{"response":{"status":"ok","userTier":"developer","total":1943915,"startIndex":1,"pageSize":10,"currentPage":1,"pages":194392,"orderBy":"newest","results":[{"id":"football/live/2017/apr/15/internazionale-milan-derby-serie-a-live","type":"liveblog","sectionId":"football","sectionName":"Football","webPublicationDate":"2017-04-15T11:44:59Z","webTitle":"Internazionale v Milan: Serie A – live!","webUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2017/apr/15/internazionale-milan-derby-serie-a-live","apiUrl":"https://content.guardianapis.com/football/live/2017/apr/15/internazionale-milan-derby-serie-a-live","blocks":{"main":{"id":"58f0acc3e4b05776df18d92a","bodyHtml":"<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"f98d5ca8e9f7a166a1b9f73b2e614c393910999a\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/f98d5ca8e9f7a166a1b9f73b2e614c393910999a/340_69_2037_1223/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Mauro Icardi celebrates after scoring the second goal.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Mauro Icardi celebrates after scoring the second goal.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Marco Luzzani/Inter via Getty Images</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-14T11:04:35Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-14T11:04:35Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:36:06Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:36:04Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/f98d5ca8e9f7a166a1b9f73b2e614c393910999a/340_69_2037_1223/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/f98d5ca8e9f7a166a1b9f73b2e614c393910999a/340_69_2037_1223/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/f98d5ca8e9f7a166a1b9f73b2e614c393910999a/340_69_2037_1223/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/f98d5ca8e9f7a166a1b9f73b2e614c393910999a/340_69_2037_1223/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/f98d5ca8e9f7a166a1b9f73b2e614c393910999a/340_69_2037_1223/2037.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2037,"height":1223}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/f98d5ca8e9f7a166a1b9f73b2e614c393910999a/340_69_2037_1223/master/2037.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2037,"height":1223,"isMaster":true}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Mauro Icardi celebrates after scoring the second goal.","copyright":"2017 Marco Luzzani - Inter","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Marco Luzzani/Inter via Getty Images","source":"Inter via Getty Images","photographer":"Marco Luzzani","alt":"Mauro Icardi celebrates after scoring the second goal.","mediaId":"f98d5ca8e9f7a166a1b9f73b2e614c393910999a","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/f98d5ca8e9f7a166a1b9f73b2e614c393910999a","suppliersReference":"668762636","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},"body":[{"id":"58f2070fe4b05776df18de1e","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>49 min:</strong> Inter, like a viper, attack while backed into a corner again. This time it is Nagatomo who races forwards on the left and works the ball into the centre, where Milan make a meal of clearing the ball after a Perisic swipe at goal. Kondogbia slides in to poke the ball to Candreva, who drives over. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"49 min: Inter, like a viper, attack while backed into a corner again. This time it is Nagatomo who races forwards on the left and works the ball into the centre, where Milan make a meal of clearing the ball after a Perisic swipe at goal. Kondogbia slides in to poke the ball to Candreva, who drives over.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:42:07Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:44:59Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:44:59Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:44:59Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>49 min:</strong> Inter, like a viper, attack while backed into a corner again. This time it is Nagatomo who races forwards on the left and works the ball into the centre, where Milan make a meal of clearing the ball after a Perisic swipe at goal. Kondogbia slides in to poke the ball to Candreva, who drives over. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f206a8e4b0e0ec04f01228","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>48 min:</strong> Suso and Calabria play a few triangular passes between one another on the right. The latter whips the ball in looking for Bacca butthere isn’t enough height on it and Inter clear through D’Ambrosio. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"48 min: Suso and Calabria play a few triangular passes between one another on the right. The latter whips the ball in looking for Bacca butthere isn’t enough height on it and Inter clear through D’Ambrosio.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:40:24Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:41:58Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:41:58Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:41:58Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>48 min:</strong> Suso and Calabria play a few triangular passes between one another on the right. The latter whips the ball in looking for Bacca butthere isn’t enough height on it and Inter clear through D’Ambrosio. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f2064ee4b05776df18de17","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>46 min:</strong> Suso is fouled by Kondogbia, who was showing the little playmaker a little too much attention and dragged him down. Not much else to report. A slow start with Inter sitting back and looking to play on the counter-attack. If it ain’t broke etc and so on …</p>","bodyTextSummary":"46 min: Suso is fouled by Kondogbia, who was showing the little playmaker a little too much attention and dragged him down. Not much else to report. A slow start with Inter sitting back and looking to play on the counter-attack. If it ain’t broke etc and so on …","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:38:54Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:40:15Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:40:15Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:40:14Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>46 min:</strong> Suso is fouled by Kondogbia, who was showing the little playmaker a little too much attention and dragged him down. Not much else to report. A slow start with Inter sitting back and looking to play on the counter-attack. If it ain’t broke etc and so on …</p>"}}]},{"id":"58f205a8e4b05b487c0e2928","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>45 min: </strong>No changes for Milan despite some substitutes warming up fiercely at half time. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"45 min: No changes for Milan despite some substitutes warming up fiercely at half time.","title":"Second half","attributes":{"keyEvent":true,"title":"Second half","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:36:08Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:38:43Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:38:43Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:38:43Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>45 min: </strong>No changes for Milan despite some substitutes warming up fiercely at half time. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f20537e4b0e0ec04f01221","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>Right, almost time for the second half.</strong> Milan need to get Bacca involved. Deulofeu and Suso have carried their threat but have done it alone, not linking up with their chief threat. Milan have paid for holding such a risky high line too. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"Right, almost time for the second half. Milan need to get Bacca involved. Deulofeu and Suso have carried their threat but have done it alone, not linking up with their chief threat. Milan have paid for holding such a risky high line too.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:34:15Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:35:52Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:35:52Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:35:52Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>Right, almost time for the second half.</strong> Milan need to get Bacca involved. Deulofeu and Suso have carried their threat but have done it alone, not linking up with their chief threat. Milan have paid for holding such a risky high line too. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f20438e4b05b487c0e2923","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>Some news from England here. </strong></p> <aside class=\"element element-rich-link\"> <p> <span>Related: </span><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/15/everton-join-liverpool-in-banning-sun-journalists-over-coverage\">Everton join Liverpool in banning Sun journalists over coverage</a> </p> </aside>","bodyTextSummary":"Some news from England here.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:30:00Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:30:31Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:30:31Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:30:31Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>Some news from England here. </strong></p>"}},{"type":"rich-link","assets":[],"richLinkTypeData":{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/15/everton-join-liverpool-in-banning-sun-journalists-over-coverage","originalUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/15/everton-join-liverpool-in-banning-sun-journalists-over-coverage?CMP=share_btn_tw","linkText":"Everton join Liverpool in banning Sun journalists over coverage","linkPrefix":"Related: "}}]},{"id":"58f2025be4b05776df18de06","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>I’ll be back shortly. In the meantime, here’s some half-time reading.</strong></p> <p>This is lovely. How relatives of Milan founder Herbert Kilpin set off on a journey to Italy in his honour to retrace his steps from 191 Mansfield Road, Nottingham to the <em>Hotel Du Nord et des Anglais</em> in Milan and beyond. </p> <aside class=\"element element-rich-link\"> <p> <span>Related: </span><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/the-gentleman-ultra/2017/mar/02/herbert-kilpin-ac-milan-long-lost-relatives-nottingham\">Retracing the steps of Milan founder Herbert Kilpin with his long-lost relatives | Matt McGinn</a> </p> </aside>","bodyTextSummary":"I’ll be back shortly. In the meantime, here’s some half-time reading. This is lovely. How relatives of Milan founder Herbert Kilpin set off on a journey to Italy in his honour to retrace his steps from 191 Mansfield Road, Nottingham to the Hotel Du Nord et des Anglais in Milan and beyond.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:22:03Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:23:37Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:23:37Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:23:37Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>I’ll be back shortly. In the meantime, here’s some half-time reading.</strong></p> \n<p>This is lovely. How relatives of Milan founder Herbert Kilpin set off on a journey to Italy in his honour to retrace his steps from 191 Mansfield Road, Nottingham to the <em>Hotel Du Nord et des Anglais</em> in Milan and beyond. </p>"}},{"type":"rich-link","assets":[],"richLinkTypeData":{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/the-gentleman-ultra/2017/mar/02/herbert-kilpin-ac-milan-long-lost-relatives-nottingham","originalUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/the-gentleman-ultra/2017/mar/02/herbert-kilpin-ac-milan-long-lost-relatives-nottingham","linkText":"Retracing the steps of Milan founder Herbert Kilpin with his long-lost relatives | Matt McGinn","linkPrefix":"Related: "}}]},{"id":"58f201b7e4b05776df18de04","bodyHtml":"<p>Peep! And that’s your lot. Milan dominate possession, Inter carry the potent threat and a two-goal lead. A strange but highly entertaining game.<a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anEuw8F8cpE\"> Inter were Harrison Ford.</a> </p>","bodyTextSummary":"Peep! And that’s your lot. Milan dominate possession, Inter carry the potent threat and a two-goal lead. A strange but highly entertaining game. Inter were Harrison Ford.","title":"Half-time","attributes":{"keyEvent":true,"title":"Half-time","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:19:19Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:21:10Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:22:00Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:22:00Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Peep! And that’s your lot. Milan dominate possession, Inter carry the potent threat and a two-goal lead. A strange but highly entertaining game.<a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anEuw8F8cpE\"> Inter were Harrison Ford.</a> </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f20133e4b0e0ec04f0120d","bodyHtml":"<p>And the captain’s mini goal drought is over. Perisic dinks the ball on to Icardi’s chest. The Argentinian returns the ball to Perisic’s feet. He races down the left wing and crosses past Calabria and into the path of Icardi, who sweeps the ball home. He couldn’t miss. Absolutely ruthless stuff from Inter. Icardi cups his hands to his ears to listen to the San Siro’s chants of “Icardi, Icardi Icardi!” He’s loving that, shy lad that he isn’t. </p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"61ca55d04d6c7658d9952ed9d2b8ca227671d2ac\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/61ca55d04d6c7658d9952ed9d2b8ca227671d2ac/0_0_5568_3712/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Mauro Icardi slots home.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Mauro Icardi slots home.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"And the captain’s mini goal drought is over. Perisic dinks the ball on to Icardi’s chest. The Argentinian returns the ball to Perisic’s feet. He races down the left wing and crosses past Calabria and into the path of Icardi, who sweeps the ball home. He couldn’t miss. Absolutely ruthless stuff from Inter. Icardi cups his hands to his ears to listen to the San Siro’s chants of “Icardi, Icardi Icardi!” He’s loving that, shy lad that he isn’t.","title":"Goal! Inter 2-0 Milan (Icardi 44)","attributes":{"keyEvent":true,"title":"Goal! Inter 2-0 Milan (Icardi 44)","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:17:07Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:19:17Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:36:52Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:36:52Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>And the captain’s mini goal drought is over. Perisic dinks the ball on to Icardi’s chest. The Argentinian returns the ball to Perisic’s feet. He races down the left wing and crosses past Calabria and into the path of Icardi, who sweeps the ball home. He couldn’t miss. Absolutely ruthless stuff from Inter. Icardi cups his hands to his ears to listen to the San Siro’s chants of “Icardi, Icardi Icardi!” He’s loving that, shy lad that he isn’t. </p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/61ca55d04d6c7658d9952ed9d2b8ca227671d2ac/0_0_5568_3712/5568.jpg","typeData":{"width":5568,"height":3712}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/61ca55d04d6c7658d9952ed9d2b8ca227671d2ac/0_0_5568_3712/master/5568.jpg","typeData":{"width":5568,"height":3712,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/61ca55d04d6c7658d9952ed9d2b8ca227671d2ac/0_0_5568_3712/2000.jpg","typeData":{"width":2000,"height":1333}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/61ca55d04d6c7658d9952ed9d2b8ca227671d2ac/0_0_5568_3712/1000.jpg","typeData":{"width":1000,"height":667}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/61ca55d04d6c7658d9952ed9d2b8ca227671d2ac/0_0_5568_3712/500.jpg","typeData":{"width":500,"height":333}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/61ca55d04d6c7658d9952ed9d2b8ca227671d2ac/0_0_5568_3712/140.jpg","typeData":{"width":140,"height":93}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Mauro Icardi slots home.","copyright":"AFP or licensors","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images","source":"AFP/Getty Images","photographer":"Miguel Medina","alt":"Mauro Icardi slots home.","mediaId":"61ca55d04d6c7658d9952ed9d2b8ca227671d2ac","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/61ca55d04d6c7658d9952ed9d2b8ca227671d2ac","suppliersReference":"AFP_NK6IO","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},{"id":"58f20095e4b0e0ec04f0120b","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>41 min:</strong> Milan are still playing some neat football, working the ball patiently from defence to attack but their main goal threat, Bacca, has been pretty anonymous so far and Inter look more potent when they go forwards. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"41 min: Milan are still playing some neat football, working the ball patiently from defence to attack but their main goal threat, Bacca, has been pretty anonymous so far and Inter look more potent when they go forwards.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:14:29Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:17:05Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:17:05Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:17:05Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>41 min:</strong> Milan are still playing some neat football, working the ball patiently from defence to attack but their main goal threat, Bacca, has been pretty anonymous so far and Inter look more potent when they go forwards. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f20032e4b05776df18ddfe","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>39 min:</strong> Inter break after a Milan free-kick with Sosa being caught in possession by Mario. Candreva is released on the inside-right channel. He zips a low cross into the corridor of uncertainty, where Icardi throws himself at the ball only to see it evade his studs, ala Paul Gascoigne. A free-kick is given against him in any case. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"39 min: Inter break after a Milan free-kick with Sosa being caught in possession by Mario. Candreva is released on the inside-right channel. He zips a low cross into the corridor of uncertainty, where Icardi throws himself at the ball only to see it evade his studs, ala Paul Gascoigne. A free-kick is given against him in any case.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:12:50Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:14:25Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:14:25Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:14:25Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>39 min:</strong> Inter break after a Milan free-kick with Sosa being caught in possession by Mario. Candreva is released on the inside-right channel. He zips a low cross into the corridor of uncertainty, where Icardi throws himself at the ball only to see it evade his studs, ala Paul Gascoigne. A free-kick is given against him in any case. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1fffee4b0e0ec04f01208","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>38 min:</strong> Milan paid the price for their high line on that goal. It was the simplest of goals, albeit ruthlessly dispatched by Candreva. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"38 min: Milan paid the price for their high line on that goal. It was the simplest of goals, albeit ruthlessly dispatched by Candreva.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:11:58Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:12:44Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:12:44Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:12:43Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>38 min:</strong> Milan paid the price for their high line on that goal. It was the simplest of goals, albeit ruthlessly dispatched by Candreva. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1ff5de4b05b487c0e290e","bodyHtml":"<p>Well, this is against the run of play. Candreva anticipates a long ball over the top by Gagliardini and races in front of De Sciglio before directing a right-footed shot, on the bounce, into the far corner. De Sciglio almost gets a foot to it but the ball goes under it and past Donnarumma. The San Siro erupts.</p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"504fa9a4d0056b1360a9e5cdd515fd2df427c1f7\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/504fa9a4d0056b1360a9e5cdd515fd2df427c1f7/0_0_5568_3712/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Say cheese, Antonio.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Say cheese, Antonio.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images</span> </figcaption> </figure>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"980543aaa0726502941bc96ad22dc24229a50af5\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/980543aaa0726502941bc96ad22dc24229a50af5/0_0_3600_2400/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Cheese!\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Cheese!</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"Well, this is against the run of play. Candreva anticipates a long ball over the top by Gagliardini and races in front of De Sciglio before directing a right-footed shot, on the bounce, into the far corner. De Sciglio almost gets a foot to it but the ball goes under it and past Donnarumma. The San Siro erupts.","title":"Goal! Inter 1-0 Milan (Candreva 36)","attributes":{"keyEvent":true,"title":"Goal! Inter 1-0 Milan (Candreva 36)","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:09:17Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:11:05Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:38:01Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:38:01Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Well, this is against the run of play. Candreva anticipates a long ball over the top by Gagliardini and races in front of De Sciglio before directing a right-footed shot, on the bounce, into the far corner. De Sciglio almost gets a foot to it but the ball goes under it and past Donnarumma. The San Siro erupts.</p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/504fa9a4d0056b1360a9e5cdd515fd2df427c1f7/0_0_5568_3712/5568.jpg","typeData":{"width":5568,"height":3712}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/504fa9a4d0056b1360a9e5cdd515fd2df427c1f7/0_0_5568_3712/master/5568.jpg","typeData":{"width":5568,"height":3712,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/504fa9a4d0056b1360a9e5cdd515fd2df427c1f7/0_0_5568_3712/2000.jpg","typeData":{"width":2000,"height":1333}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/504fa9a4d0056b1360a9e5cdd515fd2df427c1f7/0_0_5568_3712/1000.jpg","typeData":{"width":1000,"height":667}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/504fa9a4d0056b1360a9e5cdd515fd2df427c1f7/0_0_5568_3712/500.jpg","typeData":{"width":500,"height":333}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/504fa9a4d0056b1360a9e5cdd515fd2df427c1f7/0_0_5568_3712/140.jpg","typeData":{"width":140,"height":93}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Say cheese, Antonio.","copyright":"AFP or licensors","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images","source":"AFP/Getty Images","photographer":"Miguel Medina","alt":"Say cheese, Antonio.","mediaId":"504fa9a4d0056b1360a9e5cdd515fd2df427c1f7","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/504fa9a4d0056b1360a9e5cdd515fd2df427c1f7","suppliersReference":"AFP_NK6HI","imageType":"Photograph"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/980543aaa0726502941bc96ad22dc24229a50af5/0_0_3600_2400/3600.jpg","typeData":{"width":3600,"height":2400}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/980543aaa0726502941bc96ad22dc24229a50af5/0_0_3600_2400/master/3600.jpg","typeData":{"width":3600,"height":2400,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/980543aaa0726502941bc96ad22dc24229a50af5/0_0_3600_2400/2000.jpg","typeData":{"width":2000,"height":1333}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/980543aaa0726502941bc96ad22dc24229a50af5/0_0_3600_2400/1000.jpg","typeData":{"width":1000,"height":667}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/980543aaa0726502941bc96ad22dc24229a50af5/0_0_3600_2400/500.jpg","typeData":{"width":500,"height":333}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/980543aaa0726502941bc96ad22dc24229a50af5/0_0_3600_2400/140.jpg","typeData":{"width":140,"height":93}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Cheese!","copyright":"AFP or licensors","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images","source":"AFP/Getty Images","photographer":"Giuseppe Cacace","alt":"Cheese!","mediaId":"980543aaa0726502941bc96ad22dc24229a50af5","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/980543aaa0726502941bc96ad22dc24229a50af5","suppliersReference":"AFP_NK6EI","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},{"id":"58f1fee2e4b0e0ec04f01203","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>34 min: </strong>And then Deulofeu injects some fizz into Milan’s attacking play with a roasting of Medel on the left wing, leaving the little Chilean chasing him like an egg on legs. He jinks inside and is stopped by Handanovic before Kucka throws himself to the floor and concedes a free-kick and is booked for diving. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"34 min: And then Deulofeu injects some fizz into Milan’s attacking play with a roasting of Medel on the left wing, leaving the little Chilean chasing him like an egg on legs. He jinks inside and is stopped by Handanovic before Kucka throws himself to the floor and concedes a free-kick and is booked for diving.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:07:14Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:09:16Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:09:16Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:09:15Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>34 min: </strong>And then Deulofeu injects some fizz into Milan’s attacking play with a roasting of Medel on the left wing, leaving the little Chilean chasing him like an egg on legs. He jinks inside and is stopped by Handanovic before Kucka throws himself to the floor and concedes a free-kick and is booked for diving. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1fe83e4b05776df18ddf5","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>32 min: </strong>Sosa takes me up on the challenge and scampers up the left wing for Milan, perhaps too quick for any of his team-mates to get up in support. He looks inside and can’t see anyone, so tries an audacious chip from 12 yards, that lands on the roof of the net. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"32 min: Sosa takes me up on the challenge and scampers up the left wing for Milan, perhaps too quick for any of his team-mates to get up in support. He looks inside and can’t see anyone, so tries an audacious chip from 12 yards, that lands on the roof of the net.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:05:39Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:07:10Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:07:10Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:07:10Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>32 min: </strong>Sosa takes me up on the challenge and scampers up the left wing for Milan, perhaps too quick for any of his team-mates to get up in support. He looks inside and can’t see anyone, so tries an audacious chip from 12 yards, that lands on the roof of the net. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1fe1fe4b05776df18ddf4","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>30 min:</strong> The zippy play of the first 20 minutes has disappeared. The game needs something to lift it. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"30 min: The zippy play of the first 20 minutes has disappeared. The game needs something to lift it.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:03:59Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:05:35Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:05:35Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:05:35Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>30 min:</strong> The zippy play of the first 20 minutes has disappeared. The game needs something to lift it. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1fd77e4b05b487c0e2904","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>27 min:</strong> Scrappy stuff now. Delofeu loses possession and wins it back before losing it again in a coming together of bodies on the left wing that only lacked a cloud of cartoon dust. A moment later Suso swings a left-footed cross in from the right after finding half a yard but Bacca is flagged offside. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"27 min: Scrappy stuff now. Delofeu loses possession and wins it back before losing it again in a coming together of bodies on the left wing that only lacked a cloud of cartoon dust. A moment later Suso swings a left-footed cross in from the right after finding half a yard but Bacca is flagged offside.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:01:11Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:03:28Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:03:28Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:03:28Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>27 min:</strong> Scrappy stuff now. Delofeu loses possession and wins it back before losing it again in a coming together of bodies on the left wing that only lacked a cloud of cartoon dust. A moment later Suso swings a left-footed cross in from the right after finding half a yard but Bacca is flagged offside. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1fce0e4b05776df18ddf0","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>25 min:</strong> Some filthy skill by Deulofeu helps to work the ball out from the back for Milan (a dragback and backheel) but Inter press intensely and win back possession. Kucka anticipates the danger as Inter work the ball to the edge of the area and he throws in a well-times slide tackle to nullify the threat. Inter still in charge. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"25 min: Some filthy skill by Deulofeu helps to work the ball out from the back for Milan (a dragback and backheel) but Inter press intensely and win back possession. Kucka anticipates the danger as Inter work the ball to the edge of the area and he throws in a well-times slide tackle to nullify the threat. Inter still in charge.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:58:40Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:00:34Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:00:34Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:00:34Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>25 min:</strong> Some filthy skill by Deulofeu helps to work the ball out from the back for Milan (a dragback and backheel) but Inter press intensely and win back possession. Kucka anticipates the danger as Inter work the ball to the edge of the area and he throws in a well-times slide tackle to nullify the threat. Inter still in charge. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1fc1fe4b05b487c0e28ff","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>22 min: </strong>The pace has dropped somewhat now. It had to. It was helter-skelter stuff at the start. For the first time Inter are beginning to dominate possession. D’Ambrosio releases Candreva after a neat one-two but his near-post cross is plucked from the air by the towering figure that is Donnarumma. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"22 min: The pace has dropped somewhat now. It had to. It was helter-skelter stuff at the start. For the first time Inter are beginning to dominate possession. D’Ambrosio releases Candreva after a neat one-two but his near-post cross is plucked from the air by the towering figure that is Donnarumma.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:55:27Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:57:46Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:57:46Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:57:46Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>22 min: </strong>The pace has dropped somewhat now. It had to. It was helter-skelter stuff at the start. For the first time Inter are beginning to dominate possession. D’Ambrosio releases Candreva after a neat one-two but his near-post cross is plucked from the air by the towering figure that is Donnarumma. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1fb7de4b05776df18dde6","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>20 min:</strong> Suso plays a delightful reverse pass to release Bacca on the right. Inter concede a corner. A corner that comes to nothing. The question has just been asked whether Suso was released too early by Liverpool. I was disappointed when he left Anfield because I could see his passing ability was very good – and very clever. But Coutinho came in and was an upgrade. Mind you, if he is no longer about next season, Suso would have been more than handy to still have on the books. </p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"06df1fde417ec4b170834f8fca4a6113d1e4a26f\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/06df1fde417ec4b170834f8fca4a6113d1e4a26f/287_199_3409_2257/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Milan’s Matías Fernández, centre, is challenged by Geoffrey Kondogbia.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"662\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Milan’s Matías Fernández, centre, is challenged by Geoffrey Kondogbia.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"20 min: Suso plays a delightful reverse pass to release Bacca on the right. Inter concede a corner. A corner that comes to nothing. The question has just been asked whether Suso was released too early by Liverpool. I was disappointed when he left Anfield because I could see his passing ability was very good – and very clever. But Coutinho came in and was an upgrade. Mind you, if he is no longer about next season, Suso would have been more than handy to still have on the books.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:52:45Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:55:23Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:00:28Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:00:28Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>20 min:</strong> Suso plays a delightful reverse pass to release Bacca on the right. Inter concede a corner. A corner that comes to nothing. The question has just been asked whether Suso was released too early by Liverpool. I was disappointed when he left Anfield because I could see his passing ability was very good – and very clever. But Coutinho came in and was an upgrade. Mind you, if he is no longer about next season, Suso would have been more than handy to still have on the books. </p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/06df1fde417ec4b170834f8fca4a6113d1e4a26f/287_199_3409_2257/3409.jpg","typeData":{"width":3409,"height":2257}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/06df1fde417ec4b170834f8fca4a6113d1e4a26f/287_199_3409_2257/master/3409.jpg","typeData":{"width":3409,"height":2257,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/06df1fde417ec4b170834f8fca4a6113d1e4a26f/287_199_3409_2257/2000.jpg","typeData":{"width":2000,"height":1324}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/06df1fde417ec4b170834f8fca4a6113d1e4a26f/287_199_3409_2257/1000.jpg","typeData":{"width":1000,"height":662}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/06df1fde417ec4b170834f8fca4a6113d1e4a26f/287_199_3409_2257/500.jpg","typeData":{"width":500,"height":331}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/06df1fde417ec4b170834f8fca4a6113d1e4a26f/287_199_3409_2257/140.jpg","typeData":{"width":140,"height":93}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Milan’s Matías Fernández, centre, is challenged by Geoffrey Kondogbia.","copyright":"AFP or licensors","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images","source":"AFP/Getty Images","photographer":"Miguel Medina","alt":"Milan’s Matías Fernández, centre, is challenged by Geoffrey Kondogbia.","mediaId":"06df1fde417ec4b170834f8fca4a6113d1e4a26f","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/06df1fde417ec4b170834f8fca4a6113d1e4a26f","suppliersReference":"AFP_NK64R","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},{"id":"58f1fb50e4b05b487c0e28fe","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>18 min:</strong> Inter are targeting the left wing as often as they can. they clearly fancy Mario today. On this occasion, Miranda brings him to a halt. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"18 min: Inter are targeting the left wing as often as they can. they clearly fancy Mario today. On this occasion, Miranda brings him to a halt.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:52:00Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:52:40Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:52:40Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:52:40Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>18 min:</strong> Inter are targeting the left wing as often as they can. they clearly fancy Mario today. On this occasion, Miranda brings him to a halt. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1fae5e4b05b487c0e28fb","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>17 min:</strong> Donnarumma’s touch is heavier and about as deft as a drunk elephant as he tries to control a backpass, almost gifting Icardi a clear run on goal. His second, however, gets him out of bother as he stabs the ball out of play. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"17 min: Donnarumma’s touch is heavier and about as deft as a drunk elephant as he tries to control a backpass, almost gifting Icardi a clear run on goal. His second, however, gets him out of bother as he stabs the ball out of play.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:50:13Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:51:29Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:51:29Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:51:29Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>17 min:</strong> Donnarumma’s touch is heavier and about as deft as a drunk elephant as he tries to control a backpass, almost gifting Icardi a clear run on goal. His second, however, gets him out of bother as he stabs the ball out of play. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1fa13e4b0e0ec04f011f2","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>15 min:</strong> Handanovic tips a 25-yarder from Suso around his left post. It was probably going wide but he didn’t know that. The corner is played short and worked out to Deulofeu. He drops his shoulder and bursts into the box before clattering a cross-cum-shot off the near-post. And then Inter break with electric pace. Mario scampers up the left wing and tries to find Icardi in the centre with a low cross but it is well read by Zapata, who cuts it out. And breathe. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"15 min: Handanovic tips a 25-yarder from Suso around his left post. It was probably going wide but he didn’t know that. The corner is played short and worked out to Deulofeu. He drops his shoulder and bursts into the box before clattering a cross-cum-shot off the near-post. And then Inter break with electric pace. Mario scampers up the left wing and tries to find Icardi in the centre with a low cross but it is well read by Zapata, who cuts it out. And breathe.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:46:43Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:49:56Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:49:56Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:49:56Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>15 min:</strong> Handanovic tips a 25-yarder from Suso around his left post. It was probably going wide but he didn’t know that. The corner is played short and worked out to Deulofeu. He drops his shoulder and bursts into the box before clattering a cross-cum-shot off the near-post. And then Inter break with electric pace. Mario scampers up the left wing and tries to find Icardi in the centre with a low cross but it is well read by Zapata, who cuts it out. And breathe. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1f999e4b05776df18dddd","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>11 min:</strong> Deulofeu’s twinkle-toes take him through a gap between Candreva and D’Ambrosio that is quickly closed, squashing the winger in the process. Free-kick. A free-kick that is cleared at the near-post. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"11 min: Deulofeu’s twinkle-toes take him through a gap between Candreva and D’Ambrosio that is quickly closed, squashing the winger in the process. Free-kick. A free-kick that is cleared at the near-post.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:44:41Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:46:37Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:46:37Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:46:37Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>11 min:</strong> Deulofeu’s twinkle-toes take him through a gap between Candreva and D’Ambrosio that is quickly closed, squashing the winger in the process. Free-kick. A free-kick that is cleared at the near-post. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1f95be4b05776df18dddb","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>10 min: </strong>A Liverpool reject and an Everton reject look to be the two most dangerous players on the pitch in the Milan derby. Read into that what you will.</p>","bodyTextSummary":"10 min: A Liverpool reject and an Everton reject look to be the two most dangerous players on the pitch in the Milan derby. Read into that what you will.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:43:39Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:44:35Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:44:35Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:44:35Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>10 min: </strong>A Liverpool reject and an Everton reject look to be the two most dangerous players on the pitch in the Milan derby. Read into that what you will.</p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1f8d5e4b0e0ec04f011ed","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>8 min: </strong>Milan break with Suso, who has looked a pesky menace in the opening exchanges. He tries to weight a low pass through to Deulofeu, but it’s just a tad too heavy and Handanovic steams out and gathers the ball before spilling it and taking it into his chest again. Cracking start to the game. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"8 min: Milan break with Suso, who has looked a pesky menace in the opening exchanges. He tries to weight a low pass through to Deulofeu, but it’s just a tad too heavy and Handanovic steams out and gathers the ball before spilling it and taking it into his chest again. Cracking start to the game.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:41:25Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:43:35Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:43:35Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:43:35Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>8 min: </strong>Milan break with Suso, who has looked a pesky menace in the opening exchanges. He tries to weight a low pass through to Deulofeu, but it’s just a tad too heavy and Handanovic steams out and gathers the ball before spilling it and taking it into his chest again. Cracking start to the game. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1f84de4b05b487c0e28f0","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>6 min: </strong>Mario, who has been brought back into the starting XI today, uses an insouciant bit of skill – a little outside of the foot flick – over Kucka’s outstretched foot to leave him for dead on the left wing before curling in a lovely cross towards Icardi, who can’t get his foot over the ball as he attempts a volley from 10 yards out. Lovely stuff from Mario, though. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"6 min: Mario, who has been brought back into the starting XI today, uses an insouciant bit of skill – a little outside of the foot flick – over Kucka’s outstretched foot to leave him for dead on the left wing before curling in a lovely cross towards Icardi, who can’t get his foot over the ball as he attempts a volley from 10 yards out. Lovely stuff from Mario, though.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:39:09Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:41:23Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:41:23Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:41:23Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>6 min: </strong>Mario, who has been brought back into the starting XI today, uses an insouciant bit of skill – a little outside of the foot flick – over Kucka’s outstretched foot to leave him for dead on the left wing before curling in a lovely cross towards Icardi, who can’t get his foot over the ball as he attempts a volley from 10 yards out. Lovely stuff from Mario, though. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1f7d5e4b0e0ec04f011e9","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>4 min: </strong>Milan have settled into a spell of controlled possession, with Inter sitting deep. Suso drifts in from the right, looking for an opportunity to shoot but Inter have done their homework and don’t let him. The ball is worked backwards and Milan continue to look the more composed side early on. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"4 min: Milan have settled into a spell of controlled possession, with Inter sitting deep. Suso drifts in from the right, looking for an opportunity to shoot but Inter have done their homework and don’t let him. The ball is worked backwards and Milan continue to look the more composed side early on.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:37:09Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:39:05Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:39:05Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:39:05Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>4 min: </strong>Milan have settled into a spell of controlled possession, with Inter sitting deep. Suso drifts in from the right, looking for an opportunity to shoot but Inter have done their homework and don’t let him. The ball is worked backwards and Milan continue to look the more composed side early on. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1f74ae4b05b487c0e28ea","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>2 min:</strong> Bacca blazes over from six yards after Gagliardini was robbed of possession in midfield. Deulofeu races away into the box and cuts inside before shaping to shoot. He dawdles somewhat before clattering a shot at a defender. Another shot, another block before Bacca’s big, early moment – a half-volley – which he fluffs. A raucous start though. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"2 min: Bacca blazes over from six yards after Gagliardini was robbed of possession in midfield. Deulofeu races away into the box and cuts inside before shaping to shoot. He dawdles somewhat before clattering a shot at a defender. Another shot, another block before Bacca’s big, early moment – a half-volley – which he fluffs. A raucous start though.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:34:50Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:37:04Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:41:58Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:41:58Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>2 min:</strong> Bacca blazes over from six yards after Gagliardini was robbed of possession in midfield. Deulofeu races away into the box and cuts inside before shaping to shoot. He dawdles somewhat before clattering a shot at a defender. Another shot, another block before Bacca’s big, early moment – a half-volley – which he fluffs. A raucous start though. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1f69be4b05b487c0e28e7","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>1 min:</strong> And off we go. Inter, in blue and black, are shooting from left to right on my screen and have two men stood over the ball for kick-off. Milan, in white are going teh other way. There’s a huge bang as a smokebomb is set off. A haze drifts across the pitch and now it feels like a Milan derby. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"1 min: And off we go. Inter, in blue and black, are shooting from left to right on my screen and have two men stood over the ball for kick-off. Milan, in white are going teh other way. There’s a huge bang as a smokebomb is set off. A haze drifts across the pitch and now it feels like a Milan derby.","title":"Peep!","attributes":{"keyEvent":true,"title":"Peep!","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:31:55Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:34:43Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:34:43Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:34:43Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>1 min:</strong> And off we go. Inter, in blue and black, are shooting from left to right on my screen and have two men stood over the ball for kick-off. Milan, in white are going teh other way. There’s a huge bang as a smokebomb is set off. A haze drifts across the pitch and now it feels like a Milan derby. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1f63ae4b0e0ec04f011e2","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>The players trot out on to the San Siro turf in glorious spring sunshine. The volume lifts to greet them too.</strong> Inter captain Maurio Icardi has his gameface on. Here we go. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"The players trot out on to the San Siro turf in glorious spring sunshine. The volume lifts to greet them too. Inter captain Maurio Icardi has his gameface on. Here we go.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:30:18Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:31:29Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:31:29Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:31:29Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>The players trot out on to the San Siro turf in glorious spring sunshine. The volume lifts to greet them too.</strong> Inter captain Maurio Icardi has his gameface on. Here we go. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1f5a2e4b05776df18ddd0","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>“Trent Sainsbury was recently at Eredivisie minnows Zwolle, so the fact he’s ended up at Inter is quite incredible,” writes Kevin Wilson.</strong> “I still find it odd that Inter have underperformed with the players they’ve had in the last few years. Juventus may be out of sight but they should be competing with Roma and Napoli.” I agree Kevin. Their current squad is very strong and should be closer to the Champions League places. It would have been had they not suffered those two dreadful defeats against Sampdoria and Crotone. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"“Trent Sainsbury was recently at Eredivisie minnows Zwolle, so the fact he’s ended up at Inter is quite incredible,” writes Kevin Wilson. “I still find it odd that Inter have underperformed with the players they’ve had in the last few years. Juventus may be out of sight but they should be competing with Roma and Napoli.” I agree Kevin. Their current squad is very strong and should be closer to the Champions League places. It would have been had they not suffered those two dreadful defeats against Sampdoria and Crotone.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:27:46Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:30:12Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:30:12Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:30:12Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>“Trent Sainsbury was recently at Eredivisie minnows Zwolle, so the fact he’s ended up at Inter is quite incredible,” writes Kevin Wilson.</strong> “I still find it odd that Inter have underperformed with the players they’ve had in the last few years. Juventus may be out of sight but they should be competing with Roma and Napoli.” I agree Kevin. Their current squad is very strong and should be closer to the Champions League places. It would have been had they not suffered those two dreadful defeats against Sampdoria and Crotone. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1f47ce4b05776df18ddca","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>The San Siro is filling up nicely although it still seems a little light on atmosphere, understandably, given the early start. </strong>Anyway, the teams are almost ready to come out. Almost time for some football – and brunch. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"The San Siro is filling up nicely although it still seems a little light on atmosphere, understandably, given the early start. Anyway, the teams are almost ready to come out. Almost time for some football – and brunch.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:22:52Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:27:43Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:27:43Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:27:43Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>The San Siro is filling up nicely although it still seems a little light on atmosphere, understandably, given the early start. </strong>Anyway, the teams are almost ready to come out. Almost time for some football – and brunch. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1f31be4b05b487c0e28d5","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>I raise you Philippe Mexes, Simon.</strong> I wasn’t aware his body was capable of doing what it did to <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iIV2PO_aos\">make <em>this </em>absurd<em> </em>goal</a> possible. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"I raise you Philippe Mexes, Simon. I wasn’t aware his body was capable of doing what it did to make this absurd goal possible.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:16:59Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:18:46Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:18:46Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:18:46Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>I raise you Philippe Mexes, Simon.</strong> I wasn’t aware his body was capable of doing what it did to <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iIV2PO_aos\">make <em>this </em>absurd<em> </em>goal</a> possible. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1f259e4b0e0ec04f011d6","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>“Best ever derby goal? </strong>asks Simon Cereda, building up to something. “I nominate Seedorf’s goal to complete 0-2 to 3-2 comeback.” Here it is.<a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k8vfXw9Mq8\"> Thwack! </a></p>","bodyTextSummary":"“Best ever derby goal? asks Simon Cereda, building up to something. “I nominate Seedorf’s goal to complete 0-2 to 3-2 comeback.” Here it is. Thwack!","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:13:45Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:15:38Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:15:38Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:15:37Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>“Best ever derby goal? </strong>asks Simon Cereda, building up to something. “I nominate Seedorf’s goal to complete 0-2 to 3-2 comeback.” Here it is.<a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k8vfXw9Mq8\"> Thwack! </a></p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1f16ee4b05776df18ddbf","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>Let’s look back on a classic Milan derby. </strong>Here’s Milan 3-4 Inter from just over 10 years ago. Seven goals with defenders such as Cafu, Materazzi, Zanetti, Cordoba and Nesta on the pitch. Inter went on to win the league that season. Milan? Well, they finished fourth but had the little matter of being crowned champions of Europe to cushion the blow of a below-par finish in the league. </p>       <figure class=\"element element-video\" data-canonical-url=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQp9kEq9kgM\"                                                                        > <iframe width=\"460\" height=\"259\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/CQp9kEq9kgM?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen></iframe> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"Let’s look back on a classic Milan derby. Here’s Milan 3-4 Inter from just over 10 years ago. Seven goals with defenders such as Cafu, Materazzi, Zanetti, Cordoba and Nesta on the pitch. Inter went on to win the league that season. Milan? Well, they finished fourth but had the little matter of being crowned champions of Europe to cushion the blow of a below-par finish in the league.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:09:50Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:10:49Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:10:49Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:10:49Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>Let’s look back on a classic Milan derby. </strong>Here’s Milan 3-4 Inter from just over 10 years ago. Seven goals with defenders such as Cafu, Materazzi, Zanetti, Cordoba and Nesta on the pitch. Inter went on to win the league that season. Milan? Well, they finished fourth but had the little matter of being crowned champions of Europe to cushion the blow of a below-par finish in the league. </p>"}},{"type":"video","assets":[],"videoTypeData":{"url":"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQp9kEq9kgM","description":"Some of you asked me to upload AC Milan vs Inter Milan match highlights from 2004/05 Uefa Champions League season but unfortunately it was blocked so I uploaded it on vimeo. Here is the link: https://vimeo.com/145149525 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/gugatv22/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/gugatv22/","title":"AC Milan vs Inter Milan 3-4 - Serie A 2006/2007 - All Goals & Full Highlights","html":"<iframe width=\"460\" height=\"259\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/CQp9kEq9kgM?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen></iframe>","source":"YouTube","credit":"GugaTV","height":259,"width":460,"originalUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQp9kEq9kgM"}}]},{"id":"58f1f006e4b0e0ec04f011d1","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>Kevin Fingleton is all for the Milan derby kicking off in the morning. </strong>“Ridiculously perfect time for someone stuck at home and unable to leave the house after a car accident.” Get well soon Kevin. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"Kevin Fingleton is all for the Milan derby kicking off in the morning. “Ridiculously perfect time for someone stuck at home and unable to leave the house after a car accident.” Get well soon Kevin.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:03:50Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:05:56Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:05:56Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:05:56Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>Kevin Fingleton is all for the Milan derby kicking off in the morning. </strong>“Ridiculously perfect time for someone stuck at home and unable to leave the house after a car accident.” Get well soon Kevin. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1ef26e4b0e0ec04f011cc","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>I’ve been asked who the hell Sainsbury is? </strong>What, you don’t know? The 25-year-old Australia centre-back is, funnily enough, on loan from Jiangsu Suning. You connect the dots. <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/06/internazionale--chinese-ownership-suning-holdings-serie-a\">Or let this link to it for you</a>. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"I’ve been asked who the hell Sainsbury is? What, you don’t know? The 25-year-old Australia centre-back is, funnily enough, on loan from Jiangsu Suning. You connect the dots. Or let this link to it for you.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:00:06Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:03:03Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:03:03Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:03:03Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>I’ve been asked who the hell Sainsbury is? </strong>What, you don’t know? The 25-year-old Australia centre-back is, funnily enough, on loan from Jiangsu Suning. You connect the dots. <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/06/internazionale--chinese-ownership-suning-holdings-serie-a\">Or let this link to it for you</a>. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1ec58e4b0e0ec04f011c0","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>Gary Medel, 5ft 7in, at centre-back for Inter, discuss … </strong></p> <p><strong>OK, I’ll get the ball rolling. </strong>I understand it was a move born out of necessity due to injuries but he’s been at it since January and although people will point at his obvious weakness in the air, Inter also miss his energy and aggression in midfield. Couldn’t an alternative solution have been found by now? </p>","bodyTextSummary":"Gary Medel, 5ft 7in, at centre-back for Inter, discuss … OK, I’ll get the ball rolling. I understand it was a move born out of necessity due to injuries but he’s been at it since January and although people will point at his obvious weakness in the air, Inter also miss his energy and aggression in midfield. Couldn’t an alternative solution have been found by now?","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T09:48:08Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T09:52:13Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T09:58:29Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T09:58:29Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>Gary Medel, 5ft 7in, at centre-back for Inter, discuss … </strong></p> \n<p><strong>OK, I’ll get the ball rolling. </strong>I understand it was a move born out of necessity due to injuries but he’s been at it since January and although people will point at his obvious weakness in the air, Inter also miss his energy and aggression in midfield. Couldn’t an alternative solution have been found by now? </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1ea69e4b0e0ec04f011ba","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>Internazionale: </strong>Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, Medel, Miranda, Nagatomo; Gagliardini, Kondogbia; Candreva, J Mario, Perisic; Icardi.<strong> Subs: </strong>Carrizo, Andreolli, Palacio, Biabiany, Ansaldi, Banega, Sainsbury, Santon, Eder, Murillo, Brozovic, Barbosa.</p> <p><strong>Milan: </strong>Donnarumma; Calabria, Zapata, Romagnoli, De Sciglio; Kucka, Sosa, Mati Fernandez; Suso, Bacca, Deulofeu. <strong>Subs:</strong> Panchina: Plizzari, Storari, Antonelli, Gomez, Paletta, Vangioni, Honda, Locatelli, Poli, Lapadula, Ocampos.</p> <p><strong>Referee: </strong>Daniele Orsato</p>","bodyTextSummary":"Internazionale: Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, Medel, Miranda, Nagatomo; Gagliardini, Kondogbia; Candreva, J Mario, Perisic; Icardi. Subs: Carrizo, Andreolli, Palacio, Biabiany, Ansaldi, Banega, Sainsbury, Santon, Eder, Murillo, Brozovic, Barbosa. Milan: Donnarumma; Calabria, Zapata, Romagnoli, De Sciglio; Kucka, Sosa, Mati Fernandez; Suso, Bacca, Deulofeu. Subs: Panchina: Plizzari, Storari, Antonelli, Gomez, Paletta, Vangioni, Honda, Locatelli, Poli, Lapadula, Ocampos. Referee: Daniele Orsato","title":"Today's cast","attributes":{"summary":true,"title":"Today's cast","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T09:39:53Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T09:46:47Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:32:23Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:32:23Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>Internazionale: </strong>Handanovic; D’Ambrosio, Medel, Miranda, Nagatomo; Gagliardini, Kondogbia; Candreva, J Mario, Perisic; Icardi.<strong> Subs: </strong>Carrizo, Andreolli, Palacio, Biabiany, Ansaldi, Banega, Sainsbury, Santon, Eder, Murillo, Brozovic, Barbosa.</p> \n<p><strong>Milan: </strong>Donnarumma; Calabria, Zapata, Romagnoli, De Sciglio; Kucka, Sosa, Mati Fernandez; Suso, Bacca, Deulofeu. <strong>Subs:</strong> Panchina: Plizzari, Storari, Antonelli, Gomez, Paletta, Vangioni, Honda, Locatelli, Poli, Lapadula, Ocampos.</p> \n<p><strong>Referee: </strong>Daniele Orsato</p>"}}]},{"id":"58f0ad12e4b05776df18d92d","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>Hello. It’s a bit early for this isn’t it?</strong> The <em>Derby della Madonnina </em>has never been played at lunchtime before. Fans aren’t happy about it but you know what? This could be the future, whether you like it or not. With the sale of Milan to a Chinese-led consortium on Thursday following Suning Commerce Group’s purchase of Inter in the summer the Milan clubs are now the property of Asian investors. So while the kick-off time is unappealing in Italy it is perfectly suited to those watching on TV in China and it is estimated that a record figure of 862 million viewers will tune in.</p> <p><strong> Inter, who are the home team at San Siro today</strong>, go into the match two points behind Milan, who are two points outside the Europa League places, held by Atalanta and Lazio. So European football is still very much attainable if either side can string some wins together in the run-in. But this isn’t where either of these grand clubs should be really. And with the prospect of vast amounts of money being thrown into the pot for transfers this summer both will hope the Champions League is a more tangible target next season. But for now, it is what it is and there is pride to play for. Inter’s has taken a dent in recent weeks. <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/apr/10/serie-a-crotone-survival-hopes-inter-victory\">Defeat to lowly Crotone</a> last time out was embarrassing and a spineless home loss to Sampdoria the week before was not at all expected given they’d walloped high-flying Atalanta 7-1 just over a week before that <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/mar/13/internazionale-deliver-seven-good-reasons-to-dream-of-champions-league\">to rekindle hopes of Champions League qualification</a>. Those hopes would now seem to be dead.</p> <p><strong>As for Milan, they come into this match in better form</strong>. They have one loss, to Juventus (no shame in that), in their last nine and have a young and talented side that is growing in confidence with every game. Suso, once of Liverpool, has finally found a home where he can showcase his creative talents and Inter will need to keep a watchful eye on him if they are to stop Milan from playing. Milan haven’t been in Europe for the past three seasons – that’s how bad their fall has been – but their coach, Vincenzo Montella, does not view the Europa League as being a hindrance to the club’s development next season. “I want to go into Europe, regardless of what Inter do,” he said. Meanwhile, the Inter coach, Stefano Pioli, is under pressure after the last two defeats. He’s the third manager at the club since August. A victory against their city rivals would go some way towards deflecting some of the prickly heat he’s feeling. “There’s been a decline and it wasn’t expected,” Pioli said. “It’s important to learn from hard lessons like these and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”</p> <p><strong>My prediction: </strong>Inter 2-2 Milan (<a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2016/nov/20/milan-internazionale-derby-serie-a-live-pioli\">which is how it turned out in November too</a>)</p>","bodyTextSummary":"Hello. It’s a bit early for this isn’t it? The Derby della Madonnina has never been played at lunchtime before. Fans aren’t happy about it but you know what? This could be the future, whether you like it or not. With the sale of Milan to a Chinese-led consortium on Thursday following Suning Commerce Group’s purchase of Inter in the summer the Milan clubs are now the property of Asian investors. So while the kick-off time is unappealing in Italy it is perfectly suited to those watching on TV in China and it is estimated that a record figure of 862 million viewers will tune in. Inter, who are the home team at San Siro today, go into the match two points behind Milan, who are two points outside the Europa League places, held by Atalanta and Lazio. So European football is still very much attainable if either side can string some wins together in the run-in. But this isn’t where either of these grand clubs should be really. And with the prospect of vast amounts of money being thrown into the pot for transfers this summer both will hope the Champions League is a more tangible target next season. But for now, it is what it is and there is pride to play for. Inter’s has taken a dent in recent weeks. Defeat to lowly Crotone last time out was embarrassing and a spineless home loss to Sampdoria the week before was not at all expected given they’d walloped high-flying Atalanta 7-1 just over a week before that to rekindle hopes of Champions League qualification. Those hopes would now seem to be dead. As for Milan, they come into this match in better form. They have one loss, to Juventus (no shame in that), in their last nine and have a young and talented side that is growing in confidence with every game. Suso, once of Liverpool, has finally found a home where he can showcase his creative talents and Inter will need to keep a watchful eye on him if they are to stop Milan from playing. Milan haven’t been in Europe for the past three seasons – that’s how bad their fall has been – but their coach, Vincenzo Montella, does not view the Europa League as being a hindrance to the club’s development next season. “I want to go into Europe, regardless of what Inter do,” he said. Meanwhile, the Inter coach, Stefano Pioli, is under pressure after the last two defeats. He’s the third manager at the club since August. A victory against their city rivals would go some way towards deflecting some of the prickly heat he’s feeling. “There’s been a decline and it wasn’t expected,” Pioli said. “It’s important to learn from hard lessons like these and make sure it doesn’t happen again.” My prediction: Inter 2-2 Milan (which is how it turned out in November too)","title":"Preamble","attributes":{"summary":true,"title":"Preamble","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-14T11:05:54Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-14T11:35:29Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T09:19:33Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T09:19:33Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>Hello. It’s a bit early for this isn’t it?</strong> The <em>Derby della Madonnina </em>has never been played at lunchtime before. Fans aren’t happy about it but you know what? This could be the future, whether you like it or not. With the sale of Milan to a Chinese-led consortium on Thursday following Suning Commerce Group’s purchase of Inter in the summer the Milan clubs are now the property of Asian investors. So while the kick-off time is unappealing in Italy it is perfectly suited to those watching on TV in China and it is estimated that a record figure of 862 million viewers will tune in.</p> \n<p><strong> Inter, who are the home team at San Siro today</strong>, go into the match two points behind Milan, who are two points outside the Europa League places, held by Atalanta and Lazio. So European football is still very much attainable if either side can string some wins together in the run-in. But this isn’t where either of these grand clubs should be really. And with the prospect of vast amounts of money being thrown into the pot for transfers this summer both will hope the Champions League is a more tangible target next season. But for now, it is what it is and there is pride to play for. Inter’s has taken a dent in recent weeks. <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/apr/10/serie-a-crotone-survival-hopes-inter-victory\">Defeat to lowly Crotone</a> last time out was embarrassing and a spineless home loss to Sampdoria the week before was not at all expected given they’d walloped high-flying Atalanta 7-1 just over a week before that <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/mar/13/internazionale-deliver-seven-good-reasons-to-dream-of-champions-league\">to rekindle hopes of Champions League qualification</a>. Those hopes would now seem to be dead.</p> \n<p><strong>As for Milan, they come into this match in better form</strong>. They have one loss, to Juventus (no shame in that), in their last nine and have a young and talented side that is growing in confidence with every game. Suso, once of Liverpool, has finally found a home where he can showcase his creative talents and Inter will need to keep a watchful eye on him if they are to stop Milan from playing. Milan haven’t been in Europe for the past three seasons – that’s how bad their fall has been – but their coach, Vincenzo Montella, does not view the Europa League as being a hindrance to the club’s development next season. “I want to go into Europe, regardless of what Inter do,” he said. Meanwhile, the Inter coach, Stefano Pioli, is under pressure after the last two defeats. He’s the third manager at the club since August. A victory against their city rivals would go some way towards deflecting some of the prickly heat he’s feeling. “There’s been a decline and it wasn’t expected,” Pioli said. “It’s important to learn from hard lessons like these and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”</p> \n<p><strong>My prediction: </strong>Inter 2-2 Milan (<a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2016/nov/20/milan-internazionale-derby-serie-a-live-pioli\">which is how it turned out in November too</a>)</p>"}}]}],"totalBodyBlocks":41},"isHosted":false},{"id":"football/live/2017/apr/15/tottenham-hotspur-v-bournemouth-premier-league-live","type":"liveblog","sectionId":"football","sectionName":"Football","webPublicationDate":"2017-04-15T11:44:57Z","webTitle":"Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth: Premier League – live!","webUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2017/apr/15/tottenham-hotspur-v-bournemouth-premier-league-live","apiUrl":"https://content.guardianapis.com/football/live/2017/apr/15/tottenham-hotspur-v-bournemouth-premier-league-live","blocks":{"main":{"id":"58f1f558e4b05b487c0e28e2","bodyHtml":"<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"48933a94fdbc36c976f292d1c22a228d3087b005\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/48933a94fdbc36c976f292d1c22a228d3087b005/0_180_4487_2692/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Bournemouth’s Steve Cook clears his lines.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Bournemouth’s Steve Cook clears his lines.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:26:32Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:26:32Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:36:30Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:36:29Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/48933a94fdbc36c976f292d1c22a228d3087b005/0_180_4487_2692/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/48933a94fdbc36c976f292d1c22a228d3087b005/0_180_4487_2692/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/48933a94fdbc36c976f292d1c22a228d3087b005/0_180_4487_2692/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/48933a94fdbc36c976f292d1c22a228d3087b005/0_180_4487_2692/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/48933a94fdbc36c976f292d1c22a228d3087b005/0_180_4487_2692/4487.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":4487,"height":2692}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/48933a94fdbc36c976f292d1c22a228d3087b005/0_180_4487_2692/master/4487.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":4487,"height":2692,"isMaster":true}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Bournemouth’s Steve Cook clears his lines.","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters","source":"Reuters","photographer":"Dylan Martinez","alt":"Bournemouth’s Steve Cook clears his lines.","mediaId":"48933a94fdbc36c976f292d1c22a228d3087b005","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/48933a94fdbc36c976f292d1c22a228d3087b005","suppliersReference":"UK00yw","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},"body":[{"id":"58f20776e4b05776df18de20","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>13 min:</strong> Mousa Dembele pounces to fire a shot on target, but Artur Boruc saves well. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"13 min: Mousa Dembele pounces to fire a shot on target, but Artur Boruc saves well.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:43:50Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:44:30Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:44:30Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:44:29Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>13 min:</strong> Mousa Dembele pounces to fire a shot on target, but Artur Boruc saves well. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f206f7e4b05776df18de1c","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>12 min: </strong>Junior Stanislas attempts to release Josh King with a penetrative pass through the centre, but it’s cut out by Alderweireld. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"12 min: Junior Stanislas attempts to release Josh King with a penetrative pass through the centre, but it’s cut out by Alderweireld.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:41:43Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:43:43Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:43:43Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:43:43Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>12 min: </strong>Junior Stanislas attempts to release Josh King with a penetrative pass through the centre, but it’s cut out by Alderweireld. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f206b2e4b05776df18de1a","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>11 min: </strong>Bournemouth enjoy a little period of sustained pressure in the final third, but are eventually forced backwards. The ball is worked back to goalkeeper Artur Boruc, who clears it back up the field. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"11 min: Bournemouth enjoy a little period of sustained pressure in the final third, but are eventually forced backwards. The ball is worked back to goalkeeper Artur Boruc, who clears it back up the field.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:40:34Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:41:32Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:41:32Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:41:32Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>11 min: </strong>Bournemouth enjoy a little period of sustained pressure in the final third, but are eventually forced backwards. The ball is worked back to goalkeeper Artur Boruc, who clears it back up the field. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f20647e4b05b487c0e292a","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>9 min: </strong>Son plays the ball to Kane on the edge of the area and he plays it wide to Walker. He combines with Eriksen, but Bournemouth win possession and get forward. Good hold-up play from Josh King, who gets his foot on the ball and waits for reinforcements to arrive. They come in the form of Jack Wilshere, the on-loan-from -Arsenal midfielder who is booed mercilessly by the home fans. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"9 min: Son plays the ball to Kane on the edge of the area and he plays it wide to Walker. He combines with Eriksen, but Bournemouth win possession and get forward. Good hold-up play from Josh King, who gets his foot on the ball and waits for reinforcements to arrive. They come in the form of Jack Wilshere, the on-loan-from -Arsenal midfielder who is booed mercilessly by the home fans.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:38:47Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:40:29Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:40:29Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:40:29Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>9 min: </strong>Son plays the ball to Kane on the edge of the area and he plays it wide to Walker. He combines with Eriksen, but Bournemouth win possession and get forward. Good hold-up play from Josh King, who gets his foot on the ball and waits for reinforcements to arrive. They come in the form of Jack Wilshere, the on-loan-from -Arsenal midfielder who is booed mercilessly by the home fans. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f205b1e4b05776df18de15","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>6 min: </strong>Son shoots into the side-netting from a tight angle. Soon after, Kane goes close from close range but Boruc blocks his effort. It wouldn’t have counted anyway as Kane was offside. It’s all Spurs at the moment, with Bournemouth camped in their own half and unable to find a foothold in these early stages. </p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"d1f9a97142cc3cb60b0e80f6dafdc14c366272ec\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/d1f9a97142cc3cb60b0e80f6dafdc14c366272ec/0_0_3690_2562/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane shoots bit it’s blocked by Boruc.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"694\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane shoots bit it’s blocked by Boruc.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Frank Augstein/AP</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"6 min: Son shoots into the side-netting from a tight angle. Soon after, Kane goes close from close range but Boruc blocks his effort. It wouldn’t have counted anyway as Kane was offside. It’s all Spurs at the moment, with Bournemouth camped in their own half and unable to find a foothold in these early stages.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:36:17Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:38:38Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:44:57Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:44:57Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>6 min: </strong>Son shoots into the side-netting from a tight angle. Soon after, Kane goes close from close range but Boruc blocks his effort. It wouldn’t have counted anyway as Kane was offside. It’s all Spurs at the moment, with Bournemouth camped in their own half and unable to find a foothold in these early stages. </p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/d1f9a97142cc3cb60b0e80f6dafdc14c366272ec/0_0_3690_2562/3690.jpg","typeData":{"width":3690,"height":2562}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/d1f9a97142cc3cb60b0e80f6dafdc14c366272ec/0_0_3690_2562/master/3690.jpg","typeData":{"width":3690,"height":2562,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/d1f9a97142cc3cb60b0e80f6dafdc14c366272ec/0_0_3690_2562/2000.jpg","typeData":{"width":2000,"height":1389}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/d1f9a97142cc3cb60b0e80f6dafdc14c366272ec/0_0_3690_2562/1000.jpg","typeData":{"width":1000,"height":694}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/d1f9a97142cc3cb60b0e80f6dafdc14c366272ec/0_0_3690_2562/500.jpg","typeData":{"width":500,"height":347}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/d1f9a97142cc3cb60b0e80f6dafdc14c366272ec/0_0_3690_2562/140.jpg","typeData":{"width":140,"height":97}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane shoots bit it’s blocked by Boruc.","copyright":"Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Frank Augstein/AP","source":"AP","photographer":"Frank Augstein","alt":"Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane shoots bit it’s blocked by Boruc.","mediaId":"d1f9a97142cc3cb60b0e80f6dafdc14c366272ec","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/d1f9a97142cc3cb60b0e80f6dafdc14c366272ec","suppliersReference":"FAS103","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},{"id":"58f20568e4b05776df18de14","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>5 min: </strong>Christian Eriksen plays the dead ball to Kyle Walker at the angle of the penalty area and receives it back before drilling a cross towards the near post. It’s blocked and Spurs have another corner. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"5 min: Christian Eriksen plays the dead ball to Kyle Walker at the angle of the penalty area and receives it back before drilling a cross towards the near post. It’s blocked and Spurs have another corner.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:35:04Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:36:11Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:36:11Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:36:11Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>5 min: </strong>Christian Eriksen plays the dead ball to Kyle Walker at the angle of the penalty area and receives it back before drilling a cross towards the near post. It’s blocked and Spurs have another corner. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f20538e4b05776df18de13","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>4 min:</strong> Harry Kane attacks a dropping ball on the edge of the Bournemouth penalty area, but Steve Cook blocks his volley. Corner for Spurs. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"4 min: Harry Kane attacks a dropping ball on the edge of the Bournemouth penalty area, but Steve Cook blocks his volley. Corner for Spurs.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:34:16Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:34:59Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:34:59Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:34:59Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>4 min:</strong> Harry Kane attacks a dropping ball on the edge of the Bournemouth penalty area, but Steve Cook blocks his volley. Corner for Spurs. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f20511e4b0e0ec04f0121e","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>3 min:</strong> Spurs get forward, with Dele Alli picking out Ben Davies on the left flank. The ball finds its way back to the feet of Toby Alderweireld when no opening can be found. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"3 min: Spurs get forward, with Dele Alli picking out Ben Davies on the left flank. The ball finds its way back to the feet of Toby Alderweireld when no opening can be found.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:33:37Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:34:10Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:34:10Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:34:10Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>3 min:</strong> Spurs get forward, with Dele Alli picking out Ben Davies on the left flank. The ball finds its way back to the feet of Toby Alderweireld when no opening can be found. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f204a8e4b05776df18de0f","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>2 min: </strong>Bournemouth win an early throw-in just inside their own half, but Spurs soon regain possession with play concentrated in the middle third of the pitch. Jan Vertonghen gets an early touch out by the touchline, before sending a pass zinging backwards towards Toby Alderweireld. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"2 min: Bournemouth win an early throw-in just inside their own half, but Spurs soon regain possession with play concentrated in the middle third of the pitch. Jan Vertonghen gets an early touch out by the touchline, before sending a pass zinging backwards towards Toby Alderweireld.","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:31:52Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:33:24Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:33:24Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:33:24Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>2 min: </strong>Bournemouth win an early throw-in just inside their own half, but Spurs soon regain possession with play concentrated in the middle third of the pitch. Jan Vertonghen gets an early touch out by the touchline, before sending a pass zinging backwards towards Toby Alderweireld. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f2046ae4b05b487c0e2924","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>1 min: </strong>The home side get the ball rolling with their fans in great voice. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"1 min: The home side get the ball rolling with their fans in great voice.","title":"Spurs kick off ...","attributes":{"keyEvent":true,"title":"Spurs kick off ...","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:30:50Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:31:46Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:31:46Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:31:46Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>1 min: </strong>The home side get the ball rolling with their fans in great voice. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f20420e4b0e0ec04f0121b","bodyHtml":"<p>It’s a crisp but sunny day in North London and the team’s are going through the last of the pre-match formalities. Both sets of players wear their first-choice kits, with Spurs in white shirts and Bournemouth in red and black stripes. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"It’s a crisp but sunny day in North London and the team’s are going through the last of the pre-match formalities. Both sets of players wear their first-choice kits, with Spurs in white shirts and Bournemouth in red and black stripes.","title":"Not long now ...","attributes":{"keyEvent":true,"title":"Not long now ...","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:29:36Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:30:48Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:30:48Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:30:48Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>It’s a crisp but sunny day in North London and the team’s are going through the last of the pre-match formalities. Both sets of players wear their first-choice kits, with Spurs in white shirts and Bournemouth in red and black stripes. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f201aee4b05776df18de03","bodyHtml":"<p>Following Kelvin McKenzie’s hatchet job on Ross Barkley in yesterday’s Sun, Everton <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/15/everton-join-liverpool-in-banning-sun-journalists-over-coverage\">have banned the paper and its reporters from the club</a>. On the 28th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, they’ve announced that the tabloid is now “banned from Goodison Park, the USM Finch Farm training ground and all areas of the Club’s operation”. </p> <p>A club statement read: “Whilst we will not dignify any journalist with a response to appalling and indefensible allegations, the newspaper has to know that any attack on this City, either against a much respected community or individual, is not acceptable”. Good for them. </p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"77c32537e11f3f7b0bcd9fb7a0be2767e640cd4d\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/77c32537e11f3f7b0bcd9fb7a0be2767e640cd4d/0_185_2671_1603/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Ross Barkley\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Ross Barkley has been the subject of two completely unjustified attacks this week, one in a nightclub and the other in a tabloid newspaper.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"Following Kelvin McKenzie’s hatchet job on Ross Barkley in yesterday’s Sun, Everton have banned the paper and its reporters from the club. On the 28th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, they’ve announced that the tabloid is now “banned from Goodison Park, the USM Finch Farm training ground and all areas of the Club’s operation”. A club statement read: “Whilst we will not dignify any journalist with a response to appalling and indefensible allegations, the newspaper has to know that any attack on this City, either against a much respected community or individual, is not acceptable”. Good for them.","title":"Some good news from Everton ...","attributes":{"keyEvent":true,"title":"Some good news from Everton ...","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T11:19:10Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:23:32Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:29:29Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:29:29Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Following Kelvin McKenzie’s hatchet job on Ross Barkley in yesterday’s Sun, Everton <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/15/everton-join-liverpool-in-banning-sun-journalists-over-coverage\">have banned the paper and its reporters from the club</a>. On the 28th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, they’ve announced that the tabloid is now “banned from Goodison Park, the USM Finch Farm training ground and all areas of the Club’s operation”. </p> \n<p>A club statement read: “Whilst we will not dignify any journalist with a response to appalling and indefensible allegations, the newspaper has to know that any attack on this City, either against a much respected community or individual, is not acceptable”. Good for them. </p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/77c32537e11f3f7b0bcd9fb7a0be2767e640cd4d/0_185_2671_1603/2671.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2671,"height":1603}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/77c32537e11f3f7b0bcd9fb7a0be2767e640cd4d/0_185_2671_1603/master/2671.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2671,"height":1603,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/77c32537e11f3f7b0bcd9fb7a0be2767e640cd4d/0_185_2671_1603/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/77c32537e11f3f7b0bcd9fb7a0be2767e640cd4d/0_185_2671_1603/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/77c32537e11f3f7b0bcd9fb7a0be2767e640cd4d/0_185_2671_1603/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/77c32537e11f3f7b0bcd9fb7a0be2767e640cd4d/0_185_2671_1603/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Ross Barkley has been the subject of two completely unjustified attacks this week, one in a nightclub and the other in a tabloid newspaper.","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA","source":"PA","photographer":"Martin Rickett","alt":"Ross Barkley","mediaId":"77c32537e11f3f7b0bcd9fb7a0be2767e640cd4d","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/77c32537e11f3f7b0bcd9fb7a0be2767e640cd4d","suppliersReference":"POLICE_Barkley_074339.JPG","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},{"id":"58f1fc49e4b05776df18ddeb","bodyHtml":"<p>Christian Eriksen and Steve Cook line up against each other and in my humble opinion, both can consider themselves unlucky not to have made the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year Award. Both have been outstanding in very different positions throughout the season, but their contributions seem to have curiously unnoticed by anyone but their own club’s fans. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"Christian Eriksen and Steve Cook line up against each other and in my humble opinion, both can consider themselves unlucky not to have made the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year Award. Both have been outstanding in very different positions throughout the season, but their contributions seem to have curiously unnoticed by anyone but their own club’s fans.","title":"Player of the Year","attributes":{"keyEvent":true,"title":"Player of the Year","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:56:09Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:11:10Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:11:10Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:11:09Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Christian Eriksen and Steve Cook line up against each other and in my humble opinion, both can consider themselves unlucky not to have made the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year Award. Both have been outstanding in very different positions throughout the season, but their contributions seem to have curiously unnoticed by anyone but their own club’s fans. </p>"}}]},{"id":"58f1fc1ae4b0e0ec04f011fb","bodyHtml":"<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"811a309f9ee6556c9b0c9bf9e7603960b540c252\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/811a309f9ee6556c9b0c9bf9e7603960b540c252/0_111_5472_3283/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Spurs scarves\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Some cheap knitwear on sale outside White Hart lane.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:55:22Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:55:53Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:55:53Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:55:53Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/811a309f9ee6556c9b0c9bf9e7603960b540c252/0_111_5472_3283/5472.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":5472,"height":3283}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/811a309f9ee6556c9b0c9bf9e7603960b540c252/0_111_5472_3283/master/5472.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":5472,"height":3283,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/811a309f9ee6556c9b0c9bf9e7603960b540c252/0_111_5472_3283/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/811a309f9ee6556c9b0c9bf9e7603960b540c252/0_111_5472_3283/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/811a309f9ee6556c9b0c9bf9e7603960b540c252/0_111_5472_3283/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/811a309f9ee6556c9b0c9bf9e7603960b540c252/0_111_5472_3283/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Some cheap knitwear on sale outside White Hart lane.","copyright":"2017 Getty Images","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images","source":"Getty Images","photographer":"Julian Finney","alt":"Spurs scarves","mediaId":"811a309f9ee6556c9b0c9bf9e7603960b540c252","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/811a309f9ee6556c9b0c9bf9e7603960b540c252","suppliersReference":"668749726","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},{"id":"58f1faede4b05b487c0e28fc","bodyHtml":"<aside class=\"element element-rich-link\"> <p> <span>Related: </span><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/apr/14/premier-league-10-things-to-look-out-for-this-weekend\">Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend</a> </p> </aside>","bodyTextSummary":"","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:50:21Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:51:11Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:51:11Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:51:11Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"rich-link","assets":[],"richLinkTypeData":{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/apr/14/premier-league-10-things-to-look-out-for-this-weekend","originalUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/apr/14/premier-league-10-things-to-look-out-for-this-weekend","linkText":"Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend","linkPrefix":"Related: "}}]},{"id":"58f1f8f4e4b05b487c0e28f4","bodyHtml":"<p>To nobodfy’s great surprise, Harry Kane starts in Tottenham’s line-up, while Kieran Trippier can consider himself unlucky to have been dropped to the bench following his excellent performance against Watford. Victor Wanyama will be sitting nearby, presumably having failed to reach full fitness. </p> <p>Despite having served his ban, Tyrone Mings is among the Bournemouth substitutes. Eddie Howe makes one change from the team that lost at Chelsea last weekend, with Junior Stanislas coming in for Ryan Fraser in midfield.</p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"6ff859d6f8d06b231ed8caae05df7ac18231cb0d\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/6ff859d6f8d06b231ed8caae05df7ac18231cb0d/0_339_4969_2982/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Leyton Orient\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Beleaguered Leyton Orient fans shake their buckets outside White Hart Lane ahead of Tottenham’s match against Bournemouth.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Paul Childs/Reuters</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"To nobodfy’s great surprise, Harry Kane starts in Tottenham’s line-up, while Kieran Trippier can consider himself unlucky to have been dropped to the bench following his excellent performance against Watford. Victor Wanyama will be sitting nearby, presumably having failed to reach full fitness. Despite having served his ban, Tyrone Mings is among the Bournemouth substitutes. Eddie Howe makes one change from the team that lost at Chelsea last weekend, with Junior Stanislas coming in for Ryan Fraser in midfield.","title":"Harry Kane returns ...","attributes":{"keyEvent":true,"title":"Harry Kane returns ...","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:41:56Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:48:39Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:48:39Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:48:39Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>To nobodfy’s great surprise, Harry Kane starts in Tottenham’s line-up, while Kieran Trippier can consider himself unlucky to have been dropped to the bench following his excellent performance against Watford. Victor Wanyama will be sitting nearby, presumably having failed to reach full fitness. </p> \n<p>Despite having served his ban, Tyrone Mings is among the Bournemouth substitutes. Eddie Howe makes one change from the team that lost at Chelsea last weekend, with Junior Stanislas coming in for Ryan Fraser in midfield.</p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6ff859d6f8d06b231ed8caae05df7ac18231cb0d/0_339_4969_2982/4969.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":4969,"height":2982}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/6ff859d6f8d06b231ed8caae05df7ac18231cb0d/0_339_4969_2982/master/4969.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":4969,"height":2982,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6ff859d6f8d06b231ed8caae05df7ac18231cb0d/0_339_4969_2982/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6ff859d6f8d06b231ed8caae05df7ac18231cb0d/0_339_4969_2982/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6ff859d6f8d06b231ed8caae05df7ac18231cb0d/0_339_4969_2982/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6ff859d6f8d06b231ed8caae05df7ac18231cb0d/0_339_4969_2982/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Beleaguered Leyton Orient fans shake their buckets outside White Hart Lane ahead of Tottenham’s match against Bournemouth.","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Paul Childs/Reuters","source":"Reuters","photographer":"Paul Childs","alt":"Leyton Orient","mediaId":"6ff859d6f8d06b231ed8caae05df7ac18231cb0d","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/6ff859d6f8d06b231ed8caae05df7ac18231cb0d","suppliersReference":"UK00yf","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},{"id":"58f1f7d2e4b05b487c0e28ee","bodyHtml":"<p><strong>Tottenham Hotspur:</strong> Lloris, Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Dembele, Eriksen, Alli, Son, Kane. </p> <p><strong>Subs:</strong> Janssen, Wanyama, Trippier, Sissoko, Onomah, Wimmer, Pau Lopez. <br /></p> <p><strong>AFC Bournemouth:</strong> Boruc, Adam Smith, Francis, Steve Cook, Daniels, Stanislas, Arter, Wilshere, Pugh, King, Afobe. </p> <p><strong>Subs:</strong> Gradel, Lewis Cook, Allsop, Fraser, Mings, Mousset, Cargill. <br /></p> <p><strong>Referee:</strong> Michael Oliver (Northumberland) </p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"e8b9435306d2db685ac199efb04ebfa2ef8596bd\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/e8b9435306d2db685ac199efb04ebfa2ef8596bd/0_297_5184_3110/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Michael Oliver\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Michael Oliver, seen here waving his red card at Francois Coquelin, is in charge of maintaining order this afternoon.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Dembele, Eriksen, Alli, Son, Kane. Subs: Janssen, Wanyama, Trippier, Sissoko, Onomah, Wimmer, Pau Lopez. AFC Bournemouth: Boruc, Adam Smith, Francis, Steve Cook, Daniels, Stanislas, Arter, Wilshere, Pugh, King, Afobe. Subs: Gradel, Lewis Cook, Allsop, Fraser, Mings, Mousset, Cargill. Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)","title":"Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth line-ups","attributes":{"keyEvent":true,"title":"Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth line-ups","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:37:06Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:39:57Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:39:57Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:39:57Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><strong>Tottenham Hotspur:</strong> Lloris, Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Dembele, Eriksen, Alli, Son, Kane. </p> \n<p><strong>Subs:</strong> Janssen, Wanyama, Trippier, Sissoko, Onomah, Wimmer, Pau Lopez. <br /></p> \n<p><strong>AFC Bournemouth:</strong> Boruc, Adam Smith, Francis, Steve Cook, Daniels, Stanislas, Arter, Wilshere, Pugh, King, Afobe. </p> \n<p><strong>Subs:</strong> Gradel, Lewis Cook, Allsop, Fraser, Mings, Mousset, Cargill. <br /></p> \n<p><strong>Referee:</strong> Michael Oliver (Northumberland) </p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/e8b9435306d2db685ac199efb04ebfa2ef8596bd/0_297_5184_3110/5184.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":5184,"height":3110}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/e8b9435306d2db685ac199efb04ebfa2ef8596bd/0_297_5184_3110/master/5184.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":5184,"height":3110,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/e8b9435306d2db685ac199efb04ebfa2ef8596bd/0_297_5184_3110/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/e8b9435306d2db685ac199efb04ebfa2ef8596bd/0_297_5184_3110/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/e8b9435306d2db685ac199efb04ebfa2ef8596bd/0_297_5184_3110/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/e8b9435306d2db685ac199efb04ebfa2ef8596bd/0_297_5184_3110/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Michael Oliver, seen here waving his red card at Francois Coquelin, is in charge of maintaining order this afternoon.","copyright":"Tom Jenkins","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian","source":"The Guardian","photographer":"Tom Jenkins","alt":"Michael Oliver","mediaId":"e8b9435306d2db685ac199efb04ebfa2ef8596bd","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/e8b9435306d2db685ac199efb04ebfa2ef8596bd","suppliersReference":"Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},{"id":"58f1f557e4b05b487c0e28e1","bodyHtml":"<p>Harry Kane is likely to return to Tottenham’s starting line-up after <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/08/tottenham-hotspur-watford-premier-league-match-report\">coming off the bench against Watford</a> last weekend. Victor Wanyama may also return after picking up a niggle in the warm-up of that game. Erik Lamela, Harry Winks and Danny Rose remain sidelined, while Mauricio Pochettino may replace Kieran Trippier with Kyle Walker, despite the replacement full-back’s excellent performance last week.</p> <p>Callum Wilson and Andrew Surman remain among the ranks of Bournemouth’s long-term lame and halt, while Dan Gosling’s participation today is in doubt after a setback earlier this week. Defender Tyrone Mings is available for selection after serving his five-match ban for violent conduct after wiping his feet on Zlatan Ibrahimovic. </p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"910d4c92c31761e3cd8a64e688fb6029b096b0b4\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/910d4c92c31761e3cd8a64e688fb6029b096b0b4/0_98_3493_2096/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Tyrone Mings and Zlatan Ibrahimovic\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">An eventful afternoon for Tyrone Mings and Zlatan Ibrahimovic ended in a five-match ban for the Bournemouth defender.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"Harry Kane is likely to return to Tottenham’s starting line-up after coming off the bench against Watford last weekend. Victor Wanyama may also return after picking up a niggle in the warm-up of that game. Erik Lamela, Harry Winks and Danny Rose remain sidelined, while Mauricio Pochettino may replace Kieran Trippier with Kyle Walker, despite the replacement full-back’s excellent performance last week. Callum Wilson and Andrew Surman remain among the ranks of Bournemouth’s long-term lame and halt, while Dan Gosling’s participation today is in doubt after a setback earlier this week. Defender Tyrone Mings is available for selection after serving his five-match ban for violent conduct after wiping his feet on Zlatan Ibrahimovic.","title":"Early team news ...","attributes":{"keyEvent":true,"title":"Early team news ...","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:26:31Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:36:34Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:36:34Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:36:34Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Harry Kane is likely to return to Tottenham’s starting line-up after <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/08/tottenham-hotspur-watford-premier-league-match-report\">coming off the bench against Watford</a> last weekend. Victor Wanyama may also return after picking up a niggle in the warm-up of that game. Erik Lamela, Harry Winks and Danny Rose remain sidelined, while Mauricio Pochettino may replace Kieran Trippier with Kyle Walker, despite the replacement full-back’s excellent performance last week.</p> \n<p>Callum Wilson and Andrew Surman remain among the ranks of Bournemouth’s long-term lame and halt, while Dan Gosling’s participation today is in doubt after a setback earlier this week. Defender Tyrone Mings is available for selection after serving his five-match ban for violent conduct after wiping his feet on Zlatan Ibrahimovic. </p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/910d4c92c31761e3cd8a64e688fb6029b096b0b4/0_98_3493_2096/3493.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3493,"height":2096}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/910d4c92c31761e3cd8a64e688fb6029b096b0b4/0_98_3493_2096/master/3493.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3493,"height":2096,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/910d4c92c31761e3cd8a64e688fb6029b096b0b4/0_98_3493_2096/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/910d4c92c31761e3cd8a64e688fb6029b096b0b4/0_98_3493_2096/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/910d4c92c31761e3cd8a64e688fb6029b096b0b4/0_98_3493_2096/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/910d4c92c31761e3cd8a64e688fb6029b096b0b4/0_98_3493_2096/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"An eventful afternoon for Tyrone Mings and Zlatan Ibrahimovic ended in a five-match ban for the Bournemouth defender.","copyright":"PA Wire","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA","source":"PA","photographer":"Martin Rickett","alt":"Tyrone Mings and Zlatan Ibrahimovic","mediaId":"910d4c92c31761e3cd8a64e688fb6029b096b0b4","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/910d4c92c31761e3cd8a64e688fb6029b096b0b4","suppliersReference":"SOCCER_Disciplinary_163727.JPG","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},{"id":"58f1f54ce4b0e0ec04f011df","bodyHtml":"<aside class=\"element element-rich-link\"> <p> <span>Related: </span><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/14/christian-eriksen-special-one-tottenham-mauricio-pochettino\">Christian Eriksen is our Special One, says Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino</a> </p> </aside>","bodyTextSummary":"","attributes":{"pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T10:26:20Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:26:25Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:26:25Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:26:25Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"rich-link","assets":[],"richLinkTypeData":{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/14/christian-eriksen-special-one-tottenham-mauricio-pochettino","originalUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/14/christian-eriksen-special-one-tottenham-mauricio-pochettino","linkText":"Christian Eriksen is our Special One, says Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino","linkPrefix":"Related: "}}]},{"id":"58f1de66e4b05776df18dd7c","bodyHtml":"<p>The TV schedulers have given Tottenham Hotspur another opportunity to close the gap between themselves and Premier League-leaders Chelsea to four points for a day at least, as they take on Bournemouth at White Hart Lane in the weekend’s early kick-off. The Cherries have never won there and are unlikely to get another opportunity to do so before Spurs move to the <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jan/20/tottenham-hotspur-new-stadium-cheese-white-hart-lane\">swanky new stadium</a> they’re building next door. Kick-off is at 12.30 BST, but stay tuned for team news and build-up. </p>","bodyTextSummary":"The TV schedulers have given Tottenham Hotspur another opportunity to close the gap between themselves and Premier League-leaders Chelsea to four points for a day at least, as they take on Bournemouth at White Hart Lane in the weekend’s early kick-off. The Cherries have never won there and are unlikely to get another opportunity to do so before Spurs move to the swanky new stadium they’re building next door. Kick-off is at 12.30 BST, but stay tuned for team news and build-up.","title":"They go again ...","attributes":{"keyEvent":true,"title":"They go again ...","pinned":false},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-15T08:48:38Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T08:48:42Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T10:25:41Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T10:25:41Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>The TV schedulers have given Tottenham Hotspur another opportunity to close the gap between themselves and Premier League-leaders Chelsea to four points for a day at least, as they take on Bournemouth at White Hart Lane in the weekend’s early kick-off. The Cherries have never won there and are unlikely to get another opportunity to do so before Spurs move to the <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jan/20/tottenham-hotspur-new-stadium-cheese-white-hart-lane\">swanky new stadium</a> they’re building next door. Kick-off is at 12.30 BST, but stay tuned for team news and build-up. </p>"}}]}],"totalBodyBlocks":20},"isHosted":false},{"id":"travel/2017/apr/15/cuba-hershey-town-chocolate-train-beaches-hotels","type":"article","sectionId":"travel","sectionName":"Travel","webPublicationDate":"2017-04-15T11:30:01Z","webTitle":"Sweet on Cuba: riding the Hershey town train","webUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/apr/15/cuba-hershey-town-chocolate-train-beaches-hotels","apiUrl":"https://content.guardianapis.com/travel/2017/apr/15/cuba-hershey-town-chocolate-train-beaches-hotels","blocks":{"main":{"id":"58ef8fffe4b05b487c0e20a0","bodyHtml":"<figure class=\"element element-image element--showcase\" data-media-id=\"b983332cafbd65aaca572136459d83d6effe5080\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/b983332cafbd65aaca572136459d83d6effe5080/237_617_3718_2231/1000.jpg\" alt=\"The Hershey train runs along Cuba’s north coast from Casa Blanca to Matanzas.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Sugar rush hour … the Hershey train was built to transport cane; it runs along Cuba’s north coast from Casa Blanca to Matanzas.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Alamy</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-13T14:49:35Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-13T14:49:36Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-13T15:06:31Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-13T15:06:31Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/b983332cafbd65aaca572136459d83d6effe5080/237_617_3718_2231/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/b983332cafbd65aaca572136459d83d6effe5080/237_617_3718_2231/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/b983332cafbd65aaca572136459d83d6effe5080/237_617_3718_2231/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/b983332cafbd65aaca572136459d83d6effe5080/237_617_3718_2231/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/b983332cafbd65aaca572136459d83d6effe5080/237_617_3718_2231/3718.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3718,"height":2231}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/b983332cafbd65aaca572136459d83d6effe5080/237_617_3718_2231/master/3718.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3718,"height":2231,"isMaster":true}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Sugar rush hour … the Hershey train was built to transport cane; it runs along Cuba’s north coast from Casa Blanca to Matanzas.","copyright":"Credit: Alun John / Alamy Stock Photo","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Alamy","source":"Alamy","alt":"The Hershey train runs along Cuba’s north coast from Casa Blanca to Matanzas.","mediaId":"b983332cafbd65aaca572136459d83d6effe5080","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/b983332cafbd65aaca572136459d83d6effe5080","suppliersReference":"DRF3CF","imageType":"Photograph","role":"showcase"}}]},"body":[{"id":"fe864bbd-e973-4b19-bef3-1ae1460ebbd7","bodyHtml":"<p>‘We had the best sugar in the world… and we lived like kings. We had our own baseball club, bands, dances, concerts and movies,” 93-year-old Amparo de Jongh told me in her house in the model town of Hershey, Cuba.</p> <p>De Jongh, the first person to be born in Hershey, went on: “We would go to the hotel for ice-cream, where they had lace tablecloths, English porcelain, and chocolate and cigars were sold. And when we were young all the girls would go and swim in the Hershey Gardens. This place was amazing.”</p>  <figure class=\"element element-interactive interactive\" data-interactive=\"https://interactive.guim.co.uk/embed/iframe-wrapper/0.1/boot.js\" data-canonical-url=\"https://interactive.guim.co.uk/uploader/embed/2017/04/cuba_map/giv-39029G4Mgg947Xny/\" data-alt=\"Cuba Hershey town map\"> <a href=\"https://interactive.guim.co.uk/uploader/embed/2017/04/cuba_map/giv-39029G4Mgg947Xny/\">Cuba Hershey town map</a> </figure>  <p>In 1917, chocolate pioneer Milton Hershey came to Cuba for sugar to supply his US chocolate company, and opened a factory here. He bought several sugar mills, established a town of 180 homes on this spot 40 miles east of Havana, and built a golf course, a sports field and an electric railway that ran from the Bay of Havana at Casablanca to the port of Matanzas 52 miles to the east. His Cuban sugar business supplied his chocolate empire, sent molasses to the rum factory up the road, and sold sugar to Coca-Cola.</p> <p>Hershey would ride a sugar boom created by the devastation of beet fields in Europe during the first world war, that would become known as Cuba’s “Dance of the Millions”. It saw the price of sugar more than double in two months: Cuba’s total crop was worth $455m in 1919, and a cool $1bn in 1920. But oversupply hit hard in 1921, and in 1946, Hershey’s sold its Cuba business.</p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"843f595f2e8146afc4ba052564fc07671058e6b8\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/843f595f2e8146afc4ba052564fc07671058e6b8/0_6_2840_1704/1000.jpg\" alt=\"An old print showing Hershey as it was in its early 20th-century heyday.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">An old print showing Hershey as it was in its early 20th-century heyday.</span> </figcaption> </figure>  <p>Today, the colourful clapboard homes and wooden swings on porches of Hershey homes, and the sugar mill (closed in 2002), languish in the tropical greenery, but the train still rattles to Matanzas three times a day.</p> <p>Now Havana architect Renán Rodríguez is hoping to preserve the industrial heritage of Hershey and promote the rail route. Rodríguez plans to open the first B&amp;B in Casablanca, a museum and restaurant, restoration of the Hershey hotel, accommodation for tourists in former workers’ houses, and repairs to the period homes.</p> <p>Exactly when all this will come to fruition is uncertain but other B&amp;Bs have opened close to the 46 little stations along the railway, so visitors can now take the train from Casablanca along Cuba’s north coast to Matanzas, stopping off along the way.</p>  <figure class=\"element element-image element--showcase\" data-media-id=\"f64cd7267f924ee3d232163493e90aecfd510581\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/f64cd7267f924ee3d232163493e90aecfd510581/0_437_3264_1958/1000.jpg\" alt=\"A cove at Santa Cruz del Norte.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">A cove at Santa Cruz del Norte.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Claire Boobbyer</span> </figcaption> </figure>  <p>The daily 12.21pm left the navy blue-striped Casablanca station (transformed by French artist Daniel Buren for the Havana art biennial in 2015) with a jolt. The carriages – bare-bones cars from Spain – wheezed as they arced around Havana’s harbour, tussling with banana fronds and low-lying mango tree branches, carrying commuters, day trippers, tourists, goats, two trussed-up pigs, a cage of pigeons, and dozens of birds in tiny wooden cages.</p> <p>The train’s top speed is 25mph, so it was a leisurely creak, shudder and sway through farmland, scrub, palm groves, parcels of sugar cane, sugar mill chimneys and huddles of remote homes. At just 8p for the entire three-hour-plus ride (it’s a local service and tickets are sold in pesos rather than convertible pesos used by tourists), it’s the cheapest way to get to Matanzas.</p>  <figure class=\"element element-image element--showcase\" data-media-id=\"cc0bddff1eb9152380508048a77baa231ca82507\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/cc0bddff1eb9152380508048a77baa231ca82507/0_121_3600_2161/1000.jpg\" alt=\"The railway survived the closure of the sugar mill in 2002.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">The railway survived the closure of the sugar mill in 2002.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty Images</span> </figcaption> </figure>  <p>Many Cubans got off at Guanabo for the golden sands of Havana’s eastern beaches, but I headed on east. At Hershey (now renamed Camilo Cienfuegos and 90 minutes and 4p from Havana), I admired the mosaic counter in the <em>bodega</em> (grocery), and the wood-clad pharmacy, and met charming nonagenarian de Jongh, who showed me photographs of old-time Hershey. Down the hill are the Hershey Gardens, where locals have been bathing in spring waters surrounded by palms and lianas for almost a century.</p> <p>It’s just two miles from here to the coast at Santa Cruz del Norte where, east of the town’s Havana Club rum factory, a string of coves with great snorkelling, collectively known as Jibacoa, curve along the coast.</p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"6dfb0dfb314d92bb5b46b51cafb54dbff490175a\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/6dfb0dfb314d92bb5b46b51cafb54dbff490175a/0_130_3247_1949/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Hershey Train Adventure, Cuba\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">A clapboard house in Hershey (now called Camilo Cienfuegos).</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Claire Boobbyer</span> </figcaption> </figure>  <p>Jibacoa, home to the low-key all-inclusive Memories hotel, and a series of basic Cuban resorts, is rated by many as the best beach area close to Havana. It’s also known for an August music festival, Verano en Jibacoa. (Its predecessor, alternative indy music festival <a href=\"http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=48844\">La Rotilla</a>, was shut down by the government.)</p> <p>A monumental limestone ridge rears up behind the beaches of Jibacoa. In Matilde village, Jorge Luis offered to fuel my journey to the top by slashing open a coconut, and insisting I chew on a few sugar cane chunks. The ridge-top forest was a riot of vegetation opening to a view of paragliders and pelicans over the Atlantic. From my high perch, I could see the coral reef on the seabed so I arranged to head out to the reef with Pedro from Pedro’s House B&amp;B (+53 5296 1900, <a href=\"http://jibacoareservation.com/index.php/rent-house-jibacoa/en/pedro-house\">jibacoareservation.com</a>, doubles from £29). After admiring the bejewelled fish, I ate shrimps at paladar El Cacique, behind Memories.</p> <p>Up the road from El Cacique, I stayed with Guille and Mirtha at their B&amp;B, <a href=\"https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/13989902\">Casa Guille</a> (+53 5275 6412, email <a href=\"mailto:les7francais@nauta.cu\">les7francais@nauta.cu</a>), and Guille drove me in his 1952 lime-green Buick to the beautiful Playa del Camping and the nearby Playa de los Artistas, a favourite backdrop for girls’ <em>quinceañera</em> (15th birthday/coming-of-age) portraits.</p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"30ecddd35ed327f9b065ea4a5da4d0cdcde72148\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/30ecddd35ed327f9b065ea4a5da4d0cdcde72148/0_242_3248_1949/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Hershey Train Adventure, Cuba\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> </figure>  <p>Next day, I walked the three miles east to Arcos de Canasí, where Natacha Fábregas has opened a stylish bungalow, <a href=\"http://montecorales.com/\">Cabaña Montecorales</a> (rooms £29, three meals a day £12pp), in gardens dangling with avocado, mango and coconut. Here she serves barbecued seafood with homemade lemony, minty sauce.</p> <p>Later, I set off with guide Paulito Gómez, a biology graduate who works part-time at Cabaña Montecorales, to explore the coast. We snorkelled out of the river mouth to the open sea, passing trumpet fish, brightly splashed parrot fish, purple fans, elkhorn coral and a silver school of barracuda before emerging in a cove where we spent the morning jumping off a ledge into the warm water. Natacha’s barbecued octopus and piña coladas made from the coconuts in the garden greeted us on our return.</p>  <figure class=\"element element-image element--showcase\" data-media-id=\"320657fd47baad22edd45bd9eab781c5f96814c0\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/320657fd47baad22edd45bd9eab781c5f96814c0/0_144_3264_1958/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Cabaña Montecorales\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Cabaña Montecorales</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Claire Boobbyer</span> </figcaption> </figure>  <p>I was reluctant to leave Natacha’s tropical haven but I had a train to catch, to Matanzas. We wobbled past caramel-coloured horses, and a lazy cow on the line, which nearly didn’t make it. I wondered if Milton Hershey ever thought his train would still be running a century later. As a man of <em>grands projets</em>, he would be heartened that Havana’s young architects are trying to preserve his legacy.</p> <h2><strong>Way to go</strong></h2> <p>The trip was provided by Cuba Holidays (020-7644 1600, <a href=\"https://cubaholidays.co.uk/\">cubaholidays.co.uk</a>), which has a seven-night holiday to Cuba (three nights in downtown Havana and four on the beach) from £999pp, including B&amp;B (two sharing) and flights from London with Virgin Atlantic</p>","bodyTextSummary":"‘We had the best sugar in the world… and we lived like kings. We had our own baseball club, bands, dances, concerts and movies,” 93-year-old Amparo de Jongh told me in her house in the model town of Hershey, Cuba. De Jongh, the first person to be born in Hershey, went on: “We would go to the hotel for ice-cream, where they had lace tablecloths, English porcelain, and chocolate and cigars were sold. And when we were young all the girls would go and swim in the Hershey Gardens. This place was amazing.”\nIn 1917, chocolate pioneer Milton Hershey came to Cuba for sugar to supply his US chocolate company, and opened a factory here. He bought several sugar mills, established a town of 180 homes on this spot 40 miles east of Havana, and built a golf course, a sports field and an electric railway that ran from the Bay of Havana at Casablanca to the port of Matanzas 52 miles to the east. His Cuban sugar business supplied his chocolate empire, sent molasses to the rum factory up the road, and sold sugar to Coca-Cola. Hershey would ride a sugar boom created by the devastation of beet fields in Europe during the first world war, that would become known as Cuba’s “Dance of the Millions”. It saw the price of sugar more than double in two months: Cuba’s total crop was worth $455m in 1919, and a cool $1bn in 1920. But oversupply hit hard in 1921, and in 1946, Hershey’s sold its Cuba business.\nToday, the colourful clapboard homes and wooden swings on porches of Hershey homes, and the sugar mill (closed in 2002), languish in the tropical greenery, but the train still rattles to Matanzas three times a day. Now Havana architect Renán Rodríguez is hoping to preserve the industrial heritage of Hershey and promote the rail route. Rodríguez plans to open the first B&B in Casablanca, a museum and restaurant, restoration of the Hershey hotel, accommodation for tourists in former workers’ houses, and repairs to the period homes. Exactly when all this will come to fruition is uncertain but other B&Bs have opened close to the 46 little stations along the railway, so visitors can now take the train from Casablanca along Cuba’s north coast to Matanzas, stopping off along the way.\nThe daily 12.21pm left the navy blue-striped Casablanca station (transformed by French artist Daniel Buren for the Havana art biennial in 2015) with a jolt. The carriages – bare-bones cars from Spain – wheezed as they arced around Havana’s harbour, tussling with banana fronds and low-lying mango tree branches, carrying commuters, day trippers, tourists, goats, two trussed-up pigs, a cage of pigeons, and dozens of birds in tiny wooden cages. The train’s top speed is 25mph, so it was a leisurely creak, shudder and sway through farmland, scrub, palm groves, parcels of sugar cane, sugar mill chimneys and huddles of remote homes. At just 8p for the entire three-hour-plus ride (it’s a local service and tickets are sold in pesos rather than convertible pesos used by tourists), it’s the cheapest way to get to Matanzas.\nMany Cubans got off at Guanabo for the golden sands of Havana’s eastern beaches, but I headed on east. At Hershey (now renamed Camilo Cienfuegos and 90 minutes and 4p from Havana), I admired the mosaic counter in the bodega (grocery), and the wood-clad pharmacy, and met charming nonagenarian de Jongh, who showed me photographs of old-time Hershey. Down the hill are the Hershey Gardens, where locals have been bathing in spring waters surrounded by palms and lianas for almost a century. It’s just two miles from here to the coast at Santa Cruz del Norte where, east of the town’s Havana Club rum factory, a string of coves with great snorkelling, collectively known as Jibacoa, curve along the coast.\nJibacoa, home to the low-key all-inclusive Memories hotel, and a series of basic Cuban resorts, is rated by many as the best beach area close to Havana. It’s also known for an August music festival, Verano en Jibacoa. (Its predecessor, alternative indy music festival La Rotilla, was shut down by the government.) A monumental limestone ridge rears up behind the beaches of Jibacoa. In Matilde village, Jorge Luis offered to fuel my journey to the top by slashing open a coconut, and insisting I chew on a few sugar cane chunks. The ridge-top forest was a riot of vegetation opening to a view of paragliders and pelicans over the Atlantic. From my high perch, I could see the coral reef on the seabed so I arranged to head out to the reef with Pedro from Pedro’s House B&B (+53 5296 1900, jibacoareservation.com, doubles from £29). After admiring the bejewelled fish, I ate shrimps at paladar El Cacique, behind Memories. Up the road from El Cacique, I stayed with Guille and Mirtha at their B&B, Casa Guille (+53 5275 6412, email les7francais@nauta.cu), and Guille drove me in his 1952 lime-green Buick to the beautiful Playa del Camping and the nearby Playa de los Artistas, a favourite backdrop for girls’ quinceañera (15th birthday/coming-of-age) portraits.\nNext day, I walked the three miles east to Arcos de Canasí, where Natacha Fábregas has opened a stylish bungalow, Cabaña Montecorales (rooms £29, three meals a day £12pp), in gardens dangling with avocado, mango and coconut. Here she serves barbecued seafood with homemade lemony, minty sauce. Later, I set off with guide Paulito Gómez, a biology graduate who works part-time at Cabaña Montecorales, to explore the coast. We snorkelled out of the river mouth to the open sea, passing trumpet fish, brightly splashed parrot fish, purple fans, elkhorn coral and a silver school of barracuda before emerging in a cove where we spent the morning jumping off a ledge into the warm water. Natacha’s barbecued octopus and piña coladas made from the coconuts in the garden greeted us on our return.\nI was reluctant to leave Natacha’s tropical haven but I had a train to catch, to Matanzas. We wobbled past caramel-coloured horses, and a lazy cow on the line, which nearly didn’t make it. I wondered if Milton Hershey ever thought his train would still be running a century later. As a man of grands projets, he would be heartened that Havana’s young architects are trying to preserve his legacy. Way to go The trip was provided by Cuba Holidays (020-7644 1600, cubaholidays.co.uk), which has a seven-night holiday to Cuba (three nights in downtown Havana and four on the beach) from £999pp, including B&B (two sharing) and flights from London with Virgin Atlantic","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-11T16:53:29Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-14T11:53:02Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-14T11:53:33Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-14T11:53:33Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>‘We had the best sugar in the world… and we lived like kings. We had our own baseball club, bands, dances, concerts and movies,” 93-year-old Amparo de Jongh told me in her house in the model town of Hershey, Cuba.</p> \n<p>De Jongh, the first person to be born in Hershey, went on: “We would go to the hotel for ice-cream, where they had lace tablecloths, English porcelain, and chocolate and cigars were sold. And when we were young all the girls would go and swim in the Hershey Gardens. This place was amazing.”</p>"}},{"type":"interactive","assets":[],"interactiveTypeData":{"originalUrl":"https://interactive.guim.co.uk/uploader/embed/2017/04/cuba_map/giv-39029G4Mgg947Xny/","source":"Guardian","alt":"Cuba Hershey town map","scriptUrl":"https://interactive.guim.co.uk/embed/iframe-wrapper/0.1/boot.js","html":"<a href=\"https://interactive.guim.co.uk/uploader/embed/2017/04/cuba_map/giv-39029G4Mgg947Xny/\">Cuba Hershey town map</a>","scriptName":"iframe-wrapper","iframeUrl":"https://interactive.guim.co.uk/uploader/embed/2017/04/cuba_map/giv-39029G4Mgg947Xny/","isMandatory":false}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>In 1917, chocolate pioneer Milton Hershey came to Cuba for sugar to supply his US chocolate company, and opened a factory here. He bought several sugar mills, established a town of 180 homes on this spot 40 miles east of Havana, and built a golf course, a sports field and an electric railway that ran from the Bay of Havana at Casablanca to the port of Matanzas 52 miles to the east. His Cuban sugar business supplied his chocolate empire, sent molasses to the rum factory up the road, and sold sugar to Coca-Cola.</p> \n<p>Hershey would ride a sugar boom created by the devastation of beet fields in Europe during the first world war, that would become known as Cuba’s “Dance of the Millions”. It saw the price of sugar more than double in two months: Cuba’s total crop was worth $455m in 1919, and a cool $1bn in 1920. But oversupply hit hard in 1921, and in 1946, Hershey’s sold its Cuba business.</p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/843f595f2e8146afc4ba052564fc07671058e6b8/0_6_2840_1704/2840.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2840,"height":1704}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/843f595f2e8146afc4ba052564fc07671058e6b8/0_6_2840_1704/master/2840.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2840,"height":1704,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/843f595f2e8146afc4ba052564fc07671058e6b8/0_6_2840_1704/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/843f595f2e8146afc4ba052564fc07671058e6b8/0_6_2840_1704/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/843f595f2e8146afc4ba052564fc07671058e6b8/0_6_2840_1704/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/843f595f2e8146afc4ba052564fc07671058e6b8/0_6_2840_1704/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"An old print showing Hershey as it was in its early 20th-century heyday.","displayCredit":false,"credit":"Photograph: Unknown","source":"Unknown","alt":"An old print showing Hershey as it was in its early 20th-century heyday.","mediaId":"843f595f2e8146afc4ba052564fc07671058e6b8","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/843f595f2e8146afc4ba052564fc07671058e6b8","imageType":"Photograph"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Today, the colourful clapboard homes and wooden swings on porches of Hershey homes, and the sugar mill (closed in 2002), languish in the tropical greenery, but the train still rattles to Matanzas three times a day.</p> \n<p>Now Havana architect Renán Rodríguez is hoping to preserve the industrial heritage of Hershey and promote the rail route. Rodríguez plans to open the first B&amp;B in Casablanca, a museum and restaurant, restoration of the Hershey hotel, accommodation for tourists in former workers’ houses, and repairs to the period homes.</p> \n<p>Exactly when all this will come to fruition is uncertain but other B&amp;Bs have opened close to the 46 little stations along the railway, so visitors can now take the train from Casablanca along Cuba’s north coast to Matanzas, stopping off along the way.</p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/f64cd7267f924ee3d232163493e90aecfd510581/0_437_3264_1958/3264.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3264,"height":1958}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/f64cd7267f924ee3d232163493e90aecfd510581/0_437_3264_1958/master/3264.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3264,"height":1958,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/f64cd7267f924ee3d232163493e90aecfd510581/0_437_3264_1958/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/f64cd7267f924ee3d232163493e90aecfd510581/0_437_3264_1958/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/f64cd7267f924ee3d232163493e90aecfd510581/0_437_3264_1958/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/f64cd7267f924ee3d232163493e90aecfd510581/0_437_3264_1958/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"A cove at Santa Cruz del Norte.","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Claire Boobbyer","source":"Claire Boobbyer","alt":"A cove at Santa Cruz del Norte.","mediaId":"f64cd7267f924ee3d232163493e90aecfd510581","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/f64cd7267f924ee3d232163493e90aecfd510581","imageType":"Photograph","role":"showcase"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>The daily 12.21pm left the navy blue-striped Casablanca station (transformed by French artist Daniel Buren for the Havana art biennial in 2015) with a jolt. The carriages – bare-bones cars from Spain – wheezed as they arced around Havana’s harbour, tussling with banana fronds and low-lying mango tree branches, carrying commuters, day trippers, tourists, goats, two trussed-up pigs, a cage of pigeons, and dozens of birds in tiny wooden cages.</p> \n<p>The train’s top speed is 25mph, so it was a leisurely creak, shudder and sway through farmland, scrub, palm groves, parcels of sugar cane, sugar mill chimneys and huddles of remote homes. At just 8p for the entire three-hour-plus ride (it’s a local service and tickets are sold in pesos rather than convertible pesos used by tourists), it’s the cheapest way to get to Matanzas.</p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/cc0bddff1eb9152380508048a77baa231ca82507/0_121_3600_2161/3600.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3600,"height":2161}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/cc0bddff1eb9152380508048a77baa231ca82507/0_121_3600_2161/master/3600.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3600,"height":2161,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/cc0bddff1eb9152380508048a77baa231ca82507/0_121_3600_2161/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/cc0bddff1eb9152380508048a77baa231ca82507/0_121_3600_2161/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/cc0bddff1eb9152380508048a77baa231ca82507/0_121_3600_2161/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/cc0bddff1eb9152380508048a77baa231ca82507/0_121_3600_2161/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"The railway survived the closure of the sugar mill in 2002.","copyright":"2015 The Washington Post","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty Images","source":"Getty Images","photographer":"The Washington Post","alt":"The railway survived the closure of the sugar mill in 2002.","mediaId":"cc0bddff1eb9152380508048a77baa231ca82507","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/cc0bddff1eb9152380508048a77baa231ca82507","suppliersReference":"95654735","imageType":"Photograph","role":"showcase"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Many Cubans got off at Guanabo for the golden sands of Havana’s eastern beaches, but I headed on east. At Hershey (now renamed Camilo Cienfuegos and 90 minutes and 4p from Havana), I admired the mosaic counter in the <em>bodega</em> (grocery), and the wood-clad pharmacy, and met charming nonagenarian de Jongh, who showed me photographs of old-time Hershey. Down the hill are the Hershey Gardens, where locals have been bathing in spring waters surrounded by palms and lianas for almost a century.</p> \n<p>It’s just two miles from here to the coast at Santa Cruz del Norte where, east of the town’s Havana Club rum factory, a string of coves with great snorkelling, collectively known as Jibacoa, curve along the coast.</p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6dfb0dfb314d92bb5b46b51cafb54dbff490175a/0_130_3247_1949/3247.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3247,"height":1949}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/6dfb0dfb314d92bb5b46b51cafb54dbff490175a/0_130_3247_1949/master/3247.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3247,"height":1949,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6dfb0dfb314d92bb5b46b51cafb54dbff490175a/0_130_3247_1949/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6dfb0dfb314d92bb5b46b51cafb54dbff490175a/0_130_3247_1949/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6dfb0dfb314d92bb5b46b51cafb54dbff490175a/0_130_3247_1949/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6dfb0dfb314d92bb5b46b51cafb54dbff490175a/0_130_3247_1949/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"A clapboard house in Hershey (now called Camilo Cienfuegos).","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Claire Boobbyer","source":"Claire Boobbyer","alt":"Hershey Train Adventure, Cuba","mediaId":"6dfb0dfb314d92bb5b46b51cafb54dbff490175a","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/6dfb0dfb314d92bb5b46b51cafb54dbff490175a","imageType":"Photograph"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Jibacoa, home to the low-key all-inclusive Memories hotel, and a series of basic Cuban resorts, is rated by many as the best beach area close to Havana. It’s also known for an August music festival, Verano en Jibacoa. (Its predecessor, alternative indy music festival <a href=\"http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=48844\">La Rotilla</a>, was shut down by the government.)</p> \n<p>A monumental limestone ridge rears up behind the beaches of Jibacoa. In Matilde village, Jorge Luis offered to fuel my journey to the top by slashing open a coconut, and insisting I chew on a few sugar cane chunks. The ridge-top forest was a riot of vegetation opening to a view of paragliders and pelicans over the Atlantic. From my high perch, I could see the coral reef on the seabed so I arranged to head out to the reef with Pedro from Pedro’s House B&amp;B (+53 5296 1900, <a href=\"http://jibacoareservation.com/index.php/rent-house-jibacoa/en/pedro-house\">jibacoareservation.com</a>, doubles from £29). After admiring the bejewelled fish, I ate shrimps at paladar El Cacique, behind Memories.</p> \n<p>Up the road from El Cacique, I stayed with Guille and Mirtha at their B&amp;B, <a href=\"https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/13989902\">Casa Guille</a> (+53 5275 6412, email <a href=\"mailto:les7francais@nauta.cu\">les7francais@nauta.cu</a>), and Guille drove me in his 1952 lime-green Buick to the beautiful Playa del Camping and the nearby Playa de los Artistas, a favourite backdrop for girls’ <em>quinceañera</em> (15th birthday/coming-of-age) portraits.</p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/30ecddd35ed327f9b065ea4a5da4d0cdcde72148/0_242_3248_1949/3248.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3248,"height":1949}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/30ecddd35ed327f9b065ea4a5da4d0cdcde72148/0_242_3248_1949/master/3248.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3248,"height":1949,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/30ecddd35ed327f9b065ea4a5da4d0cdcde72148/0_242_3248_1949/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/30ecddd35ed327f9b065ea4a5da4d0cdcde72148/0_242_3248_1949/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/30ecddd35ed327f9b065ea4a5da4d0cdcde72148/0_242_3248_1949/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/30ecddd35ed327f9b065ea4a5da4d0cdcde72148/0_242_3248_1949/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Claire Boobbyer","source":"Claire Boobbyer","alt":"Hershey Train Adventure, Cuba","mediaId":"30ecddd35ed327f9b065ea4a5da4d0cdcde72148","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/30ecddd35ed327f9b065ea4a5da4d0cdcde72148","imageType":"Photograph"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Next day, I walked the three miles east to Arcos de Canasí, where Natacha Fábregas has opened a stylish bungalow, <a href=\"http://montecorales.com/\">Cabaña Montecorales</a> (rooms £29, three meals a day £12pp), in gardens dangling with avocado, mango and coconut. Here she serves barbecued seafood with homemade lemony, minty sauce.</p> \n<p>Later, I set off with guide Paulito Gómez, a biology graduate who works part-time at Cabaña Montecorales, to explore the coast. We snorkelled out of the river mouth to the open sea, passing trumpet fish, brightly splashed parrot fish, purple fans, elkhorn coral and a silver school of barracuda before emerging in a cove where we spent the morning jumping off a ledge into the warm water. Natacha’s barbecued octopus and piña coladas made from the coconuts in the garden greeted us on our return.</p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/320657fd47baad22edd45bd9eab781c5f96814c0/0_144_3264_1958/3264.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3264,"height":1958}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/320657fd47baad22edd45bd9eab781c5f96814c0/0_144_3264_1958/master/3264.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3264,"height":1958,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/320657fd47baad22edd45bd9eab781c5f96814c0/0_144_3264_1958/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/320657fd47baad22edd45bd9eab781c5f96814c0/0_144_3264_1958/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/320657fd47baad22edd45bd9eab781c5f96814c0/0_144_3264_1958/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/320657fd47baad22edd45bd9eab781c5f96814c0/0_144_3264_1958/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Cabaña Montecorales","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Claire Boobbyer","source":"Claire Boobbyer","alt":"Cabaña Montecorales","mediaId":"320657fd47baad22edd45bd9eab781c5f96814c0","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/320657fd47baad22edd45bd9eab781c5f96814c0","imageType":"Photograph","role":"showcase"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>I was reluctant to leave Natacha’s tropical haven but I had a train to catch, to Matanzas. We wobbled past caramel-coloured horses, and a lazy cow on the line, which nearly didn’t make it. I wondered if Milton Hershey ever thought his train would still be running a century later. As a man of <em>grands projets</em>, he would be heartened that Havana’s young architects are trying to preserve his legacy.</p> \n<h2><strong>Way to go</strong></h2> \n<p>The trip was provided by Cuba Holidays (020-7644 1600, <a href=\"https://cubaholidays.co.uk/\">cubaholidays.co.uk</a>), which has a seven-night holiday to Cuba (three nights in downtown Havana and four on the beach) from £999pp, including B&amp;B (two sharing) and flights from London with Virgin Atlantic</p>"}}]}],"totalBodyBlocks":1},"isHosted":false},{"id":"film/2017/apr/15/lady-macbeth-black-racial-diversity-british-costume-period-drama","type":"article","sectionId":"film","sectionName":"Film","webPublicationDate":"2017-04-15T11:00:00Z","webTitle":"Lady Macbeth: how one film took on costume drama's whites-only rule","webUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/apr/15/lady-macbeth-black-racial-diversity-british-costume-period-drama","apiUrl":"https://content.guardianapis.com/film/2017/apr/15/lady-macbeth-black-racial-diversity-british-costume-period-drama","blocks":{"main":{"id":"58f09e13e4b05776df18d8de","bodyHtml":"<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"c6e51f5323423aabb2986d3c5acd40cf1508ed1d\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/c6e51f5323423aabb2986d3c5acd40cf1508ed1d/128_0_4320_2592/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Florence Pugh, Naomi Ackie and Cosmo Jarvis in Lady Macbeth.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">A touch of the Coen brothers … Florence Pugh, Naomi Ackie and Cosmo Jarvis in Lady Macbeth. </span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-14T10:01:55Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-14T10:01:55Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-14T14:40:06Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-14T14:40:06Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/c6e51f5323423aabb2986d3c5acd40cf1508ed1d/128_0_4320_2592/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/c6e51f5323423aabb2986d3c5acd40cf1508ed1d/128_0_4320_2592/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/c6e51f5323423aabb2986d3c5acd40cf1508ed1d/128_0_4320_2592/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/c6e51f5323423aabb2986d3c5acd40cf1508ed1d/128_0_4320_2592/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/c6e51f5323423aabb2986d3c5acd40cf1508ed1d/128_0_4320_2592/4320.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":4320,"height":2592}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/c6e51f5323423aabb2986d3c5acd40cf1508ed1d/128_0_4320_2592/master/4320.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":4320,"height":2592,"isMaster":true}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"A touch of the Coen brothers … Florence Pugh, Naomi Ackie and Cosmo Jarvis in Lady Macbeth. ","displayCredit":false,"credit":"Photograph: PR","source":"PR","alt":"Florence Pugh, Naomi Ackie and Cosmo Jarvis in Lady Macbeth.","mediaId":"c6e51f5323423aabb2986d3c5acd40cf1508ed1d","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/c6e51f5323423aabb2986d3c5acd40cf1508ed1d","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},"body":[{"id":"b1efdafd-58b7-44b9-8b3f-d93a2a5b342e","bodyHtml":"<p>In the musty, ever-expanding wardrobe department that is British period drama, <em>Lady Macbeth</em> stands out like a PVC minidress. Adapted from a 19th‑century Russian novel (and nothing to do with Shakespeare), the film is stripped-back costume drama, with minimal dialogue, music and furniture, and none of the pomp and politeness the genre usually entails. Its heroine, Katherine, wears fetching frocks, admittedly, but having been sold to a Northumberland bachelor along with a piece of land, she refuses to accept her plight. Instead this spirited ingenue (memorably played by Florence Pugh) schemes, sleeps and ultimately murders her way out of the patriarchal bodice. It is more <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/film/coenbrothers\">Coen brothers</a> thriller than <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/books/janeausten\">Jane Austen</a> romance.</p> <p>But there is something else striking about <em>Lady Macbeth</em>: Katherine’s maid, Anna, is black. The cocksure groom Katherine takes as her lover is also dark-skinned. Two more major characters who appear late in the story are black. In fact, there are practically more characters of colour in <em>Lady Macbeth</em> than there are in all the Austens, Dickenses and <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/series/downton-abbey-episode-by-episode\">Downtons</a> put together. British period drama as a cordoned-off zone of whiteness may chime with current fantasies of a country unpopulated by immigrants or foreigners, but given that period drama accounts for such an overwhelming proportion of our entertainment industry, isn’t it a bit … old-fashioned?</p>       <figure class=\"element element-video\" data-canonical-url=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z0N8ULhuUA\"                                                                        > <iframe width=\"460\" height=\"259\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/2Z0N8ULhuUA?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen></iframe> <figcaption>Watch the official trailer for Lady Macbeth</figcaption> </figure>   <p>There are two sides to this problem. First, the repercussions are being felt on Britain’s screens and stages as actors of colour are excluded. As <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/culture/thandie-newton\">Thandie Newton has said about being based in Britain</a>: “I love being here, but I can’t work, because I can’t do <em>Downton Abbey</em>, can’t be in <em>Victoria</em>, can’t be in <em>Call the Midwife </em>… there just seems to be a desire for stuff about the royal family, stuff from the past, which is understandable, but it just makes it slim pickings for people of colour.”</p> <p>As a result, many British actors – from Idris Elba to David Oyelowo to Chiwetel Ejiofor – go to the US to find work as well. Sophie Okonedo went to act with <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/apr/10/sophie-okonedo-interview-raisin-sun-denzel-washington-broadway\">Denzel Washington on Broadway</a>, Newton is currently in <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/sep/04/thandie-newton-i-wake-up-angry-theres-a-lot-to-be-angry-about\"><em>Westworld</em></a>, <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/mar/18/get-out-daniel-kaluuya-horror-movie-jordan-peele\">Daniel Kaluuya</a> jumped ship with American horror <em>Get Out</em> – and the list goes on. Samuel L Jackson recently questioned why all the plum Hollywood roles were going to Brits; if he channel-surfed on British TV, he would have seen why.</p>  <aside class=\"element element-pullquote element--supporting\"> <blockquote> <p>People tell me it wasn't like that. I say: 'How do you know? Really, how do you know?'</p> </blockquote> </aside>  <p>The second aspect of the problem is that these ethnically cleansed costume dramas give the impression that there were no people of colour in Britain’s past, which is far from the truth. In the third century, Roman emperor Septimius Severus, born in what is now Libya, brought his family and court to York. A <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/feb/26/roman-york-skeleton\">fourth-century skeleton</a> excavated in York in 2010 was found to have African characteristics and was buried with a bracelet made of ivory. DNA tests discovered rare African-specific chromosomes in white British men. Onyeka’s book <em>Blackamoores</em> documents the presence of Africans in Tudor Britain. Britain’s global empire and the legacy of slavery brought significant non-white populations to our shores.</p> <p>The underrepresentation of black historical figures on screen has created a catch-22 situation. At the British Film Institute last year, Oyelowo spoke about trying to develop a movie based on Bill Richmond, a real‑life black bare-knuckle boxer in 19th‑century London. He read out one of his rejection letters, in which the producers explained that they couldn’t make his film since “a viewer must have a sense of what it is they are to get: either a familiar title or a piece of history that is ripe for a revisit”. In other words, even though this was a true story, the producers thought it would confuse audiences to see a black character in a period movie. Oyelowo went off to play Martin Luther King instead.</p> <aside class=\"element element-rich-link element--thumbnail\"> <p> <span>Related: </span><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/jun/07/broadway-race-diversity-hamilton-theater-stage\">The great white way: can the diversity Hamilton brought to Broadway last?</a> </p> </aside>  <p><em>Lady Macbeth</em>’s director, William Oldroyd, observed a similar reaction to the actors of colour in his film: “People have said to me: ‘It wasn’t really like that in that period.’ And I say: ‘How do you know? Really, how do you know?’” His research suggested many well-to-do households of the era would have had black servants, and there was a significant population of African-descended Britons in the northeast in the 19th century. The region was more sympathetic to abolitionist causes than west-coast cities such as Liverpool or Bristol, which had vested interests in slavery. “That area of England was far more diverse than we have been led to believe. A lot of people make assumptions, and those assumptions are usually based on films they’ve seen already.”</p> <p>Nobody remarks on anyone else’s ethnicity in <em>Lady Macbeth</em>, but the ethnic mix adds an extra element of class division to the story – it is only characters of the “servant class” who are played by actors of colour, and they are the victims of the piece. But the film’s casting wasn’t solely about making a race/class statement, or historical fidelity. “It was simply about putting the best actors in the best parts,” says casting director Shaheen Baig. So Anna, the servant, for example, was not cast as a black woman to make a point, but because the actor in question, Naomi Ackie, did such a good reading. It was the same with all the roles.</p> <p>Baig, who has worked on screen projects from the ballet film <em>Billy Elliot</em> to the sci-fi TV series <em>Black Mirror</em>, casts colour-blind as a rule. “I don’t approach any project with the sense of ‘It has to be like this’, unless it is based on a real person or there is a genuine reason such as it’s absolute historical fact. Apart from that, I have no agenda.” Bigger budget period films, often with foreign money involved, tend to demand star names and a more stereotypical view of period Britain, she suggests; <em>Lady Macbeth</em>, with a budget of less than £500,000 had more freedom.</p> <p>In addition, both Oldroyd and Baig question the notion of historical dramas being “realistic”. Characters in the 18th century didn’t have perfect teeth or complexions, their rooms weren’t clean or well lit, they didn’t speak with Rada accents.</p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"e27c5b6e0472bc96ba4a92200111130a6b12bffc\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/e27c5b6e0472bc96ba4a92200111130a6b12bffc/0_72_1925_1154/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Maggie Smith and Laurence Olivier in Othello (1965).\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Maggie Smith and Laurence Olivier in Othello (1965). Photograph: Alamy<br></span> </figcaption> </figure>  <p>Olivier played Othello in blackface in 1965, and Anthony Hopkins did the same for the BBC as recently as<strong> </strong>1980.<strong> </strong>But British theatre has travelled further down this road than cinema or television, and “colour-blind casting” has been the norm for decades on stage, with actors such as Oyelowo and Adrian Lester playing Shakespearean kings in the 2000s (Anglo-Indian Ben Kingsley played Hamlet back in 1975). On today’s British stage, a historical play with a multi-ethnic cast is entirely unremarkable. Critics are more likely to remark on the lack of diversity. The Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2012 production of Chinese play <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/oct/31/east-asian-actors-rsc-apology\"><em>The Orphan of Zhao</em></a> and the Print Room’s recent <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/jan/20/in-the-depths-of-dead-love-review-howard-barker-print-room-coronet-london\"><em>In the Depths of Dead Love</em></a> were both criticised for telling east Asian stories with overwhelmingly white casts. It was the same with the RSC’s production of Shakespeare’s <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/jun/10/rsc-wars-roses-52-years-trevor-nunn\"><em>The</em> <em>War of the Roses</em></a> plays in 2015, with an exclusively white cast. Director Trevor Nunn’s defence of “historical verisimilitude” was rejected by many critics. Why wasn’t Nunn hiring actors ridden with the pox, then? And why had he cast a Norwegian actor, Kåre Conradi, as a British king, asked the actor Danny Lee Wynter, founder of Act for Change, which has called for diversity quotas on stage and television.</p> <p>When working in the theatre Oldroyd says he felt “far freer to basically say, we want to cast the best people for each part”, and it is often stage directors who have brought colour-blind casting into cinema. <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/culture/kenneth-branagh\">Kenneth Branagh</a>, for example, put Denzel Washington in his 1993 film version of <em>Much Ado About Nothing</em> and has cast actors of colour in most of his subsequent movies, even Marvel’s <em>Thor</em> (in which <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2010/apr/27/idris-elba-thor-race-debate\">Idris Elba</a> as a Norse god ruffled some feathers) and his recent Disney <em>Cinderella</em>, which included Nonso Alonsie. Directors such as <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2006/feb/23/theatre.rsc\">Dominic Cooke</a> and Richard Eyre also embraced racial diversity in the BBC’s The Hollow Crown series of Shakespeare adaptations, featuring Okonedo as Queen Margaret.</p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"04543665639699d50be384791d4016401f7b2d0c\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/04543665639699d50be384791d4016401f7b2d0c/0_0_3600_2159/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Richard Briers, Robert Sean Leonard and Denzel Washington in Much Ado About Nothing (1993).\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Richard Briers, Robert Sean Leonard and Denzel Washington in Much Ado About Nothing (1993).</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: BFI</span> </figcaption> </figure>  <p>Does colour-blind casting really effect change, or is it merely a cosmetic improvement? Would a more substantial shift be to tell more stories about British people of colour? Some movies have done so. <em>Amazing Grace</em>, in 2006, centred on abolitionist William Wilberforce (played by Ioan Gruffud) but found only one speaking part for a black character (Youssou N’Dour as Olaudah Equiano). Amma Asante’s 2013 movie <em>Belle</em> – the true story of the illegitimate daughter of a British Royal Navy officer and an African slave in 18th-century London – at least put issues of race and a black woman (played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw) at the fore. Both films, however, viewed British slavery in terms of its abolition by a white saviour – and <em>Belle</em> takes considerable liberties with the real history to achieve it.</p> <p>There must be plenty more of those stories out there. Stephen Frears is currently directing <em>Victoria and Abdul</em>, based on the true story of Queen Victoria’s friendship with a young Indian man, with Judi Dench and Ali Fazal in the lead roles.</p> <p>A historical drama tells us more about the era in which it is made than the one it seeks to portray. “I think the genre is being called out for what it is,” says Oldroyd. “It’s typecasting actors and it’s typecasting genres. It’s lazy. This is not historical document we’re talking about: it’s fiction.”</p> <ul> <li><em>Lady Macbeth</em> is released in cinemas on 28 April.<br /></li> </ul>","bodyTextSummary":"In the musty, ever-expanding wardrobe department that is British period drama, Lady Macbeth stands out like a PVC minidress. Adapted from a 19th‑century Russian novel (and nothing to do with Shakespeare), the film is stripped-back costume drama, with minimal dialogue, music and furniture, and none of the pomp and politeness the genre usually entails. Its heroine, Katherine, wears fetching frocks, admittedly, but having been sold to a Northumberland bachelor along with a piece of land, she refuses to accept her plight. Instead this spirited ingenue (memorably played by Florence Pugh) schemes, sleeps and ultimately murders her way out of the patriarchal bodice. It is more Coen brothers thriller than Jane Austen romance. But there is something else striking about Lady Macbeth: Katherine’s maid, Anna, is black. The cocksure groom Katherine takes as her lover is also dark-skinned. Two more major characters who appear late in the story are black. In fact, there are practically more characters of colour in Lady Macbeth than there are in all the Austens, Dickenses and Downtons put together. British period drama as a cordoned-off zone of whiteness may chime with current fantasies of a country unpopulated by immigrants or foreigners, but given that period drama accounts for such an overwhelming proportion of our entertainment industry, isn’t it a bit … old-fashioned?\nThere are two sides to this problem. First, the repercussions are being felt on Britain’s screens and stages as actors of colour are excluded. As Thandie Newton has said about being based in Britain: “I love being here, but I can’t work, because I can’t do Downton Abbey, can’t be in Victoria, can’t be in Call the Midwife … there just seems to be a desire for stuff about the royal family, stuff from the past, which is understandable, but it just makes it slim pickings for people of colour.” As a result, many British actors – from Idris Elba to David Oyelowo to Chiwetel Ejiofor – go to the US to find work as well. Sophie Okonedo went to act with Denzel Washington on Broadway, Newton is currently in Westworld, Daniel Kaluuya jumped ship with American horror Get Out – and the list goes on. Samuel L Jackson recently questioned why all the plum Hollywood roles were going to Brits; if he channel-surfed on British TV, he would have seen why.\nThe second aspect of the problem is that these ethnically cleansed costume dramas give the impression that there were no people of colour in Britain’s past, which is far from the truth. In the third century, Roman emperor Septimius Severus, born in what is now Libya, brought his family and court to York. A fourth-century skeleton excavated in York in 2010 was found to have African characteristics and was buried with a bracelet made of ivory. DNA tests discovered rare African-specific chromosomes in white British men. Onyeka’s book Blackamoores documents the presence of Africans in Tudor Britain. Britain’s global empire and the legacy of slavery brought significant non-white populations to our shores. The underrepresentation of black historical figures on screen has created a catch-22 situation. At the British Film Institute last year, Oyelowo spoke about trying to develop a movie based on Bill Richmond, a real‑life black bare-knuckle boxer in 19th‑century London. He read out one of his rejection letters, in which the producers explained that they couldn’t make his film since “a viewer must have a sense of what it is they are to get: either a familiar title or a piece of history that is ripe for a revisit”. In other words, even though this was a true story, the producers thought it would confuse audiences to see a black character in a period movie. Oyelowo went off to play Martin Luther King instead.\nLady Macbeth’s director, William Oldroyd, observed a similar reaction to the actors of colour in his film: “People have said to me: ‘It wasn’t really like that in that period.’ And I say: ‘How do you know? Really, how do you know?’” His research suggested many well-to-do households of the era would have had black servants, and there was a significant population of African-descended Britons in the northeast in the 19th century. The region was more sympathetic to abolitionist causes than west-coast cities such as Liverpool or Bristol, which had vested interests in slavery. “That area of England was far more diverse than we have been led to believe. A lot of people make assumptions, and those assumptions are usually based on films they’ve seen already.” Nobody remarks on anyone else’s ethnicity in Lady Macbeth, but the ethnic mix adds an extra element of class division to the story – it is only characters of the “servant class” who are played by actors of colour, and they are the victims of the piece. But the film’s casting wasn’t solely about making a race/class statement, or historical fidelity. “It was simply about putting the best actors in the best parts,” says casting director Shaheen Baig. So Anna, the servant, for example, was not cast as a black woman to make a point, but because the actor in question, Naomi Ackie, did such a good reading. It was the same with all the roles. Baig, who has worked on screen projects from the ballet film Billy Elliot to the sci-fi TV series Black Mirror, casts colour-blind as a rule. “I don’t approach any project with the sense of ‘It has to be like this’, unless it is based on a real person or there is a genuine reason such as it’s absolute historical fact. Apart from that, I have no agenda.” Bigger budget period films, often with foreign money involved, tend to demand star names and a more stereotypical view of period Britain, she suggests; Lady Macbeth, with a budget of less than £500,000 had more freedom. In addition, both Oldroyd and Baig question the notion of historical dramas being “realistic”. Characters in the 18th century didn’t have perfect teeth or complexions, their rooms weren’t clean or well lit, they didn’t speak with Rada accents.\nOlivier played Othello in blackface in 1965, and Anthony Hopkins did the same for the BBC as recently as 1980. But British theatre has travelled further down this road than cinema or television, and “colour-blind casting” has been the norm for decades on stage, with actors such as Oyelowo and Adrian Lester playing Shakespearean kings in the 2000s (Anglo-Indian Ben Kingsley played Hamlet back in 1975). On today’s British stage, a historical play with a multi-ethnic cast is entirely unremarkable. Critics are more likely to remark on the lack of diversity. The Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2012 production of Chinese play The Orphan of Zhao and the Print Room’s recent In the Depths of Dead Love were both criticised for telling east Asian stories with overwhelmingly white casts. It was the same with the RSC’s production of Shakespeare’s The War of the Roses plays in 2015, with an exclusively white cast. Director Trevor Nunn’s defence of “historical verisimilitude” was rejected by many critics. Why wasn’t Nunn hiring actors ridden with the pox, then? And why had he cast a Norwegian actor, Kåre Conradi, as a British king, asked the actor Danny Lee Wynter, founder of Act for Change, which has called for diversity quotas on stage and television. When working in the theatre Oldroyd says he felt “far freer to basically say, we want to cast the best people for each part”, and it is often stage directors who have brought colour-blind casting into cinema. Kenneth Branagh, for example, put Denzel Washington in his 1993 film version of Much Ado About Nothing and has cast actors of colour in most of his subsequent movies, even Marvel’s Thor (in which Idris Elba as a Norse god ruffled some feathers) and his recent Disney Cinderella, which included Nonso Alonsie. Directors such as Dominic Cooke and Richard Eyre also embraced racial diversity in the BBC’s The Hollow Crown series of Shakespeare adaptations, featuring Okonedo as Queen Margaret.\nDoes colour-blind casting really effect change, or is it merely a cosmetic improvement? Would a more substantial shift be to tell more stories about British people of colour? Some movies have done so. Amazing Grace, in 2006, centred on abolitionist William Wilberforce (played by Ioan Gruffud) but found only one speaking part for a black character (Youssou N’Dour as Olaudah Equiano). Amma Asante’s 2013 movie Belle – the true story of the illegitimate daughter of a British Royal Navy officer and an African slave in 18th-century London – at least put issues of race and a black woman (played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw) at the fore. Both films, however, viewed British slavery in terms of its abolition by a white saviour – and Belle takes considerable liberties with the real history to achieve it. There must be plenty more of those stories out there. Stephen Frears is currently directing Victoria and Abdul, based on the true story of Queen Victoria’s friendship with a young Indian man, with Judi Dench and Ali Fazal in the lead roles. A historical drama tells us more about the era in which it is made than the one it seeks to portray. “I think the genre is being called out for what it is,” says Oldroyd. “It’s typecasting actors and it’s typecasting genres. It’s lazy. This is not historical document we’re talking about: it’s fiction.” Lady Macbeth is released in cinemas on 28 April.","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-14T09:57:38Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-14T10:02:39Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-14T14:42:15Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-14T14:42:15Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>In the musty, ever-expanding wardrobe department that is British period drama, <em>Lady Macbeth</em> stands out like a PVC minidress. Adapted from a 19th‑century Russian novel (and nothing to do with Shakespeare), the film is stripped-back costume drama, with minimal dialogue, music and furniture, and none of the pomp and politeness the genre usually entails. Its heroine, Katherine, wears fetching frocks, admittedly, but having been sold to a Northumberland bachelor along with a piece of land, she refuses to accept her plight. Instead this spirited ingenue (memorably played by Florence Pugh) schemes, sleeps and ultimately murders her way out of the patriarchal bodice. It is more <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/film/coenbrothers\">Coen brothers</a> thriller than <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/books/janeausten\">Jane Austen</a> romance.</p> \n<p>But there is something else striking about <em>Lady Macbeth</em>: Katherine’s maid, Anna, is black. The cocksure groom Katherine takes as her lover is also dark-skinned. Two more major characters who appear late in the story are black. In fact, there are practically more characters of colour in <em>Lady Macbeth</em> than there are in all the Austens, Dickenses and <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/series/downton-abbey-episode-by-episode\">Downtons</a> put together. British period drama as a cordoned-off zone of whiteness may chime with current fantasies of a country unpopulated by immigrants or foreigners, but given that period drama accounts for such an overwhelming proportion of our entertainment industry, isn’t it a bit … old-fashioned?</p>"}},{"type":"video","assets":[],"videoTypeData":{"url":"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z0N8ULhuUA","description":"Starring: Christopher Fairbank, Florence Pugh, Cosmo Jarvis Lady Macbeth Official US Release Trailer 1 (2017) - Florence Pugh Movie In this adaptation of Nikolai Leskov's novella \"Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk, a 19th century young bride is sold into marriage to a middle-aged man.","title":"Lady Macbeth Official US Release Trailer 1 (2017) - Florence Pugh Movie","html":"<iframe width=\"460\" height=\"259\" src=\"https://www.youtube.com/embed/2Z0N8ULhuUA?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen></iframe>","source":"YouTube","credit":"Movieclips Film Festivals & Indie Films","caption":"Watch the official trailer for Lady Macbeth","height":259,"width":460,"originalUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z0N8ULhuUA"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>There are two sides to this problem. First, the repercussions are being felt on Britain’s screens and stages as actors of colour are excluded. As <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/culture/thandie-newton\">Thandie Newton has said about being based in Britain</a>: “I love being here, but I can’t work, because I can’t do <em>Downton Abbey</em>, can’t be in <em>Victoria</em>, can’t be in <em>Call the Midwife </em>… there just seems to be a desire for stuff about the royal family, stuff from the past, which is understandable, but it just makes it slim pickings for people of colour.”</p> \n<p>As a result, many British actors – from Idris Elba to David Oyelowo to Chiwetel Ejiofor – go to the US to find work as well. Sophie Okonedo went to act with <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/apr/10/sophie-okonedo-interview-raisin-sun-denzel-washington-broadway\">Denzel Washington on Broadway</a>, Newton is currently in <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/sep/04/thandie-newton-i-wake-up-angry-theres-a-lot-to-be-angry-about\"><em>Westworld</em></a>, <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/mar/18/get-out-daniel-kaluuya-horror-movie-jordan-peele\">Daniel Kaluuya</a> jumped ship with American horror <em>Get Out</em> – and the list goes on. Samuel L Jackson recently questioned why all the plum Hollywood roles were going to Brits; if he channel-surfed on British TV, he would have seen why.</p>"}},{"type":"pullquote","assets":[],"pullquoteTypeData":{"html":"People tell me it wasn't like that. I say: 'How do you know? Really, how do you know?'"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>The second aspect of the problem is that these ethnically cleansed costume dramas give the impression that there were no people of colour in Britain’s past, which is far from the truth. In the third century, Roman emperor Septimius Severus, born in what is now Libya, brought his family and court to York. A <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/feb/26/roman-york-skeleton\">fourth-century skeleton</a> excavated in York in 2010 was found to have African characteristics and was buried with a bracelet made of ivory. DNA tests discovered rare African-specific chromosomes in white British men. Onyeka’s book <em>Blackamoores</em> documents the presence of Africans in Tudor Britain. Britain’s global empire and the legacy of slavery brought significant non-white populations to our shores.</p> \n<p>The underrepresentation of black historical figures on screen has created a catch-22 situation. At the British Film Institute last year, Oyelowo spoke about trying to develop a movie based on Bill Richmond, a real‑life black bare-knuckle boxer in 19th‑century London. He read out one of his rejection letters, in which the producers explained that they couldn’t make his film since “a viewer must have a sense of what it is they are to get: either a familiar title or a piece of history that is ripe for a revisit”. In other words, even though this was a true story, the producers thought it would confuse audiences to see a black character in a period movie. Oyelowo went off to play Martin Luther King instead.</p>"}},{"type":"rich-link","assets":[],"richLinkTypeData":{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/jun/07/broadway-race-diversity-hamilton-theater-stage","originalUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/jun/07/broadway-race-diversity-hamilton-theater-stage","linkText":"The great white way: can the diversity Hamilton brought to Broadway last?","linkPrefix":"Related: ","role":"thumbnail"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p><em>Lady Macbeth</em>’s director, William Oldroyd, observed a similar reaction to the actors of colour in his film: “People have said to me: ‘It wasn’t really like that in that period.’ And I say: ‘How do you know? Really, how do you know?’” His research suggested many well-to-do households of the era would have had black servants, and there was a significant population of African-descended Britons in the northeast in the 19th century. The region was more sympathetic to abolitionist causes than west-coast cities such as Liverpool or Bristol, which had vested interests in slavery. “That area of England was far more diverse than we have been led to believe. A lot of people make assumptions, and those assumptions are usually based on films they’ve seen already.”</p> \n<p>Nobody remarks on anyone else’s ethnicity in <em>Lady Macbeth</em>, but the ethnic mix adds an extra element of class division to the story – it is only characters of the “servant class” who are played by actors of colour, and they are the victims of the piece. But the film’s casting wasn’t solely about making a race/class statement, or historical fidelity. “It was simply about putting the best actors in the best parts,” says casting director Shaheen Baig. So Anna, the servant, for example, was not cast as a black woman to make a point, but because the actor in question, Naomi Ackie, did such a good reading. It was the same with all the roles.</p> \n<p>Baig, who has worked on screen projects from the ballet film <em>Billy Elliot</em> to the sci-fi TV series <em>Black Mirror</em>, casts colour-blind as a rule. “I don’t approach any project with the sense of ‘It has to be like this’, unless it is based on a real person or there is a genuine reason such as it’s absolute historical fact. Apart from that, I have no agenda.” Bigger budget period films, often with foreign money involved, tend to demand star names and a more stereotypical view of period Britain, she suggests; <em>Lady Macbeth</em>, with a budget of less than £500,000 had more freedom.</p> \n<p>In addition, both Oldroyd and Baig question the notion of historical dramas being “realistic”. Characters in the 18th century didn’t have perfect teeth or complexions, their rooms weren’t clean or well lit, they didn’t speak with Rada accents.</p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/e27c5b6e0472bc96ba4a92200111130a6b12bffc/0_72_1925_1154/1925.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1925,"height":1154}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/e27c5b6e0472bc96ba4a92200111130a6b12bffc/0_72_1925_1154/master/1925.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1925,"height":1154,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/e27c5b6e0472bc96ba4a92200111130a6b12bffc/0_72_1925_1154/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/e27c5b6e0472bc96ba4a92200111130a6b12bffc/0_72_1925_1154/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/e27c5b6e0472bc96ba4a92200111130a6b12bffc/0_72_1925_1154/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Maggie Smith and Laurence Olivier in Othello (1965). Photograph: Alamy<br>","copyright":"Credit: Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo","displayCredit":false,"credit":"Photograph: Alamy Stock Photo","source":"Alamy Stock Photo","alt":"Maggie Smith and Laurence Olivier in Othello (1965).","mediaId":"e27c5b6e0472bc96ba4a92200111130a6b12bffc","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/e27c5b6e0472bc96ba4a92200111130a6b12bffc","suppliersReference":"HCXPYG","imageType":"Photograph"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Olivier played Othello in blackface in 1965, and Anthony Hopkins did the same for the BBC as recently as<strong> </strong>1980.<strong> </strong>But British theatre has travelled further down this road than cinema or television, and “colour-blind casting” has been the norm for decades on stage, with actors such as Oyelowo and Adrian Lester playing Shakespearean kings in the 2000s (Anglo-Indian Ben Kingsley played Hamlet back in 1975). On today’s British stage, a historical play with a multi-ethnic cast is entirely unremarkable. Critics are more likely to remark on the lack of diversity. The Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2012 production of Chinese play <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/oct/31/east-asian-actors-rsc-apology\"><em>The Orphan of Zhao</em></a> and the Print Room’s recent <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/jan/20/in-the-depths-of-dead-love-review-howard-barker-print-room-coronet-london\"><em>In the Depths of Dead Love</em></a> were both criticised for telling east Asian stories with overwhelmingly white casts. It was the same with the RSC’s production of Shakespeare’s <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/jun/10/rsc-wars-roses-52-years-trevor-nunn\"><em>The</em> <em>War of the Roses</em></a> plays in 2015, with an exclusively white cast. Director Trevor Nunn’s defence of “historical verisimilitude” was rejected by many critics. Why wasn’t Nunn hiring actors ridden with the pox, then? And why had he cast a Norwegian actor, Kåre Conradi, as a British king, asked the actor Danny Lee Wynter, founder of Act for Change, which has called for diversity quotas on stage and television.</p> \n<p>When working in the theatre Oldroyd says he felt “far freer to basically say, we want to cast the best people for each part”, and it is often stage directors who have brought colour-blind casting into cinema. <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/culture/kenneth-branagh\">Kenneth Branagh</a>, for example, put Denzel Washington in his 1993 film version of <em>Much Ado About Nothing</em> and has cast actors of colour in most of his subsequent movies, even Marvel’s <em>Thor</em> (in which <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2010/apr/27/idris-elba-thor-race-debate\">Idris Elba</a> as a Norse god ruffled some feathers) and his recent Disney <em>Cinderella</em>, which included Nonso Alonsie. Directors such as <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2006/feb/23/theatre.rsc\">Dominic Cooke</a> and Richard Eyre also embraced racial diversity in the BBC’s The Hollow Crown series of Shakespeare adaptations, featuring Okonedo as Queen Margaret.</p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/04543665639699d50be384791d4016401f7b2d0c/0_0_3600_2159/3600.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3600,"height":2159}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/04543665639699d50be384791d4016401f7b2d0c/0_0_3600_2159/master/3600.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":3600,"height":2159,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/04543665639699d50be384791d4016401f7b2d0c/0_0_3600_2159/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/04543665639699d50be384791d4016401f7b2d0c/0_0_3600_2159/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/04543665639699d50be384791d4016401f7b2d0c/0_0_3600_2159/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/04543665639699d50be384791d4016401f7b2d0c/0_0_3600_2159/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Richard Briers, Robert Sean Leonard and Denzel Washington in Much Ado About Nothing (1993).","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: BFI","source":"BFI","alt":"Richard Briers, Robert Sean Leonard and Denzel Washington in Much Ado About Nothing (1993).","mediaId":"04543665639699d50be384791d4016401f7b2d0c","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/04543665639699d50be384791d4016401f7b2d0c","picdarUrn":"GD*34135836","imageType":"Photograph"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Does colour-blind casting really effect change, or is it merely a cosmetic improvement? Would a more substantial shift be to tell more stories about British people of colour? Some movies have done so. <em>Amazing Grace</em>, in 2006, centred on abolitionist William Wilberforce (played by Ioan Gruffud) but found only one speaking part for a black character (Youssou N’Dour as Olaudah Equiano). Amma Asante’s 2013 movie <em>Belle</em> – the true story of the illegitimate daughter of a British Royal Navy officer and an African slave in 18th-century London – at least put issues of race and a black woman (played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw) at the fore. Both films, however, viewed British slavery in terms of its abolition by a white saviour – and <em>Belle</em> takes considerable liberties with the real history to achieve it.</p> \n<p>There must be plenty more of those stories out there. Stephen Frears is currently directing <em>Victoria and Abdul</em>, based on the true story of Queen Victoria’s friendship with a young Indian man, with Judi Dench and Ali Fazal in the lead roles.</p> \n<p>A historical drama tells us more about the era in which it is made than the one it seeks to portray. “I think the genre is being called out for what it is,” says Oldroyd. “It’s typecasting actors and it’s typecasting genres. It’s lazy. This is not historical document we’re talking about: it’s fiction.”</p> \n<ul> \n <li><em>Lady Macbeth</em> is released in cinemas on 28 April.<br /></li> \n</ul>"}}]}],"totalBodyBlocks":1},"isHosted":false},{"id":"football/blog/2017/apr/15/michael-carrick-manchester-united-failings-jose-mourinho-chelsea","type":"article","sectionId":"football","sectionName":"Football","webPublicationDate":"2017-04-15T11:00:00Z","webTitle":"Michael Carrick and co no longer in denial about Manchester United failings","webUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/apr/15/michael-carrick-manchester-united-failings-jose-mourinho-chelsea","apiUrl":"https://content.guardianapis.com/football/blog/2017/apr/15/michael-carrick-manchester-united-failings-jose-mourinho-chelsea","blocks":{"main":{"id":"58f0ff9be4b0e0ec04f00ee0","bodyHtml":"<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"6ee9a45e16c0123283e6ef637fab25111a2c5d38\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/6ee9a45e16c0123283e6ef637fab25111a2c5d38/0_127_2685_1611/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Michael Carrick has admitted Manchester United are well off the required standard to win the Champions League even if they qualify for the tournament.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Michael Carrick has admitted Manchester United are well off the required standard to win the Champions League even if they qualify for the tournament.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-14T16:58:03Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-14T16:58:03Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:02:04Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:02:02Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6ee9a45e16c0123283e6ef637fab25111a2c5d38/0_127_2685_1611/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6ee9a45e16c0123283e6ef637fab25111a2c5d38/0_127_2685_1611/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6ee9a45e16c0123283e6ef637fab25111a2c5d38/0_127_2685_1611/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6ee9a45e16c0123283e6ef637fab25111a2c5d38/0_127_2685_1611/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6ee9a45e16c0123283e6ef637fab25111a2c5d38/0_127_2685_1611/2685.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2685,"height":1611}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/6ee9a45e16c0123283e6ef637fab25111a2c5d38/0_127_2685_1611/master/2685.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2685,"height":1611,"isMaster":true}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Michael Carrick has admitted Manchester United are well off the required standard to win the Champions League even if they qualify for the tournament.","copyright":"-","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Andrew Couldridge/Reuters","source":"Reuters","photographer":"Andrew Couldridge","alt":"Michael Carrick has admitted Manchester United are well off the required standard to win the Champions League even if they qualify for the tournament.","mediaId":"6ee9a45e16c0123283e6ef637fab25111a2c5d38","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/6ee9a45e16c0123283e6ef637fab25111a2c5d38","suppliersReference":"UK00rP","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},"body":[{"id":"d0c50593-02de-4ca9-8967-94d5cd59a674","bodyHtml":"<p>Michael Carrick pronounced himself “completely disappointed” with <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/13/anderlecht-manchester-united-europa-league-match-report\">Manchester United’s 1-1 draw against Anderlecht</a>, neatly summing up what many supporters have been feeling for several seasons. The midfielder’s point was that the game and perhaps even the result over two legs were there for the taking, yet United could not rouse themselves to do what big teams do and make a statement of intent against accommodating opponents. “It was almost too easy at times,” Carrick said. “We weren’t ruthless enough and now we are left with one of those scorelines where it is dangerous.”</p> <p>Perhaps there is no need for United to beat themselves up too much. They have an away goal and every chance of reaching the Europa League semi-finals when Anderlecht turn up at Old Trafford on Thursday, and there was even some evidence in Belgium that Marcus Rashford’s form and confidence might be returning.</p> <aside class=\"element element-rich-link element--thumbnail\"> <p> <span>Related: </span><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/13/jose-mourinho-hits-out-at-manchester-united-forwards-europa-league-anderlecht\">José Mourinho blames Manchester United’s forwards for Anderlecht draw</a> </p> </aside>  <p>On the other hand, the visit of Chelsea on Sunday afternoon is bound to put <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/02/jose-mourinho-manchester-united-europa-league-premier-league\">another low-wattage United season</a> into perspective. It is not just the gap of 18 points between José Mourinho’s team and Antonio Conte’s runaway leaders, or the fact that United’s 21-game unbeaten run in the league since their <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/oct/23/chelsea-manchester-united-premier-league-match-report\">4-0 thumping at Stamford Bridge</a> in October has failed to make any impression on the top four due to the number of draws.</p> <p>The uncomfortable truth is that Conte has achieved in London what Mourinho was expected to accomplish in Manchester. He has taken the players who performed so sluggishly for Mourinho last season and, with a few additions and tweaks to the system, made them look unstoppable.</p> <p>Chelsea already look capable of being a force in the Champions League next season, whereas United are unsure if they will qualify and, as Carrick so frankly admitted, are a way off the required standard anyway. Mourinho can and does plead for time but Conte is in his first season at a new club too and United supporters are becoming a little tired of successive managers saying the same thing.</p> <p>The present United side might be slightly ahead of the Louis van Gaal version for consistency and entertainment value, though that is no great achievement with the bar set so low. <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/premierleague/table\">The league table</a> spells out all too clearly that United are no closer to getting ahead of the Premier League teams that matter, and statistics are available to show why. After 30 games, United have exactly the same number of wins (15) that David Moyes was able to boast at the same stage, and two fewer than Van Gaal in his first season. In terms of points, Mourinho is two short of his immediate predecessor’s total while the goal tally of 46 is inferior to that recorded under both Moyes and Van Gaal.</p> <p>Mourinho has been telling everyone for the past few weeks that that is because everyone but Zlatan Ibrahimovic <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/13/jose-mourinho-hits-out-at-manchester-united-forwards-europa-league-anderlecht\">has been wasteful with chances</a>. Yet while it is true that United’s league return would look even sorrier without the Swede’s 17-goal contribution, the fact is that low-scoring seasons are becoming the norm at Old Trafford. In Van Gaal’s last season United finished on 49 goals, easily the lowest total in the top eight and 10 fewer even than Chelsea, who were considered to have had a poor campaign. The previous season saw a healthier return of 62 as United claimed fourth place with the fourth highest number of goals, while in isolation Moyes’s closing tally of 64 looks good until it is recalled that Manchester City and Liverpool both reached three figures as they tussled for the title.</p> <p>It is some time since United were regularly hitting the mid-eighties for goals in a league season and Mourinho’s assertion that Javier Hernández might have chipped in with 20 goals by now could be considered wishful thinking given that he reached that figure only once in his time in Manchester.</p> <p>Naturally United would be better off with a few more goals – which team wouldn’t? – though the drab performances against <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/01/manchester-united-west-bromwich-albion-premier-league-match-report\">West Brom</a>, <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/04/manchester-united-everton-premier-league-match-report\">Everton</a> and Anderlecht pointed up the most disappointing aspect of the team’s development. To wit, there has not really been any. If United were in transition under Moyes and Van Gaal, they remain so under Mourinho.</p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"3ee19f028085e3b4deeb5a64e3047554bc38d98e\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/3ee19f028085e3b4deeb5a64e3047554bc38d98e/0_132_4158_2496/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored 17 goals for United so far this season.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored 17 goals for United so far this season.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images</span> </figcaption> </figure>  <p>Compared with the way Chelsea and Spurs have pushed on this season, there has been little to stir the imagination or set the pulse racing, something underlined when the <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/13/pfa-player-of-year-award-kante-hazard-ibrahimovic-lukaku-kane-sanchez\">PFA player of the year shortlist was released</a>. Chelsea had two players among the six nominations and solid performers such as David Luiz, Gary Cahill and Victor Moses might have felt a little unlucky to be overlooked. Mauricio Pochettino argued, with some justification, that Dele Alli was just as good a shout as Harry Kane and the Spurs back line could also have supplied some deserving candidates.</p> <aside class=\"element element-rich-link element--thumbnail\"> <p> <span>Related: </span><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/mar/11/jose-mourinho-antonio-conte-chelsea-manchester-united-fa-cup\">José Mourinho left trailing by calmed-down Antonio Conte | Daniel Taylor</a> </p> </aside>  <p>No one would quibble with Ibrahimovic’s inclusion on the list; he has been phenomenal this season and <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/feb/25/manchester-united-zlatan-ibrahimovic-signing-of-season\">at 35 is carrying the team</a>, a point he has not been too shy to make. But beyond an outstanding striker, United’s quality falls off sharply. Who else has made anything like an award-winning contribution this season? Not Paul Pogba, for all the expense. Not Rashford or Anthony Martial, for all their promise last season. Ander Herrera and Antonio Valencia have been consistent, and Carrick dependable when called upon, but that’s about it.</p> <p>Wayne Rooney has lost his place in the side, Carrick is the same age as Ibrahimovic, and the manager has started to <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/apr/04/jose-mourinho-luke-shaw-manchester-united-everton\">criticise some of his players in public</a>. While this could be the stage in the season when United are finally forced to decide between going all out for a top-four place and concentrating on the Europa League, the holy grail of Champions League qualification may raise more questions than it answers.</p> <p>Of Sunday’s two teams only Chelsea look a side ready for a challenge beyond what the Premier League can offer, though in reality their greatest challenge next season might be hanging on to their best players, perhaps even their manager. That’s life at the top, nothing stands still, which is exactly why United followers cannot be happy with ponderous stasis.</p>","bodyTextSummary":"Michael Carrick pronounced himself “completely disappointed” with Manchester United’s 1-1 draw against Anderlecht, neatly summing up what many supporters have been feeling for several seasons. The midfielder’s point was that the game and perhaps even the result over two legs were there for the taking, yet United could not rouse themselves to do what big teams do and make a statement of intent against accommodating opponents. “It was almost too easy at times,” Carrick said. “We weren’t ruthless enough and now we are left with one of those scorelines where it is dangerous.” Perhaps there is no need for United to beat themselves up too much. They have an away goal and every chance of reaching the Europa League semi-finals when Anderlecht turn up at Old Trafford on Thursday, and there was even some evidence in Belgium that Marcus Rashford’s form and confidence might be returning.\nOn the other hand, the visit of Chelsea on Sunday afternoon is bound to put another low-wattage United season into perspective. It is not just the gap of 18 points between José Mourinho’s team and Antonio Conte’s runaway leaders, or the fact that United’s 21-game unbeaten run in the league since their 4-0 thumping at Stamford Bridge in October has failed to make any impression on the top four due to the number of draws. The uncomfortable truth is that Conte has achieved in London what Mourinho was expected to accomplish in Manchester. He has taken the players who performed so sluggishly for Mourinho last season and, with a few additions and tweaks to the system, made them look unstoppable. Chelsea already look capable of being a force in the Champions League next season, whereas United are unsure if they will qualify and, as Carrick so frankly admitted, are a way off the required standard anyway. Mourinho can and does plead for time but Conte is in his first season at a new club too and United supporters are becoming a little tired of successive managers saying the same thing. The present United side might be slightly ahead of the Louis van Gaal version for consistency and entertainment value, though that is no great achievement with the bar set so low. The league table spells out all too clearly that United are no closer to getting ahead of the Premier League teams that matter, and statistics are available to show why. After 30 games, United have exactly the same number of wins (15) that David Moyes was able to boast at the same stage, and two fewer than Van Gaal in his first season. In terms of points, Mourinho is two short of his immediate predecessor’s total while the goal tally of 46 is inferior to that recorded under both Moyes and Van Gaal. Mourinho has been telling everyone for the past few weeks that that is because everyone but Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been wasteful with chances. Yet while it is true that United’s league return would look even sorrier without the Swede’s 17-goal contribution, the fact is that low-scoring seasons are becoming the norm at Old Trafford. In Van Gaal’s last season United finished on 49 goals, easily the lowest total in the top eight and 10 fewer even than Chelsea, who were considered to have had a poor campaign. The previous season saw a healthier return of 62 as United claimed fourth place with the fourth highest number of goals, while in isolation Moyes’s closing tally of 64 looks good until it is recalled that Manchester City and Liverpool both reached three figures as they tussled for the title. It is some time since United were regularly hitting the mid-eighties for goals in a league season and Mourinho’s assertion that Javier Hernández might have chipped in with 20 goals by now could be considered wishful thinking given that he reached that figure only once in his time in Manchester. Naturally United would be better off with a few more goals – which team wouldn’t? – though the drab performances against West Brom, Everton and Anderlecht pointed up the most disappointing aspect of the team’s development. To wit, there has not really been any. If United were in transition under Moyes and Van Gaal, they remain so under Mourinho.\nCompared with the way Chelsea and Spurs have pushed on this season, there has been little to stir the imagination or set the pulse racing, something underlined when the PFA player of the year shortlist was released. Chelsea had two players among the six nominations and solid performers such as David Luiz, Gary Cahill and Victor Moses might have felt a little unlucky to be overlooked. Mauricio Pochettino argued, with some justification, that Dele Alli was just as good a shout as Harry Kane and the Spurs back line could also have supplied some deserving candidates.\nNo one would quibble with Ibrahimovic’s inclusion on the list; he has been phenomenal this season and at 35 is carrying the team, a point he has not been too shy to make. But beyond an outstanding striker, United’s quality falls off sharply. Who else has made anything like an award-winning contribution this season? Not Paul Pogba, for all the expense. Not Rashford or Anthony Martial, for all their promise last season. Ander Herrera and Antonio Valencia have been consistent, and Carrick dependable when called upon, but that’s about it. Wayne Rooney has lost his place in the side, Carrick is the same age as Ibrahimovic, and the manager has started to criticise some of his players in public. While this could be the stage in the season when United are finally forced to decide between going all out for a top-four place and concentrating on the Europa League, the holy grail of Champions League qualification may raise more questions than it answers. Of Sunday’s two teams only Chelsea look a side ready for a challenge beyond what the Premier League can offer, though in reality their greatest challenge next season might be hanging on to their best players, perhaps even their manager. That’s life at the top, nothing stands still, which is exactly why United followers cannot be happy with ponderous stasis.","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-14T16:29:11Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:03:12Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:03:12Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:03:12Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Michael Carrick pronounced himself “completely disappointed” with <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/13/anderlecht-manchester-united-europa-league-match-report\">Manchester United’s 1-1 draw against Anderlecht</a>, neatly summing up what many supporters have been feeling for several seasons. The midfielder’s point was that the game and perhaps even the result over two legs were there for the taking, yet United could not rouse themselves to do what big teams do and make a statement of intent against accommodating opponents. “It was almost too easy at times,” Carrick said. “We weren’t ruthless enough and now we are left with one of those scorelines where it is dangerous.”</p> \n<p>Perhaps there is no need for United to beat themselves up too much. They have an away goal and every chance of reaching the Europa League semi-finals when Anderlecht turn up at Old Trafford on Thursday, and there was even some evidence in Belgium that Marcus Rashford’s form and confidence might be returning.</p>"}},{"type":"rich-link","assets":[],"richLinkTypeData":{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/13/jose-mourinho-hits-out-at-manchester-united-forwards-europa-league-anderlecht","originalUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/13/jose-mourinho-hits-out-at-manchester-united-forwards-europa-league-anderlecht","linkText":"José Mourinho blames Manchester United’s forwards for Anderlecht draw","linkPrefix":"Related: ","role":"thumbnail"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>On the other hand, the visit of Chelsea on Sunday afternoon is bound to put <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/02/jose-mourinho-manchester-united-europa-league-premier-league\">another low-wattage United season</a> into perspective. It is not just the gap of 18 points between José Mourinho’s team and Antonio Conte’s runaway leaders, or the fact that United’s 21-game unbeaten run in the league since their <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/oct/23/chelsea-manchester-united-premier-league-match-report\">4-0 thumping at Stamford Bridge</a> in October has failed to make any impression on the top four due to the number of draws.</p> \n<p>The uncomfortable truth is that Conte has achieved in London what Mourinho was expected to accomplish in Manchester. He has taken the players who performed so sluggishly for Mourinho last season and, with a few additions and tweaks to the system, made them look unstoppable.</p> \n<p>Chelsea already look capable of being a force in the Champions League next season, whereas United are unsure if they will qualify and, as Carrick so frankly admitted, are a way off the required standard anyway. Mourinho can and does plead for time but Conte is in his first season at a new club too and United supporters are becoming a little tired of successive managers saying the same thing.</p> \n<p>The present United side might be slightly ahead of the Louis van Gaal version for consistency and entertainment value, though that is no great achievement with the bar set so low. <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/premierleague/table\">The league table</a> spells out all too clearly that United are no closer to getting ahead of the Premier League teams that matter, and statistics are available to show why. After 30 games, United have exactly the same number of wins (15) that David Moyes was able to boast at the same stage, and two fewer than Van Gaal in his first season. In terms of points, Mourinho is two short of his immediate predecessor’s total while the goal tally of 46 is inferior to that recorded under both Moyes and Van Gaal.</p> \n<p>Mourinho has been telling everyone for the past few weeks that that is because everyone but Zlatan Ibrahimovic <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/13/jose-mourinho-hits-out-at-manchester-united-forwards-europa-league-anderlecht\">has been wasteful with chances</a>. Yet while it is true that United’s league return would look even sorrier without the Swede’s 17-goal contribution, the fact is that low-scoring seasons are becoming the norm at Old Trafford. In Van Gaal’s last season United finished on 49 goals, easily the lowest total in the top eight and 10 fewer even than Chelsea, who were considered to have had a poor campaign. The previous season saw a healthier return of 62 as United claimed fourth place with the fourth highest number of goals, while in isolation Moyes’s closing tally of 64 looks good until it is recalled that Manchester City and Liverpool both reached three figures as they tussled for the title.</p> \n<p>It is some time since United were regularly hitting the mid-eighties for goals in a league season and Mourinho’s assertion that Javier Hernández might have chipped in with 20 goals by now could be considered wishful thinking given that he reached that figure only once in his time in Manchester.</p> \n<p>Naturally United would be better off with a few more goals – which team wouldn’t? – though the drab performances against <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/01/manchester-united-west-bromwich-albion-premier-league-match-report\">West Brom</a>, <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/04/manchester-united-everton-premier-league-match-report\">Everton</a> and Anderlecht pointed up the most disappointing aspect of the team’s development. To wit, there has not really been any. If United were in transition under Moyes and Van Gaal, they remain so under Mourinho.</p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/3ee19f028085e3b4deeb5a64e3047554bc38d98e/0_132_4158_2496/4158.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":4158,"height":2496}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/3ee19f028085e3b4deeb5a64e3047554bc38d98e/0_132_4158_2496/master/4158.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":4158,"height":2496,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/3ee19f028085e3b4deeb5a64e3047554bc38d98e/0_132_4158_2496/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/3ee19f028085e3b4deeb5a64e3047554bc38d98e/0_132_4158_2496/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/3ee19f028085e3b4deeb5a64e3047554bc38d98e/0_132_4158_2496/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/3ee19f028085e3b4deeb5a64e3047554bc38d98e/0_132_4158_2496/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored 17 goals for United so far this season.","copyright":"2017 Getty Images","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images","source":"Getty Images","photographer":"Clive Rose","alt":"Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored 17 goals for United so far this season.","mediaId":"3ee19f028085e3b4deeb5a64e3047554bc38d98e","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/3ee19f028085e3b4deeb5a64e3047554bc38d98e","suppliersReference":"668230242","imageType":"Photograph"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Compared with the way Chelsea and Spurs have pushed on this season, there has been little to stir the imagination or set the pulse racing, something underlined when the <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/13/pfa-player-of-year-award-kante-hazard-ibrahimovic-lukaku-kane-sanchez\">PFA player of the year shortlist was released</a>. Chelsea had two players among the six nominations and solid performers such as David Luiz, Gary Cahill and Victor Moses might have felt a little unlucky to be overlooked. Mauricio Pochettino argued, with some justification, that Dele Alli was just as good a shout as Harry Kane and the Spurs back line could also have supplied some deserving candidates.</p>"}},{"type":"rich-link","assets":[],"richLinkTypeData":{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/mar/11/jose-mourinho-antonio-conte-chelsea-manchester-united-fa-cup","originalUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/mar/11/jose-mourinho-antonio-conte-chelsea-manchester-united-fa-cup","linkText":"José Mourinho left trailing by calmed-down Antonio Conte | Daniel Taylor","linkPrefix":"Related: ","role":"thumbnail"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>No one would quibble with Ibrahimovic’s inclusion on the list; he has been phenomenal this season and <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/feb/25/manchester-united-zlatan-ibrahimovic-signing-of-season\">at 35 is carrying the team</a>, a point he has not been too shy to make. But beyond an outstanding striker, United’s quality falls off sharply. Who else has made anything like an award-winning contribution this season? Not Paul Pogba, for all the expense. Not Rashford or Anthony Martial, for all their promise last season. Ander Herrera and Antonio Valencia have been consistent, and Carrick dependable when called upon, but that’s about it.</p> \n<p>Wayne Rooney has lost his place in the side, Carrick is the same age as Ibrahimovic, and the manager has started to <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/apr/04/jose-mourinho-luke-shaw-manchester-united-everton\">criticise some of his players in public</a>. While this could be the stage in the season when United are finally forced to decide between going all out for a top-four place and concentrating on the Europa League, the holy grail of Champions League qualification may raise more questions than it answers.</p> \n<p>Of Sunday’s two teams only Chelsea look a side ready for a challenge beyond what the Premier League can offer, though in reality their greatest challenge next season might be hanging on to their best players, perhaps even their manager. That’s life at the top, nothing stands still, which is exactly why United followers cannot be happy with ponderous stasis.</p>"}}]}],"totalBodyBlocks":1},"isHosted":false},{"id":"sport/2017/apr/15/mark-tainton-pat-lam-bristol-big-time-wasps","type":"article","sectionId":"sport","sectionName":"Sport","webPublicationDate":"2017-04-15T11:00:00Z","webTitle":"Mark Tainton fights on but says Pat Lam can lead Bristol to the big time","webUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/apr/15/mark-tainton-pat-lam-bristol-big-time-wasps","apiUrl":"https://content.guardianapis.com/sport/2017/apr/15/mark-tainton-pat-lam-bristol-big-time-wasps","blocks":{"main":{"id":"58f0b684e4b05776df18d963","bodyHtml":"<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"a2355a88c78927f171fc7bad2c5212c9e43341da\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/a2355a88c78927f171fc7bad2c5212c9e43341da/0_53_4680_2809/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Gavin Henson and his team-mates react to Bristol’s last-gasp defeat at Exeter\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Gavin Henson, centre, and his Bristol team-mates react to the last-gasp defeat at Exeter which leaves them eight points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership with three games to play. </span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: PPAUK/Rex/Shutterstock</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-14T11:46:12Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-14T11:46:12Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-14T11:49:52Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-14T11:49:52Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/a2355a88c78927f171fc7bad2c5212c9e43341da/0_53_4680_2809/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/a2355a88c78927f171fc7bad2c5212c9e43341da/0_53_4680_2809/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/a2355a88c78927f171fc7bad2c5212c9e43341da/0_53_4680_2809/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/a2355a88c78927f171fc7bad2c5212c9e43341da/0_53_4680_2809/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/a2355a88c78927f171fc7bad2c5212c9e43341da/0_53_4680_2809/4680.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":4680,"height":2809}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/a2355a88c78927f171fc7bad2c5212c9e43341da/0_53_4680_2809/master/4680.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":4680,"height":2809,"isMaster":true}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Gavin Henson, centre, and his Bristol team-mates react to the last-gasp defeat at Exeter which leaves them eight points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership with three games to play. ","copyright":"Copyright (c) 2017 Rex Features. No use without permission.","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: PPAUK/Rex/Shutterstock","source":"PPAUK/Rex/Shutterstock","photographer":"PPAUK/Rex/Shutterstock","alt":"Gavin Henson and his team-mates react to Bristol’s last-gasp defeat at Exeter","mediaId":"a2355a88c78927f171fc7bad2c5212c9e43341da","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/a2355a88c78927f171fc7bad2c5212c9e43341da","suppliersReference":"8587429bx","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},"body":[{"id":"21ff924f-8a3e-42b5-9b02-48802156530e","bodyHtml":"<p>Easter Sunday is associated with resurrection and Bristol are in need of divine intervention if they are to dodge an immediate return to the Championship. Having been <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/apr/08/exeter-bristol-premiership-match-report\" title=\"\">within three minutes of beating last season’s beaten finalists</a>, Exeter, a week ago, they on Sunday face the Premiership leaders, Wasps, at Ashton Gate with matches running out.</p> <p>After <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/apr/04/london-irish-bristol-guinness-premiership\" title=\"\">Bristol were relegated in 2009</a>, they spent seven years in the rugby wilderness. The money went, then the players, and when they assembled a competitive squad they were tripped up by the Championship’s play-off system. Should they go down again, however, their return is likely to be far quicker, with the club financially stable and underpinned by a strong infrastructure.</p> <aside class=\"element element-rich-link\"> <p> <span>Related: </span><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/mar/05/worcester-warriors-bristol-premiership-rugby-union-match-report\">Worcester take giant leap towards safety by hitting Bristol for six</a> </p> </aside>  <p>Bristol’s owner, Steve Lansdown, will continue to back the club, a number of high-profile signings will arrive in the summer, including the New Zealand back-rower Steven Luatua and the Ireland fly-half Ian Madigan, a new training base near Clifton Suspension Bridge will be ready in two years, Pat Lam is taking over as head coach and the Championship will next season revert to first past the post.</p> <p>“We will fight to the very end this season and will not give up,” says the Bristol head coach, Mark Tainton, who <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/nov/03/bristol-suspend-andy-robinson-appoint-mark-tainton\" title=\"\">took over in November</a> after Andy Robinson was sacked. “The players showed their spirit at Exeter when they made 315 tackles and deserved victory. To play like that at one of the hardest places to go in the Premiership said something and we need to reproduce that spirit against Wasps, although they will look to go around, rather than through, us.”</p> <p>Tainton could have been plotting Bristol’s downfall had he accepted an offer from Wasps, where he spent last season as an attack and kicking consultant, to stay at the club but the lure of Bristol, where he spent his playing career as a fly-half and is still the club’s record points scorer, was too strong. He returned, having spent 10 years in Ireland after starting his coaching career with Jack Rowell’s England in Argentina in 1997, as a consultant only to find himself in charge within a few months after the opening seven league matches resulted in defeat.</p> <p>“We knew the Premiership would be a massive challenge,” says Tainton. “We were not always matching the intensity and pace other teams had and we had a lot of catching up to do. When I took over as head coach we reduced the minutes on the training field but upped the pace and intensity. We were in a difficult position and things were not going well for Andy. It was not that he was doing anything wrong and he is a very good coach with a strong track record I have massive respect for, but sometimes, and there is no rhyme or reason for it, the same group of players produce something completely different under a fresh voice.</p> <aside class=\"element element-rich-link element--thumbnail\"> <p> <span>Related: </span><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2017/apr/14/british-irish-lions-brand-commercialism-sponsors-warren-gatland\">‘Big Cats’, brand reviews and the rampant commercialism of the Lions | Gerard Meagher</a> </p> </aside>  <p>“I told the players I wanted them to enjoy themselves, express themselves and play with no fear. To a degree, they have done that and we got some results over Christmas. Steve Lansdown and I speak regularly: the board have been massively supportive to me in challenging times and the supporters have been fantastic. They deserve an effort from the side every week. Our aim is to go into the final match of the season at home to Newcastle with a mathematical chance of staying up but, with a trip to Saracens following Wasps, we know how much that is going to take.”</p> <p>When Lam arrives from Connacht in the summer, Tainton will take off his tracksuit to become Bristol’s chief operating officer, a buffer between the coaches and the board who will be in charge of recruitment and the academy. “I will run the rugby side of the business,” he said. “Steve is in it for the long haul and he has been tremendous for sport in Bristol. If the worst happens and we are in the Championship next season, it would be a setback because we have one of the best stadiums in the country and want to be in the Premiership, but we have recruited strongly for next season and all the new signings will be coming whichever division we are in.”</p> <p>If relegation in 2009 proved a calamity, this time it should be no more than a blip. Asked where he sees Bristol in five years’ time, Tainton replies: “I would love us to be in the top half of the Premiership and challenging in Europe. The infrastructure put in place by Steve and the board is second to none and we want to be in the top flight. The new coaching team will develop the playing side so we become stronger and, if we were to be relegated, a good start in the Championship would make recruitment easier, with no play-offs to negotiate. Recruitment was difficult last year because by the time we knew we were going up, most players had been signed up.</p> <p>“But it is not over for us this season and we must continue to believe that anything can happen. The fat lady is a few steps up but she is not on the stage yet.”</p>","bodyTextSummary":"Easter Sunday is associated with resurrection and Bristol are in need of divine intervention if they are to dodge an immediate return to the Championship. Having been within three minutes of beating last season’s beaten finalists, Exeter, a week ago, they on Sunday face the Premiership leaders, Wasps, at Ashton Gate with matches running out. After Bristol were relegated in 2009, they spent seven years in the rugby wilderness. The money went, then the players, and when they assembled a competitive squad they were tripped up by the Championship’s play-off system. Should they go down again, however, their return is likely to be far quicker, with the club financially stable and underpinned by a strong infrastructure.\nBristol’s owner, Steve Lansdown, will continue to back the club, a number of high-profile signings will arrive in the summer, including the New Zealand back-rower Steven Luatua and the Ireland fly-half Ian Madigan, a new training base near Clifton Suspension Bridge will be ready in two years, Pat Lam is taking over as head coach and the Championship will next season revert to first past the post. “We will fight to the very end this season and will not give up,” says the Bristol head coach, Mark Tainton, who took over in November after Andy Robinson was sacked. “The players showed their spirit at Exeter when they made 315 tackles and deserved victory. To play like that at one of the hardest places to go in the Premiership said something and we need to reproduce that spirit against Wasps, although they will look to go around, rather than through, us.” Tainton could have been plotting Bristol’s downfall had he accepted an offer from Wasps, where he spent last season as an attack and kicking consultant, to stay at the club but the lure of Bristol, where he spent his playing career as a fly-half and is still the club’s record points scorer, was too strong. He returned, having spent 10 years in Ireland after starting his coaching career with Jack Rowell’s England in Argentina in 1997, as a consultant only to find himself in charge within a few months after the opening seven league matches resulted in defeat. “We knew the Premiership would be a massive challenge,” says Tainton. “We were not always matching the intensity and pace other teams had and we had a lot of catching up to do. When I took over as head coach we reduced the minutes on the training field but upped the pace and intensity. We were in a difficult position and things were not going well for Andy. It was not that he was doing anything wrong and he is a very good coach with a strong track record I have massive respect for, but sometimes, and there is no rhyme or reason for it, the same group of players produce something completely different under a fresh voice.\n“I told the players I wanted them to enjoy themselves, express themselves and play with no fear. To a degree, they have done that and we got some results over Christmas. Steve Lansdown and I speak regularly: the board have been massively supportive to me in challenging times and the supporters have been fantastic. They deserve an effort from the side every week. Our aim is to go into the final match of the season at home to Newcastle with a mathematical chance of staying up but, with a trip to Saracens following Wasps, we know how much that is going to take.” When Lam arrives from Connacht in the summer, Tainton will take off his tracksuit to become Bristol’s chief operating officer, a buffer between the coaches and the board who will be in charge of recruitment and the academy. “I will run the rugby side of the business,” he said. “Steve is in it for the long haul and he has been tremendous for sport in Bristol. If the worst happens and we are in the Championship next season, it would be a setback because we have one of the best stadiums in the country and want to be in the Premiership, but we have recruited strongly for next season and all the new signings will be coming whichever division we are in.” If relegation in 2009 proved a calamity, this time it should be no more than a blip. Asked where he sees Bristol in five years’ time, Tainton replies: “I would love us to be in the top half of the Premiership and challenging in Europe. The infrastructure put in place by Steve and the board is second to none and we want to be in the top flight. The new coaching team will develop the playing side so we become stronger and, if we were to be relegated, a good start in the Championship would make recruitment easier, with no play-offs to negotiate. Recruitment was difficult last year because by the time we knew we were going up, most players had been signed up. “But it is not over for us this season and we must continue to believe that anything can happen. The fat lady is a few steps up but she is not on the stage yet.”","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-14T11:36:32Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-14T14:19:10Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Easter Sunday is associated with resurrection and Bristol are in need of divine intervention if they are to dodge an immediate return to the Championship. Having been <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/apr/08/exeter-bristol-premiership-match-report\" title=\"\">within three minutes of beating last season’s beaten finalists</a>, Exeter, a week ago, they on Sunday face the Premiership leaders, Wasps, at Ashton Gate with matches running out.</p> \n<p>After <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/apr/04/london-irish-bristol-guinness-premiership\" title=\"\">Bristol were relegated in 2009</a>, they spent seven years in the rugby wilderness. The money went, then the players, and when they assembled a competitive squad they were tripped up by the Championship’s play-off system. Should they go down again, however, their return is likely to be far quicker, with the club financially stable and underpinned by a strong infrastructure.</p>"}},{"type":"rich-link","assets":[],"richLinkTypeData":{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/mar/05/worcester-warriors-bristol-premiership-rugby-union-match-report","originalUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/mar/05/worcester-warriors-bristol-premiership-rugby-union-match-report","linkText":"Worcester take giant leap towards safety by hitting Bristol for six","linkPrefix":"Related: "}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Bristol’s owner, Steve Lansdown, will continue to back the club, a number of high-profile signings will arrive in the summer, including the New Zealand back-rower Steven Luatua and the Ireland fly-half Ian Madigan, a new training base near Clifton Suspension Bridge will be ready in two years, Pat Lam is taking over as head coach and the Championship will next season revert to first past the post.</p> \n<p>“We will fight to the very end this season and will not give up,” says the Bristol head coach, Mark Tainton, who <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/nov/03/bristol-suspend-andy-robinson-appoint-mark-tainton\" title=\"\">took over in November</a> after Andy Robinson was sacked. “The players showed their spirit at Exeter when they made 315 tackles and deserved victory. To play like that at one of the hardest places to go in the Premiership said something and we need to reproduce that spirit against Wasps, although they will look to go around, rather than through, us.”</p> \n<p>Tainton could have been plotting Bristol’s downfall had he accepted an offer from Wasps, where he spent last season as an attack and kicking consultant, to stay at the club but the lure of Bristol, where he spent his playing career as a fly-half and is still the club’s record points scorer, was too strong. He returned, having spent 10 years in Ireland after starting his coaching career with Jack Rowell’s England in Argentina in 1997, as a consultant only to find himself in charge within a few months after the opening seven league matches resulted in defeat.</p> \n<p>“We knew the Premiership would be a massive challenge,” says Tainton. “We were not always matching the intensity and pace other teams had and we had a lot of catching up to do. When I took over as head coach we reduced the minutes on the training field but upped the pace and intensity. We were in a difficult position and things were not going well for Andy. It was not that he was doing anything wrong and he is a very good coach with a strong track record I have massive respect for, but sometimes, and there is no rhyme or reason for it, the same group of players produce something completely different under a fresh voice.</p>"}},{"type":"rich-link","assets":[],"richLinkTypeData":{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2017/apr/14/british-irish-lions-brand-commercialism-sponsors-warren-gatland","originalUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2017/apr/14/british-irish-lions-brand-commercialism-sponsors-warren-gatland","linkText":"‘Big Cats’, brand reviews and the rampant commercialism of the Lions | Gerard Meagher","linkPrefix":"Related: ","role":"thumbnail"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>“I told the players I wanted them to enjoy themselves, express themselves and play with no fear. To a degree, they have done that and we got some results over Christmas. Steve Lansdown and I speak regularly: the board have been massively supportive to me in challenging times and the supporters have been fantastic. They deserve an effort from the side every week. Our aim is to go into the final match of the season at home to Newcastle with a mathematical chance of staying up but, with a trip to Saracens following Wasps, we know how much that is going to take.”</p> \n<p>When Lam arrives from Connacht in the summer, Tainton will take off his tracksuit to become Bristol’s chief operating officer, a buffer between the coaches and the board who will be in charge of recruitment and the academy. “I will run the rugby side of the business,” he said. “Steve is in it for the long haul and he has been tremendous for sport in Bristol. If the worst happens and we are in the Championship next season, it would be a setback because we have one of the best stadiums in the country and want to be in the Premiership, but we have recruited strongly for next season and all the new signings will be coming whichever division we are in.”</p> \n<p>If relegation in 2009 proved a calamity, this time it should be no more than a blip. Asked where he sees Bristol in five years’ time, Tainton replies: “I would love us to be in the top half of the Premiership and challenging in Europe. The infrastructure put in place by Steve and the board is second to none and we want to be in the top flight. The new coaching team will develop the playing side so we become stronger and, if we were to be relegated, a good start in the Championship would make recruitment easier, with no play-offs to negotiate. Recruitment was difficult last year because by the time we knew we were going up, most players had been signed up.</p> \n<p>“But it is not over for us this season and we must continue to believe that anything can happen. The fat lady is a few steps up but she is not on the stage yet.”</p>"}}]}],"totalBodyBlocks":1},"isHosted":false},{"id":"us-news/2017/apr/15/steve-bannon-trump-kushner-white-house","type":"article","sectionId":"us-news","sectionName":"US news","webPublicationDate":"2017-04-15T11:00:00Z","webTitle":"Steve Bannon: is Trump's right-hand man falling from grace?","webUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/15/steve-bannon-trump-kushner-white-house","apiUrl":"https://content.guardianapis.com/us-news/2017/apr/15/steve-bannon-trump-kushner-white-house","blocks":{"main":{"id":"58f15d0ae4b0e0ec04f0104d","bodyHtml":"<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"e095a2628faca3f4021f8df2e0ea94c8f22b3beb\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/e095a2628faca3f4021f8df2e0ea94c8f22b3beb/0_311_6720_4032/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Steve Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist, has long been a hate figure on the left. \" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Steve Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist, has long been a hate figure on the left. </span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-14T23:36:42Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-14T23:36:43Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T01:33:57Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T01:33:57Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/e095a2628faca3f4021f8df2e0ea94c8f22b3beb/0_311_6720_4032/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/e095a2628faca3f4021f8df2e0ea94c8f22b3beb/0_311_6720_4032/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/e095a2628faca3f4021f8df2e0ea94c8f22b3beb/0_311_6720_4032/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/e095a2628faca3f4021f8df2e0ea94c8f22b3beb/0_311_6720_4032/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/e095a2628faca3f4021f8df2e0ea94c8f22b3beb/0_311_6720_4032/6720.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":6720,"height":4032}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/e095a2628faca3f4021f8df2e0ea94c8f22b3beb/0_311_6720_4032/master/6720.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":6720,"height":4032,"isMaster":true}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Steve Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist, has long been a hate figure on the left. ","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA","source":"EPA","photographer":"Jim Lo Scalzo","alt":"Steve Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist, has long been a hate figure on the left. ","mediaId":"e095a2628faca3f4021f8df2e0ea94c8f22b3beb","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/e095a2628faca3f4021f8df2e0ea94c8f22b3beb","suppliersReference":"(FILE) USA NSC REMOVAL BANNON","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},"body":[{"id":"58f0e5f6e4b05776df18da40","bodyHtml":"<p>The Trump era was only two weeks old when Steve Bannon was elevated to the cover of Time magazine, lauded as the Great Manipulator and second most powerful man in the world.<br /></p> <p>By the administration’s 82nd day, the former investment banker and provocative CEO of the rightwing website Breitbart, was facing another momentous headline, based on a New York Post interview, where his boss, Donald Trump, said: “<a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/12/steven-bannon-donald-trump-approval-jared-kushner\">I like Steve, but...”</a></p> <p>As Trump seems to have gained energy – and better reviews – from a more interventionist, conventionally Republican approach to foreign policy in Syria and Afghanistan, the Bannon nationalist camp is at bay and its disruptor-in-chief finds himself the focal point of the palace intrigue that invariably swirls around the Trump White House.</p> <aside class=\"element element-rich-link element--thumbnail\"> <p> <span>Related: </span><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/06/steve-bannon-indestructible-national-security-council-donald-trump\">Steve Bannon seemed indestructible. But with a fickle president, anything’s possible | Michael Paarlberg</a> </p> </aside>  <p>Bannon, who serves as Trump’s chief strategist, has long been a flashpoint of controversy, the leader of those in the administration who regard themselves as “nationalists”. The faction, which consists of those in the administration who are hawkish on immigration, protectionist on trade, isolationist on foreign policy and fundamentally contemptuous of the inherited wisdom of the Republican establishment, has been under siege in the White House in recent weeks.</p> <p> In the wake of the repeated failure of the Trump administration <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/trumps-travel-ban\">to implement a travel ban</a> on residents of six Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and North Africa as well as the rise of the so-called “New Yorkers” within the West Wing, led by former Goldman Sachs chief Gary Cohn, the Bannon group has seen diminished influence in the White House.</p> <p>Trump’s rebuke this week was most pointed.  As the president said of his top aide: “I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late. I had already beaten all the senators and all the governors, and I didn’t know Steve.”</p> <p>In addition, Bannon <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/05/steve-bannon-national-security-council-role-trump-shakeup\">lost his position</a> on the principals committee of the National Security Council last week, a move which is also regarded as clear evidence that his influence in the administration is being reined in. </p>  <figure class=\"element element-image element--showcase\" data-media-id=\"51f4fcf325092af9a5bafbec573b65df9d1cd0b2\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/51f4fcf325092af9a5bafbec573b65df9d1cd0b2/0_140_4500_2700/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Donald Trump in the Oval Office with Bannon and Michael Flynn, who resigned as national security adviser in February over his ties to Russia.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Donald Trump in the Oval Office with Bannon and Michael Flynn, who resigned as national security adviser in February over his ties to Russia.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images</span> </figcaption> </figure>  <p>But while Bannon has long been a hate figure on the left and members of Congress, including former speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi, have gone so far as to claim that he is a white supremacist, the White House aide has a secure base on the right. He is beloved by the rightwing talk radio base which fueled Trump’s rise and is closely tied to the Mercers, the reclusive billionaires who funded Breitbart and help sustain Trump’s 2016 campaign.</p> <p>Further, in an administration that sees the growing influence of a faction that detractors call “the West Wing Democrats”, even conservative skeptics value Bannon as an ideological counterbalance.</p>  <aside class=\"element element-pullquote element--supporting\"> <blockquote> <p>Republicans tend to be by the book and careful –​ and he’s just the opposite</p> <footer> <cite>Matt Schlapp, American Conservative Union</cite> </footer> </blockquote> </aside>  <p>Matt Schlapp, the head of the American Conservative Union, told the Guardian that while Bannon is certainly not an orthodox conservative “beloved by everyone”, he has still made “a big difference in the conservative movement”. Schlapp, a self described fan of Bannon, described the White House strategist as “a lot of fun to work with”.</p> <p>“Republicans tend to be by the book and careful and we don’t say things that are too interesting – and he’s just the opposite,” Schlapp said, adding that Bannon “is a bit bombastic, says really interesting things, a lot of emotions, smiles and laughter” as well as some shouting.</p> <p>The particular shouts that have been getting Bannon in trouble though have been very close to home for the Trump family. Sources have described as growing tensions with Jared Kushner, Trump son-in-law. Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump, is one of Trump’s top advisers and nominally is the White House’s point person on a bewildering array of issues, ranging from peace in the Middle East to opiate addiction. </p> <p>Kushner and the rest of the Trump family may lack political experience, but they have long been the rare constants within the president’s ever-shifting inner circle. It was due to conflict with Kushner that Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s first campaign manager, <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/20/donald-trump-campaign-manager-corey-lewandowski-out?CMP=fb_us\">was finally sacked</a> in June 2016. </p> <aside class=\"element element-rich-link element--thumbnail\"> <p> <span>Related: </span><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/08/donald-trump-steve-bannon-jared-kushner-power-struggle\">Bannon and Kushner locked in White House 'power struggle'</a> </p> </aside>  <p>Yet for all of Bannon’s issues with Kushner – heavily fueled by his allies from outside the administration going after Jared – the real conflict is with Cohn, whom Bannon allies have dubbed “Globalist Gary”, as well as his close ally Dina Powell, a former Goldman employee and veteran of the George W Bush administration who has been closely aligned with Cohn. </p> <p>A source noted that this faction had risen in prominence in the White House not because of any faults of Bannon, but because of the perceived weakness of Reince Priebus, Trump’s chief of staff. The result was the view that Trump was leaning on these “West Wing Democrats” for their perceived competence as opposed to any ideological congruence. As the Trump administration has careened from defeat to defeat on its travel ban and attempts to repeal and replace Obamacare, they are “steady hands that he can turn to”.</p>  <figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"1b20f62e85da74f88903a1fdf74e85fcb26bc933\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/1b20f62e85da74f88903a1fdf74e85fcb26bc933/0_0_4398_2932/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon walk on the south lawn of the White House. Sources have described a growing tension.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon walk on the south lawn of the White House. Sources have described a growing tension.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Andrew Harnik/AP</span> </figcaption> </figure>  <p>Although the biggest failure, on the abandoned healthcare legislation, was not Bannon’s fault, the White House adviser does bear blame for the failure of the first travel ban aimed at those Muslim-majority countries, the administration’s opening attempt at a defining move.</p> <p>Further, Bannon, took some damage from the resignation of national security adviser Mike Flynn in February over his ties to Russia. Flynn, seen as a maverick in security circles, was a Bannon ally in the administration.</p> <p>However, the pressure is still on Bannon to deliver “wins for the president”. As a result he has been playing a lead in reviving the failed talks over healthcare, in an attempt to use his clout on the right to win over recalcitrant members of the Freedom Caucus <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/mar/30/donald-trump-freedom-caucus-healthcare-bill-republicans\">who killed off legislation</a> before it was even put to a vote in the House. </p> <aside class=\"element element-rich-link element--thumbnail\"> <p> <span>Related: </span><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/06/ivanka-thinks-she-is-starring-in-beauty-and-the-beast-more-like-macbeth\">Ivanka Trump thinks she is in Beauty and the Beast: more like Macbeth | Jill Abramson</a> </p> </aside>  <p>Even the rise of Cohn may not be a lasting impediment to Bannon. While Cohn is, in the words of one former Trump aide, the president’s “new shiny toy”, there was a sense that Cohn faced inherent limits by virtue of his political ideology. </p> <p>While no one would ever confuse the Wall Street mogul with Bernie Sanders, he is, as the former Trump aide put it, “a liberal Democrat with liberal Democratic ideas”. The result is that many of his initiatives, including reported interest in a carbon tax in recent weeks, are likely doomed to failure because they are anathema to congressional Republicans.</p> <p>In the meantime, in a volatile White House, anything can happen. As the Bannon ally noted, the strategist is “not in a good spot but by no means out” of Trump’s frenetic orbit.</p> <p>But there’s one thing Bannon urgently needs to do. Working for a president obsessed with winning, the strategist needs to be able to point to some successes of his own for the administration.</p> <p>“Anything can change on a moment’s notice,” the Bannon ally said, “but I think he could turn it around in 72 hours, or be gone in 72 hours. Anything can happen.” </p>","bodyTextSummary":"The Trump era was only two weeks old when Steve Bannon was elevated to the cover of Time magazine, lauded as the Great Manipulator and second most powerful man in the world. By the administration’s 82nd day, the former investment banker and provocative CEO of the rightwing website Breitbart, was facing another momentous headline, based on a New York Post interview, where his boss, Donald Trump, said: “I like Steve, but...” As Trump seems to have gained energy – and better reviews – from a more interventionist, conventionally Republican approach to foreign policy in Syria and Afghanistan, the Bannon nationalist camp is at bay and its disruptor-in-chief finds himself the focal point of the palace intrigue that invariably swirls around the Trump White House.\nBannon, who serves as Trump’s chief strategist, has long been a flashpoint of controversy, the leader of those in the administration who regard themselves as “nationalists”. The faction, which consists of those in the administration who are hawkish on immigration, protectionist on trade, isolationist on foreign policy and fundamentally contemptuous of the inherited wisdom of the Republican establishment, has been under siege in the White House in recent weeks. In the wake of the repeated failure of the Trump administration to implement a travel ban on residents of six Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and North Africa as well as the rise of the so-called “New Yorkers” within the West Wing, led by former Goldman Sachs chief Gary Cohn, the Bannon group has seen diminished influence in the White House. Trump’s rebuke this week was most pointed. As the president said of his top aide: “I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late. I had already beaten all the senators and all the governors, and I didn’t know Steve.” In addition, Bannon lost his position on the principals committee of the National Security Council last week, a move which is also regarded as clear evidence that his influence in the administration is being reined in.\nBut while Bannon has long been a hate figure on the left and members of Congress, including former speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi, have gone so far as to claim that he is a white supremacist, the White House aide has a secure base on the right. He is beloved by the rightwing talk radio base which fueled Trump’s rise and is closely tied to the Mercers, the reclusive billionaires who funded Breitbart and help sustain Trump’s 2016 campaign. Further, in an administration that sees the growing influence of a faction that detractors call “the West Wing Democrats”, even conservative skeptics value Bannon as an ideological counterbalance.\nMatt Schlapp, the head of the American Conservative Union, told the Guardian that while Bannon is certainly not an orthodox conservative “beloved by everyone”, he has still made “a big difference in the conservative movement”. Schlapp, a self described fan of Bannon, described the White House strategist as “a lot of fun to work with”. “Republicans tend to be by the book and careful and we don’t say things that are too interesting – and he’s just the opposite,” Schlapp said, adding that Bannon “is a bit bombastic, says really interesting things, a lot of emotions, smiles and laughter” as well as some shouting. The particular shouts that have been getting Bannon in trouble though have been very close to home for the Trump family. Sources have described as growing tensions with Jared Kushner, Trump son-in-law. Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump, is one of Trump’s top advisers and nominally is the White House’s point person on a bewildering array of issues, ranging from peace in the Middle East to opiate addiction. Kushner and the rest of the Trump family may lack political experience, but they have long been the rare constants within the president’s ever-shifting inner circle. It was due to conflict with Kushner that Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s first campaign manager, was finally sacked in June 2016.\nYet for all of Bannon’s issues with Kushner – heavily fueled by his allies from outside the administration going after Jared – the real conflict is with Cohn, whom Bannon allies have dubbed “Globalist Gary”, as well as his close ally Dina Powell, a former Goldman employee and veteran of the George W Bush administration who has been closely aligned with Cohn. A source noted that this faction had risen in prominence in the White House not because of any faults of Bannon, but because of the perceived weakness of Reince Priebus, Trump’s chief of staff. The result was the view that Trump was leaning on these “West Wing Democrats” for their perceived competence as opposed to any ideological congruence. As the Trump administration has careened from defeat to defeat on its travel ban and attempts to repeal and replace Obamacare, they are “steady hands that he can turn to”.\nAlthough the biggest failure, on the abandoned healthcare legislation, was not Bannon’s fault, the White House adviser does bear blame for the failure of the first travel ban aimed at those Muslim-majority countries, the administration’s opening attempt at a defining move. Further, Bannon, took some damage from the resignation of national security adviser Mike Flynn in February over his ties to Russia. Flynn, seen as a maverick in security circles, was a Bannon ally in the administration. However, the pressure is still on Bannon to deliver “wins for the president”. As a result he has been playing a lead in reviving the failed talks over healthcare, in an attempt to use his clout on the right to win over recalcitrant members of the Freedom Caucus who killed off legislation before it was even put to a vote in the House.\nEven the rise of Cohn may not be a lasting impediment to Bannon. While Cohn is, in the words of one former Trump aide, the president’s “new shiny toy”, there was a sense that Cohn faced inherent limits by virtue of his political ideology. While no one would ever confuse the Wall Street mogul with Bernie Sanders, he is, as the former Trump aide put it, “a liberal Democrat with liberal Democratic ideas”. The result is that many of his initiatives, including reported interest in a carbon tax in recent weeks, are likely doomed to failure because they are anathema to congressional Republicans. In the meantime, in a volatile White House, anything can happen. As the Bannon ally noted, the strategist is “not in a good spot but by no means out” of Trump’s frenetic orbit. But there’s one thing Bannon urgently needs to do. Working for a president obsessed with winning, the strategist needs to be able to point to some successes of his own for the administration. “Anything can change on a moment’s notice,” the Bannon ally said, “but I think he could turn it around in 72 hours, or be gone in 72 hours. Anything can happen.”","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-14T15:08:38Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-14T15:08:40Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T01:31:58Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T01:31:58Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>The Trump era was only two weeks old when Steve Bannon was elevated to the cover of Time magazine, lauded as the Great Manipulator and second most powerful man in the world.<br /></p> \n<p>By the administration’s 82nd day, the former investment banker and provocative CEO of the rightwing website Breitbart, was facing another momentous headline, based on a New York Post interview, where his boss, Donald Trump, said: “<a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/12/steven-bannon-donald-trump-approval-jared-kushner\">I like Steve, but...”</a></p> \n<p>As Trump seems to have gained energy – and better reviews – from a more interventionist, conventionally Republican approach to foreign policy in Syria and Afghanistan, the Bannon nationalist camp is at bay and its disruptor-in-chief finds himself the focal point of the palace intrigue that invariably swirls around the Trump White House.</p>"}},{"type":"rich-link","assets":[],"richLinkTypeData":{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/06/steve-bannon-indestructible-national-security-council-donald-trump","originalUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/06/steve-bannon-indestructible-national-security-council-donald-trump","linkText":"Steve Bannon seemed indestructible. But with a fickle president, anything’s possible | Michael Paarlberg","linkPrefix":"Related: ","role":"thumbnail"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Bannon, who serves as Trump’s chief strategist, has long been a flashpoint of controversy, the leader of those in the administration who regard themselves as “nationalists”. The faction, which consists of those in the administration who are hawkish on immigration, protectionist on trade, isolationist on foreign policy and fundamentally contemptuous of the inherited wisdom of the Republican establishment, has been under siege in the White House in recent weeks.</p> \n<p> In the wake of the repeated failure of the Trump administration <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/trumps-travel-ban\">to implement a travel ban</a> on residents of six Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and North Africa as well as the rise of the so-called “New Yorkers” within the West Wing, led by former Goldman Sachs chief Gary Cohn, the Bannon group has seen diminished influence in the White House.</p> \n<p>Trump’s rebuke this week was most pointed.  As the president said of his top aide: “I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late. I had already beaten all the senators and all the governors, and I didn’t know Steve.”</p> \n<p>In addition, Bannon <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/05/steve-bannon-national-security-council-role-trump-shakeup\">lost his position</a> on the principals committee of the National Security Council last week, a move which is also regarded as clear evidence that his influence in the administration is being reined in. </p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/51f4fcf325092af9a5bafbec573b65df9d1cd0b2/0_140_4500_2700/4500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":4500,"height":2700}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/51f4fcf325092af9a5bafbec573b65df9d1cd0b2/0_140_4500_2700/master/4500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":4500,"height":2700,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/51f4fcf325092af9a5bafbec573b65df9d1cd0b2/0_140_4500_2700/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/51f4fcf325092af9a5bafbec573b65df9d1cd0b2/0_140_4500_2700/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/51f4fcf325092af9a5bafbec573b65df9d1cd0b2/0_140_4500_2700/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/51f4fcf325092af9a5bafbec573b65df9d1cd0b2/0_140_4500_2700/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Donald Trump in the Oval Office with Bannon and Michael Flynn, who resigned as national security adviser in February over his ties to Russia.","copyright":"AFP or licensors","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images","source":"AFP/Getty Images","photographer":"Mandel Ngan","alt":"Donald Trump in the Oval Office with Bannon and Michael Flynn, who resigned as national security adviser in February over his ties to Russia.","mediaId":"51f4fcf325092af9a5bafbec573b65df9d1cd0b2","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/51f4fcf325092af9a5bafbec573b65df9d1cd0b2","suppliersReference":"AFP_NH99C","imageType":"Photograph","role":"showcase"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>But while Bannon has long been a hate figure on the left and members of Congress, including former speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi, have gone so far as to claim that he is a white supremacist, the White House aide has a secure base on the right. He is beloved by the rightwing talk radio base which fueled Trump’s rise and is closely tied to the Mercers, the reclusive billionaires who funded Breitbart and help sustain Trump’s 2016 campaign.</p> \n<p>Further, in an administration that sees the growing influence of a faction that detractors call “the West Wing Democrats”, even conservative skeptics value Bannon as an ideological counterbalance.</p>"}},{"type":"pullquote","assets":[],"pullquoteTypeData":{"html":"Republicans tend to be by the book and careful –​ and he’s just the opposite","attribution":"Matt Schlapp, American Conservative Union"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Matt Schlapp, the head of the American Conservative Union, told the Guardian that while Bannon is certainly not an orthodox conservative “beloved by everyone”, he has still made “a big difference in the conservative movement”. Schlapp, a self described fan of Bannon, described the White House strategist as “a lot of fun to work with”.</p> \n<p>“Republicans tend to be by the book and careful and we don’t say things that are too interesting – and he’s just the opposite,” Schlapp said, adding that Bannon “is a bit bombastic, says really interesting things, a lot of emotions, smiles and laughter” as well as some shouting.</p> \n<p>The particular shouts that have been getting Bannon in trouble though have been very close to home for the Trump family. Sources have described as growing tensions with Jared Kushner, Trump son-in-law. Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump, is one of Trump’s top advisers and nominally is the White House’s point person on a bewildering array of issues, ranging from peace in the Middle East to opiate addiction. </p> \n<p>Kushner and the rest of the Trump family may lack political experience, but they have long been the rare constants within the president’s ever-shifting inner circle. It was due to conflict with Kushner that Corey Lewandowski, Trump’s first campaign manager, <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/20/donald-trump-campaign-manager-corey-lewandowski-out?CMP=fb_us\">was finally sacked</a> in June 2016. </p>"}},{"type":"rich-link","assets":[],"richLinkTypeData":{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/08/donald-trump-steve-bannon-jared-kushner-power-struggle","originalUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/08/donald-trump-steve-bannon-jared-kushner-power-struggle","linkText":"Bannon and Kushner locked in White House 'power struggle'","linkPrefix":"Related: ","role":"thumbnail"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Yet for all of Bannon’s issues with Kushner – heavily fueled by his allies from outside the administration going after Jared – the real conflict is with Cohn, whom Bannon allies have dubbed “Globalist Gary”, as well as his close ally Dina Powell, a former Goldman employee and veteran of the George W Bush administration who has been closely aligned with Cohn. </p> \n<p>A source noted that this faction had risen in prominence in the White House not because of any faults of Bannon, but because of the perceived weakness of Reince Priebus, Trump’s chief of staff. The result was the view that Trump was leaning on these “West Wing Democrats” for their perceived competence as opposed to any ideological congruence. As the Trump administration has careened from defeat to defeat on its travel ban and attempts to repeal and replace Obamacare, they are “steady hands that he can turn to”.</p>"}},{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/1b20f62e85da74f88903a1fdf74e85fcb26bc933/0_0_4398_2932/4398.jpg","typeData":{"width":4398,"height":2932}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/1b20f62e85da74f88903a1fdf74e85fcb26bc933/0_0_4398_2932/master/4398.jpg","typeData":{"width":4398,"height":2932,"isMaster":true}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/1b20f62e85da74f88903a1fdf74e85fcb26bc933/0_0_4398_2932/2000.jpg","typeData":{"width":2000,"height":1333}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/1b20f62e85da74f88903a1fdf74e85fcb26bc933/0_0_4398_2932/1000.jpg","typeData":{"width":1000,"height":667}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/1b20f62e85da74f88903a1fdf74e85fcb26bc933/0_0_4398_2932/500.jpg","typeData":{"width":500,"height":333}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/1b20f62e85da74f88903a1fdf74e85fcb26bc933/0_0_4398_2932/140.jpg","typeData":{"width":140,"height":93}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon walk on the south lawn of the White House. Sources have described a growing tension.","copyright":"Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Andrew Harnik/AP","source":"AP","photographer":"Andrew Harnik","alt":"Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon walk on the south lawn of the White House. Sources have described a growing tension.","mediaId":"1b20f62e85da74f88903a1fdf74e85fcb26bc933","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/1b20f62e85da74f88903a1fdf74e85fcb26bc933","suppliersReference":"WX204","imageType":"Photograph"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Although the biggest failure, on the abandoned healthcare legislation, was not Bannon’s fault, the White House adviser does bear blame for the failure of the first travel ban aimed at those Muslim-majority countries, the administration’s opening attempt at a defining move.</p> \n<p>Further, Bannon, took some damage from the resignation of national security adviser Mike Flynn in February over his ties to Russia. Flynn, seen as a maverick in security circles, was a Bannon ally in the administration.</p> \n<p>However, the pressure is still on Bannon to deliver “wins for the president”. As a result he has been playing a lead in reviving the failed talks over healthcare, in an attempt to use his clout on the right to win over recalcitrant members of the Freedom Caucus <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/mar/30/donald-trump-freedom-caucus-healthcare-bill-republicans\">who killed off legislation</a> before it was even put to a vote in the House. </p>"}},{"type":"rich-link","assets":[],"richLinkTypeData":{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/06/ivanka-thinks-she-is-starring-in-beauty-and-the-beast-more-like-macbeth","originalUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/06/ivanka-thinks-she-is-starring-in-beauty-and-the-beast-more-like-macbeth","linkText":"Ivanka Trump thinks she is in Beauty and the Beast: more like Macbeth | Jill Abramson","linkPrefix":"Related: ","role":"thumbnail"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Even the rise of Cohn may not be a lasting impediment to Bannon. While Cohn is, in the words of one former Trump aide, the president’s “new shiny toy”, there was a sense that Cohn faced inherent limits by virtue of his political ideology. </p> \n<p>While no one would ever confuse the Wall Street mogul with Bernie Sanders, he is, as the former Trump aide put it, “a liberal Democrat with liberal Democratic ideas”. The result is that many of his initiatives, including reported interest in a carbon tax in recent weeks, are likely doomed to failure because they are anathema to congressional Republicans.</p> \n<p>In the meantime, in a volatile White House, anything can happen. As the Bannon ally noted, the strategist is “not in a good spot but by no means out” of Trump’s frenetic orbit.</p> \n<p>But there’s one thing Bannon urgently needs to do. Working for a president obsessed with winning, the strategist needs to be able to point to some successes of his own for the administration.</p> \n<p>“Anything can change on a moment’s notice,” the Bannon ally said, “but I think he could turn it around in 72 hours, or be gone in 72 hours. Anything can happen.” </p>"}}]}],"totalBodyBlocks":1},"isHosted":false},{"id":"us-news/2017/apr/15/don-benton-trump-administration-selective-service-draft","type":"article","sectionId":"us-news","sectionName":"US news","webPublicationDate":"2017-04-15T11:00:00Z","webTitle":"Don Benton: the Trump 'shadow' adviser taking over the US draft system","webUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/15/don-benton-trump-administration-selective-service-draft","apiUrl":"https://content.guardianapis.com/us-news/2017/apr/15/don-benton-trump-administration-selective-service-draft","blocks":{"main":{"id":"58f1145ee4b05b487c0e2632","bodyHtml":"<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"221f3da010784e5bd5ae19f6116706ac6ccd1dad\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/221f3da010784e5bd5ae19f6116706ac6ccd1dad/621_64_2553_1532/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Don Benton traveled on Trump’s plane in May 2016 as the candidate shuttled between rallies in Washington state.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Don Benton traveled on Trump’s plane in May 2016 as the candidate shuttled between rallies in Washington state.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Elaine Thompson/AP</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-14T18:26:38Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-14T18:26:38Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-14T18:29:38Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-14T18:29:38Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/221f3da010784e5bd5ae19f6116706ac6ccd1dad/621_64_2553_1532/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/221f3da010784e5bd5ae19f6116706ac6ccd1dad/621_64_2553_1532/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/221f3da010784e5bd5ae19f6116706ac6ccd1dad/621_64_2553_1532/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/221f3da010784e5bd5ae19f6116706ac6ccd1dad/621_64_2553_1532/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/221f3da010784e5bd5ae19f6116706ac6ccd1dad/621_64_2553_1532/2553.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2553,"height":1532}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/221f3da010784e5bd5ae19f6116706ac6ccd1dad/621_64_2553_1532/master/2553.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2553,"height":1532,"isMaster":true}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Don Benton traveled on Trump’s plane in May 2016 as the candidate shuttled between rallies in Washington state.","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Elaine Thompson/AP","source":"AP","photographer":"Elaine Thompson","alt":"Don Benton traveled on Trump’s plane in May 2016 as the candidate shuttled between rallies in Washington state.","mediaId":"221f3da010784e5bd5ae19f6116706ac6ccd1dad","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/221f3da010784e5bd5ae19f6116706ac6ccd1dad","suppliersReference":"WAET109","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},"body":[{"id":"58ed3216e4b0e0ec04efffd7","bodyHtml":"<p>Forty minutes between campaign stops and a <a href=\"http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/after-tension-at-epa-ex-state-sen-don-benton-to-lead-selective-service/\">Filet-o-Fish</a> sandwich from McDonald’s cemented Don Benton’s place in Donald Trump’s orbit.</p> <p>The <a href=\"http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/jan/06/report-benton-rivers-both-fault-spats-legislature/\">brusque</a> former lawmaker from Washington state remained close to Trump as the campaign intensified, <a href=\"http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/283095-who-donald-trump-listens-to\">reportedly</a> wielding “an unusual degree” of influence over the Republican nominee. </p> <p>After the election, Benton followed Trump to Washington DC, where he was installed at the Environmental Protection Agency. There, tensions flared. </p> <p>Weeks into the job, reports of discord emerged between Benton and Scott Pruitt, the EPA’s new administrator. Benton apparently “piped up so frequently during policy discussions” that Pruitt disinvited him from meetings, <a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/white-house-installs-political-aides-at-cabinet-agencies-to-be-trumps-eyes-and-ears/2017/03/19/68419f0e-08da-11e7-93dc-00f9bdd74ed1_story.html?utm_term=.063e1202984d\">the Washington Post reported</a>. </p> <p>Amid reports of clashes, Trump this week found a new assignment for him. </p> <p>The White House announced in a statement this week that Trump would nominate Benton to lead the Selective Service System, a small federal agency whose chief responsibility is registering men between the ages of 18 and 25 for the unlikely event of a military draft.<br /></p> <p>Benton was dispatched to the EPA as a senior White House adviser, part of Trump’s “<a href=\"http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trumps-shadow-cabinet-234088\">shadow cabinet</a>” of political appointees hired to help execute the president’s agenda at agencies across the federal government. </p> <p><a href=\"https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/beachhead\">According to public records obtained by ProPublica</a> that identify more than 400 of the roughly <a href=\"http://www.politico.com/blogs/donald-trump-administration/2017/01/beachhead-teams-agenda-inauguration-day-233774\">520</a> people Trump brought into Washington, the coterie of advisers includes obscure former campaign staff, lobbyists and far-right conservatives. </p> <p>The so-called “beachhead teams” include a self-described guerrilla warfare expert who had a brush with fame on a reality TV show for inventing a survivalist bow-and-arrow kit, a former campaign adviser who wrote that Democrats contributed to the “ethnic cleansing” of America’s white, working class, and an Iowa political operative who <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/11/donald-trump-carter-page-fbi-russia\">reportedly</a> brought into the fold Carter Page, who is under investigation over his alleged connections to Russia. </p> <p>Trump has been slow to fill the hundreds of positions that require approval by the US Senate. As a result, the officials wield an outsized importance in implementing the administration’s agenda.<br /></p> <p>Of the 553 executive branch positions that require Senate confirmation, only 22 have been approved, while 24 others have been “formally nominated”, according to <a href=\"https://ourpublicservice.org/issues/presidential-transition/political-appointee-tracker.php\">data</a> from the Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan group devoted to making government more efficient.</p> <p>During the campaign, Benton traveled on Trump’s plane in May 2016 as the candidate shuttled between rallies in Washington state. In an interview with the Seattle Times, Benton said the<a href=\"http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/state-sen-don-benton-a-trump-adviser-gets-up-close-view-of-gop-convention/\"> pair spent 40 minutes together</a> and shared a lunch from McDonald’s.</p> <p>“I had a Filet-O-Fish and he had a Big Mac,” Benton said.</p> <p>Benton acquired the job at the EPA after heading Trump’s Washington campaign. Trump lost the state to the Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, by almost <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/washington\">16 points</a>, a slightly wider margin than in 2012, when Barack Obama beat Mitt Romney in the state by 15 points.</p> <p>According to the Post report from March, Benton was installed to keep an eye on Pruitt, the former attorney general of Oklahoma who sued the agency more than a dozen times before the US Senate confirmed him to run it.</p> <p>But Benton reportedly drove Pruitt “batty”, chiming in frequently to offer unsolicited advice during policy discussions – a situation one anonymous official likened to an episode of Veep, the HBO comedy series about a dysfunctional administration. </p> <p>A New York Times <a href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/31/opinion/president-trumps-leaky-ship-of-state.html?rref=collection%2Fbyline%2Felizabeth-williamson&amp;action=click&amp;contentCollection=undefined&amp;region=stream&amp;module=stream_unit&amp;version=latest&amp;contentPlacement=1&amp;pgtype=collection\">editorial</a> published on 31 March wondered if the clashes might precipitate a major staff shakeup. </p> <p>“This may be wishful thinking,” the editorial said. “Mr Trump seems to enjoy the confusion and intrigue that occurs when staffers with hazy roles – or, like Mr Benton, few qualifications – scrap over turf and vie for his attention.”</p>","bodyTextSummary":"Forty minutes between campaign stops and a Filet-o-Fish sandwich from McDonald’s cemented Don Benton’s place in Donald Trump’s orbit. The brusque former lawmaker from Washington state remained close to Trump as the campaign intensified, reportedly wielding “an unusual degree” of influence over the Republican nominee. After the election, Benton followed Trump to Washington DC, where he was installed at the Environmental Protection Agency. There, tensions flared. Weeks into the job, reports of discord emerged between Benton and Scott Pruitt, the EPA’s new administrator. Benton apparently “piped up so frequently during policy discussions” that Pruitt disinvited him from meetings, the Washington Post reported. Amid reports of clashes, Trump this week found a new assignment for him. The White House announced in a statement this week that Trump would nominate Benton to lead the Selective Service System, a small federal agency whose chief responsibility is registering men between the ages of 18 and 25 for the unlikely event of a military draft. Benton was dispatched to the EPA as a senior White House adviser, part of Trump’s “shadow cabinet” of political appointees hired to help execute the president’s agenda at agencies across the federal government. According to public records obtained by ProPublica that identify more than 400 of the roughly 520 people Trump brought into Washington, the coterie of advisers includes obscure former campaign staff, lobbyists and far-right conservatives. The so-called “beachhead teams” include a self-described guerrilla warfare expert who had a brush with fame on a reality TV show for inventing a survivalist bow-and-arrow kit, a former campaign adviser who wrote that Democrats contributed to the “ethnic cleansing” of America’s white, working class, and an Iowa political operative who reportedly brought into the fold Carter Page, who is under investigation over his alleged connections to Russia. Trump has been slow to fill the hundreds of positions that require approval by the US Senate. As a result, the officials wield an outsized importance in implementing the administration’s agenda. Of the 553 executive branch positions that require Senate confirmation, only 22 have been approved, while 24 others have been “formally nominated”, according to data from the Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan group devoted to making government more efficient. During the campaign, Benton traveled on Trump’s plane in May 2016 as the candidate shuttled between rallies in Washington state. In an interview with the Seattle Times, Benton said the pair spent 40 minutes together and shared a lunch from McDonald’s. “I had a Filet-O-Fish and he had a Big Mac,” Benton said. Benton acquired the job at the EPA after heading Trump’s Washington campaign. Trump lost the state to the Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, by almost 16 points, a slightly wider margin than in 2012, when Barack Obama beat Mitt Romney in the state by 15 points. According to the Post report from March, Benton was installed to keep an eye on Pruitt, the former attorney general of Oklahoma who sued the agency more than a dozen times before the US Senate confirmed him to run it. But Benton reportedly drove Pruitt “batty”, chiming in frequently to offer unsolicited advice during policy discussions – a situation one anonymous official likened to an episode of Veep, the HBO comedy series about a dysfunctional administration. A New York Times editorial published on 31 March wondered if the clashes might precipitate a major staff shakeup. “This may be wishful thinking,” the editorial said. “Mr Trump seems to enjoy the confusion and intrigue that occurs when staffers with hazy roles – or, like Mr Benton, few qualifications – scrap over turf and vie for his attention.”","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-11T19:44:22Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-11T19:44:24Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-14T18:32:09Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-14T18:32:09Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Forty minutes between campaign stops and a <a href=\"http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/after-tension-at-epa-ex-state-sen-don-benton-to-lead-selective-service/\">Filet-o-Fish</a> sandwich from McDonald’s cemented Don Benton’s place in Donald Trump’s orbit.</p> \n<p>The <a href=\"http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/jan/06/report-benton-rivers-both-fault-spats-legislature/\">brusque</a> former lawmaker from Washington state remained close to Trump as the campaign intensified, <a href=\"http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/283095-who-donald-trump-listens-to\">reportedly</a> wielding “an unusual degree” of influence over the Republican nominee. </p> \n<p>After the election, Benton followed Trump to Washington DC, where he was installed at the Environmental Protection Agency. There, tensions flared. </p> \n<p>Weeks into the job, reports of discord emerged between Benton and Scott Pruitt, the EPA’s new administrator. Benton apparently “piped up so frequently during policy discussions” that Pruitt disinvited him from meetings, <a href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/white-house-installs-political-aides-at-cabinet-agencies-to-be-trumps-eyes-and-ears/2017/03/19/68419f0e-08da-11e7-93dc-00f9bdd74ed1_story.html?utm_term=.063e1202984d\">the Washington Post reported</a>. </p> \n<p>Amid reports of clashes, Trump this week found a new assignment for him. </p> \n<p>The White House announced in a statement this week that Trump would nominate Benton to lead the Selective Service System, a small federal agency whose chief responsibility is registering men between the ages of 18 and 25 for the unlikely event of a military draft.<br /></p> \n<p>Benton was dispatched to the EPA as a senior White House adviser, part of Trump’s “<a href=\"http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trumps-shadow-cabinet-234088\">shadow cabinet</a>” of political appointees hired to help execute the president’s agenda at agencies across the federal government. </p> \n<p><a href=\"https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/beachhead\">According to public records obtained by ProPublica</a> that identify more than 400 of the roughly <a href=\"http://www.politico.com/blogs/donald-trump-administration/2017/01/beachhead-teams-agenda-inauguration-day-233774\">520</a> people Trump brought into Washington, the coterie of advisers includes obscure former campaign staff, lobbyists and far-right conservatives. </p> \n<p>The so-called “beachhead teams” include a self-described guerrilla warfare expert who had a brush with fame on a reality TV show for inventing a survivalist bow-and-arrow kit, a former campaign adviser who wrote that Democrats contributed to the “ethnic cleansing” of America’s white, working class, and an Iowa political operative who <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/11/donald-trump-carter-page-fbi-russia\">reportedly</a> brought into the fold Carter Page, who is under investigation over his alleged connections to Russia. </p> \n<p>Trump has been slow to fill the hundreds of positions that require approval by the US Senate. As a result, the officials wield an outsized importance in implementing the administration’s agenda.<br /></p> \n<p>Of the 553 executive branch positions that require Senate confirmation, only 22 have been approved, while 24 others have been “formally nominated”, according to <a href=\"https://ourpublicservice.org/issues/presidential-transition/political-appointee-tracker.php\">data</a> from the Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan group devoted to making government more efficient.</p> \n<p>During the campaign, Benton traveled on Trump’s plane in May 2016 as the candidate shuttled between rallies in Washington state. In an interview with the Seattle Times, Benton said the<a href=\"http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/state-sen-don-benton-a-trump-adviser-gets-up-close-view-of-gop-convention/\"> pair spent 40 minutes together</a> and shared a lunch from McDonald’s.</p> \n<p>“I had a Filet-O-Fish and he had a Big Mac,” Benton said.</p> \n<p>Benton acquired the job at the EPA after heading Trump’s Washington campaign. Trump lost the state to the Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, by almost <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/washington\">16 points</a>, a slightly wider margin than in 2012, when Barack Obama beat Mitt Romney in the state by 15 points.</p> \n<p>According to the Post report from March, Benton was installed to keep an eye on Pruitt, the former attorney general of Oklahoma who sued the agency more than a dozen times before the US Senate confirmed him to run it.</p> \n<p>But Benton reportedly drove Pruitt “batty”, chiming in frequently to offer unsolicited advice during policy discussions – a situation one anonymous official likened to an episode of Veep, the HBO comedy series about a dysfunctional administration. </p> \n<p>A New York Times <a href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/31/opinion/president-trumps-leaky-ship-of-state.html?rref=collection%2Fbyline%2Felizabeth-williamson&amp;action=click&amp;contentCollection=undefined&amp;region=stream&amp;module=stream_unit&amp;version=latest&amp;contentPlacement=1&amp;pgtype=collection\">editorial</a> published on 31 March wondered if the clashes might precipitate a major staff shakeup. </p> \n<p>“This may be wishful thinking,” the editorial said. “Mr Trump seems to enjoy the confusion and intrigue that occurs when staffers with hazy roles – or, like Mr Benton, few qualifications – scrap over turf and vie for his attention.”</p>"}}]}],"totalBodyBlocks":1},"isHosted":false},{"id":"us-news/2017/apr/15/pepsi-united-airlines-sean-spicer-public-relations-experts-disasters","type":"article","sectionId":"us-news","sectionName":"US news","webPublicationDate":"2017-04-15T11:00:00Z","webTitle":"'Week of perfectly avoidable gaffes': how Pepsi, United and Spicer went wrong","webUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/15/pepsi-united-airlines-sean-spicer-public-relations-experts-disasters","apiUrl":"https://content.guardianapis.com/us-news/2017/apr/15/pepsi-united-airlines-sean-spicer-public-relations-experts-disasters","blocks":{"main":{"id":"58f139e6e4b05b487c0e26c1","bodyHtml":"<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"cabe860b7b07b205fc02ea51b1c7ff9b9dace8e6\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/cabe860b7b07b205fc02ea51b1c7ff9b9dace8e6/0_0_4000_1304/1000.png\" alt=\"Pepsi, United Airlines and Sean Spicer\" width=\"1000\" height=\"326\" class=\"gu-image\" /> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-14T21:06:46Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-14T21:06:46Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-15T11:08:11Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-15T11:08:09Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/png","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/cabe860b7b07b205fc02ea51b1c7ff9b9dace8e6/0_0_4000_1304/2000.png","typeData":{"width":2000,"height":652}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/png","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/cabe860b7b07b205fc02ea51b1c7ff9b9dace8e6/0_0_4000_1304/1000.png","typeData":{"width":1000,"height":326}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/png","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/cabe860b7b07b205fc02ea51b1c7ff9b9dace8e6/0_0_4000_1304/500.png","typeData":{"width":500,"height":163}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/png","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/cabe860b7b07b205fc02ea51b1c7ff9b9dace8e6/0_0_4000_1304/140.png","typeData":{"width":140,"height":46}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/png","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/cabe860b7b07b205fc02ea51b1c7ff9b9dace8e6/0_0_4000_1304/4000.png","typeData":{"width":4000,"height":1304}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/png","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/cabe860b7b07b205fc02ea51b1c7ff9b9dace8e6/0_0_4000_1304/master/4000.png","typeData":{"width":4000,"height":1304,"isMaster":true}}],"imageTypeData":{"displayCredit":true,"credit":"Composite: Youtube/Getty Images/AP","source":"Youtube/Getty Images/AP","alt":"Pepsi, United Airlines and Sean Spicer","mediaId":"cabe860b7b07b205fc02ea51b1c7ff9b9dace8e6","imageType":"Composite"}}]},"body":[{"id":"58f10cb2e4b05b487c0e2610","bodyHtml":"<p>Pepsi hasn’t had it this bad since it burned Michael Jackson. But when the company hurriedly <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/apr/05/pepsi-kendall-jenner-pepsi-apology-ad-protest\">pulled</a> a poor-taste advert it turned out to be only the start of a nightmare few days for public relations that ended at the White House.</p> <p>In the fallout, marketing and “crisis communications” experts have thronged the public gallery to offer stern critiques of the unwise Pepsi Kendall Jenner “protester” video, the United Airlines responses to a passenger being dragged from his seat and White House press secretary Sean Spicer ignoring six million Jews killed when he said even the Nazis had not used chemical weapons, when talking about Syria.<br /></p> <p>The astonishing gaffes were followed, especially from <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/11/united-airlines-shares-plummet-passenger-removal-controversy\">United</a> and <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/11/sean-spicer-hitler-chemical-weapons-holocaust-assad\">Spicer</a>, by botched responses, from stumbling justification to awkward apologies.<br /></p> <p>“What a week of perfectly avoidable gaffes,” Courtney Lukitsch, who runs Gotham PR in New York, told the Guardian. “They all broke the rules of PR for beginners: always be 10 steps ahead, don’t say anything you don’t want broadcast, make sure you have the emotional intelligence to understand how your audience feels and, when in crisis, take responsibility.”<br /></p> <p><a href=\"http://time.com/4736157/sean-spicer-united-airlines-pepsi-meme/\">Memes</a> and <a href=\"https://twitter.com/BradMossEsq/status/851862889782759429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&amp;ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Ftime.com%2F4736157%2Fsean-spicer-united-airlines-pepsi-meme%2F\">jokes</a> blossomed on social media and late night <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6A1hnEFY4s\">chat</a> shows and Saturday Night <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn8pwoNWseM\">Live</a>, which had already scored a hit with Melissa McCarthy <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/feb/05/melissa-mccarthy-steals-the-show-as-sean-spicer-on-saturday-night-live\">lampooning</a> Spicer.<br /></p>  <figure class=\"element element-atom\"> <gu-atom data-atom-id=\"65d610a6-4cd3-40e1-89eb-92da27f1e973\"         data-atom-type=\"media\"    > </gu-atom> </figure>   <h2>Pepsi</h2> <p>Pepsi admitted it had “missed the mark” after outrage erupted online over images in which celebrity Kendall Jenner depicted a model-turned-protester who miraculously calms tensions at a racially-diverse peace demonstration by handing a police officer a can of Pepsi. The ad went viral for all the wrong reasons, pilloried as tone deaf and scorching the Pepsi brand on a scale reminiscent of the 1984 debacle when Jackson’s hair <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6yLdJQNMoc\">burst</a> into flames during <a href=\"http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/michael-jackson-burned-filming-commercial-1984-article-1.2511008\">filming</a> of another of its commercials.</p> <p>Ed Zitron, owner of EZPR and author of This is How You Pitch: How to Kick Ass in Your First years of PR, said Pepsi handled the aftermath of the mistake better than the other two parties, because it quickly pulled the ad and took responsibility. “But it’s astonishing that the ad was made at all. How many layers of authority did this idea go through?” he asked.</p> <p>Ted Birkhahn, president of Peppercomm, a PR and crisis communications firm with offices in New York, London and San Francisco, said wryly that recovering from the episode “redefines the ‘Pepsi challenge’ for the company” – a reference to a <a href=\"http://www.businessinsider.com/pepsi-challenge-business-insider-2013-5\">successful</a> Pepsi campaign of the past. “They misunderstood the young audience they are trying to target,” he said.</p> <p>Lukitsch blamed the “glaring error” on the company trying to “jump on the band wagon” of contemporary protest movements such as <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/19/blacklivesmatter-birth-civil-rights-movement\">Black Lives Matter</a> and <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/06/california-protests-trump-resistance-progressive-politics\">resistance</a> to President Donald Trump - and misjudging badly.</p> <p>She blamed the company for failing to understand fully “what’s going on in the real world outside office hours” and choosing celebrity Jenner to play the protagonist who hands the policeman a soda. “She’s not someone who’s out there being an activist, she’s in this rarified, Kardashian world, so there was no authenticity there,” she said.</p> <p>Birkhahn said many companies still don’t respond nimbly to events going viral via social media. “They need to monitor all channels 24/7” and be able to respond effectively within an hour or two, he said.</p>  <figure class=\"element element-atom\"> <gu-atom data-atom-id=\"4af6c3e7-a080-40fe-9d8c-3b2a4727dd3c\"         data-atom-type=\"media\"    > </gu-atom> </figure>   <h2>United Airlines</h2> <p>While Pepsi was still reeling, United Airlines knocked it from the headlines when it emerged that a paying passenger had been <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/10/united-airlines-video-passenger-removed-overbooked-flight\">dragged</a> bloodied and screaming off a flight, in an overbooking fiasco caught on <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2017/apr/11/united-airlines-passenger-forcibly-removed-from-overbooked-flight-video\">video</a> that quickly consumed social media.</p> <p>Zitron called the treatment of Dr David Dao, who was picked to be bumped from a flight leaving Chicago and then violently hauled off the plane when he refused to leave, “obscene” and the company’s response “robotic, inhuman”.</p> <p>Dao <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/apr/14/david-dao-united-passenger-injuries-surgery-lawsuit\">suffered</a> concussion and lost two teeth in the assault, his lawyer said on Friday.</p> <p>Just two weeks earlier, United had faced another PR test when two 10-year-old girls were <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/26/united-airlines-girls-leggings-shannon-watts\">barred</a> from wearing leggings on a flight. That time after Twitter lit up with protests and even <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/mar/27/united-airlines-leggings-policy-women-sexist\">celebrities</a> weighed in, United tweeted back defiant, technical language about its procedures.</p> <p>When Dao was roughed up, United initially <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/11/united-airlines-boss-oliver-munoz-says-passenger-belligerent\">blamed</a> him for being belligerent. It was law enforcement officers who dragged Dao off, not United employees – but the damage to the airline was done, said Zitron. “If you came to this story blank you would think that United gate agents had beaten this man senseless.</p> <p>“I don’t even care if the guy was belligerent, what the public saw was him dripping blood, trapped in an enclosed space mumbling that he wanted to go home. Flying has become increasingly unpleasant and this is more than a PR crisis, this amounts to anti-branding,” he said.</p> <p>Zitron said airline bosses should have immediately expressed genuine concern for the man and promised to investigate. Instead, United chief executive Oscar Munoz first blamed Dao then made several grudging statements before, as the share price fell, fully saying sorry. </p> <p>“You really only get one shot at apologizing. If you get it badly wrong, everything after that doesn’t matter,” said Mo Hedaya, a spokesman at brand management company Bluestar Alliance.</p> <p>Just days earlier, Munoz had been <a href=\"http://www.prweek.com/article/1426909/united-airlines-ceo-oscar-munoz-named-prweek-us-communicator-year#qucAmeJ8AkjVWQ1d.99\">named</a> US communicator of the year by PRWeek, a title previously held by <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/malala-yousafzai\">Malala</a> and <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/27/edith-windsor-supreme-court-statement-text\">Edie Windsor</a>.</p>       <figure class=\"element element-video\" data-canonical-url=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2017/apr/11/sean-spicer-hitler-chemical-weapons-syria-assad-video\"            data-short-url=\"https://gu.com/p/69ftx\"                    data-show-ads=\"true\"            data-video-id=\"3377215\"            data-video-name=\"Sean Spicer on Assad regime: ‘Even Hitler didn’t use chemical weapons’ – video\"            data-video-provider=\"Reuters\"            > <video data-media-id=\"gu-video-58ed2bbde4b0e0ec04efffbf\" class=\"gu-video\" controls=\"controls\" poster=\"\"> <source src=\"https://cdn.theguardian.tv/mainwebsite/2017/04/11/170411spicerhitler_desk.mp4\"/><source src=\"https://cdn.theguardian.tv/HLS/2017/04/11/170411spicerhitler.m3u8\"/><source src=\"https://cdn.theguardian.tv/webM/2017/04/11/170411spicerhitler_WebM.webm\"/> </video> <figcaption><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2017/apr/11/sean-spicer-hitler-chemical-weapons-syria-assad-video\">Sean Spicer on Assad regime: ‘Even Hitler didn’t use chemical weapons’</a></figcaption> </figure>   <h2>Sean Spicer</h2> <p>Within hours of the United Airlines PR disaster electrifying the news cycle, the president’s press secretary, Sean Spicer, arguably trumped both this and Pepsi by, during Passover, somehow forgetting the Holocaust and the horrors of Zyklon B, and declaring that Hitler <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2017/apr/11/sean-spicer-hitler-chemical-weapons-syria-assad-video\">never stooped</a> to chemical weapons.</p> <p>After Spicer stood at his podium addressing the White House press corps and claimed that Syria’s Bashar al-Assad is worse than Hitler because at least the Nazi leader never gassed his own people, Lukitsch said this was by far his worst performance in a young tenure already <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/22/sean-spicer-trump-press-secretary-loud-brash-pugnacious-period\">marked</a> by <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2017/jan/23/sean-spicer-first-trump-press-briefing-video-highlights\">aggression</a> and <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/23/sean-spicer-white-house-press-briefing-inauguration-alternative-facts\">missteps</a>.</p> <p>Lukitsch said: “People who know Sean say it’s as if he’s had a personality transplant since he began working for President Trump. I think he’s been instructed to be pugilistic and also that, with intense pressure and lack of sleep, people are working too fast and it’s getting sloppy.<br /></p> <p>“Before this job he was a measured, low-key guy, always smiling and laughing.”</p> <p>But now, with the public tuning into his live briefings as a form of daytime TV <a href=\"http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/trump-spokesman-sean-spicer-is-daytime-tvs-newest-star/\">spectacle</a> and then Spicer last week appearing on <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/12/sean-spicer-apology-hitler-holocaust-syria\">news shows</a> to apologize for ignoring six million murdered Jews, he has become the story.</p> <p>Lukitsch said that “in general” that makes their role impossible for a PR.</p> <p>“But I think he’ll survive because no-one else wants the job.”</p> <p>For Zitron, sometimes the PR solution is to very simple. He said Spicer should have quickly issued an unconditional apology “and then just shut up”.</p>","bodyTextSummary":"Pepsi hasn’t had it this bad since it burned Michael Jackson. But when the company hurriedly pulled a poor-taste advert it turned out to be only the start of a nightmare few days for public relations that ended at the White House. In the fallout, marketing and “crisis communications” experts have thronged the public gallery to offer stern critiques of the unwise Pepsi Kendall Jenner “protester” video, the United Airlines responses to a passenger being dragged from his seat and White House press secretary Sean Spicer ignoring six million Jews killed when he said even the Nazis had not used chemical weapons, when talking about Syria. The astonishing gaffes were followed, especially from United and Spicer, by botched responses, from stumbling justification to awkward apologies. “What a week of perfectly avoidable gaffes,” Courtney Lukitsch, who runs Gotham PR in New York, told the Guardian. “They all broke the rules of PR for beginners: always be 10 steps ahead, don’t say anything you don’t want broadcast, make sure you have the emotional intelligence to understand how your audience feels and, when in crisis, take responsibility.” Memes and jokes blossomed on social media and late night chat shows and Saturday Night Live, which had already scored a hit with Melissa McCarthy lampooning Spicer.\nPepsi Pepsi admitted it had “missed the mark” after outrage erupted online over images in which celebrity Kendall Jenner depicted a model-turned-protester who miraculously calms tensions at a racially-diverse peace demonstration by handing a police officer a can of Pepsi. The ad went viral for all the wrong reasons, pilloried as tone deaf and scorching the Pepsi brand on a scale reminiscent of the 1984 debacle when Jackson’s hair burst into flames during filming of another of its commercials. Ed Zitron, owner of EZPR and author of This is How You Pitch: How to Kick Ass in Your First years of PR, said Pepsi handled the aftermath of the mistake better than the other two parties, because it quickly pulled the ad and took responsibility. “But it’s astonishing that the ad was made at all. How many layers of authority did this idea go through?” he asked. Ted Birkhahn, president of Peppercomm, a PR and crisis communications firm with offices in New York, London and San Francisco, said wryly that recovering from the episode “redefines the ‘Pepsi challenge’ for the company” – a reference to a successful Pepsi campaign of the past. “They misunderstood the young audience they are trying to target,” he said. Lukitsch blamed the “glaring error” on the company trying to “jump on the band wagon” of contemporary protest movements such as Black Lives Matter and resistance to President Donald Trump - and misjudging badly. She blamed the company for failing to understand fully “what’s going on in the real world outside office hours” and choosing celebrity Jenner to play the protagonist who hands the policeman a soda. “She’s not someone who’s out there being an activist, she’s in this rarified, Kardashian world, so there was no authenticity there,” she said. Birkhahn said many companies still don’t respond nimbly to events going viral via social media. “They need to monitor all channels 24/7” and be able to respond effectively within an hour or two, he said.\nUnited Airlines While Pepsi was still reeling, United Airlines knocked it from the headlines when it emerged that a paying passenger had been dragged bloodied and screaming off a flight, in an overbooking fiasco caught on video that quickly consumed social media. Zitron called the treatment of Dr David Dao, who was picked to be bumped from a flight leaving Chicago and then violently hauled off the plane when he refused to leave, “obscene” and the company’s response “robotic, inhuman”. Dao suffered concussion and lost two teeth in the assault, his lawyer said on Friday. Just two weeks earlier, United had faced another PR test when two 10-year-old girls were barred from wearing leggings on a flight. That time after Twitter lit up with protests and even celebrities weighed in, United tweeted back defiant, technical language about its procedures. When Dao was roughed up, United initially blamed him for being belligerent. It was law enforcement officers who dragged Dao off, not United employees – but the damage to the airline was done, said Zitron. “If you came to this story blank you would think that United gate agents had beaten this man senseless. “I don’t even care if the guy was belligerent, what the public saw was him dripping blood, trapped in an enclosed space mumbling that he wanted to go home. Flying has become increasingly unpleasant and this is more than a PR crisis, this amounts to anti-branding,” he said. Zitron said airline bosses should have immediately expressed genuine concern for the man and promised to investigate. Instead, United chief executive Oscar Munoz first blamed Dao then made several grudging statements before, as the share price fell, fully saying sorry. “You really only get one shot at apologizing. If you get it badly wrong, everything after that doesn’t matter,” said Mo Hedaya, a spokesman at brand management company Bluestar Alliance. Just days earlier, Munoz had been named US communicator of the year by PRWeek, a title previously held by Malala and Edie Windsor.\nSean Spicer Within hours of the United Airlines PR disaster electrifying the news cycle, the president’s press secretary, Sean Spicer, arguably trumped both this and Pepsi by, during Passover, somehow forgetting the Holocaust and the horrors of Zyklon B, and declaring that Hitler never stooped to chemical weapons. After Spicer stood at his podium addressing the White House press corps and claimed that Syria’s Bashar al-Assad is worse than Hitler because at least the Nazi leader never gassed his own people, Lukitsch said this was by far his worst performance in a young tenure already marked by aggression and missteps. Lukitsch said: “People who know Sean say it’s as if he’s had a personality transplant since he began working for President Trump. I think he’s been instructed to be pugilistic and also that, with intense pressure and lack of sleep, people are working too fast and it’s getting sloppy. “Before this job he was a measured, low-key guy, always smiling and laughing.” But now, with the public tuning into his live briefings as a form of daytime TV spectacle and then Spicer last week appearing on news shows to apologize for ignoring six million murdered Jews, he has become the story. Lukitsch said that “in general” that makes their role impossible for a PR. “But I think he’ll survive because no-one else wants the job.” For Zitron, sometimes the PR solution is to very simple. He said Spicer should have quickly issued an unconditional apology “and then just shut up”.","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-14T17:53:54Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-14T17:54:05Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-14T21:33:58Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-14T21:33:57Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Pepsi hasn’t had it this bad since it burned Michael Jackson. But when the company hurriedly <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/apr/05/pepsi-kendall-jenner-pepsi-apology-ad-protest\">pulled</a> a poor-taste advert it turned out to be only the start of a nightmare few days for public relations that ended at the White House.</p> \n<p>In the fallout, marketing and “crisis communications” experts have thronged the public gallery to offer stern critiques of the unwise Pepsi Kendall Jenner “protester” video, the United Airlines responses to a passenger being dragged from his seat and White House press secretary Sean Spicer ignoring six million Jews killed when he said even the Nazis had not used chemical weapons, when talking about Syria.<br /></p> \n<p>The astonishing gaffes were followed, especially from <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/11/united-airlines-shares-plummet-passenger-removal-controversy\">United</a> and <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/11/sean-spicer-hitler-chemical-weapons-holocaust-assad\">Spicer</a>, by botched responses, from stumbling justification to awkward apologies.<br /></p> \n<p>“What a week of perfectly avoidable gaffes,” Courtney Lukitsch, who runs Gotham PR in New York, told the Guardian. “They all broke the rules of PR for beginners: always be 10 steps ahead, don’t say anything you don’t want broadcast, make sure you have the emotional intelligence to understand how your audience feels and, when in crisis, take responsibility.”<br /></p> \n<p><a href=\"http://time.com/4736157/sean-spicer-united-airlines-pepsi-meme/\">Memes</a> and <a href=\"https://twitter.com/BradMossEsq/status/851862889782759429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&amp;ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Ftime.com%2F4736157%2Fsean-spicer-united-airlines-pepsi-meme%2F\">jokes</a> blossomed on social media and late night <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6A1hnEFY4s\">chat</a> shows and Saturday Night <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn8pwoNWseM\">Live</a>, which had already scored a hit with Melissa McCarthy <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/feb/05/melissa-mccarthy-steals-the-show-as-sean-spicer-on-saturday-night-live\">lampooning</a> Spicer.<br /></p>"}},{"type":"contentatom","assets":[],"contentAtomTypeData":{"atomId":"65d610a6-4cd3-40e1-89eb-92da27f1e973","atomType":"media"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<h2>Pepsi</h2> \n<p>Pepsi admitted it had “missed the mark” after outrage erupted online over images in which celebrity Kendall Jenner depicted a model-turned-protester who miraculously calms tensions at a racially-diverse peace demonstration by handing a police officer a can of Pepsi. The ad went viral for all the wrong reasons, pilloried as tone deaf and scorching the Pepsi brand on a scale reminiscent of the 1984 debacle when Jackson’s hair <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6yLdJQNMoc\">burst</a> into flames during <a href=\"http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/michael-jackson-burned-filming-commercial-1984-article-1.2511008\">filming</a> of another of its commercials.</p> \n<p>Ed Zitron, owner of EZPR and author of This is How You Pitch: How to Kick Ass in Your First years of PR, said Pepsi handled the aftermath of the mistake better than the other two parties, because it quickly pulled the ad and took responsibility. “But it’s astonishing that the ad was made at all. How many layers of authority did this idea go through?” he asked.</p> \n<p>Ted Birkhahn, president of Peppercomm, a PR and crisis communications firm with offices in New York, London and San Francisco, said wryly that recovering from the episode “redefines the ‘Pepsi challenge’ for the company” – a reference to a <a href=\"http://www.businessinsider.com/pepsi-challenge-business-insider-2013-5\">successful</a> Pepsi campaign of the past. “They misunderstood the young audience they are trying to target,” he said.</p> \n<p>Lukitsch blamed the “glaring error” on the company trying to “jump on the band wagon” of contemporary protest movements such as <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/19/blacklivesmatter-birth-civil-rights-movement\">Black Lives Matter</a> and <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/06/california-protests-trump-resistance-progressive-politics\">resistance</a> to President Donald Trump - and misjudging badly.</p> \n<p>She blamed the company for failing to understand fully “what’s going on in the real world outside office hours” and choosing celebrity Jenner to play the protagonist who hands the policeman a soda. “She’s not someone who’s out there being an activist, she’s in this rarified, Kardashian world, so there was no authenticity there,” she said.</p> \n<p>Birkhahn said many companies still don’t respond nimbly to events going viral via social media. “They need to monitor all channels 24/7” and be able to respond effectively within an hour or two, he said.</p>"}},{"type":"contentatom","assets":[],"contentAtomTypeData":{"atomId":"4af6c3e7-a080-40fe-9d8c-3b2a4727dd3c","atomType":"media"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<h2>United Airlines</h2> \n<p>While Pepsi was still reeling, United Airlines knocked it from the headlines when it emerged that a paying passenger had been <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/10/united-airlines-video-passenger-removed-overbooked-flight\">dragged</a> bloodied and screaming off a flight, in an overbooking fiasco caught on <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2017/apr/11/united-airlines-passenger-forcibly-removed-from-overbooked-flight-video\">video</a> that quickly consumed social media.</p> \n<p>Zitron called the treatment of Dr David Dao, who was picked to be bumped from a flight leaving Chicago and then violently hauled off the plane when he refused to leave, “obscene” and the company’s response “robotic, inhuman”.</p> \n<p>Dao <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/apr/14/david-dao-united-passenger-injuries-surgery-lawsuit\">suffered</a> concussion and lost two teeth in the assault, his lawyer said on Friday.</p> \n<p>Just two weeks earlier, United had faced another PR test when two 10-year-old girls were <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/26/united-airlines-girls-leggings-shannon-watts\">barred</a> from wearing leggings on a flight. That time after Twitter lit up with protests and even <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/mar/27/united-airlines-leggings-policy-women-sexist\">celebrities</a> weighed in, United tweeted back defiant, technical language about its procedures.</p> \n<p>When Dao was roughed up, United initially <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/11/united-airlines-boss-oliver-munoz-says-passenger-belligerent\">blamed</a> him for being belligerent. It was law enforcement officers who dragged Dao off, not United employees – but the damage to the airline was done, said Zitron. “If you came to this story blank you would think that United gate agents had beaten this man senseless.</p> \n<p>“I don’t even care if the guy was belligerent, what the public saw was him dripping blood, trapped in an enclosed space mumbling that he wanted to go home. Flying has become increasingly unpleasant and this is more than a PR crisis, this amounts to anti-branding,” he said.</p> \n<p>Zitron said airline bosses should have immediately expressed genuine concern for the man and promised to investigate. Instead, United chief executive Oscar Munoz first blamed Dao then made several grudging statements before, as the share price fell, fully saying sorry. </p> \n<p>“You really only get one shot at apologizing. If you get it badly wrong, everything after that doesn’t matter,” said Mo Hedaya, a spokesman at brand management company Bluestar Alliance.</p> \n<p>Just days earlier, Munoz had been <a href=\"http://www.prweek.com/article/1426909/united-airlines-ceo-oscar-munoz-named-prweek-us-communicator-year#qucAmeJ8AkjVWQ1d.99\">named</a> US communicator of the year by PRWeek, a title previously held by <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/malala-yousafzai\">Malala</a> and <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/27/edith-windsor-supreme-court-statement-text\">Edie Windsor</a>.</p>"}},{"type":"video","assets":[{"type":"video","mimeType":"video/m3u8","file":"https://cdn.theguardian.tv/HLS/2017/04/11/170411spicerhitler.m3u8","typeData":{"isInappropriateForAdverts":false,"embeddable":false,"source":"Reuters","width":1920,"height":1080}},{"type":"video","mimeType":"video/mp4","file":"https://cdn.theguardian.tv/mainwebsite/2017/04/11/170411spicerhitler_desk.mp4","typeData":{"isInappropriateForAdverts":false,"embeddable":false,"source":"Reuters","width":1920,"height":1080}},{"type":"video","mimeType":"video/webm","file":"https://cdn.theguardian.tv/webM/2017/04/11/170411spicerhitler_WebM.webm","typeData":{"isInappropriateForAdverts":false,"embeddable":false,"source":"Reuters","width":1920,"height":1080}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/647ac88354e65544ae8b6593fc96948ba54989f0/0_351_3500_1968/2000.jpg","typeData":{"width":2000,"height":1125}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/647ac88354e65544ae8b6593fc96948ba54989f0/0_351_3500_1968/1000.jpg","typeData":{"width":1000,"height":563}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/647ac88354e65544ae8b6593fc96948ba54989f0/0_351_3500_1968/500.jpg","typeData":{"width":500,"height":281}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/647ac88354e65544ae8b6593fc96948ba54989f0/0_351_3500_1968/140.jpg","typeData":{"width":140,"height":79}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/647ac88354e65544ae8b6593fc96948ba54989f0/0_351_3500_1968/3500.jpg","typeData":{"width":3500,"height":1968}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/647ac88354e65544ae8b6593fc96948ba54989f0/0_351_3500_1968/master/3500.jpg","typeData":{"width":3500,"height":1968}}],"videoTypeData":{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2017/apr/11/sean-spicer-hitler-chemical-weapons-syria-assad-video","description":"<p>The White House press secretary told reporters that ‘someone as despicable as Hitler didn’t even sink to using chemical weapons’ and said Russia must consider if Syria is a ‘country and a regime you want to align yourself with’ during the press briefing on Tuesday. When asked to clarify his remarks, Spicer explained by adding, ‘He was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing’ and referred to concentration camps as ‘Holocaust centers’<a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/11/sean-spicer-hitler-chemical-weapons-holocaust-assad\"><br></a></p><p><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/11/sean-spicer-hitler-chemical-weapons-holocaust-assad\">Sean Spicer faces backlash after claiming Hitler did not use chemical weapons</a></p>","title":"Sean Spicer on Assad regime: ‘Even Hitler didn’t use chemical weapons’ – video","html":"<video data-media-id=\"gu-video-58ed2bbde4b0e0ec04efffbf\" class=\"gu-video\" controls=\"controls\" poster=\"\"> <source src=\"https://cdn.theguardian.tv/mainwebsite/2017/04/11/170411spicerhitler_desk.mp4\"/><source src=\"https://cdn.theguardian.tv/HLS/2017/04/11/170411spicerhitler.m3u8\"/><source src=\"https://cdn.theguardian.tv/webM/2017/04/11/170411spicerhitler_WebM.webm\"/> </video>","source":"Guardian","caption":"<a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2017/apr/11/sean-spicer-hitler-chemical-weapons-syria-assad-video\">Sean Spicer on Assad regime: ‘Even Hitler didn’t use chemical weapons’</a>","duration":63,"isInappropriateForAdverts":false,"mediaId":"gu-video-58ed2bbde4b0e0ec04efffbf","shortUrl":"https://gu.com/p/69ftx","originalUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2017/apr/11/sean-spicer-hitler-chemical-weapons-syria-assad-video"}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<h2>Sean Spicer</h2> \n<p>Within hours of the United Airlines PR disaster electrifying the news cycle, the president’s press secretary, Sean Spicer, arguably trumped both this and Pepsi by, during Passover, somehow forgetting the Holocaust and the horrors of Zyklon B, and declaring that Hitler <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2017/apr/11/sean-spicer-hitler-chemical-weapons-syria-assad-video\">never stooped</a> to chemical weapons.</p> \n<p>After Spicer stood at his podium addressing the White House press corps and claimed that Syria’s Bashar al-Assad is worse than Hitler because at least the Nazi leader never gassed his own people, Lukitsch said this was by far his worst performance in a young tenure already <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/22/sean-spicer-trump-press-secretary-loud-brash-pugnacious-period\">marked</a> by <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2017/jan/23/sean-spicer-first-trump-press-briefing-video-highlights\">aggression</a> and <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/23/sean-spicer-white-house-press-briefing-inauguration-alternative-facts\">missteps</a>.</p> \n<p>Lukitsch said: “People who know Sean say it’s as if he’s had a personality transplant since he began working for President Trump. I think he’s been instructed to be pugilistic and also that, with intense pressure and lack of sleep, people are working too fast and it’s getting sloppy.<br /></p> \n<p>“Before this job he was a measured, low-key guy, always smiling and laughing.”</p> \n<p>But now, with the public tuning into his live briefings as a form of daytime TV <a href=\"http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/trump-spokesman-sean-spicer-is-daytime-tvs-newest-star/\">spectacle</a> and then Spicer last week appearing on <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/apr/12/sean-spicer-apology-hitler-holocaust-syria\">news shows</a> to apologize for ignoring six million murdered Jews, he has become the story.</p> \n<p>Lukitsch said that “in general” that makes their role impossible for a PR.</p> \n<p>“But I think he’ll survive because no-one else wants the job.”</p> \n<p>For Zitron, sometimes the PR solution is to very simple. He said Spicer should have quickly issued an unconditional apology “and then just shut up”.</p>"}}]}],"totalBodyBlocks":1},"isHosted":false},{"id":"lifeandstyle/2017/apr/15/small-garden-planting-solutions-spikes-vertical-alys-fowler","type":"article","sectionId":"lifeandstyle","sectionName":"Life and style","webPublicationDate":"2017-04-15T10:00:22Z","webTitle":"Got a small garden? Then plan your planting vertically | Alys Fowler","webUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/apr/15/small-garden-planting-solutions-spikes-vertical-alys-fowler","apiUrl":"https://content.guardianapis.com/lifeandstyle/2017/apr/15/small-garden-planting-solutions-spikes-vertical-alys-fowler","blocks":{"main":{"id":"58ece522e4b05b487c0e163e","bodyHtml":"<figure class=\"element element-image\" data-media-id=\"6a0b30b759560ad12a3ae8718a516d495ddc1802\"> <img src=\"https://media.guim.co.uk/6a0b30b759560ad12a3ae8718a516d495ddc1802/0_0_5616_3370/1000.jpg\" alt=\"Foxgloves\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"gu-image\" /> <figcaption> <span class=\"element-image__caption\">Foxgloves will add elegant upright notes.</span> <span class=\"element-image__credit\">Photograph: Alamy</span> </figcaption> </figure>","bodyTextSummary":"","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-04-11T14:16:02Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-11T14:16:03Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-11T14:16:56Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-11T14:16:56Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"image","assets":[{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6a0b30b759560ad12a3ae8718a516d495ddc1802/0_0_5616_3370/2000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":2000,"height":1200}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6a0b30b759560ad12a3ae8718a516d495ddc1802/0_0_5616_3370/1000.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":1000,"height":600}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6a0b30b759560ad12a3ae8718a516d495ddc1802/0_0_5616_3370/500.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":500,"height":300}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6a0b30b759560ad12a3ae8718a516d495ddc1802/0_0_5616_3370/140.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":140,"height":84}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"https://media.guim.co.uk/6a0b30b759560ad12a3ae8718a516d495ddc1802/0_0_5616_3370/5616.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":5616,"height":3370}},{"type":"image","mimeType":"image/jpeg","file":"http://media.guim.co.uk/6a0b30b759560ad12a3ae8718a516d495ddc1802/0_0_5616_3370/master/5616.jpg","typeData":{"aspectRatio":"5:3","width":5616,"height":3370,"isMaster":true}}],"imageTypeData":{"caption":"Foxgloves will add elegant upright notes.","copyright":"Credit: gardeningpix / Alamy Stock Photo","displayCredit":true,"credit":"Photograph: Alamy","source":"Alamy","alt":"Foxgloves","mediaId":"6a0b30b759560ad12a3ae8718a516d495ddc1802","mediaApiUri":"https://api.media.gutools.co.uk/images/6a0b30b759560ad12a3ae8718a516d495ddc1802","suppliersReference":"F3X2CA","imageType":"Photograph"}}]},"body":[{"id":"e10664ed-8583-47c6-a5d4-078d04c3866b","bodyHtml":"<p>In a small garden, all your ways are on show. There are often no hidden bits, particularly in a terrace garden; if not from ground level, then from upstairs, where you are definitely confronted with your lot. This can be delightful and frustrating all at once.</p> <p>It’s hard to hide the ugly bits in a small space: the lopsided shed, the old barbecue and the weed buckets. One solution is to have aesthetically pleasing barbecues and buckets, and to recycle plastic pots and old labels. Another is to distract. Who cares if your kitchen is a bit of a mess if you create a fantastic meal? All is forgiven and forgotten as you fight over the leftovers. The garden is no different. You need to lift the eye away from the offending object; no one is drawn to a barbecue if there’s something better to look at.</p> <p>I have come to think of this as the spires and saucers trick. Spires – tall, elegant flower spikes – lift the eye upwards, connecting the earth with the sky. If planted in pleasing clumps and loose drifts with the right rhythm, they introduce a clean line, a little clarity into the planting around them. Foxgloves (digitalis), dark pink <a href=\"https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/46339/Verbena-hastata/Details\"><em>Verbena hastata</em></a>, pale pink culver’s root (<em>Veronicastrum virginicum</em> var <em>incarnatum</em>), white willowherb (<a href=\"https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/details?plantid=416\"><em>Chamaenerion angustifolium </em>‘Album’</a> which, be warned, self-seeds everywhere) and white wild indigo (<a href=\"http://www.prairienursery.com/store/native-plants/white-false-indigo-baptisia-lactea#.WNO33zYqp60\"><em>Baptisia lactea</em></a>) will all add elegant upright notes.</p> <p>Bugbane (<a href=\"https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/165615/Actaea-simplex-Atropurpurea-Group/Details\"><em>Actaea simplex</em> Atropurpurea Group</a>), with its tall, gently bending spires of white fading to dusty pink, works well in deep shade, as long as it never dries out. Broad beans, <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/nov/29/alys-fowler-how-to-grow-elephant-garlic\">elephant garlic</a>, <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/may/21/alys-fowler-alliums\">Babington leeks</a> and brussels sprouts do a similar thing in a mixed vegetable and flower garden.</p> <aside class=\"element element-rich-link\"> <p> <span>Related: </span><a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/apr/01/alys-fowler-how-to-stop-rats-and-mice-eating-seeds\">Alys Fowler: how to stop mice, rats and squirrels eating your seeds</a> </p> </aside>  <p>Once you have your top notes, you need to think about the rhythm section. Fill in the rest with umbels and other flat or saucer-shaped flowers such as orpine (<a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedum_telephium\"><em>Sedum telephium</em></a>), achilleas and perennial phlox (<a href=\"https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/search-results?form-mode=false&amp;query=Phlox%20paniculata\"><em>Phlox paniculata</em></a>).</p> <p>Herb fennel, either the green (<a href=\"https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/details?plantid=801\"><em>Foeniculum vulgare</em></a>) or bronze-leaved (<a href=\"http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/foeniculum-vulgare-giant-bronze/classid.2805/\"><em>F</em>. ‘Giant Bronze’</a>) forms, is delightfully relaxed and a little dishevelled in the right way, though fennel works best towards the back of the border, because it’ll get to 2m. Or try the biennial <a href=\"https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/plant/angelica-sylvestris-vicars-mead\"><em>Angelica sylvestris</em> ‘Vicar’s Mead’</a> with heads of rounded umbels above dramatic dark foliage. You can allow a little self-seeding and use the rest as slightly bitter and perfumed spice.</p> <p>For something delicate that likes shade, lime green perfoliate alexanders (<a href=\"https://www.sarahraven.com/flowers/plants/cut_flower_seedlings/smyrnium_perfoliatum.htm\"><em>Smyrnium perfoliatum</em></a>) flowers in early summer before the foliage. Perennial hairy chervil <a href=\"https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/97111/i-Chaerophyllum-hirsutum-i-Roseum/Details?returnurl=%2Fplants%2Fsearch-results%3Fform-mode%3Dfalse%26query%3DChaerophyllum%2Bhirsutum%2Broseum%26aliaspath%3D%252fplants%252fsearch-results\">(<em>Chaerophyllum hirstum </em>‘Roseum’)</a> is shamelessly pink and fluffy, evoking countryside hedgerows: growing to 75cm tall, it prefers partial shade and is over by early summer. If you want white flowers, Baltic parsley (<a href=\"https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/42450/i-Cenolophium-denudatum-i/Details?returnurl=%2Fplants%2Fperennials%3Fcontext%3Db%25253D1296%252526hf%25253D12%252526l%25253Den%252526s%25253Ddesc%25252528plant_merged%25252529%252526sl%25253Dplants%252526r%25253Df%2525252Fplant_plant_type%2525252Fherbaceous%25252Bperennial%26s%3Ddesc(plant_merged)%26page%3D112%26aliaspath%3D%252fplants%252fperennials\"><em>Cenolophium denudatum</em></a>) will do a similar job in partial shade; it likes it a little damp and flowers much later and gets taller – up to 150cm tall.</p> <p>Parley, chervil,<a href=\"http://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/item_1388k_parcel_seeds\"> par-cel</a> (looks like parsley, tastes like celery), caraway and sweet cicely are edible choices: eat the leaves, then leave them to flower for the bees. It’s also worth leaving a few carrots, celery and parsnips to stand over winter and flower the next spring, where they may self-sow and certainly will be much admired.</p>","bodyTextSummary":"In a small garden, all your ways are on show. There are often no hidden bits, particularly in a terrace garden; if not from ground level, then from upstairs, where you are definitely confronted with your lot. This can be delightful and frustrating all at once. It’s hard to hide the ugly bits in a small space: the lopsided shed, the old barbecue and the weed buckets. One solution is to have aesthetically pleasing barbecues and buckets, and to recycle plastic pots and old labels. Another is to distract. Who cares if your kitchen is a bit of a mess if you create a fantastic meal? All is forgiven and forgotten as you fight over the leftovers. The garden is no different. You need to lift the eye away from the offending object; no one is drawn to a barbecue if there’s something better to look at. I have come to think of this as the spires and saucers trick. Spires – tall, elegant flower spikes – lift the eye upwards, connecting the earth with the sky. If planted in pleasing clumps and loose drifts with the right rhythm, they introduce a clean line, a little clarity into the planting around them. Foxgloves (digitalis), dark pink Verbena hastata, pale pink culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum var incarnatum), white willowherb (Chamaenerion angustifolium ‘Album’ which, be warned, self-seeds everywhere) and white wild indigo (Baptisia lactea) will all add elegant upright notes. Bugbane (Actaea simplex Atropurpurea Group), with its tall, gently bending spires of white fading to dusty pink, works well in deep shade, as long as it never dries out. Broad beans, elephant garlic, Babington leeks and brussels sprouts do a similar thing in a mixed vegetable and flower garden.\nOnce you have your top notes, you need to think about the rhythm section. Fill in the rest with umbels and other flat or saucer-shaped flowers such as orpine (Sedum telephium), achilleas and perennial phlox (Phlox paniculata). Herb fennel, either the green (Foeniculum vulgare) or bronze-leaved (F. ‘Giant Bronze’) forms, is delightfully relaxed and a little dishevelled in the right way, though fennel works best towards the back of the border, because it’ll get to 2m. Or try the biennial Angelica sylvestris ‘Vicar’s Mead’ with heads of rounded umbels above dramatic dark foliage. You can allow a little self-seeding and use the rest as slightly bitter and perfumed spice. For something delicate that likes shade, lime green perfoliate alexanders (Smyrnium perfoliatum) flowers in early summer before the foliage. Perennial hairy chervil (Chaerophyllum hirstum ‘Roseum’) is shamelessly pink and fluffy, evoking countryside hedgerows: growing to 75cm tall, it prefers partial shade and is over by early summer. If you want white flowers, Baltic parsley (Cenolophium denudatum) will do a similar job in partial shade; it likes it a little damp and flowers much later and gets taller – up to 150cm tall. Parley, chervil, par-cel (looks like parsley, tastes like celery), caraway and sweet cicely are edible choices: eat the leaves, then leave them to flower for the bees. It’s also worth leaving a few carrots, celery and parsnips to stand over winter and flower the next spring, where they may self-sow and certainly will be much admired.","attributes":{},"published":true,"createdDate":"2017-03-28T11:55:31Z","firstPublishedDate":"2017-04-11T14:17:05Z","publishedDate":"2017-04-11T14:17:28Z","lastModifiedDate":"2017-04-11T14:17:28Z","contributors":[],"elements":[{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>In a small garden, all your ways are on show. There are often no hidden bits, particularly in a terrace garden; if not from ground level, then from upstairs, where you are definitely confronted with your lot. This can be delightful and frustrating all at once.</p> \n<p>It’s hard to hide the ugly bits in a small space: the lopsided shed, the old barbecue and the weed buckets. One solution is to have aesthetically pleasing barbecues and buckets, and to recycle plastic pots and old labels. Another is to distract. Who cares if your kitchen is a bit of a mess if you create a fantastic meal? All is forgiven and forgotten as you fight over the leftovers. The garden is no different. You need to lift the eye away from the offending object; no one is drawn to a barbecue if there’s something better to look at.</p> \n<p>I have come to think of this as the spires and saucers trick. Spires – tall, elegant flower spikes – lift the eye upwards, connecting the earth with the sky. If planted in pleasing clumps and loose drifts with the right rhythm, they introduce a clean line, a little clarity into the planting around them. Foxgloves (digitalis), dark pink <a href=\"https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/46339/Verbena-hastata/Details\"><em>Verbena hastata</em></a>, pale pink culver’s root (<em>Veronicastrum virginicum</em> var <em>incarnatum</em>), white willowherb (<a href=\"https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/details?plantid=416\"><em>Chamaenerion angustifolium </em>‘Album’</a> which, be warned, self-seeds everywhere) and white wild indigo (<a href=\"http://www.prairienursery.com/store/native-plants/white-false-indigo-baptisia-lactea#.WNO33zYqp60\"><em>Baptisia lactea</em></a>) will all add elegant upright notes.</p> \n<p>Bugbane (<a href=\"https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/165615/Actaea-simplex-Atropurpurea-Group/Details\"><em>Actaea simplex</em> Atropurpurea Group</a>), with its tall, gently bending spires of white fading to dusty pink, works well in deep shade, as long as it never dries out. Broad beans, <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/nov/29/alys-fowler-how-to-grow-elephant-garlic\">elephant garlic</a>, <a href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/may/21/alys-fowler-alliums\">Babington leeks</a> and brussels sprouts do a similar thing in a mixed vegetable and flower garden.</p>"}},{"type":"rich-link","assets":[],"richLinkTypeData":{"url":"https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/apr/01/alys-fowler-how-to-stop-rats-and-mice-eating-seeds","originalUrl":"https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/apr/01/alys-fowler-how-to-stop-rats-and-mice-eating-seeds","linkText":"Alys Fowler: how to stop mice, rats and squirrels eating your seeds","linkPrefix":"Related: "}},{"type":"text","assets":[],"textTypeData":{"html":"<p>Once you have your top notes, you need to think about the rhythm section. Fill in the rest with umbels and other flat or saucer-shaped flowers such as orpine (<a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedum_telephium\"><em>Sedum telephium</em></a>), achilleas and perennial phlox (<a href=\"https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/search-results?form-mode=false&amp;query=Phlox%20paniculata\"><em>Phlox paniculata</em></a>).</p> \n<p>Herb fennel, either the green (<a href=\"https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/details?plantid=801\"><em>Foeniculum vulgare</em></a>) or bronze-leaved (<a href=\"http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/foeniculum-vulgare-giant-bronze/classid.2805/\"><em>F</em>. ‘Giant Bronze’</a>) forms, is delightfully relaxed and a little dishevelled in the right way, though fennel works best towards the back of the border, because it’ll get to 2m. Or try the biennial <a href=\"https://www.shootgardening.co.uk/plant/angelica-sylvestris-vicars-mead\"><em>Angelica sylvestris</em> ‘Vicar’s Mead’</a> with heads of rounded umbels above dramatic dark foliage. You can allow a little self-seeding and use the rest as slightly bitter and perfumed spice.</p> \n<p>For something delicate that likes shade, lime green perfoliate alexanders (<a href=\"https://www.sarahraven.com/flowers/plants/cut_flower_seedlings/smyrnium_perfoliatum.htm\"><em>Smyrnium perfoliatum</em></a>) flowers in early summer before the foliage. Perennial hairy chervil <a href=\"https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/97111/i-Chaerophyllum-hirsutum-i-Roseum/Details?returnurl=%2Fplants%2Fsearch-results%3Fform-mode%3Dfalse%26query%3DChaerophyllum%2Bhirsutum%2Broseum%26aliaspath%3D%252fplants%252fsearch-results\">(<em>Chaerophyllum hirstum </em>‘Roseum’)</a> is shamelessly pink and fluffy, evoking countryside hedgerows: growing to 75cm tall, it prefers partial shade and is over by early summer. If you want white flowers, Baltic parsley (<a href=\"https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/42450/i-Cenolophium-denudatum-i/Details?returnurl=%2Fplants%2Fperennials%3Fcontext%3Db%25253D1296%252526hf%25253D12%252526l%25253Den%252526s%25253Ddesc%25252528plant_merged%25252529%252526sl%25253Dplants%252526r%25253Df%2525252Fplant_plant_type%2525252Fherbaceous%25252Bperennial%26s%3Ddesc(plant_merged)%26page%3D112%26aliaspath%3D%252fplants%252fperennials\"><em>Cenolophium denudatum</em></a>) will do a similar job in partial shade; it likes it a little damp and flowers much later and gets taller – up to 150cm tall.</p> \n<p>Parley, chervil,<a href=\"http://www.chilternseeds.co.uk/item_1388k_parcel_seeds\"> par-cel</a> (looks like parsley, tastes like celery), caraway and sweet cicely are edible choices: eat the leaves, then leave them to flower for the bees. It’s also worth leaving a few carrots, celery and parsnips to stand over winter and flower the next spring, where they may self-sow and certainly will be much admired.</p>"}}]}],"totalBodyBlocks":1},"isHosted":false}]}}