Copa Independent

Lawrence Ostlere is joined by Richard Jolly and Kieran Jackson to discuss the continuing Manchester United turmoil after Bournemouth’s 3-0 win at Old Trafford and the decision to keep Michael Carrick in charge for their next game against Chelsea despite an eight-game winless run.

With no clear succession plan, are the club just buying time ahead of a brutal run of fixtures and the international break?

They debate realistic managerial options, recruitment, squad flaws and discuss whether a long-term rebuild akin to Arsenal’s is possible with the current hierarchy under Ratcliffe and INEOS.

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Kieran Jackson is joined by Lawrence Ostlere after England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane pipped Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to the most prestigious individual prize in world football on Monday night.

After a delayed and drawn-out affair at the London Palladium, a stunned Kane picked up the ultimate accolade after an outstanding season. But was he the right winner in a fiercely close race? How was the night itself, both on-site and via streaming service DAZN? And what does Kane’s win mean for the award going forward? Kieran and Lawrence unpack it all…

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The Ballon d’Or has become increasingly political, with player branding, club lobbying and voting blocs all playing their part. But what should the award recognise? In the latest episode of Copa Independent, Lawrence Ostlere, Miguel Delaney and Richard Jolly debate whether it should go to the best player or the most valuable over a 12-month period — and how much weight should be given to trophies, stats, influence, “magic” and the impact of World Cup years.

The trio assess a wide-open field of contenders for the 2026 award, including Mbappé, Yamal, Kane, Rodri, Kvaratskhelia, Dembélé and Olise, before revealing their own top fives — and their differing picks for the winner. They round things off with a Ballon d’Or quiz.

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Are Liverpool about to see the real Alexander Isaak? How long can Carrick last at Man Utd? These questions seem a touch mundane after what we've been through in the last two weeks but the Premier League is back! Even though it may never be the same....

Lawrence Ostlere is joined by Miguel Delaney and Jack Rathborn to preview Liverpool v Man City at Anfield in the first weekend of Premier League football after the Man City verdict, discussing the likely hostile atmosphere, City fans’ defiance, and what it means for the Premier League this season and beyond. They examine how City players and Enzo Maresca might respond — siege mentality versus collapse — plus the broader consequences for legacies, records, and the now distorted view of recent Premier League history.

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In an impromptu episode of Copa Independent, Lawrence Ostlere and Miguel Delaney react to the news that Manchester City are to be found guilty of almost all Premier League charges stemming from the 2018 football leaks revelations.

With the process ongoing and city reiterating their innocence, the pair examine what will come next: a lengthy commission report, a separate sanctions hearing, immediate penalties such as heavy fines and a points deduction that could mean relegation or even expulsion from the competition altogether, and the likelihood of a City appeal.

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Permacrisis: a long period of great difficulty, confusion or suffering that seems to have no end.

Lawrence Ostlere, Miguel Delaney and Richard Jolly assess Manchester United’s bleak start to the season after a 1-1 draw at Fulham, leaving them on five points from five games. Is Michael Carrick is better at one-off game plans than building a coherent long-term attacking structure? Despite some positive underlying stats, they discuss United’s heavy reliance on Bruno Fernandes, slow substitutions, and several atrocious performances.

They also discuss the recruitment under INEOS, expensive signings such as Ugarte, Zirkzee and Andrey Santos, an aging squad and the lack of a consistent club ideology.

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After Erling Haaland’s controversial winner in the Manchester derby and the inevitable fallout, Kieran Jackson is joined by Miguel Delaney and Jack Rathborn to dissect, eight years on from its rollout at the top level, whether VAR is actually effective in the Premier League. 

Have ‘refereeing standards’ actually dropped – or just changed? What have we taken from Spain and Italy? And how has the media discussion surrounding officials, with more shows, experts and social media clips than ever before, evolved in recent years? All this and more on this week’s episode of Copa Independent – leave a comment and let us know what you think!

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As the Champions League begins once again, Lawrence Ostlere is joined by Miguel Delaney and Richard Jolly on the latest episode of Copa Independent to debate the reduced jeopardy in the league phase, the value of finishing in the top eight, and how the format can benefit smaller clubs while packing the calendar. They discuss quirks of the draw and standout fixtures including Manchester City vs PSG, Atlético Madrid vs Manchester United, and José Mourinho facing former clubs, plus interest in Cesc Fàbregas’ Como.

The panel then explores why Premier League spending hasn’t translated into European dominance, citing domestic competitiveness, fatigue, turnover and coaching context.

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