Slug’s Sports Blog

Main blog: @slugmagon | Chicago sports and Aston Villa fan from Illinois

[slugsportsblog]

(This will be pinned)

Favorite Sports Teams.

This is so you readers are aware of my heavy biases.

American Football: Chicago Bears (NFL)

Association Football: Aston Villa (EPL), Chicago Fire (MLS)

Baseball: Chicago White Sox (MLB)

Basketball: Chicago Bulls (NBA), Chicago Sky (WNBA)

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I don’t particularly want to discuss the performance of the USMNT at length. All that I will say is that the reaction is unsurprising. Many of the elitist fans in Europe wanted the US to flame out of the WC and they did exactly that. This happens every year, European fans are always gnashing at the gate for the USA to fail on the world stage, so it’s hardly surprising that they took the side of their European competitors in this situation. Embarrassing performance, embarrassing process from our government, embarrassing from FIFA. The only bright spot is that it seems that the majority of people are agreeing that the blame is not centered on the players or team itself.

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On to the USWNT next year in Brazil! They never disappoint me…

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I don’t particularly want to discuss the performance of the USMNT at length. All that I will say is that the reaction is unsurprising. Many of the elitist fans in Europe wanted the US to flame out of the WC and they did exactly that. This happens every year, honestly. European fans are always gnashing at the gate for the USA to fail on the world stage, so it’s hardly surprising that they took the side of their European competitors in this situation. Embarrassing performance, embarrassing process from our government, embarrassing from FIFA. The only bright spot is that it seems that the majority of people are agreeing that the blame is not centered on the players or team itself.

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The best part about watching the World Cup is that you can see your favorite players who play for clubs you don’t like play for teams you are neutral towards

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Pick Your Club for the 2026-2027 Premier League Season:

(UQuiz at the end if you are interested)

Just like last year, it's time for the "Pick Your Club" post for the 2026-2027 English Premier League season! The three relegated clubs (West Ham, Burnley, and Wolves) will hope to make it back up next season, while the three promoted clubs, all coincidentally named Town/City, (Coventry City, Ipswich Town, and Hull City) all hope to stay up.

If you’re looking to get into watching the strongest league in association football (soccer) or just start watching the sport in the first place, you’re going to need a club to support. Maybe you like strong clubs with a lot of history, maybe you like an underdog, maybe you just like the nicknames or kit/badge colors. Whatever reason you have for picking your club, it’s valid, as long as you’re there for the wins and there for the losses. So, check this post out if you want to decide what club you want to support (or you just want an identity to associate yourself with, any club you choose will give you a really incredibly supportive fanbase and community):

Arsenal Football Club:

Primary Color(s): Red and White

Nickname(s): The Gunners

Location: Islington, North London

Premier League Rival(s): Tottenham, Chelsea

Defending Premier League Champions Arsenal are one of the historically strongest clubs in English football, including the famous “Invincible Season,” and are one of the most popular clubs to support worldwide. Formerly a sort of “hipster club” to support if you wanted to support a strong club without seeming like a bandwagoner, Arsenal is now, deservedly, considered a consistently top contender both domestically in England and in European competition. Arsenal are often mocked for always being “second best," and it will really take them another season to truly shed that label, even with their Premier League success, as you will take a lot of heat from supporters of other London clubs for basically no reason other than rivalry. As an Arsenal supporter, you will be joining a community of Londoners that are very passionate about their club, along with a community all across the world.

As a side note, yes, Arsenal supporters are called “Gooners,” which has become pretty unfortunate in recent years.

Aston Villa Football Club (Villa):

Primary Colors: Claret (Wine) and Sky Blue

Nickname(s): The Villans (Villains), the Lions

Location: Aston, Birmingham

Rival(s): Coventry

Aston Villa are among the oldest clubs in English football, and have historically been pretty successful as well. They are candidates for the "Modern Big 6," and historically, along with Everton, were always considered right out of the group. Back before the Premier League, they won the top division title seven times, and have won the FA Cup (modeled kind of like an American sport playoffs, where the winner qualifies for the second tier of European competition) seven times as well, and have won two European Cups (now known as the Champions League). However, only a few years ago in the grand scheme of their history, Villa took a dip. Dropping to the second-tier of football for three seasons, until 2019, when they returned to the Premier League again, and have had a resurgence with Unai Emery as the manager. Villa's nickname of "Villans" tends to ring true, as Villa supporters tend to have passionate celebrations on any win, small or large, which can rub supporters of other clubs, especially other Midlands clubs, the wrong way. If you want to support a club in the second-city of England with passionate fans, then Villa is the club for you.

AFC Bournemouth:

Primary Colors: Red, Black, and Gold

Nickname(s): The Cherries, Boscombe

Location: Kings Park, Boscombe (a suburb of Bournemouth, Dorset)

Rival(s): Brighton

One of the smallest clubs in the top-flight of football, Bournemouth were known as a yo-yo club for a while, moving between promotion and relegation in a variety of tiers before settling into the top flight for the past few years. They have been relegation contenders for almost every season that they have spent in the top flight, but recently they’ve evolved into a sleeper threat with intelligent tactics making the most of their small-club-standard tight budget. Not only did they secure a spot in Europe this season, which will bring a lot of money into the club, but they have shown season and season again that they are a real, competitive, and strong Premier League side. By becoming a Bournemouth fan, you are joining a tight-knit group of passionate fans of a small club in South England, who stick with the club through thick and thin, relegation and promotion.

Brentford Football Club:

Primary Colors: Red and White

Nickname(s): The Bees, The Bs

Location: Brentford, West London

Rival(s): Fulham

The Bees are a historically-small London club that have been consistent members of the lower flights of English football, but the new-and-improved Brentford team has shown off the ideal of how any promoted club can become contenders. Brentford is one of the hallmarks of the "modern Premier League," where we see a possible end to the "Big 6 era" as we know it. Brentford will be competing for European football this year, as they usually do these days, with a young core both on the pitch and off of it, with their manager, Keith Andrews, being a sort of managerial wunderkind himself. As a Brentford supporter, you will be supporting a normally-only-known-by-locals club known for their red and white striped kits and talented roster.

Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club (Brighton):

Primary Colors: White and Blue

Nickname(s): The Albion, The Seagulls

Location: Brighton and Hove, East Sussex

Rival(s): Crystal Palace, Bournemouth

A coastal club in South England, Brighton has historically been among the more low-key clubs in football, not being incredibly successful nor unsuccessful. Modern Brighton is considered a consistent upper-mid table team, and always a contender for European football. The most interesting aspect of Brighton is their rivalry with Crystal Palace, who play in South London nearly 40 miles away, due to historic animosity between their managers in the 1970s. Brighton has turned into a modern day success story: a club that used to wallow in the lower tiers that has grown completely naturally into a Premier League mainstay. The Seagulls have a growing fanbase in and outside of England, becoming a "hipster club," for people that want to support a more low-key side. Supporting Brighton will let you join a charming sea-side group of supporters close to the White Cliffs of Dover, with an ever-growing fanbase in South England as the Seagulls stay situated comfortably in the top flight.

Chelsea Football Club:

Primary Colors: Blue

Nickname(s): The Blues

Location: Fulham, West London

Rival(s): Arsenal, Tottenham

Chelsea are among the most successful clubs in English football, winning the title on multiple occasions, along with the European Champions League and the Club World Cup (being the only London-based club to do so). Chelsea’s “silverware cabinet” (trophies) is among the most varied of any club in England. However, Chelsea is oftentimes the most derided of any club in all of England, as, regardless of what other club you support, you will probably dislike Chelsea for some reason. Chelsea’s supporters are known for their hooliganism and fights by members of their fanbase, due in part to the wide-ranging support across all of Greater London, which does include supporters in “enemy territory.” Becoming a Chelsea supporter is not easy, but you will be joining a highly successful club with a wide range of famous players today and yesterday. If you are someone who is confident in your abilities and proud of your accomplishments with a "they hate us 'cause they ain't us" mentality, Chelsea is the club for you.

Fun Fact: Despite being named after the borough, Chelsea F.C. do not actually play in Chelsea, and actually play in neighboring Fulham.

Coventry City Football Club (Coventry, Cov):

Primary Color(s): Sky Blue

Nickname(s): The Sky Blues

Location: Coventry, West Midlands

Premier League Rival(s): Aston Villa, Sunderland

Coventry City were a top flight club for the final third of the 20th century, and even won the FA Cup in 1987. They were one of the 20 original members of the Premier League, but for much of their history they were considered at the same tier of modern clubs like Fulham and Crystal Palace. Out of all of the clubs, their fans are the most parched to stay up in the Premier League. Coventry is known for their Former Players' Association, where... former players... associate. In all seriousness, former Coventry players are very passionate about their love for the club and their supporters, and they are honored every year. Even their manager is a former player, just not for Coventry! This allows Coventry to carve out a niche as one of the most "player-friendly" clubs in terms of legacy and appreciation, a sort of "once a Sky Blue, always a Sky Blue," mentality. The ultimate underdog this season may very well be Coventry. So, if you want to support a club that will be fighting tooth and nail to eke out a place in the Premier League again, go with Cov.

Side-note: their brown kits? Beautiful, maybe even perfect.

Crystal Palace Football Club (Palace):

Primary Colors: Red and Blue

Nickname(s): The Eagles, the Glaziers

Location: Selhurst, South London

Rival(s): Brighton

Winners of the 2025 FA Cup, Community Shield, the Europa Conference League, and the archetypical club of South London, Crystal Palace have been consistent members of the top two tiers of football for nearly their entire history. Today, they have settled as modest low-to-mid table members of the Premier League, even with their recent and incredible density of success in other competitions. Fans of the series Ted Lasso may recognize the iconic kits of Crystal Palace, as they are similar to the kits of the fictional Richmond FC. Crystal Palace are actually one of the primary inspirations for the club, and like the fictional club they have a passionate fanbase that is often consulted by the management and ownership on decisions regarding the club. If you want a club with a strong local community that lets you connect with the ownership in a way that many other clubs cannot match, then Crystal Palace is the club to support.

Everton Football Club (Everton):

Primary Colors: Blue and White

Nickname(s): The Blues (especially when compared to Liverpool), the Toffees, the People’s Club, the School of Science

Location: Liverpool, Merseyside

Rival(s): Liverpool

Everton are one of the most historic clubs in England, being both a founding member of the original Football League in 1888 and the Premier League in 1992. Everton has the record for the most seasons spent at the top flight of English football, and are second only to Arsenal in their current streak of top-flight football. Before the formation of the Premier League, Everton had been among the most successful of all the clubs, winning the league title nine times, but in recent years, Everton have become a consistently mid-to-low table team, having little success other than a win in the FA cup back in 1995. The Merseyside Derby between Everton and Liverpool is among the most famous and well-loved rivalries in football, as many families have both Everton and Liverpool supporters living under the same roof, and it is often called the “friendly derby,” and is fought very passionately on the pitch. Although Liverpool FC is more successful, Everton are the original club from Liverpool and even played at Liverpool FC’s current home of Anfield until a move to Goodison Park. By becoming an Everton supporter, you are joining a passionate fanbase of a historic team in Northwest England (including Paul McCartney of the Beatles)!

Fulham Football Club (Fulham):

Primary Colors: White, Black, and Red

Nickname(s): The Cottagers

Location: Fulham, West London

Rival(s): Brentford, Chelsea

The club in Fulham that actually claims to be from there, Fulham is London’s oldest professional football club, and, mostly due to their age, have seen some modest success in the early 20th century. Fulham is known for being incredibly "posh," with a high degree of fair-weather fans (their attendance fluctuates depending on their presence in the top flight). Fulham is sometimes nicknamed “Fulhamerica,” as their American owner, Shahid Khan, views the USA as a largely untapped market for talent. In addition, some of their best players were/are American, including their leading Premier League goalscorer Clint Dempsey and current star fullback Antonee “Jedi” Robinson. If you are looking for a historic, but sometimes snobby, club in the capital of England that stands as underrated in the modern day, Fulham is the club to support.

Hull City Association Football Club (Hull):

Primary Color(s): Orange and Black

Nickname(s): The Tigers

Location: Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire (or, simply: Hull, East Yorkshire)

Premier League Rival(s): Leeds

Hull supporters have been dragged through the mud regarding their ownership and were not expected to be challenging for a Premier League spot at the beginning of the season. The Tigers are known for their fans' chants and songs that are considered "cringe" among other fans for their commitment to the "Tigers" nickname, but that tends to be attractive to fans of sports that love a good mascot. One of the most popular football YouTubers among Americans (and abroad), HITC Sevens, is known for his Hull City support, along with many other celebrities. Nowadays, they are sort of like if Burnley was an attacking team rather than a defending one; a hipster club with lots of passionate local fans and wide-reaching support abroad. Hull City is a hard club to support because of the past history of poor ownership, but at the same time there is a lot of hope and a lot of excitement for the club to re-enter the top flight.

Ipswich Town Football Club (Ipswich):

Primary Color(s): Blue and Red

Nickname(s): The Tractor Boys, the Blues

Location: Ipswich, Suffolk

Premier League Rival(s): No major rivals in the Premier League

The second newly-promoted side, and one who saw the Premier League quite recently, Ispwich are set on staying up this time. If I told you that a club as small as Ipswich is undefeated in European competition, including against Barcelona, both Milans, and Real Madrid, would you believe me? Because they are. While Ligue 1 (in France) and Serie A (in Italy) are occasionally called "Farmers' Leagues" as a diss against the size of many of their clubs, this is one of England's ultimate Farmers' Clubs. Their nickname of the "Tractor Boys" started as a bit of charming self-deprecation from the primarily rural stereotype of Ipswich, but became a fully serious title and rallying cry for the farming communities in East Anglia. Ipswich is the epitome of punching above your weight and being proud to be a working-class underdog, which can be charming for a lot of the working-class people of the world!

And, yes, because both he and the Premier League can't stop talking about it, Ed Sheeran is a proud Ipswich supporter and part-owner, if you care.

Leeds United Football Club (Leeds United, Leeds):

Primary Colors: White, Yellow, and Blue

Nickname(s): The Whites, The Peacocks

Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire

Rival(s): Manchester United, Chelsea

Leeds is one of the most famous clubs in English football, oftentimes being considered the stereotypical club to support in most of Yorkshire. They used to be one of the most solidly strong sides in football. In the mid-20th century, Leeds was led by divisive manager Don Revie, who adopted the now-famous all-white primary kits as a nod to Spanish club Real Madrid, and brought them their most successful days. However, a rapid financial decline in the early 2000s resulted in their relegation, and they have bounced around the divisions ever since. Leeds in very-recent times has seen potential for resurgence, after winning their stay in the Premier League in 2025-26, along with Sunderland. Leeds is one of the most passionately supported teams in football, with their supporters even having their own salute to identify each other. Leeds fans will never turn you away, attracting new supporters wherever they go, so if an underdog club with a lot of history and clean white kits sounds good to you, Leeds is the club to support.

Liverpool Football Club (Liverpool):

Primary Color(s): Red

Nickname(s): The Reds (especially when compared to Everton)

Location: Liverpool, Merseyside

Rival(s): Everton, Manchester United

Liverpool are arguably the most successful club in the history of English football, with the 2024-25 season getting them their 20th ever title in the top flight (which includes the Pre-Premier League era), tied for the most of any club. Liverpool's dominance beginning in the 1960s under manager Bill Shankly led to them overtaking Everton as the club of Merseyside, and they have always been in conversation for title contention. Liverpool are also among the most widely supported clubs in the world and the most valuable, with their slogan “You’ll Never Walk Alone” reminding supporters that if you were ever a Red, you always have the back of Liverpool FC. After an underwhelming season last year, Liverpool supporters are hungry for a return to form. If you want to support a club that will be a consistent success for years to come, fit with a passionate fanbase across the world, then Liverpool is the club for you.

Manchester City Football Club (Manchester City, Man City, City):

Primary Colors: Sky Blue and White

Nickname(s): The Citizens/Cityzens, the Blues, the Sky Blues

Location: Manchester, Greater Manchester

Rival(s): Manchester United, Liverpool

Manchester City, for most of its history, played second-fiddle to the more popular and successful Manchester United, but in recent years Manchester City has turned into the wildly more successful of the two clubs. Led by Pep Guardiola, Manchester City won four straight Premier League titles from 2020-21 to 2023-24, along with the “Treble” of the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in 2022-23. However, their modern success has been somewhat marred by recent cheating scandals, along with their ownership being controversially tied to the one of the royal families of the UAE (which is cited as among the most famous examples of sportswashing). In addition, Manchester City’s fanbase is limited in comparison to Manchester United within Greater Manchester, with City’s fans being considered the most peculiar in England. The slogan “typical City” exists due to both the unpredictability of the club’s success and the odd behavior of the supporters. If you want to join a base of peculiar supporters that comes with an incredible amount of recent success, Manchester City is the club for you.

Manchester United Football Club (Manchester United, Man United, United):

Primary Colors: Red and Yellow

Nickname(s): The Red Devils

Location: Trafford, Greater Manchester

Rival(s): Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Leeds United, Chelsea

Manchester United is the historically largest club in English football, and arguably the world. They are tied with Liverpool for the most top division titles with 20, have the most Premier League titles with 13, have the most appearances in an FA Cup final and second most trophies, and a wild degree of success in Europe. They are the first English club to complete the continental treble, and are one of only five clubs to win all three of the original UEFA competitions in the Champions League, Europa League, and the Cup Winners’ Cup. Manchester United is also among the most valuable and widely supported clubs in the world. However, all of this historic success has been tainted by modern disappointment, as the team likely would have barely avoided relegation in the 2024-25 season if it wasn’t for the three promoted teams’ catastrophic seasons. However, again, Manchester United are poised to be back in their classic form under new manager, and former Red Devil, Michael Carrick. Replacing the former manager Ruben Amorim, who struggled to fit his tactical outline to United's squad, Carrick turned United into an exciting, successful, and fun-to-watch football team that makes you realize how they became so popular in the first place. If you are looking for a club with an undeniable legacy that is now fighting to reclaim their dominance, then you should support Manchester United.

Newcastle United Football Club (Newcastle):

Primary Colors: Black and White

Nickname(s): The Magpies

Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear

Rival(s): Sunderland

One of the more consistently strong sides in England, Newcastle has never been relegated below the second division and has only spent 3 years outside of the Premier League since its inception. However, much like Manchester City, Newcastle’s modern success (with the exception of this past season, of course) has a large asterisk due to claims of sportswashing. In 2021, the club was bought by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudia Arabia. However, regardless of their success, the fanbase of Newcastle in the far-North of England is among the most passionate and dedicated of any club in the world. In 2004, Newcastle’s fans beat any other club in cost and distance travelled to away games. Much like local rivals Sunderland, Newcastle attendance did not drop at all significantly during periods of relegation, and the derby between them is among the most beloved in football for fans of any club. As a Newcastle supporter, you would join a fervent and impassioned group of fans that want nothing more than their players and club to do themselves proud.

Nottingham Forest Football Club (Nottingham Forest, Forest):

Primary Colors: Red and White

Nickname(s): the Garibaldis, the Reds, the Tricky Trees

Location: West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire

Rival(s): Leeds, Aston Villa

Yes, that Nottingham, the Robin Hood one. Nottingham Forest are similar to Newcastle in that they have spent nearly all of their history in the top two divisions of English football, but have been generally less successful. Nottingham are the original “Reds” in English football, with their kits being the color of “Garibaldi red” since the 1860s, inspiring many other clubs around the world to wear the color due to their success in the early days of football and their worldwide tours. Nottingham had back-to-back European Cup victories in 1979 and 1980 (now known as the Champions League), and are the only club in the entire world to have more Champions League titles than domestic league titles (two to one). Since then their success has been limited, spending most of their time in the second division since the inception of the Premier League. However, their 2024-25 season’s incredibly unexpected and strong showing has a lot of people jumping on the Forest Bandwagon, even if 2025-26 was disappointing, so if you would like to support a historically “pretty good” club from the famous home of Robin Hood, pick Nottingham Forest.

Sunderland Association Football Club:

Primary Colors: Red, White, and Black

Nickname(s): The Black Cats

Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear

Rival(s): Newcastle

After an incredibly strong showing for a promoted side (7th place, Europa league qualifiers), one of the best of all time in fact, Sunderland’s supporters are antsy to repeat their success this season. Much like their fellow Tyne and Wear-based club, Newcastle, Sunderland has one of the most devoted fanbases in English football, if not the world. Despite not being as successful as many other clubs currently in the top-flight, Sunderland’s fanbase is so devoted there is an entire 8-part documentary series about how devoted Sunderland’s supporters are (which even stretches to North Korea). Supporting Sunderland comes with a lot of potential, as the oftentimes fervently left-wing fanbase of Sunderland will always cheer for their side, but at the same time if you choose Sunderland you are “Sunderland ‘til you die,” no matter what happens to the club.

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (Tottenham, Spurs):

Primary Colors: White and Navy

Nickname(s): The Lilywhites

Location: Tottenham, North London

Rival(s): Arsenal, Chelsea

The last of the “Big/Rich 6," Tottenham Hotspur has been relatively modest in their success compared to the other big clubs in England, but, until recently, remained a consistently strong club. Tottenham has largely taken its North London-rival Arsenal’s place as the ultimate "I'm not technically a bandwagoner" club to support for people outside of England, with a diverse, working-class fanbase within it. While markedly more successful before its inception, Tottenham’s time in the Premier League has been spent mostly as a bridesmaid but never the bride, with regards to silverware. And now, after getting their first major trophy in years in the Europa League in 2024-25, they see two straight seasons that see them near the right outside of the relegation zone, Tottenham have to bounce back or they will see the biggest relegation in Premier League history, up to this point. As a Tottenham fan, you will be joining a dedicated base of supporters that still hold record attendances to this day, as long as you are fine with “never winning any trophies.”

So that’s all of the clubs!

All 20 Premier League clubs for the 2026-27 season have been quickly summarized for your convenience, and now you’re left with an overwhelming sense of option anxiety. If you aren’t able to make your decision on your own, which is understandable, I also have a quick UQuiz that gives you a suggestion for a club to support based on size, colors, and more! Let me know what club you pick if this helped you choose!

This quiz includes every club eligible for Premier League football in the 2026-27 season, including West Ham and Tottenham (who are both at

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HULL CITY HAVE BEEN PROMOTED!

The 2026-27 Premier League Clubs overview will be posted after the final matchday tomorrow, when it will be determined if Tottenham or West Ham are relegated tomorrow!

[silvaurum]

basketball dracula isn't real dude he can't-- *sudden squeaking noises from the shadows*

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*two pool toys having sex tumble by in the wind* oh thank god

[silvaurum]

*thunderous slam dunk noise*

[fallout-lou-begas]

Visit Original Link

[snoleopard7]

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Oh yeah if you’re superstitious, in the first Premier League season after Zohran Mamdani becomes the mayor of New York his favorite club win the league. This is the kind of stuff that people make cults of personality over. Our own Tito.

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ASTON VILLA HAVE WON THE EUROPA LEAGUE

UP THE FUCKING VILLA!

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ARSENAL ARE CHAMPIONS OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE! + MANCHESTER CITY DRAMA DISCUSSED

Congrats to the Gunners, who clinched the title after Manchester City failed to win against Bournemouth!

This will be a post mostly about Manchester City and not Arsenal because there’s not much to say! Arsenal had a solid title season in a strong Premier League. People will criticize their defensive and set-piece oriented style of play, but football is beautiful even if it’s not the kind you like.

Runners-Up Manchester City will be facing intense scrutiny in this next Premier League off-season due to numerous charges relating to financial fair play. The total number of charges is over 100, all relating to their takeover by the ADUG (Abu Dhabi United Group) and their investment in the club. This investigation would have been tortuous and likely abandoned due to laziness if Manchester City won the Premier League this season.

As it stands, City and their ownership group are charged with both lying about player wages to make them lower than they were and disguising investment from their ownership group as sponsorship investment. In the Premier League and Champions League, there is a cap for investment that the owners can put into their club, but City supposedly skirted around that by claiming it was sponsorship money, rather than owner investment.

Essentially: From 2009-2018, City didn’t make enough money on their own to afford keeping up with the other Big Six clubs, so they lied about wages and investment sources in order to both make up for the losses they had and disguise how bad those losses actually were.

This also leads to an odd conclusion that Manchester City were possibly considered “state-owned” by the UAE, due to the fact that their investment group, ADUG, belongs to Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family and a vice president of the UAE. There is, rules wise, nothing technically wrong with a ruler of any country owning a football club, but it’s partially why the investment rules are in place. Having a state-owned football club with no sanctions in place would result in…well exactly what happened to Manchester City: a foreign state with lots of money comes in and buys a football club. They change the name of the stadium to a company from that foreign state, they make the shirt sponsor another company, and basically soft-power the shit out of the league by winning as many titles as they can afford while promoting tourism to the state and companies in that same state.

People will claim that this is a problem because it’s the UAE, which is monumentally stupid. This is a problem because no state, or their corporations for that matter, should have the ability to influence a foreign nation’s football league. You would have McDonald’s United vs Eat Fresh FC. Some of you now might be drawing comparisons between this state-owned problem and the ultra-capitalist hellscape that is the “Red Bull” ownership group, that holds a multi-club empire over the clubs now known as RB Leipzig (officially known as “RasenBallsport Leipzig,” where RasenBallsport is a made-up German compound word meaning “lawn ball sport,” kiss my fucking ass), Red Bull Salzburg, New York Red Bulls, etc. and yes, that’s my point:

NO GOVERNMENT ENTITY (foreign or domestic), MAJOR CORPORATION, OR INDIVIDUAL PERSON SHOULD BE ABLE TO OWN A FOOTBALL CLUB.

Genuinely. Every single football club should be owned in its entirety by the players and fans in a collective ownership group… but I know the world isn’t communist. However, I know we would all, at the very least, agree that a foreign government or major corporation shouldn’t be in complete financial control of a football club.

In addition to everything: this investigation has been ongoing since 2019, but Manchester City failed to cooperate until 2023. This allowed them to amass multiple league title seasons, including a Treble (when a club wins their domestic league table, their top league cup (the FA Cup, in England’s case), and their top level continental competition (the UEFA Champions League for European clubs), between when the investigations began and when they became tangible.

Basically, the legacy that manager Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City leaves is potentially irrevocably marred by the fact that Guardiola’s club was built on a bedrock of lies and financial deceit.

We do not know the whole story, and I doubt Pep was involved, but no matter what happens, this will be an unfortunate stain on the legacy of Manchester City.

[slugsportsblog]

SOUTHAMPTON HAS BEEN EXPELLED FROM THE CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF FINAL

Middlesbrough will be in the final in their stead.

* Any mentions of Southampton as relating to the upcoming cup final have been changed to Middlesbrough.

This is a monumental and broadly unprecedented decision by the EFL. In my opinion, this is incredibly justified. Middlesbrough will replace Southampton on the Promoted Clubs Profile as soon as possible.

[slugsportsblog]

EPL Promoted Clubs Profile (EDITED AFTER SOUTHAMPTON DECISION)

In this next 2026-27 Premier League season, we, as usual, welcome our newest and most-likely-to-be-relegated-superlative-possessing top flight clubs!

Now, the Championship playoff has actually not completed, with Middlesbrough and Hull City preparing to face off in the promotion final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday (5/23/26). Instead of being patient and waiting for the final to finish, I will just cover both! I like talking enough.

All four of the clubs/candidates have spent some time in England's top flight, some longer than others (and more recently), and all of them have something to prove. Maybe you will be charmed by one of these newly promoted sides and choose to become a supporter!

Coventry City Football Club (Coventry, Cov):

Primary Color(s): Sky Blue

Nickname(s): The Sky Blues

Location: Coventry, West Midlands

Premier League Rival(s): Aston Villa, Sunderland

Last Season in Top Flight: 2000-01

Coventry City were a top flight club for the final third of the 20th century, and even won the FA Cup in 1987. They were one of the 20 original members of the Premier League, but for much of their history they were considered at the same tier of modern clubs like Fulham and Crystal Palace. Out of all of the clubs, their fans are the most parched to stay up in the Premier League. Coventry is known for their Former Players' Association, where... former players... associate. In all seriousness, former Coventry players are very passionate about their love for the club and their supporters, and they are honored every year. Even their manager is a former player, just not for Coventry! This allows Coventry to carve out a niche as one of the most "player-friendly" clubs in terms of legacy and appreciation, a sort of "once a Sky Blue, always a Sky Blue," mentality.

Side-note: their brown kits? Beautiful, maybe even perfect.

Ipswich Town Football Club (Ipswich):

Primary Color(s): Blue and Red

Nickname(s): The Tractor Boys, the Blues

Location: Ipswich, Suffolk

Premier League Rival(s): West Ham

Last Season in Top Flight: 2024-25

If you were told that Ipswich is undefeated in European competition, including against Barcelona, both Milans, and Real Madrid, would you believe me? Because they are. While Ligue 1 (in France) and Serie A (in Italy) are occasionally called "Farmers' Leagues" as a diss against the size of many of their clubs, this is one of England's ultimate Farmers' Clubs. Their nickname of the "Tractor Boys" started as a bit of charming self-deprecation from the primarily rural stereotype of Ipswich, but became a fully serious title and rallying cry for the farming communities in East Anglia. Ipswich is the epitome of punching above your weight and being proud to be a working-class underdog, and yes, Ed Sheeran is a proud Ipswich supporter and part-owner, if you care.

(This is where we get tentative)

Middlesbrough Football Club* ('Boro):

Primary Color(s): Red and White

Nickname(s): The Boro, Teessiders

Location: Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire

Premier League Rival(s): Sunderland, Newcastle

Last Season in Top Flight: 2016-17

Middlesbrough is the most prominent club in North Yorkshire (and in the Teesside area specifically) which gives them a pretty solid niche in the English football landscape. Middlesbrough supporters are known for three things: their local fans (having some of the highest percentages of local season ticket holders vs. transplants from other cities or entire nations), their Teesside pride, and being passionate for their club, but very respectful to away fans. Middlesbrough has a very insular and local identity, which isn't always conducive to a growing Premier League club's finances, but the Boro makes it work. Middlesbrough supporters are known as "Smoggies," has a similar origin to Ipswich's "Tractor Boys" moniker. Starting as an insult from away fans about Middlesbrough's constant smog from its industrial nature, the name evolved into shorthand for the supporters.

Hull City Association Football Club (Hull City, Hull):

Primary Color(s): Orange and Black

Nickname(s): The Tigers

Location: Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire (or, simply: Hull, East Yorkshire)

Premier League Rival(s): Leeds

Last Season in Top Flight: 2016-17

Competing in the Championship Playoff Final against Middlesbrough, Hull supporters have been dragged through the mud regarding their ownership and were not expected to be challenging for a Premier League spot at the beginning of the season. The Tigers are known for their fans' chants and songs that are considered "cringe" among other fans for their commitment to the "Tigers" nickname, but that tends to be attractive to fans of sports that love a good mascot. One of the most popular football YouTubers among Americans (and abroad), HITC Sevens, is known for his Hull City support, along with many other celebrities. Nowadays, they are sort of like if Burnley was an attacking team rather than a defending one; a hipster club with lots of passionate local fans and wide-reaching support abroad.

[slugsportsblog]

Slug’s EPL Updates

(Near) End-of-Season Review

Good morning, it has truly been a while! I would have liked to have been more frequent throughout the year, but being an actual teacher does often get in the way of this. The English Premier League season is nearly finished, but many of the clubs have done much better or much worse than I predicted. With some clubs, such as Aston Villa (my heart and soul) outperforming my pessimism and some clubs, namely Tottenham (my father’s club) making me feel silly for being positive.

Reflection on football takes is something that is widely missing from much of the opinionated fans, of which I am a member. It’s important to be held accountable, because while I don’t want to position myself as an expert, I am putting myself in a position of trust between you (the reader) and me (the writer). I believe that trust is strengthened from accountability on failures. Let’s start there.

5 Things Slug Got Wrong:

“Liverpool will win the league again”

I am not upset to be wrong, but this is embarrassing more for Liverpool than it is for me.

I would wager a not-insignificant amount of money that the majority of Premier League viewers and pundits predicted Liverpool to repeat for the title. Honestly, my analysis is kind of useless because I could likely say the same thing for half of the big-money signings that the Merseyside club made this season: “[Insert Player] should have been infinitely more impactful, but he got hurt.”

Add it to the long list of big-money transfer windows that absolutely failed. Liverpool is no better than Chelsea.

Slug’s Stupidity Scale (how wrong was this prediction): 1/5, I stand by this prediction wholeheartedly even if it turned out to be wrong.

“Aston Villa will miss Europe”

This is going to be a long one and it will be a very American one:

I am used to failure. Being a Chicago sports fan, born and raised, it’s hard to be positive for your teams. You are used to thinking that your team will let you down, even when things go well. Your success is more historic than present and most of the time you repeat your mantra: “this will be our year.” This becomes frustrating, of course, and it is encourages cynicism. Even if our city has some of the most loyal fans in sports, it’s not because the teams consistently succeed. On the contrary, I believe there is a bit of Stockholmesque loyalty. I once thought to myself and mused with my loved ones “would I be a Bears fan/White Sox fan/Bulls fan if I didn’t ‘have to be?’” The answer to that question is: I don’t know.

When I first got into Premier League football, it was more as a general spectator than as a supporter. I love football. I think it’s an incredible game. I make it as much of my life as I can. I talk about it with my friends, I play video games about it, and I play it myself, and I even coach youth football. If I had to dedicate myself to one hobby, it would likely be related to football.

But I wasn’t a true supporter of any club. I am not from England, of course, so I didn’t have a team “chosen for me” based on a variety of factors. My father supported Tottenham when he started watching the Premier League, but unlike American sports he never forced the club on me (not that I would have resented him if he did, that’s the way sports works). It was a decision that I was given the privilege of making on my own.

My instincts fell to two clubs: Everton and Aston Villa, and for the first few seasons I watched I would bounce between them for support. I know many of the English fans would gasp at the idea of not planting your flag, but that is my point: I really wanted to. The reason I settled between Everton and Aston Villa is because I felt like, in some way, they represented my culture as a sports fan. Everton is the most like a Chicago sports team on paper. Incredibly loyal fans, historical success, but middling years marking their modern history. They are the Bears of the EPL (which I guess would make Liverpool the Packers). They would be the comfortable choice for me. Aston Villa is most representative of what Chicago is. They play in Birmingham, Chicago’s sister city with a culture that has a lot in common, and they are proud of it.

I remember watching an Aston Villa match with my beautiful girlfriend when she told me the wisest words that I have heard regarding this decision.

I said “I am so stuck between Villa and Everton. I like Villa’s aesthetic and personality much more, but Everton is more like the Bears and the White Sox" (this is before the most recent seasons for both of these teams).

My girlfriend responded “why would you root for Everton then? Don’t you want your team to win?”

In that moment I realized if I wanted to root for a team that represented me, the same way that I felt Chicago sports did, the fact the team was bad did not matter. The fact the team felt like it could be a part of myself was more important.

In the back of my mind, I wanted Villa to fail. I wanted it to be simple. I wanted to be disappointed so I didn't have expectations for the team that I dedicated myself to. I hope that they prove the back of my head wrong every single year!

And so to answer the question regarding the Chicago sports allegiance, the answer is: "I don't know... but it doesn't matter, because I know that they represent me."

Up the Villa!

Slug Stupidity Scale: 3/5, Villa is actually in a bad financial position, but the class of the club was impossible to ignore, which I did.

"Sunderland will be relegated and finish 20th"

This was a prediction that was so wrong I started walking back on it after only a few matchweeks.

Sunderland is not on pace to be the best newly promoted side of all time, but they are certainly on pace to be a permanent fixture in the Premier League for many years. Granit Xhaka might be my signing of the season simply because he brings everything that Sunderland needed to stay up for a bargain compared to his performances. The fear is that this has a chance to be a sort of "one-season wonder" situation, but I have faith that Sunderland is well-run enough to not let that happen, as it seems they have been up to this point.

Slug Stupidity Score: 4/5, this was a reasonable prediction, but I completely and embarrassingly underestimated the ability of the squad.

"Brentford will be relegated without Frank, Mbeumo, and Wissa"

Overreaction of the season for me, honestly.

In the case of both of the players, I was half-right. I knew Mbeumo would elevate Manchester United (which he did, along with Cunha) and I thought that Wissa would underperform at Newcastle (which he did).

All I will say about Thomas Frank is that he was, in hindsight, definitely the best Tottenham manager this season.

What I was wrong about was how Brentford would adapt to their loss. If you told me that in the 2025-26 season that Brentford would compete for Europe and have a player competing with Erling Haaland for Premier League Golden Boot I might have laughed in your face. Igor Thiago turned out to be the classy and consistent striker Brentford wanted him to be, and the heir to the Bald-and-Bearded legacy of Mbeumo.

Slug Stupidity Score: 5/5, it's not that I overvalued the importance of Mbeumo and Wissa, it's more that I undervalued the ability of Brentford to make up for their loss.

"Tottenham will bounce back from last season."

All I can say is that this is embarrassing.

I was really high on Thomas Frank, and in all honesty I considered him to be the true reason Brentford was so successful. When first-year manager Keith Andrews came in to take over, I was not assuming Brentford would be able to survive. They did, and Frank flamed out in North London. They then cycled through a bunch of managers that were worse performers, and now find themselves needing to take one more point to guarantee safety in the Premier League.

If Tottenham do not recoup and recoup fast, this club is at danger of becoming the next Leeds (no offense to Yorkshire).

Slug Stupidity Score: 3/5, I'm sure other people thought Tottenham would do poorly this year, but I stand by the fact that Tottenham very well should have done better.

5 Things Slug Got Right:

"Brighton will compete for the Champions League"

Brighton keep going up and up and up, and I am very happy about it.

Brighton are one of the modern Premier League success stories, along with another club that I will talk about later. While they haven't (and almost certainly won't) made Champions League qualification, they are basically guaranteed European competition.

The Seagulls built up their squad the "old-fashioned way," anyone can grow to a consistently top-half Premier League club (even if it's unlikely).

Slug Scoville Score (hotness of the take): 2/5, I would predict that most people would have said that Brighton would be competitive, but competing for Champions League is a bit hotter.

"Wolves will be relegated"

No shit, Sherlock.

Wolves sold all of their good players (namely Matheus Cunha to Manchester United) after having season after season of underperformance, and if you make a barely-still-in-the-Prem team even worse... it's no wonder.

Enjoy the EFL again, Wolverhampton, the West Midlands derby will be missed (but us Villa supporters welcome Coventry in your stead)!

Slug Scoville Score: 1/5, this is not a hot take.

"Everton will compete for Europe"

I'm proud of this one.

If anything, Everton have underperformed this year. They have played well enough in certain games that you can argue they should have solidly been back in their position as "The 7th Best Club in England." They have a really solid core, but their future is somewhat in question with an aging roster and manager.

I will take my win for now, but this could change next year.

Slug Scoville Score: 3/5, I was not the only person to claim this, but people really disagreed with it.

"Crystal Palace are Europa Conference League favorites."

I hope this wasn't a hot take.

The Premier League is club-for-club the strongest league in the entire world. Clubs like Bayern, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain might be better than the best Premier League clubs, but the average Premier League club is much better than the average club in any other league. Even a mid-to-low table club in Crystal Palace can dominate a European competition filled with the 6th best team in most of the top leagues (and the best team in certain leagues).

Good luck against Real Vallecano, Palace, it's your only chance for Europe next year!

Slug Scoville Score: 1/5, the Premier League is just that good.

"Leeds will stay up."

Rarely do you see a player leave and see both clubs (immediately) benefit.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin was underwhelming at Everton. He was supposed to be their entire future at the striker position, but it never felt like he could reach that next jump in Merseyside. The problem is that Everton is a weird spot where they're rich enough to have high standards but not always good enough to get you there. Leeds is a smaller pond that he could carve out more playing time in, and DCL became one of the most critical members of their season.

Obviously it's not all DCL, but I was always high on him during his time at Everton (see Aston Villa story for more context), so seeing him succeed at Leeds was a great moment.

Slug Scoville Score: 2/5, I feel like most people knew that at least one of the promoted clubs would stay up, but it was between Leeds and Burnley.

Overall Predictions:

More bad takes than good ones for a broadly unpredictable Premier League season (and an unpredictable Championship season too). I'd be pretty confident in assuming that we have another weird season showing up soon. I'm excited to make my next predictions, but it will certainly be a long and odd off-season.

I will post soon with an update on the soon-to-be-three new Premier League clubs (projected to be Coventry (City), Ipswich (Town) and either one of Hull City or Middlesbrough*).

I think overall it's important to remember this is a hobby and I don't keep a schedule. I am an adult with a career and this is more of a passion project for me! Thank you to the small number of people who like to frequent my blog, as I will post with or without you, but I love my info dumps to be heard!

I hope any who DO frequent feel like I present their club well, and I hope I make some of you interested in the best live-action drama available in the world in sports!

[slugsportsblog]

Cam Newton, Nov. 11, 2021, Carolina Panthers beat Arizona Cardinals 34-10

Said after rushing in for a touchdown to open the score: “I’m back.”

[mynowherenothing]

Sometimes it feels like you need to be put down for listening to the smiths on top of feeling like you need to be put down in general

[slugsportsblog]

Slug’s EPL Updates

Deadline Day Transfer Review + Early Season Judgements:

Well, we’re here! The Premier League season is underway, English football is back, and now it’s time to come to broad conclusions about a lot of things based purely off of three matchweeks!

In all seriousness, we do have a lot to talk about, starting with the transfer deadline day update and my personal takes on a lot of the more recent transfers.

Slug’s 5 Biggest Transfers-In:

Alexander Isak: £125M, Newcastle United -> Liverpool

Well, it’s official. All hail our Scouse overlords, winners of the Premier League. In all seriousness, this deal is monumentally huge. You could argue that, at this point, more than half of Liverpool’s starting XI are the best players in the world at their positions. Combining this with their incredible summer signings of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, and Milos Kerkez, it is genuinely mental how much better the Liverpool squad is than everyone else, on paper.

While almost certainly inevitable as we understand it now, it should be noted that Isak’s behavior leading up to his (at the time) possible transfer was incredibly childish. Newcastle was, again, at the time, unwilling to transfer their best player, reasonably, and attempted to spark fruitful contract discussion after an incredible season for the club. Isak’s constant demands and announcements of planning to transfer, including claiming that the club had “broken promises,” had completely demolished any chance of him staying with the Magpies. Once Liverpool stated they were interested, the young striker began refusing to attend practice or play in matches to force his transfer. Isak, eventually, (reportedly) got his wish right at the end of Deadline Day.

As someone that does not personally support either Newcastle or Liverpool, this situation has still left a sour taste in my mouth, as you can probably tell. I’m not one to defend the oil-money-funded Newcastle roster, but I do truly feel for their fans. They believed that Isak represented them, that long-term he would be their guy, their future, their own personal legend, but he left as fast as he could, while burning every bridge with both the club and the fans. But to defend Isak, however, he is absolutely worth it! If he believed that he could make more money with another club, which he clearly could and will, then he has full authority to seek out and show everyone that he is worth that much money.

With all the emotion and drama separated from the transfer, time will tell how Newcastle fairs after losing Isak, but Liverpool just gets better and better. I already predicted they would win the league, but I genuinely think that we are coming up on a dynastic rule of English football.

Gianluigi Donnarumma: £26M Paris Saint-Germain -> Manchester City

I promise not every section will be as long as the Isak section, but this transfer is awesome for Manchester City. Donnarumma is one of my favorite keepers in the sport, and I’m glad to finally be able to see him play in England (despite it having to be Man City that signs him).

City has always been noted for their incredible goalkeepers, and with this signing they are able to continue that trend. Their longtime goalkeeper Ederson is, in my opinion, still a world class keeper, but it was absolutely time for the club to move on and find some new blood between the sticks.

However, this transfer is marred by another, more earlier one: the signing of Ben Trafford, the original new first-choice goalkeeper on Manchester City’s team. I am choosing not to focus too long on this development, but I will say that I believe that Trafford deserves his shot as a starter, and I do think that it is frankly disrespectful to his talent to keep him on a roster as a backup, even if he is backing up the likely best keeper in the world.

Ederson, however, is still on his way out. The Brazilian keeper is now on a journey from England to Türkiye to join Fenerbahçe. I will not talk too much about the Türkish Süper Lig, mostly because I don’t know much about it, but I will say that I am glad that Ederson is getting first-team football.

Donnarumma is an exciting young talent and will be very, very good for a very, very long time. City fans, wherever they are, should be absolutely ecstatic about this signing.

Yoane Wissa: £55M, Brentford -> Newcastle United

Yeah, Brentford’s probably getting relegated. Their club has been getting picked apart by the vultures that are rich clubs, which is unfortunately the way that football goes these days. Not only did their promotion-earning, long-term, and beloved manager Thomas Frank get headhunted by Tottenham (after their controversial sacking of Ange Postecoglou), but now BOTH of their best goal-scorers on last year’s roster, Brian Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, have been plucked from the team to join some of the richest clubs in the world, Manchester United and Newcastle, respectively.

This transfer is why I was cagey to imply that I knew exactly what would happen to Newcastle this season. I am confident in Wissa’s skills, and Newcastle has made a lot of other solid signings that I think will give them a chance of swinging back from Isak’s blunt departure. Best of luck to both clubs, but £55M on deadline day will be tough to use for Brentford to make this transfer feel good.

Senne Lammens: £21M, Royal Antwerp -> Manchester United

After an embarrassing showing from André Onana against Arsenal, a game in which Man United dominated both possession and shots (both on and off-target), but still lost due to an errant header from full-back Riccardo Calafiori during a corner, Manchester United decided it was finally time to move on. Their original target, Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa, reportedly turned down the deal for him, which is its own can of worms. So, Manchester United did what they do best: desperately pay a lot of money for the next player they could find.

Onana began his time with the Red Devils as an absolutely electric talent, but cracks began to show as he proved to be an inconsistent keeper. Many people say that he is consistently terrible, which is not only unfair to claim but also simply not true. However, what is true is that when he does make mistakes, they could never come at worse times.

Moving on from the “victim” in this transfer to the lucky winner, Lammens is poised to be an instant starter in Manchester. This is not a “flashy” signing, but Lammens is a remarkably skilled and very, very young goalkeeper (only being 23-years-old) that will likely develop into one of the best keepers in Europe. However, there is a valid argument that his first-team reps against the best players in the world could stunt the development of a keeper, instilling bad habits and causing discouragement. If United are smart, they will give him the time he needs to develop and not place the pressure of a massive club’s success on his shoulders.

Jaydee Canvot: £23M, Toulouse -> Crystal Palace

Is this section mostly an excuse to talk about the Guehi deal falling through? Kinda?

Don’t get me wrong, Canvot is a fantastic young defender that will succeed greatly in Crystal Palace’s system, but this transfer combined with the failure of the Guehi deal will mean that Palace’s defending core will be among the best in the Premier League.

Richards, Muñoz, Lacroix, and now Canvot are all among the most underrated defenders in EPL (although most people do appreciate the talent of Richards at this point), with Guehi still leading the pack as captain. Eagles fans have a lot to be happy about, even if their demotion from the Europa League stung. They’re now my favorites to win the Europa Conference League.

Slug’s Table Prediction, 3 Matchweeks In:

1. Liverpool (PR: 1)

2. Arsenal (PR: 2)

3. Chelsea (PR: 3)

4. Manchester City (PR: 5)

5. Brighton (PR: 7)

6. Newcastle (PR: 4)

7. Everton (PR: 8)

8. Nottingham Forest (PR: 6)

9. Tottenham Hotspur (PR: 13)

10. Manchester United (PR: 9)

11. Aston Villa (PR: 10)

12. Crystal Palace (PR: 16)

13. Bournemouth (PR: 11)

14. Fulham (PR: 12)

15. West Ham (PR: 15)

16. Leeds (PR: 17)

17. Sunderland (PR: 20)

18. Brentford (PR: 14)

19. Burnley (PR: 18)

20. Wolves (PR: 19)

Some Changes:

Tottenham up to this point have been doing well under their new manager, Thomas Frank, even after the departure of club legend Son Heung-Min to LAFC in MLS. Once Champions League games start up I wouldn’t be surprised if we start to see a steep fall-off in quality, but I am optimistic for the North London side.

Crystal Palace have started their season as one of only three unbeaten clubs (along with Chelsea and Liverpool), which is a fantastic start. Paired with their demotion from the Europa League to the Conference League, I believe they will have a more solidly mid-table finish than I expected of them.

Sunderland and Leeds are giving their supporters a lot to be excited at the beginning of this season, and I want to be excited with them. Sunderland, in particular, I am cagey about moving out of the relegation zone, as their wins against West Ham and Brentford are predictable given the quality of those clubs, but I will give them the credit they deserve for now.

Brighton, Newcastle, Everton, Nottingham Forest, and Manchester City have done some rotation. I think these are all quality clubs with a lot of potential to win. Not too much to say other than I sincerely doubt these clubs will finish lower than mid-table.

[jeanritchie]

everyone in the entire world lives in chicago

[jeanritchie]

if you don’t live in chicago you actually do btw

[local-eldritch-abomination]

[wowzaitsme]

@heysheepdog