The Game Football Podcast

Monday regulars Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd join Tom Allnutt and Tom Clarke for The Game.

The team look at good wins for Sheffield Utd and Forest and a point for Luton. But what about the performances, was it luck or are there positives to build on? Erik Ten Hag got a win to take the pressure off, but again, what of the performance.

Disappointing weekends for Villa and Liverpool, but it was the post match reaction of Mikel Arteta that took most of the headlines. Is the pressure telling so soon into the season?

Finally a look at the end of an era as Emma Hayes announces her departure from Chelsea. Where next for the most well known of the WSL managers…?

Timeline:

Sheff Utd

2’ Great win for Sheff Utd. Will it stop the rumours of Chris Wilder waiting in the wings to replace Paul Heckingbottom.

5’ Soft pen, and truth be told Sheff Utd are still not a great team.

7’ how do Sheff Utd play from here on out?

10’ Does this win turn around the narrative of the bottom being the three promoted clubs plus Bournemouth being in a relegation scrap.

14’ Wolves still struggling in front of goal and heavily reliant on Neto. But they played well, just a little unlucky,

Forest

16’ Impressive from Forest, demonstrates togetherness, mental strength and work rate.

17’ Cloud still hanging over Steve Cooper as the owners put pressure on. Forest did a great job of exploiting Villa’s high line.

20’ Forest under Cooper have a really solid structure. Play as a unit, fight for each other. According to opta, not a settled side though.

23’ Gregor still worried for Steve Cooper. Thinks the owners still want change. Not a good environment for cooper, hard to stabilise.

24’ Villa looked flat, never looked threatening. Didn’t take chances.

Man Utd

29’ Alyson thinks Ten Hag is too passive, in press and on touch line. Unimpressive. Fulham the better side. But a win is a win, after the goal and players and fans showed unity.

32’ Why did he start Anthony? 

BREAK

Luton

36’ Kenilworth Road finally showed its worth. Luton played brilliantly, organised, waited then went for it.

39’ Luton showed composure. Doughty, Barkley great. Nunez, active but missing sitters.

42’ Stuck to their principles, showed how they want to play.

Liverpool

44’ Nunez, a handful works hard, but lacks composure, missed the key chances.

45’ No sign of complacency. Luis Diaz moving. Well handled by Klopp.

Arsenal

47’ Havertz should have been red, or orange carded.

48’ The best teams take the sting out of these kind of games. Arteta didn’t. Tried to battle it out with Newcastle. Poor choice. Areta’s emotional state didn’t help.

51’ VAR decisions a mess. Pressure on officials, lack of suitable technology and lag from past bad decisions.

54’ no need to do it, sign of weakness from Areta, unnecessary stress. Arsenal missed Odeguaard badly.

58’ Has the goal keeping decision backfired.

Newcastle

1hr Were fantastic. Deserved the win. Played superbly. Better still the reflection on Eddie howe. Playing with a team full of players signed by others but he has improved them all.

Emma Hayes

1;01 End of an era. What next, could she, would she take the USA job? Why not England? Possesses a huge desire to grown and learn. Said many years ago she didn’t want the England job….have the FA missed out?