James Benge
@jamesbenge.bsky.social
Football Correspondent, CBS
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The problems are just too familiar for Liverpool at this stage of the season. The back to back wins showed how good this team can be but to achieve what they want will take a level of consistency that looks beyond them right now.
Liverpool's Premier League title defense may already be over after loss at Man City
The Reds couldn't follow up their win over Real Madrid and may have lost their PL title hopes in the process
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November 9, 2025 at 7:37 PM
The problems are just too familiar for Liverpool at this stage of the season. The back to back wins showed how good this team can be but to achieve what they want will take a level of consistency that looks beyond them right now.
Liverpool spent nearly £300m this summer building an attack to ease their reliance on Mohamed Salah.
Today Salah took three of their seven shots and assisted three more. He had over 60% of their xG. And this was a rather poor performance by him.
Today Salah took three of their seven shots and assisted three more. He had over 60% of their xG. And this was a rather poor performance by him.
November 9, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Liverpool spent nearly £300m this summer building an attack to ease their reliance on Mohamed Salah.
Today Salah took three of their seven shots and assisted three more. He had over 60% of their xG. And this was a rather poor performance by him.
Today Salah took three of their seven shots and assisted three more. He had over 60% of their xG. And this was a rather poor performance by him.
To my immense joy, I don't do player ratings. If I did, Doku would get a 10.
November 9, 2025 at 5:56 PM
To my immense joy, I don't do player ratings. If I did, Doku would get a 10.
Jeremy Doku take ons vs. Liverpool: 5 successful/7 attempts
Liverpool take ons vs. Man City: 3 successful/7 attempts
Liverpool take ons vs. Man City: 3 successful/7 attempts
November 9, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Jeremy Doku take ons vs. Liverpool: 5 successful/7 attempts
Liverpool take ons vs. Man City: 3 successful/7 attempts
Liverpool take ons vs. Man City: 3 successful/7 attempts
City's dominance more comprehensive than that 2-0 half time scoreline suggests. Referee decisions haven't favoured the visitors but they're also not dealing with the most basic problems out of possession.
I'm not even sure City have been brilliant. Certainly good but they haven't had to be better.
I'm not even sure City have been brilliant. Certainly good but they haven't had to be better.
November 9, 2025 at 5:25 PM
City's dominance more comprehensive than that 2-0 half time scoreline suggests. Referee decisions haven't favoured the visitors but they're also not dealing with the most basic problems out of possession.
I'm not even sure City have been brilliant. Certainly good but they haven't had to be better.
I'm not even sure City have been brilliant. Certainly good but they haven't had to be better.
Three banners in the stands as the Etihad hums to chants of “We’ve got Guardiola”
November 9, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Three banners in the stands as the Etihad hums to chants of “We’ve got Guardiola”
Man City XI: Donnarumma; Neves, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Nico Gonzalez, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden; Cherki, Haaland, Doku
Liverpool XI: Mamaradashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike
Liverpool XI: Mamaradashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike
November 9, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Man City XI: Donnarumma; Neves, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Nico Gonzalez, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden; Cherki, Haaland, Doku
Liverpool XI: Mamaradashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike
Liverpool XI: Mamaradashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike
No Rodri in the Manchester City squad today. Abdukodir Khusanov also not among the players who just got off the team bus.
November 9, 2025 at 3:07 PM
No Rodri in the Manchester City squad today. Abdukodir Khusanov also not among the players who just got off the team bus.
I would estimate around 40 people have gathered outside the Etihad Stadium to protest UAE involvement in the conflict in Sudan.
November 9, 2025 at 2:44 PM
I would estimate around 40 people have gathered outside the Etihad Stadium to protest UAE involvement in the conflict in Sudan.
I remember when Dan Ballard signed a pro deal at Arsenal someone who’d worked with him told me “he’d stick his head in a lion’s mouth to clear the ball”.
I was a bit sceptical of him then. I’m not now.
I was a bit sceptical of him then. I’m not now.
November 8, 2025 at 7:46 PM
I remember when Dan Ballard signed a pro deal at Arsenal someone who’d worked with him told me “he’d stick his head in a lion’s mouth to clear the ball”.
I was a bit sceptical of him then. I’m not now.
I was a bit sceptical of him then. I’m not now.
Arsenal are playing very good football in open play. This isn’t actually as notable as some might think.
November 8, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Arsenal are playing very good football in open play. This isn’t actually as notable as some might think.
A few too many final third flicks in areas of the pitch that really aren't the final third
November 8, 2025 at 6:11 PM
A few too many final third flicks in areas of the pitch that really aren't the final third
My most yer da football take is use the free kick marking spray for where the ball went out on throw ins. The creeping has gone too far.
November 8, 2025 at 5:54 PM
My most yer da football take is use the free kick marking spray for where the ball went out on throw ins. The creeping has gone too far.
Could Sunderland avoid relegation even if they try to Producers this?
What happens if Arsenal stay on this sort of pace?
It’s never too early to play around with points per game
(Except now, which is too early for the title race)
What happens if Arsenal stay on this sort of pace?
It’s never too early to play around with points per game
(Except now, which is too early for the title race)
Sunderland vs. Arsenal: How many points per game do they need?
How well do Arsenal need to play to win the title?
www.cbssports.com
November 8, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Could Sunderland avoid relegation even if they try to Producers this?
What happens if Arsenal stay on this sort of pace?
It’s never too early to play around with points per game
(Except now, which is too early for the title race)
What happens if Arsenal stay on this sort of pace?
It’s never too early to play around with points per game
(Except now, which is too early for the title race)
Mikel Arteta says he is "super optimistic" that Arsenal's game away to Everton will be rescheduled, saying that for welfare "we cannot play Sunday and Tuesday".
Calid but it's 6 weeks till a game on final weekend before Christmas. Worth considering what it'll mean for fans.
Calid but it's 6 weeks till a game on final weekend before Christmas. Worth considering what it'll mean for fans.
November 7, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Mikel Arteta says he is "super optimistic" that Arsenal's game away to Everton will be rescheduled, saying that for welfare "we cannot play Sunday and Tuesday".
Calid but it's 6 weeks till a game on final weekend before Christmas. Worth considering what it'll mean for fans.
Calid but it's 6 weeks till a game on final weekend before Christmas. Worth considering what it'll mean for fans.
Obviously it's the goals, the goals and the goals. Maybe, however, there's just a smidge more that Erling Haaland is offering to make life easier for his team mates.
Well-rounded Erling Haaland leads Manchester City over Dortmund
Haaland may have become the focal point for all of City's goals, but in the Champions League the rest of his game also shone through
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November 6, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Obviously it's the goals, the goals and the goals. Maybe, however, there's just a smidge more that Erling Haaland is offering to make life easier for his team mates.
Declan Rice now has as many PL and UCL assists since joining Arsenal as Martin Odegaard (22). He is only three behind Bukayo Saka.
He has played a lot more minutes than either (nearly 1800 over Odegaard) but what development this has been from Rice.
He has played a lot more minutes than either (nearly 1800 over Odegaard) but what development this has been from Rice.
November 4, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Declan Rice now has as many PL and UCL assists since joining Arsenal as Martin Odegaard (22). He is only three behind Bukayo Saka.
He has played a lot more minutes than either (nearly 1800 over Odegaard) but what development this has been from Rice.
He has played a lot more minutes than either (nearly 1800 over Odegaard) but what development this has been from Rice.
Max Dowman becomes the youngest Champions League player in history, the first 15 year old to play in the competition.
November 4, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Max Dowman becomes the youngest Champions League player in history, the first 15 year old to play in the competition.
If ChatGPT can lead Seattle Reign to a top five finish, surely it can just do my Champions League preview column for me, right? Right?
*Useless robots, potentially bringing about the collapse of humanity and not saving me a few hours*
*Useless robots, potentially bringing about the collapse of humanity and not saving me a few hours*
Champions League burning questions: Have Real Madrid and Liverpool traded places, more
Also, is Thomas Frank really ready to manage at a big club?
www.cbssports.com
November 3, 2025 at 5:39 PM
If ChatGPT can lead Seattle Reign to a top five finish, surely it can just do my Champions League preview column for me, right? Right?
*Useless robots, potentially bringing about the collapse of humanity and not saving me a few hours*
*Useless robots, potentially bringing about the collapse of humanity and not saving me a few hours*
Arsenal will host Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup quarter final on December 23. Kick off is at 8pm. Arsenal had favoured December 16 but that date would have obliged Palace to play three games in a little over four days.
November 3, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Arsenal will host Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup quarter final on December 23. Kick off is at 8pm. Arsenal had favoured December 16 but that date would have obliged Palace to play three games in a little over four days.
West Ham are a devastating cocktail of bad and unlucky. A recipe for relegation.
November 2, 2025 at 2:07 PM
West Ham are a devastating cocktail of bad and unlucky. A recipe for relegation.
Perhaps the only major reason to doubt Tottenham’s decision to appoint Thomas Frank was how he would coach a team that expects to be less reactive, more daring.
Performances like this don’t ease that doubt.
Performances like this don’t ease that doubt.
Tottenham's defeat to Chelsea points to future issues Thomas Frank might create as Spurs aim for stability
Spurs wasted a chance at home to make a statement, creating just 0.10 xG on three shots
www.cbssports.com
November 1, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Perhaps the only major reason to doubt Tottenham’s decision to appoint Thomas Frank was how he would coach a team that expects to be less reactive, more daring.
Performances like this don’t ease that doubt.
Performances like this don’t ease that doubt.
FT Tottenham 0, Chelsea 1 - The best you could say for that Spurs performance is that they somehow avoided an almighty beat down. It could very easily have been that. In a game they were chasing for an hour they were outshot three to 15 (0.1 xG to 3.09)
November 1, 2025 at 7:32 PM
FT Tottenham 0, Chelsea 1 - The best you could say for that Spurs performance is that they somehow avoided an almighty beat down. It could very easily have been that. In a game they were chasing for an hour they were outshot three to 15 (0.1 xG to 3.09)
So many Spurs goalkicks where a CB plays it to Vicario, who gives it back to another. Then they either launch it up the touchline or play themselves into a pressing trap and try to launch it up the touchline.
I'm not sure what it's intended to do but it's not threatening Chelsea.
I'm not sure what it's intended to do but it's not threatening Chelsea.
November 1, 2025 at 6:57 PM
So many Spurs goalkicks where a CB plays it to Vicario, who gives it back to another. Then they either launch it up the touchline or play themselves into a pressing trap and try to launch it up the touchline.
I'm not sure what it's intended to do but it's not threatening Chelsea.
I'm not sure what it's intended to do but it's not threatening Chelsea.