(CNN)Millions of dollars have been spent, mind games have already begun and fan optimism is at its peak which can only mean one thing -- the English Premier League is about to raise the curtain on another campaign which promises to be full of intrigue. The 2018/19 season gets under way with Manchester United taking on Leicester City at Old Trafford Friday. Follow @cnnsport United manager Jose Mourinho, entering his third season at Old Trafford, has looked like a Bassett Hound for most of the summer, predicting a "difficult season" for a team which finished second in May. Not enough money has been spent, says the Portuguese, who has seen three players added to his squad over the summer -- Brazil midfielder Fred for $60 million, Portuguese defender Diogo Dalot ($24 million) and third-choice goalkeeper Lee Grant ($2 million). "The other clubs who compete with us are really strong and already have fantastic teams. Or they are investing massively like Liverpool, who are buying … [Read more...] about Millions spent & mind games — it’s the start of the Premier League season
Challenging mind games
Tony Pulis starts mind games ahead of Boro’s play-off duel with Aston Villa
Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis believes Aston Villa will be “big favourites” for their Championship play-off games. He was speaking after his side grabbed a 2-2 draw at Ipswich Town yesterday to close their Championship season, thanks to a 96th-minute strike by substitute Patrick Bamford.The result made if four matches unbeaten for Boro, retaining their momentum ahead of the two games against Steve Bruce’s Villa – at home this Saturday (5.15pm) and away on Tuesday, May 15.Pulis said: “If you had given me a play-off position when I took over the football club, I wouldn’t have cared who we were playing, so I can’t be judgmental or care or worry about who it is.“We have got Villa, who most probably have the strongest squad in the Championship and it will be a real tough game. They will be big favourites, I’m sure.”Reflecting on the draw at Portman Road, he said: “I thought it was a real good game. I thought they looked … [Read more...] about Tony Pulis starts mind games ahead of Boro’s play-off duel with Aston Villa
Mind games and pizza: the anatomy of Arsene Wenger vs Manchester United
According to Phil Neville, it was easy to see when Sir Alex Ferguson felt a challenge from a rival: he talked about him in public. “When he started mentioning other managers’ names in his press conferences, you knew they were a threat,” says the now England women’s coach, who played under Ferguson from 1994 to 2005. And for eight years there was one person United’s manager could hardly stop talking about: Arsene Wenger. He was Ferguson’s bogey man, successfully wheedling his way under the Scotsman’s ever prickly skin. Ferguson knew what the Arsenal manager did was important, that he was the biggest obstacle he faced to footballing domination. The public denigration was driven by private fear. And, never shy of a challenge, Wenger responded. It was clear the antipathy was entirely mutual. For seven glorious seasons, matches between the clubs at Old Trafford were the very definition of the Premier League’s competitive strength. The sizzling … [Read more...] about Mind games and pizza: the anatomy of Arsene Wenger vs Manchester United
Everton’s Seamus Coleman looks to use Theo Walcott for mind games
Everton’s Seamus Coleman is hoping to exploit the gaps in opposition defences created by them having to deal with team-mate Theo Walcott. Since the end of January, the Blues have been able to call upon a new-look partnership down the right flank following the £20million capture of Walcott from Arsenal and Coleman’s return to fitness following a 10-month absence due to a sickening double leg break inflicted by a horror challenge from Wales’ Neil Taylor while captaining the Republic of Ireland in a World Cup qualifying match. The pair were an instant hit as in their first game together they inspired Everton to a 2-1 win over the Leicester City – the highest-placed Premier League team that the Blues have beaten under Sam Allardyce – with Walcott netting both goals and Coleman producing a stirring comeback display that including a lung-busting run in the 95th minute. As one of football’s best forward-thinking full-backs, Coleman – who has … [Read more...] about Everton’s Seamus Coleman looks to use Theo Walcott for mind games
Townsend backs Russell and declines a Calcutta Cup mind games battle
Home / Sport / Rugby by Steve Scott February 21 2018, 10.30pm FacebookTwitterWhatsAppLinkedInEmail Sign up to our Daily newsletter Want to read more?Subscribe today from £1 a week Gregor Townsend heaped praise on Finn Russell after naming an unchanged Scotland team to play England, and declined any opportunity to get involved in a mind games battle with Eddie Jones. Today will tell whether the combative Jones has any more barbed observations about Scotland or perhaps even Russell, given that his singling out of Rhys Patchell prior to England’s game against Wales was widely perceived to have helped turn the Scarlets stand-off from the worldbeater he looked like against the Scots in Cardiff to the nervous novice he seemed at Twickenham. In the meantime Townsend declined any chance to chuck in a few comments arched at England, instead praising them and their coach effusively. The nearest he got to a Jones-style attack was when he made a mild observation … [Read more...] about Townsend backs Russell and declines a Calcutta Cup mind games battle