Right that’s the end of today’s football blog. Thanks to all who have engaged, especially those who emailed in your questions. It’s always a pleasure to field them and to keep this blog populated. I’ll leave you with this timely piece by Jacob Steinberg on Lee Carsley. Enjoy your weekends, folks. Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall has urged his side to put their disappointing midweek Champions League trip to Bayern Munich behind them ahead of their Women’s Super League clash with Chelsea. A late hattrick from former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder saw the Gunners defeated 5-2 in Munich on Wednesday night, just days after a frustrating goalless draw in the league to Everton. Reflecting on the Bayern defeat, Eidevall said in his latest press conference: “I think it’s the same as I said after the game, our first half is in many parts a decent game of football from our side. “We’re really disappointed with how we acted in the last 15-20 minutes in the game and I think the last two goals we conceded should not happen like that. “That of course leaves us with a bitter feeling; it’s a tough learning point for us to take but we need to do that in order to get to where we want to be and we need to look forward to tomorrow.” Arsenal are sixth in the table coming the Chelsea game and Eidevall is excited about the challenge. “The games that they have played, you can see that [Chelsea] set a clear trademark on how they’re playing, both in and out of possession,” he added. “I think they look like a really good football team, so it’s going to be a match between two really good football teams and we look forward to that challenge.” PA Is Mauricio Pochettino international football’s most high-profile manager? He’s not won too many trophies, as his critics often point out, but he can certainly give the USA a boost. Here’s the Stateside assessment of Poch’s first squad via Alexander Abnos and what it says about the brave new future. Oh no. More United stuff. Captain Bruno Fernandes admits he has to take more responsibility for his lack of goals. The 30-year-old has not scored in his past 15 club appearances, stretching back to April, and accepts he has not met his own exacting standards. “As for the club, I want to improve as soon as I get there, and make sure the goals start coming again,” Fernandes told Portuguese media while on international duty preparing for their Nations League match against Poland. “I have to take responsibility for that too, because I’m a midfielder who scores a lot of goals, and over the years, I’ve always been at a very high level in terms of goals and I have to live up to that, with those expectations. “I also have my own standards, I don’t hold back on that. I haven’t scored for the club yet and I hope that as soon as I get there I can score and help the club get back to winning ways and to a good level.” PA Some Manchester United news. And some good news at that. Kobbie Mainoo is reportedly on the brink of a new contract. That’d be richly deserved. It’s hard to believe it was less than 12 months ago Mainoo burst onto the scene with a memorable Premier League debut against Everton. Since then he’s scored an FA Cup winning goal, broken into the England team, and starred at a tournament, becoming integral for club and country, all by the age of 19. "Forever a Blade" – Sheffield United tributes to Baldock Sheffield United owner Prince Abdullah and chairman Yusuf Giansiracusa also paid tribute to Baldock on Friday morning. “Like all Blades, we received the news of George Baldock’s tragic and premature passing with overwhelming sadness,” a statement read. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, as well as his friends and all who knew him, not least the Sheffield United family. “George played every minute on the pitch with passion, commitment and the ability associated with our football club, and his role in our campaigns to achieve two promotions will live long in our memories and the history of the club. “George served United with distinction – he remains a Blade.” I’d encourage you all to watch this moving tribute to George Baldock by his former manager. And as sure as night follows day, Football Daily has landed and it starts with an England-related apology. Speaking of Lee Carsley, as we are quite a lot, England’s Under-21s are in action tonight, under the studious eye of interim boss Ben Futcher. They’re taking on Ukraine at the Vitality Stadium. I promised no more England emails but this one comes from Graham Potter. Whether it’s THE Graham Potter or not, who knows? Southgate’s caution is what protected England’s pretty average defence from the kind of calamity we saw last night. Imagine what a top class team would have done to an England so top heavy and unstructured, trying to shoehorn players in at the expense of any kind of system or method. Last night ought to kill off all the clamours for such obvious nonsense. Yes, the attacking balance was wrong in the summer – notably on the left – but the front-to-back balance, erring on the side of caution, gave us a platform for the attack to succeed or fail. There was no platform last night; just a loose, open, unstructured shape that exposed a back five who are simply not world-class, have never played together and looked all at sea. England fans seemingly remain as deluded as ever. It’s Palmer or Saka on the right, it’s Palmer, Foden or Bellingham at 10, it’s not all four of them in the same team, no matter how talented they are individually. Part of me thinks Carsley had a free hit – he likely wants to stay back with the U21s and not the fearsome spotlight of the top job – to bow to the pressure from the media and fans and prove that throwing stars at the pitch and asking them to just “do your thing” wasn’t ever going to work. This is a lovely chat between Marc Cucurella and Sid Lowe but I’m afraid that horrendous ‘Cu-Cu-Curella’ drunken post-Euros song is stuck in my head whenever I read or hear about the Spain left-back. Sorry, Marc. While we’re on the subject of Wales and managers, these quotes from Rob Page, speaking to the BBC’s Football Daily podcast, hit hard. “When you get the sack, you don’t want to leave, it’s not your choice. It was a hard one to take. It took me a little while to come to terms with it, if I’m honest. Nothing surprises you in football.” On his future, he added: “I’m looking forward now to my next challenge. I’m quite open. “I loved international football, but if there’s an opportunity to go back into the domestic game, and it’s the right opportunity that fits for both parties, then I’d absolutely consider it.” If you’ve ever asked ‘whatever happened to Player X’ consider all of those questions answered, here, as we check in on our NextGen 2021 batch: Craig Bellamy is excited about his second international break with Wales. “Hopefully we’ve been able to build on the first camp,” he says ahead of tonight’s clash with Iceland. “We’ve been able to spend more time with one another and do more work out on the pitch but also in meetings. “We will see if it’s able to push us up again. It’s been really positive from not just players but everyone. Everyone is full of energy. “We have a group of players who know what elite is and there’s a certain standard you have to abide by to be able to do that and these players are doing that. “I’ve got to be honest, I’m excited. I know this group was good and I knew it was bold to take the manager’s job. I have to be honest, I was excited after the first camp but this camp has gone up again.” The England chat continues to pour into my inbox. Mandy Leeson says let’s not overreact re Carsley: “The Nations League is the perfect opportunity to experiment. This experiment may have been woefully misguided and a huge gamble, but it showed that he is not frightened to take a risk. Don’t write him off just yet. ”And Lee, if you’re reading this, you either need to play Bellingham further back if you want to play all three together, or you’re going to have to alternate. We need a team who play for each other and know their job, rather than an array of outstanding individuals. Good luck!” Reports in Spain are suggesting Barcelona have postponed their return to the Camp Nou until March 2025, having initially thought (or hoped) the stadium could be ready to host games in November or December this year. Even February looks too soon, with ESPN reporting that possibility is “increasingly unlikely”. Here’s how it’s supposed to look: Save of the month as well? Oh, go on then. André Onana has been one of the few Manchester United players to start the season well. Forest’s reply to their hefty FA fine is in – they will, predictably, appeal it. A statement from the club reads as follows: “Nottingham Forest Football Club is extremely disappointed with the decision of the Regulatory Commission to impose a £750,000 fine in relation to comments posted on social media following our Premier League fixture against Everton on Sunday 21 April. “We are particularly concerned that The FA, in its submissions, sought a sanction ‘in excess of £1,000,000’. “We believe that this request, along with the subsequent fine, is wholly disproportionate and the club will be appealing the decision.” At this point I’m duty bound to include a picture of the corner flag at the City Ground.