Time for Premier League Overreactions 📈

I type with fingers giddy that the Premier League is back in our life like Jamie Vardy, necking down all the Red Bulls, chatting all the shite, and scoring all the goals. It is magnificent to have the Premier League in our loving arms once more. I don’t know about you, but having English football back in my life adds so much color, meaning, and almost a fourth-dimension to my existence. Yes, Football is just a game. We have been told, it is the most important-least important thing, but watching 37-year old Jamie Vardy return to the Premier League, knee Spurs in the down belows, then uncork this mime – which was as creative as it is devastating – has given me everything I need to fill my week. I mean – the Edinburgh Fringe Festival has given the world Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Steve Coogan and Alan Rickman, but I swear this performance is greater than any its stages have ever seen. 

ii. This has been a kinetic week filled with wonder. Interviews with Cesc Fabregas, Antonee Robinson, and a night of singular magic: Spending an evening in New York City, live on stage, reveling in the story of Chelsea Women, delving into their meteoric rise from humble beginnings to trophy-feasting Gold Standard. As someone who grew up in Liverpool as a kid, in which any girl who played football, was treated as an outsider in our macho, misogynistic football culture, I have marveled at the journey from afar. I do believe that no matter what teams you support, it is important to understand and celebrate what has propelled the club’s growth. As they enter a fascinating moment of transition under new head coach Sonia Bompastor, whom I had not met before, but was really impressed by, it was an honor to celebrate the team’s culture with so many who have lived, sacrificed, and given their all to shape it. Erin Cuthbert has long been one of my favorite players – she is tenacious and ferocious and so deeply intelligent. Mia Fishel, the young American is truly audacious in terms of the path she has chosen, and is also a reminder of just how deep, and young our USWNT talent pool is. To more, and to making sure we never take this remarkable time, in which the Women’s Game is soaring on both sides of the Atlantic, for granted.  💙 WATCH THE ENTIRE SHOW here. 💙

iii. I am still buzzing after grinding our way across England meeting so many of the heroes who will shape this week’s Premier League title race on our Football Holiday. We just dropped our Virgil Van Dijk interview – he smelled so amazing. The Pep Guardiola interview was a total buzz to tape. The sad thing was – the timing did not work for me to catch the flight I needed home, so I had to tape it in an innocuous hotel conference room at Heathrow Airport! But man, Pep was 🔥🔥🔥 and buzzing to talk about the NBA. Find them all — including Arteta and Big Ange – on our YouTube page, and please subscribe and spread the word so we can do more and more.  

b. With the transfer window about to shut, I am taping with FABRIZIO ROMANO on Monday night. Let me know your questions for Fab and I will ask as many as I can.

2. To the Football

i.  Brighton vs. Manchester United (Saturday, 7.30 a.m. ET, Peacock)

As Miguel Delaney writes, “This is a game between the club who have got their transfer business absolutely right, to one who are now just starting to try. United are also yet another club who almost want to be an elite Brighton.” Targeted efficiency versus flamboyant, knee-jerk splurge.  Brighton tore hapless Everton to shreds last week. This game will show us their true weight class. Same for United who needed a late goal from new hero Joshua Zirkzee to clip Fulham. This statistic though: United have had four losses in their last five league clashes with Fat Boy Slim’s boys. Gulp. 

More: New Brighton manager, 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler says “I can also learn from my senior players”.  Gent already has his own techno anthem.

ii. Aston Villa vs. Arsenal (Saturday, 12.30 p.m. ET, USA)

The game of the weekend in which narrative wheels within wheels overfloweth. In just the second week of the season, this is an acid test for Arsenal. Villa were the only club to do the double over Arteta last season – in many ways, they cost the Gunners the title. The fact that a surging Villa are managed by Unai Emery, a manager spurned by Arsenal, and now seeking vengeance like Liam Neeson in Taken 1, 2, and 3, only adds to the delicious layers. For Villa to establish themselves as Arsenal’s bogey team would be some of the Premier League Scriptwriters’ finest work yet. 

iii. Liverpool vs. Brentford (Sunday, 11.30 a.m. ET, Peacock)

Who needs new signings? Well, Liverpool tbh. But Arne Slot’s team swagger along without fresh blood, having passed their first week test, and continuing to adapt to the more patient, possession hungry style of the new Big Bald Baby Headed-Dad. Brentford are feeling pretty good about themselves after their Mbuemo-powered opening day win, and acquisition of two Liverpool squad players — Fabio Carvalho and Sepp van den Berg — who will be like little ice dragons, unleashed against their former masters. 

iv. Manchester City vs. Ipswich (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET,  Peacock)

The most daunting of tests for Ipswich’s pluck. Against the quintuple seekers who have just brought their treble-winning captain Ilkay Gundogan back. Only Manuel Akanji can do that math. All we know is this: A well-rested Haaland is a hell of a thing. Just ask Cucurella. Expect a 4-0 City win after which Guardiola hails Kieran McKenna as “So, so good.”

More: I loved this conversation with the brainiac defender Manuel Akanji.

PS: Thanks to GFOP @adamsbigideas who corrected my podcast knowledge of authors who know East Anglia. This is an amazing description of a beautiful, timeless area of Britain. 

v. Wolves vs. Chelsea (Sunday, 9 a.m. ET, Peacock)

Fire, Ready, Aim Chelsea stumble into The Pedro Neto Memorial Derby – desperate for a win against Wolves, a team with a very different approach to financial fair play. Gary O’Neill’s side have been selling assets. Befuddling Chelsea remain Churn City, dealing players like day traders, yet still needing a striker. So many agents I speak to are desperate to get their players out of Stamford Bridge. Connor Gallagher is the latest to go. Raheem Sterling appears desperate for an exit. Perhaps most worryingly of all, Chelsea scraped past Swiss minnows Servette, 2-0 last night in the Europa Conference League playoffs, but Cole Palmer limped off on 33 minutes, clutching his hamstring. 

More: Clock ticking on Chelsea transfer mess with no one to blame but themselves.

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

Spurs' wilting draw against Jamie Vardy’s Leicester last Monday left Big Ange reeling in a game that was a draw, but a win for all photoshop-skilled Tottenham fans. Postecoglou will plan on a rebound to make good on his “usually in my second season, I win things” vow. His woefully unclinical side should worry not: They have only lost once in their last 23 games against Everton, who are always good for what ails you. Indeed, the Blues are struggling just to field a starting XI with injuries leaving them with as few as 14 first team players to choose from. Tark is the latest fear, with Branthwaite already out.  Darkness on the edge of town.  Fear not Everton fans. Our boys are just waiting for an incoming points deduction to kickstart the season. In the Face. 

AND: 📺 Full television schedule here.

3. More Football, Did Ya Say?

i. Leeds’ new identity. Larry Nance, Jr.’s Boys are living a time of radical transformation.

ii. Bundesliga Preview: Leverkusen the team to beat despite Bayern spending spree. 🇩🇪

iii. Huge love to Dax McCarty who announced he is retiring at the end of his 19th season. Dax is a remarkable human being. An American original, who once told me that before games, in the locker room, he likes to prepare by imagining he’s on the prairie, a lion searching for prey. His mental game is unrivaled, which helps explain why he’s collected the third most appearances in MLS history. He’s a fist of a man, a ginger ninja. A tenacious midfielder, a crown prince, a loquacious jester, a doting father, and most of all my friend. We will not see his like again. 

4. All quiet on the Mauricio Pochettino Front.  That may change imminently 🇺🇸🇦🇷

Yes. When rumors abounded of a surprise, massive special guest cropping up at the DNC last night, I too hoped it would be Poch bounding onto that stage. No dice. This has been a week in which contractual minutiae is being ironed out with manager, USMNT, and former employer Chelsea. Poch is coming. The US will reportedly be managed by U-20’s coach Mikey Varas for the Canada game on September 7th, but that’s just to confuse the drones. I received a lovely Raven from GFOP Patrick Valasek of Pittsford, N.Y. who suggested we launch a new segment in the podcast named “Poch Watch” in which we track his comings and goings across Europe and wildly overreact to this every move. We just need a watch sponsor and I am in.  

Prize Picks: Best PP since Paul Pogba?

Charlie Kipp Writes: With the Premier League back in our lives, it means early mornings, occasional Michelob Ultras before 10am… and my personal favorite, PrizePicks entries! There is genuinely no better way to get yourself stuck-in on all the football than with a handful of more-or-less selections for the chance to win payouts up to 100x. For those new to this column, I try my best to help you along the way by offering (usually) just one selection to add to your entry that can help! This week, we’re keeping it boring and simple - by taking a less, on an Everton player! Sorry, Rog, but it just makes logical sense. This week, we turn to defender Michael Keane who we like to record LESS than 0.5 Shots in the Toffees’ match vs. Tottenham.

Michael Keane, the 31-year-old center back for Everton, is known for many things - goal scoring is not one of them. You know what? Forget goal scoring, let’s just talk about shooting; Keane has mustered one shot in his last five appearances for Everton (which did come last week, vs. Brighton) so on paper, we’re already feeling comfortable here. In terms of the match itself, we have a Tottenham team widely pegged for an improvement this season under manager Big Ange Postecoglou (whom Rog spoke with as part of our Football Holiday series, you can find that entire interview here) - but also a team who disappointed in their opening match, drawing with newly-promoted Leicester. I see Spurs, frankly, dominating this match from the off - meaning that short of set-pieces, Keane should not be a factor in front of goal as he will likely be 60 yards away from it most of the time. Let’s get off to a hot start: Michael Keane LESS than 0.5 Shots.

Oh, but let’s just hope to avoid this on Saturday…

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

5. Wrexham: Is this the week we “Wrexham it Up?” 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Last week’s 0-0 draw at Bolton sees Wrexham sit 8th in League One heading into Matchday Three. They face YET ANOTHER side with a Phil Parkinson connection this weekend, as Reading return to the STōK Cae Ras for the first time since December 2001, a match that saw the Alan Pardew-led, Phil Parkinson-captained, side take all the points on their path to promotion (Saturday, 10 a.m. ET, Paramount+). 

And: I love this episode of this week in Wrexham. The Town traveling to fallen giant Bolton and playing in front of 28,000 is a moment the scale of their achievement really hits.

6. The Women’s Game: NWSL Back in our Loving Arms

Immense week for NWSL in which it rid itself of a draft and put players’ futures in their own hands. Now the football returns, with a record 56 (!!!) players back from Paris. We are two-thirds into the season and the title race remains in a dead heat. The Orlando Pride and the KC Current lead the league with 38 and 35 points respectively. Both sides are in action this weekend with Orlando traveling to the Houston Dash (Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Prime Video) and KC Current away to the Washington Spirit (Sunday, 12 p.m. ET, CBS). Meanwhile in midtable, Landon Donovan, whose appointment as interim coach at the San Diego Wave has raised eyebrows over at The Women’s Game, will be on the sideline for his first league match against SoCal rivals and fellow playoff contenders Angel City (Saturday, 4.30 p.m. ET, Paramount+).

More: on the NWSL’s historic new CBA which transforms the league – and will make many MLS players look at their female counterparts with envy.

And: Bay Area GFOP’s – incredible game for you. The legendary FC Barcelona Femení, back-to-back Champions League winners, face your local wonders, Bay FC on Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 7 pm at PayPal Park. Get 30% off single match tickets RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. Godspeed to Bay FC in general, and Brandi Chastain in particular, whom I admire and love. 

7. On the Continent: Football Italiano. Unleash all the hand gestures 🤌 🇮🇹

AC Milan is America’s team! This Saturday the Rossoneri will make history as CBS Proper airs their match away to Parma, marking the first time in our nation’s history a Serie A game will be shown on network television in the United States (12.30 p.m. ET, CBS). Both Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah featured in last weekend’s draw against Torino, with new manager Paulo Fonseca electing to use Pulisic as a number 10. Cue the Alexi Lalas freakout.  

And: Great news for AC Milan’s Women’s side: 'We don't have to choose between babies and football'.

After a reality check of a start to their first top flight season in 21 years, Como FC line up against Sardianian side Cagliari on Monday for their first Serie A meeting in over 40 years (12.30 p.m. ET, Paramount+). We have a lot more on this fascinating Como story coming out, starting with an interview with their manager, Cesc Fabregas, dropping next Wednesday.

8. Not Football, and All the Better for It

i. Ferret Legging is a sport where you put a ferret in the leg of your pants and withstand it as long as you can. The world record is 40 seconds. I think Raygun would Gold Medal at this sport if she knew it existed. 

ii. In Kosovo, Techno Is a Symbol of Resilience. Clubbing at The Palace of Youth goes so hard.

iii. Martin Short on His Crazy Career, His “Friend” Meryl Streep and Whether His Comic Tug of War With Steve Martin Has Ever Gone Too Far. I'm choosing to ignore his denials, #Martinforever.

iv. Excellent from Jasper Craven at Harper's The Thin Purple Line.

v. Can a City Known for Its Freeways and Gridlock Deliver a Car-Free Olympics? Los Angeles Thinks So. BRING ON THE ZIPLINES!

vi. The ‘Sweetgreen’ of Funeral Homes: They’re Putting Some Fun in Funerals. 

vii. It’s Called a ‘McMarathon’ Because You Run 26.2 Miles at a McDonald’s. This is a sport with the potential for Women's Basketball levels of American dominance. 

viii. "The default assumption about a photo is about to become that it’s faked, because creating realistic and believable fake photos is now trivial to do." No one’s ready for this.

ix. How to RAWDOG a Trip to Italy Like a REAL MAN. I think we're becoming far too comfortable using the word Rawdogging. 

x. Beware the Hashtaggers, Influencers, and Tech-Bros (among others). One of Burning Man's most outspoken critics weighs in on 2024.

xi. This Song Made My Week: Untangling by Angie McMahon. I love Angie so much. She is the Son Heung-Min of Music. Elite ability. And A black belt in empathy. 

That is it for today, I want to send all my love to GFOP Clint Harvey who dropped me a line to tell us he is about to see his first ever Arsenal game live. Clint writes, “After my wife's passing in May, I've tried to take an "enjoy life to the fullest" attitude.” Clint, I cannot imagine what you and your family have been through. I send you my wishes for love and strength and am so excited for you and what you are about to experience. May you make memories that give you a life lift, and energize you when you need them. To better days ahead for all. 

Big Love

Courage,

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

ROG

PS. Drop me a line with anything that is on your mind 💙