It’s Friday again which means it’s time for ‘Morning Mix’ – our weekly football column with a bit of music thrown in for good measure.
We look at two major talking points for the weekend ahead and point you in the direction of some of the best football stories elsewhere on the internet.
We also offer a top tune recommendation to get you in the mood for the weekend and what to watch out for over the coming days. Let’s get the ball rolling!
Chelsea’s midnight raid leaves Liverpool scrambling
Unless you wear red-tinted spectacles, it is impossible not to be amused by Liverpool’s ineptitude during the summer transfer window.
After losing out on midfielders Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea, the Reds switched their attention to Stuttgart’s Wataru Endo (who?).
While the Japanese international looks to be a steady enough player, he does not meet the ‘top-class’ criteria Liverpool desperately require in their engine room.
The chaos behind the scenes cannot be doing much for morale amongst the players. Imagine the mood if they slip up against Bournemouth tomorrow.
Richarlison must start delivering for Tottenham
With Harry Kane now out of the equation, Tottenham Hotspur fans are currently pondering who will fill the goalscoring void.
While affordable options in the transfer market are thin on the ground, Tottenham may not need to splash the cash if Richarlison gets his finger out.
The Brazilian struggled for form and fitness last season, netting just one goal in 27 league appearances after joining the club from Everton.
Kane’s exit has handed Richarlison a fantastic opportunity – this weekend’s home game against Manchester United is the ideal time for him to start delivering.
The week that was
Are you looking for the best football stories from the past week? Check these out:
- Rene Meulensteen on United: ‘When Sir Alex walked out of the door, it became a different animal’.
- Time-wasting in football is ugly, maddening – and absolutely vital.
- Nobody looks good in Italy, Napoli & Spalletti tug of war.
Today’s top tune
One of the best bits on the Morning Mix column is stumbling across emerging artists who release a new tune that stops you in your tracks.
Welsh singer/songwriter Megan Wyn is the latest to add her name to that list with the wonderfully dreamy ‘You Don’t Get It’.
Click the video – it’s just over four minutes of magnificence.
What to watch this week
Our post-season prediction that Newcastle United were set for a wake-up call didn’t get off to the best start as they walloped Aston Villa last weekend.
Saturday’s trip to the Etihad Stadium to face reigning champions Manchester City will tell us whether we need to revise our opinion.
A final Morning Mix thought
Mason Greenwood. His supporters argue ‘innocent until proven guilty’. His detractors say ‘check out the video and read the transcript’.
We are firmly in the latter camp. However, given the nuances of the law in the United Kingdom, sacking him is not simple.
There has been talk of allowing for rehabilitation – an argument which has some merit. However, being allowed to pull on the club’s shirt again should not be on the table.
Loan him out. Stick him in the stands for a couple of years. Either option is more palatable than allowing him to represent Man United again.
