Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 7 Cast, Guest Stars & Recap: "The Strings That Bind Us"

Source: NBC

In the latest episode of 'Ted Lasso', Keeley and Jack share a coffee where Jack presents Keeley with an extremely valuable gift - a first-edition copy of Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. The book even has Jane Austen's signature, as well as a short encouraging message that Austen writes for Keeley.
Keeley tries to keep her relationship with Jack a secret from her colleagues, but they eventually reveal it at work. Keeley and Rebecca talk about their recent romantic experiences during lunch. However, Rebecca warns Keeley to be cautious of Jack's grand romantic gestures.
Keeley can't help but become a little nervous after hearing Rebecca's advice. She asks Jack to stop giving her expensive gifts and let her do something for her in return.

Source: NBC

Meanwhile, during a conversation with his mother and niece, Nate confesses about his crush on Jade, a hostess at Taste of Athens. He is hesitant to ask her out. His mother shows him a charming map that Nate's father made to invite her out on their first date, inspiring Nate to take a chance on love.
Thanks to his family help, Nate finally gains the confidence to ask Jade out for a date. In an effort to woo Jade, Nate creates a gift box inspired by his father's romantic gestures to his mother but ultimately decides to just ask her directly on a date.

What Happened To Sam?

Source: NBC

Sam reserves a table for his dad at Ola's restaurant. He is arranging his father's visit to London. However, things might not be as easy as he thought. When Sam encounters Simi, she is visibly distressed over an article about the UK's home secretary, Brinda Barot.
Apparently, Barot has effectively prevented refugees from entering the country. Sam can't help but get nervous about this father's trip. While watching a news segment, Sam and Simi witness Brinda Barot's controversial order to a refugee boat to "go home". Sam takes to Twitter to politely request the home secretary reconsider her decision, but he eventually becomes the target of a hurtful tweet from Brinda.
To make matters worse, Sam's restaurant got vandalized by an angry mob with hateful messages inscribed on the wall, leaving him heartbroken. His father, Mr. Obisanya, arrives in London and encourages him to forgive those who hurt him and reopen his restaurant for the sake of those who miss their homeland in England. At the end of the episode, Sam shows his father his restaurant, which he named "Ola's" in his honor.

Does Richmond Win Against Arsenal?

Source: NBC

Coach Bear introduces the Total Football style of play to the team, and Ted decides to implement it in their upcoming game against Arsenal. The players are hesitant, but Ted encourages them to try it out.
Ted teaches the team about three of the four fundamentals of Total Football - Conditioning, Versatility, and Awareness - during their practice session. Roy puts the players through intense physical training on the first day.
Roy decides to switch the players' positions during the second training day to help them understand each other's roles. However, Trent is skeptical about Ted's decision to change tactics in the middle of the season, especially considering Richmond's recent poor performance. The new playing style confuses the players.

Source: NBC

On the third day, Roy ties the players together with strings to improve their awareness. Meanwhile, Ted confesses to Trent that he has not yet figured out the fourth element that will determine the success or failure of his new strategy.
During the actual match, Arsenal takes advantage of Richmond's lack of mastery over the new style of play. The players seem out of sync with each other and make several mistakes, allowing Arsenal to score three goals in the first half. Richmond fails to score in the first half.
During the half-time team talk, Roy and Coach Beard consider returning to their traditional 4-2-2 formation with a direct style of play. Jamie suggests dropping to a midfield playmaker role, controlling the play and serving as the link between attack and defense. In the second half, Richmond executes a masterful move of Total Football that results in a stunning goal.

Source: NBC

Although Richmond loses the match, the goal they score proves that Total Football can work, especially since the players have already embraced its core philosophy thanks to Ted.