I can confirm that, as soon as you’ve finished reading these words, your weekend will have STARTED. Just a little bit of admin to get through first, then off you trot. Here’s a round-up of the biggest stories we’ve enjoyed together over the last *gulp* eight hours:
Jose Mourinho says that he and Ed Woodward are getting along very nicely:
That’s where we are. Have an excellent weekend of football and, of course, anything else you choose to entertain yourselves with. Thanks for all your interaction, and we’ll chat again soon. Bye!
Aaaaand ... England Under-20s have beaten France 4-2 in the shoot-out! They finish third in the world and congratulations to them, that’s a superb achievement and augurs well. Not a bad summer for England penalties, all told.
The evening is drawing in. If you’re to send in your hot pre-weekend observations then you’ve not long – but you still have time. I’m off to Fulham v Burnley on Sunday, that’s my observation. I see a draw in that one: Burnley tired, Fulham needing much more time to gel.
Tottenham have made a short statement about the earlier Hugo Lloris news. A spokesman said: “The club takes matters such as this extremely seriously and it will be dealt with internally.”
Frank Chibundu Agu reminds me that I’ve been remiss in providing updates of France U20 v England U20 – it’s currently 1-1, with 20 or so minutes left ...
Georgia Stanway scored for England before France equalised. Photograph: Alex Grimm - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
This, when it happens as it surely will, is going to be absolutely fascinating:
Thierry Henry not yet Bordeaux manager. But club are already making plans to stage a special presentation at the stadium. TH 'reassured' over club's ambition after being told he'll have €80m to spend over 3 years (L'Equipe)
“I join you in wishing Loris Karius all the best at Besiktas,” says Peter Oh, at this point completely ingenuously. “He’ll certainly get plenty of love. Vagner Love, for starters,” Peter then concludes.
Just need to hear Mauricio Pochettino coating off Gunnersaurus in pre-north London derby mind games three months from now and then all our lives are complete.
If Karius does indeed get confirmed at Besiktas, let’s hope it goes well for him. I think the way people spoke about him after the Champions League final was, in many cases, absolutely abhorrent. Social media makes us too used to speaking about people, real people, as if they are pieces of meat – when none of us are so different from one another. Sermon over.
Karius is rumoured to be on the verge of a loan move to Besiktas. Photograph: Kieran McManus/BPI/REX/Shutterstock
Michael Aquilina is a Charlton fan and I am glad to hear from him. Here’s his email in full:
“It is a real shame what is happening to our club. My experience growing up as a Charlton fan was of the glory days of the Premiership under Curbs. The demise has been rapid under Duchatelet for a club that was once lauded as a medium sized Premiership team to aspire to. The atmosphere is toxic and the swathes of empty seats on match day is extremely depressing, we are lucky to get 6,000 fans in a 27,000 seater stadium. I admire the fan movements and the imagination of the protests, unfortunately they do not seem to bother Duchatelet and do not seem to yield any real progress, despite being fleetingly picked up by national news organisations.
“The Australian takeover seems to have been in negotiations for months with little factual information given to the fans, I really do fear for our future. Despite a glimmer of hope surrounding this potential takeover it must be remembered that when Duchatelet took over we were close to administration, I can’t imagine a crumbling League One side is a smart investment for any potential investors and I can’t see them doing it out of passion for the club, so there is no guarantee that life will get any rosier even if Duchatelet’s disgrace of a reign came to an end.
“Unfortunately we are not in a unique position there are a number of clubs across the EFL in precarious ownership situations, it does make you think what the EFL are actually doing about this in terms of regulating fit and proper ownership of clubs and this most recent scandal at Charlton really highlights a lack of duty or care from the top of the club.”
It’s not so long ago that Charlton were an exemplar for mid-size clubs looking to get up, stabilise and be governed well. What’s happened in recent years is such a shame and shows no sign of getting any better. If you don’t think it could happen to your club then believe me, it could.
Good signing from earlier today, although it continues the break-up of the Ostersund side that stole hearts last season. Thought Ghoddos might have been able to improve on Amiens, but it’ll be interesting to see how he does – wonderfully gifted forward.
Here’s more from Jurgen Klopp’s press conference earlier. He’s talking about Loris Karius – Besiktas’s objet d’amour – and the prospect of his departure:
It’s a normal thing in football. It happens to managers: as a manager you usually don’t need that much time between one game and another to get the sack! It is not the sack, it is only change. That’s football, no problem with that.”
Interesting for VAR buffs – or just anyone who feels it’s unworkable in its present form. Here are some tweaks being made in the Bundesliga this season. It looks like an improvement. I covered the Women’s Hockey World Cup a few weeks back and was particularly impressed with how clearly the decisions – as well as the process and the reasoning – were communicated to fans.
NEW: 3 changes to VAR in @Bundesliga_EN announced by 🇩🇪@DFB and @DFL_Official - Message for stadium spectators after review (4 graphics = 4 match-changing decisions) - 3 perspectives for TV viewers (replay, referee, VAR center) - Quick information for broadcaster/commentators pic.twitter.com/TXGyZt3lan
It’s Juventus v Lazio on Saturday night – and that means it’s Cristiano Ronaldo’s home debut. Here’s Massimiliano Allegri on the prospect:
Cristiano Ronaldo trains very competitively, he takes nothing for granted and is a champion, building his own success over the years through hard work and sacrifice. He is a great example for the younger players and he raises our overall quality. Ronaldo is bringing a great enthusiasm to Italian football, I see all the people that are waiting outside Continassa, but regardless of the excitement we still have to win games. We haven’t won anything just by signing him, we have to show that on the pitch.”
Ronaldo during a Juventus training session. Photograph: Daniele Badolato - Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images
“I appreciate Nemanja Gudelj’s refreshingly restrained assessment of his new club, one he’d ‘heard of before’, says Peter Oh. “None of that phony stuff about it being the club of his boyhood dreams.”
Yes, he hedged it nicely there. Yer Robbie Keanes should take note.
England Under-20 women have just kicked off against France in their World Cup third place play-off – I’ll let you know how they get on. The final is between Spain and Japan later.
After it emerged that the hated Duchatelet regime had banned staff from eating crisps without permission, beleaguered Charlton fans plan to hand out packets of these tomorrow... pic.twitter.com/M3IRakvEYO
Sporting sign Serbian midfielder Nemanja Gudelj on loan. "I'd heard of Sporting but only when I got here did I realise the magnitude of the club." https://t.co/b1nZZs1bHM
Palace are in decent shape for the trip to Watford, although Aaron Wan-Bissaka is of course suspended. Squad here: Hennessey, Guaita, Speroni, Ward, Tomkins, Sakho, Kelly, Riedewald, Van Aanholt, Schlupp, Townsend, McArthur, Milivojevic, Kouyate, Meyer, Puncheon, Kaikai, Ayew, Zaha, Sorloth, Benteke
Meanwhile Nuno Espirito Santo – the Premier League’s best-bearded manager of 2018-19, unless you want to propose another – ain’t changin’ nothin’ for the champions’ visit:
We don’t know how to play another way. There are two ways to react to Leicester, we react by changing or not. We will not change because we want to build something. It’s important we keep doing the same thing we train to do, as we want to achieve. Adapt, of course, because you are facing a good team, but don’t change. When you build something you have to truly believe in what you’re doing.”
Manchester City go into their game against Wolves on Saturday with six points out of six and the best goal tally in the Premier League table, yet Pep Guardiola claims his league leaders are still some way from operating at maximum efficiency.
“We are not fully fit yet, we are not far away but we still need more time to regenerate,” the City manager said. “We didn’t do a pre-season, then we played the Community Shield after a few days. We tried to send a lot of messages about strength and tactics this week because we are not in the best condition. Players are complaining about muscular problems – that’s why Claudio [Bravo] is out and Kevin [De Bruyne] before.
Fernandinho had big problems after the last game. Hopefully after the international break we’ll be better.”
With De Bruyne out for three months with a knee injury Guardiola lost his No 2 goalkeeper for a similar period when Bravo ruptured an achilles tendon in training, forcing the club to recall 19-year-old Aro Muric from loan at NAC Breda. “We know Aro, he trained with us all last year,” Guardiola said. “Aro will be our second-choice goalkeeper after Ederson, Grimmy [20-year-old Daniel Grimshaw] our third. Aro has an amazing potential as a goalkeeper, he’s got a great work ethic, he’s huge [6ft 5in] and he’s so young. We knew the second team here would not give him proper competition, that’s why we sent him to Holland to play the big teams. Maybe here he will be able to play in some of the cup matches. We trust him, no doubt about that.”
City played Wolves in the Carabao Cup last season, when the then Championship side held them scoreless before going out on penalties.
Guardiola was impressed. “Wolves destroyed the Championship last season,” he said. “It was incredible the way they won it, playing in that attractive way. We know how tough it will be at their ground after last season and we want to be humble, to give our opponents every respect.”
Jurgen Klopp believes James Milner could have another six years left at the highest level providing the Liverpool midfielder avoids injury.
The 32-year-old has been in commanding form at the start of the new season, dominating against West Ham United on the opening day and setting Liverpool on their way to victory at Crystal Palace on Monday from the penalty spot.
Asked whether Milner was improving with age, the Liverpool manager replied: “Since I worked with him it was always good. He started in different positions, different systems; he was full-back, now he is in midfield, but all our players are influential. That’s how it should be.
“With Milly for sure, age is no issue. He is a naturally skilled boy, he’s such a sports guy, he is good at each sport he tries. In life, if you are 32 in any company in the world they would tell you to wait a few years then get a real job! In football it’s like you’re already close to retirement. Our players can play until 36, 37 even 38, and because of his physical abilities I am pretty sure Milly is one of them if he is lucky with injuries. The end is not to see, and his desire to improve is exceptional. Is it the best moment of his career? Better ask him.”
Rafa Benitez isn’t worried about Kenedy, whose parent club Newcastle face on Sunday, being blighted by that late penalty miss at Cardiff. It was so bad, it ended up being good:
In terms of his quality, he’s very confident, so we were talking about that and the decisions he was making in the game, and it’s something that’s important for a young player to understand, to learn and then to move forward. He’s fine now, he’s been training well. It’s been a bad experience, but a good experience in the end.”
Rafael Benitez speaks with Kenedy during training. Photograph: Serena Taylor/Newcastle Utd via Getty Images
Tuchel on Danny Rose: "I will not comment on transfer rumours. I will simply say that I came up against Tottenham Hotspur 3 years ago & it took me 3 days to work out how best to combat him." #PSGSCO
My favourite part of Dyche’s post-Olympiakos press conference was when a Greek journalist told him: “You were awarded a penalty that not even Prince William would have awarded.”
If you were waiting for Dyche to make an equally off-beam reference to a Greek god in response, you’d have been waiting some time.
Big potential signing for Stoke – they’re giving a medical to Ryan Woods, the excellent Brentford midfielder, who would arrive on loan with a view to a permanent deal in January. They’ve started the season badly; Brentford have begun it well (without even needing to call upon their want-away star). But this one appears to be happening and Swansea, who had also been in the mix for Woods, will be particularly disappointed if so.
Ryan Woods of Brentford. Photograph: Michael Zemanek/BPI/REX/Shutterstock
“Might not be the most glamorous league, but I’ll go today to Dolíček to watch one of the multiple Prague derbies: the kangaroos of Bohemians 1905 versus the powerhouses of Sparta,” writes Jose Coelho. “I expect a messy and entertaining match. I hope to catch a glimpse of Panenka (the one from the penalty), as he is such a colourful character and the main director of Bohemians.”
Yes, I’ve just seen some footage of that Mourinho press conference. He doesn’t have to want to be there, obviously, but made it nakedly obvious that he wasn’t in the mood. Five- or six-word answers, little more – wouldn’t even offer any stock platitudes about Spurs when asked. “I’m not going to comment.”
José Mourinho has stated his relationship with Manchester United executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, is fine.
United host Tottenham Hotspur on Monday in their first match since a dismal 3-2 dismal defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion. The manner of the loss has caused further scrutiny of Mourinho and his team.
The manager began the season unhappy at not acquiring a centre-back of choice, with Leicester City’s Harry Maguire among his targets. This occurred because of the stance of Woodward and his board that Maguire and others on Mourinho’s list were no improvement on the centre-backs in his squad.
Mourinho, asked whether his relationship with Woodward was fine, said: “Of course. No [problem].”
After the defeat at Brighton, Paul Pogba admitted his attitude had been wrong. Mourinho would not be drawn on whether this was frustrating. “Paul said [this] – he has to answer for his words,” he said. “If you want any explanation about Paul’s words you must get him and ask him.”
“Germany won’t be the only stadia with people in,” says Neil Hanratty. “I’ll be at the Stade Velodrome to see if Marseille can bounce back from their loss to Nîmes with a home win against Rennes.”
You lucky man – what a wonderful venue, and city, to be in.
Fresh Liverpool news on Lovren, who I can reveal was adored by all of us who crossed his path at the World Cup for his willingness to speak at length into outstretched dictaphones after games. He was great fun.
PA: Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has been charged with drink driving after being stopped by officers in Gloucester Place, in Marylebone, central London
Maurizio Sarri has spoken! And, courtesy of transcriber extraordinaire Dominic Fifield, here are his words. I like the line about the party and the war:
Hazard starting?
“I don’t know. I think that Eden is ready for 50-60 minutes. I don’t know for 90 minutes. But he can start.”
Does he want to start?
“Maybe. But I think it’s more important, my mind.”
He’s happy with that situation?
“I am happy with him. He wants to play. I think it’s the right way to think for him. But I have to think for everybody.”
Is he definitely staying at Chelsea?
“I think so. I am the coach of a very good team. I am the coach of a very great club. And so I think that such an important club cannot sell a very important player without the possibility of buying another very important player at the same level. So I think that Eden will stay with us for all the season.”
On Ruben Loftus-Cheek:
“It was only a decision about the positions. I chose to put on the bench two wingers and only one midfielder. I have spoken with him twice this week, after I spoke with the club. So I think that Loftus will remain with us. We can speak again about his situation, but I think only in December.”
But you want to keep the players happy... any more changes to be done?
“For me, it’s very important... I like it very much when the team are able to work very well during the training. When the team is trying to improve. When the team is able to work on mistakes. They are professional. So, off the pitch, they are able to eat in the right way, rest in the right way. I don’t want to impose anything (on them).”
Are you working on the defending?
“Every week. I am not worried about the defensive phase because, when I arrive at a new team, usually I have problems with the defensive phase for two or three months. So I think it’s normal for me.”
Ever switch to a back five?
“No, I am not able to play with five defenders, because we are trying to defend by looking only at the ball. In this way, if I defend with five defenders, I lose immediately metres on the pitch. I am not able. I tried five years ago, but it’s not my way.”
On Gary Cahill:
“I think that, in this moment, for a defender it’s more difficult to play in my team after only 20 days of training. It’s easier for an offensive player. For a defender it’s more difficult. So I think that, at this moment, he needs to have a lot more defensive training with us.”
Spoken to him about that?
“Yes, but I told him that needs to be patient now. But that he is very important for us.”
Premier League? Surprises?
“No. In Italy, it’s a war before the match. But during the match I think that, in Serie A, after 20 minutes 2-0, the match is finished. Here, it’s a party before the match but a war during the match. I prefer here.”
On Rafa Benitez:
“First of all, I think I have to say thank you to Rafa because, when I arrived in Naples, I had immediately the feeling that the team was almost ready to play my football. And if I arrived after another coach, maybe for me it would have been more difficult. So I have to say thank you to him. I know he’s a very good coach. We know that, on Sunday, it will be very difficult for us. We know that these opponents are very dangerous for us. In the last season, Chelsea lost 3-0 I think at Newcastle. Manchester United lost there too. Arsenal lost there as well. So we know everything. We know it will be a very difficult day for us on Sunday.”
On Mateo Kovacic
“I think Mateo and Eden played very well in the last 30 minutes, but I think also that, in that moment, the intensity of the match was going down. But I think, like Eden, Mateo is ready to play for 60 or 65 minutes.”
Wish you could have signed him permanently?
“I think, now, it’s too early to say yet. I like him very much, so I hope that he will remain here in the future.”
Confident you have the players defensively to play the style you want?
“In life, I’m not sure about everything. But I think that I have my opinion. My feeling is that, in this team, I have very intelligent players. So they can improve in one month, I think. I think they will be able to do it very well in one or two months. No more.”
Get that smile. I can’t imagine why we can’t get that smile. Photograph: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
In more team news, first of all, Huddersfield have a clean bill of health to face Cardiff! And David Wagner has rubbished the insane suggestion that it’s win or bust. Straw men being swatted away everywhere today!
It is not like this. If you win a cup final you have a trophy, if you lose a cup final everything is over. It is an important game, because it is the next one. We are focused on us and our work to do everything as good as we can. Then we want to bring this energy and intensity into the John Smiths Stadium.”
How very rude, Nick, I ate it delicately and decorously. Although, I believe, in certain cultures it’s de rigueur to slurp your meal as loudly as possible to denote maximum enjoyment.
Anyway, we’re at something approaching Peak Press Conference Time so there should be various managerial pearls coming your way very soon.
#thfc Poch says winning at Old Trafford is all about mentality after 4 straight defeats there. "We must believe. In football, if you don't believe you lose before you arrive. We're confident – just like we were confident in last 4 years! Most important is our mentality."
They will need some belief. The last time Spurs scored at Old Trafford in the league was in 2014: they’ve lost their last four games there without finding the net.
You may have noticed that Mario Balotelli has decided to stay at Nice, despite interest from Marseille, and indeed China. And here he is, speaking about it:
I had the intention to leave and the club knew it. I understand the fans but they need to understand my side. Nice are not playing in Europe, Marseille are playing in Europe. It’s nothing to do with the supporters, I look at what is best, in the end I stay here.
It is my choice because nobody tells me what to do. I do what I feel and what I want... the final decision in my career is always mine. I can have people who give me advice but the final decision is always mine.
I had a big offer of money from China but not for now... I want to play the Euro 2020 for the national team and if I go to China that would be difficult.
He also said that new Nice manager Patrick Vieira changed “80 per cent” of his decision.
Thanks Nick. This is Nick. And here is Jonathan Wilson, on how Sergio Aguero has gone all-in with Pep Guardiola’s methods. Features a lovely picture of the two men, and of course some lovely numbers:
The finishing has always been outstanding. Agüero has scored 204 goals in 295 appearances for City in all competitions, including 146 in 208 Premier League games, five times getting more than 20 in a season. He has surpassed Eric Brook as City’s all-time leading scorer. Only nine players have scored more Premier League goals than him (none at a higher ratio of goals per game) and Les Ferdinand (149) and Michael Owen (150) could be surpassed in a couple of weeks. Another 18 goals would take him past Jermain Defoe and Robbie Fowler to sixth in the list. Another 30 and he surpasses Thierry Henry as the player to have scored most Premier League goals for a single club.
Talking of lunch, I’m going for mine. Another Nick – Mr Nicholas Miller, to be precise – will be your spirit guide for the next half-hour or thereabouts.
It’s almost lunchtime – well it is here anyway – and what’s better at lunchtime than a quiz? Nothing, that’s what! So here is Paul Campbell’s sports quiz of the week – learn some stuff here and impress with it in the pub a few short hours from now:
Interested in hearing from fans lower down the leagues, obviously. Anyone watching that Boro-West Brom game later? The Baggies seem to have cut loose a little under Darren Moore – Matt Phillips is on fire – but Boro are flying high and have a certain Tony Pulis at the helm. I suspect history will judge Pulis’s time at The Hawthorns better than currently seems the case. Do you?
Is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang enduring a BARREN RUN? Or perhaps even a CRISIS? No, of course he isn’t – he missed a couple of chances against Chelsea, that’s all. But in this day and age the smallest thing becomes a Thing and risks becoming entirely self-fulfilling, so here’s Unai Emery feeling obliged to respond to a question about his striker, and here too is me reproducing those comments and being part of the very problem I describe:
Aubameyang needs to find the confidence, then to score and score another. The strikers, they need, I know a lot of strikers in my career and it’s about the moment, they need [to be in] the moment, and he’s the same. But I’m sure now that Aubameyang, Lacazette, Danny Welbeck, they will score more goals in here, for us, in Arsenal. Last year, Aubameyang scored goals here and for that I spoke with him more times and I have given him my confidence with his work. He is going to find goals. The first six months for him here is good and he was doing goals last year and for that I am sure he is going to do the same this time.”
