🪢 Tied up in Notts

IN-THE-INBOX: A 2-MIN READ

A mixed start for the tips as Spurs and Sheffield Utd both let easy leads slip. But we’re playing the long game, and at least Brighton out-cornered Everton. Let’s see if they can continue their hot form this week...

Here’s the updated P/L sheet. 😎

And here’s what’s ON this week. 👇

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🗓️ 23rd August 2024

1. Al-Hamadi bridges the Gulf 🇮🇶

2. Who are you backing this week? 👺 

3. The Big Clubs are doubling down 🔁

THE BIG FACTS

Pub Ammo

📈 Arsenal could become the only team in Premier League history to improve their points tally in five consecutive seasons. (55, 61, 84, 89, ?)

🇳🇴 Erling Braut Haaland has scored more goals (13) than Chelsea (11) and Man United (9) in the month of August since signing for City.

👴🏻 Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler just was nine years old when Seagulls midfielder James Milner made his Premier League debut.

🔋 Jamie Vardy has scored 103 Premier League goals since he turned 30 – more than any other player in the history of the League, ahead of Wrighty and Shearer.

🇳🇱 Jurrien Timber’s last four league appearances have come in either the first or last game of the season.

🇩🇪 Kai Havertz has the most Goals and Assists (17, tied with Palmer) in the League since 15th February, when he was moved to striker.

🇮🇶 Ali Al-Hamadi (Ipswich) became the first Iraqi to play in the Prem, making it 124 countries represented in the League since 1992.

THE BIG TIPS

Winning Hurz

THE BIG OPINION

Tied up in Notts

Chelsea have earned more from academy sales since 2014 than Arsenal and Newcastle have from total player sales.

For all the shenanigans going on at Stamford Bridge, that is an impressive legacy for the Blues. And quite a prescient move from the club.

There is now a feedback loop that exists between Premier League clubs.

Thanks to a stricter enforcement of FFP, the effect of outside investment is stymied. You can’t just pump money into a club any more without meeting the £105m loss threshold every three years. We all know that.

So clubs are now ever-reliant on their academy players to generate revenue. Academy revenue goes down as ‘pure profit’.

But the bigger clubs already have better academies. And they can sell those players onto smaller clubs for large fees.

Meanwhile, smaller clubs are forced to sell their best players to the bigger clubs in order to stay financially stable.

So what do you end up with?

Nottingham Forest.

With the incoming Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal) now joining Neco Williams (Liverpool), Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea) and Anthony Elanga (Man United), they’re essentially a vessel for the status quo.

FFP needs a rethink.

THE BIG DEALS

Top Güns

Arsenal, Chelsea and City are all doubling down. 👇

🇪🇸 Mikel Merino won more aerial duals (168) than any other player in Europe’s top five Leagues last year. He now joins the Gunners, who topped the set-piece goal charts last season. £28.4m

🇵🇹 João Felix is now the 16th attacking player in Chelsea’s 42 man squad, rejoining the club from Atlético Madrid. £44.5m

🇩🇪 Ilkay Gündoğan created more chances (97) than any other player in La Liga last season. He rejoins Man City who had the highest xGD last season. Free.

Looks like these three clubs are all sticking to their tactics.

THE BIG QUOTE

THE SOFA SCHEDULE

Revenge for the Gunners?

Saturday
12:30 Brighton vs Man United TNT Sports
17:30 Aston Villa vs Arsenal Sky Sports

Sunday
14:00 Bournemouth vs Newcastle Sky Sports
16:30 Brentford vs Liverpool Sky Sports

Speak soon.

All the best,
The Big Six