Taymour Khashoggi

I write about sports, politics, and culture.

@taymour__ on X/Twitter

My Work

Reader's Digest UK •

How Technology is Upending the Sports Fan Experience

As their new £105m signing slickly controlled a 96th minute corner and smashed the ball passed a luckless André Onana, a nervous Emirates Stadium erupted.

Arsenal’s new fan-favourite Declan Rice had all but guaranteed the win in a rollercoaster game against a historic rival, Manchester United.

The teams were only a few weeks into their new seasons, and amidst the joy and pandemonium was an all too familiar feeling creeping into the stands—doubt.
The referees were replaying the action, ensuring the goal, and any incidents in the build up to it, were legal.
You Are My Arsenal •

CHANGING: Arsenal's Cultural Change Has Impact Beyond Team

It’s July 2019, and Arsenal sign 18-year-old William Saliba from Saint-Etienne. While excitement around the French defender’s talent was palpable, so was the worry that exposing such a precocious talent to the intense scrutiny of elite football may be a risk. What would happen if he made a mistake? Would an on-edge Emirates Stadium crowd, one notorious for being unforgiving and divided, be a safe space for him to blossom?
You Are My Arsenal •

Review: "All Or Nothing: Arsenal" A personality-driven show that will frustrate the nerds

Serving as a fascinating character study of some of the key figures behind the club’s ambitious rebuild, Amazon’s All or Nothing: Arsenal remains a sanitised peak behind the curtain that may underwhelm die-hards and tactics nerds. The fly-on-the-wall style docuseries captures the highs and lows of Arsenal’s 2021/2022 season, but while it showcases intriguing and often endearing personalities, it lacks the coaching insight that will have attracted the most Arsenal-obsessed fans.

“Tactically, he
Redaction Report •

‘A token paperwork exercise’: Inside the fight to help Ukrainian refugees

IT HAS been a dispiriting wait for Moira Stephenson since volunteering to host Ukrainian refugees in her home near Glasgow.

The 40-year-old mother of two adopted children had signed up to the UK government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme in late March, but the “incredibly frustrating” process had until last week resulted in nothing more than a “we’re sorry it’s taking so long” email.

Moira, who works in higher education, enrolled in the scheme as soon as it was announced by the government.

“Seeing
Redaction Report •

Pets of War: Rescuing animals during the Russia-Ukraine conflict

LATE on Saturday night, John Hülskemper sat in his Kharkiv apartment looking through his emails. A desperate plea from a woman named Inga comes through his inbox: “I have contacted you to inform you about my lost dog. We last saw it on 16 [of March].”

“Please help us find it because it is my life. The best friend of my family.”

Attached to the email are photographs of a perfectly groomed 2-year-old Jack Russell terrier.

Every morning, as bombs rain down on Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kha

Bukayo Saka’s coming of age tournament highlights Arsenal’s urgent need to rebuild – ArsenalNews.co.uk

Bukayo Saka is Arsenal’s perfect ambassador on the global stage, but his Euro 2020 success is a warning for the club.

England’s remarkable run to the final of Euro 2020 has gripped the nation in recent weeks, and there has been a surprise name at the center of the team’s historic run: Bukayo Saka. The 19-year-old became the youngest player to represent England in a semi-final of a major tournament against Denmark this week, and he delivered the cross that led to the equalising goal.

Before the

Xhaka’s man of the match performance against France shows Arsenal what they will have to replace – ArsenalNews.co.uk

The Arsenal midfielder is linked with a move to AS Roma.

As soon as Mbappé missed the crucial fifth penalty, the cameras panned to a beleaguered Didier Deschamps. As the colour drained from the Frenchman’s face, Roy Keane’s voice was heard from inside the ITV studio: “I’m glad they got punished for that. You can have all the quality in the world, but if you don’t turn up with the proper attitude, it’s hard to switch it back on. And Switzerland have been absolutely brilliant.” Nobody embodied th

What to expect from Season 2 of Thomas Partey – ArsenalNews.co.uk

Arsenal could lose up to four central midfield players this summer, with Granit Xhaka, Lucas Torreira, and Matteo Guendouzi all reportedly following Dani Ceballos out the exit door. Last year’s marquee signing Thomas Partey impressed when available and finding a suitable partner for him will be a priority for the club this summer.

Thomas Partey is undoubtedly Arsenal’s most important midfielder, and he has already been given increased responsibility on the ball in the absence of Granit Xhaka. O

Is Arsenal still the best club for young players? – ArsenalNews.co.uk

What the Saliba and Guendouzi situations tell us about Arsenal’s recent management of young talents.

There was a time when few clubs could rival Arsenal’s glowing reputation with developing young talents from around the world. Despite the recent on-pitch decline, the perception that was built during Arsène Wenger’s reign as manager has remained largely intact in recent years.

Current players from around Europe will have come of age watching a teenage Cesc Fabregas break into an experienced and

Opinion: Saving The Tollington Arms could be Arsenal’s easiest win this summer – ArsenalNews.co.uk

What better way to win back favour with disgruntled fans than by saving a dying symbol of their bond with the club?

Arsenal fans have had the misfortune of missing out on live football for over a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, and their connection to the club was dealt a heavier blow earlier this year with the news that fan-favourite pub The Tollington Arms faces permanent closure.

The pub, which is saddled with six figures of debt, has been a popular match day hotspot for Arsenal fans