Slaven Bilic treated badly, but West Brom’s decision evidence that EPL survival is more vital than ever

December 22, 2020Posted inPremier League, West Brom
AND WE’RE BACK!  Yes, it’s been a while since I last posted here in August, and as the cliché goes, four months is a long time in football. Barcelona almost lost the GOAT but is now out a president instead (there was only going to be one winner in that battle). Sadly, the game also lost the primary reason why so many fans -- including plenty in Argentina itself -- refuse to bestow that “greatest-of-all-time” title to Messi like I just did. With the death of Maradona, the soccer world said goodbye to its preeminent tragic hero (with George Best…

The Best (and Worst) Day of the Year, Followed by a Party Thirty Years in the Making

June 30, 2020Posted inCrystal Palace, Liverpool, Premier League
When the phrase “circle the calendar” is used by football fans, it refers to a very select group of matchdays on the fixture list. For many supporters, regardless of whether one’s club is a continental giant or local minnow, these days define seasons. Whether critical points or just bragging rights are up for grabs, derbies occupy a sacred spot in the minds and hearts of football fans. My odd-dual fandom of Liverpool or Crystal Palace, however, means that there is a fixture that occupies a place on my soccer calendar above the Merseyside derby, the North-West Derby or “English Clásico”…