Get the crowds back insideThis season’s third round saw eight Premier League and Championship sides’ attendances shrink by more than 10,000 from their preceding league game.Cardiff recorded the most dramatic drop, with over 75% fewer fans turning out for their 2-2 draw with League Two Carlisle than their 1-1 Boxing Day stalemate against Millwall. Bluebirds boss Neil Harris echoed the sentiments of many of his fellow managers, labelling the festive period “crazy” and calling for a reduction in league fixtures during it.That’s one potential way to boost numbers in the stands, which is bound to dwindle as belts tighten post-Christmas, but clubs could do worse than to get proactive themselves in a bid to restore some atmosphere. Reducing ticket prices...
Tottenham have plenty of needs in the current transfer window, but none of them are as urgent as making Giovani Lo Celso’s loan from Real Betispermanent.As things stand, Lo Celso’s move to Spurs would only be completed automaticallyif the team qualifies for next season’s Champions League. Jose Mourinho continues to pay lip service to that ambition, but the level of performance he’s currently overseeing makes it fairly unrealistic.In which case, Tottenham would only have the option to sign Lo Celso, which – given Daniel Levy’s reputation for dithering over deals – should be enough to make anyone nervous.Lo Celsois finding his feet in England. His assimilation was initially complicated by injury and, more recently, by Mourinho’s strange loyalty to Christian...
They've given us opera, carbonara and Roman roads - not to mention Andrea Pirlo and his beautiful silky hair.Italian football is synonymous with style, passionand defensive sensibility, and ever since Italian football created the Serie A in 1929, there have been 13 winners across 88 seasons.Of course, we all associate Italian football with the '90s - Baggio missing that penalty, the joy of seeing international stars on British TV for the first time - but the Italian league is having a renaissance of sorts, right now.This weekend sees the Rome derby, as Roma take on Lazio, while north plays south, as Maurizio Sarri's Juventus faces old employers Napoli.The spirit of Football Italia is alive and well in the 2020s, everyone.Five...
The year's 2008. David Tennant is still Doctor Who, Fabio Capello is the England manager and Chelsea haven't lost a game at Stamford Bridge in four years.It came to an end, however, one day in October. Chelsea were beaten 1-0 by Rafa Benitez's Liverpool - remember him?Not only do Chelsea hold the record for the longest unbeaten home run in league history, they're also second onthe list for unbeaten Premier League runs, home and away, with 40.Tonight, Liverpool can equal that record - so to celebrate, we want you to name the last side they put out that ended a Chelsea run. A point for each player, on both sides, plus subs.You've got six minutes and we've been so kind...
As much as Manchester United have missed Sir Alex Ferguson - and boy, do they miss him - there’s an argument that United miss David Gill as much.Fergie’s right-hand man, Gill left as Chief Executive in 2013 and United have lacked an edge in the transfer market since. With the Reds trying to make waves in a choppy transfer market, is it about time the club modernised and took the plunge with a new director of football? Here are 10 candidates who the club couldlook at.Edwin van der SarA genuine United legend, Edwin Van der Sar saved the winning penalty for the club in the 2008 Champions League shootout and lifted four league titles in his stint at Old Trafford....