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The Game Football Podcast
Are Spurs and Liverpool title contenders? And who is the most exciting young English player...
Ally Rudd, Gregor Robertson and James Restall join Tom Clarke on Mondays edition of The Game.
After reflecting on another one-sided Manchester derby they move on to who can win the title. Spurs fans are dreaming, and Ange is happy they are…but can it last. And what of Liverpool, three off the top, getting better and with players returning to form.
After the break a quick look at Calvert Lewin’s form and finally who is the most exciting ever young English player? Gazza, Rooney, Owen, Bellingham?
Timeline:
Manchester derby
2’ Man Utd had average plan A, no plan B.
6’ Mason Mount only had 14 touches. No balance in midfield.
9’ Who is at fault, poor signings, signings not performing, or a club with a poor culture.
12’ no identity, and doesn’t have the players to create the identity Ten Hag wants.
17’ Will Haaland win the Ballon’ D’or. Or is it Mesi all the way
Can they win the league…
20’ Can Spurs win the title? They’re adaptable, tough, confident and no longer flakey. Big strong team. In short, it’s not impossible.
24’ They believe they can win it. That’s half the battle. Son been amazing.
28’ outstanding centre halves, decent squad depth.
32’ The coaching improvement is impressive.
Liverpool Forest
36’ City’s biggest challengers. Very creative midfield, not as reliant on fullbacks.
38’ very good signings. Dominik Szoboszlai could be a special player. Firs the club very well.
44’ Forest had a tough start, individual mistakes, but Cooper probably happy…for now.
44’ Got a good structure, hard to breakdown. A platform to build from.
Everton and Calvert Lewin
46’ Is he in the fight to be Kane’s understudy?
48’ great goal, good for Dyche.
49’ Ally met Kenwright.
Best ever young English young player
55’ Gregor played against Rooney, a shuddering experience. Bellingham will have impact but not the same shocking impact. Others…Owen, Walcott, Gazza.
59’ With Kane and Bellingham, can England win the euro’s…
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Can an English club win the Champions League? And Alisson heroics
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01:01:10|Shoot outs, red cards and moments of madness – the FA Cup delivers. At old Trafford cup holders Man Utd were dumped out by Fulham and the fans made their feelings clear - the focus of their ire was Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Is his efficiency drive having an adverse effect on the club? On the pitch Amorim persists with a 3:4:3 formation. Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts will get a three game ban for a horrendous challenge on Crystal Palace striker Jena-Phillippe Mateta…is that enough? Anthony Gordon saw red and will miss the cup final, is that too harsh? And Matheus Cunha snapped against Bournemouth, does incidents like that put off big clubs from signing him?Finally, as Danny Welbeck scored the winner for Brighton, who is the most universally loved player?Best ever individual seasons: Salah, Henry, Terry? Plus, hats off to Arne Slot
01:07:02|The title race is done, so time to recognise the job Arne Slot is doing at Anfield. It is much more than ‘tweaks’ according to Gregor and Martin.With Arsenal dropping more points are they under pressure to get second, and the race for the top four/five is wide open…but who is best placed to capitalise.After the break, as Mo Salah is putting in a phenomenal season, leading both goals and assists charts which player has had the greatest individual season; Cole, Ronaldo, Terry, Kante… ?EFL Extra: Championship snakes and ladders and EFL fatigue
35:11|Join Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson for all the latest news from the Championship, League One and League Two.Is it time to give Frank Lampard credit? His Coventry side are one point off the play offs and he is winning over the sky blues fans. Meanwhile another former international midfielder Michael Carrick is struggling at Middlesborough, what’s gone wrong at the Riverside? As Tom watches a bore fest at Sincil Bank is now the time in the season when fatigue – mental and physical – starts to kick in? In League Two, AFC Wimbledon have the best defence in the league and are on a twelve game unbeaten run. And a few big teams are struggling. Plus a late surprise appearance from the next generation of footballing/journalistic talent…Liverpool bossed it; have Arsenal blown it?
57:59|Arsenal fluffed their lines at home to West Ham. Liverpool capitalised with their first win at Manchester City in ten years. It puts Liverpool eleven points clear. So, is the title race over?Where are Arsenal going wrong and just how good are this Liverpool team? Elsewhere, with the top and bottom of the table seemingly sorted out, is mid table the place to be – full of ambitious, forward-thinking clubs. Newcastle thumped Forest, for a half at least. Are Forest on the slide, or were Newcastle lucky?And who is the Premier League’s most under rated player...? Gregor knows - he has been to meet him.Do you pity Manchester City? And is Darwin done?
57:49|Manchester City were dumped out of the Champions League by a dominant Real Madrid. At what point do we start to feel sorry for Pep and his team? Now, according to Gregor Robertson, Peter Rutzler and James Gheerbrant. They join Tom Clarke to discuss that, Darwin Núñez's future, Rashford's return and a poetic red card for Atalanta's captain (essential viewing).Spurs win the dysfunction derby & 'never go full press'
57:10|Tottenham back to their best? Or did they just play against an EVEN worse team in Manchester United? Tony Cascarino, Hamzah Khalique-Loonat and Gregor Robertson join Tom Clarke to discuss. Plus, Liverpool look leggy, a new young star striker emerges at Arsenal (28 year-old Mikel Merino) and what does expected even mean?Fitting finale at Goodison and the end for Pep?
56:49|What a fitting finale for Goodison Park’s final Merseyside derby. A thrilling roller coaster of a game, four goals, three red cards, VAR and a last minute equaliser. What a night.Were the decisions correct, does the result affect the title race but most importantly can an atmosphere like that be re created in a new ground?Away from the Merseyside could it be over for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City? Gregor Robertson and Jonathan Northcroft wonder if he will stay to see out the rebuild of his fragile team.Chelsea and Arsenal are both facing a striker crisis; should they have seen it coming and acted in the transfer window?Finally, will Newcastle take the chance to enter the top four at Manchester city this weekend?EFL Extra: Make changes, make 'em at the right time...
39:05|Great escapes, standout signings and a managerial merry go round in this week's EFL Extra. Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson discuss whether Sunderland have the staying power to make automatic promotion a 4 horse race, they react to a familiar face in the dugout at Carlisle and watch as Walsall keep their title contenders interested.