Hail GFOP!

I type with Arthur Bryant’s–tinged fingers after a sold-out night of wonder in Kansas City, kicking off NWSL Championship Weekend with our Night of a 1,000 Stars presented by Ally. I am blown away by the footballing energy in this city. To take the stage at the end of a magical NWSL journey of a season – 189 record-breaking games scattered over a total of 252 days – with so many of the stars who will revel in Saturday’s final was a real honor. To listen to the truly formidable Lauren Holiday and Michele Kang was to be humanly inspired. All night on stage, I kept thinking of the Nick Cave lyric, “We’ve all had too much sorrow, now is the time for joy.” Last night – celebrating the growth of the game with a packed fanbase who love it, was an utter joy. Watch the entire show HERE.

• Even better news: After an optimism-flecked International Break, the Premier League is back. I am typing in a too-early-in-the-morning Kansas City hotel room before I film early-doors with Ryan Gravenberch. Some weekend awaits us: a new Manchester United manager takes center stage while Manchester City attempt to avoid their fifth straight loss. Yes, I just typed that. And Brentford will 100% end their barren away run by winning on the road for the first time this season at Everton. More on all of this below. 

• This international break was a delight for anyone who yearns for forward progress from our US Men. Mauricio Pochettino smited a (truly terrible) Jamaica team and survived early competitive adventures on the road in CONCACAF. Monday night’s 4-2 win was not perfect but the Opta stat that we attempted five shots with build-ups of 10 or more passes – equaling the most in any match since Opta began detailed data collection in 2010 – was the most telling. The lasting impression was the memory of watching Antonee Robinson run the game from central midfield. A symbol of the tactical nuances, and role definition Poch can bring. To more progress, one step at a time. 🇺🇸 

• 🚨 Big News from MiB: We are now on Bluesky. You can find me here. I intend to be tweeting up a storm there in a way I have not over the past year. You can also follow MiB here and The Women’s Game here. Come be with us and spread the word. 💙

• Huge love to the news that Sam Kerr and Kristie Mewis are set to have a baby. And to Sam Mewis for becoming an Aunt. The fact that Chelsea have had to put out a statement denouncing so many of the reactions to this moment has been jarring. I have always believed that Football is a mirror of the world that surrounds it, and that has most often been a joyful thing. In our world of chaos, it remains true. To better days ahead for all. 

• Congratulations to our old friend and hair king Kyle Martino who has opened what he calls a “clubhouse for football fans” in New York City.

This Week at MiB World HQ

• The Premier League may have taken a break but we have never been busier. We filmed this week with the quite brilliant Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola who is a brain in a bottle to talk through how he watches football and processes his tactical tweaks for our Running the Game series. That show will launch on December 4 on our YouTube channel and our pod feed.  

• We also talked with my friend Tyler Adams – a really beautiful conversation about the agony of injury, the joy of return, the smiting of Manchester City, and his early experiences with Mauricio Pochettino. I loved Tyler’s energy – in particular, our conversation of how he is trying to master the art of patience. In word, if not in deed. I love these conversations and am indebted to Allstate for supporting them. Listen to Tyler and me here.

• We unleashed an enormous slate of USMNT-related content reveling in their wins with Brendan Hunt, Herculez Gomez, and the talented Dax McCarty.  🇺🇸🍻

• I loved two conversations I had with really interesting, contrasting managers this week: MLS Coach of the Year, Wilfried Nancy is one of the most philosophical leaders I have spoken with recently. That gent has been linked to a number of Premier League vacancies. He will become the rare manager to leap from MLS to the big leagues and I loved to listen to him. Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson is at the other end of the scale – a master of practical thinking, Phil is the anchor who keeps that club moored and grounded and I love every opportunity to listen to, and learn from him.

• I am speaking to Tottenham’s social media dodging goal-scorer Brennan Johnson next week. Let me know what questions you have for him here via email.

To the Football

Ipswich Town vs. Manchester United (Sunday, 11:30 a.m. ET, USA)

United’s new manager against their next new manager. A massive day for Ruben Amorim, the 39-year-old confidence merchant who has already smiled more in his first week than Ten Hag did in his two and a half years at Old Trafford. The first game is everything for a new Manchester United manager. Ten Hag and Van Gaal lost theirs, and all of the hype of their arrival, and the possibility of them being a “United Messiah” went with it.  Will Amorim unfurl his favored 3-4-3 or does he lack the personnel to back it? His team are in 13th place, four points off the Champions League Places. Is he the Messiah or just a very naughty boy? 

More: Amorim “The Second Special One” by those who know him best.

Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur (Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC)

Bad news for City fans: World has just witnessed the first four-game losing streak of Guardiola’s gilded management career. Good news for City fans: Pep Guardiola has agreed to stay at Manchester City for two more seasons! Even better news: You are playing Tottenham. I jest, I jest.  Despite crapping the bed against Ipswich last time out, this is actually the kind of game Big Ange will get right with his chaotic buccaneers getting in behind City’s suddenly vulnerable Death Star defenses. Whatever the result, I have learned the hard way too many times: Never derive schadenfreude from Pep’s stumbles. Dude laughs last every time.  

More: Pep’s problems as he re-ups to become the Premier League’s longest serving manager.

Arsenal vs. Nottingham Forest (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Peacock)

Arsenal have won just two points from their last 12. A sense of everything being possible is frittering away. Enter Liverpool-slaying Forest who are undefeated on the road this season. Good news for Arsenal fans, Arteta confirmed Leandro Trossard, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori all trained this morning. Saturday is Arteta’s 250th game in charge. His team have not gone winless in five+ Premier League games since December 2020. 

Southampton vs. Liverpool (Sunday, 9 a.m. ET, USA)

Bottom meets top with a gap of 24 points between these two teams. Southampton have lost nine of their first 11 games by playing ambitious, attacking football and channeling the fake Einstein quote, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  Arne Slot’s team will be primed to feast. Five points clear, and with the Dutch manager talking down their title chances at every opportunity.   

More: Good read on how Mo Salah this season is becoming more potently prolific than ever.

Leicester vs. Chelsea (Saturday, 7:30 a.m. ET, USA)

Enzo Maresca goes home for the first time. I am old enough to remember when he jumped ship from his newly promoted Leicester and we all laughed that he had zero top-flight experience. He returns with Chelsea in 3rd place – albeit with just one win in his last five.  

Everton vs. Brentford (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Peacock)

Brentford have lost all five away games this season. They storm up North to Goodison Park. Is there any doubt at all as to what the result will be at the final whistle? Serious question: Why even bother to play the game? Just take the three points already you tormenting bastards.  

This statistic might be the most depressing one I have read this month.

📺 Full Broadcast Schedule Here.

MiB Mad Libs ✍️

Last week we launched a new feature courtesy of GFOP Stephen Mellin who wanted us to have readers write in their best football Mad Libs. You guys made me laugh a LOT in a way I needed with your entries.  

GFOP Frank Drigotas from Kennebunkport, Maine was the winner: “Bite your (my) Crystal Palace tattoo off to live in a world where Matty “Clean Sheets” Turner starts every match at Selhurst and Gregg Berhalter is always the coach for the team we play.”

This week’s phrase is:

“The one thing that is going to put football over the top in America is __________”

Email me your entries. Winner gets a MiB Patch.

More Football, Did Ya Say?

• Saudi Arabia’s World Cup 2034: how close could Fifa get to corporate manslaughter? 

• Is Mbappe’s Real Madrid career just a colossal waste of time?

• FIFA’s Club World Cup is meant to be in the US this summer. But will it ever happen?

• La Liga drops plans to play regular season Clasico in Miami this December. Will aim for next year. That act will transform global football forever. 

• Finally, GFOP Brett Eby submitted this beauty: “I've enjoyed reading the Raven for a couple years now, and wanted to give back a bit if I can. I just found this article about James Gibson. As a United fan, I knew nothing about James Gibson. I'm glad I do now. Given our current ownership, who take more from the club than they put into it, reading this story of a man who stepped in and gave all he could without profiting from it gives me some small hope that... well I don't know what for exactly. But it at least didn't bum me out, which is no small feat these days.”

Thank you Brett. Send any pieces you loved to me at [email protected].

THE PREMIER LEAGUE IS BACK 😍

The Premier League is back in our loving arms. Ange Ball. Fulhamerica. The Point Deduction Champs. The full English. WE ALL BACK.

⚽️ Shop our MiB collection on the official Men in Blazers Shop powered by WorldSoccerShop here.

Enormous Games to Watch This Weekend 🌎🍻

Juventus vs. AC Milan 🇮🇹

American Clasico: Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah take on Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie’s still-unbeaten Juventus side tomorrow at the San Siro (Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, Paramount +). An injury crisis at Juve means AC Milan legend George Weah will likely see his son lead the attack against the side he scored 58 goals for. Might this be the one time in football it is permissible for a spectator to wear a half-and-half scarf?

“Wrexham, Don’t Wrexham it Up” 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Having missed out on their chance to go second last weekend, Wrexham have now played one more game than leaders Wycombe, and two games more than second-placed Birmingham City. The Red Dragons host midtable Exeter City (nickname "the Grecians"???) at fortress STōK Cae Ras, where they remain undefeated this season (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Paramount +).  Some Good News: Wrexham keeper Arthur Okonkwo escapes surgery.

More: I loved talking to Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson this week and the latest This Week In Wrexham is a Tomi Caws delight.

NWSL Championship Game 🏆

After 189 games over 252 days we have made it to the final match in what has been a historic season for the NWSL. Marta, Barbra Banda, Trinity Rodman, and Aubrey Kingsbury are just some of the season’s stars who will battle it out in the final all neutrals will have been hoping for (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, CBS). Will the Washington Spirit recapture the title in manager Jonatan Giráldez’s first season in charge? Or will the Orlando Pride overcome history to win the league’s two trophies? Most importantly: will baby Meera continue her hot streak???? 

WSL

Just the one match in the WSL this weekend, but it’s worth waking up for: leaders Chelsea play their game in hand against a star-studded Manchester United side (seriously, they’ve got Emma Watson (D) and Jessica Simpson (D) in their backline) who remain the only other unbeaten team in the WSL. After defeating Celtic 3-0 midweek in the Women’s Champions League, the perfect Sonia Bompastor’s side could pull five points clear with a win at Kingsmeadow (Sunday, 7 a.m. ET, ESPN +/WSL Youtube).

PrizePicks. Best PP since Parker Posey

Charlie Kipp Writes: After a long international break - is there anything better than jumping off the proverbial diving board into the deep-end of Premier League football with a PrizePicks entry? Yeah, I didn't think so. With that in mind, we look to the match of the week in the Premier League where Manchester City haven’t won a game in nearly a month. If going against City is the right call these days, then we’re gonna stick with it: let’s grab Heung-Min Son MORE than 0.5 Shots on Target.

Sonny, the forever answer to the question “Who is your favorite player who doesn’t play for your team?” will be feeling confident after scoring in both of South Korea’s matches over the international break. The 32-year-old has stepped up and embraced the role of “face of the club” in the 15 months since Harry Kane’s departure, and with it - developed a penchant for scoring goals in matches where his club needs him most… and make no exception, this is one of those matches. Spurs head to the Etihad, Saturday at 11.30 a.m. on Network NBC, looking to extend City’s streak of misery. I like them to do just that. Heung-Min Son MORE than 0.5 Shots on Target.

If you haven’t joined PrizePicks, CLICK HERE and play $5 and get $50 instantly when you use code MiB.

Not Football, and All the Better for It

• Stone Island is a brand intrinsically tied to football in an almost quasi-religious way. This is its story.

• The making of an early electronic classic that changed music forever. Kraftwerk. IYKYK.

• What it is like to live with a banana phobia. Up the Cherries. 

• This Volvo Commercial is fantastic and got me crying. 

• Worth a follow! Her dead father left her 10,000 records. Sharing them online helped her grieve – and get to know him. Love Jula's videos. 

• Why the illegal tarantula trade is booming. "People collect spiders a bit like people collect Pokemon – they want to 'catch 'em all'."

• The OG "Midwest Princess": The Rise of Malört.

• Will def be buying this book: NYC's subway conductors have their personal style on full display in a new book. 

• Gone squatchin: Three days with the true believers who won’t let Bigfoot die. 

• A century later, a taped message solves the mystery of a WWI doughboy’s death. Can only hope MiB episodes will be as useful in 2124. 

• This would cure me: Our Coast to Coast Walk Across Northern England Was an Exercise in Hope and Joy. 

• Wild from Darrell Hartman: How the 1955 Le Mans disaster changed motorsport forever.

• I've found my people: Among the Sleuths: Looking for Answers at the Nancy Drew Convention. 

• The 25 most important recipes of the last 100 years. No KFC Double Down?????

• This Song Helped Me Through the Week: Reckless by Kassie Krut.

YOUR LAST CHANCE TO WIN A TRIP TO WATCH BURNLEY WITH OUR FRIEND JJ WATT 💜💙

Craving a Bene and Hot? Our friend JJ Watt and the good people at Burnley FC are partnering with Visit Detroit to give two lucky fans the English football experience of a lifetime. You can enter here for a chance to win a free trip to the UK and a VIP matchday experience at Turf Moor. Competition closes TONIGHT Friday, Nov. 22. I have been, and let me assure you, it is a trip you will never forget.

🎟️ Enter to win a trip with the marvelous JJ Watt here. You won’t regret it.

Dear Rog... GFOPs Write ✍️

Thank you for your insight Nicolaus. I am humbled to have this place in your emotional memory. Balding is something millions of humans experience but none of us talk about. Even though some (👀 looking at you Mo Salah 👀) can experience miracle rebounds, one of the great unfinished projects I would most like to make time to return to– the series of interviews I did with hundreds of humans about their experience balding and how it changed their identity and sense of the world. I will get there one day. Until then, Live your truth.

Send me your emails and stories and questions at [email protected].

To Better Days Ahead for All.

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

Big Love,
Courage.
ROG