5 a side football leagues in London: Five a side football near you

FIFA Football World Cup 2026: Host Countries, Cities & Stadiums

5aside.com™ — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 13:17:50 +0000

Whatever the reason, we are now looking forward to the men’s World Cup – scheduled to be held in three countries for the first time ever. The US, Canada and Mexico will host the traditional celebration of football, with 16 different cities supplying the venues.

We don’t have the room to profile every single stadium here. But we thought we would whet your appetite for a trip across the pond with a look at some of the more iconic stadiums and arenas set to host games throughout the tournament. The qualifiers may not have even begun in many regions – but we want to be completely ready for World Cup 2026!

The futuristic-looking AT&T Stadium will host some World Cup games

MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey

We can understand why FIFA would want to locate the MetLife Stadium in New York. After all, the New York Giants and the New York Jets of the NFL both call it home. But you won’t find the place in any of the famous five boroughs. You will have to take the short trip over the Hudson River to East Rutherford instead.

It virtually sits on the site of the old Giants Stadium, which was torn down in 2010, with the new structure costing a then-record $1.6 billion. Other major sporting events have been held here, including the Super Bowl and international football friendlies. As per FIFA instructions, a grass playing surface will be installed for the duration of the World Cup.

SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles

This 70,000 capacity stadium was only opened in 2020 and is one of a new breed of sports arenas that are better suited to football than some of the venues used for the previous US World Cup back in 1994. It is the home of the Los Angeles Rams NFL team and is handily placed, just three miles from LAX airport.

Originally budgeted at around $2.5 billion, the final cost has been estimated at nearer $5 billion, making it the most expensive sports stadium ever built. It has already hosted a Super Bowl, a College Football Playoff National Championship, a CONCACAF Gold Cup final, and even a Wrestlemania. So we think it should be just fine for the World Cup too.

AT&T Stadium, Dallas

Everything is bigger in Texas, or so they say. The capacity for the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (just next door to Dallas itself) can be as big as 100,000. But it is more likely that 80,000 will be able to watch World Cup games there in 2026. Originally conceived as an entertainment venue, it has been nicknamed “the Death Star” and “Jerry World” after the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, who play there.

The stadium is also home to the biggest HD video screen in the world. It is so big that when the college basketball championships were held there, the video screen was actually bigger than the court. It has also caused some problems for NFL kickers, with three players managing to hit the screen during games.

Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

As much as all of the American venues for the World Cup are outstanding examples of sports architecture, we also wanted to profile some from the other countries hosting the tournament. The first of which really shouldn’t need much introduction, as the Estadio Azteca is well known to any World Cup fan.

One of the most iconic football stadiums on the planet, it was the first to host two World Cup finals, with Brazil’s famous 1970 victory and Argentina’s 1986 triumph both taking place here. It was also the scene of Diego Maradona’s infamous hand of god goal – which will be well remembered by England fans in particular.

Estadio BBVA, Monterrey

For a more modern slice of Mexican football architecture, we head north to Monterrey and the Estadio BBVA. Nicknamed “El Gigante de Acero”, or “The Steel Giant”, the stadium is able to hold over 53,000 supporters, with some able to take in the Cerro de la Silla mountain as a stunning backdrop.

As with many of the new stadiums around the world, the Estadio BBVA also boasts enviable environmental credentials. Almost a third of the total land areas are green areas, with woodland trails as part of the complex. As well as top football matches, the stadium has also hosted concerts by Justin Bieber, Coldplay and Bad Bunny.

Vancouver will be an excellent Football World Cup host city

BC Place, Vancouver

We now head much further north – to Canada, in fact. Originally opened in 1983, the place enjoyed a complete refurbishment in 2016 and is now one of the most spectacular sports stadiums in the country. Home to the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League and the Vancouver Whitecaps of MLS, the capacity for the World Cup will be around 54,000.

BC Place has actually already hosted World Cup games, with the 2015 Women’s tournament a highlight. With two SkyTrain stations (the local train network) serving the stadium, fans should have no trouble getting to and from games. It remains to be seen if the retractable roof will be needed in 2026.

BMO Field, Toronto

The other Canadian venue for the 2026 World Cup is BMO Field in Toronto. Opened in 2007, it is the home of both Toronto FC of MLS and the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts. Built as a football-specific stadium, fans will enjoy a more traditionally European-style ground as opposed to some of the older American venues.

Although only 30,000 are able to catch local games, this will be expanded to 45,500 for the World Cup. The Canadian national team have played at the stadium a number of times – and it has also been a World Cup venue at U-20 level for both the men’s and women’s tournaments.

The 11 Biggest Transfers in Football History: The Most Expensive Players (2023 UPDATE)

5aside.com™ — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 08:31:41 +0000

Football today is brimming with talent, with clubs eager to spot and nurture young prospects. However, some players find success later in their careers and secure lucrative deals. Here, we present a list of the top highest-paid football players in history, showcasing the sport’s evolution into a lucrative business.

#1 Neymar

It appeared extremely challenging for anyone to surpass this remarkable feat. This groundbreaking record not only involved the most significant investment ever witnessed, but it also marked an unparalleled football marketing endeavour. It seemed inconceivable that a simple sheik’s generous financial resources could separate him from the talented Leo Messi. Astonishingly, PSG accomplished this monumental acquisition without any incentives or negotiations, paying a seemingly unattainable clause at the time.

France and PSG star Kylian Mbappe is the highest paid player in world football.

#2 Kylian Mbappe

The loan deal between Monaco and PSG involving a significant purchase option of 145 million was a groundbreaking moment in football. While reports initially indicated a possible increase to 180 million, certain conditions needed to be met for the full amount to be realized. Specifically, the French striker would have to be transferred or sign a contract extension, which has yet to occur. This insightful information is presented by ‘L’Equipe’.

#3 Ousmane Dembele

Highlighting the unprecedented economic and sporting management of Borussia Dortmund, they initially incurred a cost of 105 million from Barcelona. However, as the fulfilled bonuses have amounted to 135 million, they have proven to be a model of modern transfers.
If you are a true fan, you will be able to follow all football transfers. No matter how involved you are in football, you should have access to beIN Sports and other live sports. The only thing to consider is that you will have to use a good VPN. It could be VeePN, which has 2500+ servers in 89 locations.

Philippe Coutinho spent five years at Liverpool before moving to Barcelona. He’s now back in the English Premier League at Aston Villa.

#4 Phillipe Coutinho

Dembele’s record-breaking transfer to Barcelona was soon surpassed by Coutinho’s signing, setting a new benchmark at an unprecedented €120m. Notably, additional variables in his contract brought the total spending to approximately €135m.

#5 Joao Felix

Atletico Madrid took a surprising gamble by making a significant investment in a Portuguese player. Not only did the Madrid club spend 126 million, but they also had to add 1.2 for the solidarity payment mechanism to Porto.

#6 Antoine Griezmann

Barcelona capitalised on the opportunity to sign the Frenchman from Atletico Madrid at a reduced clause of 120 million. Despite the red-and-white’s resistance, the striker matched Barca’s previous payment for Coutinho.

#7 Cristiano Ronaldo

He has achieved remarkable feats, notably through his record-breaking transfers. In 2009, Real Madrid secured his services from Manchester United for an unprecedented 96 million, uncharted territory for any club. Then, in the summer of 2018, Juventus shattered records by dishing out 117 million to acquire him from Santiago Bernabeu, cementing his status as the most expensive signing in Serie A history.

#8 Eden Hazard

In the summer of 2019, Real Madrid invested heavily in acquiring a Belgian player for a staggering 100 million euros, with additional fees reaching 30 million euros. Surprisingly, recent reports suggest that the total cost has already surged to 115 million euros. However, some Belgian media outlets claimed that Chelsea received a whopping 160 million euros, a figure denied by ‘Merengues’ themselves.

#9 Romelu Lukaku

Lukaku’s homecoming to Chelsea marked the club’s most record-breaking transfer fee. The staggering 115 million that the Londoners splurged on the Belgian phenom propelled his career earnings to an astronomical 327 million.

#10 Declan Rice

In July 2023, Declan Rice shattered the British player transfer fee record by signing a staggering deal worth €116m with Arsenal, surpassing the previous record held by Jack Grealish, who was acquired by Manchester City from Aston Villa for €117m in the summer of 2021. Before Grealish’s transfer, Gareth Bale held the title of the most expensive British football player, with Real Madrid securing his services from Tottenham in 2013 for €100.8m.

#11 Enzo Fernandez

Chelsea was highly impressed by the exceptional performance displayed by him during the World Cup. Consequently, an enticing bid was extended to secure his signing in January 2023. Despite Benfica’s initial resistance, their determination wavered when a whopping offer of 121 million euros was presented, ultimately resulting in his transfer to the prestigious Blues.

Conclusion

These transfers affected the entire field of football and were events that changed the attitude toward football. Now professional football players are one of the highest-paid professions in the world, but it’s worth it. Those emotions that your favourite teams give are worth the money.

Fantasy Football Team Names: 20 Best FPL Names (Funniest of 2023/24)

5aside.com™ — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 16:04:51 +0000

What are good team names for fantasy football?

Looking for funny FPL team names? This may well be the best, most researched, comprehensive and original list of funny fantasy football names ever created. This is our 8th year of listing the 20 best FPL names of the season and after days of little else but name punning in our office, the 5aside.com team has lost all perspective, so we would say that! (seriously, we have been struggling to have normal conversations with people without rhyming their words back at them!

How we rank funny FPL team names

This is how we decide what is and what is not a funny fantasy league name – Our ranking system would never hold up to scientific scrutiny, let alone any standards of fairness!

Names that are fresh, using players or subjects that are topical.
Pun-heavy preferred – especially those that incorporate more than one player/pun.
We are happy to have less than perfect rhyming words if it allows for a funnier dream team name.
Obvious is great, but we have a penchant for the abstract and absurd.
We avoid any overtly crude, (Giroud;) or rude fantasy football team names (we aim for a ‘Parental Guidance’ rating!)
We don’t rate anything that we consider racist or homophobic (the Daily Express or Daily Mail will no doubt have a list for this if required!)

Football names: The best player names for funny team names

Certain player names are an absolute gift for funny team name creation – with De Ligt, Diaz and Timo Werner joining Mané, Salah, Juan Mata, Giroud and Cesc Fabregas as the go-to multi-use, well-known players. Fabregas is particularly helpful, providing rhyming puns on both his 1st and 2nd name (which really gives him the Cesc factor)

Other less well-known player names we (Vagner) love:

Mark de Man (or zonal)
Norman Conquest (1066)
Danny Invincible (remains undefeated)
Creedence Clearwater Couto (rock n roll footballer)
Vagner Love (it must be love…Vagner love)
Danny Drinkwater (5 litres a day)
Kevin Lasagna (so many layers to this one)
Climax Lawrence (a great finisher)

Creative premier league fantasy football team names: Most are original (swear down)

Our team got pretty nerdy this year, working to create names using perfect rhymes, (extremely!) imperfect rhymes, compounds and wordplay to give you the most comprehensively researched list to choose from. So if you are looking for something a little more creative (and contemporary) than a list of regurgitated dross from ‘The Sun’ you have come to the right place! We’ve added ‘Original’ under each team name we created (we know we’re flexing, but we couldn’t hide our pride!)

The freshest, most relevant list of fantasy premier league names

Our annual scramble to release the funny list means that you will be getting the most up to date (late summer EPL transfers can open whole new naming avenues!) and a relevant list of titles to choose from. We make your 1st fantasy team managerial decision of the season that little bit easier. So you know at least you might get a fantasy football league name that no one else has. You might even get a few laughs from it (whether you claim credit for the team name is entirely up to you!)

AI isn’t funny (at least with FPL team name generator anyway)

Given the proliferation of AI (Artificial Intelligence) the 5aside.com team thought our time might be up when it comes to creating new funny team names. However, we were relieved when our test revealed that AI maybe many things, but funny (at least in this situation) it is not…

It’s like we asked our mum to create a team – so safe!

Fantasy football team name generator – The only list you will need to read!

If you are looking for the best fantasy football team name generator you have come to the right place. Stop looking at the other sites that haul out the same regurgitated list of lame names – We’re not naming any names, but you can be quite sure that the major publications just don’t really get it and bang out an article just because they think they should. We are proudly obsessed with the art of naming fantasy teams and are confident that no one else has put the hours of research and grinding creativity that we commit every season with our updates. Use our list to generate your team name this season – You can simply use one of our names directly or remix a name to suit your league.

Looking for a funny 5 a side team name?

We should probably mention that we run FA Affiliated 5 a side football leagues across London (apparently, our annual voyage of fantasy naming is justified as marketing!)

When does the Premier League 2023/24 season start? (game week 1 deadline)

The (EPL) Premier League 2023/24 season is set to kick off on Saturday, August 12, 2023, which is the usual start date for the league, which unlike last season, it is not affected by any major tournaments.

A new addition to the Premier League schedule is the introduction of a mid-season player break, which will take place between January 13th and January 20th. This break aims to provide players with an opportunity to rest and recover during the busy winter months.

The opening game is the deadline to choose your football team (and dream team name!). If entering the classic (FPL) Premier Fantasy league format generally game week deadlines are 2 hours before the 1st game of the weekend/game week, so be sure to submit your team in time for the FPL. Of course, if you are entering a draft format you will have already endured the drama of the draft in the days or weeks before Gameweek 1.

When will the Premier League 2023-24 season finish?

The Premier League season will end on Sunday, May 19, 2024.

Fantasy Premier League (FPL) or Draft Fantasy Football (DFF)?

We are no fortune tellers (if we were we wouldn’t need great fantasy football team names to deflect our poor fantasy football team’s position!), but we can certainly glean some direction on where things are heading by focusing on one trend we have noticed. “Draft Fantasy Football” has established itself as a genuine competitor to the official Premier league fantasy football with many moving to the draft format. The official Premier league responded to this with their version of draft, using the same principles, including the key rule of one player per manager.

Lots of managers now prefer the structure of draft and compared with from the classic format whereby halfway through the season most teams have the same players. DFF has sometimes struggled to cope with the influx and have looked to new ways of monetising their site to afford more tech to satisfy demand.

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What type of fantasy football manager are you?

Manager type A: The innocent bystander

You arrive late to the party, picking your team in week 2 and not looking again until your mate tells you that you still have Rooney (circa 2017/18) in your team and he hasn’t started a game for 3 months?

Manager type B: The bullsh!tter

Are you the kind of manager that uses their wild card in week 3 once the starting line-ups have been established and then claim to have “heard a lot of good things about Mo Salah when he was at Roma” circa 2017/18?

Manager type C: The veteran

Are you a veteran of fantasy football management – Beginning your career in the 90s with “Dream Team” and researching your players on “Championship Manager” (the precursor to “Football Manager“) moving onto Premier league then to DFF? Maybe you have been in the same fantasy premier league with the same friends for many years, therefore, often resulting in the same winners and losers?

Manager type D: The pro

Do you treat your team management as a 2nd job, with hours spent each week researching, planning and executing your game week professionally?

Manager type E: The maverick

Do you see yourself as a managerial maverick – Preferring to take a punt on a player that no-one has considered for a chance of glory when that player becomes the unexpected points machine of the season?

Most of us now support 2 teams, your club and your EPL fantasy football team

This can lead to added confusion watching matches, often ending in a convoluted ethical dilemma – Do I want my team to win or my captain to score?

"I think my fantasy football management needs managing"

I know it’s only fantasy football but I like it (♫ …but I like it ♫)

Anyone who has tried explaining fantasy football to someone who doesn’t play will know the vacant look of questioning bemusement: Why on earth would anyone care enough to commit to a whole premier league season of what most people would consider at best revision without reward or at worse unpaid labour! Little do they know that the last-minute Saturday lunchtime changes will make the weekends fixtures that little more engaging. This exciting game can add excitement to games that are seemingly unwatchable, with 0-0 draws becoming a “good day at the office” for your defence.

Covid fantasy football team names: Yes good, funny Coronavirus-based team names are acceptable!

As with most things, Covid’s impact on our funny list continues to wane, with just one of the top 20 funniest football names of 2022 now being Coronavirus related. The last few years have been tough time for many, but laughter and laughing at seemingly uncontrollable situations has been the go-to catharsis for generations and our fantasy team naming is no different! (see No.19: ‘Andrea Furlough’)

Covid 2020/21: The strangest season of football ever?

Quite possibly… Cast your minds back to this time in 2019, trying to choose good fantasy football names – Could you have imagined that the 1st match you watched 2020/21 premier league season might have the crowd as a mass of Zoom videos and the crowd noises being generated by EA Sports? (“Its in the game“- Incredibly that year, it really was!)

Despite a few questionable games being played at the start (eg. Liverpool Vs At. Madrid), football has on the whole had a relatively positive impact on people’s lives during the Covid-19 pandemic, adapting to changes quicker than most sports. Despite the lack of crowd, the restart of football was a significant (and very welcome) step for many in the return to normality and routine.

Gambling on fantasy football

Ladbrokes 5 a side

In 2020 Ladbrokes released a 5 a side and fantasy football gambling mash-up and proclaimed: “Pick your formation. Select your players. Choose your stats. Build your team. Place your bet. Be the boss” – It’s a relatively innovative concept and they have spent heavily on marketing. This suggests they see it as a nice earner and if they are earning the punter is paying, so we suggest it’s best to keep that in mind!

DFF Lightning Drafts

In 2018 DFF was awarded a licence to host gambling on the platform and launched fantasy football gambling with their “Lightning Drafts” system. Here you compete against other players with your chosen team against theirs and the winner(s) take all. 2021 UPDATE: DFF appear to have lost or dropped their gambling license.

Football betting and gambling: Keep it fun and gamble aware

People have different and justly held views on gambling. We, for instance, find the ad breaks on football programs unhealthily saturated by gambling ads. Also, the problem is “Ray” that not all “Bet365” punters do gamble responsibly and it is made increasingly difficult for them when they are enjoying watching football only to be bombarded by “hard-sell” and sometimes “soft-sell” (wanna be like all these cool guys betting?) at half-time!

If you feel as strongly (as we clearly do!) about this there’s a good article here. However, most people can have a flutter on football without it ruining their lives (and often their families) and just like EPL fantasy football it adds an additional element of interest to their football consumption and we see this trend towards fiction football gambling increasing as the hugely profitable betting companies realise its potential – Mo’ money… mo betting ads! (or as Biggie Smalls like to say “Mo’ money… mo’ problems” – or as we like to say “Mo Mané… Mo Salah problems” [No.9])

If you are worried about your gambling or feel that your gambling is out of control you can find support at https://www.begambleaware.org/

2019 UPDATE: The big betting companies have agreed a voluntary ban on “whistle to whistle” ads (good news everyone!)

State of the (fantasy football) union

Fantasy football is now as much part of the average Premier League (EPL) fan’s consumption of the sport as TV coverage. The last 2 or 3 seasons have seen fantasy football being regularly referenced in commentary and punditry across all media. Indeed it has become such a known cultural reference, that it even makes its way into this EE TV Advert – Although, as you can tell by the young actor’s delivery of the line “cheers Dad, I’ve switched up my captain” it’s not a cultural bandwagon that can be always easily jumped upon seamlessly!

The top 20 funny fantasy football team names of 2023/24

This year we have had player puns, music mash-ups and triple player compounds, so making the decision has been even harder than usual. All but a few are from the 5aside.com team and because we are more proud than we probably should be, we have denoted ‘Original’ under each team name we coined. No copyright inferred – whether you claim credit for the name is up to you (sharing this article is enough props for us!)

Disagree with our No. 1? Find the whole list offensive? Find the list too inoffensive?! We can only apologise for our very specific sense of funny. We humbly thank you for joining us on this (hopefully) comedic journey and wish you the best of luck in your 2023/24 fantasy football managerial campaign.

The 5aside.com team – July 2023

What can I call my fantasy football team?

Check out our A to Z of funny fantasy football team names that didn’t quite make the top 20

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘A’

Andrea Furlough
Absolutely Fàbregas
Anthony Martial Law
Antonio-ment
Ate All Depays
Auto-Matic suspension

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘B’

Botman Begins
Baines meanz Gabriel Heinze
Baines on toast
Bed Azpilicueta
Bilboa Baggins
Bite-em & Shove-em Albion
Bless Capoue
Boom Xhakalaka
Bournemouth Identity
Bournemouth Supremacy

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘C’

Cesc and the City
Cesc on legs
Cesc on the beach
Cesc-ie football
Charlie Austin Powers
Charlie Austin-tatious chip
Chiellini Con Carne
Couldnt score in a Boufal
Coutinho like a hot knife through butter

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘D’

Dark Juan Mata
David Silva lining
Dawn of the Fred
Deeney in a Bottle
Delph and Safety
Dirty Sanchez
Doucouré blimey

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘E’

Egg Fried Reus
Earth wind and maguire

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘F’

Fàbregas football
Father and Son Heung-Min
Fiorentina Turner
Footballs coming Martin Keown
For Fuchs Ake
Friend or Jermaine Defoe
Fun Lovren criminals
Farke the Police

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘G’

Gabbia-Troy Deeney
Galatas-sorry
Game of Stones
Game of Throw-ins
Grey Juan Mata
Gylfi Pleasures

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘H’

Hakuna Juan Mata
Hanging by a Fred
Harry-Giroud-Deeny
Hazard warning Ian Wright
Hazards sleeve
Huddersfield Clowns
Hits From de Jong

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘I’

Iheanacho Monreal men
In-Sane in the Mem-Baines
Isco Inferno
Its raining Mané

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘J’

Jason Bournemouth
Jermaine Zagreb
Juan Mata of facts
Juan Mata-rial girls
Just Matip

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘K’

Karius on camping
Kingdom of Jordan Pickford
Kissed by Danny Rose on a hill
Kouyaté ugly
Krul and the Gang
Kante you take a joke?

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘L’

Lord Farkesquad
Lallanas in pyjamas
Lifes an Ibrahimovic
Love Mee Ronaldo

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘M’

Man walks into a Pogba
Manchester Pity
Mané Sane Mané
Mané walks into a Pogba
Mané-chester United
Men Behaving Chadli
Moves Like Agger
Murder on Zidane’s floor

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘N’

Nacho Monreal Madrid
Nerds of Bremen
Newcastle Dis-United
No Kane, No gain
No laughing Juan Mata

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘O’

Obi Wan Kenobi Nil
On the Fred Son Heung-Min
One Flew Over Lukaku’s Nest

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘P’

Pain in the Fàbregas
Pain in the Niasse
Pain in Dias
Pjanic at the disco
Pedro-ing me Pedro-ing you, Zaha
Petr Cech Yourself
Phil Neville wears Prada
Pique Blinders
Pique and De Bruyne

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘Q’

Quickfire Dybala
ACF Quarantina

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘R’

Real Modric
Real Social Dad
Red Card-iff City
Rooney Tunes

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘S’

Silence of the Lahms
Show me the Mané
Snorting Whizbon
Stranger Mings
Simple Mings
Siuuu Later

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘T’

Tea and Busquets
The Cesc factor
The Otamendi Empire
The Tortoise and De Gea
Tottenham Luke-Warm-Spur
Two’s Kompany, Three’s Giroud

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘U’

Unprotected Cesc

Fantasy names starting with the letter ‘W’

Woop Woop it’s the sound of Mike Olise
We set a high Pogba
When Harry Met Alli
Who Giroud think you are?
Willian dollar baby
Womanchester United
Who ate all Depays
Walcottage Cheese

Good football team names from the top Premier League clubs

Liverpool fantasy football names

Pain in Diaz
Floppy Dijk
Childish Firmino
The 40 year old Virgil
Alisson Wonderland
Mo’ Mané… Mo Salah problems
Potato Salah
Fun Lovren criminals
Its raining Mané
Mané Sane Mané
Just Matip

Manchester United fantasy football names

WoManchester United
Earth, Blind and Maguire
Born again Cristiano
The Tortoise and De Gea
Pogba challenge
Anthony Martial Law
Dawn of the Fred
Baines meanz Gabriel Heinze
Anthony Martial Law
Auto-Matic suspension
Dark Juan Mata
Dawn of the Fred
Lifes an Ibrahimovic
Love Mee Ronaldo
Man walks into a Pogba
Hakuna Juan Mata
Hanging by a Fred
Juan Mata of facts
Juan Mata-rial girls
No laughing Juan Mata
How I met Juan Mata
Gary Neville wears Prada
Rooney Tunes

Chelsea fantasy football names

I’m sorry Nic Jackson
Old Havertz Kai hard
Finding Timo
Four-Four-Lukaku
Bed Azpilicueta
Netflix & Chilwell
Kante you take a joke?
One Flew Over Lukaku’s Nest
Willian dollar baby

Leeds United fantasy football names

Yeboah constrictor

Manchester City fantasy football names

Manchester Pity
Pinky and De Bruyne
Cancelo culture
Game of Stones
David Silva lining
Two’s Kompany, Three’s Giroud

Arsenal fantasy football names

Boom Xhakalaka
Cesc and the City
Cesc on legs
Cesc on the beach
Cesc-ie football
Fàbregas football
Pain in the Fàbregas
Hazard warning Ian Wright

Spurs fantasy football names

Tottenham Luke-Warm-Spur
Father and Son Heung-Min
No Kane, No gain
Friend or Jermaine Defoe
Kissed by Danny Rose on a hill
When Harry Met Alli

Football tips: The pros and cons of the correct score market

5aside.com™ — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 05:55:33 +0000

People who bet on football have access to the largest number of sports betting markets out of any sport. This may not come as a surprise to some people because every iGaming operator that has sports betting services provides all top-tier leagues and championships from around the world.

The possibilities are endless when talking about the sports betting markets for football. Yet, a lot of people are interested in the options that give good odds, which explains why correct score predictions are one of the most complex bets to predict in football. Guessing the correct result in a football match requires a lot of expertise and even more luck, which is one of the big reasons why the odds for the market are substantially higher.

Despite the drawbacks, the correct score is a market that has a lot of loyal fans from all over the world. Yet, some people haven’t had the chance to use it yet, so we’re about to see the advantages and disadvantages of choosing this option.

The good

We have to remember that usually people bet online to have fun. Even though everyone has a different definition of fun, choosing markets that aren’t that easy to predict usually adds up to the overall experience.

There is no arguing that most bookies have at least a couple of options that are more intriguing than others, and the correct score market is among them. Since it’s complicated, some punters like taking a chance and trying to predict the exact score in a match. To do that, users usually research the two teams’ previous results, their injuries, whether they need to score certain goals to advance to the next stage, and so on.

Of course, when discussing the correct score market, we must address the elephant in the room – the high odds. Bookies evaluate the risk associated with betting on such a market, so they try to make it more lucrative by giving higher odds. This is one of the big reasons why even inexperienced bettors often choose the market.

The last positive about the correct score market is that a lot of betting platforms decide to provide special promotions associated with it. The number and types of offers for football can reach interesting numbers, depending on the bookmaker, but some sites will provide exclusive options for the correct score market. Doing this makes the market even more popular because punters will want to access the reward.

The bad (and ugly)

Despite some of the advantages of using the correct score market when betting on football, there are also a few noticeable drawbacks that we need to address. Perhaps the biggest one is something mentioned earlier, and that’s the market’s randomness. Guessing the final score in a football match is usually based on pure luck. Sure, you can research many things about the two teams, but at the end of the day, no one can be sure what will happen.

Strangely, there are cases where bookmakers may prohibit people from using this market if they’ve enabled a specific feature related to safer gambling that’s popular among clients. This is a fairly new approach that some bookies take because they believe this helps their clients feel safer while betting. Whether this is true and if it can be achieved by limiting some of the riskier markets, though, is a topic for another day.

The conclusion

To sum up, the correct score betting market for football is an interesting option. People who like putting their luck to the test will find the option to be a lot more interesting than the rest because of the odds. Sadly, those who are not willing to take risks will most likely avoid this option because it’s just not worth it.

Football tips: What promos punters usually look for

5aside.com™ — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 08:04:41 +0000

Which promotions are punters usually looking for?

One of the essences of sports betting and the thing that makes it so popular worldwide is the different promotions that people can try out. Some sites are more advanced than others and have more perks, but almost all online bookmakers will provide at least a couple of options to choose from.

The fact that there are so many promotions for online betting does not mean that all of them are good. For example, 1xBet online provides numerous advantages to bettors, particularly with their fantastic welcome offer, and the site has a lot of other perks that people can try out. However, other companies aren’t the same and try to provide all kinds of things, most of which are not good at all.

Quality is more important than quantity in the world of bonuses for sports betting. That’s why this article will share some of the promotions that you should focus on if you decide to put it to the test.

Welcome offers

If there is something that people like more than betting on the sport they’re interested in is doing it with someone else’s money. That’s what most bettors think happens when they try out one of the welcome bonuses offered by online betting sites. Even though almost all of those rewards require a real deposit, players usually get more extra funds, so they think they’re going to bet with the additional money.

While it’s true that having access to more funds is a plus, most welcome bonuses become available once people exhaust their initial deposit. In other words, punters will have to lose the money they’ve deposited before having access to the additional funds.

What’s even worse is that they won’t be able to pull out this amount unless they complete the rollover conditions, which show the number of times that the offer has to be used. The majority of sports betting operators have relatively low conditions, but there might be some exceptions.

Free bets

The name of the promotion itself makes it one of the most attractive perks of sports betting for people from all over the world. When discussing free bets, we must remember that all bookies have different versions of this perk. Some of them will give those free bets without the need for a deposit, whereas others are only available once people decide to fund their account.

Another thing about free bets is the way they work. A lot of bookmakers will only offer them for some sports, and people will need to wager on specific markets and choose odds that are higher than 1.50. However, there are bookies that give clients more freedom, allowing them to choose from a wide range of things.

Extra odds

The promotions in sports betting related to the odds that people have access to can come in different forms. Some bookies call them extra odds, but you can also find places with boosted odds, Extra Win or something similar. Regardless of the name used, these perks provide the same things because they increase peoples’ odds.

The extra odds promotions are slightly different than those you’re probably used to because they do not work for all sports. In fact, bookies will only target those that bring them more customers, such as football and tennis. However, there are instances where some brands may try to provide extra odds for certain sports so that they can popularise them.

Advancebet

The last type of sports betting promotion we want to include in this article is called Advancebet, and is completely different than what you may expect. Instead of giving people additional money or better odds, this one will let them wager with money they do not have yet. This is achieved by allowing clients to use their hypothetical winnings from an existing bet to wager on something.

Once users find the outcome of their original bet, they can either keep the new one or the operator will close it because they won’t have enough funds. In other words, Advancebet gives them a chance to punt on something without taking any additional risk, at least at first.

The Top Features to Look for in a Fantasy Football App to Dominate Your League

5aside.com™ — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 02:01:27 +0000

The fusion of technology and sports has revolutionised the way we engage with our favourite athletic competitions. One such innovation that has captivated fans worldwide is fantasy football —a virtual game that allows enthusiasts to create and manage their dream teams.

Team Selection Made Easy

Gone are the days when fantasy football enthusiasts had to painstakingly analyse player statistics from print media and manually calculate scores. Technology has simplified the team selection process, providing comprehensive platforms and mobile applications that offer extensive player databases, performance metrics, and insightful analysis. With a few taps on their smartphones or clicks on their computers, fans can evaluate player performance, compare statistics, and make informed decisions about their fantasy teams. This seamless integration of technology has not only enhanced the overall user experience but has also levelled the playing field, making it accessible to fans of all ages and backgrounds.

Real-Time Updates and Analysis

The real-time nature of technology has greatly amplified the excitement and engagement in fantasy soccer. Live updates and analysis enable participants to monitor the progress of matches, player performances, injuries, and other relevant developments as they unfold. Take a break from online gambling games and learn about the profound impact of technology on fantasy soccer, from team selection to real-time analysis and community engagement. By harnessing the power of technology, enthusiasts can make strategic decisions on the fly, such as substitutions and tactical changes, to maximise their team’s chances of success. Moreover, with detailed insights provided by data analytics and AI-powered algorithms, participants can gain a deeper understanding of the game, player performance patterns, and emerging trends, allowing them to fine-tune their strategies.

Enhanced Community Engagement

Fantasy soccer has transcended solitary enjoyment to become a vibrant community-driven experience, thanks to technology. Dedicated online platforms and forums have sprung up, connecting like-minded fans from across the globe. These communities provide a space for users to discuss tactics, share tips, engage in friendly banter, and compete against one another. The integration of social media further amplifies the sense of community, enabling participants to showcase their team’s progress, engage in friendly rivalries, and celebrate their victories. Technology has forged bonds between individuals who may never have crossed paths, creating a supportive and interactive environment that enriches the fantasy soccer experience.

Innovative Gameplay Features

Technology has also fuelled the development of innovative gameplay features, enhancing the overall fantasy soccer experience. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies have the potential to transport fans from their living rooms into the stadiums, immersing them in an interactive and immersive soccer environment. Imagine managing your fantasy team in a virtual stadium, witnessing the excitement of matches as if you were right there on the pitch. Whats more, the advancements in wearable technology such as smartwatches and fitness trackers could potentially enable participants to track their own physical exertion during matches and gauge how their emotions fluctuate with the performance of their chosen players.

The Future of Fantasy Soccer

As technology continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, the future of fantasy soccer appears boundless. We can anticipate further integration of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive algorithms to enhance the accuracy of player analysis and team performance projections. Moreover, advancements in virtual reality and haptic feedback could offer participants a truly immersive experience, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. The democratisation of technology, coupled with its accessibility through smartphones and other devices, ensures that fantasy soccer will continue to grow, attracting new audiences and captivating fans of all backgrounds.

2022/2023 Premier League Season: A Comprehensive Review

5aside.com™ — Tue, 30 May 2023 16:28:19 +0000

The 2022/2023 Premier League season has come to a close, and it’s time to reflect on the highs and lows of the past year. From surprise upsets to thrilling victories, there were plenty of memorable moments that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Join us as we take a deep dive into the season and review the standout performances, controversies, and everything in between.

Top Performers: Players and Teams

The 2022/2023 Premier League season saw some incredible performances from both individual players and teams.

From a dramatic title chase to one of the tightest battles for survival ever, the 2022-2023 Premier League season had it all and more.

Undoubtedly, the best-performing teams were those who ended the season with something to show, even if Arsenal considerably had no trophy but we’ll get to that shortly.

When it comes to players who had memorable seasons, there are a few names that instantly come to mind; Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Kevin De Bruyne, and Harry Kane.

Sky blues flying high at the Etihad

Manchester City

Who can stop Manchester City? With five Premier League trophies in six seasons, and on the verge (at the time of writing) of FA Cup and UEFA Champions League trophies, Pep Guardiola’s side are one of, if not, the best club side in the world right now.

However, their latest Premier League title wasn’t the easiest. Title rivals Arsenal spent 248 days at the summit of the Premier League, yet a combination of City’s determination and creative force led them to cut an 8-point deficit, winning 12 of their final 14 games.

3 Premier League titles in a row
Average 65.3% possession
17 out of 19 games won at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium

Arsenal choked, but most fans would have taken a runners up spot before season started

Arsenal

Many didn’t fancy Arsenal to finish in the Top 4, never mind being Premier League leaders for a majority of the season. However, the second youngest side in the league proved doubters wrong, finishing with the highest points total since the Invincibles side of 2003-2004. If you are looking for a way to predict the winners of next season’s Premier League, we find that Kickform Premier League predictions (they use formulas and algorithms) is generally more accurate that our gut!

Although they failed to complete their title push, this Arsenal side shouldn’t be seen as “bottlers”. Their squad is full of potential with captain Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and William Saliba among the stand-out names. While their domination in the league and determination was exemplified by a dramatic late winner against AFC Bournemouth.

Newcastle United

Despite their polarising takeover, Newcastle United’s plan to return to the Premier League’s Top 4 has happened earlier than expected. Under the management of Eddie Howe, the Toon Army have recruited sensibly while Howe’s coaching has improved players such as Joelinton, Miguel Almiron, and Jacob Murphy.

Elsewhere, the exploits of goalkeeper Nick Pope with a strong defensive back line that included Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Sven Botman, and Fabian Schar, proved to be vital in Newcastle’s quest for UEFA Champions League football.

Brighton and Hove Albion

Brighton’s season started with an unexpected victory over Manchester United, their first at Old Trafford. It ended with the Seagulls landing a spot in the UEFA Europa League. In between, they lost manager Graham Potter to Chelsea, replacing him with relatively unknown Roberto De Zerbi. He would utilise players such as Moises Caicedo, Kaoru Mitoma and Pervis Estupinan to secure European for the very first time, executing a possession-heavy 4-2-3-1 formation.

Through the data-led model of club owner Tony Bloom, Brighton has continued to find hidden gems and turn them into stars, with FIFA World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister amongst them. Having established themselves as a Premier League club, Brighton & Hove Albion set the standard for what promoted clubs can become.

Erling Haaland

Although some doubted Erling Haaland’s ability to transition into the Premier League(including YouTuber Rory Jennings), the Norwegian hit the ground running in his debut season for Manchester City.

After 20 Premier League appearances, he already had 25 goals, which is more than the last three Golden Boot winners. By the end of the season, he had scored 36 league goals – the most in a single Premier League season. Alongside his Golden Boot, he won the league’s Player and Young Player of the Season awards.

Martin Odegaard

Haaland’s Norway teammate and Premier League title race rival, Martin Odegaard, led his Arsenal team at the top of the table for the best part of the season. The attacking midfielder proved to be a creative force while captaining a young Arsenal side. Along the way, Odegaard netted 15 goals and assisted seven.

Bukayo Saka

It’s kinda surreal that Bukayo Saka is still on 21. Having firmly established himself as a regular for both Arsenal and England, his 2022-2023 season proved to be his best so far. Unquestionably one of the best attacking right-wingers in the league, Saka was constantly a nuisance for defenders due to his creativity and determination.

As a vital part of Arsenal’s title challenge, Saka contributed 14 goals and 11 assists before signing a new long-term contract with the Gunners.

Harry Kane

While Tottenham Hotspurs had a season many will want to forget quickly, Harry Kane proved to be a shining light. Kane was the league’s most consistent goalscorer, netting goals in 68% of Tottenham’s matches. While his 30 league goals made up 43% of Spurs’ goals scored.

It is also the season Kane became Tottenham and England’s record goal scorer with 280 and 55 goals respectively.

Kevin De Bruyne

Although Haaland was Manchester City’s title-winning goal machine, it was Kevin De Bruyne (and captain Ilkay Gundogan) who led the Cityzen’s creative force as they chased down Arsenal in the closing weeks of the season.

With 16 assists, De Bruyne won the league’s Playmaker of the Season with notable performances against Arsenal and Southampton. Ultimately, responding to Pep Guardiola’s call for the Belgian to go “back to basics”.

Controversies and Upsets

VAR

Another season and once again Video Assistant Referee (VAR) proved to be a constant talking point. It was a season where the Referees’ body PGMOL were scrutinised for making errors for the use of VAR technology, having to apologise for 13 mistakes caused by VAR with Brighton receiving three of them.

Managerial Departures

There was an unprecedented 14 managerial changes (plus 1 interim manager sacked) this season, with Chelsea along with relegated Southampton and Leeds United making two changes each. While Tottenham Hotspur parted ways with Antonio Conte after his press conference rant following a frustrating 3-3 draw at Southampton.

August 30th – Scott Parker (AFC Bournemouth) – Sacked
September 7th – Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea) – Sacked
September 8th – Graham Potten (Brighton & Hove Albion) – left to join Chelsea
October 2nd – Bruno Lage (Wolverhampton Wanderers) – Sacked
October 20th – Steven Gerrard (Aston Villa) – Sacked
November 7th – Ralph Hasenhüttl (Southampton) – Sacked
January 23rd – Frank Lampard (Everton) – Sacked
February 6th – Jesse Marsch (Leeds United) – Sacked
February 12th – Nathan Jones (Southampton) – Sacked
March 17th – Patrick Viera (Crystal Palace) – Sacked
March 26th – Antonio Conte (Tottenham Hotspur) – Left by mutual consent
April 2nd – Brendan Rodgers (Leicester City) – Left by mutual consent
April 2nd – Graham Potter (Chelsea) – Sacked
April 24th – Cristian Stellini (Interim Manager) (Tottenham Hotspur) – Sacked
May 3rd – Javi Gracia (Leeds United) – Sacked

Chelsea’s Transfer Spending and Forgettable Season

Under the ownership of a new consortium led by American businessman, Todd Boehly, the 2022-2023 season was a new chapter in Chelsea’s history. However, it’s one they might want to quickly forget. With three managers (Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, and Frank Lampard) and over £500 million spent across two transfer windows, Chelsea’s season resulted in a 12th place finish. It’s the first time they’ve finished in the bottom half of the Premier League since 1995-1996.

Leicester City – From Premier League Winners to Relegation

Seven years from shocking the football world and becoming Premier League Champions, Leicester City were relegated on the final day of the 2022-2023 season. Despite a home 2-1 victory over West Ham, the Foxes will begin next season in the EFL Championship.

After picking up just one point in the first seven games, their form picked up in October ahead of the FIFA World Cup break. However, when the Premier League resumed in late December 2022, Leicester struggled to pick up points, only winning four games in 2023.

The decision to part ways with Brendan Rodgers was considerably done too late to turn their season around. Former Norwich and Aston Villa boss, Dean Smith, came into to try and put off an escape, but it wasn’t enough.

Nottingham Forest and AFC Bournemouth Prove Everyone Wrong

Along with Fulham, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest were the three promoted clubs to the 2022-2023 Premier League season. While many thought the Cottagers had enough to stay up at the first time of asking, the same wasn’t said for the Cherries or the Tricky Trees.

Bournemouth’s 9-0 away defeat against Liverpool saw Scott Parker sacked early on in the season, despite an opening day victory over Aston Villa. Gary O’Neil was placed in caretaker charge, going six games unbeaten. Although their momentum stuttered before and after the World Cup, an April revival saw AFC Bournemouth climb out of the bottom three, finishing 15th.

For Nottingham Forest, it had been 23 years since they last tasted top-flight football, and with a promoted squad dismantled due to loan signings and contract expirations, Head Coach Steve Cooper and owner Evangelos Marinakis went on a major recruitment drive, signing 30 players across two transfer windows.

It was an expectedly tough campaign for the Reds, and despite heavy defeats away to Manchester City and Arsenal, Cooper galvanised his large squad to turn The City Ground into a fortress, picking up 30 of their 38 points at home. While a late-season goal-scoring surge from Taiwo Awoniyi pulled Forest out of the drop zone to end the season in 16th place.

Transfer Window Recap: Best Signings

The transfer window is always an exciting time for football fans, and the 2022/2023 season was no exception. Here’s a snapshot of some of this season’s best signings.

Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

As we have already mentioned, Erling Haaland had an exceptional debut season at Manchester City. Having signed for the club early last summer, he is undoubtedly one of the signings of the season.

Casemiro (Manchester United)

The veteran Brazilian swapped Madrid for Manchester last summer (for £70m), and while he took some time to adapt to the Premier League, Casemiro has been influential in a relatively successful season for the Red Devils. By bringing a determined attitude and leadership qualities to Old Trafford, he’s become an indispensable part of Erik Ten Haag’s squad.

Sven Botman and Nick Pope (Newcastle United)

Dutchman Sven Botman was heavily linked with the Toon Army in early 2022, and after failing to land him in January, they finally got their man last summer. Joining from Lyon on a £35m deal, Botman’s physical presence and centre-back partnership with Fabian Schar has been a major part of Newcastle’s defensive might.

Another key ingredient of Newcastle’s success is the goalkeeping exploits of Nick Pope. Having departed relegated Burnley for £10m, Pope kept 14 clean sheets in 37 appearances.

Pervis Estupinan (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Last season Estupnian was a Champions League Semi-Finalist with Villarreal. However, his move to Brighton is just one of many shrewd moves the Seagulls’ recruitment team have made.

The Ecuadorian left-back has been influential in their surprise run to a 6th place finish. Replacing the departed Marc Cucurella, Estupinan has proved his worth with relentless energy, interceptive play, and connectivity with fellow countryman Moisés Caicedo.

The Best Football Bars and Pubs in London for Game Day

5aside.com™ — Tue, 02 May 2023 09:21:41 +0000

If you’re a football fan in London, you’re in luck! The city is home to some of the best bars and pubs for watching the game with fellow fans. Whether you’re looking for a lively atmosphere or a more relaxed setting, our guide has got you covered. Get ready to cheer on your favourite team and enjoy some game day excitement!

Greenwood is one of the best Sports bars in London

Greenwood: Sports bar in Central London

Situated in Nova, Greenwood is one of the best Sports bars in London. 20 large TV’s, incredible food, a wide selection of drinks – what more can you ask for? It’s perfect if you’ve got a train to catch and you’ve got a couple hours to kill, due to its location right next to Victoria Station. I’ve personally visited Greenwood and I must say, their pizza is to die for. It’s even better washed down with freshly brewed beer from the Long Arm Brewery. The atmosphere in the bar is what you’d expect from any Sports Bar – lively and electric (especially on matchday). However, it does get very busy here, so if you’re heading down for a Premier League match, I’d advise arriving early.

Greenwood, 70 Victoria St, London SW1E 5LB

The World’s End, located in Finsbury Park, is your typical Sports Bar, plus some more

The World’s End: Sports bar in North London

If you’re heading to North London for a football away day, this ones for you. The World’s End, located in Finsbury Park, is your typical Sports Bar, plus some more. With Large HD screens and projectors showing Sky & BT Sports, Live Music throughout the week and a great selection of food – it’s no surprise that the World’s End has quickly become one of the most popular bars in North London. Oh, and don’t forget the table football! The World’s End is also dog friendly, perfect for those of you with a furry friend that you can’t leave at home. I’d recommend booking in advance to secure a table, as it does get extremely busy.

The World’s End, 21-23 Stroud Green Rd, Finsbury Park, London N4 3JF

For a more traditional vibe for football in London, the Euston Flyer is the place

The Euston Flyer: Pub in Central London

If you prefer a more traditional vibe, the Euston Flyer is the place to visit. When visiting a traditional pub, what do you expect? Amazing ale. And the Euston Flyer doesn’t disappoint. There are five large screens in the pub which everyone gathers around, creating a classic football fan atmosphere. If you’re a fan of pies, this is the spot for you. I’ve visited a couple times and you truly can’t beat their pie and pint combo.

The Euston Flyer, 83-87 Euston Rd., London NW1 2RA

The Pavilion End in Central London is an exceptional spot to watch any live sport

The Pavilion End: Pub in Central London

Despite the name referencing Cricket, The Pavilion End in Central London is an exceptional spot to watch any live sport, whether it’s football or F1. The Pavilion has a large number of screens displaying Sky & BT Sport to every angle of the pub, no matter where you sit. Part of the Fuller’s pub chain, you can expect quality beer and fresh food. This is definitely a place to check out if you’re a fan of a welcoming atmosphere, paired with great food and drink.

The Pavilion End, 23 Watling St, London EC4M 9BR

Boxpark Wembley. Enter at your own risk!

Boxpark Wembley: Big screen and food in Wembley Park

Remember all the viral World Cup clips of beers flying when England scored? Yeah, that’s Boxpark Wembley. Enter at your own risk! Only joking, but it’s certainly not the place to visit if you’re looking for a quiet matchday drink! If you visit Boxpark Wembley, you’re guaranteed to experience the electric atmosphere. Famed for their showing of International Games, they also screen Premier League and Champions League games on their large projector screens. There’s a wide variety of street food options around the area that are perfect if you fancy a bite to eat. Overall, it’s one of the best places to watch football in London if you’re looking for a fantastic atmosphere.

Boxpark Wembley, Wembley Park, Wembley HA9 0JT

Sixes cricket Club has nets and a virtual penalty shoot-out area

Sixes Fitzrovia: Sports bar and activities in Central London

If watching isn’t enough for you, Sixes is the place to be. They have a number of screens showcasing live Football and Cricket, but the best part is, there are cricket nets and a virtual penalty shoot-out area. I personally found this to be extremely fun (especially if you’re stuck watching Burnley vs Stoke!). And what’s more, the food really doesn’t disappoint. I’d personally recommend their burgers, but they also serve pizzas and other pub classics.

Sixes Fitzrovia, 170 Great Portland St, London W1W 5QB

Budweiser ran sports bar for live sport (and football in London)

The Kings Sports Bar: Big screens in Leicester Square

Located in Leicester Square, this Budweiser ran sports bar is the place to be on matchday. There’s two giant screens which showcase Premier League action, Cricket matches, NFL and much more. Their American-inspired menu is reasonably priced (considering it’s London we’re talking about) and, when paired with their wide selection of drinks, makes for a fantastic meal. In addition to this, they host the “All In Burger Challenge”. Which, simply put, is just an enormous burger. So if you’re a foodie and think you can finish it, head down to the Kings Sports Bar and try your luck for the chance of a prize!

The Kings Sports Bar, 5-6 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7NA

Have a great time at one of these London Sports Bars!

Whether you’re looking for a traditional pub like Euston Flyer or a venue packed with energy like Boxpark Wembley, London has a spot for everyone – no matter your taste. So, head down to one of these sports bars and make the most of what London has to offer. Most importantly, stay safe and have a great time!

Is David Moyes’ Future At West Ham in the Balance?

5aside.com™ — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 15:22:30 +0000

They say football is a results-driven business. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the cut-throat arena of the Premier League; if a team isn’t performing to the levels the fans expect and demand, the manager won’t be in their position for very long. It’s a position David Moyes finds himself in right now at West Ham United.

David Moyes took over as manager of West Ham United in 2019. Despite early successes, this season has seen everything go wrong for the Scot and the East London club, at least domestically. Why has West Ham struggled so much? Is David Moyes’ future hanging in the balance? Find out here.

West Ham United’s home ground, the London Stadium, has only seen five wins out of a possible 13 games so far this season.

David Moyes’ West Ham Return and Early Success

David Moyes was appointed as manager of West Ham in late 2019, taking over from previous gaffer Manuel Pellegrini. This was Moyes’ second stint at the east London club, after having previously rescued them from relegation in 2017.

His second spell at West Ham was to prove far more successful. It started with an emphatic 4-0 win over AFC Bournemouth, eventually leading them to safety, ending the season in 16th place.

His first full season in charge of the Hammers concluded with a sixth-place finish and a Premier League club record 65 points. That season saw Tomáš Souček and Saïd Benrahma arrive on permanent deals. Souček had an instant impact, scoring 10 goals as did Michail Antonio. While Jesse Lingard joined from Manchester United on loan to contribute nine goals. Having finished 6th in the Premier League, West Ham United would enter the UEFA Europa League. While Moyes was rewarded with a new three-year contract.

David Moyes’ momentum continued in the 2021–2022 season, both at home and in Europe. Starting off with strong victories over Newcastle United and Leicester City, the Hammers would start the season in decent form, defeating Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool along the way. By mid-December, they sat 4th in the Premier League. While their participation in the UEFA Europa League saw them top their group with four wins, one draw, and one loss.

The Hammers had a successful 2021-2022 campaign in the UEFA Europa League, including defeating Austria’s Rapid Wien in the group stage.

The second half of the 2021–2022 season did see the Hammers’ form drop. With little squad investment in the January transfer window, Moyes’ side fought to maintain their Premier League form while battling through the Europa League’s knockout stage.

Domestically, West Ham’s league form was mixed yet by April, it took a turn for the worse as they struggle to balance challenges in Europe and at home. In the Europa League, they overcame Sevilla and Lyon in the Round of 16 and Quarter Finals respectively, West Ham faced German side Eintracht Frankfurt in the Semi-Finals.

A 1-0 away defeat to Chelsea was followed by a 2-1 loss at West Ham’s London Stadium to Eintracht Frankfurt. Fellow Londoners, Arsenal, visited next and delivered another 2-1 defeat to Moyes’ team. Four days later, on May 5th, West Ham’s exit from the Europa League was confirmed as Eintracht Frankfurt beat them 1-0 in Germany. While a 4-0 victory over Norwich City and an admirable 2-2 draw with Premier League Champions Manchester City did turn their form around, West Ham would end the season in 7th position, qualifying for the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Nevertheless, the signs were looking good. West Ham fans believed they could be set for a period of unprecedented success for their beloved club. But, as with so many things in football, it wasn’t to last, with the club having capitulated to such an extent that even the West Ham tickets sales have been affected.

West Ham United Captain Declan Rice apologised to fans after their 4-0 away defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion.

What Has Gone Wrong for David Moyes at West Ham United?

West Ham currently sit at 18^th in the league. On just 20 points, they’re squarely in the relegation zone, and of 23 games played have managed just five wins, drawing a further five and losing 19.

How could this have happened? Things were going so well for David Moyes and the Hammers, how is it possible for things to have gone wrong so quickly?

Unfortunately, there are never any easy answers in football. West Ham’s struggles are likely the cause of a range of different factors. What we do know is that they have the players to compete. They’ve been shrewd in the transfer market, addressing the questionable lack of depth that affected their 2021-2022 season. Lucas Paqueta arrived from Lyon and Gianluca Scamacca from Sassuolo for a combined total of over £60 million. While winger Maxwel Cornet arrived from Burnley, and this past January saw Danny Ings come in from Aston Villa.

These positive moves in the market seem to have been in vain, as Moyes seems incapable of getting a tune from his players. For example, Scamacca has only scored three times in the Premier League, despite netting five times in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

So far, Moyes’ Hammers have only won back-to-back Premier League games once this season (home victories over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fulham), failing to build any momentum. Their poor form was emphasised by a seven-game winless streak, which started before the FIFA World Cup break, and didn’t end until a crucial 2-0 win over Everton. It was a game dubbed “El Sackio” due to Moyes and former Hammers player and Everton manager, Frank Lampard, being under pressure.

However, since then, West Ham has only one more Premier League win; an emphatic 4-0 defeat of fellow relegation rivals, Nottingham Forest. It was followed by a humiliating 4-0 away loss to Brighton and Hove Albion, where West Ham fans chanted “you don’t know what you’re doing” at Moyes.

Normally, there’s only one outcome when a manager fails to connect with the team.

Italian striker Gianluca Scamacca hasn’t lived up to his large price tag yet since arriving West Ham United last summer.

Will Moyes get the Sack?

Many are surprised that Moyes has lasted as long as he has, given how poor the team’s performances and results have been. The latest humbling came at the hands of Spurs, who dispatched the Hammers 2-0 and further compounded the misery.

In a surprise move, the club made a statement in support of Moyes, stating that he would be given time to make amends. This was an admirable, if an unexpected turn of events, as pundits and fans alike assumed Moyes’ time was up.

Considerably, another impressive showing in Europe, has helped Moyes keep his job for now. After going undefeated in the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage, West Ham saw off Cypriot side AEK Larnaca 6-0 on aggregate. They’re set to face Gent of Belgium in the Quarter Finals.

Although West Ham has backed Moyes, he’s still one of the favourites to be the next manager to leave a Premier League club. Their upcoming fixtures for April 2022 could make or break West Ham’s season, and ultimately Moyes’ tenure as the Hammers’ manager.

West Ham Remaining 2022-2023 Premier League Fixtures

April 2nd – Southampton (H)
April 5th – Newcastle United (H)
April 8th – Fulham (A)
April 16th – Arsenal (H)
April 23rd – AFC Bournemouth (A)
April 26th – Liverpool (H)
April 29th – Crystal Palace (A)
May 6th – Manchester United (H)
May 13th – Brentford (A)
May 20th – Leeds United (H)
May 28th – Leicester City (A)

Conclusion

While West Ham appears to be standing in solidarity with the gaffer for now, the club’s current trajectory isn’t sustainable. If results continue as they have been, we could see a new manager in the dugout sooner rather than later.

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Review: Messi, Mbappe, Morocco & More

5aside.com™ — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 14:56:22 +0000

A feast of fantastic football and energised spectators (both in and out) of the stadiums went some way alleviate concerns many fans had ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Lionel Messi hoisted the trophy for the first time, which finally put a rest to the G.O.A.T debate.

Morocco defied all expectations to make it to the last four (where France ultimately defeated them) which was the first time an African nation reached the World Cup Semi-Finals (after 88 competitions)

Fans were able to consume the World Cup in new ways with Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and devoted apps gaining huge popularity which supplemented coverage from traditional media and live score websites.

Despite FIFA, greed, corruption and scandal surrounding it, football saved the World Cup and the glut of glorious games were enjoyed by billions of fans.

Controversy Ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Since being awarded the tournament in 2010, Qatar’s selection as host was continuously questioned for a variety of reasons. These include their human rights record, environmental concerns, LGBTQ+ issues, their lack of footballing history, and the reported death of many migrant construction workers.

While allegations of bribery or corruption involving members of FIFA’s executive committee were well-publicised during this time.

Ahead of the tournament, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and secretary general Fatma Samoura sent a letter to participating nations stating “Please, let’s now focus on the football!”. Infantino followed this up in a bizarre pre-tournament press conference, taking aim at critics of the tournament, labelling them of hypocrisy and racism.

The host nation, Qatar, failed to win a single game as they made their FIFA World Cup debut.

Group Stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Group A

Hosts Qatar and South America’s Ecuador kicked off the first of 48 group-stage games. However, it wasn’t the fairytale start for Qatar. Their 2-0 defeat meant they became the first host nation to lose their opening match at a World Cup.

Netherlands and Senegal completed Group A with the Oranje going through to the Round of 16 undefeated. They began their campaign with a 2-0 win against Senegal before drawing 1-1 with Ecuador. Louis Van Gaal’s side also won 2-0 against Qatar, who exited the tournament without a single point.

Senegal would join the Netherlands in the next stage after they defeated Ecuador 2-1.

Group B

England entered the 2022 World Cup as one of the favourites and backed up their potential by starting with a 6-2 victory over Iran. However, their 0-0 draw with the USA meant a win over Home Nations rivals, Wales, was needed for England to qualify. Nevertheless, goals from Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden meant England qualified as Group B winners.

In addition to their draw with England, USA drew 1-1 with Wales before ending the group stage with a 1-0 win over Iran, confirming their place in the next round.

Saudi Arabia caused considerably the shock of the tournament with a 2-1 win over Argentina.

Group C

Eventual winners Argentina got off to a disastrous start after a surprising 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia. The upset led to a public holiday being declared in the Arabic country. Argentina would turn their form around with 2-0 wins against Mexico and Poland to top the group.

The second qualifying spot would be separated by 1 goal. Saudi Arabia’s Salem Al-Dawsari consolation goal against Mexico meant the Central American nation finished with a -1 goal difference, leaving them on level points with Poland. However, with a zero-goal difference, Poland clinched second place.

Group D

2018 FIFA World Cup winners France kicked off their tournament with a 4-1 win over Australia. This is despite the Socceroos taking the lead within 10 minutes. France secured their place in the second round with two Kylian Mbappé goals against Denmark. Didier Deschamps made nine changes for their final group game with Tunisia, losing 1-0.

Outside favourites, Denmark, exited without a win and only 1 point. After drawing 0-0 with Tunisia and losing to France, Australia surprised many with a 1-0 win. The Aussies also beat Tunisia 1-0 to qualify for the Round of 16.

Group E

Group E had an eventful start with Japan stunning Germany with a 2-1 win, before Spain thrashed Costa Rica 7-0. The European heavyweights then drew 1-1 as Costa Rica bounced back with a 1-0 victory over Japan.

The final round of games saw Germany beat Costa Rica 4-2 but it wasn’t enough for them to qualify. That is despite Japan pulling off another shock win over Spain (2-1). Japan deservedly topped the group with Spain going through on goal difference.

Group F

Morocco became the surprise team of the tournament, that’s despite an opening 0-0 draw with Croatia. While much-fancied Belgium began with a 1-0 over Canada, it would be their only victory of the tournament.

Goals from Zakaria Aboukhlal and Romain Saiss for Morocco led to a 2-0 win for the African side, and 0-0 with Croatia wasn’t enough for Belgium to qualify. Canada’s defeats to Morocco and Croatia meant the North American side and European favourites, Belgium, would be going home.

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in five FIFA World Cup tournaments in 2022.

Group G

Tournament favourites Brazil didn’t waste any time qualifying for the Round of 16 with wins against Serbia (2-0) and Switzerland (1-0), topping the group.

Although they failed to qualify for the next stage, Cameroon had a somewhat eventful World Cup. Despite losing to Switzerland by 1 goal to nil, they followed it with a 3-3 with Serbia before a late Vincent Aboubakar goal clinched a shock 1-0 win over Brazil.

Switzerland’s 3-2 victory over Serbia meant they would join Brazil in the next round, with Serbia exiting with just one point.

Group H

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score at five FIFA World Cups with a penalty in Portugal’s 3-2 win over Ghana. They would follow it up with a 2-0 victory over Uruguay to secure their place in the next stage.

The group ended in a dramatic fashion. With South Korea beating Portugal 2-1, Uruguay were 2-0 against Ghana yet required another goal to qualify for the next round. In 10 minutes of injury time, striker Edinson Cavani clashed with Ghanaian defender Alidu Seidu in the penalty area. However, referee Daniel Siebert waved away calls for a penalty by Cavani and his teammates. At the final whistle, Uruguay surrounded the official.

Despite being on 4 points each, it was South Korea’s 4 goals scored (they lost 3-2 Ghana) that secured them second place in the group.

Morocco were the surprise of the tournament. After knocking out Spain in the Round of 16, they would eventually reach the Semi-Finals, the first African and Arab nation to do so.

Round of 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup

For the most part, the Round of 16 happened without many surprises. The Netherlands overcame USA (3-1), Argentina disposed of Australia (2-1), France saw off Poland (3-1), England sent Senegal packing (3-0), Portugal smashed Switzerland 6-1, and Brazil expectedly beat South Korea 4-1.

For Japan, it was the end of the road. Despite their surprise wins in the group stage, and taking the lead against Croatia, it would be the 2018 runners-up who would go through after a 3-1 penalty shootout.

The biggest surprise of the round came in the form of Morocco knocking out Spain. After a goalless 120 minutes, Morocco saw off the Spanish with 3 goals and no replies.

Brazil were the favourites to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup but was knocked out by Croatia, captained by Luka Modric.

Quarter Finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Many expected Brazil to defeat Croatia, yet that was not the case. As the game headed to penalties after a 1-1 draw, Croatia’s Nikola Vlasic began the penalty shootout with a goal. With the shootout at 4-2 to Croatia, defender Marquinhos stepped up to take their fourth penalty. However, he hit the left post, leaving the likes of Neymar in tears as Brazil departed the World Cup.

The meeting between Netherlands and Argentina was their 10th at the FIFA World Cup. Although the Netherlands had won four of their previous matches, Argentina would get their only second World Cup victory over the Dutch. Argentina went 2-0 up before two goals from Wout Weghorst led the game to extra time, and then penalties. After an intense game that saw 17 yellow cards plus a red for Dutch defender Denzel Dumfries, the South American side won 4-2 in the penalty shootout.

The other two Quarter Finals ended within 90 minutes, yet Morocco did continue to surprise many. Their 1-0 win over Portugal meant they were the first African (and Arab) side to reach the Semi-Finals of the World Cup.

The round ended with two European heavyweights meeting – England vs France. The reigning champions took the lead through a 17th-minute goal by Aurélien Tchouaméni. Harry Kane replied with a 53-minute penalty before Olivier Giroud saw France take the lead after 78 minutes. With time running down, England’s Mason Mount was fouled and rewarded with a second England penalty. Despite already scoring one penalty in the game, captain Harry Kane shot over the bar.

Théo Hernandez (right) of AC Milan scored one of France’s goals to take the reigning World Cups holders to the 2022 final.

World Cup 2022 Semi-Finals

After becoming everyone’s favourite underdogs, Morocco’s time at the 2022 FIFA World Cup came to an end as goals from Théo Hernandez and Kolo Muani secured France’s place in the Final with a 2-0 win.

The other Semi-Final between Argentina and Croatia began cautiously until Julián Álvarez was fouled after 34 minutes. Superstar Lionel Messi converted the penalty to take the lead with Álvarez doubling the lead shortly after. Messi and Álvarez would pair up for a third goal as the Manchester City player (Álvarez) assured Argentina’s spot in World Cup Final.

World Cup 2022 Third place Play-Off

Having played out a 0-0 in the group stage, Croatia and Morocco faced off for the bronze medal. Despite an outstanding showing throughout the tournament, the Atlas Lions fell short. The match ended 2-1 in favour of Croatia thanks to first-half goals by Joško Gvardiol and Mislav Oršić.

After a dramatic final, Lionel Messi and Argentina lifted the FIFA World Cup in December 2022.

An Unforgettable 2022 World Cup Final

The 64th and final game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final took place between France and Argentina. The French wanted to regain the Championship they won in Russia in 2018. However, it would be the South American side who would be lifting the famous trophy after one of the most memorable World Cup Finals.

Taking place at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, it showcased some of the best footballers in the world right now including Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé. It was Messi who gave Argentina the lead with a penalty after 23 minutes. Angel Di Maria added to the lead 13 minutes later.

With 10 minutes left, Argentina had control of the game as France failed to make any attempts to score. However, Randal Kolo Muani was brought down in the penalty area by Nicolás Otamendi. Mbappé stepped up to give France any hope of a comeback. Shockingly, Mbappé scored a beautiful volley just a minute later to take the game into extra time.

After a goalless first half in extra time, Lionel Messi scored again. With two minutes away from victory, Argentina made the mistake of giving France another penalty. Mbappé would secure a hat-trick (only the second in a World Cup Final), to take the dramatic final to penalties.

Mbappé and Messi comfortably scored their respective side’s opening spot kicks. Kingsley Coman’s attempt was saved by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez. After Paulo Dybala gave Argentina the advantage, Aurélien Tchouaméni shot went wide. Leandro Paredes made it 3-1 before Kolo Muani gave France hope of winning. However, it was Gonzalo Montiel’s winning penalty that would secure Argentina’s first World Cup victory since 1986.

The game was deservedly praised as one of the greatest matches in World Cup history.

Fans took to the streets of Argentina to celebrate their memorable victory.
Photo by Agustin Fernandez on Unsplash

Conclusion

Despite FIFA and all of the controversy ahead of the tournament, football saved the 2022 FIFA World Cup. With 172 goals, the 2022 World Cup has the record for the most goals in a single tournament.

On top of that, it had surprising results, star-making performances (such as Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez, Gonçalo Ramos of Portugal, and the Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo), memorable matches, and in the case of Lionel Messi, solidifying his place as one of, if not THE, greatest football player of all time.

The winning captain was awarded the Golden Ball award for being the player of the tournament. While his Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappé, took the Golden Boot award, thanks to his 8 goals in the tournament, including his hat-trick in the final. Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez and Enzo Fernández respectively took the Golden Glove and FIFA Young Player of the Tournament awards. While England was rewarded the FIFA Fair Play Award.