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zonal-marking.bsky.social
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pretty much as good a performance from Arsenal as they could have hoped for. Pressing has been great. Don’t think they’ve targeted Paredes enough (even considering the disallowed OG). Actually think Blackstenius’ runs into her channel could be very useful.

I'm not really an 'the underdog has to be brave' man (I generally think the underdog should play cautiously) but I do think Arsenal have to be brave in the WCL final today. Their pressing v Lyon was great. Barca are rarely rattled, but they can get rattled by pressing. I think they have to be brave.

Farewell to Alexander-Arnold and De Bruyne, who I really think have helped to repopularise crossing. In about 2015 crossing was for your Chris Brunts and your Stewart Downings. For your Sam Allardyces and Tony Pulises. But now it's sexy again. www.nytimes.com/athletic/637...

Conte one of the great coaches. He’s won the title in his first season at clubs who had come 7th, 10th and 10th the previous season. You don’t fluke that.

Truly legendary moment in Italian football there. incredible season for McTominay

Marmoush is extraordinarily good. I must admit I don’t follow the Bundesliga much so didn’t really know what Man City were getting. But from the first match he did everything at 1.5x speed and his technical ability is outrageous. Best instant impact since Bruno Fernandes.

obviously Postecoglou is leaving whatever happens tomorrow, so Tottenham winning it would be so funny. There's nothing he would love more than being able to give it, "I won them a trophy mate, if that's not what the club wants, it's not the club for me" forever.

Always enjoy it when people call Gary Lineker a "commentator" or a "pundit" when he's clearly a presenter. Others are elsewhere in the Venn diagram but this is surely an open-and-shut case. "Lineker is a terrible commentator!" - well that's good, as he's never done that job.

Chelsea going unbeaten in all three domestic competitions is extremely impressive. I'm not sure they're a great footballing side, really, but in terms of physicality and - most importantly - mentality they are miles clear. www.nytimes.com/athletic/636...

Guardiola's worst season in management by miles. I think Man City were unlucky on Saturday, but they still didn't play very well and I'm not sure Guardiola's approach gave them anything. www.nytimes.com/athletic/636...

this is amazing Serie A

really like it when stadiums make a big deal of having a pre-match DJ, who is shown the big screens spinning the tunes...but the tunes are just I Gotta Feeling and Freed From Desire like always

amazed by that Man City XI. Just looks so open. Also think the wingers will have to be very disciplined as the full-backs are going to get dragged inside.

fair play, Cucurella really is good at that isn’t he?

world-class second bullet point here

Well deserved Coppa win for Bologna. Really nice when a historic club you’ve never seen win anything before actually manage to do so. Been a decent couple of years for it around Europe actually: Bologna, Athletic, West Ham, Newcastle, Betis, Leverkusen and most importantly GO AHEAD EAGLES

I don’t mean this in a “the game’s gone” way but I’ve just read an interview with a u18s goalkeeper who says his main strength is “reading the opposition press”. Imagine seeing that 20 years ago, you’d be baffled.

Let’s be honest, no-one has anything interesting to say about the lad being booed. It’s impossible. Sometimes you just have to accept that something happened and it is “a talking point” but no-one talking about it will actually add anything. This is that. Cheers.