World Cup 2034 is heading to Saudi Arabia and WC 2030 to Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Martin Samuel was revolted by proceedings… “FIFA conducted two one horse races yesterday.” Is it a decision to grow the game, or a demonstration of 'money talks' ? Martin joins Tom Clarke, Tony Cascarino and Jonathan Northcroft who offer their thoughts on the decision, the process and Gianni Infantino. Elsewhere, more problems in Manchester. Who is to blame for the mess at United? Is Dan Ashworth a patsy? ...
Dec 12, 2024•1 hr 3 min
The top of the Championship is dominated by teams from the north – Sheffield United, Leeds, Burnley, Sunderland, Middlesborough and Blackburn. Martin Hardy joins Tom Clarke to look at who is best placed to kick on. A Leeds squad with great depth, a rejuvenated Sheffield United or a Burnley team with a very tight defence? Sunderland had a rough November but got a win last time out. Is their success based on two teenage midfielders? Middlesborough play a style of progressive football which reflect...
Dec 10, 2024•41 min
Can Chelsea win the title? Some think it is a silly question, but why? Were Spurs trying to perpetuate the ‘Spursy’ cliché? Two up at home but ending in defeat. Where now for a beleaguered Ange Postecoglou? Fulham are no longer just pretty, they’re gritty and they might have just solved how to defend an Arsenal corner. For Arsenal are they creating enough chances from open play when they are level or behind in a game…? More upheaval at Manchester United a loss on the pitch and a departure off it...
Dec 09, 2024•1 hr 6 min
A six-goal thriller at St James Park allowed Arsenal, Chelsea and City to pick up points on Liverpool. Gregor Robertson and Martin Samuel wax lyrical about Trent Alexander Arnold – “I’ve never seen anyone kick a football like that!” Tom Clarke asks the team – how do you stop Arsenal at corners? Chelsea are no longer Cole Palmer plus ten others, they’re now a serious team. A touching and funny tribute from Tony Cascarino to his and Millwall’s former manager John Docherty And the managerial ...
Dec 05, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Manchester City are out of the title race…right? Some think they might even have a fight on for top four. Liverpool by contrast looked in control throughout and playing in a variety of ways too. Could Arsenal and Chelsea be Liverpool’s biggest challengers for the title? With Odegaard back Arsenal look at their free scoring best. Chelsea, with a young squad, finally look to be repaying the billion pounds spent on them. Tom Allnutt even thinks there is a chance for Manchester United to creep into ...
Dec 02, 2024•1 hr
Under Arne Slot Liverpool are top of the Premier League and the new Champions League format. They’ve beaten Real Madrid for the first time in fifteen years; lost once in nineteen games and all with little fuss. It begs the question: just how good is Arne Slot. After the break Pep Guardiola’s woes continue. Be it confidence, injuries or tactics this is no longer a blip for Manchester City. What happens next? Arsenal by contrast seem to have turned a corner are they Liverpool’s main challengers no...
Nov 28, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Gregor Robertson and Tom Clarke return to cast an eye over a busy week of EFL action. Leeds are starting to look like a team who were preseason favourites. The underlying data on their performances marks them out as the best in the Championship, by some distance. A standout player for Leeds is midfielder Ao Tanaka; Gregor looks at the impressive list of recent signings from Japanese and South Korean leagues. At the other end of the spectrum, Hull City are struggling. Bottom three, manager booed ...
Nov 27, 2024•39 min
What a weekend! Are Manchester City in crisis? Has Martin Odegaard put Arsenal back in the title race, or are Liverpool going to run away with it? It was another Ange Postecoglou masterclass and Southampton self-destructed…again. Ruben Amorim has seen the size of the task at Manchester United; Ipswich showed how 3-4-3 should be played and Gary O’Neil took Wolves to their first away win since February. Oh, and Leicester sacked Steve Cooper – who’s next at the King Power? Tom Clarke is join...
Nov 25, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Will Pep Guardiola’s contract extension end Manchester City’s poor run? Martin Samuel, Gregor Robertson and Tony Cascarino join Tom Clarke to look at what Guardiola signing means for City and for the Premier League – another unbeaten run or a stop gap till the end of the season? Across Manchester Rubin Amorim begins his tenure at United, what can we expect? Finally, a run through the weekend’s fixtures, who needs a win and who is looking strong? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...
Nov 21, 2024•59 min
Lee Carsley has left England with a veritable spring in their step – a five-nil defeat of Republic of Ireland, four first time scorers and the joy of scoring seems to be back. So... who impressed most in Carsley’s brief reign? Will Tuchel continue the young blood approach and could captain Kane be under pressure? Scotland have a new star; Ben Doak is giving full backs nightmares…how good is he? If you had to take a selfie with a player, who would it be? And finally, as we head back to the Premie...
Nov 18, 2024•54 min
David Coote’s career as a referee looks to be over; but do we have unrealistic expectations of referees? If referees are berated by players, fans and coaches are they not allowed to react? Tom Clarke, Martin Samuel, Gregor Robertson and Tony Cascarino look at football’s relationship with its officials. Could or should the football culture around referee’s change? Harry Kane has questioned the number of dropouts from the England squad. Does it reflect injuries, a caretaker manager who leaves next...
Nov 14, 2024•55 min
After slow starts Millwall and Middlesbrough sit seventh and eighth in the Championship. Millwall haven’t looked back since they went back to the future and appointed club legend Neil Harris earlier this year. Gregor Robertson played with Harris and describes his strengths. Michael Carrick has been playing good football at the Riverside, but without the results to reflect it…that’s now changing. Tom Clarke joins Gregor to also look at Mark Robbins surprise departure from Coventry City; high flyi...
Nov 13, 2024•45 min
Liverpool are top, why aren’t more people talking about them? Alyson Rudd and Tom Allnut think they know why. Ipswich won in the topflight for the first time in 22 years, how did they do it? And has it put Ange Postecoglou’s swashbuckling style under pressure? Pep Guardiola has a look about him and Tom and Gregor Robertson have seen it before. Elsewhere Brighton, Brentford and Caicedo impress; West Ham don’t. Tom Clarke is the chair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 11, 2024•1 hr
Manchester City lost for the third time in a week. That hasn’t happened since 2018. Is it more serious than a blip? Martin Samuel thinks it could be. He joins Gregor Robertson, Hamzah Khalique-Loonat and Tony Cascarino to look at City’s dip, Arsenal’s worries and Tyrone Mings mental aberration. Liverpool are top in Europe and top in the Premier League, what more could Liverpool fans want…? And Manchester United have a four year plan…another one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...
Nov 07, 2024•1 hr
What’s going wrong at Arsenal? Was this a freak result for City? After both lose again is it down to better opposition, poor performance, lacklustre management or plain old exhaustion? No such problems for Nottingham Forest who are now third in the table or Liverpool who roared back to go top against Brighton. Gregor Robertson dissects the weekends results with Martin Hardy, Alyson Rudd and James Gheerbrant. Plus, hats off to Bournemouth, Newcastle and Spurs and a quick look at dapper Van Nistel...
Nov 04, 2024•1 hr 6 min
Is Ruben Amorim the man to bring the good times back to Manchester United? As the current Portuguese coach is set to be named the new man in charge at Old Trafford what will he bring and more importantly what kind of squad will he inherit? Martin Samuel, Jonathan Northcroft and Gregor Robertson join Tom Clarke to assess his credentials to take over “…the biggest club in the land.” Can Ange-ball win a trophy at Spurs; Chelsea’s B team looked light against Newcastle and what makes a good leader? O...
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr 7 min
On the latest whistle-stop tour of the EFL, Gregor Robertson and Tom Clarke discuss Sunderland's surprise surge (which is starting to look less surprising), Coventry's potentially season changing win against Luton, Ian Holloway's latest adventure in Swindon and much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 30, 2024•39 min
The big talking point from the weekend was Arsenal's draw at home to Liverpool, until it wasn't. Midway through today's episode, news broke that Erik ten Hag had been sacked by Manchester United. Join Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd, Hamzah Khalique-Loonat & Gregor Robertson as they react to the news in the moment. And much, much more... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 28, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Is Arsenal’s mounting injury list going to derail their title bid? Not according to Martin Samuel or Hamzah Khalique-Loonat who both think teams that win titles win regardless of injuries – think Alisson, Haaland, De Bruyne or Van Dijk. Liverpool may not be the swashbuckling side from the Klopp era but are they even more effective under the controlled Slot? Does Erling Haaland get the credit he deserves? Who cares about link up play when you’ve scored 44 goals in 42 champions league games! Grego...
Oct 24, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Liverpool passed their first serious test of the season and Chelsea looked good even in defeat. Tom Clarke is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and Tom Allnutt as they ask; can Liverpool win the title and are Chelsea a top four team? Are Arsenal’s chances of the title being undermined by their poor disciplinary record? Do referees favour the top teams? And it wasn’t just a bad day for Julen Lopetegui at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it was a forgettable day for James Maddison too. Plus...
Oct 21, 2024•1 hr 6 min
England have appointed one of the world’s best coaches. What does he bring, how does he manage, and will it be enough to win the big one? Tom Clarke, Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and James Gheerbrant are joined from German football journalist Constantin Eckner. What do we know about Tuchel’s number two, young English coach Anthony Barry? Gregor did his coaching badges with him; he can enlighten us. After the break a look ahead to the weekends premier league fixtures and the big clash at Anfi...
Oct 17, 2024•58 min
Tom Clarke is joined by Gregor Robertson as they assess the Championship, League One and League Two. Leeds, Norwich, Plymouth. Wycombe, Exeter, Port Vale and AFC Wimbledon all feature – as well as many in between. Plus a look at the many ex players taking to lower league management. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 15, 2024•40 min
Where now for England? A failed experiment; Carsley might not want it full time and is Pep waiting in the side-lines? Gregor Robertson thinks his selections were indulgent, Hamzah Khalique-Loonat thinks they should be applauded. Tom Clarke still misses Southgate. After the break a brilliant discussion about the affects of fantasy football on real football. Tom Allnutt says clubs are now banning players and staff from taking part. But why? And do fans now spend more time discussing fantasy ...
Oct 14, 2024•57 min
Was it Man City 1-0 Premier League? Jonathan Northcroft has reappraised and thinks it could be a score draw. Martin is sticking to his guns and Gregor sees echoes of the European super league. After the break, what happened to tough players, should Bellingham play up front and Gregor once played against Andres Iniesta…it was spellbinding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 10, 2024•58 min
Manchester City have won the first of their legal cases against the Premier League. What does it mean for City and for the rest of the Premier League? Tom Clarke, Martin Samuel, Jonathan Northcroft and Tony Cascarino explain and offer immediate reaction… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 07, 2024•23 min
This could have also been called: “Why are Spurs so Spursy?” as Ange Postecoglou’s team blew a two-goal lead at Brighton. Was it the Seagulls brilliance or a Spurs implosion? Manchester United got a creditable if boring draw at Villa Park, will it be enough to turn the tide for Erik Ten Hag? Gregor Robertson is a convert to Chelsea, Alyson Rudd thinks they might even win something. Hamzah Khalique-Loonat waxes lyrical about Bukayo Saka, is he the best in the league? Tom Clarke steers the ship.&n...
Oct 07, 2024•1 hr 6 min
A great week for English clubs in the Champions League with four wins from four. European master Unai Emery steered Villa to a famous win over Bayern Munich – is there a better match in club football than Emery and Villa? Controlled wins for City and Liverpool and a statement win for Arsenal against PSG. Oh, and what happens to Cole Palmer when he rolls up to England camp? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 03, 2024•39 min
Our fortnightly look at the EFL. Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson look at a flying Sheffield United, managerial changes at Stoke and the form of the promoted clubs – Oxford, Portsmouth and Derby. After the break in League One Steve Bruce has taken Blackpool from relegation zone to play offs in less than a month, what’s his secret? In League Two MK Dons and Carlisle have rolled the dice and changed manager, highlighting once again just how many teams have lofty ambition with backing to match ...
Oct 01, 2024•42 min
“Manchester United look like a relic!” That is the blunt assessment of Gregor Robertson. Their rivals Liverpool are top, but it's not enough for Alyson Rudd or Hamzah Khalique Loonat who think they haven’t played anyone any good yet. Tom Clarke has a hangover but talk of Cole Palmer and Ethan Nwaneri are like a caffeine shot! Plus, is kick off a set piece? Brentford think so. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 30, 2024•1 hr 1 min
As Rodri is ruled out could injuries decide the title? Will players go on strike this season? And will there ever be another summer without football? Plus, after yet another lacklustre display nothing seems to have changed at Manchester United. Its troubled times at West Ham and all is not well at Newcastle. Martin Samuel, Gregor Robertson and Tony Cascarino join Tom Clarke to discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr 2 min
