Today, we unpack football’s most fabled shirt number and position: the number nine.

Marcus, David and Vish steer you through the evolution of the position, from the sneaky goalhangers, to the all-action centre-forwards at the turn of the century, to… Vithushan Ehantharajah at university? Each iteration mirror broader changes in the sport. Especially Vish.

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Marcus, Jim, Andy and Luke preview a big ol’ weekend of the FA Cup!

Jim brings a troubling Mauro Icardi update, Roy Hodgson swoops down onto the pitch at Craven Cottage, and there are stunning revelations that Marcus once watched an entire Scottish Cup final in John Lewis’ TV section.

Plus, can Duncan Ferguson try to convince King Charles to become a Forest Green fan? And will his sausage fingers be allowed through the turnstiles?

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Dotun and Andy are joined by Italian football expert Nicky Bandini to get their heads around the chaos at Juventus. We discuss what could come next, how much money the club owe Cristiano Ronaldo, and the possibility of the deduction being reversed entirely. Plus, could title-chasing Napoli really get dragged into this?

We also discuss a truly ridiculous goal-fest in Germany and the one surprise contender that could leave Bayern looking nervously over their shoulder. And over in Spain, how have Sevilla gone from Champions League regulars to relegation strugglers?!

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Jules, Luke and Jim jump into the pocket of big Carabao for a bonus Ramble! Seriously though, why is the River Tyne so green and fizzy today?

Elsewhere, Everton are in talks with Big Sam – seriously – and we find out that referees might be about to get a new card. Plus, the narrative couldn’t be stronger north of the border: a sixth-tier team whose owner makes Scotch pies beating Aberdeen. Vintage fitba. 

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Today, we turn the Ramble spotlight onto the master puppeteer himself: José Mourinho.

From the moment he sprinted into our footballing lives at Old Trafford with his coat billowing behind him, to his almighty fall from grace at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester, we relive all his charm, flaws, and that absolutely unrelenting chip on his shoulder.

We explain why Real Madrid ruined his career and we settle it once and for all: who has had the most successful managerial career, Guardiola or Mourinho?

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There are barn cinders all over North London! Marcus, Jim, Vish and David react to an epic tussle between Arsenal and Manchester United.

In more exciting news, Jim meets Jack Wilshere, Kate meets Frank Lampard, and everyone wishes that Liverpool didn’t meet Chelsea. Surprisingly, David then makes the case for Dychey at Everton and we discover why Kaoru Mitoma is so bloody good. And a Ramble legend returns to the fold in the Championship. He’d bite your hand off for a draw.

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The manager of Spezia admits he is pleased Jakub Kiwior has earned a big-money move to Arsenal but insists he is not happy to lose the defender.

Kiwior is set to join Arsenal on a long-term deal after the Gunners swooped for the Poland World Cup star in a surprising transfer.

Mikel Arteta’s side is getting bolstered ahead of a tough second half of the season while Spezia has lost a key part of their team.

Speaking about the Pole’s departure, Luca Gotti said via Football Italia:

“I am very happy for Kiwior and this opportunity he created for himself. It is also the biggest sale in Spezia’s history and I imagine the club is happy with that too.

One of the little-noticed moves by President Biden in his first days in office was an executive order that required federal agencies to examine their policies and programs to identify whether and how they perpetuate barriers to equal opportunity. It was a stab at addressing structural inequality in the wake of the national protests over the death of George Floyd. At least some of that work seems to be coming to fruition. 

This week, the Treasury Department released a study looking at racial disparities in the benefits that come through the tax code—like special lower tax rates for capital gains or deductions for employer-provided health insurance. In theory, these policies are color-blind. But the Treasury report shows that they are anything but. 

Tax expenditures have become a popular tool in Congress to provide benefits to families that otherwise would be bigger targets for budget cutters. They don’t show up as program expenses the way anti-poverty programs like food stamps or TANF benefits do. But the differences are staggering. Consider TANF, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, otherwise known as welfare. Congress has refused to increase the block grant for the program since its inception in 1996, so it’s been stuck at $16.5 billion, with its real value falling by 40 percent thanks to inflation. In many states, the maximum monthly TANF benefit to a poor family with a single parent and two kids is a pittance, particularly in states where many Black people live below the poverty line. In Alabama, for instance, the maximum benefit for a family of three is just $215, a figure that hasn’t budged since 2005.

Compare the TANF budget to the loss of revenue to the government caused by the special treatment of capital gains, investment income that’s taxed at a much lower rate than ordinary wages. In 2023, Treasury researchers estimate that tax break will cost the country $146 billion, or nine times more than the entire annual TANF budget. And who are the major beneficiaries of those tax breaks? White families, who make up 67 percent of the population but claim 92 percent of the benefits. And these aren’t just white families. They’re rich white families. The Treasury report doesn’t mention it, but 75 percent of all long-term capital gains were reported by the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans in 2019. (For a good explanation of how this works, read this piece by Mother Jones editor Mike Mechanic, author of Jackpot: How the Super Rich Really Live and How Their Wealth Harms Us All.)

By far the biggest tax expenditure is the exemption for employer-provided health insurance, which will cost the country $225 billion this year. Eighty-two percent of those benefits will accrue to white people. See a pattern? You don’t have to be a woke SJW to see the injustice here. 

Paul Merson insists he expects Manchester United to miss Casemiro when they face Arsenal this weekend, even though the Red Devils beat the Gunners in the reverse fixture without the Brazilian.

Casemiro is suspended for the game after picking up another yellow card in his last Premier League game, a huge blow to United.

Their manager Erik Ten Hag has played down the influence of the former Real Madrid midfielder, but former Gunner Merson insists they will miss the Brazilian.

He said on Sky Sports via Football Daily:

“He is massive for them. He would have looked after [Martin] Odegaard.

Arsenal has been linked with a summer swoop for West Ham’s Declan Rice, with the Gunners hoping to keep buying top players and remain inside the top four.

Mikel Arteta’s men have been superb in this campaign and remain one side that could potentially win the title if they keep winning.

Whether they win the league or not, the smart thing to do will be to continue improving their playing squad and Rice will bring quality to the Emirates.

However, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano insists Arsenal hasn’t made an effort to get the West Ham man yet.

He tells Give Me Sport:

Arsenal could reportedly turn to Moussa Diaby as their next forward as Mikel Arteta continues to find ways to bolster his squad.

The Gunners have been keen to add a new attacker this month, but they missed out on their primary target Mykhailo Mudryk and have instead added Leandro Trossard.

Arsenal remains busy in this transfer window and Diaby is the latest name to be mentioned with a move to the Emirates.

Diaby has been on the Gunners’ radar for some time and the Frenchman remains one of the finest players in his position in Europe, making a move for him a sensible thing to do.

However, journalist Christian Falk has told the Gunners the former PSG man’s signature will cost them a lot of money.

A few weeks ago, I was having lunch with a friend who is a former cop and a MAGA-leaning conservative. We were arguing about politics as usual, when he went on a rant about “President Ron Klain.” White House chiefs of staff generally aren’t household names, so I was impressed with his level of knowledge about the inner workings of the Biden White House. But then I realized that the familiarity was the result of the long running conservative attack on Biden’s mental fitness, a narrative that suggests Klain is the real wizard behind the curtain, running the show for a senile, geezer Democratic president. Thanks to Fox News and Republicans in Congress who regularly refer to him as “Prime Minister Klain,” Ron Klain has become a household name for a lot of ordinary Americans. 

In fact, in 2021 Fox News host Sean Hannity went on a tear about Klain, claiming that the “puppeteer” behind the “cognitively impaired” president didn’t understand ordinary people. “Shadow President and master puppeteer—so kind, so thoughtful and loving—Ron Klain…believes we smelly Walmart shoppers of America, that cling to God, guns, Bibles, and religion don’t need to worry about inflation,” Hannity said.

But Hannity and the Republicans may not have Klain to kick around much longer. The New York Times reported Saturday that the chief of staff is planning to step down in the coming weeks:

Mr. Klain has been telling colleagues privately since the November midterm elections that after a grueling, nonstop stretch at Mr. Biden’s side going back to the 2020 campaign, he is ready to move on, according to senior administration officials, and a search for a replacement has been underway.

The officials, who discussed internal matters on condition of anonymity, would not say whether a successor has already been picked or when the decision would be announced, but indicated that it would come at some point after the president outlined his agenda for the coming year in his State of the Union address on Feb. 7. Mr. Klain likely would stay around for a transition period to help the next chief settle into the corner office that has been his command post for many crises and legislative battles.

Reports have linked Arsenal with a six-month loan move for Eduardo Camavinga, but the midfielder’s agent insists he is happy with life at Real Madrid.

After missing out on Mykhailo Mudryk, Arsenal has had a very busy past few days as they strengthen Mikel Arteta’s squad for the second half of the season.

The Gunners have confirmed the signing of Leandro Trossard and could complete the signing of Jakob Kiwior in the next few days.

Camavinga is yet to nail down a starting spot at Real Madrid, but the former Rennes man remains one of the finest young midfielders in Europe.

Arsenal similarly added Martin Odegaard to their squad on a six-month loan deal not so long ago before making his transfer permanent.

Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor expects Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba to sign new Arsenal deals.

The Gunners have been in talks with the entourage of the trio separately, but neither player has signed a new contract yet.

Mikel Arteta has benefited from having them in his squad as the Gunners work towards winning a trophy at the end of this season.

Even if Arsenal does not win the Premier League, there is almost a guarantee that they will play in the Champions League and Agbonlahor believes that should make the trio stay.

He tells Football Insider:

Juventus will not give up on Arsenal target Ivan Fresneda even though reports believe the Gunners are in pole position to sign the full-back.

Fresneda is just 18 and has not been in Real Valladolid’s first team for long, but the Spaniard has proven to be one of the finest full-backs in La Liga.

Arsenal has an interest in the youngster as Mikel Arteta continues to rebuild the Gunners and make them very competitive.

However, a report on Tuttojuve reveals despite Premier League sides chasing the defender, Juventus has refused to accept defeat in their pursuit.

The Old Lady will continue chasing his signature and they believe they might have a chance to add him to their squad ahead of the Gunners.

When he ran for president in 2008, the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) denounced the views of Texas evangelical minister John Hagee as “crazy and unacceptable” and rejected his endorsement for the GOP nomination. But tomorrow, former Vice President Mike Pence, who has presidential aspirations for 2024, will engage in a fireside chat with Hagee at his Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, where Pence is scheduled to appear as part of his book tour for his memoir So Help Me God.

Hagee, now 82, had been popular with Republicans in the George W. Bush administration, but by the time McCain ran, the minister’s toxic rhetoric had become too much even for most Republicans. As I wrote a couple years ago:

Among other things, he has said that gays caused Hurricane Katrina, referred to the Catholic Church as the “great whore,” called Hitler a “half-breed” Jew, and said that Hitler was part of God’s plan to get the Jews back to Israel. 

Hagee’s influence waned after the 2008 rejection by McCain, but he came back in full force with the election of Donald Trump in 2016. In person and through his organization, Christians United for Israel, Hagee pushed the new administration to go to war with Iran, which was part of his apocalyptic vision for the End Times and the restoration of Jesus Christ. Pence made a show of support by appearing at his events.

As I noted:

Arsenal faces Manchester United in an important Premier League game this weekend as both clubs bid to end the season with the league title.

Some fine form in recent weeks has helped United move up on the league table, while Arsenal has been league leaders for much of the term.

The Gunners’ form has been helped by the performance of some key men at the Emirates, with the likes of Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka earning praise every other weekend. Still, Talk Sport believes the player United should worry about the most is Granit Xhaka.

The Swiss midfielder has been given new freedom by Mikel Arteta and now plays in a box-to-box role at the Emirates.

This means he is able to effectively make contributions at both ends of the field for the Gunners.

Martin Keown has discussed the importance of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli to how Arsenal plays as the Gunners prepare to face Manchester United this weekend.

Mikel Arteta’s men head into the fixture needing a win to go eight points clear of Manchester City after the Citizens closed the gap to just five points.

United remains the only club that has beaten the Gunners in the Premier League this term, so the Londoners will have vengeance on their minds.

Several players in the Arsenal team have stepped up their performances this season, which is one of the reasons this campaign has been a successful one, so far.

Keown believes Arsenal’s inverted wingers Saka and Martinelli are their key men and will cause problems for United.

Predicted line-up: Brighton & Hove Albion face Arsenal Women in must-win WSL clash by Michelle

Vital is the headline on this one. It really is VITAL that Arsenal win against Brighton in tomorrow’s WSL match away at Broadfield Stadium, after only taking one point from last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Chelsea.  It is also vital that Arsenal score goals and lot’s of them..

There are only 3 points separating the WSL top 3.  Man City were in a reasonably close 4th place but after only managing a draw against Aston Villa today that will drop them further behind.  The problem for Arsenal in the top 3 is goal difference – there is no question that they need more goals to remain in contention at the top, indeed it’s only goal difference that pushed Arsenal into 3rd position being Man United.

My predicted line-up for the match is fairly predictable. After our Gunners dominant performance against Chelsea last week I don’t think that Eidevall will want to carve things up too much so without further ado:

Zinsberger

On Friday, for the 50th year in a row, tens of thousands of anti-abortion proponents gathered in Washington, DC, to demonstrate their commitment to “protecting the lives of the unborn.” Originally created to protest Roe v. Wade, the 1973 US Supreme Court decision that established the constitutional right to an abortion, the March For Life has long included prominent conservatives, local activists, and busloads of school children from Catholic schools, all determined to end legal abortion.

But because the Supreme Court overturned Roe in its 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, relegating the power to legislate abortions to individual states, Friday’s march—occurring just two days before what would have been the 50th anniversary of the landmark ruling—was unlike those that came before it. “While the march began as a response to Roe, we don’t end as a response to Roe being overturned,” Jeanne Mancini, the president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, told the crowd. “We will continue to march until abortion is unthinkable.”

With the landmark Supreme Court battle behind them, anti-abortion activists now must decide what to do next, navigating the many competing objectives among the broader movement. Are emergency contraceptives considered abortifacients or not? What about contraceptives generally? Should abortion be permitted in cases of rape, incest, or to protect the health of a mother?

Marie Miller, a protestor from Texas, tells me she won’t be satisfied until there is a national abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest. Her sign says “Save the innocent baby! Slaughter the rapist.”

— Abby Vesoulis (@abbyvesoulis) January 20, 2023