaining their record of four clean sheets and just one goal conceded and Alisson set to return. I asked Dom Szoboszlai what it is like to go from Klopp’s manic energy on the sideline to the stoic calm of Arne Slot. He admitted Jurgen was like a 12th man, but that when he looks over at Arne, he sees a calm man who “is confident in his plan.”  

More: Watch Arne Slot’s playing days. Yes, there was once hair. 

vi. Ipswich Town v. Aston Villa (Sunday, 9 a.m. ET, USA)

Audacious Ipswich are on a run of three-straight draws. Enter high-flying Villa aka Jhon Duran’s team. Gent is scoring one goal every 80 minutes.  

vii. Everton v. Crystal Palace (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Peacock)

As long as there’s delusion there is hope. Two teams in search of their first wins collide. Where is the dignity?  What makes me most afraid? This Stat: Palace have not won in their last nine games at Goodison. Please, Chris Richards, don’t hurt us. 

Here: Entire Premier League Broadcast Schedule. 📺

3. More Football, Did Ya Say?

i. Lovely piece on the Art of the post-game player shirt swap.

ii.  North Korea have rebuilt their Women’s Football team when no one was watching.

iii. The FIFA Club World Cup is meant to be in the USA in 2025. What is happening behind FIFA closed doors and why has almost nothing been announced?

iv. Private equity is flooding into global football. Listen to this if you want to understand why and what their world view is.

4. Wrexham: Don’t Wrexham it Up! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Last week’s 2-1 win over Crawley Town left Wrexham top of League One over Tom Brady’s Birmingham City who have a game in hand. On Saturday, the Town make the 200+ mile journey to London-based Leyton Orient (@George Dobson, don’t miss the return ride), who drew with Peterborough midweek (10 a.m. ET, Paramount +). 

More: Can Wrexham really reach the Premier League against all odds?

PrizePicks: Best PP since Pablo Picasso

Charlie Kipp Writes: All good things must come to an end, and while we started the season 5-0, we took the L last week. But it’s not about how hard you get hit, it’s about how you can take the hit - and keep on fighting. PrizePicks is back for another great weekend of Premier League football with all the players and all the options - and while it can be exciting to take a big name player, the money is in the crumbs, baby. We’re gonna dig deep and look at Joao Gomes MORE than 33.5 Passes Attempted.

Gomes, the 23-year-old wonderkid, signed with Wolverhamton from Flamengo his native Brazil last January and has only gone on to establish himself as a key part of a Wolves team that is desperate to get off the bottom of the table (yes, below even Everton). Gary O’Neil’s squad host Liverpool at 12.30 p.m. ET on USA Network this Saturday where they, let’s be honest, will not have much of the ball. But - stats are our friend and in his last three matches for Wolves, Gomes has recorded at least 40 passes, so while there may be a drop off, we’re gonna ride the hot hand (Foot? Hand.) Grab your notepad and pencil and get ready to start counting, baby: Joao Gomes MORE than 33.5 Passes Attempted.

If you haven’t joined PrizePicks, CLICK HERE and use code MiB for a first deposit match up to $100.

5. In Italia! 🇮🇹

In the week that the manager Paulo Fonseca used the word “Courage” to motivate Christian Pulisic to propel his side to a — somewhat unexpected — derby win against Inter (Revel in this Puli goal here), ESPN is reporting Fonseca is now eyeing up USMNT midfielder Johnny Cardoso to join Yunas Musah and CP10 in Milano. Milan host Lecce (Today, 2.45 p.m. ET, Paramount +).    

More: This is the best Pulisic we have ever seen at the club level. Relaxed. Confident. Loved. Lethal.

b. How will Como follow up their first win back in the big time? After stunning Champions League-quality Atalanta 3-2 last week, and tasting Serie A victory for the first time in over twoƒ decades, Cesc Fabregas’s mob host Verona at the Sinigaglia (Sunday 9 a.m. ET, Paramount +). I hope to get out to Como to savor a game soon. Coming to eat all that Missoltini. 

6. The Women’s Game

Victories for Gotham and the KC Current last weekend mean four of the NWSL’s eight playoff spots have now been filled. A midweek draw between the Portland Thorns (who ended a four game losing streak) and Angel City leaves both teams still in contention. This weekend No. 7 ranked Portland play San Diego (Saturday, 10 p.m. ET, ION), while No. 10 ranked Angel City take on a Washington Spirit side shorn of the talents of Trinity Rodman (Friday, 10 p.m. ET, Prime Video).

Over in the WSL, matchday two kicks off this afternoon as Palace host the reigning champs Chelsea (2.30 p.m. ET, ESPN +). On Sunday, the now Mary Earps-less Man Utd take on Everton, who, YOU GUESSED IT, sit bottom of the table with 0 points (9 a.m. ET. WSL Youtube).

More: Sam and Lynn Williams pay tribute to Kelley O’Hara upon her retirement.

7. Not Football, and All the Better For It

i. How the Shawshank Redemption took the long game road to being seen as Great Cinema. 

ii. The Cult of Wellness. Toronto, are you okay?

iii. Henry you mad bastard! 130 years old with three eyes and two girlfriends: meet New Zealand's beloved tuatara. 

iv. What a year in space does to your body. I'll pass. 

v. The 101 Greatest Soundtracks of All Time. 'Sing Street' should be higher but other than that I have no objections. 

vi. (Un)Hinged behaviour: Confessions of a Hinge Power User.

vii. The Russian bot army that conquered online poker. Convinced that they have also conquered FPL.

viii. How Fred Flintstone (!!!) became one of America's top cultural exports. This is Barney Rubble erasure.

ix. I hate to be the bearer of bad news...Wait, Do You Have Dead Butt Syndrome? 

x. First Look at Wildlife Photographer of the Year 60. Next year these will all be photos of Moo Deng. 

xi. This Song Made my Week: My Alice by Billy Strings.

xii. I am reading this book and it is quite something: Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte. As a gent who adores books about alienation and loneliness, I have to say: This book is one of the loneliest I have read in a long, long time. Which is its haunting beauty. Tulathimutte is a brilliantly detailed writer of human truths. An immense set of short stories. More here.

That is it for today. I will leave you with a tweet I received from GFOP Patrick Roth who wrote me, “@LauWoodhamRothw and I are expecting our first child in October and I cannot help but wonder if raising him as both a White Sox and Everton fan can count as parental abuse, can I get a legal ruling here?” The tweet was accompanied by a delightful image of twin ChiSox and Everton baby onesies which I will admit, broke my heart.  

The reality is Patrick, you are doing a great thing. Making my four kids Everton and Chicago sports fans is probably my proudest accomplishment as a parent. Life is hard. It is full of challenge and hurt. And there is no safer place to learn that than through sports. That is the joy of fandom to be honest. We experience agonizing pain in the safest possible fashion, but emerge from it physically intact. More than that — we learn that joy is a rare commodity in life, and should never be taken for granted, but shared and savored with those you love around you. What could be more important than that?  

And in your darkest hours, remember this: It could be worse, you could be an Oakland A’s fan. My heart goes out to them today. I send love to all – especially GFOP Jeremy Goldsmith who wrote us: “I’m totally heartbroken.The A’s were my first real team, started supporting in 1981. Been to over 100 games. Just distraught. You expect up and down seasons. You expect to lose players to trades and free agency. But you don’t ever expect to have the entire operation yanked out from under you.”

So remember that. No matter how bad you feel, even you, Everton fans, it could always, always be worse.  

Godspeed.

To Better Days Ahead.

Let’s not take a moment watching football together for granted and make great memories.

Courage.

ROG