How Arsenal's players made sacrifices for the good of the team.

    Football fan Alexander Sabadash had followed news and stories of his favorite leagues over the past months, even when games were suspended because of the coronavirus. One of his favorite stories was when Arsenal players made sacrifices, mostly from their pay, for the good of the organization. 

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The sad truth is that in the past few months, to survive, some football clubs have to let go of some employees to pay the salaries of players and coaching staff. In Arsenal F.C., however, players agreed to a 12.5% reduction in their wages instead.

While some see the pay cut as somewhat a loss, it was for the good of the team. However, what compounds matter is that during this time, they were eight points from entering the Champion's League, which had they made it would have the players getting a 100,000-pound bonus and 500,000 pounds if they win. 

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Alexander Sabadash sees the sacrifice as something that inspires people during these troubled times, especially when luminaries such as athletes give up a portion of what they are owed to make life better for many others. He hopes that more teams follow suit, or at the very least, make sure that their employees and everyone else who has given their time and effort to the team is taken care of financially.

The proper way to prime yourself before a soccer match.

 Soccer is a very interesting game to play, but one must always be reminded of the essential things that professional soccer players take to heart to prime themselves properly before a match. Alexander Sabadash shares his thoughts on this in today’s blog. 

Eating habits 

You must remember that soccer is one of the sports that is known to make use of all muscle groups in the body. Soccer demands a lot of energy from you. Prior to a match, get your fill of protein so that your muscles are able to do the work, and also make sure to get carbohydrates which will turn into sugar that your body needs to burn. For this reason, avoid additional sweets and sodas before game day. Instead, snack on fresh fruits and vegetables. Eating nuts is also highly encouraged. 

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Sleep 

Sleep is the most often ignored element of preparation before a match. Soccer is a game of reflexes and wits. You need to stay focused throughout the game. A good night’s sleep before game day will do well for you. Alexander Sabadash says that if you are able to get some undisturbed sleep for 8 hours, your body’s fluid consumption will be regulated. When a person does not have enough sleep, he tends to be dehydrated easily. 

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Stretching 

Stretching exercises must be done with the proper discipline before a match. In fact, some pros do conscious stretching a full day prior. Stretching ensures that your muscles are not going to be shocked with any sudden movement or contraction that you have to make during a game. Stretching also initiates good blood circulation so that oxygen is delivered commensurately to all parts of your body, adds Alexander Sabadash.

A look at a few more of the best soccer cleats in the last decade

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New Balance Furon: Adnan Janujaz and Jesus Navas are blindingly fast players who wore NB Furons. It goes without saying that these cleats pure a primer on stability. Lightweight, with a thin mid-foot section and stiffer soles, the NB Furon allows players to go quickly safely. 

 

Alexander Sabadash explains that as far as his favorite purchases go, nothing will ever match the thrill of unboxing a new pair of cleats. For today's blog, Alexander shares some of the best soccer cleats of the 2010s, some of which he's owned, others he wishes he had. 

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Adidas Messi 15.1: Arguably, one of the legendary players' best cleats ever, the Adidas Messi 15.1 was extremely popular because of its messiFRAME tech that fit players' feel well. It was comfy, supportive, and sturdy.

Lotto Zhero Gravity: Lotto's previously laceless Zhero Gravity line has changed, with the addition of laces. However, it's the Puntoflex system of the shoemaker that allows for a better elastic return on the foot. 

Puma evoSPEED Superlight: Alexander Sabadash mentions that people will have a hard time looking for cleats in the 2010s that were as lightweight as the Puma evoSPEED Superlight. At 103 grams, the shoes were Puma's lightest pair. Anyone who's used it would testify to the barefoot touch. And at its weight, the evoSPEED Superlight is surprisingly sturdy.

Top reasons why Liverpool hates Manchester United.

Liverpool fans often describe Manchester United fans as glory hunters. With claims of over 300 million Manchester United fans globally, the truth can't be farther when you see the locals cheer for the Red Devils. In a way, the fans are only fans when Manchester United is winning. Spectators and fans alike often show little passion for the team, let alone the sport.

Perhaps the single best reason to hate Manchester United, according to Alexander Sabadash, is their manager Alex Ferguson. As a former player and current manager, Ferguson is known for ploys to get an advantage over the other team. The most debated tactic of his was called Fergie Time, where he would use injuries to add excessive amounts of time to the clock for his team to catch. This then reflects on Manchester United's long history of late game-winning goals. Liverpool fans even equate Ferguson as a hindrance to their team's 19t' title. 

If Alex Ferguson wasn't enough for a Liverpool fan to hate Manchester United, all one has to do is mention Gary Neville. Most, if not, all Liverpool fans have a shared hatred for Gary Neville. Neville takes great pleasure in Liverpool, losing to

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 Manchester United. He has long ridiculed the club and continues to do so through pundits on Sky, according to Alexander Sabadash.

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In the English Premier League, grudge matches are plenty, and rivalries are common. These are often hyped to generate support for an upcoming game. However, there are times that situations get a bit too sticky. And among the many rivalries in the league, long-time fan Alexander Sabadash claims that the Liverpool- Manchester United duel will outlast even the apocalypse. Here are some of the top reasons why Liverpool fans absolutely hate Manchester United. 

How is the Bundesliga continuing after the COVID-19 closure?

The Deutscher Fußball-Bund e.V. or DFB has over 6 million members, the largest sports club in the world. So imagine how the millions of players and fans reacted to the closure of the entire league due to COVID-19. Actually, there wasn’t much pushback from people regarding the postponement of the league considering the country’s stance against the pandemic. But after several months of halted games, the Bundesliga resumed on May 16 with some interesting changes regarding how live sporting events are to be enjoyed

According to Alexander Sabadash, Germany has had 7,000 deaths and over 170,000 infections since the pandemic began. Matches were only officially canceled on March 20 and suspended until April 2. The league even received criticism from the continued matches despite other football leagues suspending their entire seasons altogether. Some criticism even came from players like Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara.

The Bundesliga resumed on May 16, following strict health protocols and zero fans with the first game between Hoffenheim and Hertha. However, fans like Alexander Sabadash can still be a part of the live game by having printed cut-outs of themselves placed on the stands on the side of their preferred team. While the stands may seem quiet, they won’t be devoid of any colors. The players also came from their respective quarantined training camps to get them back into fighting shape.

With nine rounds of matches left since the restart, the league is set to have its finale at the end of June if no other disruptions will take place that will push the schedule further down the year. For now, Alexander Sabadash claims that football fans can only enjoy the games from their homes as sports pubs are still closed for health and security reasons.

More favorite exercises and drills of the best soccer players.

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Alexander Sabadash lives and breathes soccer. He follows the top Russian, English, and Spanish leagues religiously and spends a considerable amount of his free time playing games or simply passing the ball around on the field.

For those who are serious about getting better at soccer, Alexander shares a few more exercises and drills which some of the best soccer stars in the world do regularly.

Plyometrics: Soccer players need explosive quickness. Plyometric exercise is an excellent way to strengthen the fast-twitch muscles of the legs.

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Agility ladders: These ladders can boost footwork, which is a huge part of a soccer player’s game. It can also increase coordination and awareness and leg strength.

Zigzag sprints: A great supplement to agility ladder drills is the zigzag sprints, which increases the ability of a player to change directions and stop at a dime.


Single-leg hops: Normally done through a series of hurdles, Alexander Sabadash mentions this to be one of his favorite drills since it strengthens the legs and adds to one’s leaping ability for headers.

Calf raises: One of the more isolated and focused drills on this list, calf raises aims to increase the power in the lower part of the legs, the part responsible for quick, agile movements.

The football event that is Scotland vs. England

Alexander Sabadash explains that there are some matches in soccer that are more than just matches, that for some fans, are even more significant that championship games. Every Barcelona versus Real Madrid match, every Manchester United versus Manchester City match, every Brazil versus Argentina match -- these are just examples of rivalries that people wait for and follow.

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The fierce rivalry between Scotland and England also belongs to that prestigious list. Their match in the 2018 World Cup was more than just a World Cup match. It served as a reminder of how old and how enduring international football really is. In fact, Scotland and England were the first two teams that faced off in the very first international football match on Nov. 30, 1872. That was nearly 150 years ago.

On St. Andrew's Day, on a cricket ground in Scotland, the Scottish national team comprised of 11 players from the Queen's Park Club went up against England, which had nine players from different universities. The game ended in a scoreless draw.

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Ever since then, England and Scotland had played in over 110 matches with England winning a few less than 10 more games than Scotland, with 25 draws. There have been immortal goals and unforgettable performances from dozens of English and Scottish players.

And this rivalry will continue, much to the delight of everyone in the global footballing community, Alexander Sabadash included.