View From The Bridge

In terms of bold statements, I may have slightly overstretched with this one but before a dozen angry French and PSG fans come and bite my head off, just let me plead my case.  As of now, the future for Kylian Mbappe is surrounded by question marks. After a fairly mediocre performance and a crucial missed penalty against Switzerland in last nights Euro 2020 Round of 16 matchup, a few questions have been raised surrounding the ability of footballs number one wunderkind. In  390 minutes of football at the Euro’s he managed 4 shots on target out of 14 attempts and was a major contributing factor in France’s early exit. Nevertheless, this is far from the end of Kylian Mbappe. At 22 years old he has a lot more football to play, but where he chooses to play may just decide his fate as an all-time great or a wunderkind bust.  Mbappe - thegaurdian.com I get it, it’s all a little dramatic. One bad game and Mbappe has gone from comparisons to some of footballs greatest ever talents...

NBA Draft classes are a lot like a box of chocolates, you never quite know what you’re going to get. Some players build off of great college careers and become franchise and household names, whilst others just don’t quite meet the NBA’s great expectations and fade. For the past two seasons, 2018’s 1st overall pick DeAndre Ayton was quickly joining the ‘Big Man Bust’ list alongside the likes of Greg Oden and Anthony Bennett instead of leading an NBA franchise - but I guess no one is laughing now.  DeAndre Ayton drafted with 1st overall pick in 2018 by Pheonix Suns - thegaurdian.com With the likes of Luka Doncic and Trae Young yet to be chosen, it was a fairly head scratching moment when the 6’11” Arizona alumni heard his name called first for the Pheonix Suns. However, unlike everyone else in the draft lottery, Phoenix weren’t looking for a future Hall of Famer, as they already had that in Devin Booker, who just a year prior had dropped 70 points against the Boston Celtics. The...

Mark the date. 2021 is the year of the young fella’s! With the old guard sustaining injury upon injury and diving deep into their bag of excuses, the bright young stars of the NBA have taken it upon themselves to provide some of the best post season performances in recent history. However, for one reason or another, it seems Trae Young and the Hawks have flown pretty much undetected to this point, only turning heads for a spitting fan in New York and a Game 7 in Philadelphia. I think it’s most people’s opinion that the Hawks are destined to be defeated and sit at the very bottom of the remaining teams in terms of winning this years NBA Championship. But if Trae Young continues the way he’s playing, that Championship trophy mirage may just materialise in a few weeks time.  Trae Young and John Collins - skysports.com After missing every single All-NBA team, Trae Young has definitely been attacking these playoffs with a chip on his shoulder. After leading the Atlanta Hawks to a 5th se...

With the group stage drawing to a close, Euro 2020 has proven to be just what football fans ordered after 18 months of multi-tiered lockdowns and empty stadiums. However, with plenty of football still to play, now seemed a good a time as any to look back at the good, bad and ugly of football’s first return to normality on an international scale.  Winners: Italy Having been a notable absence from 2018’s FIFA World Cup, the Italians have regained their position among world footballs very best. Coming into the tournament, they had previously gone 27 games undefeated and have since increased this total to 30 - 5 shy of Brazil’s all time record (1993-1996). Incredibly, this run isn’t the mark of one incredible individual, but a team made of young stars and old war dogs set on returning their old school nation back to the top. 3 convincing wins out of 3 have placed Italy among the favourites to take it all the way.  Italy at Euro 2020 - thegaurdian.com Winners: Aaron Ramsey & Ga...

Whenever the F1 circus returns to the streets of Baku, three things are always certain: flat out straights, multiple red flags, and a spectacular drive from Sebastian Vettel. The four time world champion took a trip down memory lane this past weekend, with a drive that earned him a foot on the podium for the first time since Istanbul in 2020. Qualifying 11th on the grid, narrowly missing out to old rival Fernando Alonso and Valtteri Bottas, he climbed nine places and secured Aston Martin’s first points since their Formula One return. However, this isn’t just a flash of brilliance before returning to regularly scheduled mediocrity, but instead is a glimpse of what’s to come.  With the seemingly limitless resources of Lawrence Stroll behind them, Aston Martin Racing have had some mixed results during their maiden voyage of the 2021 season. Having collected a grand total of 5 points from the first four races, they have managed to bounce back and announce themselves as mid table conten...

Unfortunately for fellow Brits like myself, the time has come for another major international tournament and if previous attempts are any indication, we’re in for another whole summer filled with good weather, cheap pints and another round of crushing disappointment. Some might gasp at that statement and point toward the likes of Phil Foden, Mason Mount, and Harry Kane as suitable talents to lead England to their first European Championship in 2021. However, with the likes of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, and Wayne Rooney unable to produce on the international stage, I don’t give our boys much chance either. I know that’s a pretty negative note to start on but I have tried to remain positive. Gareth Southgate has assembled quite a side that (on paper) that looks poised for at least another visit to this years semi-final before obviously being quickly dismantled by the likes of France or Germany. Last weeks Champions League Final was a fine example of some of the talent that England po...