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According to journalist Lynsey Hooper, Pep Guardiola, who is Mikel Arteta’s mentor, has a significant influence on the Arsenal boss’ methods. The Sky Sports reporter claims that Arteta is copying Guardiola’s tactics. A feature he believes is risky if Arsenal are to outwit City and become the real deal.
Hooper told David Seaman on the Seaman Says podcast, “The only warning that I would put out there about that is that you don’t want to be the person that’s always one step behind Pep, do you? So, like, Pep trials something, then Arsenal do it… But in order to beat Pep at his own game, I think you’ve got to do something different to him.”
Hooper’s claims may be understandable in certain ways. One could argue that the tactical move of Oleksander Zinchenko moving infield to influence play from midfield was already happening at Manchester City before the Ukrainian left. That, combined with Arteta now playing a defensive line of central defenders, as was the case versus Burnley, where he played central defenders as his defensive line, is a tendency Arteta is emulating from his compatriot, Guardiola, who has fielded a defensive line of all central defenders on several occasions.
However, while some of these strategies appear to have already been used at Manchester City, we can agree that others were originally deployed at Arsenal.
Arteta’s use of Havertz as a left-sided No. 8 in possession and then as a target man when not in possession is an original tactic. Yes, Arsenal took Manchester City’s tactical coach, Nicolas Jover, but you can’t say that Arsenal excels at set pieces because they copied City; that’s just their original tactical style.
Because Arteta and Guardiola were both trained in Barcelona earlier in their careers and have worked together, their methods will undoubtedly be similar. Who knows? Some tactical approaches may have originally been Arteta’s.
That being said, Mikel Arteta has already won two games over Guardiola this season; would he have done so if he was emulating him and playing catch-up?
The apprentice overtakes the master in the end.
What is your TOP TEN Arsenal players of the Decade? – Watch the latest COUCH COACH PODCAST with Bjorn &Dean and listen to their choices
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Why AC Milan links will go nowhere for Chelsea man who can still be a key player
After two years with just one senior option up front, Chelsea are in a much better position now after some important business. They’ve added two more strikers to their collection, giving depth and options to the attacking line. There is one downside to having 3 players for one place though – there will now inevitably be constant transfer rumours about the third man wanting to leave. Nicolas Jackson the odd man out at Chelsea right now Right now that third man is Nicolas Jackson. The striker has had some great moments at Chelsea, but is the only player in his position who hasn’t just arrived this summer, so it’s inevitable that he will be the focus of the rumours for at least 6 months. The latest team to be linked is AC MIlan. We can well see them being interested, and we can see Jackson going there to be a star player, despite his recent denials that he had would consider leaving. The problem, as ever with Serie A clubs, is that they just don’t have the money to make it worth our while. We would be more likely to get the money we want from the likes of Manchester United or Aston Villa even than the legendary Italian club. Jackson likely to stick it out for a year at least For at least 6 months, and probably until next summer, we think Jackson stays. Chelsea can use all 3 attacking options in the 4 competitions they’re playing in, especially with Jackson and Joao Pedro able to play out wide. Next summer, the odd one out may go. But for now, we just can’t see it. It’s going to be a long, gruelling season and we need all the firepower we can get up top.
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Brewers issue update on Jackson Chourio rehab timeline
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio was tearing it up in July before he strained his hamstring legging out a triple. He was placed on the injured list, and it only got worse from there. Less than 24 hours later, manager Pat Murphy said Chourio would be out beyond the 10-day minimum and possibly at least a month. On Saturday, beat reporter Curt Hogg shed another tidbit of light on the slugger’s timetable. It’s not necessarily worse news, but Hogg’s update probably does not illuminate much. Fans already knew Chourio was going to be out a while after Friday’s report, so this latest info isn’t surprising. It isn’t all that encouraging, either. It certainly suggests no expedited return schedule. Not to make assumptions, but the emphasis on the location of the damage versus evaluating its severity seems to indicate the Brewers are just hoping Chourio avoided a worse-case scenario. In that case, caution would indeed be first in the order of operations. Only after ascertaining clarity would it make sense to seriously estimate a recovery timetable. That he won’t be ready to immediately resume baseball workouts further points to a slow, methodical recovery process. For however long he remains out, the lineup will miss him badly. Chourio’s 17 home runs rank second on the team behind Christian Yelich, as do his 67 RBI. His .786 OPS leads the offense among qualified hitters. In 90 at-bats in July, he hit .367/.408/.600. The Brewers are resilient everywhere, but without one of their few genuine power threats and hottest bats, plus an everyday outfielder, they are courting a potential offensive slump. The most fans can hope for from Chourio is that he returns fully healthy by the first week of September. Until then, Blake Perkins and trade pickup Brandon Lockridge should see plenty of playing time while Yelich takes more reps in the outfield after getting most of his at-bats this season as the designated hitter.
Three key storylines from Green Bay Packers’ family night, including standout safety and Matthew Golden latest
The Green Bay Packers hosted their popular preseason family night on Saturday, August 2nd, giving the fans their first look at the 2025 roster. While family night is intended to be a fun event for many fans of the Green Bay Packers, it’s also an 11-on-11 scrimmage, and a chance for both sides of the ball to show what they can do in front of a packed Lambeau Field. According to reports, there were 59,175 fans at the game, showing the immense support the Packers have from their home crowd, even for a preseason scrimmage. Three storylines to take away from the Packers family night 1. Safety Omar Brown shone as he has throughout the offseason The Green Bay Packers signed Omar Brown to their practice squad last season, shortly after he was waived by the Denver Broncos. Brown had played college football at Northern Illinois before transferring to the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2022. He played a blend of strong safety and nickel corner in his final season, before entering the 2024 NFL draft. The Broncos had picked Brown up as an undrafted free agent, but he was released during final roster cuts in August. Three days later the Packers signed him to their practice squad, and he’s been with the team since. Now with a year’s experience under his belt, Brown has been showcasing a newfound level of confidence throughout the offseason process. He’s been showing up on tape consistently at practice, and put it all together on the field last night in front of a packed house. Brown had three picks on the night, the third of which was the best. Two of them came against Malik Willis, the second of which was a contested ball between Brown and wide receiver Julian Hicks. The second year safety is being tipped to make the final 53 man roster, but will add valuable depth at safety from the practice squad at the very least. 2. Carrington Valentine continues to show starbound trajectory In the absence of Jaire Alexander, who was released by the Green Bay Packers during the offseason, the franchise is looking for younger cornerbacks on the roster to grow into key roles. Carrington Valentine is the number one name on that list, having started the final seven games of the 2024 season. In doing so, the former seventh-round pick proved he could play at the highest level, showing excellent development in the final weeks of the year. Valentine had two picks in the final four games of the season, one in the endzone against the Seattle Seahawks and another against the Minnesota Vikings. So far in training camp, those in attendance have been impressed with his coverage, holding his own against various threats among the Packers’ wide receiver group. At family night, Carrington Valentine shut down rookie receiver Matthew Golden on a deep ball before picking off Jordan Love later in the scrimmage. 3. Various ways to get rookie Matthew Golden the ball This is what Packers fans had been hoping to see, and while the offense may have a little ways to go to polish things up before the season begins, the intentions were clear. Matthew Golden and his 4.29 speed will be a tremendous asset for the Packers’ offense, and LaFleur and company are already working on multiple ways to get him involved. He ran quick slants and deep routes, but also worked in on end arounds and short yardage situations, with the potential to create a big play after the catch. Golden and Love are still building their chemistry, but it’s getting there.
Brock Lesnar makes shocking return at WWE SummerSlam
It's feeling like 2012 all over again. SummerSlam 2025 ended with shock and nostalgia when Brock Lesnar returned unannounced and dropped John Cena with a thunderous F5, just as Cena was addressing the crowd during his retirement tour. The moment felt poetic, mirroring the night after WrestleMania 28 in 2012, when Lesnar returned to WWE for the first time in eight years and F5’d Cena, launching a brutal and unforgettable rivalry. This attack wasn’t just for show. With Cena’s farewell tour expected to end in December, the timing of Lesnar’s return feels intentional. WWE is known for delivering emotional, high-stakes finales for its legends and this could be the setup for one last epic clash between two of the most iconic figures in company history. Their rivalry has always delivered, from their battles in 2012–14 to the infamous “Suplex City” beatdown at SummerSlam 2014. Now, with both men nearing the end of their in-ring careers, fans may be getting a final chapter in this storied feud. Whether it culminates at the Royal Rumble or on the grandest stage of them all at WrestleMania 41, the anticipation is real. Lesnar has been off WWE TV for nearly a year, making this return even more impactful. For Cena, who has been embracing his final run with open arms, a showdown with Lesnar is a fitting, full-circle moment. It’s the kind of storytelling WWE thrives on — legacy vs. legacy, pride vs. redemption.
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