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Lions & Bears’ Season Previews | KD Trade Destinations & Bane to the Magic | City & Leeds’ 25/26
17 Plays15 days ago
In this week’s episode of Who’s Got The Ball? the lads discussed what the Lions and Bears need in order to be successful next season, before discussing the Desmond Bane trade to the Magic and where the most likely destination for Kevin Durant is this summer. James and Shane finished up by previewing Leeds and Man City’s seasons ahead, including what their ceiling’s are.
The lads continued their new section for the summer, where they break down the biggest football transfers/rumours of the past week, as well as continuing the draft style game in which they picked their best current NFL wide receivers.
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Give Conor’s twitter page a follow too for all your Leeds news - @MarchingOnMedia
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Transcript
Is the Club World Cup a Waste of Time?
00:00:10
Speaker
Alright lads, welcome back to another episode of Who's Got The Ball. Me and Shane here, back once again. Shane is absolutely loving the Club World Cup. Go off on it there, Shane. What a waste of time. Start to finish. just As i was just saying today before we came on, it's like it's just basically a friendly tournament, like the Audi Cup or something.
00:00:28
Speaker
You can tell like some of the teams in it are just yeah garbage. What's the point? Honestly, maybe if it gets to quarters and semis and you're down to eight good teams, they might take it seriously then. But at the moment, I just don't see any appeal to watching this. i Unless you're watching Trent Alexander-Arnold as a Liverpool fan.
00:00:44
Speaker
There isn't really a whole lot more going on. But it's just, it's unbelievable how bad it's been. and There's no hype about it or anything. Like, just... Just utter nonsense. I think it is a bit of a waste. i haven't watched any of it now myself.
00:00:57
Speaker
It's like you said before we came on, like we've seen enough football really and it's not like an international tournament where everybody's putting their all into it. I'm sure when it gets down to it, like the clubs will want to win because there's a lot of money on the line but like that doesn't that might not affect the players like it's not like you're not playing for a national pride playing for anything that's in your contract really so yeah it's a bit of a waste yeah the thing is well like Bayern Munich beats an amateur New Zealand or side there last week ten yeah they got one and a half million for winning that game
00:01:32
Speaker
It's madness. like it's it's It's just it's completely nuts. Teams are now paying, Madrid paying £10 million to get in Trent, Bayern paying £7.5 million to get in Janet and Tarr. They don't need them at the moment. like the The group say they're going to be utter nonsense. Madrid play...
00:01:49
Speaker
Red Bud Salzburg and some other crowd. I don't even know who it is, to be honest. I couldn't tell you who the some of the smaller teams are, but they really need to pay to get Trent Dind to play these three matches. I know. And especially with how bad he was the other night, by all accounts as well. Like, he's just...
00:02:04
Speaker
You're better off blood and blood in the young foot, I like to do with striker that scored and then get Trent in for when it's kind of, it's busier when it's in the quarters and semis or the final. Give him a bit of a break as well. He gets an extra two or three weeks off to recover after a long season.
00:02:17
Speaker
Yeah. Literally just back from an injury. and Instead of rushing people in, trying to bet him into a new system that I don't even know if he played three at the back. It was a four on paper, but and my friend was saying that the left back was talking in and Trent had a bit of a free roll.
00:02:32
Speaker
But other than that, like it's kind of this is just going to be used for trialing new things. Man City were trialing a new thing the other night as well, because the opposition they're playing is It's just, it's probably a tad bit better than the teams they will play when it comes to actually pre-season games. But Man City might get a chance to play pre-season friendlies either. So this might be their only chance to bet in their new signings. And no one needed this.
00:02:55
Speaker
Literally, there's not a single person in the world who needed this club workup to be on. And the attendances are showing that as well. Yeah, that's so just what I said. The attendances are reflecting. how poor it's been. Like, it looks really bad as well to have the stadiums empty for what they want to be, like a big tournament. It's not working. Exactly, yeah. and but Yeah, some of the games are just like, I don't know.
00:03:15
Speaker
I just, like, Real Madrid versus Al-Ali. I was like, right, a few years ago when they had, like, and they didn't they Neymar? And that would have been a good team that you might want to play. Or it's Al-Halal, sorry. um And Real Madrid, yeah.
00:03:30
Speaker
Yeah, lyn then you would have had Neymar a few years back. But then looking at their team now, they have Milinkovic, Savage. you're not like you're not ready yeah You're not really going to watch that as like a juggernaut match-up or something.
00:03:43
Speaker
No, absolutely not. Yeah, there's no draw to
Leinster's Milestone Victory
00:03:46
Speaker
it. But anyway, enough negativity. Leinster won the URC last weekend. I was there, Krogh Park. Kraken win.
00:03:54
Speaker
Great to get a bit of silverware and finally got the thing done after four long years. So that's all I'll say about that. Let's move straight into the NFL because I don't need your take that. father was over the moon.
00:04:05
Speaker
My dad was over the moon when it was old now and trying to watch with him was... Yeah, I'll take take. All right, but... Yeah, trying to watch it with him was a bit of a nightmare because... Anyway, yeah, we'll go on to the NFL.
Can the Lions Overcome Their Playoff Struggles?
00:04:16
Speaker
We don't need any positivity around that. Well, I gave it its positivity. We don't need your negativity from it. But... Let's get straight into this this NFL chat. So we're going to continue like we have done the last two weeks. We're going to continue like previewing two teams each week up until the season with the four key questions. So we'll obviously go over them again as we go.
00:04:38
Speaker
So the first one, last week, last two weeks we did NFC East, so that's completely covered. and Now we're going to the NFC North. So the first team we're going to go from the NFC North is the Lions. So the first question, as always, is where do they need to improve the most from last season? and I really struggled trying to like pick a pain point for the Lions because I thought they were just so impressive last year.
00:05:01
Speaker
But when it came down to it in the playoffs, they were just they were so expansive in that game against the commanders and it cost them in the end. And they ended up in a massive shootout and they lost it. Now, did a couple of shootouts over the season as well. I was looking back. They lost to the Biddles.
00:05:16
Speaker
in the game, I think it was 48, 45. So every time they seemed to get into shootout, they seemed to come out wrong end it. If they could tighten up and they get to the playoffs this year, I think they'd have a much better chance of getting through. And it's not even about being boring.
00:05:30
Speaker
Like the Lions literally, don't think they have the ability to be boring when they're playing. They're just an incredible team to watch. But if they could just tighten up a bit on the defensive end, the scoring point isn't a problem.
00:05:41
Speaker
and I think especially in the playoffs, then I think they could have a really good chance of getting to a Super Bowl. Yeah, I guess they had so many injuries at that point on defence that it was it was tough for them.
00:05:52
Speaker
And I think their tactic of... going all out scoring against another team didn't work out for them in the end. Like even when they had those injuries in the regular season, there was games where they performed well defensively. And I feel like they should have maybe relied a little bit more on some of those guys that were doing the best they could. But again, it's easy to say that when you're depleted after a full season and um of football and you're not expected to be, you know, starting in the first place. But what I had from that was...
00:06:21
Speaker
they need to manage the brain drain of losing their offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator in one goal. They have very high expectations this season.
00:06:32
Speaker
and Dan Campbell is an excellent head coach, but it's massive. like It takes so much from both sides of the ball. It takes all your plays out from you know that that were drawn up as specifically by that coordinator.
00:06:45
Speaker
like Teams will have figured some of those out, so then you'll rely on them then to go, okay, where are we going to go this year? But now it's a whole new guy. Now, sometimes that can work, but it's very tough if both are replaced. So I think that's something that they need to be careful on.
00:07:00
Speaker
it's ah It's not like an improvement point, but I think that's the only thing I could really think of that they need to manage going into next season. and Yeah, I think it shows well just how good they were over the last couple of years that teams wanted both their offensive and defensive coordinators in the one summer.
00:07:15
Speaker
like yeah yeah i was It's very hard to think of another team with that kind of a turnover in the space of one summer. where you're losing both guys because they're after getting really, really, really good head coach opportunities.
00:07:27
Speaker
It's usually because they're useless. They're just binning off the two coordinators. Yeah, it's it's not because they've both been incredible over the last couple of years. And now we'll see how they get on. um Especially, I'm obviously very excited about watching Glenn and see what he can do with the Jets because I think that's a great appointment, hopefully.
00:07:44
Speaker
Yeah. Especially after losing Salah. Yeah, I actually think that might even work out better than the... than the Johnson one because I think Chicago is such a tricky market to navigate and but anyway we'll come on to them in a few minutes but the second question then is which three players on the team will make the biggest impact?
00:08:05
Speaker
um so This again it's like I always hate going for the go-to names but I think it's so pre prevalent here that it is going to be Gibbs Laporte if he just continues to improve and then on the defensive end I think Hutchinson Yeah. I had Hutchinson as well.
00:08:22
Speaker
Five games, 7.5 sacks last season after before he had that gruesome leg injury. and Coming back now is, I think, you know, I think he's tough. He almost made it back towards end the end of last season.
00:08:36
Speaker
I don't know what he played if they got further and more of a part there. But I think... he he's ready to go this year, I think. And I think that they added Tyleek Williams, I think, on the defensive line. So that's an addition there that can that can help him, I suppose, although it's it's more interior pressure. But still, I think he'll have a big season.
00:08:57
Speaker
Gibbs, I also noted, same as you. I think he'll just get more touches than needed last year after already having nearly 2,000 total yards last year. and because Montgomery will just ramp down over time.
00:09:08
Speaker
And then the third one I had is Jameson Williams. He had his first 1,000-yard season last year. And I think with a new coordinator, he might get involved even more. And he gives a lot of explosive plays to the team. So I think he is an important one.
00:09:20
Speaker
Yeah, I did obviously, I looked at him and St. Brown obviously, but I thought it's kind of like, I didn't want to pick their wide receivers because they're just like, they're so good. Like it's so obvious that their most important player is St. Brown.
00:09:34
Speaker
but think guys think I think highlighting Jemisin is a a good shout there as well because he I thought he was brilliant last season. and Especially when he was kind of, he was playing like a wide receiver one and a half or wide receiver two. He was never the first choice. that was always going to be St. Brown. But the fact he got so much production out of it, if they can, as you said, with the new offensive coordinator, if he can keep that going, get Gibbs involved as much as possible, then I think if think if they want to go into shootouts, they they could put up 60 points whenever they want if if they get it right here.
00:10:03
Speaker
Especially Williams can throw a touchdown pass as well, which you've seen him do. Yeah, yeah. But I think, yeah, Gibbs is only going to get more touches. I think Montgomery will probably won't be there too much longer. think they'll just go to Gibbs as a lead back because he seems like he's able to do it all and he proved it when when Montgomery was injured last year. But...
00:10:22
Speaker
Then the next one is, do we think they'll hit their over under? So with the bookies, it's 10 and a half. next year Last year, they had 15. I said that it's definitely doable because they had a depleted roster last year and they still managed 15. So I'm going to say yes, they'll get at least 11 wins.
00:10:38
Speaker
Yeah, I said between 12 and 15, again, as I said over, and there's no way they're not winning 10 games. <unk>s just There's no world they don't out and win 10 games with the talent they have. And then it's about, can they match what they did last year? Can they get even somewhere closer? And I i can't see how they don't.
00:10:55
Speaker
Yeah, I think you combat the fact that they lost their two coordinators, or the fact they're getting so many players back from injury. And you're like, right, I think it probably going to easy it probably will even out in that 12 to 15 range, most likely, because 15 is just insane.
00:11:10
Speaker
But like yeah even 12 is unreal. So, yeah. and Then the last question is, what is their ceiling with the current roster and coach for the season ahead? I think we'll probably have the same answer here.
00:11:21
Speaker
Super Bowl. Yeah. Yeah. I think so. they like you did They were so close last year. As you said, the injuries caught up to them and the shootout caught up to them. But they were one of the best teams in the NFL last year. Themselves, obviously the Eagles who won and the Chiefs.
00:11:39
Speaker
But I do think did they were definitely in that upper echelon of yeah the best teams out there. but they were They were my favourite to watch outside of... outside of Superintuitive Jets and my favourite team was to watch was definitely the Lions I loved watching their wide receivers I loved Dan Campbell just loved going for them every single chance so I don't I don't see point where they don't and get guest very very close to Super Bowl Yeah, I think that definitely when looking at a ceiling, they have, I know it, basically what you have. I said they're one of the two or three best teams in the league.
00:12:10
Speaker
So in terms of a ceiling, Super Bowl is definitely it. Whether they'll get there or not remains to be seen. And we'll talk about that closer to the start of the year. But I think definitely you'd be around to think that this team can't win a Super Bowl, I think, in my opinion. Yeah, absolutely. So then moving on to...
Bears' Offensive Challenges
00:12:27
Speaker
team which is less less fortunate last year in the NFC North is the Bears last year I think they ended up with five wins compared to the four think was it was five and twelve um oh yeah yeah um because that they had ten less than the Lions I remember looking oh yes okay so The first question then again with them, and where do they need to improve mostly from last season? What did you have for that?
00:12:53
Speaker
I think they need to add another a reliable running back today. like I think they have quite a good bit of talent, but you can't just rely on DeAndre Swift for a whole season. um I just don't think he has a denim to be...
00:13:05
Speaker
And out and out running back one. I think he needs some help. yeah and He's a bit of he's a bit of of a head loss merchant as well at times. And if he loses his head, then forget about it. You need pull him.
00:13:16
Speaker
And if you've no one there pull him far, then you're in big trouble. So I think adding and another reliable running back will be will be huge for him. Yeah, that's a great point. I was caught between what I went with and that because the running back room looks pretty abysmal to me.
00:13:31
Speaker
like They have a lot of young guys and they have like an undrafted rookie. I think they took a guy in like the seventh or sixth round maybe, which is kind of interesting considering it was a pretty good running back draft draft class yeah until maybe like round four.
00:13:45
Speaker
So you'd think they would have done that considering they needed it. But yeah, I don't know what they were really... We'll see. We'll see how goes. They might pick up somebody closer to the start of the season. But I said...
00:13:57
Speaker
Generally, the offense across the board needs to improve, but specifically the offensive line needs to fuel this. Because last year they had the eighth worst running game in the league with 102 yards per game and the second worst passing game with 181.5 yards per game.
00:14:16
Speaker
That is abysmal. But then you look and Caleb Williams was sacked 68 times. which is the most in the league. The closest was Stroud at 52, and the Texans had a really bad offensive line as well.
00:14:28
Speaker
and So that was just a shocking part of their team. And it might kind of carry over into the next question for me, looking at who are the three players on their team that will make the biggest impact and I had Joe Tooney as the most important one.
00:14:42
Speaker
Four-time Super Bowl winner, traded over from the Chiefs for a fourth rounder. I think it's a good move. and They obviously drafted some talent there. They added other talent as well. um you know Sometimes if you grab guys from other teams who...
00:14:56
Speaker
maybe they didn't want or they'd give away for a little less, you might say, okay, there's a reason why this team wanted to give him away. But with him, i think it's a good move because he's so experienced. He's still only 32 and four Super Bowl rings to his name. he's don't You don't fall into that. like He's a very good guard and that's so important for them. And then the other two I had was and Roma Dunze because I think he has a lot more to offer than what he showed last year. And I think Johnson will really bring that out of him.
00:15:23
Speaker
And then Colston Loveland, first tight end off the board. went over and Tyler Warren so I think if Johnson really liked him and this is something they want to implement as maybe a Sam Laporte-like style um then that's something I trust Johnson to do but those are my three who do you have then So just harp on back to the first question, and I also had their offensive line being an issue and in my my list of things along with their pass rushing.
00:15:49
Speaker
yeah That's why Tooney is also in my three players I picked. and I have Caelan Williams in there because if if they can get a Toon out of Tooney and can block Williams properly, I don't know why I said that. cut that out and we back to that. Did you come up with that on the spot?
00:16:07
Speaker
On the spot, yeah. I really wish they didn't. super I have Caleb Williams then because i think I think the talent is there, and but he does need more protection because he needs a bit more time in the pocket.
00:16:18
Speaker
And then I have DJ Moore because i just think, I think the man's a machine. I think he's absolutely brilliant. So they were my three. Nice. I think, in general, Ben Johnson could should definitely get a good him out of this ah offense regardless of what the defense produces. Like, oh, well, I just added another...
00:16:37
Speaker
tuney Tune. yeah I don't know what I'm doing here. That was completely accidental, but anyway, I'll take it. Let's just move swiftly on to the next question. DeAndre Swiftly. Who do you think is, do they do you think they're going to have over 8.5 wins? Because that's what they are, over under with the Buc-ee's.
00:16:54
Speaker
Not all. no No, I don't think it' Not at all. If they get six wins, they they'll do have a celebration in the middle of Chicago. and With the way they're scheduled as well, like did they're starting 0-5 for me. and They were really, really difficult to start. Where do you go?
00:17:11
Speaker
If you're 0-5, your confidence is nowhere to be seen. It's lower than the ground. There's no way they're getting anywhere near 8.5. I can't believe how bad the line is from the Wookiees, to be honest. Yeah, I think it's so high. And that Ben Johnson jump,
00:17:25
Speaker
is just crazy. That's just because of him being the head coach. And I really don't think it should be because of how tough the division is. Like five wins last year to go four more with A quarterback who's only in his second year, a first-time head coach, I think is a very risky line. I can't see them getting more than... Realistically, I'd say they'll get around seven wins, but brings us nicely into the next question, which is the ceiling of the season for them.
00:17:52
Speaker
How many wins do you think they could get if they everything went their way? Five or six, and build is what put down. Wow. I just i just i don't think they're very good. um like it's very hard to have any positive thoughts about him at the moment.
00:18:08
Speaker
It's great they brought in a new head coach because their last one was absolutely laughable. He was just everything. I've never seen a man to make you make every single decision wrong. Like it was really impressive how bad he was. and I was getting so annoyed watching them last season I saw other texts you my yeah They were just they were shocking and Obviously Johnson, is it's it's a great appointment He was really, really good at the Lions Clearly We'll have to wait and see If they get seven wins, then fair play I'll put my hands up and I'll wear United jersey on the podcast this time next year It's not happening They're not getting seven wins We're holding that We're holding that
00:18:45
Speaker
The ceiling for me, I said, is nine if everything goes their way. And if Ben Johnson really coaches up Williams into whatever everybody thought they were. Well, to be honest, last year he wasn't that bad. He was just getting sacked every two seconds.
00:18:59
Speaker
And i think Johnson will do a better job with him. And I think if every single thing goes their way, they'll get nine wins. But I don't think they make the playoffs, even with nine wins in the NFC. I don't think it's enough.
00:19:10
Speaker
And so that's an absolute ceiling for me, but I don't think they'll get near that ceiling, to be honest. No, I don't think so either.
NBA Finals and Market Implications of Trades
00:19:17
Speaker
But that's it for our NFL. Let's jump into the NBA bits because couple of big things at the moment. Obviously, the finals are on.
00:19:26
Speaker
The finals could well and truly be over, lads, by the time you listen to this, because we're a recording Thursday evening. The last game is Thursday, or the game six is Thursday at 1 a.m., m If OKC win, it'll be all over. And you'll know by the time you're listening to this, we'll obviously break it all down next week if that's the case.
00:19:43
Speaker
But either way, we'll be breaking it down next week because yeah it's going to end on Sunday night at the very latest. So we're going to actually talk about trades instead because we don't have the most up-to-date info on the finals, as I just noted, currently 3-2 to the OKC from what we know.
00:20:01
Speaker
But first thing, let's talk about Desmond Bain going to the Magic. The trade itself, we'll break it down for you guys. It's and the Magic get Desmond Dane. That's it. The Grizzlies get Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell Pope, four first-rounders, which include the 16th pick in 2025, unprotected 2026, 28, and 2030, 2029 first-round pick swap, which is top two protected, and the 2026 first-round draft pick includes swap rights with either Phoenix or Washington, which could be very big.
00:20:34
Speaker
That's the biggest one, because if you have the rights to swap with Phoenix or Washington, you're going to get the best one between and the Magic Phoenix and Washington. So that is a very important one, I thought, for the Grizzlies. But what did you make of it in general?
00:20:48
Speaker
and going to start with the positives on this before I get on to the negatives, because i think the negatives do outweigh the positives on this, especially for the Magic. They have added now third player under 26 who is a really good shooter, um as along with as as well as Suggs and Benchero.
00:21:06
Speaker
But giving away basically five first round picks, good first round picks, two players out of the rotation for one guy back, it just doesn't really make sense to me. Like not even getting one second round back, like just getting one player and leaving it at that, I think is absolutely crazy.
00:21:23
Speaker
Like i I think it was, yeah, it probably was you that said it to me. If you're giving up five picks, then you're getting Yanis or something like that. How are you giving up five first round picks and settling for getting Desmond Bain?
00:21:35
Speaker
i like that are not It's not to put him down on because he is a good player. But it's crazy on their high behalf. And then think it's massive for the Grizzlies to get those picks. They can now kind of build a team around Jammerant maybe.
00:21:51
Speaker
Like he's clearly not going anywhere now because they're looking to build something that can maybe win a title in the next two or three years if if everything goes right for him. My biggest issue with this is is this...
00:22:03
Speaker
like is this the Neymar deal that just puts the market into disarray where it's like Janice is now worth 10 first round picks and we're not dropping Brenton less than that is this the deal that puts the transfer fees completely and utterly over what is expected and what's normal for any kind of player yeah that's a good point I think giving up that many picks is for me initially I said you know it's way too much and I thought How are you going to give up that many picks for Giannis? And that Phoenix one is a massive one.
00:22:36
Speaker
And the 16th pick isn't nothing either. and The reason that when I've thought more about it is if in the Magic's mind, they think that and twenty twenty eight um in and in 2030, they're not going to be in a bad position. They think we're flying it now. That's it.
00:22:56
Speaker
We have our young guys. We're going to be good. And those picks aren't going to be worth a whole lot anyway. That's the way teams see these on these like future picks. But to me, I don't think they should be seeing it like that because so many things could go wrong.
00:23:09
Speaker
You could get an injury, something, whatever. You can't plan for that. But I think in general, like you mentioned, you should be getting, I think, something more than Desmond Bain for what they gave up. Now, Contavious Caldwell-Polk,
00:23:21
Speaker
they could just discard him anyway because he is absolutely tragic since he who moved from the Nuggets. It shows. Don't trade anyone from the Nuggets after they play Jokic because he just brings up everybody's level.
00:23:33
Speaker
And then Cole Anthony, yeah, you know they didn't really need him anyway now if they have Bain. I think Bain is a very good player. Last year, 19 points, six rebounds and five assists. That's not nothing. That's a good stat line.
00:23:45
Speaker
And that is most of the time without their best player in Ja Morant. This time, they'd be hoping to put out Bamchero... Wagner, hopefully if Suggs is fit. That's a very good for four players. yeah But I do think they've left themselves very tight going forward with what they've given up. So this would really want to work.
00:24:02
Speaker
I think he's a perfect fit. He's exactly what they need. But I just think they gave up too much. And yeah, like you said, I don't know. About Giannis, how many picks? What is someone going to have to give up? is The only thing that could possibly work now for Giannis is if someone who has like the first or second pick this year gives it up and some good players and future picks. Because then you know you have a good pick. You're guaranteed a good one.
00:24:26
Speaker
You're not taking a risk of future ones. But outside of that, if he doesn't get traded during this before the draft, then he's going to cost like seven or eight first rounders.
00:24:38
Speaker
Like ah this is another one of those negotiations that I would love to have seen how it came together. but This one and the Luka one. Like how did they get like what did they start with that they ended up giving five first round picks? Like was this almost that they annoyed the Grizzlies so much like, OK, we really want to. We're going have to give this up now.
00:24:58
Speaker
seven let's yeah I just, I can't, can't my head around when it got to the point where it's like, yeah, what was the starting point if that was where you finished? It's a bit but, now, as I said, the Grizzlies managed to top them up from, like,
00:25:13
Speaker
two first rounders to that then whoever did the deal is unbelievably good at their job I just I don't understand how they got from wherever they started to ah yeah we'll just give you this oh yeah but sure we don't need any picks back you can keep all your picks just give us Desmond May in there and we'll shake hands like no it's just it's not a very good negotiation I don't think no matter how it works out for them at the moment it looks mad and five years from now or like say in 2029 if The Magic got like something really, you know, bogged them down and everything fell apart. Someone didn't sign an extension, whatever, something went wrong. In 2029 and 2030, those picks could be invaluable to the Grizzlies and they could trade those two for something unbelievable down the line.
00:26:00
Speaker
So I think the Grizzlies are in a nice position here. It looks like Morant is staying according to himself online. And I don't know about Jaron Jackson. Maybe they can get a big haul from the Lakers for him.
00:26:12
Speaker
Get... couple of picks, Austin Reeves, Rui Hachimura. You have a good solid team there and a lot of picks and some good solid pieces and then just, you know, build around that. think that wouldn't be the worst thing for them to do. Yeah, 100%.
00:26:26
Speaker
But yeah, this is an interesting one to get the the trade juices flowing, I suppose, for the long summer ahead. Yeah. Then one that hasn't happened, but one that's all the talk the whole time is Kevin Durant.
00:26:39
Speaker
So...
Durant's Potential Moves
00:26:40
Speaker
Apparently, he wants to go to the Heat, Rockets, or Spurs. um And right now, you know i think there's been further reports that he has no interest in going to Minnesota, and despite them being quite aggressive so far yeah and about it. So let's that's talk about the the Rockets, because obviously that's your team.
00:27:02
Speaker
If they were to, say, give up Jabari, one I'm hearing a lot is Jabari Smith, Jalen Green, a future first rounder or giving the pick back that the Suns already have, like that, sorry, their own pick back. So the pick that the Suns gave to the Rockets previously, I think it's like next year, which is going to be a very valuable pick if the Suns are going to be tanking or they're going to be bad.
00:27:29
Speaker
Would you do that? Like those two and that pick or another pick? Like, I think like, okay, Jalen Green, it might be time to go on from him. He is the most hot and cold player you'll you'll ever see. There's nothing special about him, really. And I was all for him. i I do still really like him. But I think where the Rockets are now, they need to get that elite shooter.
00:27:51
Speaker
Obviously, I'd rather it was Devin Booker. He's 11 years younger than Kevin Durant, like which is a massive difference. But... This Rutgers team is so young that even if they did bring in Durant and it didn't work out, there's still the pieces there that are the likes Cam Whitmore, Eamon Thompson, obviously, Reid Shepard. So if it didn't work out with Durant, it might set you back a couple of years, but you're not losing out too much.
00:28:14
Speaker
i just I really like to Barry Smith. and I think he would be more of a loss than Jalen Green. But to get in Kevin Durant and have the... the the joy of watching him for two years and I think that's the kind of trade I would be interested in but would have to it's something that kind of it would almost it would have to work and for the money you'd have to give him for the fact that he is going to be in your starting five for as many of the 82 games as he's fit for as well so you need to kind of build around him really just don't lose Shingun or Amen Thompson and you can do what you like for me really yeah I think those two are definitely kind of untouchable for the Rockets
00:28:51
Speaker
I don't think they're going to let them go at all. like um north And then Green is probably one that's going to be shooed into any trade. But yajavari yeah, Jabari, he looks like he has a lot of potential.
00:29:03
Speaker
um And I don't know, maybe if you put in Cam Whitmore, you put you'd have to put in something extra then as well, because I think he's very unproven. So yeah it's kind of a something that they would need to weigh up. But Yeah, I think it's worth taking a swing on. like You make a good point that they have a lot of good young players and they still have more future picks as well available to them.
00:29:23
Speaker
So it's not like they're giving up the whole house. You're taking a swing, but you're not taking everything. And it is worth remembering like that KD is 36. If he signs a couple of years deal...
00:29:38
Speaker
How many players have played that well late into their career? Very, very, very few. Very few, yeah. So he might just become kind of a spot-up shooter later on in his career and not be able to give you as much. So I think it would be worth it.
00:29:51
Speaker
And I think the Rockets is the most viable, to be honest, because I think the Spurs... The fact that they have the number two pick, I think they're going to pick Dylan Harper now. It all seems that way. yeah So i think they're going to stick there.
00:30:03
Speaker
And I don't think they're going to make any more big splashes, at least not Kevin Durant-like. And then with the Heat, the Heat have nothing to rival what the Rockets could give. So I think the Rockets makes the most sense.
00:30:14
Speaker
Also, you know, he wants to move to Texas. That's why he wants to go to Spurs or Rockets because of the taxes. A very favorable situation for him over there. Yeah. Yeah, I could see the Rockets and makes a lot of sense. And I think, yeah, would i it would definitely be a good one for you to at least take a swing at something now while you have a chance. Yeah, he keeps kind of talking teams out of him as well. So he told the Raptors that if they signed him, he wouldn't sign an extension.
00:30:42
Speaker
He's clearly told the Timberwolves he's no interest in going there. And the Miami Heat just know they wouldn't be able to match if the Rockets wanted him, that they they they wouldn't be able to keep up. So it does look likely he'll end up in the Rockets.
00:30:53
Speaker
But it's one of those, if you're going to do it, just do it. I don't want this. I don't want it dragging on for three months. It's like, oh, Durant is going here, Durant's going there. Don't want to end up like Aaron Rodgers where everyone knows where he's going. He just hasn't done it.
00:31:07
Speaker
If you're doing it, just do it. And just keep just so people know what where they stand then going into the new season then. Kind of a similar persona as well. Like a lot of yeah stuff. Although I think Rodgers is a lot more severe, I think.
00:31:20
Speaker
Durant kind of plays into it, whereas Rodgers, you actually wouldn't really know what's going on at all in some of the things he got. He says, apparently now I've seen that his family is denying that he got married and there's no like legal records or something that he got married, even though he said he did.
00:31:36
Speaker
I don't know how true that is, but that's what's being reported. But it'd be kind of funny if you had you know him at your Jets last year and the before, and then you get a couple years of Durant and it could go down a very similar path but uh at least Durant hasn't Durant's already done the Achilles so I hopefully don't need to worry about him coming on and doing that in his first game for the Rockets yeah that was torture I actually I actually think yeah that was that was absolutely especially after the American flight run out of the field with Rodgers but uh I actually think that if you had Durant last last season you would have beaten the Warriors anyway I think so too yeah and probably gone further than that as well but
00:32:14
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's worth it. We'll definitely be touching on this more because it's bound to roll on. As you said, it probably won't be done very quickly. But we'll move on to the transfer roundup then that we've been doing and during the turn the transfer window.
00:32:28
Speaker
I'm going to rattle off maybe three at a time and you can give me give me your your take on it. So first one is the from Ornstein about a week ago that...
European Soccer Transfer Talks
00:32:39
Speaker
City reached an agreement with Rosenberg to sign Nipan, the young attacking midfielder that a lot of teams seem to be after. 12.5 million, and no further contingencies or sell-on clauses, contract until 2030. Another one I have here is Barca president, Joan Laporta. and This is not a direct transfer, but it's ah it's a bit of a statement from him, I think, yesterday that he said they can sign Nipan
00:33:04
Speaker
players normally now and they're about to make an imminent signing apparently and that they're working on another so that's an interesting one considering where they were in previous years and then a third one is um that united will give priority to selling sancho on a permanent deal before open indoors for loans that's a pretty obvious one but then speeding in from that is that napoli have been keen and apparently there's been contact so out of those three so far what stands out and I want to talk about Nypan very quickly. The only need thing that annoys me about that is that he was always available on Football Manager for three and a half million and turned into a world beater without fail. i
00:33:41
Speaker
I can't sign him for Crystal Palace anymore now if he's going to at Man City. That's the only thing that annoys me about that. he's I think he's a really good player from but What I've seen a football on Football Manager, I've never watched him in person, so I don't really have an opinion on him. I think the Barcelona thing is mad because he finishes that by saying, we currently have a flexible relationship with La Liga. Basically, La Liga are going to let him continue to break rules and settle levers and bring in Nico Williams and do what they want. And then halfway through the season, La Liga will decide, oh, actually, yeah you can't register X, Y and because you're you've gone too far over our threshold of flexibility.
00:34:16
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. Flexibility is quite a good term there, isn't it? Yeah, I just, I think Barcelona are still in trouble and I think they're sweeping it under the rug for as long as they can. They're kicking that can so far down the road that when it does get crushed, they are, they're they're in they're screwed, I think, big time. matter Especially if they're going out and if they're signing Nico Williams and giving him the wages he wants and working on another.
00:34:40
Speaker
Like if they sign Nico Williams and Luis Diaz, for example, like, how much they're going to be paying him yeah exactly yeah yeah it's it's mad and i think they are literally just playing monopoly and hoping for the best like it's it's crazy what they're doing um in terms of sancho i think italy would suit him the way germany sued him just get away from the english media uh it doesn't have that scrutiny on him but i still think he's a of He's a tick in time, Bob. Everywhere he goes is now, I think. I think he thinks he's so much better than he actually is.
00:35:16
Speaker
And that's what's going to cost him. Napoli just seemed to want all the Premier League rejects. It worked last year when they brought in Mike Tominey and Billy Gilmore. But now they want Darren Nunes and Sancho. don't know. Like a pure champion of Italy.
00:35:30
Speaker
Exactly. If you're champion of Italy and you're looking to, okay, what's the next thing we do? We go and try and be competitive in the Champions League. And you have a midfield of De Bruyne and McTominay-Gilmore and a front line of Darwin,
00:35:43
Speaker
i Nunes, Lukaku Jadon Sancho, then... No, i i just translate doning no i don't again I don't think it improves them at all, any of the my terror desk sorry go on and We might talk about that later into the season. and and yeah most dear yeah Do a bit of a European roundup and touch on them getting worse.
00:36:08
Speaker
Definitely. But I was just going to say, the fans over there very... like They have a lot of ultras as well and they won't take lax behaviour and kind of somebody not putting in their full effort so he won't get away with some of the stuff he got away with before. I remember and yeah a few years ago I was thinking...
00:36:27
Speaker
And they had that excellent team, maybe like three or four years ago, really good defensively. And they did well in the Champions League a season before that. I thought they're going to push for it. And then they completely fell off.
00:36:38
Speaker
And now they're building up kind of, it's kind of an interesting team, as you mentioned, but, um, Anyway, obviously we'll touch on that more as the season goes on. They played off the park that season you're talking about. They absolutely annihilated Liverpool in the home game. Liverpool couldn't get near them. The fans felt like they were on top of them. And I was like, oh Jesus, maybe they are actually someone to keep an eye on. And everything has just kind of come apart for since then.
00:37:03
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. It really has. Everything's gone a lot backwards. But... um Then maybe double up on the Arsenal news. One is Lewis Skelly signing new contract. According to Ornstein, he's going to be among the world's best played young players.
00:37:19
Speaker
and And then the second one for Arsenal from Fabrizio is that they'll pay slightly more than €60 million year release clause yeah and as part of the Pacto Real Sociedad to get Zuby Mendy.
00:37:31
Speaker
It'll allow payments in installments. So couple of big things there for Arsenal. We kind of mentioned Lewis Kelly when we touched on them last week. I said he's a very important player for them, in my opinion. And then Zubimendi, good player too, but they need to start out their striker situation very quickly.
00:37:48
Speaker
Big time, yeah. Again, he's just... It's Arteta all over. Defensive midfielders and left backs. Getting those boxed off grand and early. Thomas Partey now looks like he's not signing a new contract. So maybe they do actually need Martin Zubimendi in fairness and to him this time. But...
00:38:05
Speaker
um I really think they need to sort out that strike here. And i think I was reading earlier that Darren Nunes going to Napoli, I think, is going to open the door to this massive merry-go-round. Because Liverpool then are going to be looking at lot of talk today again about Alex Izak and Liverpool having the money set aside and all that kind of...
00:38:24
Speaker
just journalists looking for something to write again. But like let's say Darren goes to Isaac, who do Newcastle get, who do Arsenal get? so It's going to be... i think't do i think if we have nothing to talk about, we'll always have strikers to talk about because I think that's going to be decided of the summer is every single team that needs a striker trying to find a striker.
00:38:44
Speaker
Ekotike, Oshiman, Sesko, all these names are going to be said over and over again. Giacaras. Giacaras, getty gu as yeah Matt, ease act to Liverpool. I don't think that's going to go away until that transfer window actually closes in September because... I really can't see it, to be honest.
00:39:01
Speaker
I can't either, but the fact that no one is shutting it down kind of gives me the tiniest bit of hope but that that there is something in it. That means that Newcastle might be looking to get in 120, 130 million to reinvest in a squad, but they also like they want to start pushing. They want to be a big club during the Champions League. They want to be keeping players like him.
00:39:20
Speaker
Exactly, yeah. So we'll have to wait and see. um And then... Last couple I have here. There's one Leeds one we will leave for our Leeds chat in a few minutes. And then one, another one from Fabrizio is about, from today is Mudrick being charged by the FA for anti-doping violations and could face up to a four-year ban.
00:39:44
Speaker
performance enhancement i I don't know what enhancements he was getting but yeah the last one then on our list is Ornstein saying that Virts is expected to arrive in the UK I think he has arrived today and but he just said then about the fee that it's going to be £100 million pounds guaranteed and up to £16 million with add-ons so obviously we've touched on Virts a lot but that's just a confirmation there for you guys and what about Mudrick should I say and As you said, if if that was him on performance enhancing drugs, I'd hate to have seen him without him.
00:40:22
Speaker
He was... We talked about Chelsea last week the week before were talking their transfers and he's definitely, probably, definitely the worst they've done.
00:40:33
Speaker
this wasn't at all suited to the Premier League. And think this band could do him a favour, so it gives him a reason to just cancel his contract if he gets banned for four years and just forget he ever existed. They were already given his number a away to Cole Palmer.
00:40:49
Speaker
Clearly, they don't have him in their future plans. There's one more I want to touch on. Kwanzaa to Bayer-Leverkusen. Looks like it's close to done deal now. Liverpool getting €40 million yours for him, I think, is madness.
00:41:03
Speaker
I don't know how Bayer-Leverkusen watched him last season and said, oh yeah, its we'll give him €40 million. That's more than what they paid for Frimpong. And you paid for him. Yeah, like it's basically it's it's taken 40 million off for the 100 million we're paying for Florian Burt's like it's it's mad. and i i apologize Yeah.
00:41:23
Speaker
yeah Oh, is that 100 million pounds for Burt's apprentices? Yeah. Yeah. Oh, sorry. OK. Another negotiation I'd love to have seen, like the bioletal fees go in and say, we give you 10 million.
00:41:33
Speaker
We want 40. OK, don't want to argue with Sir, here's 40. It's just a bit like when Spurs sold Garry Bale and went and signed seven of the worst players I've ever seen in your whole entire life. This feels a bit like Popeye Leverkusen. They do now because bringing in Quanta for 40 million, they have another lad, a young fella coming in.
00:41:51
Speaker
I think his name is Balde or Baide. Oh, yeah. 20 year olds. and So that's going to be their new centre back partnership. was We'll see. Eric De Haag just loves torture themselves, it seems.
00:42:03
Speaker
Yeah, let's see. Apparently, some words around a couple of times as well I've heard about him being interested in Anthony and yeah possibly... possibly on Anna as well, which, yeah, he can take both them off our hands if he wants to. Yeah.
00:42:17
Speaker
He seems to say he always wants to get the band back together. He's just always trying to get that IH team. As many of that IH team, get him in and see see you see what happens then. guys So that's kind of our transfer roundup then.
00:42:29
Speaker
I guess we'll move on to football and do similarly to what we've done the last two weeks again, previewing two teams a week until we get up to the new season. So this week we are on to Man City and Leeds.
00:42:41
Speaker
So, Will we start with Man City? I think should start with Leeds so that Conor can listen and be happy. Let's start with Leeds. So the questions are the same as they have been every other week, but obviously you'll hear them as we go through again, the same with the NFL. So the first one is, where do they need to improve on from last season?
Leeds' Defensive Dilemmas
00:43:01
Speaker
Well, for me, i thought that Looking back on last season, this point that I'm going to cover is something they did improve on. But it's just from back in 22, 23, when they were last in the Premier League, they conceded 78 goals.
00:43:17
Speaker
That was the most in the league. Now, in the last two years, they've progressed in the right direction, conceding 43 in their first season in the Champions League. and only 30 last season. But this is back to a whole other level.
00:43:29
Speaker
And I think that's the most important thing for them to get this defense right. They can't be leaking 70-odd goals. They won't have a chance of staying up if they do that. They need to really shore things up defensively before they can worry about anything else.
00:43:43
Speaker
and So i think I think while they have taken strides towards that in the last couple of seasons, they've made a good signing for that as well, which you'll touch on. I do think that it's something that they really need to improve on based on the last time they were in the Premier League and something they can't let happen again.
00:43:59
Speaker
Yeah. Something that i noticed a bit them last year was when they get in games that are really starting to frustrate them, a lot their players lose their heads. I think they need to kind of, they need to stay in the games, especially the Premier League. If you're playing Bournemouth away and it's nil all after 70 minutes and they're just driving you insane, you need just stay in the game and stick to the manager's plan and just hope it works out. Because if they do what they did last year times, then...
00:44:23
Speaker
Nil all in 70 minutes could very easily be 3 or 4 nil by the end of the game, especially if they don't do what you've said as well. Personally, i would have sacked Daniel Farcah. He's never proved it in the Premier League. It's not even answering against him. I think he's he's a brilliant championship manager. But every time he makes that step up, especially when he only did it with Norwich, he did it a couple of times with Norwich and just brought him straight back down.
00:44:45
Speaker
I think sacking him would have been the smart thing to do. But i see I can see why it's so hard to sack someone who just got you promoted as well. And yeah i reckon day I reckon they have a short list of managers lined up that would be like, come November, if things going really bad, it'd be like, OK, actually, all we're getting Tiago Mata or something mad like that. But we'll have to wait and see.
00:45:03
Speaker
Yeah, could be something that happens if things don't start off well. But yeah, I don't know. I just think the defence is so, so important really. But yeah, I think and up to point on what you said there, if you if you're a nil-nil with any team in the Premier League and you're 20 minutes left, if you don't see a way through and they're frustrating you with the way they're playing, just take the point because the point is so valuable in the Premier League.
00:45:27
Speaker
So they then they definitely take all the points they can get. Absolutely. Moving on then, who are the three players in their team that will make the biggest impact? So three I went with.
00:45:40
Speaker
One of them is somebody who I think he needs to... So he needs to perform a lot better than he did the last time was in the Premier League. That's Ampadu.
00:45:51
Speaker
I think... If he is good and he does a good job in this team, in his role as captain, then I think he can it can really you know elevate this team to a level that they they need to be at.
00:46:05
Speaker
Now, he's not going to do it on his own, but I think if he lives up to you know a level that some people saw in him a good few years back, he's played for a lot of solid teams. This is his first run at the Premier League since he was 20, back with Sheffield United.
00:46:19
Speaker
So I think it's it's a big step and this might be his main chance to kind of take it in his stride. So I think that could be a big one. Second I had was Aronson. To be a US international and be a very solid player at the age of 24, his second stint in the Premier League, played a couple of games in the Champions League when he was with Union Berlin there a couple of years back as well.
00:46:41
Speaker
ah lot of experience, both at a club level and international level at such a young age is very, very important. And that also brings me into the third player who is... Bijal, who they just signed, centre-back from Eudonese. £22.5 million, I believe it was. When talking to Conor on this, he mentioned that Newcastle tried to swoop in at the end, apparently.
00:47:03
Speaker
to hijack it. It looks like they're going to get it over the line, he says. yeah So that's his his take on that there. But when I was looking at him beforehand, I ah was looking at, I wanted to see how many games he played for Slovenia during that Euros, and he started all their games. and So I think somebody who's internationally proven and proven in good European league is very, very important.
00:47:25
Speaker
I don't know whole lot about him, but that experience alone um matters a lot. So those are the three that I have. Did you have anybody different? Yeah. and I also have Aronson and then I have two different ones. I had Aronson for mostly the same reasons as you.
00:47:39
Speaker
Again, it's another man who it's a second go to Premier League now. ah He didn't really cut it the first time, but he went away and known. He had a really good loan spell and he was pretty decent in championship this year. But you you could see he was playing at maybe 70 or 80 percent.
00:47:53
Speaker
and If he goes up to 100 percent. I think he's a he really talented. If he gets his head in the right place and just keeps going the way he'll go, and then I think Leeds have a potential, potentially a really, really good player in their hands.
00:48:05
Speaker
My other two then were, I have Tanaka. and I think he is monster. think he's absolutely brilliant. I think he'll have no problem um adjusting to life in the Premier League. think he just...
00:48:17
Speaker
He's such a workhorse, just doesn't stop. I think he's incredible. And then I think did Nemeke transfer, the free transfer Nemeke from Werder Bremen, I think is a really, really smart bit of business. um I'm not gone on Joel Perrault as a Premier League striker. He scored four goals in one game and that's what made his stats look good. He wasn't that great over the course of the season. and If Nemeke can hit the ground running as well, then I think they've picked up a steal there. And if they go down, they'll easily guess 15 or 15 million for him coming into next summer then.
00:48:46
Speaker
Yeah, good point. but what is their ceiling with the current manager and squad for this season? So I'm going to do the same as I did with Burnley. 14th, if everything goes their way.
00:48:57
Speaker
I don't think they will finish 14th. Obviously we'll get our predictions as I mentioned later on, closer to the start of the season, but I think that's a maximum that I think those two teams can perform. If everything goes their way, they kind of get a good few fixtures that go rightly. Some other teams drop out of what they had been doing and they get on a nice run at some stage of the season.
00:49:18
Speaker
Now, I don't think they will get to that position, but I think if everything does go their way, they have the ability to to finish that high. What did you have for that? ah So I said with Farca, their ceiling is 17th.
00:49:30
Speaker
and If they get rid of him in November, December, then between... between between 13th and 15th. So basically I'll just say 14th as well because I'm close enough. They won't really get much higher than that. Their owners do seem ambitious. Some of the moves they've made already, they're not afraid to spend money it seems. So we'll see how that helps them as well. But I think I don't see it going well. If Fark is still there in May, then they're going down for me, I think.
00:49:57
Speaker
Yeah, it's hard to argue with that given his track record so far. And then the last question, and I'd be surprised we didn't have the same answer here, to be honest. I think and what's the one piece of business they need to do to help them this season?
00:50:10
Speaker
I went with they need a goalkeeper. who Yeah, I had the same answer because yeah on this one, I said I would want to get Conor's kind of idea in here for at least one. Yeah.
00:50:23
Speaker
So I said, Conor is our our friend. He has a Leeds United Twitter page. So and hit that up. We'll get the app. We'll put it in the description. and So hopefully you guys...
00:50:36
Speaker
Matching on me. Okay, cool. You guys have it there. So we'll add it anyway to the description just so you have it there. But sharing like Leeds news and stuff like that, if you're if you're a fan of Leeds or you're interested and in that sort of thing. Anyway, I asked him, who does he think? And he said, keeper, definitely.
00:50:52
Speaker
He went on to mention that, you know, that sign-in was a big one of Bijal already, but he said that. And in an ideal world, they would have gotten Kepa on that release clause of only 5 million.
00:51:03
Speaker
But that in general, he just said they need a keeper. And he also wanted me to tell everybody that they're going to finish ahead of United this season. So I said I'd do that for him. just yeah yeah he's Yeah, he told me to make a bet with you that B to finish for United. And I was like, I i i might be ticked, but I'm not that ticked.
00:51:22
Speaker
That's certainly not happening, I suppose. Well, i i would if I actually thought that, they would I wouldn't have said that. But I said I'd throw that in there for him, yeah what he wanted me to say. So, yeah, keeper is my answer to that, Conor.
00:51:34
Speaker
Yeah. We'll move on to Man City. though And Conor just logs off the whole podcast. ah Yeah, 100%. He's gone now. not listening to Man City at all. Where did Man City need to improve most on from last season?
Man City's Tactical Adjustments
00:51:48
Speaker
Yeah. So I said they need to be more dynamic in their attack. It seemed to me like they just kept trying the same things and getting flustered by, you know, teams like Palace figured them out a couple of times. Forest frustrated them. Liverpool deployed that tactic to frustrate them.
00:52:04
Speaker
And if teams are figuring that out very easily, then it's not a good sign when you've spent that much money and you have a top manager. So yeah they need to be more dynamic in their attack. It looks from whoop players they've signed that they are going to do that, but you never know what Pep appeal allowed them to free them.
00:52:19
Speaker
yeah Yeah, I said the same as you, but in a different way. So when Haaland got injured towards the end of the season, I thought they played better. So a way of kind of playing their free-flowing, attacking dynamic football, but with Haaland in there is something he needs to work out because you're not dropping the best finisher in the world, but you need to be able to play a bit more through him, for one to be better way putting it. I know he's a six foot five striker who just wants to stand in the box.
00:52:45
Speaker
But when you do have players now like Marmout, like Ray and Cherky, players like that who are just, their as you said, they're dynamic. That's a word that' that's on your bingo cards you're winning anyway. But like it's it's kind of, they need to find a way of playing proper football with a massive number nine that knows how to finish. And I think if they do that, then there'll be there there'll be a problem again this season coming.
00:53:07
Speaker
Yeah, it's so important for them. um For the three players, you want to go first with this one? Yeah, so I have Marmush, big fan him. I think he's absolutely incredible. I've had a bit of business. I think they might have paid a bit too much for him.
00:53:23
Speaker
bo But when it's January and you need someone like him, then you'll pay it if you have. He's absolutely incredible, I think. I have Reinders in there as well. and i think he's going to hit the ground running in the Premier League. I think he's he' an exceptional talent. He was a bit wasted at Milan, I think. he Coming into the Premier League now with getting beside Rodri or playing ahead of Rodri, I think he's going to be a massive upgrade on what they had there with Kovacic and Gundogan.
00:53:46
Speaker
And then, obviously, Erling Haaland as the third one. there You don't really need to say too much on him. He's just a freak. Yeah, I actually had Reinders as well. I said it kind of adds that Gundogan profile that they had a few seasons ago when they were doing very well the way Pep was using them. So they had that now again next to Rodri. I also had Rodri himself. and Just the fact that they're going to have him back. We saw how important he was when he wasn't in the team.
00:54:09
Speaker
So yeah I think getting him back is massive. And then the third one I had was Aiton Ori. I think it adds a lot to the team if they're going to be playing... a guy out of position at right back, they can't be playing Gavardi all. I know he worked very well at left back, but You can't always be relying on that on both sides, players playing out of position. So having Aitnori as a proper left back allows Vardial to come back into the centre and then you can work that system. And I think he's a very, very good player. I think it was a great move yeah to get him in.
00:54:40
Speaker
I think, yeah, agree with you there. and I think they're three good picks too. ah What is their ceiling with their current manager and squad for this season coming? And again, we'll have the same answer here, I'd imagine. Yeah, I just said title. They spent too much um and they should be winning it with the manager that they have and spending that amount of money that they'd be showing a reason and like why they shouldn't at least be top two and really they should think that they won. They won the last four before last season, so that's the obvious answer there. but Yeah, I have to say, i'm wetting day I think they can win the league, but I think...
00:55:14
Speaker
this like We don't know how much this Club World Cup is going to mess them as well because they're not going to get any break before going into pre-season really and if they do then you might have a lot of players who miss the first one or two games because they're not up to speed after their holidays if you do give them one.
00:55:28
Speaker
We'll have to wait and see. I think, the as you said, between January and the start of this summer, they've signed two centre-backs, two centre midfielders and two attacking midfielders already, and they've spent definitely north of 200 million. I don't have to figure out to me. But I think dave they really need to be getting back ahead of Arsenal now, putting and them back in their place, in their like in in their heads. I'm not saying, sorry, that was wrong.
00:55:50
Speaker
In City's opinion, obviously, they don't think Arsenal should be finished below them. They probably want to get back to where it's themselves in liberal batlin adult and it out. Yeah, as you said, their ceiling is the title, but will they do it? We'll have to wait and see. Hopefully not. Yeah.
00:56:05
Speaker
And the last one then is the one piece of business they need to do. They have so many players in so many positions and they have a very good squad, but I kind of alluded to it there already is they should probably get in a proper right back in case...
00:56:19
Speaker
playing O'Reilly or Nunes there doesn't work out for whatever reason at some point during the season, they should have a proper right back to play there because but yeah that's something they probably don't have one of the only things, I guess.
00:56:31
Speaker
Yeah, I'm not a Rico Lewis fan as well, so I think a right back is a very good shout. I think they're going to need to find a new goalkeeper because i think Ederson is definitely going and this summer.
00:56:43
Speaker
and I think all the talk is he's going. He was going to go last season to Saudi and he was convinced to stay for one more year. the goalkeeper market is stacked with with young talent come true. So it's about maybe having to do with David De Gea here.
00:56:56
Speaker
His first year at United where he was kind of struggling massively, but stick with him. Someone like Diogo Costa, Arrestes from France or... that legal keeper whose name I'm not going to try and butcher, but someone like that, I think they're going to need to bring in a new keeper under the age of 25 that can do it for them for the next 10 years. I think that will be their key work. But I think the right back's a great job, to be honest.
00:57:18
Speaker
They can't keep just, you can't just keep putting the square place into round holes. It didn't work last season. They went on that bit of a mad run where they couldn't win a game for lot their money and they have loads of money. and So i think they'll need to guess.
00:57:31
Speaker
I think he needs to go back to basics, to be honest. understand He needs to just play players in the positions they're meant to play. If they put Faraday all back into left into centre-back, watch him become the best centre-back in the He's clearly incredible.
00:57:45
Speaker
and Then put a left-back outside him, who he knows and trusts in Aitnori, then I think you're laughing. Put Nunes back into midfield if you want. He's not a right back. We saw that in the United game in particular where he didn't know what to do when he gave away that hand.
00:57:59
Speaker
He was in about... I'd like to judge some people end up in two minds. He was in about 14 minds of what to do. He didn't know go back to the keeper, out of play, make a tackle. You need a defender who knows how to defend, especially if you are going to have the ball so much or you're so susceptible to turnovers.
00:58:14
Speaker
And O'Reilly isn't that either. No, O'Reilly isn't attacking McFielders as well. He had two attacking McFielders playing at right back last season. yeah it just It's just trying to be so far outside the box that, you like like you said, you need to go back to basics. But then it's Pep again, you never know. He's probably going to have Cherky playing right back. He's going to do something outrageous just for the sake of it. But then when it works out, he looks like a genius. But in fairness, he's done a lot of good things throughout the years. But I think he did try too much last year.
00:58:46
Speaker
I think Pep goes so far outside the box that he can't actually see the box anymore. yeah I think he just he goes so far down the road, goes to a different country with the ba so they've gone into box into the box.
00:58:57
Speaker
I think he'll go back to something semi-more normal this season coming. But we'll see. As you said, it's Pep who actually knows. Rico Lewis got sent off in the friendly last night, so yeah maybe he won't trust him anymore now.
00:59:08
Speaker
Yeah, it seems to like him a lot, though. I'd say he'll be one of the first fellas he starts calling on if things go wrong. but Yeah, quite possibly. That's our last team for the football.
00:59:19
Speaker
And we're going to wrap it up like we have done, I guess, for the last two weeks we'll continue to do. um We're going to do a draft of the best of something. So last week I went first, so it's back to you this week to go first.
00:59:33
Speaker
Snake style draft, I'll go second and third then. So this week we're going with the best wide receivers in the NFL. So I'll throw it to you to start. This, like the first pick for me with the hardest one, because there's two obvious choices and whoever I pick, you're going to take the other one off.
00:59:49
Speaker
So it was a toss up for me, but I've gone with Jamar Chase as the number one pick me here. Yeah, I had him marked down as my number one overall as well. Then obviously second, you kind of alluded, there's only one guy that could be second, then it's that Justin Jefferson.
01:00:07
Speaker
He is my number two. And then for in third, I'm going with Amon Ross St. Brown. I absolutely love him. I think he's so reliable and he has unbelievable hands, rarely drops a ball.
01:00:17
Speaker
I think, yeah, having him in there is a no-brainer for me, really. Yeah, it like yeah they they were the top three for me as well. Obviously, I think if he had gone first here, then they would have been my two as well after Amon Rahn, either Jamar Chase or Justin Jefferson.
01:00:35
Speaker
It's a bit more difficult then because there's a lot of players who I think are on the same level. So it's hard to kind of distinguish them. But I'm going to go with AJ Brown as my second pick. Off the back of the Super Bowl, I thought he was absolutely excellent in the Super Bowl as well.
01:00:49
Speaker
and I think the Eagles wide receiver room is just excellent in general. And after that, in my third pick, I'm going to take Jackson, Smith and Jigba. Oh my Lord.
01:01:00
Speaker
Yeah, im I'm a big fan. I think he was brilliant last year. And that was with a quarterback room that just really wasn't clicking.
01:01:11
Speaker
But we'll see what he's like this, you know, with a new quad proper quarterback. Fair enough. yeah You're going to pick two players here now, and I'd be like, how on earth have I left him behind? But we'll see. Yeah, I think so. Because when you mentioned, like, someone kind of being on a similar level for me, I had those top three.
01:01:29
Speaker
Then there's one guy just below that and then there's the whole pile. So the guy just below that for me is CeeDee Lamb. He's absolutely unbelievable. One of the best wide receivers in the league. And I think, yeah, he he might be wide receiver one this season with George Pickens now taking a bit of the heat off.
01:01:47
Speaker
And then in fourth, I'm going to go with Puka Nakua. I think he had injuries last year, but I think his ability to just randomly go off, not it's not even random anymore, just go off for like over 200 yards, is it's just hard to believe, to be honest.
01:02:01
Speaker
So yeah, that's my that's my next two picks. Then who have you got for your last two? Oh, I'm fuming at myself because when I was making my list, CeeDee Lamb didn't actually make the cost. He's not on my long list. I completely forgot about his existence, which is absolutely disgraceful.
01:02:19
Speaker
Absolutely disgraceful. ah For my four pick, I'm going to take Brian Thomas Jr. Great pick. I think he's excellent. Again, he was out he was in a really tough situation last year and still managed to stand out with Smallvis.
01:02:33
Speaker
I think he's only going to get better. And my last pick, I'm going to take Drake London. Yeah, yeah. I had him as one of my one of my next ones too. I think he's very, very talented.
01:02:43
Speaker
and That only leaves one choice for me. and The obvious one. Gonna have to go with my man Malik Neighbours. Similar position to Brian Thomas Jr. Did a lot. with not a whole lot at the quarterback position last year.
01:02:56
Speaker
Really, Sean, two LSU guys. I think Neighbours is unbelievably talented. So he's going to round out my five. So I've got Justin Jefferson, Cameron Ross St. Brown, CeeDee Lamb, Pukinakua and Malik Neighbours.
01:03:09
Speaker
And I have Jamar Chase, AJ Brown, Jackson, Smith and Jigba, Thomas Jr. and Drake London. Nice. So let us know who you think did better.
01:03:20
Speaker
The only one in my top 10 that didn't get picked there was Devante Adams. He snuck in as 10th for me because I think he's very, very talented. But yeah, that's the only other honorable mention I have there. But let us know who you think did better.
01:03:33
Speaker
And we will be back again next week with another one. And if you guys have any ideas for them, just let us know because we'd be happy to do whatever. But I think that's us wrapped up for the day. you want to close us out?
01:03:44
Speaker
Yeah, thanks so much, lads. Just keep listening, keep watching, keep hitting the follow button, hit the like, hit the subscribe button, all the usual stuff that everyone says at the end of a video. Just we we we really do love doing this. And Dave, we have the reception we're getting and a lot of things is really, really positive as well. So we we'll just keep going and we'll see you next week.
01:04:03
Speaker
Yeah, see you next week, lads.