Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

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Chelsea celebrate their comfortable title win in May, but Antonio Conte has had a frustrating summer in the market. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images

Premier League Bubble Keeps on Growing before a Season Rich in Intrigue

by Jonathan Wilson | Aug 13, 2017 | Sports

London- This is the age of the full-back – and that says a lot. For years full-backs were scorned as players who were not defensively sound enough to play in the middle of the back four nor technically good enough to play in midfield – “Nobody,” as Jamie Carragher has...

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Cameroon, who host the next tournament, celebrate with the trophy after beating Egypt 2-1 to win the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations final. Photograph: Mike Hutchings/Reuters

Africa Cup of Nations Changes Will Do Far More Harm Than Good

by Jonathan Wilson | Aug 4, 2017 | Sports

London- On 26 October 1863 the representatives of 11 schools and football clubs met at the Freemasons’ Tavern near Covent Garden in London and founded the Football Association, seeking to establish a unified set of laws, essentially so that those who had gone to...

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Álvaro Morata never had to cope with the pressure of being a No1 striker while at Real Madrid. Photograph: Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images

Álvaro Morata May Need to Channel his Inner Costa to be Chelsea Success

by Jonathan Wilson | Jul 23, 2017 | Sports

London- Of the players who scored 10 goals or more in La Liga last season, none did so with a better conversion rate than Álvaro Morata. His 55 shots yielded 15 goals, which is one of the reasons he began the summer ranked alongside Kylian Mbappé, Romelu Lukaku and...

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Kyle Walker established himself as the first choice right-back at Spurs under coach Mauricio Pochettino. (AP)

Kyle Walker for £50m? Collective Madness has Gripped the Premier League

by Jonathan Wilson | Jul 19, 2017 | Sports

London – Kyle Walker for £50m. £50m for Kyle Walker. There is no way of saying it that does not sound a bit, well, odd. That is not to do down Walker, who was probably the best right-back in the Premier League last season. But still: £50m for Kyle Walker. In...

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England celebrate after winning the Under-20 World Cup but does the willingness of the big clubs to involve their players indicate they don’t really need them? Photograph: Jeon Heon-Kyun/EPA

Transfer Window Frenzy Provides a Buzz But It Does Football No Good

by Jonathan Wilson | Jul 3, 2017 | Sports

London- Even after the exposure of familiar failings by familiar opponents at a familiar stage of the Under-21 European Championship, a rosy glow remains about English youth football. World champions at under-20 level, victors in the Toulon tournament, finalists in...