15/05/2023–21/05/2023
3 min readMay 21, 2023
Is the Premier league the new farmers league ? (Man City are champions…AGAIN)
- Man City’s retention of their Premier League crown, came after Nottingham Forest’s victory over Arsenal, and serves as an warning message to rivals that they are not slowing down anytime soon.
- Rather than showing any signs of complacency over the last few years of success, City’s dominance over their competitors seems to be intensifying with five league titles in the past six seasons... Which raises the question..Are they turning the Premier League into a farmers league ?. Their relentless pursuit and dismantling of opponents(Arsenal..etc) suggest that familiarity with winning silverware has only increased their appetite for more trophies. Who will be able to stop these guys ?
- It is also worth noting that City became the first team to secure three consecutive Premier League titles since Manchester United achieved the feat between 2006–07 and 2008–09. Furthermore, they are on track to emulate United’s historic accomplishment in 1999 by clinching the FA Cup and Champions League alongside the league trophy. Which is now down to Erik Ten Haag to stop, he has done it before(beat them 2–1 at home) and I am sure he will be able to do it again. The football script is right there… Manchester United stopping Manchester City from emulating the treble.. (manifesting).
- But in all seriousness under the genius of Pep Guardiola, City have constructed a formidable dynasty that shows no signs of weakening. This extremely talented team lacks any observable vulnerabilities and is a testament to Guardiola’s status as one of the game’s greatest managerial figures still behind Sir Alex Ferguson though…
- However, there is still a gloomy shadow over all the hysteria as we all know that City faced scrutiny earlier this year for alleged financial rule violations which saw them receive over 115 charges, they maintain their innocence and eagerly await the resolution of the matter.
- For me…This formidable team is already the front-runner for the next season’s title, which means this summer is going to be a big one for many teams looking to challenge for the title.
Ivan Toney handed 8 month ban for betting offences
- The FA’s decision to impose an eight-month ban on Ivan Toney for multiple betting rule violations is a bitter blow for both the talented striker and his club, Brentford. Toney, at 27 years old, was enjoying a breakthrough season, emerging as the Premier League’s third-highest scorer. Additionally, he earned his England debut, signifying a promising international career.
- Unfortunately, the ban prevents Toney from participating in football until January 16 and disallows him from training with his club for four months, further compounding the setback. This not only hinders his chances of regaining his peak form and catching the eye of England manager Gareth Southgate but also diminishes his prospects of securing a move to a larger club.
- After doing a bit of reading, I think Toney’s ban has begun to raise broader concerns about football’s relationship with the gambling industry and to certain extent exposes the hypocrisy within football at the moment. Toney prominently displayed the logo of a gambling company on his shirt, reflecting the pervasive influence of betting sponsors in the sport. While efforts are being made to address this issue, the ban serves as a reminder of the complexities that remain.
- Despite the challenges, Brentford has shown resilience in the face of player departures in the past and possesses a strong management team led by coach Thomas Frank. They have the ability to adapt, potentially utilizing existing talents like Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo, while exploring the transfer market for replacements. While losing Toney is undoubtedly a setback, Brentford’s track record and determination suggest they can navigate this challenge and continue their remarkable journey in the Premier League…and as I write this they have beaten Spurs 1–3 at the Tottenham Hotspurs stadium.. But it is the history of Tottenham…
