Posts of the Week

Badguy said:

Every young football player needs to see this

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The stars of tomorrow, start today.

Today marks 30 years since Jean-Marc Bosman changed football forever.

Please allow me to explain.

Without Bosman, modern football might not have concepts such as free transfers or players being able to leave a club without a fee once their contracts expire.

Jean-Marc Bosman was a former R.F.C. Liège player. When his contract with the club expired, another club expressed interest in signing him. However, R.F.C. Liège refused to release him unless the French club paid a transfer fee, which was the rule at the time.

The interested club declined to pay the fee. In response, Liège sidelined Bosman and reduced his salary by 75%, as he was no longer part of their playing plans.

Feeling unfairly treated, Bosman took R.F.C. Liège, the Belgian Football Association, and UEFA to court, arguing that the rule violated players’ rights.

On 15 December 1995, a European court ruled in his favour. The judgment stated that:

• Players are free to move to another club once their contract expires
• Clubs within the European Union can sign an unlimited number of EU players (previously restricted)

This landmark decision became known as the Bosman Ruling.

While footballers around the world continue to benefit from this ruling, Bosman himself paid a heavy price. He spent most of his money pursuing the legal case, sold his home, and his marriage eventually collapsed due to financial hardship.

He later suffered from depression, and his life declined further, including legal issues and struggles with alcohol.

Modern football enjoys freedoms that exist because one man challenged the system, even though it ultimately cost him everything.

A true, and tragic, pioneer.

First it was Rashford’s brother, then Garnacho’s and now Mainoo’s.

But look at the bigger picture:

— Rashford’s brother doesn’t say shit when he gets benched at Barca now.

— Garnacho’s brother doesn’t say shit when he gets benched at Chelsea.

— And I guarantee you, Mainoo’s brother would never do this at another club.

They only do this shit at United because of the rotten environment and culture where players and their families feel entitled.

That’s what you get when you side with players over managers and refuse to let managers build a proper culture. A culture where players understand their place.

For your information, this is exactly why INEOS are backing Amorim. And don’t be surprised if they sell any player who thinks he’s bigger than the manager or the club, no matter how talented they are.

AND YES, IT SHOULD BE LIKE THAT.

India have their first ever win at Edgbaston, as Akash Deep completes a ten-wicket haul for the match! India were under pressure after losing an unloseable Test, they were under pressure for their team selection. They were questioned for letting Jamie Smith and Harry Brook add 303 runs in England's first innings.

bhulekh up

Arsenal Football Club runs one of the most respected youth development systems in England. The Arsenal Academy, based at London Colney, has produced legends and modern stars including Tony Adams, Jack Wilshere, Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Serge Gnabry, and many others.

If you’re asking “How can I join Arsenal academy?”, “Are Arsenal academy trials open?”, or “Is Arsenal academy free?”, this guide gives you the real facts.

How Can I Join Arsenal FC Academy?​

Arsenal does not accept direct online applications from the public.
Players are recruited through:

• Club scouts attending youth matches
• Playing for elite grassroots or professional academies
• Arsenal-linked development centres and regional programs
• Outstanding performances in youth competitions and tournaments

If a scout identifies you, Arsenal may invite you for assessment or training.

Arsenal Academy Trials – Are They Open?​

A very common search is “Arsenal academy trials”, but here is the truth:

No open trials for Arsenal Academy
No paid trials

All Arsenal academy trials are:

• Invite-only
• Conducted internally through scouting

Anyone claiming to sell Arsenal trials or guaranteed spots is not official.

How to Join Arsenal Youth Academy (Age Groups)​

Arsenal Academy recruits players from:

• U8 to U18
• Most recruitment occurs between ages 9–15
• Older players may enter as scholars or professionals

International players face FIFA youth transfer rules and UK visa requirements, making selection very competitive.

How Much Is Arsenal Academy Fees?​

One of the most searched questions:

How much is Arsenal academy fees?​

Arsenal Academy is completely FREE

Players who join receive:

• Free elite coaching
• Access to world-class training facilities
• Education and academic support
• Medical, nutrition, and welfare services
• Accommodation assistance for scholars

Players are developed as professionals, not charged as customers.

Is Arsenal Academy Free for International Players?​

Yes. If officially recruited, Arsenal Academy is free, including for international players.

However:

• Initial travel and visa logistics may involve families
• Once registered, Arsenal provides full development and welfare support

Arsenal Soccer Schools & Development Centres​

Arsenal operates:

• Arsenal Soccer Schools (paid)
• Arsenal Development Centres (UK)

Important to note:

• Soccer schools do not guarantee academy selection
• Development centres are monitored but still highly competitive
• Exceptional talent may progress, but no promises are made

Final Advice for Arsenal Academy Aspirants​

• Play competitive football at a recognized club
• Attend high-level youth tournaments
• Focus on technical ability, intelligence, and attitude
• Avoid anyone asking for money for Arsenal trials

Arsenal selects players based on talent, discipline, and long-term potential, not payments.

Pompey said:

@Righteousness do you see Chelsea winning this match?

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Match ended in a barren draw

Amid turmoil on and off the pitch, Liverpool head into a daunting Champions League night at the San Siro on Tuesday, where Inter Milan await in league-phase action. The Reds sit 13th with nine points from their first five games, while Inter approach the contest after suffering their first defeat of the campaign on matchday five.

Liverpool’s European journey has been a rollercoaster. From the high of beating long-time rivals Real Madrid to the low of being humbled 4-1 at Anfield by PSV Eindhoven, the Reds have encountered every emotion this season. That heavy defeat equalled a 96-year-old unwanted record, marking Liverpool’s third home loss by at least three goals in the same campaign — something not seen since 1929-30 — and has left them outside the top-eight qualification spots.

Optimists may look to the team’s three-game unbeaten run since the PSV humiliation, yet even that offers little comfort. A 2-0 win over West Ham failed to spark a domestic revival, as shown by disappointing draws against newly-promoted Sunderland and Leeds United. In Saturday’s chaotic 3-3 draw with Leeds, Liverpool conceded a 96th-minute equaliser, and the drama only escalated when unused substitute Mohamed Salah accused the club of throwing him “under the bus” and revealed that his relationship with Arne Slot had completely broken down.

Despite mounting pressure, Liverpool’s hierarchy have so far refused to sack Slot, but the rift with Salah has cast serious doubt over the Egyptian’s future. Whether he plays or sits on the bench in Milan, his presence alone may still offer some support as Liverpool chase a fourth consecutive European win over Italian opposition — a task made all the more difficult by their inconsistent form.

Inter Milan, meanwhile, approach the fixture from a far more stable position. Their 2-1 defeat at Atletico Madrid, sealed only in stoppage time, was disappointing but nowhere near as alarming as Liverpool’s collapse against PSV. Before that loss, Inter had been perfect in the competition, comfortably defeating Kairat, Union SG, Slavia Prague and Ajax. Their strong run places them fourth in the league-phase standings, level with Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, and three points behind leaders Arsenal.

Since the Atletico setback, Cristian Chivu’s side have been ruthless domestically, sweeping aside their last three opponents in Serie A and the Coppa Italia by an aggregate score of 11-1, including a 4-0 demolition of Como at the weekend.

Liverpool’s most recent visit to San Siro brought a 2-0 win in 2022, but the current context is very different. Inter have won 10 of their last 11 Champions League home league-phase/group games and look well placed to extend that record. With Liverpool mired in crisis and Inter in commanding form, the Italian giants enter Tuesday’s clash as strong favourites to compound the Reds’ problems.

INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
All attention quickly turned to Mohamed Salah when Liverpool’s travelling squad was announced — and the Egyptian’s name was nowhere to be found. His omission came despite a handful of unexpected attacking absences elsewhere in the squad.

Conor Bradley made his return from a muscular issue in the draw with Leeds, leaving Jeremie Frimpong (hamstring) and Giovanni Leoni (ACL) as Liverpool’s only known injury concerns. However, Cody Gakpo, Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa have all been left behind for the trip to Milan.

Bradley’s domestic suspension does not apply in Europe, meaning he could keep his place at right-back. That possibility may also prompt Joe Gomez to replace the out-of-form Ibrahima Konate at centre-back.

Inter, meanwhile, might be forced into a defensive reshuffle of their own. Cristiano Chivu revealed that Manuel Akanji has been dealing with illness, which could open the door for Francesco Acerbi to start in the heart of defence.

The hosts remain without Matteo Darmian (calf) and Denzel Dumfries (ankle), while centre-back Tomas Palacios (hamstring) and backup goalkeeper Raffaele Di Gennaro (scaphoid) are also sidelined.

Up front, Lautaro Martínez enters Tuesday’s clash in superb form. After scoring his 11th goal of the season against Como, the Argentine has now found the net in five consecutive Champions League home games for Inter and is expected to partner Marcus Thuram once again.

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Inter Milan possible starting lineup:
Sommer; Acerbi, Bisseck, Bastoni; Augusto, Zielinski, Barella, Calhanoglu, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez

Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Bradley, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Ekitike; Isak

EXPERT PREDICTION

With all the off field drama that has engulfed Liverpool in the last few days, I expect Inter Milan to beat them silly tonight

On the brink of sealing their place in the Champions League last 16, a flawless Arsenal side travel to the Jan Breydel Stadium on Wednesday with full intentions of confirming qualification when they meet Club Brugge.

The Gunners arrive in Belgium fresh from a commanding 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich on matchday five, a performance that reaffirmed their status as Europe’s in-form force. Brugge, meanwhile, were swept aside 3-0 by Sporting Lisbon and now stare down the possibility of an early exit just days after a managerial shake-up.

Arsenal’s latest European statement came in a top-of-the-table showdown at the Emirates on November 26, where they outclassed Bayern to preserve their perfect Champions League record. Their run of clean sheets in the competition finally ended through Lennart Karl’s equaliser, but it mattered little as Arsenal tightened their grip on the top spot of the 36-team league phase.

Historically, 16 points have always guaranteed qualification for the last 16, and while calculations for this expanded format are complex, victory in Bruges would almost certainly push Mikel Arteta’s men directly into the round of 16 for the second consecutive season. At minimum, they have already locked in a playoff berth and now chase a 10th straight win in this stage of the competition, along with a 10th match unbeaten against Belgian opposition.

What they have never achieved, however, is a perfect six-for-six in a Champions League group run, and they arrive in Bruges wounded from a narrow 2-1 Premier League defeat to Aston Villa that cut their domestic lead over Manchester City to just two points.

Club Brugge enter this contest in stark contrast. After opening their European campaign with a stunning 4-1 demolition of Monaco, their momentum has completely collapsed. The Belgian side have collected only one point from their last four Champions League fixtures—a thrilling 3-3 draw against Barcelona—while Atalanta, Bayern and Sporting Lisbon have all proven superior in recent weeks.

Their loss to Sporting on matchday five dropped them to 26th in the league-phase table, and their domestic fortunes have followed the same downward trajectory. Consecutive defeats to Royal Antwerp and St Truiden have left them third in the Belgian Pro League and five points behind leaders Union SG. The slump cost manager Nicky Hayen his job just two days before Arsenal’s visit, leaving new head coach Ivan Leko to face an enormous task in his debut match.

Despite their troubles, Brugge can point to an encouraging streak of five unbeaten Champions League home games in the league-phase format. Yet history does them no favours: they have suffered 14 defeats in 18 contests against English opposition, a statistic that casts a long shadow over their hopes of reviving their campaign against an Arsenal squad operating at peak continental form.

INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Arsenal’s defensive crisis deepened further in December, with multiple key players still unavailable. Cristhian Mosquera is sidelined with an ankle problem, Gabriel Magalhaes is recovering from a thigh injury, William Saliba remains out with a knock, and Riccardo Calafiori was seen limping off at Villa Park.

Calafiori would normally be expected to start on Wednesday, especially as he will serve a Premier League suspension soon, but Myles Lewis-Skelly appears the more likely starter in Bruges. Calafiori did return to training on Tuesday, yet his involvement from the first whistle remains uncertain.

Ethan Nwaneri, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres may all be in contention for starting roles after recent appearances from the bench. Mikel Merino will need to exercise caution throughout the match, as a booking would rule him out of the upcoming fixture against Inter Milan. Declan Rice would also be walking the disciplinary tightrope, but the England midfielder is unavailable due to illness.

He is one of three fresh concerns for Arsenal alongside Leandro Trossard, who suffered a knock, and Max Dowman, who is dealing with an ankle injury.

Club Brugge also faced uncertainty in goal ahead of the match, with both Simon Mignolet and Nordin Jackers absent from the weekend defeat to St Truiden. Mignolet has since been cleared to return, easing fears of a crisis between the posts.

Centre-back Zaid Romero is also back from a back issue, giving the hosts an additional defensive option. However, Lynnt Audoor remains sidelined with a muscle problem, Ludovit Reis is out with a shoulder injury, and striker Romeo Vermant continues his recovery from concussion.

Despite the injuries, Brugge still have promising talent available. Twenty-one-year-old centre-back Joel Ordonez has attracted interest from Liverpool, while 20-year-old midfielder Aleksandar Stankovic—son of former Inter Milan Champions League winner Dejan Stankovic—is reportedly on the radar of Tottenham Hotspur.

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Club Brugge possible starting lineup:
Mignolet; Siquet, Mechele, Ordonez, Seys; Stankovic, Onyedika; Forbs, Vanaken, Tzolis; Tresoldi

Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Timber, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Nwaneri, Norgaard, Merino; Madueke, Gyokeres, Martinelli

EXPERT PREDICTION

Basel will aim to extend their formidable Europa League home record when they host an in-form Aston Villa side at St Jakob-Park on Thursday night.
The meeting marks the clubs’ first encounter since August 2001, when John Gregory’s Aston Villa claimed a 4-1 aggregate win in the Intertoto Cup final.

Aston Villa arrive in Switzerland in exceptional form. Unai Emery has overseen a dominant run over the past two months, guiding his team to 13 wins from their last 15 matches in all competitions (L2), scoring at least two goals in 10 of those outings.

Their most recent victory came last weekend against Premier League leaders Arsenal, where substitute Emiliano Buendia delivered a dramatic 95th-minute goal to secure a 2-1 win and extend Villa’s winning streak to seven matches.

The club’s early-season difficulties are now firmly behind them. Emery’s men are legitimate Premier League title contenders, sitting third in the table and just three points off top spot after 15 games. A favourable trip to West Ham United awaits on Sunday.

Before that, Villa must refocus on the Europa League, where they have made a strong start to the League Phase. They have collected 12 points from five matches (W4, L1) and sit joint first in the 36-team standings alongside Lyon and FC Midtjylland. A win on Thursday would place them in a commanding position to secure a top-eight finish and automatic qualification for the round of 16.

Villa edged Young Boys 2-1 at Villa Park on matchday five, but their away form in Europe remains a concern. They have picked up just one win in their last six UEFA Cup/Europa League away fixtures (D1, L4) and suffered a 2-1 defeat to Go Ahead Eagles in the Netherlands in October.

Basel, back in the Europa League for the first time since reaching the quarter-finals six years ago, have endured an uneven campaign so far. Their League Phase results have alternated between wins and losses across five matches (W2, L3).

However, St Jakob-Park continues to be their fortress. Basel have won each of their last seven Europa League home games — the longest active streak in the competition — including this season’s victories over Stuttgart (2-0) and FCSB (3-1).

A 2-1 defeat away to Genk on matchday five dropped Ludovic Magnin’s side to 24th in the 36-team standings, currently holding the final playoff slot but only three points behind 10th place. Three fixtures remain: Aston Villa, Red Bull Salzburg, and Viktoria Plzen.

Basel approach Thursday’s match with renewed confidence following two consecutive domestic wins — a 3-1 Swiss Cup victory at Grand-Saconnex and a last-gasp 2-1 success against Winterthur in the league, sealed by a 93rd-minute strike from Keigo Tsunemoto.

Third in the Swiss Super League and seven points off the top, Basel enter this European clash as underdogs. Even so, they have registered five wins in their last 10 meetings with English clubs, positioning them as a dangerous opponent for Villa.

INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Here is a polished, fully rewritten version that keeps all details intact while improving clarity, flow, and professionalism:

Basel are still assessing the availability of forward Kaio Eduardo. The 20-year-old recently completed a cross-competition suspension and has also been managing an undisclosed injury, leaving his involvement uncertain.

Captain Xherdan Shaqiri — formerly of Stoke City and Liverpool — continues to be Basel’s most influential player, registering a team-leading 11 goals and 10 assists across 25 appearances in all competitions this season. The 34-year-old opened the scoring in last weekend’s win over Winterthur and is expected to retain his place in the attacking unit on Thursday.

Benie Traore, formerly of Sheffield United, along with Philip Otele and Moritz Broschinski, will compete for starting roles alongside Shaqiri in the final third. In midfield, Andrej Bacanin is anticipated to replace Marin Soticek and join Metinho and Leo Leroy in the engine room.

On the Aston Villa side, Tyrone Mings and Ross Barkley remain unavailable due to respective thigh and knee injuries, while Evann Guessand is doubtful after the knock that ruled him out of the victory against Arsenal.

Matty Cash netted the opener versus the Gunners, but he may be rested for this European fixture. Lamare Bogarde, Victor Lindelof, and Andres Garcia are all candidates to start at right-back, with Garcia now fit to make his first appearance of the season following injury.

Should Lindelof not be deployed at right-back, he could slot in at centre-back in place of Ezri Konsa, partnering Pau Torres. On the left side of defence, Lucas Digne and Ian Maatsen will continue their competition for the starting berth.

In attack, Donyell Malen is under consideration to replace Ollie Watkins, while Emiliano Buendia and Jadon Sancho are also pushing for inclusion in Unai Emery’s starting XI.

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Basel possible starting lineup:
Hitz; Tsunemoto, Adjetey, Daniliuc, Schmid; Metinho, Bacanin; Shaqiri, Leroy, Otele; Broschinski

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Bizot; Bogarde, Lindelof, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Onana; Buendia, Tielemans, Rogers; Malen

EXPERT PREDICTION