The Game Football Podcast

St James’ Park was a cauldron, Arsenal were cowed, and Newcastle are off to Wembley.Is Newcastle’s forward line the best around at the moment? And did Arsenal get a taste of their own medicine last night, bullied out of their biggest game of the season?Gregor Robertson is joined by Martin Samuel and Tony Cascarino to discuss last night’s game and what it could mean for each club’s season.After the break, is it ‘Mission 21’or Mission Impossible? As Manchester United launch another grand plan, are there more important things they should be doing?

 Arsenal stayed humble and thrashed Man City. Did the result say more about a dominant Arsenal performance or a fragile aging Manchester City team? Myles Lewis-Skelly shone as a left back which made Gregor Robertson wonder if old fashioned left backs exist anymore?   Spurs put in a defensively solid performance to win at Brentford so, has Ange finally changed his tactics? Liverpool showed their title credentials again by beating in form Bournemouth; would it be unfair to call them lucky?    Lastly, Moyes works his magic at Everton, Amorim in a mess and Rashford to Villa - mad or a master stroke?

Tom Clarke is joined by Gary Jacob and Martin Hardy to look at all the latest transfer news.Will Ollie Watkins be an Arsenal player in the next 48 hours? Newcastle have sold Miguel Almiron will they have to sell more players to meet PSR rules? Which other clubs are planning last minute deals; Tottenham, West Ham, Man Utd, Man City, Liverpool, Brighton. How are deals done; the inside track on continuing to pay wages even if you sell a player and why are deals always done so late in the window?  Lastly, how do reporters deal with agents, club presidents and managers and the half-truths, spin and outright lies that do the rounds…?  

What do you think of the new Champions League format? It gets mixed reaction in the studio – full of excitement but was there any real jeopardy?Manchester City got through, but the sight of Pep Guardiola clutching at straws was something to behold. Villa were in a thriller with Celtic and one man stood out – Morgan Rogers. A hattrick in the Champions League at 22 with the England manager watching on.Another young talent on show was 17yr old Ethan Nwaneri where is his best position?A quick look at transfers – is Ollie Watkins worth 60 million and a look ahead to some key games this weekend. 

Can it get any worse for Spurs? Losses to Everton and at home to Leicester have piled the pressure on Ange Postecoglou, but the fans are turning on chairman Daniel Levy. How long before something breaks? Tom Allnutt makes an impassioned defence of Ange…Alyson Rudd isn’t buying it!Bournemouth in contrast play a similar pressing game, have lots of injures but are on fire. What is the difference, how is Andoni Iraola doing it?Man City against Chelsea was a show case in how not to defend – Gregor Robertson felt for debutant Khunsanov.Yellow card, Red card…orange Card. What did Lewis Skelly deserve? Is the reaction of the Arsenal players and coaching staff make things worse?

Manchester City threw away a two goal lead again. As they sign three players in a week, will Pep Guardiola be around for the re build?The result proved one thing, this new Champions League format is great, isn’t it?Is the criticism levelled at Kai Havertz unfair? His stats suggest he is an effective forward so what’s is the problem?After the break, clever footballers, the hipster derby and a new definition of ‘the big six.’ 

All the latest from the Football League with Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson.Tony Mowbray is back, and he is back at West Brom. After recovering from cancer one of the most well-liked managers in football has returned to the Hawthorns. What could he achieve there?Burnley and Sunderland made headlines with a nil nil draw. Who will be happier and which is better placed for a promotion push?The bottom of the championship is a managerial merry-go-round will the changes pay off?In League One it’s the clash of the cash as Wrexham play Birmingham at the Racecourse.

What is the future of Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou? With his Spurs team sitting in their worst league position at this stage since 2009, injuries galore and the pressure mounting, what happens next? For Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest life couldn’t be better. Andoni Iraola is drawing rave reviews for his style of football as his team are one point of the Champions League places. Forest are in the title race, let alone the race for Europe.After the break, a tribute to Denis Law, is it time we drop the term ‘Big Six’ and did Villa play well or did Arsenal mess up?     

A tough win in the north London derby has but Arsenal well and truly back in the title race. But who else is in the picture? Liverpool and Forest; Chelsea have stumbled but are Newcastle – on a nine game winning run - now live contenders? Is Gabriel Arsenal’s best defender?What is good football and do Tottenham play it? Forest don’t press, what a refreshing change. Liverpool didn’t win but they still looked good.And how can Everton score a goal?