Russell
@ru55ell.bsky.social
Ring the bells that still can ring,
Forget your perfect offering,
There is a crack, a crack in everything,
That’s how the light gets in.
Forget your perfect offering,
There is a crack, a crack in everything,
That’s how the light gets in.
Very interested in what the data says. If the numbers are close then you'd have to factor in that clubs would invest in ways to get better at crosses from the new angle, just as they have from corners.
My opinion is that this is still a solution looking for a problem though.
My opinion is that this is still a solution looking for a problem though.
February 2, 2026 at 11:45 AM
Very interested in what the data says. If the numbers are close then you'd have to factor in that clubs would invest in ways to get better at crosses from the new angle, just as they have from corners.
My opinion is that this is still a solution looking for a problem though.
My opinion is that this is still a solution looking for a problem though.
I don't mind this. But it would result in more goals from set pieces right as the angle of delivery would be more dangerous?
February 2, 2026 at 11:31 AM
I don't mind this. But it would result in more goals from set pieces right as the angle of delivery would be more dangerous?
Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't remember any real post match controversies this season when it comes to goals from corners?
I also think adding more nuance to the rules will just create officiating delays and increase frustration. What if a team took a short corner then immediately crossed?
I also think adding more nuance to the rules will just create officiating delays and increase frustration. What if a team took a short corner then immediately crossed?
February 2, 2026 at 10:01 AM
Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't remember any real post match controversies this season when it comes to goals from corners?
I also think adding more nuance to the rules will just create officiating delays and increase frustration. What if a team took a short corner then immediately crossed?
I also think adding more nuance to the rules will just create officiating delays and increase frustration. What if a team took a short corner then immediately crossed?
I've heard a few people talking about rule changes, but the reality is that VAR can already see any pushing, grabbing or pulling. You can't just change the rules because some people don't like the aesthetics surely?
February 2, 2026 at 7:52 AM
I've heard a few people talking about rule changes, but the reality is that VAR can already see any pushing, grabbing or pulling. You can't just change the rules because some people don't like the aesthetics surely?
I mean, it's every season to be fair.
His teams always fade and his teams always struggle in matches where they are expected to be the protagonist.
Give him a fresh team who are the underdogs and he's unstoppable.
His teams always fade and his teams always struggle in matches where they are expected to be the protagonist.
Give him a fresh team who are the underdogs and he's unstoppable.
February 1, 2026 at 4:29 PM
I mean, it's every season to be fair.
His teams always fade and his teams always struggle in matches where they are expected to be the protagonist.
Give him a fresh team who are the underdogs and he's unstoppable.
His teams always fade and his teams always struggle in matches where they are expected to be the protagonist.
Give him a fresh team who are the underdogs and he's unstoppable.
I could kind of understand it last time, embarrassing though it still was.
But there's so much football still to play this season that anything other than supporting your own club is just a thinly veiled attempt to distract themselves from their current reality.
But there's so much football still to play this season that anything other than supporting your own club is just a thinly veiled attempt to distract themselves from their current reality.
February 1, 2026 at 3:37 PM
I could kind of understand it last time, embarrassing though it still was.
But there's so much football still to play this season that anything other than supporting your own club is just a thinly veiled attempt to distract themselves from their current reality.
But there's so much football still to play this season that anything other than supporting your own club is just a thinly veiled attempt to distract themselves from their current reality.
Nah, Emery would be 2-0 up AND have the team with 0.02xG.
January 31, 2026 at 3:53 PM
Nah, Emery would be 2-0 up AND have the team with 0.02xG.
Typically I find The Athletic print whatever Chelsea have told them to so I doubt we'll ever know.
January 28, 2026 at 5:31 PM
Typically I find The Athletic print whatever Chelsea have told them to so I doubt we'll ever know.
When Scholes was 34 and got 4 g/a all season long? Where's the controversy?
January 26, 2026 at 6:39 PM
When Scholes was 34 and got 4 g/a all season long? Where's the controversy?
What was the context? And did he really say one player was definitively better than the other?
January 26, 2026 at 6:28 PM
What was the context? And did he really say one player was definitively better than the other?
I've literally never heard anyone compare these two players, even on the other site.
January 26, 2026 at 6:14 PM
I've literally never heard anyone compare these two players, even on the other site.
Stupid rule, don't agree with the implementation. But.... we've lost two crucial Havertz goals in the past couple of seasons to it, both with very lengthy VAR checks. Was surprised how swiftly the game moved on yesterday.
January 26, 2026 at 11:35 AM
Stupid rule, don't agree with the implementation. But.... we've lost two crucial Havertz goals in the past couple of seasons to it, both with very lengthy VAR checks. Was surprised how swiftly the game moved on yesterday.
Still not seen a replay. But I am reminded that the Havertz incident was looked at for many many minutes by VAR, and IMO was still inconclusive. Don't recall any formal VAR check today. Maybe it was conclusive that it didn't hit Dorgu's arm at all?
January 25, 2026 at 8:03 PM
Still not seen a replay. But I am reminded that the Havertz incident was looked at for many many minutes by VAR, and IMO was still inconclusive. Don't recall any formal VAR check today. Maybe it was conclusive that it didn't hit Dorgu's arm at all?
Ah man, I'm not going to that website!
January 25, 2026 at 7:47 PM
Ah man, I'm not going to that website!
I've not seen a replay yet to be fair, but the question shouldn't be 'was it a handball', but instead 'did the ball touch his hand or arm in the build up at all'. Is there a clear camera angle out there?
January 25, 2026 at 7:40 PM
I've not seen a replay yet to be fair, but the question shouldn't be 'was it a handball', but instead 'did the ball touch his hand or arm in the build up at all'. Is there a clear camera angle out there?
Per ESPN: "The two-tier handball law, does cause confusion. An attacker cannot score a goal if the ball touches his hand or arm, even if it's tucked into the body. Yet if comes off a defender in the same way, it can't be a spot kick because the player hasn't made their body unnaturally bigger."
January 25, 2026 at 7:19 PM
Per ESPN: "The two-tier handball law, does cause confusion. An attacker cannot score a goal if the ball touches his hand or arm, even if it's tucked into the body. Yet if comes off a defender in the same way, it can't be a spot kick because the player hasn't made their body unnaturally bigger."
I need to see a replay, but I remember the Havertz equalizer against Villa two seasons ago being ruled out by VAR because it brushed off his arm. As I recall VAR said any contact with an attackers arm or hand is grounds to rule out the goal and it's not the same process as they use for defenders.
January 25, 2026 at 7:15 PM
I need to see a replay, but I remember the Havertz equalizer against Villa two seasons ago being ruled out by VAR because it brushed off his arm. As I recall VAR said any contact with an attackers arm or hand is grounds to rule out the goal and it's not the same process as they use for defenders.
Arsenal's squad is 70% left backs mind you
January 23, 2026 at 3:39 PM
Arsenal's squad is 70% left backs mind you
And the signing on fee is likely to be as big, or maybe bigger, as the transfer fee. See also Haaland's transfer, and Cherki. Paying huge sums in this way also keeps it out of the public domain so they can peddle their low net spend narrative.
January 17, 2026 at 7:47 AM
And the signing on fee is likely to be as big, or maybe bigger, as the transfer fee. See also Haaland's transfer, and Cherki. Paying huge sums in this way also keeps it out of the public domain so they can peddle their low net spend narrative.
I can see he has made 18 starts and has a max of another 17 games he could start. So technically he could trigger this I guess.
January 16, 2026 at 1:46 PM
I can see he has made 18 starts and has a max of another 17 games he could start. So technically he could trigger this I guess.
They have 39 games in total, surely he's already reached the point where he could never reach 35 starts? What's the point of this article?
January 16, 2026 at 1:39 PM
They have 39 games in total, surely he's already reached the point where he could never reach 35 starts? What's the point of this article?
This is important though because it adds to the sense that playacting is an effective way to waste time, which in turn makes players feel more frustrated when they perceive their opponent is wasting time.
If referees added on time consistently and fairly this all goes away.
If referees added on time consistently and fairly this all goes away.
January 9, 2026 at 7:52 PM
This is important though because it adds to the sense that playacting is an effective way to waste time, which in turn makes players feel more frustrated when they perceive their opponent is wasting time.
If referees added on time consistently and fairly this all goes away.
If referees added on time consistently and fairly this all goes away.
Really good actually. Interesting story about him, he has this system whereby he divides the penalty area up into little sections so he mentally compartmentalize the action he most wants to take in any segment.
January 5, 2026 at 7:08 PM
Really good actually. Interesting story about him, he has this system whereby he divides the penalty area up into little sections so he mentally compartmentalize the action he most wants to take in any segment.
Is he on your FPL radar now?
January 1, 2026 at 6:38 PM
Is he on your FPL radar now?
For many games I also think having the option of Gyökeres as a last 20 minute finisher would bring the best out of both players.
December 29, 2025 at 8:20 PM
For many games I also think having the option of Gyökeres as a last 20 minute finisher would bring the best out of both players.