nazakatblogger@gmail.com A press break is the offensive plan a team uses to beat full-court pressure. The goal is not just to get the ball across half-court safely, it’s to turn the defense’s aggression into easy scoring opportunities at the other end. At the high school level and below, I don’t think anything loses games faster or … Read more
A fast break is when a team pushes the ball up the court immediately after gaining possession, looking to score before the defense can get organized. It’s the easiest way to create high-percentage shots in basketball. And while every team runs the occasional fast break, the teams who commit to it (and practice it daily) … Read more
Guardian writers’ predicted position: 2nd (NB: this is not necessarily Jamie Jackson’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips) Last season’s position: 2nd Prospects Enzo Maresca was already in herculean task mode by signing on as the man charged with continuing the dynasty built by Pep Guardiola at Manchester City before Rodri decided to … Read more
Available for 29 days Arsenal seek to defend their Premier League title, but just how difficult will a title defence be? Former Arsenal right back Carl Jenkinson, The Athletic’s Amy Lawrence and fan Clive Palmer join Aaron Paul to discuss the chances of a second Premier League trophy for Mikel Arteta. They reflect on a … Read more
For much of the past year, the story of American starlet Zavier Gozo has been one of realizing potential – even in failure. Speaking with the Guardian the day after he and Real Salt Lake teammate Diego Luna learned they wouldn’t be on Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for this summer’s World Cup, the 19-year-old Gozo admitted … Read more
Al-Hilal in talks with Harry Kane and Ollie Watkins, Newcastle explore move for Manchester City‘s Nico Gonzalez, Sunderland move for Dayann Methalie in danger of collapsing. Representatives for England captain Harry Kane, 33, have held talks with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, with the Bayern Munich striker open to a move in the future. (Talksport, … Read more
Brighton have signed Canada striker Promise David from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy for a reported £22m. The 25-year-old arrives having played 82 times for the Belgian side, scoring 41 goals and providing nine assists since signing in 2024. Having started his career in his homeland and then … Read more
The Bayern Munich winger Jamal Musiala has revealed he is suffering from “treatable absence seizures” after he collapsed on the pitch for the second time in four days. Musiala fell to the floor eight minutes after coming on as a substitute in Bayern’s friendly with Heidenheim on Tuesday night. The 23-year-old experienced a similar incident … Read more
Nakamura enjoyed a productive season in Ligue 1 during the 2024-25 campaign, scoring 11 goals in 32 appearances despite Reims’ relegation. He started his football career in the academy at Gamba Osaka before moving to Europe aged 18, with loan spells at FC Twente, Sint-Truiden and Juniors OO. He then joined LASK Linz on a … Read more
Having occupied a front-row seat for the final two seasons of Pep Guardiola’s gilded Manchester City tenure, the subject of Amazon’s A Beautiful Obsession, the surprise to me is how unfiltered the four-part series is. Particularly, the telling of the torrid 2024-25 campaign when the wheels came clattering off in the bleakest of mid-winter plunges … Read more