Jadon Sancho did not have the best relationship with Manchester United but the club should be furious on his and David Beckham’s behalf at recent headlines.
Dyche, Dyche babyThose covering football in the media love to find a theme and run with it; Arsenal and set-pieces provide a fine current example.
But problems can arise when the tendency to skew things towards that one theme can override everything else. Which is to say that when Sean Dyche discussed how Everton approach and prioritise their set-pieces, he did not once reference Arsenal or indeed Liverpool. Obviously. Yet…
‘Sean Dyche warns Liverpool about Everton’s set-pieces – and dismisses Arsenal approach’
No, Daily Mirror website, he doesn’t. On both counts. Dyche did not mention Liverpool and just because they happen to be opponents at the weekend is no reason to insinuate he did.
Unless multiple-table-topping, famously data-obsessed Liverpool are unaware that Sean Dyche’s Everton like to show “intent” when attacking free-kicks and corners, this was a pretty rubbish ‘warning’.
And did Dyche ‘dismiss Arsenal approach’? He explained why he is happy to use the “depth of knowledge” of his existing staff and a group of analysts to devise and prepare set-piece routines, before saying:
“That’s not to say there is not a reason for set-piece coaches – that’s up to managers and staff and football directors.”
A big middle finger to Nicolas Jover, clearly.
READ MORE: Neville brands Arsenal genius as ‘the most annoying man in football’ after Man Utd win
So don’t be afraid to let them showThere are no fewer than four instances of ‘true colours’ being ‘shown’ on the Manchester Evening News website. Mediawatch is no expert but that seems like too many.
It only becomes more ridiculous when those headlines are listed:
‘Manchester United told what it will take to complete transfer as Ruben Amorim shows true colours’
‘Not good enough’ – Matthijs de Ligt shows true colours after Manchester United loss vs Arsenal’
”I’m grateful’ – Jadon Sancho shows true colours after passing of Manchester United staff member’
‘David Beckham shows true colours as Man United icon pays emotional tribute to Kath Phipps’
Is it really absolutely necessary to equate a manager backing an injured player and an elite-level athlete displaying the mentality of an elite-level athlete with two separate cases of people sending heartfelt messages to someone who has passed who meant a lot to them?
Did Sancho or Beckham show their ‘true colours’ by being nice about a beloved person who has died? Did they really reveal their ‘real character for the first time, especially when it is unpleasant’ when sharing some emotional memories at a sad time? Is that what happened or has your already awful and reductive headline template veered much too far into the distasteful?
Salah dressingThis is wonderful stuff from Ian Ladyman in the Daily Mail:
‘Watching Mo Salah score two goals and poke another shot against the post after one of those unfathomable jinking runs at Newcastle on Wednesday was to be reminded of his value to Liverpool.
‘And it’s really obvious, his value. It could not be more obvious if he carried it round Merseyside on one of those old-fashioned sandwich boards.
‘So he no longer needs to remind us. Salah has made his point three times in interviews after matches this season. Once at Manchester United, once at Southampton and then again at Anfield after last Sunday’s win over Manchester City.
‘It’s been great for TV stations, websites and newspapers. Great quotes never grow old. But how much good is Salah’s running commentary on his contract frustrations doing Liverpool? How much is it helping his new manager Arne Slot as he tries to win a league title in his debut season? How much is it helping his team-mates?’
tl;dr: Mo Salah should stop talking about his contract situation in interviews after Liverpool games. Completely agreed. It is really weird that he keeps asking himself about his future. And journalists definitely wouldn’t complain and take digs if he started avoiding them.
Full to the brimLadyman is in an extra helpful mood because he has advice for West Ham, too.
‘As for Julen Lopetegui at West Ham, the situation feels more nuanced. In losing 3-1 at Leicester on Monday they had 31 shots yet the bloke they hired to score goals in the summer is only just back from injury.
‘West Ham paid £27m to sign Niclas Fullkrug from Borussia Dortmund. He is a German international who played in last season’s Champions League final. He also a traditional number nine, a target man, which suggests Lopetegui has a certain way of playing in mind.
‘Injuries mean Fullkrug has played only 74 minutes of league football so far. But he is fit now. So surely we should see how all that plays out before hurrying Lopetegui out of the door?’
Michail Antonio starting 11 of 14 Premier League games ‘suggests Lopetegui has a certain way of playing in mind’. And 15 points from those games after spending almost £150m in the summer suggests it isn’t very good.
Has the absence of Fullkrug really held back a West Ham side with more league goals this season than seventh-placed Nottingham Forest? Or Newcastle and Manchester United?
The Hammers have conceded more goals than all but three Premier League teams. Not sure it’s ‘more nuanced’ than that. But good luck telling supporters to just be patient and let Fullkrug bed in if Wolves turn them over on Monday.
**Why does it always Wayne on me?**It is pretty much the perfect Sun story: Wayne and Coleen Rooney, with a dash of I’m A Celebrity and managerial uncertainty thrown in, is tabloid gold dust.
And so ‘major blow to Wayne Rooney as big money TV project on brink of being cancelled due to failing managerial career’ is a headline given prominence on their website, behind only Ange Postecoglou edging towards the Spurs sack.
Rooney will probably be slightly more concerned about his situation at Plymouth than the future of a documentary hoping to cover his ‘ascent in the world of managing,’ but sure.
The only thing which comes even vaguely close to backing up that ‘on brink of being cancelled’ claim in the headline are these quotes from an unnamed ‘TV insider’:
“The whole point of the documentary was to celebrate his move from player to becoming a manager.
“But obviously if that ends up being more of a horror show then the creators, or the Rooneys themselves, may pull the plug on the project.”
That contains rather more ‘ifs’, ‘buts’ and ‘mays’ than first suggested, doesn’t it? It’s a fair old downgrade within a few paragraphs, more vague prediction than insight or revelation.
But…
‘Wayne Rooney’s big-money TV project faces being cancelled despite Plymouth backing’ – Daily Mirror website.
Of course.
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Savage guarding‘TNT Sports commentator lined up for Northampton manager job to replace Jon Brady’ – The Sun website.
“I’m a TNT Sports commentator first and the manager of an actual football team doing really well second. Probably an entertainer third” – Robbie Savage, probably.
Argue the TrossYou know what? Fair play to The Sun website for this entirely literal headline:
‘Inside Trossard’s 30th birthday bash after Utd win including huge faces’
This one’s on Mediawatch for expecting some big names in attendance rather than actual massive cardboard cut-outs of the man’s face.