Could Arne Sloth's job be in jeopardy?
This time last season Liverpool have just secured their 10th win in 12 games to move nine points clear at the top of the Premier League. It was around this time that the narrative about Slote's side shifted from asking whether they could win the title in their first season under Jurgen Klopp to predicting how far behind the chasing pack they would finish. A year later, the narrative has changed dramatically.
Saturday's 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest was Liverpool's sixth in their last seven league games. Now 11 points behind Arsenal in first place, their title defense is all but over and Champions League qualification also looks out of reach. Just a few months ago, many believed Liverpool had 'won' the summer transfer window. It seems like it was a long time ago.
On paper, Liverpool are still the strongest team in the Premier League. They have last season's top scorer (Mohamed Salah). And one of the best goalkeepers in the world (Alisson). And perhaps the best central defender of the Premier League era (Virgil van Dijk). Oh, and they added Germany's most talented playmaker in a generation (Florian Wirtz), as well as a striker (Alexander Isak) so good he was compared to Thierry Henry. They all played against Forest and Liverpool lost easily.
In the absence of a clear explanation, the finger of blame begins to tip towards Slot. The Dutchman was wise not to change the winning team he inherited from his predecessor last season. However, he is now struggling to impose his own ideas and identity on a team that has lost the muscle memory of the Klopp era.
Fenway Sports Group is known for its calculated approach to most things. However, nothing that is happening now was planned. Liverpool are probably still a long way from seriously considering Slot's position, but the longer their decline continues, the more their desperation will grow.
How will Trinity Rodman's exit from the NWSL change women's soccer in the US?
If Sunday NWSL Final It was Trinity Rodman's last game in the league, and she could have done more to leave a lasting impression. Limited to cameo appearances on the bench as she recovered from a difficult season, the USA international was powerless to stop the Washington Spirit in a 1-0 loss to Gotham. Rodman was silent. By her own admission, she was “definitely behind.”
Rodman could be forgiven for not being fully focused. The 23-year-old is the subject of intense speculation about her future, with several European clubs reportedly showing interest. According to the Athletic, there is also an offer on the table from Gainbridge Super League's DC Power, which is “significantly larger” than the Spirit's offer.
The move to USL Division 1 would completely change the hierarchy of women's soccer in the United States. It will be a David Beckham or Lionel Messi moment for the new league of destroyers. Even if Rodman leaves for Europe, as many other American stars have done recently, questions will be asked about NVSL and his position at the top of the women's game.
Is the NWSL's salary cap model sustainable in the face of increasing competition for the biggest names? Rodman is at the forefront of a new American generation. The Women's World Cup will be held in 2027, which the United States is expected to win. Rodman may well become the face of this tournament. Could the NWSL change its structure by eliminating the salary cap or raising it significantly to retain her and other stars of her caliber? The Rodman Rule, which follows MLS's Beckham Rule, which gave way to Designated Players? The future of the league may depend on it.
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Birmingham City's new stadium plans: brilliant or tacky?
You've seen AI fail before. It's everywhere. It's on Facebook, usually shared by an uncle fooled into believing that Zoran Mamdani and Joseph Stalin knew each other. It's on your TV (Is this “always real” Coca-Cola?). It's included US Presidential Social Media Accounts. Apparently he also designed Birmingham City's new stadium.
The $3.2 billion project will be a “modern-day Coliseum.” according to Blues chairman Tom Wagner. It will seat 62,000 fans, have 12 chimney-like towers inspired by the city's industrial heritage, and will be called The Powerhouse. The only thing missing is a giant sign that says “by order of the Peaky Blinders.”
No other stadium in the world will look like this one and that should be applauded. It's good to see the club want something more than a soulless glass bowl to call home. If The Powerhouse looks anything like the released images, it will be instantly recognizable to fans around the world.
It will also be sticky. The world's first stadium with artificial intelligence in real life. A theme park attraction disguised as a football stadium. Wagner insists the finished article will look like the cartoon images published last week, quipping: “We're wasting a lot of time and money on a stadium that will never be built.” They must have saved a fortune by using ChatGPT instead of an architect to design it.
