Share
The Game
And so this is Christmas... power to the people right on!
Jonathan Northcroft, Gregor Robertson and Martin Samuel join Tom Clarke for the final pre-Christmas edition of The Game.
First on the agenda is the super league…its back, but will it actually happen? Perhaps the fans will have more power than they realise.
Away from a potential super league why were West Ham so lacklustre, is Keiron Trippier fatigued and all change at Nottingham Forest. Who will be top at Christmas, Villa are in with a shout after an exceptional 2023. And finally a Christmas wish for 2024...
Merry Christmas one and all, we’ll see you for a Christmas pod on Wed 27rh Dec.
.
Timeline:
Super League
3’ the super league…so depressing. Making football less competitive. Enriching the richer clubs.
5’ can’t exist unless people want it to exist.
7’ danger of the rich getting richer at the expense of all football.
8’ the model doesn’t offer meritocracy.
12’ the revamped champions league looks to be a testing of the water
15’ ”to what extent have fans lost control of their clubs to the global market place.”
18’ “eternal lust for growth….football doesn’t need more money.”
West Ham
24’ odd team selection
25’ weak semi final line up, three steps from a trophy.
26’ Competent, pragmatic manager but a romantic fan base. Tough mix.
Newcastle and Trippier
30’ Fatigue, confidence, even the best are affected.
32’ has he been the same since the confrontation with the fans and Bournemouth?
Nottingham Forest
39’ Hurling pieces at a board, no plan, no structure. He got lucky with Cooper.
41’ Cooper earned the right to see out the season. Instead he’s got more players and out before Christmas.
45’ Nuno not a good fit. He likes, small simple. Forest is not that.
Villa
49’ Will they be top at Christmas. It would underline an extraordinary year for Villa.
51’ Villa won’t fall away. They’ve sustained this from for a year. 15 wins at home.
52’ Jonny on Emery “You can see when a coach has a club in the palm of his hand.”
54’ Martin on Emery “I’m gonna ask for what I want and I’m gonna get what I want.”
More episodes
View all episodes
How good are Villa and who is the best midfielder in the world?
53:19|As Villa cement their place in the top three just how good are they? Do they have the squad depth to last the course? Is their star midfielder Morgan Rogers now elevating himself to world level? David Moyes thinks Declan Rice is the best midfielder in the world. Is he…and if not, then who is?Dominic Calvert-Lewin has found form and fitness at Leeds how far could it take him and his club?Spurs lost at home again and had two men sent off but seem to have received some credit in the process. Lastly, are Wolves in danger of breaking Derby’s lowest ever Premier League points total? Tom Clarke is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tony Cascarino and tom AllnuttCity for the title? Chelsea chaos and end of year awards
52:19|Chelsea are through to the semi-finals of the League Cup, but behind the scenes there is more chaos. Manager Enzo Maresca is unhappy, but no one quite knows why. The fans chanted his name but are the board happy? A day in the life at Chelsea… Man City are looking ominous, could they be considered title favourites by the new year?One of their shining lights is number ten turned left back Nico O’Reilly – Jonny and Gregor think he is now England’s first choice for the World Cup. After the break 2025 awards and wishes for 2026. Tom Clarke joins Tony Cascarino, Gregor Robertson and Jonathan NorthcroftArsenal or City? Rogers or Palmer?
57:28|Arsenal are still top of the Premier League but are Manchester City favourites for the title after this weekend? City beat Palace convincingly but Arsenal wobbled against Wolves. Elsewhere Aston Villa kept up the pace and we ask - just how good is Morgan Rogers? Is he on the same level as his friend Cole Palmer?On this show we also discussed Sunderland's win against Newcastle and why the promoted side can already start planning for next season in the Premier League. And we finish with a look at the bottom of the table and the Africa Cup of Nations. Tom Clarke is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Hamzah Khalique-Loonat.Liverpool, Chelsea and Madrid prove 'Mo Money Mo Problems.'
50:25|Liverpool got a much-needed away win at Inter Milan, but their hundred million pound star striker looked lost - why? Off the pitch will Mo Salah still be a Liverpool player come January?It was a good week for English clubs in Europe with Man City beating Real Madrid and Spurs and Arsenal also winning. Are the English teams starting to dominate, is the pace and physicality of the Premier League an advantage or is the competition just not very good in the early rounds?Tony Cascarino has a hunch that Noni Madueke can play centre forwardLastly, a look ahead to the Tyne Wear derby, the first in the Premier League in ten years – who are favourites going into Sunday’s game? Tom Clarke joins Tony Cascarino, Gregor Robertson and Martin SamuelEFL Extra: Who are the ‘dangerous lurkers’ ?
37:33|Leaders Coventry suffered first defeat in sixteen games at Ipswich. Wil the result create doubt in Frank Lampard’s squad, or was it just a blip?For Ipswich the result takes them fourth in the table and a season which started falteringly is starting to gain momentum. Southampton and Sheffield Utd had dreadful starts to the season, but after managerial changes both are now looking at the playoffs – with strong squads will they makes late charges?League One remains tight but Cardiff look like they have the resources to stay at the top. Who will join them?And in League Two…Walsall, surely this season is different? Who else looks threatening?Salah’s future and brilliant Villa
52:30|Mo Salah dropped a bombshell on Saturday evening. After starting on the bench for the third game in a row he gave an incendiary interview after the match claiming to have been thrown under the bus, a scapegoat for recent poor form and said he had no relationship with coach Arne Slot. So, what happens next - will it be the end of Salah or Slot at Liverpool? Can any player be guaranteed a place in the team regardless of form as Salah seems to be suggesting? On the pitch Villa coach Unai Emery led his team to a win over Arsenal and third in the table - remarkable achievement after the start they had. Are there worrying signs for Arsenal, or were they just beaten by a better team on the day? After the break a valuable three points for Spurs and Thomas Frank, but an even more important performance; top quality at the Cottage and does Nuno like his players? Tom Allnutt, Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd join tom Clarke.WORLD CUP 2026 DRAW - REACTION SPECIAL
19:19|After what felt like a nine hour draw England will face Croatia, Ghana and Panama. Scotland will face Haiti, Morocco and Brazil.Is there a group of death? What are the potential routes to the final?Over to Tom Clarke, Gregor Robertson and Jonathan NorthcroftAre Arsenal the only team not in transition?
50:27|After a goal packed set of midweek fixtures what has changed? Chelsea’s title credentials were checked as a buoyant Leeds put three past them at Elland Road. Man City won but looked anything but assured. Villa are now only six points off top spot and play Arsenal at the weekend. And as for Arsenal - no change there, while others toil they won again.Elsewhere is Cristian Romero a defender or a striker and how good is Erling Haaland?Arne Slot and Liverpool continued to labour. Tony sees worrying signs as Salah, Van Dijk and Isak all struggle. But Sunderland continued to demonstrate what a well coached, well drilled side they are, taking points of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool already this season. Gregor Robertson is joined by Tony Cascarino and Jonathan NorthcroftChelsea and Arsenal fight it out and Salah dropped
59:27|Arsenal went to Stamford Bridge without both first choice centre backs and took a point. Chelsea played the league leaders for sixty minutes with ten men and without their best player and took a point. Who will be happier?Liverpool finally won again and dropped Mo Salah in the process. Is this straight forward squad rotation or the beginning of a transition which doesn’t include the club legend?It’s happy times in the Northeast at the moment as Newcastle win away for the first time in over two hundred days and Sunderland come from behind to show their European credentials.And finally, it is tough times for Thomas Frank at the Tottenham Stadium. Was he right to criticise fans who booed their goalkeeper? Gregor Robertson is joined by Tom Allnutt, Martin Hardy and Alyson Rudd.