Issue 15 - Chelsea Trump Paris

The circus came to town — Club World Cup chaos, Palmer ice cold, and Trump on the touchline. Forest ruffle feathers, Ekitike sparks a tug of war, and Chelsea lift silverware no one really asked for.

From Yamal’s birthday buzz to £1bn kit deals, it’s all here. Let’s filter the fallout.

Club World Champions

A tournament that had no real place in the football calendar. A game that was arguably overshadowed by pre and mid-game entertainment. A celebration that had a certain Donald Trump hanging about.

Yes, that was the FIFA Club World Cup in a nutshell and although Chelsea supporters will be dining out on being able to call themselves the best club in the world for the next four years (bluergh), the wider football fraternity can now breathe a sigh of relief.

One that finally puts this American adventure in the history books but one that also offers an awkward glimpse of what the World Cup final is going to look like in just 12 months from now.

Sunday’s game was always going to be the undercard to the entertainment that had been lined up to both bring in the game and see us through to the second half. As a consequence, an 8:00pm kickoff four minutes late.

Not only that, but half time was far longer than the usual permitted 15 minute stint, add another 10 to Sunday’s interval and the Superbowl-style shine to the meeting of Chelsea and PSG was a bit too much to consume at the end of a boiling hot weekend.

Then again, I guess FIFA will be happy with the fact that they got what they have always wanted. Their own rival to the Champions League is finally alive and although it will take a few more editions to really find its feet, there is no doubt that it is here to stay.

Which begs to see whether Chelsea earn themselves another invite on four years time and the opportunity to earn their newly-earned title. A title that they certainly deserved on the night.

Ice Through His Veins

For as blistering as PSG have been of late - both in the Champions League and the Club World Cup, they were no match for the Blues and once again Cole Palmer showed he is the player for the big occasion.

Some players tend to shrink when it really matters. Palmer lived up to his ‘Ice Cold’ moniker in the best possible way with a brace against the team that recently smashed Inter to pieces in the Champions League final.

Then again, Chelsea have a habit of being a team that can turn it on when it really matters. They may go through boom and bust but when they do boom, they get to lift the biggest prizes in club football.

Nobody gave them much of a chance in 2012 when they had to go to Munich’s backyard and attempt to win their first ever Champions League final. Not many would have given them a chance before Sunday.

Now though, they return to England as champions with a new Premier League season starting in a month’s time. Will they be stronger for their stateside exploits or will they crumble because of them?

Nobody Likes Forest

Tottenham and Crystal Palace supporters certainly have no love for each other but they would have been brothers in arms after seeing their respective trophy droughts ended in May.

Now though, it seems as if the two London clubs have found a common cause and that cause is loathing Nottingham Forest - what is it they say about the enemy of my enemy being my friend?

A common cause on either side of the River Thames and whereas N17’s finest are up in arms over the stalling of Morgan Gibbs-White’s move to Tottenham, their SE25 counterparts arguably have far greater reasons for their recent dislike.

Arguably because of the arguments of whether Crystal Palace should be playing in next season’s Europa League and although rival Brighton supporters were hoping to celebrate an ultimate exit from the continent, they will have to make do with demotion instead.

With the news breaking on Friday, the cycle of events are likely to have been fully digested by now. If somehow you missed them, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace have had their entries to European football swapped over.

Follow The Trail

Forest in the Europa League. Palace in the Europa Conference League.

Forest with the additional complaint to land their Premier League counterparts in hot water.

Forest as the main beneficiaries and the City Ground outfit buying players from Botafogo this summer?

Who owns Botafogo? John Textor

Who is also in that same ownership group? Lyon

Who was in the same ownership group as Botafogo and Lyon before a hasty selling of shares a few weeks ago? Crystal Palace.

So many webs, so many strands it reminds me of that episode of It’s Always Sunny where Charlie has a conspiracy board full of different paths

Palace say they are going to appeal with their argument being based on not receiving the email where the original deadline regarding multi-club ownership was first highlighted. A generic info email they say.

Unfortunately for Chairman Steve Parish, that same email is the one listed for all Premier League correspondence to be sent to. If they are getting that on the regular, then an Admin Assistant must be feeling rather awkward over the past few days.

Palace feeling aggrieved but are they better just getting on with it? In theory, the Conference League is even easier for them and could mean a second trophy in two seasons. Win that and they would continue their European adventure further.

Take the medicine or draw it out as late as possible. Somebody suggested a play-off between Lyon and Crystal Palace for the Europa League berth (the loser getting the Europa Conference slot), that might not be the worst suggestion put forward.

Then again, these clubs have millions to burn and the lawyers will be licking their lips at the thought of going up against CAS. Therefore, if this to be settled, it won’t be in 90 minutes but it will need to be resolved within the next 90 days.

Hu Goes Where?

I have previously mentioned that Newcastle are one additional striker from completing a very exciting forward line. That one striker could be Hugo Ekitike if reports are to be believed.

A player who is far from a backup forward and if he was to move to Tyneside would undoubtedly be a huge coup but because of him being a starter in his own right, it sounds as if Liverpool are now attempting to play 4D Chess in terms of forwards.

Newcastle want to link Ekitike up with Isak.

Liverpool want to block that one way or the other.

They either get the Eintracht Frankfurt forward for themselves or he becomes a Magpie and instead they go all out in attempting to land Alexsander Isak for a starting price of £120m.

It reminds me of that ITV quiz show Goldenballs when you either had to split or steal at the end of the show. It seems Newcastle want two strikers, they would settle for one (the one they have) but Liverpool cannot walk away without a new addition themselves.

A Numbers Game

To put this into context, we can look at the transfer special markets that are available on Bet365.

Currently Isak is priced at 1.50 to stay at Newcastle - a 66.7% probability of this happening.

By comparison, he is 2.50 to move to Liverpool - a 40% probabilty of this happening.

For every £10 you bet on Isak staying, you would generate £5 profit.

For every £10 you bet on Liverpool snaring him, you would generate £15 profit.

While Ekitike is 1.72 to move to Liverpool - a 58.1% probability

A move to Newcastle is 2.37 - a 42.2% probability.

At the current odds, it looks as if Newcastle and Liverpool will have to make do with one striker each. These markets are definitely worth keeping an eye on, as they are incredibly reactive to anything that messers Romano or Ormstein tweet.

The Filter Five

Five more football picky bits to add to your plate.

Sarina’s Lionesses Roar

After a sluggish start against France, England’s defence of their Women’s European Championship is now going up through the gears, A demolition job of Wales on Sunday secured their place in the last eight, a pairing with Sweden awaits on Thursday.

Sweden made light work of Germany - the 2022 finalists in the group stage. This clash is not going to be for the light hearted.

Fox Hunt Ends

Leicester’s hunt for a new boss comes to an end and it is not Chris Wilder after his interview at the King Power Stadium. Instead, the baton has been passed from Ruud van Nistelrooy to Marti Cienfuentes.

The former QPR boss was placed on gardening leave at the back end of last season having met the remit of keeping the R’s in the Championship. Now though, the Spaniard will be tasked with taking Leicester out of the same division.

Bayern Eyeing Up Diaz

After reading the Hugo Etikite section above you may be thinking where Liverpool have found this summer warchest? Riches already being spent on the likes of Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong. Riches that must need to be offset at some stage.

Which is why Luis Diaz’s future at the club could be short-term rather than long. Bayern Munich have had an opening bid of £58.6m rejected but if Bayern want a player, they have a habit of getting them in the end.

Factor in the injury to Jamal Musiala and this deal may soon find a price with suits both Liverpool and the German giants.

City Kit Deal

Manchester City’s pipeline of riches continues with the news that Puma are going to pay them £1bn to be their shirt supplier over the next 10 years. That’s £100m a year to be the flagship club for the German brand. That’s a whole Jack Grealish every year.

Lamine Turns 18

Lamine Yamal reaches adulthood with an 18th birthday celebration but will he celebrating with a Ballon d’Or in just a few months?

Other Reading

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Admin

Right, that’s the end of issue 15 as we edge closer to a new season.

If you liked issue 14, tell a friend. If you didn’t like issue 14, don’t.

Also, continual feedback is certainly going to help drive this forward. Feel free to email me to tell me what you like and what you did not. Also, what wider topics you want highlighted:

[email protected]

Issue 16 will be out on Friday July 18th

Thanks for reading

Dan