July 1 – September 10, 2022

Our verdict on 'half-baked' thriller Don't Worry Darling

Glorious goals, calamitous errors and a goalkeeper getting sent off for pissing in a hedge? Our resident experts on all those things - Marcus, Pete, Jim and Vish - are here to relive it all!

We ask just how many celebrations Antony made, make the case for Ivan Toney to go in goal for England, and offer up some solutions for the weekend’s VAR debacle. Just take that Brentford kid’s money, all right? Plus, a fortune teller knows Kevin Keegan’s future.

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The actor 'richly deserves nominations' for his performance in The Whale

Dear Gov. Greg Abbott,

Was it already a year ago that you declared Texas’ “Goal Number One” was to “eliminate rape,” after a reporter asked how you could justify signing a 6-week abortion ban without rape exceptions? How’s that going for you?

Or, more specifically, how’s it going for the Texans who report an estimated 13,500 rapes to their local authorities annually, according to the FBI’s most recent crime stats? Did you know that’s a vast undercount, since 90 percent of Texas survivors never report to law enforcement, much less identify their experiences as sexual assault, given the social stigma and victim-blaming around it? 

Did you have those numbers in mind this week, when you said during a taping of Lone Star Politics that your state’s abortion laws didn’t need a rape exception, because survivors “can get the plan B pill that can prevent pregnancy from occurring in the first place”? Do you know how much you sound like Todd Akin? Do you realize that emergency contraception must be taken within 5 days, costs up to $50, and is believed to work less effectively for those with a higher body mass index? 

While we’re on that topic, how do you feel about the right to contraception, which 195 of your Republican colleagues in Congress voted against codifying on July 21? Did you know that the anti-abortion movement is explicitly targeting birth control next, by expanding the definition of abortion to include contraception? Is that where you plan to draw the line, after years of helping anti-abortion activists push through their agenda in Texas?

Manchester United will play host to Arsenal in tomorrow’s big game, and the Darren Bent and Andy Goldstein have vastly disagreed on the predicted scoreline.

The Red Devils have returned to form of late, winning three straight games on the bounce, but you would have to say that their performances have been far from perfect.

Arsenal on the otherhand have started their season with a 100% winning record, whilst mostly playing some really dominant football also, and already sit top of the table despite many of the other teams (including Manchester City) having played six times already.

While you can understand why both sides would have reason to back their teams going into tomorrow’s clash, the Man United and Arsenal fans on TalkSPORT had very differing predictions.

“If #MUFC lose, I wear an #AFC shirt!”

Manchester City failed to take their opportunities against a struggling Aston Villa side this evening, leaving Arsenal top of the table before they take to the field against Manchester United.

While our game is no gimme, given that we travel to Old Trafford for a Super Sunday clash with one of our long-time rivals, but with the fact that we have opened the new campaign with five straight wins and are playing with confidence, the chance to move four points clear of the current Premier League champions is one that we will hopefully achieve.

Man City couldn’t reclaimed top spot had they beaten Villa, but despite Erling Haaland scoring his tenth goal in only six league games since joining this summer, they were unable to hold out for the win with Leon Bailey finding the all-important equaliser.

Now we head into their city in search of our own victory as we take on Erik Ten Hag’s newly revitalised side, having won their last three outings themselves after a torrid start to their season, but their overall performances have been far from impressive, and I can’t help but feel like we should go into the game as favourites to claim bragging rights.

The fact that a draw will keep us on top at this stage will be solace should we settle for just the one point, but a win would make a statement of intent as we try to mount a title challenge as one of the underdogs going into the new campaign.

THE TRANSFER SHOW – Summer review discussing every player that has come to Arsenal this summer…

On today’s transfer show, Alfie, Rob and Daniel discuss Arsenal’s transfer window in its entirety, looking at all the incomings, the outgoings and then the stuff we didn’t do.

Are you concerned about a lack of depth or can we deal with it? Should Arsenal have gone all out on Deadline Day?

Listen to what the boys have to say and see if you agree.

Please leave comments below or on the YouTube Channel…

The US Department of Veterans Affairs will begin offering abortion services for the first time, opening up new options for veterans and other VA beneficiaries whose pregnancies resulted from rape or incest or otherwise pose a threat to their health. Under a new Biden administration interim rule that takes effect immediately, pregnant veterans and their eligible family members will be able to receive abortion counseling at VA hospitals. Those that qualify will be able to get an abortion, regardless of state laws. 

The VA is preparing to provide abortions services in “as many locations as possible,” the department announced Friday. VA doctors will have case-by-case discretion to decide, along with their patients, when a pregnancy puts a patient’s health at risk. Those who seek abortions under the rape or incest provisions won’t be required to provide a police report; self-reporting will be considered sufficient evidence.

VA secretary Denis McDonough called the policy shift a “a patient safety decision.” Fifteen states currently ban abortion in all or almost all cases, and some states—like Alabama, Missouri, Oklahoma—don’t allow exceptions for survivors of rape or incest. People who want or need to end their pregnancies in those states currently must travel elsewhere or seek out abortion medications online, a legally gray area.

“We came to this decision after listening to VA health care providers and Veterans across the country, who sounded the alarm that abortion restrictions are creating a medical emergency for those we serve,” Shereef Elnahal, the VA’s under secretary for health, said in a statement. “Offering this care will save Veterans’ health and lives, and there is nothing more important than that.”

The shift in policy brings the VA in line with the Defense Department, which offers abortions to military service members in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother’s life, according to the Washington Post. But the services are little-used: Annually, fewer than two dozen service members receive abortions at military hospitals, with others seeking care from private clinics. About 300,000 women of childbearing age currently receive health care through the VA.

Arsenal are claimed to be eyeing a move to sign Danilo from Palmeiras come January after failing to bolster their CM role before the summer transfer window closed on Thursday.

The Gunners were strongly linked with Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz in the final 48 hours of the window, and despite supposedly lodging two offers for his signature, the Brazilian wasn’t permitted a move away from the Midland club.

While we could well return for his services again when the new window opens, the Express claims that we are keen to move for the younger Brazilian in Danilo.

The report by FourFourTwo adds that while the Palmeiras star could be eyed to play the more defensive of the two midfield roles in our side, he has all the makings of a number eight also, and could well be a clever signing due to his versatility to play either option at the base of our midfield.

We have shown a clear preference for younger players in previous windows, but the fact that both Douglas Luiz and Youri Tielemans are into the final 12 months of their playing deals, both could potentially be available for a bargain fee come the new year, and both could well pose as players who would easily increase their monetary value to be sold on at a later date if needed.