Football is rough. It’s fleeting. It’s so transitory.
One moment, you’re blasting through and tearing every team apart, at the peak of your powers, and the next, you’re struggling, fighting to achieve feats that were once stamped.
Especially the Premier League.
When Arsenal won their third Premier League title in 2003/04 season, I’m not sure they knew or thought it’ll take another 22 years before they’ll get this close to another one. It took Liverpool nearly 30 years. Man Utd have now spent 13 years since the last time they won it.
Next season will make it 10 years since the last time Chelsea won the Premier League.
All these teams blazed at different points, tore teams apart and won titles. Sometimes, they did it back-to-back.
The next one Arsenal, Chelsea or Man Utd win will be greatly revered.
Everything is time and season. When it’s your time, paint the world in your colours and create enough memories to last. As we may have learnt, it can take a long time between triumphs.
Tomorrow’s assurance is a myth.
The auction room in Jeddah, November 2025. Jamie Overton sat at base price, 1.5 Crore. No paddle stirred for a while. Then CSK nudged. Not a war like the ones swallowing Cameron Green at 25 crore. 10 matches later, he is why CSK are still breathing.
For years CSK searched for what Albie Morkel gave them. That lower order hitter who could clear ropes from ball one, that seam bowler who could break partnerships with brute force, that rare animal who made number 7/8 feel like a top order slot. Morkel left & template stayed empty. Bravo came close with his death bowling but not the power. Jadeja arrived but not the pace. Overton has finally filled the gap.
His back said no to Test cricket. Just 2 matches, stress fractures again & again. At 31 his spine made the decision for him. Overton chose to specialise. He chose to live inside one format instead of dying across three. By the time CSK scouts watched him in Big Bash & in the 100, they saw a man who had made peace with his limitations & was now dangerous because of them.
CSK started 2026 with 3 losses. Overton walked into this mess. He scored 43* & 37 in his first 2 games & in 3rd match against Delhi, picked up 4 for 18.
He bowls 145 to 151 kmph consistently & smash 90+ meter sixes. His Batting strike rate is 158.14 this season & Bowling strike rate is 13. Along with Sanju Samson, He is CSK most impactful player this season. Overton is the spine of this team. The man Gaikwad throws the ball to when the game slips. The man who makes the total 10 runs bigger than it should be.
Overton gave up Tests. Gave up the Ashes dream. Gave up being the all format player everyone thought he might become. In giving all that up, he found something else. A role. A team. A crowd that screams his name. A franchise that trusts him when he fails. A format that lets his speed matter.
Some stories are about talent. Some about hard work. This one is about knowing when to stop trying to be everything & finding that being one thing, done properly, is enough.
Fascinating press conference by Simeone. Refuses to be drawn into questions about penalties that weren't and any gamesmanship for Arsenal. Rather feels like he admires the team that just eliminated his.
"Arteta has done an incredible job at Arsenal."
Whoever's on the Sky live blog here at the City Ground needs to focus on Forest rather than make utterly pointless digs against Arsenal...maybe just concentrate on the game in hand here in Nottingham rather than try and mug off Arsenal for the sake of it eh...?
Arsenal still have by far the highest defensive line in the PL this season.
The lowest low-block Arsenal has faced all season? Man City’s.
If you’re gonna cheat, you might as well lie too I guess.
Points won last 5 League games:
Arsenal: 12
Man City: 11
Points won last 10 League games:
Arsenal: 20
Man City: 21
Points won last 20 League games:
Arsenal: 41
Man City: 42
Arsenal aren't playing particularly well right now, but the level of panic online is crazy to me!