James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Mikel Arteta and his staff have extended their contracts at Arsenal through to 2030. If Arteta sees it out he will be the third longest serving manager in Arsenal's history, fourth in Premier League. 31006
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 03/10/2026Have to keep this to one per artist don’t you or else it’s a pointless endeavour 10340
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 21/09/2026Manchester United's attack really is fascinating for so many of the wrong reasons www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/... 140
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 20/09/2026Most non-penalty expected goals allowed in a game in Europe's top five leagues this season Racing Santander - 4.38 vs. Barcelona Manchester City - 4.25 vs. Sunderland Athletic Club - 4.23 vs. Barcelona Valencia - 4.08 vs. Barcelona Stuttgart - 4.06 vs. Bayern Munich 1304
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 20/09/2026Can scarcely imagine a more perfect for Fulham (h) 080
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 09/09/2026In his last two games, Martin Odegaard has 2.03 expected assists and 0.87 expected goals. Yeah I'm thinking he's back. 71465
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 06/09/2026The Arsenal anthem jacket designer, drawing up another stone cold classic 0270
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 06/09/2026Half a dozen or so inflatable UCL trophies held aloft in the away end 590
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 03/09/2026Gabriel Martinelli joins Al-Hilal for €70m, the third highest fee ever paid by a Saudi club & Arsenal record sale. As first reported by CBS Sports on August 24, Arsenal secure sell on fee. Martinelli understood to be earning €20m plus bonuses. End of an era for an Arsenal great. 618915
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 31/08/2026With the huge caveat these numbers are being put up in Ligue 1, I'd be further examining a 21 year old with these numbers. There might be something to work on at the right price. 3250
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 30/08/2026At 26% possession, that is the least of the ball any Xabi Alonso team has had in a league game. It worked for them today. It might just be the way to get the best out of Palmer, Rogers and Pedro. 5163
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Al-Hilal and Arsenal closing in on agreement for Gabriel Martinelli’s transfer. The fee is expected to be around €58m guaranteed with €8m in further bonuses. Subject to player’s final approval, a club record sale for Arsenal. 3514
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 19/08/2026A stat that somewhat surprised me. In the Premier League and European games last season, no Arsenal centre back hit a top speed over 33 km/h. Ezri Konsa's max last season was 33.26 km/h. He's not as athletic as William Saliba but who is? 13601
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 10/08/2026Any resentment between the Emirates Stadium and Bruno Guimaraes had long since gone by the time he took the field yesterday afternoon. He might have infuriated north London but Arsenal fans know they're getting a proper player. Breaking down his game 👇 www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/... 0301
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 09/08/2026Nwaneri places the ball in the top corner. Five perfect penalties. Dortmund win the Emirates Cup. Arsenal win the shootout. And... 1762
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 04/08/2026Arsene Wenger says he was "not involved" or aware of the plans to sell off the World Cup and has welcomed their scrapping. "The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question". His statement does not mention Gianni Infantino or call for change. 15483
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 03/08/2026Tzolis confirmed that he was topping fitness tests among those who have already joined up for pre-season. No wonder the fitness coaches have already given him the nickname Leonidas. 4250
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 03/08/2026Spoke to Christos Tzolis last week, he says the thing that has struck him the most since joining Arsenal is the hunger everyone in the squad is showing to go further. "I see a clear mindset and that everybody is on the same page to win titles here." 2631
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 05/07/2026In Brazil's last three World Cup eliminations they have put up shots worth 8.48 xG, scoring three goals. They have allowed shots worth 2.02 xG, conceding five goals. (Chuck in 2014 and they're still up 10.1 over 5.17) This is cursed stuff. 8346
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 03/07/2026"Just rock and roll that please... ok you can go to ball tracking when ready." 4190
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 03/07/2026It's 1.4 xG to 0.2 Portugal have had 70% of the ball Bruno Fernandes has more penalty box touches than every opposition player combined Everything's coming up Croatia winning a penalty shootout 5420
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 30/06/2026Absolutely ridiculous that Olise is this aggressive in his passing and this accurate. His 92% pass completion in the attacking third is what your DM gives you. Meanwhile Olise's out here sliding the ball through lines to put it on a platter for his forwards. 1024548
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 30/06/2026Hmmm, quite a lot of metrics there that I don't really know what's going into them. To each their own but not what I'm seeing on more basic stuff. 000
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 30/06/2026That is staggering money for the outline of a good midfielder, who probably needs to land in the right environment to develop. Although I suppose a 62nd percentile passing midfielder in Europe's top five leagues is a 100th percentile passing midfielder at Tottenham. 4280
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 29/06/2026Initially looks like a game where Brazil were dominant on the xG but you have a brief spell up to that Vini chance where their xG skyrockets and then that late opening. Japan fully punished for their bad moments, too gassed to make some good ones later on. 480
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 29/06/2026Tomiyasu and his Japan team mates have done a pretty good job so far of forcing Vinicius Junior wide or backwards. There's always a risk he might do something on the byline but with a forward of that talent you've got to pick your poison. It seems like Japan have chosen well. 0210
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 28/06/2026Went digging back through an interview I did with Xabi Alonso midway through Leverkusen's invincible season, this was quite a telling line on the importance of Granit Xhaka. He would go on to say that the double would have been impossible without Xhaka. www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/... 1200
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 24/06/2026Turkey shot chart | 2026 World Cup | 62 shots | 0.057 xG per shot 1220
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 24/06/2026How can you be the best version of yourself, the team who doesn't do the passing in the midfield, and not have this guy on your roster? 010
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 23/06/2026England could have been a fair bit better breaking down that low block but they were trying to do it with their wingers who were arguably least suited to that. Any team what Ghana just did (brilliantly) in the knockouts probably has to keep it up for another 30 mins. 2190
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 17/06/2026All for Kane dropping into the No.10 position with the right setup (which England have). This isn't that. This is Kane dropping into the No.4 position. I'm not sure that it's ideal when your Ballon d'Or-contender striker has more touches in your half than Croatia's. 4235
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 16/06/2026France had one shot worth 0.02 xG in the first half against Senegal. That is the lowest xG in any half of a World Cup game since France in the first half of the 2022 final. This does seem to happen to this team with a frequency that you might gently label disproportionate to their talent. 1130
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 16/06/2026The average La Liga forward pressed 42 times per 90 last season. The second least frequent, Rashford, pressed 22.5. Mbappe? 16.99. He ended the season with fewer interceptions than Joan Garcia. He says he will change. Tonight we might see if that's true. www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/... 1101
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 15/06/2026Oh wow, fair enough. I was dimmly aware of the name but yeah, this profile would be a handy one for the squad. 110
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 12/06/2026Every day of the World Cup I'm going to jot down a few thoughts that vaguely interest me ahead of the upcoming fixtures. I may not know the answers to the questions I ask. Today, I know the pure output has been bad. But has Jonathan David been unlucky? www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/... 290
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 11/06/2026Omar Artan is to referee the Super Cup between PSG and Aston Villa, UEFA have announced. "UEFA wants to show its respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills," says Aleksander Ceferin. 15644130
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 01/06/2026The shade of the Spygate appeal panel. The shade. 0363
James Benge @jamesbenge.bsky.social · 31/05/2026Having come so close, now what for Arsenal? The problem is obvious: they need best of the best attackers. Could Kroupi and Rogers, both targets, be the players to push Arsenal to “another level”? www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/... 11614
