Sam Dean
@samjdean.bsky.social
Football reporter for the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph.
On the streets of Morocco, thousands of dogs are being brutally killed. Shot, poisoned, starved, beaten and burned. Animal rights groups say the massacre is a gruesome clean-up operation ahead of the World Cup/AFCON. Morocco denies that. Special report:
www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...
www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...
Morocco is killing thousands of dogs because of the World Cup
Awareness and anger are growing both internationally and within country, threatening to overshadow football’s most prestigious event
www.telegraph.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 8:15 AM
On the streets of Morocco, thousands of dogs are being brutally killed. Shot, poisoned, starved, beaten and burned. Animal rights groups say the massacre is a gruesome clean-up operation ahead of the World Cup/AFCON. Morocco denies that. Special report:
www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...
www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...
Mikel Merino's success as an emergency striker says a lot about his quality as a footballer, but probably says even more about his character. There's a reason he was promoted to Arsenal's leadership group this season.
November 4, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Mikel Merino's success as an emergency striker says a lot about his quality as a footballer, but probably says even more about his character. There's a reason he was promoted to Arsenal's leadership group this season.
Arteta on Dowman: "The first ball he gets, he takes people on. He starts to dribble and gets a foul. That is personality, that is courage. You cannot teach that—you either have it or you don’t. It doesn’t matter what his passport says, you throw him in and he is able to adapt."
November 4, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Arteta on Dowman: "The first ball he gets, he takes people on. He starts to dribble and gets a foul. That is personality, that is courage. You cannot teach that—you either have it or you don’t. It doesn’t matter what his passport says, you throw him in and he is able to adapt."
Arsenal have now gone 776 minutes without conceding in any competition. The last player to score against them was Newcastle's Nick Woltemade in September.
November 4, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Arsenal have now gone 776 minutes without conceding in any competition. The last player to score against them was Newcastle's Nick Woltemade in September.
Arteta on the Palace Cup game being played on 23 December: “Hopefully then they will move our Premier League match. I am sure they will change the Premier League date as well.” #AFC
November 3, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Arteta on the Palace Cup game being played on 23 December: “Hopefully then they will move our Premier League match. I am sure they will change the Premier League date as well.” #AFC
Mikel Arteta, speaking in Prague, says Viktor Gyokeres is definitely not available for tomorrow night. “We need to do some more tests and scans to understand the extent of the injury.” #AFC
November 3, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Mikel Arteta, speaking in Prague, says Viktor Gyokeres is definitely not available for tomorrow night. “We need to do some more tests and scans to understand the extent of the injury.” #AFC
Seven consecutive clean sheets for Arsenal, who have not conceded a goal in 686 minutes of action. In three of their last four Premier League games, they have not even allowed a single shot on target. They are ridiculously solid right now.
November 1, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Seven consecutive clean sheets for Arsenal, who have not conceded a goal in 686 minutes of action. In three of their last four Premier League games, they have not even allowed a single shot on target. They are ridiculously solid right now.
Attacking stats at half-time.
November 1, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Attacking stats at half-time.
This has surely been the best half of football that Vikor Gyokeres has played for Arsenal, and probably by some distance? Holding it up, switching play, finding through balls.
November 1, 2025 at 3:39 PM
This has surely been the best half of football that Vikor Gyokeres has played for Arsenal, and probably by some distance? Holding it up, switching play, finding through balls.
The Arsenal fans at Burnley are celebrating every corner like it's a goal. I suspect they're finding this "Set Piece FC" thing even more enjoyable now that rival fans keep complaining about it.
November 1, 2025 at 3:26 PM
The Arsenal fans at Burnley are celebrating every corner like it's a goal. I suspect they're finding this "Set Piece FC" thing even more enjoyable now that rival fans keep complaining about it.
Since he started taking corners and free-kicks, Declan Rice has been the best set-piece taker in Europe. Renowned dead-ball specialists aren't even close to matching his output. Here's how he does it & how #AFC's happy accident became a crucial weapon
www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...
www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...
Declan Rice is the Premier League’s best set-piece taker
Arsenal midfielder has been twice as effective from set-pieces as any other footballer in England’s top flight over past two years
www.telegraph.co.uk
October 31, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Since he started taking corners and free-kicks, Declan Rice has been the best set-piece taker in Europe. Renowned dead-ball specialists aren't even close to matching his output. Here's how he does it & how #AFC's happy accident became a crucial weapon
www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...
www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...
Moments after Max Dowman sends Diego Gomez to Tottenham with a lovely drop of the shoulder, Gomez clatters into Dowman with a painful late foul. I suspect those two events might have been linked.
October 29, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Moments after Max Dowman sends Diego Gomez to Tottenham with a lovely drop of the shoulder, Gomez clatters into Dowman with a painful late foul. I suspect those two events might have been linked.
Arsenal's bench tonight is... seriously, seriously strong. Is it the best bench in their history? Genuine question.
Raya, Gabriel, Timber, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Trossard, Saka, Gyokeres
Raya, Gabriel, Timber, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Trossard, Saka, Gyokeres
October 29, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Arsenal's bench tonight is... seriously, seriously strong. Is it the best bench in their history? Genuine question.
Raya, Gabriel, Timber, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Trossard, Saka, Gyokeres
Raya, Gabriel, Timber, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Trossard, Saka, Gyokeres
Dowman becomes the youngest player to start a match in Arsenal's history.
Max Dowman and Andre Harriman-Annous start for #AFC against Brighton tonight.
Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Nwaneri, Norgaard, Merino; Dowman, Harriman-Annous, Eze
Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Nwaneri, Norgaard, Merino; Dowman, Harriman-Annous, Eze
October 29, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Dowman becomes the youngest player to start a match in Arsenal's history.
Max Dowman and Andre Harriman-Annous start for #AFC against Brighton tonight.
Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Nwaneri, Norgaard, Merino; Dowman, Harriman-Annous, Eze
Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Nwaneri, Norgaard, Merino; Dowman, Harriman-Annous, Eze
October 29, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Max Dowman and Andre Harriman-Annous start for #AFC against Brighton tonight.
Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Nwaneri, Norgaard, Merino; Dowman, Harriman-Annous, Eze
Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Nwaneri, Norgaard, Merino; Dowman, Harriman-Annous, Eze
Sunderland, Leeds and Burnley are on course to win a combined 160 points in the Premier League this season. Last year, the three promoted teams won a combined 59 points. It's a huge shift.
October 27, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Sunderland, Leeds and Burnley are on course to win a combined 160 points in the Premier League this season. Last year, the three promoted teams won a combined 59 points. It's a huge shift.
Seven consecutive wins for Arsenal. Five consecutive clean sheets. Three goals conceded all season. It's all looking quite serious.
October 26, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Seven consecutive wins for Arsenal. Five consecutive clean sheets. Three goals conceded all season. It's all looking quite serious.
Almost 30 minutes played at the Emirates, where Arsenal have had most of the ball but none of the shots. Palace are closing down all of Arsenal's usual avenues of attack, and then countering with menace. It's getting a bit edgy already.
October 26, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Almost 30 minutes played at the Emirates, where Arsenal have had most of the ball but none of the shots. Palace are closing down all of Arsenal's usual avenues of attack, and then countering with menace. It's getting a bit edgy already.
Here’s a fun fact: Arsenal are the most left-footed team in Europe’s major leagues.
This is not by chance — it’s a deliberate recruitment strategy. You might even call it an obsession for Arteta.
Piece here on why it matters and how #AFC have done it
www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...
This is not by chance — it’s a deliberate recruitment strategy. You might even call it an obsession for Arteta.
Piece here on why it matters and how #AFC have done it
www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...
The reasons Arsenal became obsessed with left-footers
Mikel Arteta is fastidious about having lefties in defence while the club’s young attacking talents also share the trait
www.telegraph.co.uk
October 26, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Here’s a fun fact: Arsenal are the most left-footed team in Europe’s major leagues.
This is not by chance — it’s a deliberate recruitment strategy. You might even call it an obsession for Arteta.
Piece here on why it matters and how #AFC have done it
www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...
This is not by chance — it’s a deliberate recruitment strategy. You might even call it an obsession for Arteta.
Piece here on why it matters and how #AFC have done it
www.telegraph.co.uk/football/202...
Arsenal have now won seven matches in a row against Spanish opposition. No team has ever done that before in the Champions League.
October 21, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Arsenal have now won seven matches in a row against Spanish opposition. No team has ever done that before in the Champions League.
Arsenal haven't unpicked the Atletico defence. They have smashed it to pieces. Better in every department: bigger, stronger, faster, smarter. Monstrous second-half performance.
October 21, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Arsenal haven't unpicked the Atletico defence. They have smashed it to pieces. Better in every department: bigger, stronger, faster, smarter. Monstrous second-half performance.