The Game

No signings in the window but Beyonce makes Spurs rich 

Tom Clarke is joined by Gregor Robertson and Martin Samuel for more football discussion and a crash course in Beyonce lyrics.

First off, the team look back at a very positive performance for Chelsea in the league cup. Do they now have a cutting edge and are some of their big signings starting to gel? Liverpool are progressing without Mo Salah, but opinion is still split on Darwin Nunez.

The transfer window has been a damp squib, Martin has a theory as to why.

After the break Tom goes Beyonce crazy as he looks at the role the megastar played in making Spurs London’s richest club. What does the Spurs model mean for teams like Chelsea and Newcastle and how they monetize their football clubs?

We finish with a long FA cup weekend, are there shocks anymore…?

Timesline:

Chelsea triumph

2’ there is a good team at Chelsea trying to get out. Now they’re in a final.

3’ Chelsea are more organised, and have plenty of confidence players. Its growing now. Pace in the team.

4’ but they lack a centre forward and Tiago at 39 is thill their best defender.

6’ Too reliant on full backs – Chilwell and James. Should Poch have a better plan b

7’ Winning the final could be a springboard. Only two players left from the Chelsea Champions league team.

Liverpool and Salah

8’ Salah’s loss is big but can be absorbed.

10’ Liverpool’s youngsters all doing well. Entering a winning team helps.

12’ Great collection of forward players

15’ Nunez, Gregor still not convinced.

Transfer window

21’ the ten point deductions have scared clubs into not signing anyone.

23’ Why do we have a transfer window. The restriction doesn’t apply in any other business.

27’ Should you be able to buy your way out of trouble? Is that why the window exists…

28’ Profit and sustainability rules are pushing teams to do much of their business in the summer.

Richest clubs and finance models

32’ They’ve done so without winning anything. Proof of modern football thinking.

33’ Financial success not built on sporting success. Built on good business planning.

33’ All done by monetizing the stadium.

34’ Very modern success story. Comparison to Chelsea who fall behind every match day.

All returns to profit and sustainability rules. Newcastle now busy tryign to maximise every aspect of the club.

36’ Spurs stadium cost 1 billion, not everyone can do that. It should be good!

38’ This affects on pitch. Because higher revenues allow clubs to spend more on players.

38’ Newcastle a long way off, not built a following outside on Newcastle.

39’ Should Newcastle consider naming rights on their stadium?

39’ Newcastle ideal owner was mike Ashley, he ran it as an accountant.

. Ashley was great re P and S rules. But awful for football.

FA Cup

46’ All the fixtures spread out. Best two games on Friday night.

Chelsea Villa the stand out.

47’ Only four games on Saturday. 

52’ lamenting of teams outside the top division not featuring in finals