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Premier Postbag 1 - Listener questions from the postbag
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Transcript
Introduction and Podcast Structure
00:00:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome, welcome, welcome everybody. It's Monday the 6th of October. Come close, come gather, come gather round the fire, the fire of punditry. As we bring you, it's time to open the post bag.
00:00:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's time to, come on everyone, let's have a look, the dig deeply into the sack, Nick, i know you like doing that. And see what we can come up with. So my name's Ken Davis.
00:00:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
His name's Nick Britton. You're very welcome today on the Daily Premier League podcast. How are you doing, Nick?
00:00:43
Nick Britten
Did you spend all afternoon writing that intro?
00:00:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, that just literally came out of my mouth. It was like just word blancmange.
00:00:50
Nick Britten
Yeah, very good. I'm all right. I'm okay, actually. I think I've got a touch of the flu, but I'm all right. think I haven't. You know, when you just feel a bit under the weather. I think it's that time of year. It's that time year. But this is my second Global Sports premiere Podcast Network podcast of the day.
00:01:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is it? How come?
00:01:06
Nick Britten
Yeah, because I was a guest on the Southampton, GSPN Daily Southampton today, because was doing a wash-up of the Derby Southampton game.
00:01:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh. Oh,
00:01:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah that'll be interesting to listen.
00:01:16
Nick Britten
Obviously, I was at it on Saturday.
00:01:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good game, actually. we both we We're both at the weekend. I will, because we actually, just as a quick kind of mention,
00:01:21
Nick Britten
Yeah, it's good.
00:01:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're doing the post bag. I've seen the three letters that we're going to deal with today. There's another three I deal with on Wednesday.
00:01:31
Nick Britten
Oh.
00:01:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
One of them kind of, kind of has got championship. Well, actually that's got championship aspects to it. So there's a lot talk about. ah And he's good about this.
00:01:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know what's in the postbag. Nick doesn't know what's in the postbag.
00:01:46
Nick Britten
You're going to surprise me.
00:01:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah, it's all going to be a bit of a surprise for him. But great. That makes it even funnier. So, first one is from, and we're going to deal with three, ah Troy in Dallas, Dallas, Texas.
00:02:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow. Imagine what it's like in Dallas, Texas. That was great.
00:02:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
that what that
00:02:08
Nick Britten
da da da da
00:02:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's right. Troy, JR's youngest. um This is what he writes.
Listener Question: Refereeing and VAR
00:02:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've paraphrased it para of phrasesing slightly. I've noticed that you like to have a go at referees during the podcast.
00:02:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you think that the standard of refereeing is generally improving the season? And as a secondary point, would you extend-reduce reduce the role of VAR in what areas?
00:02:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's not quite an interesting question. So, Nick, you're ah you're a resident referee. 1988. be.
00:02:44
Nick Britten
you know what time it is in Dallas?
00:02:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
will be.
00:02:50
Nick Britten
Close. It's 12.05, so Troy's having his lunch. I hope he's having a nice lunch in Dallas, Texas.
00:02:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
i will will
00:02:57
Nick Britten
Right, referees. Well, we know. we know and i think i think he's almost answered his own his own question in as much as the fact that we keep going on about referees already this season tells you that we're not very happy with them. I can't see. Look, VAR has been in place in the Premier League now for seven years.
00:03:12
Nick Britten
And you tell me, has it got any better? Because I don't think it's got any better. And there still seems to be an enormous amount of confusion about what it should do, what it shouldn't do, what it can do, what it can't do.
00:03:23
Nick Britten
There's an um always discrepancy around
00:03:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:03:26
Nick Britten
well discreancy around decision-making. Now, the whole point of it was to take was so was to so look ah look at incidents with the clinical eye. But the reality is... you're still looking at through a subjective clinical eye.
00:03:41
Nick Britten
Therefore, it's kind of one referee's opinion. And why why would one referee's opinion looking at a TV screen be different from one referee's opinion watching the yeah being at the game live and refereeing it on the pitch surrounded by players?
00:03:55
Nick Britten
So I don't think the standard of refereeing has got any better. There have been lots of sort of already quite controversial incidents involving referees and VAR, and they do not seem to be able to get VAR right. And every year we hear it's going to get better, it's going to get better. Every year it doesn't get better.
00:04:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I think that's an interesting take on it. um I think, for me, it's also it's the truth and an interesting take.
00:04:17
Nick Britten
it's not an interesting take, it's the truth.
00:04:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's the interesting truth. ah one of the things that Two things for me on VAR.
Effectiveness and Future of VAR
00:04:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, VAR was brought in to make sure that the percentage of correct decisions were ended up being higher.
00:04:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the Premier League and the Referees Association, whatever they're called, ah do produce stats that seem to prove that the rate of correct decisions has indeed got higher. But that's a fairly vested interest.
00:04:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah There's couple of things I would make. There are things with VAR which are objectives and there things with VAR which are subjective. I think the objective ones have objectively improved.
00:05:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I'm um'm going to come to an important point on that. The subjective ones have not improved at all. And I think that just builds on your point, Nick, that actually there's not much point in your VAR when you're just double guessing or second guessing subjectively what the referee saw in real time. I don't see any benefit to that.
00:05:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
What I do see benefit in, and I think we've seen it in play, is things like offside decisions when someone's off by the hair on the third toe of their left foot.
00:05:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And offside is an absolutely objective decision. yeah If you're off by a nanometer, you're off, and it's black and white, it's binary.
00:05:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
So binary things, think, work well. Subjective things, I've just not seen any improvement in it whatsoever.
00:05:55
Nick Britten
ah
00:05:57
Nick Britten
I just... don't mind the subjective things. I don't mind that. What kind of annoys me, and by the way, I've got some interesting stats on VAR, I'm about to tell you. But what annoys me is that when referees make decisions and then they're like, oh, okay, VAR's in there, and they get told to go and look at the monitor, they never stand their ground.
00:06:18
Nick Britten
Even if even it's pretty obvious VAR is wrong, They never do. They never turn around and go, no, actually, I was right the first time.
00:06:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, that's very true.
00:06:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
They just cave in and say, I'm sorry, wherever you are.
00:06:27
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:06:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I agree with you now.
00:06:30
Nick Britten
I know. And I find that really quite annoying, if I'm honest with you, because there are decisions there there there are decisions this season that we've seen where once the referee has a look at the monitor, just go, yeah I was right all along.
00:06:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
you find a lot?
00:06:42
Nick Britten
Thanks very much.
00:06:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Never happened.
00:06:42
Nick Britten
Thanks for advising me. Appreciate your help. But I was wrong all along and I'm going to stick to my initial decision.
00:06:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
never
00:06:47
Nick Britten
And it never happens. And that's one of the major flaws, I think, of VAR. I've got no issue. I'm um um'm in favour I've always been favour of it if it's used in the right way. But they seem to be missing stuff again this season.
00:07:00
Nick Britten
They seem to be ruling stuff. you know And I can think of lots of i can think of lots of examples, a lot of examples, ah already this season where where it's just not really – they've interfered for no apparent reason.
00:07:13
Nick Britten
But I've got in front of me a table for this season already, and I know we're only a few games in, where VAR has either made errors for or errors against you. And VAR have been involved in in fullum decisions in Fulham three times, and they've made three mistakes.
00:07:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's
00:07:30
Nick Britten
And Marco Silva, don't know if you've seen interviews recently with Marco Silva, but his interviews sort of bear that out.
00:07:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
good. Yeah. I mean, that that can that can that can be the difference for a team like Fulham between Europe and not Europe or relegation and staying.
00:07:44
Nick Britten
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:07:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's no excuse for it ah when when when we've got that. couple of things to make.
00:07:49
Nick Britten
Well, the the table, without those VAR mistakes, Fulham are in seventh.
00:07:54
Nick Britten
there there's without though if If those mistakes weren't made, they're in seventh place.
00:07:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow.
00:07:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Amazing.
00:08:00
Nick Britten
So, you know, look, they are looking at um they're looking at, obviously, increasing the scope of VARs next summer, and they're looking at giving them the power to rule on corners.
00:08:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
magistrate ah
00:08:14
Nick Britten
So if the ball does or doesn't go out for a corner, who is it a corner is it a goal kick so yeah
00:08:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great. That was the point I was going to make. That's what we need to add to it because there too many of them this season.
00:08:26
Nick Britten
and the other one they're looking at doing is um allowing VAR to get involved in decisions on second yellow cards and I'm not well um well I don't know you see I kind of go back to your point binary decisions ball in and out of play offside onside stuff which is not arguable
00:08:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, again.
00:08:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
it brush the defender on the way out or didn't it?
00:08:49
Nick Britten
Yeah, that's fine.
00:08:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:51
Nick Britten
But yellow cards are subjective.
00:08:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Correct.
00:08:54
Nick Britten
And there's a lot going on on a football pitch. And referees will will judge that by what they see and what they feel and what's going around. And it's very different to people sitting in Stockley Park watching on a TV screen where they don't really, they're not involved in it They're looking at it in a very sanitised way.
00:09:11
Nick Britten
And of course, as we know, they slow-mo down loads of things that make them look far worse than they they all are in real...
00:09:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh yeah, everything everything looks like it's a criminal offence.
00:09:17
Nick Britten
yeah Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly. and When football, let's not forget, was, or at least used to be, a contact sport.
00:09:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, you get the old pipe out, get your slippers out.
00:09:28
Nick Britten
No, I was refereeing a game at the weekend, by the way.
00:09:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
you pick in come onia
00:09:33
Nick Britten
And you see players just just now, you know younger players, just ask for everything. And I'm like, it's a contact sport. that's you know it's It's a physical, hard contact game.
00:09:45
Nick Britten
So just because you've got the ball and somebody's brushed you off it and you've fallen over, that's not a foul.
00:09:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Correct. Now, one other the point i'm going to make about refereeing and VAR, this is more refereeing thing. Do you remember about three months ago, the big fuss that was made about the eight-second rule Oh, this is going to change a lot. This is reduced time wasting.
00:10:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Has
Enforcement of the Eight-Second Rule
00:10:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
anyone ever seen it being applied? Has anyone actually won a corner from eight second the eight-second rule?
00:10:15
Nick Britten
I'm going to go ahead start.
00:10:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think they have. Now, you might correct on that, but i can't remember it. And it's either worked brilliantly or it's just not being enforced and it's being quietly forgotten. what's the There's a big fuss about it being made at the start the season.
00:10:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've not seen a single instance of it. And when I watch games... Goalkeepers are spending a lot more than eight seconds with the ball. So what's going on there?
00:10:42
Nick Britten
It happened on the first game the season when Martin Dubravka from Burnley held on to a bit too long and got a corner awarded against him.
00:10:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:54
Nick Britten
I think that's it.
00:10:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:56
Nick Britten
I think that's it. ah don't I don't think... Now, what one can assume...
00:10:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it always happens on the first game, doesn't it?
00:10:59
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:11:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because it's the first game. It's not about the first game.
00:11:02
Nick Britten
Always.
00:11:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's easy happening in the 29th game.
00:11:06
Nick Britten
No.
00:11:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's all forgotten about.
00:11:07
Nick Britten
well Well, maybe it is, maybe it isn't, because... I think in the Premier League, goalkeepers tend to get rid of the ball quicker because they generally play short, so they roll it out fairly short. Bear in mind, this is when the goalkeeper's got the ball in his hands. It's not from a goal kick.
00:11:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
but Correct, correct, correct.
00:11:18
Nick Britten
It's when the ball's got the goal. And I think they get rid of it pretty quickly, to honest with you. It's very rare you see a goalkeeper in the Premier League, like you do perhaps in the lower leagues, where they've got the they catch the ball and they're kind of looking around and then they're kind of hanging around and then they're going to kick it long.
00:11:32
Nick Britten
And it all takes forever because the strike is in their way.
00:11:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well,
00:11:35
Nick Britten
That doesn't happen very often in the Premier League. Normally, they release the ball pretty quickly.
00:11:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is true generally, but you watch play after 80 minutes when the team's 1-0 up. It's not quite as straightforward as that. I'm going to keep an eagle eye on that. ah Everybody who's watching, including Troy in Dallas, you have to keep an eye on that as well. I've got a feeling it's just been conveniently forgotten about.
00:11:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, as we know, as Troy in Dallas knows, it pays to get your team selection right. Here at Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery partner.
00:12:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
We chose Zencaster because Zencaster makes it easy to bring your vision to life, share it with your audience, wherever they may be. It's got 4K video recording. It's got very easy AI editing tools. And believe me, I'm a boomer. If I can use them, you can use them.
00:12:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
And top tier distribution tools. And guess what, Nick? They're all in one place. All in one place. You don't to go searching around for these things. So if you've got a story to tell, tell it with Zencaster.
00:12:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Check the show notes for more of those details.
00:12:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, it's so it's quite rapidly getting dark in Derby. And I know, I would imagine by the end of this podcast, I'll be sitting here. You'd just be able to see the collar of my shirt. But next question, Nick.
00:12:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is an interesting one. Interesting one. And we're all interesting. Troy's interesting. Helen from Birmingham in the UK. She writes, excuse me, she writes, I know.
00:13:08
Nick Britten
I thought you doing your Birmingham accent there. She-roids.
00:13:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
She wrote, hello, hello, Ken. Shall I do it in Birmingham?
00:13:13
Nick Britten
You were just laughing.
00:13:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'll do in Birmingham. Hello, Ken. I know you boys have always got one eye on the championship.
00:13:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Given the promoted teams are giving such a good account of themselves this season, are there any teams that seem to be establishing themselves as potential candidates oh its guys's come coming in the championship?
00:13:29
Nick Britten
Oh, gone a bit cocky.
00:13:42
Nick Britten
We've ended up in Adelaide.
00:13:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Just to repeat this question,
00:13:44
Nick Britten
So you started Birmingham, went to East London and ended up in Adelaide in Australia then.
Listener Question: Championship Teams Analysis
00:13:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, sorry about that. So what she's asking is, obviously, the teams the Championship are doing pretty well this year. Are there any outstanding Champions teams, given the 20%, the through 20% of the season already, nine games out of whatever, are there any ones that we need to look out for think they're likely to end up in the Premier League?
00:14:05
Nick Britten
Good. I'm glad you were able to translate the question again because I didn't understand it.
00:14:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
think it's a scouse. Yeah.
00:14:08
Nick Britten
I didn't understand it the first time. ah Well, yes. ah Look, the Championship is, as ever, throwing up great drama, great games. It's the best league in the world.
00:14:19
Nick Britten
It's the most competitive league in the world. And already there are there are a few surprises, but maybe not that many surprises. So I think the big surprise is that you've got Ipswich Town in ninth and you've got Southampton in seventeenth And Leicester in third. And I think last season when they came down, nobody expected Leicester to do anything because they came down under a real financial cloud.
00:14:45
Nick Britten
Everybody expected Ipswich to walk this league, but they sit on 13 points.
00:14:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
They are the 4-1 team though.
00:14:51
Nick Britten
And Southampton, I thought Southampton were pretty good on Saturday.
00:14:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Did you?
00:14:57
Nick Britten
Yeah, I thought, it well, no, let me let me make my point. I thought they were pretty good up until they got to kind of our defensive third, their attacking third. they knocked ball around well. I thought they looked a decent footballing team, but they lacked much in the in in the final third.
00:15:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
I in.
00:15:14
Nick Britten
After that first goal, they had a flurry at the start the game. They could scored three in the first few minutes. They did get one. But as the game went on and on and on, they just looked sort of less and less of a threat, I thought.
00:15:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah i was
00:15:25
Nick Britten
But I thought they knocked the ball around pretty well. and So I think the expectations of the three relegated sides from Premier League have been sort slightly different to how they have started the season.
00:15:40
Nick Britten
Coventry top of the league and they are, so far, I think probably the best team this season.
00:15:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
No question. No question.
00:15:45
Nick Britten
Because they've not only won five out of their nine games, they've scored 27 goals. They hit another five at a weekend.
00:15:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:53
Nick Britten
mean, they are ridiculously good.
00:15:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
27 goals in nine games. Middlesbrough, second place, have scored 13.
00:15:57
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:15:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, Coventry are just the outstanding team.
00:16:00
Nick Britten
Yeah, I think Middlesbrough scored 12th, but you may be right.
00:16:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:16:04
Nick Britten
You may be right. and So Coventry art contrary are are the early pace setters.
00:16:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:11
Nick Britten
They're one point ahead of Middlesbrough, three points ahead of Leicester in third, and Preston in fourth. Didn't expect to see Preston in fourth.
00:16:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we've seen them. Were you at the Derby Coventry game? They absolutely blasted us off the park.
00:16:21
Nick Britten
Yeah, but we scored three goals, so they can't be that good.
00:16:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. but used to No, that was the miracle. I mean, bear in mind, ah I think Coventry have conceded six, something like that. Three of them conceded, or maybe nine.
00:16:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Three of them were conceded in that game, first game in the season. But this they've sorted that out. And going forward, Coventry look will beat us. No, they're not. It's in the Championship.
00:16:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Coventry look by far the best team I've seen so far in that league.
00:16:49
Nick Britten
Yeah, well, they've hit five away Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, four away from home at Millwall last Wednesday,
00:16:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Either way at Derby, first game of the
00:16:59
Nick Britten
Three at home to Coventry. um the only The only game they haven't scored yet this season was at home to, sorry, away at Leicester City, where it was a 0-0 draw.
00:17:10
Nick Britten
And as you say, on the opening, um not quite the opening game and season, was it's just got it?
00:17:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:17:15
Nick Britten
It was a week or so in, hit five at Derby. Oh, no, they drew 0-0 at home to Harlow on the opening game of the season, actually. ah So two games they failed to score in. But yeah, they're hitting the straps. But ah they finished last season very, very strongly, if you remember.
00:17:29
Nick Britten
And they only just missed out. They got in the playoffs but got beat by Sunderland in the playoffs with a very, very, very late goal. And they've just carried that on. They've got a really good strike force.
00:17:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
And they've got really good money.
00:17:40
Nick Britten
um me and I'm mega impressed with their strikers and they play good football Frank Lampard who I'm a big fan of of course he had a good spell at Derby and I'm a big fan of his and I think he's doing a great job and I hope they get promoted I do
00:17:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah At the moment, they just seen they've got that feel of a team that's just better than anyone else.
00:17:58
Nick Britten
Well, they have at the moment, but to have a moment but it's a long season in the Championship.
00:17:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Correct. Yeah, 1%.
00:18:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
long
00:18:01
Nick Britten
And many, many, many times we've seen people go off at the start tortoise and hare style and run out of gas.
00:18:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
correct ha
00:18:08
Nick Britten
couple of key injuries, running a bit out form.
00:18:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah one
00:18:11
Nick Britten
So nothing is a foregone conclusion.
00:18:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
But given where we are at the moment, first 20% of the season, Coventry, they look the class act.
00:18:13
Nick Britten
But yeah, come on three look good.
00:18:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Millsborough second place, they look decent without being special.
00:18:22
Nick Britten
Yeah, that's it.
00:18:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Honestly, what I've seen of the championship so far, there's Coventry and everyone else.
00:18:23
Nick Britten
I think that's it.
00:18:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
And maybe take Sheffield United off the other end, but they're going to pick up with Wilder back.
00:18:32
Nick Britten
with Well, that's why I was going to come to that.
00:18:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everyone else is the same.
00:18:34
Nick Britten
I was going to come to that. The biggest surprise, everybody's going, well, hang about, where is Sheffield United in all this? Because they've always been at the top of the league and they were in the playoffs, got to the playoff final. So they were 90 minutes away from memory. In fact, they're about 25 minutes away from being promoted to the Premier League and Sunderland turned it all around in that playoff final back in May.
Wrexham's Financial Challenges in the Championship
00:18:53
Nick Britten
Well, Sheffield United are bottom of the championship. Having played nine games, they've won one, they've lost eight, they've scored what it's called three goals, they've let in 16, and they've got three points.
00:19:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:07
Nick Britten
So they are marooned at the bottom. And the only bit of solace and comfort for Sheffield United is that second to bottom is Sheffield Wednesday. So the two Sheffield teams are having an absolute rotten time of it.
00:19:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:19:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I've seen Sheffield Wednesday play this season. They were rubbish. ah But they did manage 2-2 at Wrexham. But, um so forget about Sheffield United, forget about Sheffield Wednesday. The only other team that I think is starting to get its act together is Ipswich.
00:19:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've done a reasonable run form over the last three games. ah Coventry have won the last three. I think Ipswich have won two out three, something like that. They look like they've got a chance. Leicester, of course, I think is under a threat still of points deductions.
00:19:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that could wreck their season, I think. um The only other team that got off to a really good start and people were starting to whisper that it might be their year was Stoke. ah But they've got they've only taken three points in the last 12, so they've kind of they've gone back to normal.
00:20:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So, yeah, I think the story is from the Championship, at least to what I've seen so far, Coventry's seen the outstanding team. Everybody else is about the same. I mean, obviously, Wrexham looked outstanding, Barcelona of North Wales.
00:20:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
But apart from that, ah it all looks pretty pretty normal.
00:20:20
Nick Britten
Well, on the basis that they they're the only team in North Wales, aren't they?
00:20:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
exactly well not quite um
00:20:25
Nick Britten
Yeah, Wrexham, I know Wrexham fans, I know certain Wrexham fans, thought that having bought and therefore rampaged their way through the National League, League Two, League One, ah would immediately get promoted to the Premier League via the Championship and therefore the Disney cameras have been rolling.
00:20:44
Nick Britten
What they found though is unlike League Two, League One and the non-league, you can't buy your way out of Championship because you've got suddenly you're coming under PSR. So you're actually pretty ordinary.
00:20:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Don't start. And that, if whoever you know, and I, who is a rector support, and that can't be me, um they would need psychological help if they thought we were going to go straight up to the
00:21:06
Nick Britten
He was. He was called from Wales. That him. wales that's in
00:21:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
god Digestive. Yeah.
00:21:12
Nick Britten
yeah
00:21:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. Okay. Right. By the way, Global Sports Podcast Network is partnered with Bionique, the world's most personalized supplements, because your body, our body, my body, Nick's body, is unique. My body's not the same as Nick's.
00:21:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:21:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:22:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, final bit of the episode today. The quite interesting third question.
00:22:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's from Darren in Cleveland in Ohio.
Listener Question: Summer Transfers Review
00:22:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Given the summer was a record period of transfer activity in the Premier League, who would you say so far have been the big hits from that transfer business and who have been the big misses? What a great question.
00:22:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you, Darren from Cleveland. hope the Browns, ah yeah well, the terrible NFL team, hope I hope we are cheering you up because the Browns certainly aren't at the moment. ah Nick,
00:22:49
Nick Britten
right
00:22:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Positives. who's been Who's been standout? Who's been...
00:22:53
Nick Britten
i'll tell you i'll tell you the best signing of the entire summer has been okay and he only cost nine million pounds you know who going say
00:22:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Xhaka?
00:23:08
Nick Britten
He cost £9 million. pounds No, not Xhaka, but it's the right team.
00:23:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Greenish.
00:23:16
Nick Britten
No, no, no. Not Xhaka, but it's the right team, so you give me somebody else completely. No, for my money, the best signing over the summer is Robin Roof, the goalkeeper of Sunderland.
00:23:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:27
Nick Britten
Cost £9 million pounds from NEC in the area of Videse.
00:23:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:23:32
Nick Britten
He's been unbelievable. He's been unbelievable. he's This is his first season in Premier League. This is only his second team because he's only 22 years old.
00:23:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:23:41
Nick Britten
So it's not like he's an experienced goalkeeper coming into the Premier League yeah for 50 million quid or something like that
00:23:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
no
00:23:47
Nick Britten
He's come in and he's looked sensational. He's kept Sunderland in so many games. He's got three clean sheets already. Bear in mind, this is Sunderland who's only just been promoted. Three clean sheets in seven games. He's conceding less than one game ah sorry one goal per game.
00:24:04
Nick Britten
His save rate is higher than nearly anybody else in the Premier League because he's obviously facing shots as well. He had a nearly 80% save rate. And he's kept Sunderland in games. He's won them points.
00:24:16
Nick Britten
So against Palace and against Forest particularly, both away games. Certainly against ah Palace, he made three or four really good saves towards the end of the game. And they got a goal of 0-0.
00:24:27
Nick Britten
And against Forest, where they won 1-0, he's also pulling off great stops.
00:24:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, can't disagree with that.
00:24:32
Nick Britten
And I think,
00:24:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Even in the tune of the defeat against United, he was outstanding.
00:24:36
Nick Britten
I think if you're going to survive as a newly promoted Premier League team, you need a really, really solid defence. And that defence starts with a goalkeeper. And he's looking brilliant value. If you look down the list of goalkeepers in the Premier League, you're not going to find better value.
00:24:53
Nick Britten
Nine million quid, 22 years old.
00:24:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, no, no, no.
00:24:55
Nick Britten
what ah What a steal.
00:24:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:24:57
Nick Britten
Whoever does Sunderland's recruitment needs a big pat on back for that.
00:25:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sunday's recruitment has been outstanding, actually. It's been outstanding. ah the The lad they got from Portugal, ah the left-back, is a very, very good player. Xhaka, obviously, has done wonders for him.
00:25:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Anybody you picked up in terms of maybe not quite pulling his weight, given the value of the transfer fee that was demanded for him?
00:25:24
Nick Britten
Well, that's quite easy it's quite easy, isn't it? Because you could just say, and anybody who plays for Liverpool, quite frankly.
00:25:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's a couple of obvious ones, aren't there? Yeah, kind of.
00:25:31
Nick Britten
i mean, the obvious one is Florian Verts. He's had a ah bit of a wretched, wretched time. And they paid a lot of money for him. Was it... this
00:25:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
100 million pounds.
00:25:42
Nick Britten
Was it £100 million? It was, wasn't it? I was going to say £100 million and he looks completely out of sorts.
00:25:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
100 million. 100 million.
00:25:49
Nick Britten
Now, he's a very good player and I hope it' will come good for him. and He's got it in him.
00:25:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, let's be honest, Nick, it couldn't get any verts.
00:26:00
Nick Britten
Hang on.
00:26:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
like you
00:26:02
Nick Britten
Have you not got a tumbleweed um sound effect for me?
00:26:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
thought that was quite good, actually. Anyway, so Florian Verts is your...
00:26:11
Nick Britten
ah Yeah.
00:26:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
your
00:26:12
Nick Britten
Yeah, I think i think so. i mean, it's a really easy, and if I'm really honest, quite a lazy pick because you just bounced the question on me. But he's he's the obvious one. I mean, look, you can swap Verts out for Kerkers if you like, but they didn't pay didn't pay as much for Kerkers.
00:26:27
Nick Britten
A lot has been expected of Verts. And as I say, he may well come good. He may not, but he may well come good. and have a really good sort of second half the season once once he settles in. But he's looked totally out of sorts and he is one of the reasons, not the only one by any stretch of imagination, but one of the reasons why Liverpool's season has really spluttered and stuttered, particularly of late with three defeats on the spin.
00:26:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, good choices. A couple of people just thrown into the mix. I mean, Grealish is... I mean, they paid £12 million, I think, to have Grealish there at Everton for the season. I think that's working out pretty well. Xhaka's working out well.
00:27:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
think Donnarumma's going to be a good acquisition for City at 26. I think Lammons is going to be a good acquisition. It's funny how we're focusing on the goalkeepers. as as potential great signings. That doesn't often happen.
00:27:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Lamin's at 18 million for Man United. If he solves Man United's keeper crisis, that's a fantastic bit of business. And he looked, it's a very, very small sample size.
00:27:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's played one the game. But in looked he he looked confident.
00:27:28
Nick Britten
So it also
00:27:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And, you know, he obviously got a clean sheet in his first game as well. as it's Some pretty important saves. Eketike looks good. Obviously, they paid nearly £70 million pounds for him at Liverpool. He looks a decent player.
00:27:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
A couple of honourable mentions, I think. Kudos, who went from West Ham to Spurs, looks a decent player to me. £55 million. On the negatives, yeah, you've talked about the the key ones there, Verts.
00:27:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Kerkhez, not been impressed with Kerkhez at all. couple of other things just to mention in passing on it.
00:28:04
Nick Britten
I'm going to
00:28:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
James Trafford going City, and then Donnaroo were coming in, 27 million. Okay, they didn't spend a fortune on him, but James Trafford must be sitting there thinking, why did I do that?
00:28:17
Nick Britten
Yeah, he would be. I'm sure he is. And he had ah he was in the team, wasn't he, for the first couple of games?
00:28:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:28:22
Nick Britten
And he had a couple of really shaky games.
00:28:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're
00:28:25
Nick Britten
But i think I don't think that's impacted on Manchester City's decision to buy Donnarumma. Because if Donnarumma becomes available, you just go and buy him. It doesn't matter who else you got in goal, you go and buy him.
00:28:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
just going back. Yeah, and 26 million is good business for Man City. But you've got to slightly...
00:28:39
Nick Britten
Oh, he's brilliant keeper, yeah. yeah What about Cesco at Manchester United?
00:28:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, just got to feel slightly sorry for James Trafford. The other thing, just to mention...
00:28:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm reserving my judgment on Chesco.
00:28:50
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:28:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:28:51
Nick Britten
because yeah Because I kind of thought it was a good signing, but it hasn't really worked out yet. um But we don't quite know. He scored, didn't he, at the weekend, but still looks a little bit...
00:29:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
That might be it. And it was a very tidy finish. and not quite as tidy as Greenish's but it was a tidy tidy thing yeah
00:29:06
Nick Britten
I think this was pure luck. We've discussed this. I mean, it wasn't yeah it wasn't pure luck that he got the ball. was pure luck that when the ball bounced off his foot, it flew into the net when it could have gone absolutely anywhere.
00:29:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah yeah maybe the other thing I would just mention before I would pull it to a conclusion I suppose the bit the worst bit of business, and I know they couldn't do much about it, but the worst bit of business that I think has been done is Trent Alexander-Arnold going to where he went, Real Madrid, Real, 10 million.
00:29:33
Nick Britten
Real Madrid.
00:29:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've really missed him.
00:29:35
Nick Britten
Yeah,
00:29:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've really missed him for that. Oh,
00:29:39
Nick Britten
yeah but but... Well, they have, but they weren't to know that when they brought in Frimpong on that side and they brought in... Who else did they bring in on that side? who's the other one they brought in anyway yeah they they they they yeah they thought that they would replace him and let's I mean i I don't know I'm not I'm not as much of a fanboy of Trent Alexander-Arnold as you are I'll tell you who's the worst signing who's the worst signing in the Premier League season so far Ange Posto Coglu
00:29:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
man. I don't know. Okay, I guess I'm using.
00:30:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah.
00:30:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
a That's a good place
Episode Wrap-Up and Teaser
00:30:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
to leave it. Right. By the way, if your name is Alison from Bedford, Marco from Bologna or Dan from Houston in Texas, we're coming for you in the next episode because we've got three more three more post bags.
00:30:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah to Well, no, three more letters, emails, whatever, pigeons, that we need to discuss next time. But until then, that has been 30 minutes, I think I'm sure you'd agree, of Pulitzer Prize winning football Premier League punditry ah by myself and Nick.
00:30:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
So without further ado, we'll let you get on with the rest of your evening. Nick, thank you very, very much for joining me on the podcast.
00:30:48
Nick Britten
As always, my friend, as always.