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Champions League Review
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Join your Global Sports Podcast Network team for your daily briefing on all things premier league – News, transfers, analysis and opinion – you’ll find it here on Daily Premier League part of the Global Sports Podcast Network podcast channel
Subscribe, leave a review and share the podcast and you can join the debate by emailing us at: dailypremierleaguepodcast@gmail.com
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Transcript
Introduction and Collaboration
00:00:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome, welcome, welcome everybody to the Daily Premier League podcast. My name is Ken Davis. It's Wednesday, the 17th of September. And I normally, when I do these podcasts, I'm joined by Nick Britton, my old mucker, my old muckcker my own mate.
00:00:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
But not today. I'm joined by another Nick, Nick Bird, who you'll know well anyway, because he's doing a million of these podcasts ah in the Daily Premier League podcast series. So a very good evening to you, Nick.
00:00:39
Nick
Good evening to is I'm happy to be joining you for the first time. though
00:00:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's exciting. First time we've done one together and I'm very much looking forward to it because I enjoy the work you do on on your podcast on this. Big thank you, by the way, to anyone joining us ah who makes listening to the Daily Premier League podcast a part of their
Premier League Teams in the Champions League
00:01:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
everyday routine. It's great. We've got everyday listeners.
00:01:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we really enjoy the correspondence that people send in. If you want to, by the way, send us an email and we read them all. It's dailypremierleagepodcast at at gmail.com. Right, we've got a lot to talk through.
00:01:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
what i'm ah What we're going to do to talk about today is Champions League. ah Obviously, this is a Premier League podcast, but just for today, imagine it's the Champions League podcast. ah because we want to look at the Premier League teams that are playing the Champions League. There were two games last night.
00:01:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's two games tonight. We're recording this just before the kickoff. and the two games tomorrow. And we want to talk about those six teams that are involved in the Champions League. That is Arsenal, Spurs, somehow, and britain in brackets, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City and Newcastle.
00:01:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, I know I can say Spurs in brackets somehow ah to Nick because he's a massive Arsenal fan. So, um i any chance of Spurs winning the Champions League, Nick, to me?
00:02:09
Nick
No, I don't think they're even particularly good last night. So for them to struggle against Villarreal and then find a way to go through and win the whole thing would be quite the upset.
00:02:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think the Dalia Premier League five-a-side team has got a better chance than ours, and we're not even in it. So, okay, ah right. So what we're gonna how we're going to kick this off? Actually, the way we're going to kick this off is a little reminder because things changed recently, I think for last season and for this season.
00:02:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah in terms of the way qualification works in the Champions League. And so it's always worth just revisiting that for a couple of minutes. So just to make sure you understand, this is the whole competition is now a 30-16 competition, of which there are eight games before any knockout games start.
00:03:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's a league, really, and it's a big league with 36 teams in it. So what you've got at the end of those eight games is that 1-8 automatically qualifield for the qualify for the round of 16. The next 16 teams, really going from 9-24, well, they qualify for a little one-off knockout situation, ah and the winners of those go through to the round of 16.
00:03:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
16 as well so you've now got 16 teams made up of 1 to 8 and now 8 from 9 to 24 so they're the 16 teams 25 to 36 well they go home and they don't even go into the other competitions which is a bit different but so that's how it works right Without further ado, there were two games last night.
Arsenal vs Athletic Bilbao Review
00:03:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's talk about ah one closest to your heart first, Nick, which is Athletic Bilbao against Arsenal. ah Arsenal rampant, I would say. what What was your take on that?
00:04:05
Nick
i I actually think we were ah quite poor, especially coming off the weekend where I think it was definitely our best performance of the weekend. The stadium was very loud being there in person.
00:04:17
Nick
I think getting to see as a ah left winger who will beat their man was...
00:04:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
00:04:22
Nick
quite a big part of that at the weekend but then coming into today until yesterday sorry ah in Bilbao and it was their first Champions League game in a decade so it was incredibly loud there they were very up yeah
00:04:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was a cauldron, wasn't it? Absolutely green and white everywhere.
00:04:40
Nick
And then I thought they had the better the first 20 minutes and we slowly got into it, which feels like it's been a bit of a factor of the start to our season. But the big sort of exclamation point on it is the depth as why we've won the game again.
00:04:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:04:57
Nick
and That was the big part of the transfer window, getting more quality in. So we've not got Saka, Odegaard, Saliba, White, you could probably name a few more. And there's still no goals conceded from open play through five games.
00:05:13
Nick
Martinelli and Trossard, who kind of look like they're on the way out, have maybe been buoyed by the fact that they've got much better competition in front of them and they come on make the difference and get us through that first difficult game before playing Manchester City at the weekend
00:05:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I thought Martinelli's goal was great. The way he took that, the way he accelerated away and finished it. i thought Martinelli's always been a great player. I mean, does he not feature now, do you not think, in terms of Arsenal's future? Do you think he is on his way? And and why do you think that is?
00:05:49
Nick
I think it's a little bit of a case of we've watched him do the same things for four years, I think it is now. And the fan base is quite tired of watching the way he sizes up against his man one-on-one and... one i'm the inability to beat his man, then the lack of end product, a lack of development in his game generally.
00:06:13
Nick
So i think he has he has a future in football, obviously. He's not a bad footballer, but he might not be a footballer on the Arsenal level trying to win Premier Leagues and Champions Leagues.
00:06:27
Nick
anymore. ah maybe Maybe he'll re-find that in a different country. Maybe he'll find that in a different position because there's a lot of... There's been talking amongst Arsenal fans for quite a long time that maybe he's better at striker than he is on the left wing because a lot of his good his best work comes centrally. and We saw that yesterday as the run came through the middle and it's on the transition where his pace is kind of his best attribute and
00:06:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:55
Nick
Maybe the the finish wasn't incredible. It went under the keeper just about, but playing for Arsenal, he's not going to get loads of those transition opportunities because it's slower building out from the back.
00:07:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it is.
00:07:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
you
00:07:08
Nick
And we have been more direct to try and compensate for Giocarez, whose strengths are in that part of the game. But I just think Eze is leaps and bounds ahead of him.
00:07:21
Nick
And while left wing's not Eze, he's natural position it just because he hasn't shown it at Crystal Palace doesn't mean he can't play there and get an end product from those wider positions
00:07:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, very wise. It's interesting perspective. don't often talk to Arsenal fans about Martinelli, but but clearly it sounds like he's not he's not considered you know part of the future. are You're right, it's a completely different different level. But yeah, great they came off the bench.
00:07:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
great Great substitutions by Arteta. I mean, they really did make the difference. They kind of injected a level of urgency and energy into the team that was a little bit lacking. And yeah,
00:08:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great to come away from Bilbao with two knocks. People were talking about Bilbao as being a real surprise package in the Champions League. People were genuinely thinking they were contenders.
00:08:11
Nick
Yeah, I think a little bit of luck that Nico Williams was injured, but like you say, that the substitutions, this year it's Martinelli and Trosser coming off the bench. Last year it would have been Sterling and Nathan Butler or Odeji.
00:08:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:26
Nick
It's such a huge difference and we've seen it through pretty much every Arsenal game so far. So it's
00:08:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, it was an impressive performance. I thoroughly enjoyed the game. Bobao is a cauldron. they They take their football pretty seriously in north of Spain. And it was great see Arsenal emerge with a 2-0 victory.
00:08:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Now, we have to talk about this. And that's Spurs. I know it might be difficult. and But but let let's just grit our teeth and try and get through it.
Spurs' Fortunate Victory Discussion
00:08:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Spurs won in the Champions League they won they they they beat Villarreal 1-0 one of the more bizarre goals that I've seen in a while I don't know if you caught that goal ah Nick but it was essentially it was ah it was as much of a goalkeeper own goal as you'll ever see and I mean, the ball just bounced in front of him, squirmed away from him like to wrestle an eel.
00:09:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And the look on his face, one the one of the highlights of yesterday was the look on ah the Villarreal goalkeeper's face when he realised exactly what the ball was about to do.
00:09:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
But so what was your take on the Spurs game?
00:09:40
Nick
sort of got away with one. It felt like obviously an incredibly fortunate goal. Then there was the ah the penalty that then wasn't given because it was obviously outside the box.
00:09:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:51
Nick
Van der Ven, arguably lucky to get away with just a yellow card. He was last man.
00:09:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, good question.
00:09:56
Nick
then there was...
00:09:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was.
00:09:59
Nick
and then those
00:09:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I would have been screaming for a red. I would have been screaming for a red if it was against us.
00:10:01
Nick
yeah
00:10:03
Nick
And then i think Xavi Simmonds was also a little lucky to not get a second yellow card. He took down Pepe after he nutmegged him on the transition while he was already on a yellow card. So they maybe got away with that a little bit.
00:10:17
Nick
Pepe looked very determined as an ex-Arsenal player to to score against them and just didn't quite bounce for him. Yeah. They got through it in a relatively empty stadium.
00:10:28
Nick
I think Arsenal fans went through the same thing where, oh, that's really expensive for ah team who I'm not that bothered about. So maybe it was a little bit of that, but they got through it um while they weren't particularly good, which I think they've done a few times already this season, which is credit to Thomas Frank.
00:10:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, Frank's made a difference in that. that ah I mean, they're just more robust. They just don't concede the goals that they conceded under Postacoglu. If that had been Postacoglu in charge last night, they would have probably lost that Yeah.
00:11:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, yeah, well done, Spurs. It wasn't a great performance. I think Thomas Frank said that himself in his post-game presser. ah But, you know, you take them, don't you?
00:11:11
Nick
we
00:11:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
take You take ugly 1-0 victories.
00:11:14
Nick
yeah
00:11:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, that's ah what yeah football
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00:11:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:11:19
Nick
when um about 3 minutes of the 4 minute highlight package is from the third first 30 minutes of the game you're a little bit worried about what the last minute is going to be so yeah it was clearly not the most enthralling game
00:11:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, no, it was you're right. Certainly the Balbao Arsenal game was a much better watch. Right, as we know here at Global Sports Podcast Network, as Thomas Frank knows, it pays to get your team selection right. And here at Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery partner.
00:11:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:12:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Check the show notes for details. You won't regret it
00:12:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, okay. Part two of a very interesting podcast with myself, Ken Davis, and Nick Bird. Enjoying this. ah Games tonight, games tomorrow. I'm briefly skim through them.
00:12:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Tonight, we've got Bayern Munich against Chelsea. That's a game I'm looking forward to watching. ah Liverpool against Atletico Madrid. That's a game I'm looking forward to watching. did Diego Simeone.
00:12:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Tomorrow, we've got Man City against Napoli. Napoli are an interesting team, and we'll come to this later on. And then we've got Newcastle against Barcelona. I mean, this is what we love about the Champions League. Every single one of those games is going to be a watch.
00:13:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's going to be absolutely fascinating. We're going to come to tonight's games first. So firstly, Bayern Munich against Chelsea. Bayern Munich, as we will all know, running away with the...
00:13:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
What do they call it in Germany? The Bundesliga.
00:13:27
Nick
The Bundesliga.
00:13:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bundesliga. Run away with it. Vincent Kompany in charge at Bayern. I still don't know, by the way, as an aside, how someone goes from managing Burnley to managing Bayern Munich. But yeah it's one of life's great mysteries.
00:13:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah So Bayern Munich against Chelsea. Chelsea have been pretty impressive. And Priti is doing quite a lot of heavy lifting there.
00:13:52
Nick
Yeah.
00:13:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've been good in parts. They've great in parts, and they've been rubbish in other parts of season so far. What's your take on the Bayern Munich-Chelsea game? what What do you think the result will be? We're going to go
Bayern Munich vs Chelsea Preview
00:14:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
prediction results all the way through here. So, Bayern Munich against Chelsea.
00:14:08
Nick
I think Bayern Munich will win this relatively easily. ah They've started the season incredibly well and their attack seems to have really gelled together. Gnabry has suddenly re-found himself.
00:14:22
Nick
Diaz has obviously gone there from Liverpool and looks another player, at least a...
00:14:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. if A different player.
00:14:28
Nick
A different player. Alise is unbelievable. as so i think Chelsea's weakest point is their defence and going away to the Allianz, Enzo Maresca's first ever Champions League game as much as as well as a lot of this squad, I think.
00:14:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:45
Nick
So... quite a difficult environment to go into for Chelsea. And we saw Mareska rotate at the weekend, maybe, and looking ahead to this game and it let them down, obviously drawing late against Brentford. So I think maybe 3-1 to Bayern Munich and...
00:15:04
Nick
yeah It feels quite a tall task for this ah this Chelsea team who have gone with Rhys James in midfield with just looking at the lineups and Palmer on the left.
00:15:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:16
Nick
So interesting choice of lineup to go to the Allianz with.
00:15:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, doesn't strike you as midfield dominance on the part of Chelsea. that but But we have got a rejuvenated Cole Palmer. ah And they are, of course, world club champions.
00:15:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we can't write Chelsea off. You reckon 3-1 Bayern? I reckon Bayern
Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool Analysis
00:15:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
are going win. I'm going to Bayern. So we kind of agree on the result on there.
00:15:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here's another one I think we might well agree on the result on. Liverpool against Atletico Madrid. I have to say, Atletico are my Spanish team. Went to see them a few times over the years.
00:15:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
of the years let The manager is Diego Simeone. Let's be honest, he won't be listening. He can be mad. I mean, he's crazy.
00:16:03
Nick
yeah
00:16:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
But he's got that energy and kind of drive and enthusiasm and personality and all those good things. But they've had a very mixed start in La Liga. I think they've got four points out of, or maybe five points out of four games, something like
00:16:19
Nick
Yeah, five points. One win, one loss, two draws.
00:16:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's it's been very mixed. It's not going to get you very far in the Liga. ah Liverpool, of course, have been on fire. Now, that said, I think everybody who watches the Premier League knows that Liverpool have not been the finished article so far this year. They've won, but they've been susceptible. And they've been particularly susceptible in defence, particularly susceptible in the transition.
00:16:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do Atletico Madrid have any chance whatsoever of recording a famous victory Anfield?
00:16:52
Nick
maybe not a victory, but I think they can do the ah typical thing of Atletico Madrid in the Champions League where they'll just sit in their own half incredibly deep and force Liverpool to work it out, which they a bit lucky in doing against Burnley at the weekend. So...
00:17:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:17:09
Nick
Almost got a blueprint from Scott Parker, of all people, Simeone. But an interesting thing for Liverpool is Alexander Izak is starting this evening, which I did not expect.
00:17:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:17:20
Nick
I i thought he wouldn't really come into this team until mid to late October. So that'll be interesting to see how that changes things for them. But... I think Liverpool will probably just about get over the line, maybe 1-2-0.
00:17:34
Nick
But yeah, Atletico Madrid missing Julian Alvarez maybe helps them in the fact they can commit to just defending more, but they don't necessarily have that that outlook because Griezmann's not who he was two years ago.
00:17:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:17:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
no
00:17:48
Nick
So quite a difficult task for Madrid, I think, going to Anfield tonight.
00:17:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think so. The thing is, I think Liverpool are going to concede. A couple of seasons ago, Liverpool had a habit of always conceding. and it happened And it occurred. It wasn't last season, the season before.
00:18:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
They just conceded early, often the first goal, over and over and over and over again. I think Liverpool are still susceptible. I still think their central defensive pairing isn't right yet.
00:18:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
They would have been a lot better if they got Gaye. They didn't.
00:18:20
Nick
yeah
00:18:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
But
00:18:21
Nick
2-0. 3-0.
00:18:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I still think they're susceptible. So I think it, I think Atletico will score, but I think as always at the moment, Liverpool will pop up with a winner in the 87th minute.
00:18:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Isaac, why not? Isaac, toe poke from 20 yards out, goes to top corner. So I'm going Liverpool. Do you say or 2-0? Because we're going to review 2-0 Liverpool.
00:18:46
Nick
two now three
00:18:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, moving forward to Thursday.
Man City and Napoli Match Expectations
00:18:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is an interesting game. Man City against napoy Napoli. Napoli, led by Antonio Conte. the He has turned them round.
00:19:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
He has really turned them round. Top of Syria. Kevin De Bruyne against Man City.
00:19:07
Nick
Yeah.
00:19:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Rasmus Hoyland scored at the weekend for Man United. They are firing on all cylinders, and Man City are not firing on all cylinders. Another very inconsistent team. ah I've got... I'm going to go for a draw on this. I'm going to go... I think Napoli are going to surprise Man City. I think Napoli going to surprise a lot of teams this year.
00:19:32
Nick
Yeah.
00:19:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
So i' I'm going for 2-2.
00:19:34
Nick
Ah.
00:19:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
What do you reckon, Nick?
00:19:36
Nick
I was going for 2-2 as well.
00:19:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, you can't now.
00:19:38
Nick
<unk>ll go a little bit different.
00:19:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, good one.
00:19:40
Nick
I'll go a little bit different. ah I'll go 3-3. i think I think this could be a very um sort of open basketball-y game where I think McTominay will probably score as his tradition of...
00:19:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:57
Nick
people coming back to to horn, not necessarily an X team in this case, but an X team's rival. So especially going to their Tihad, I think McTominay will be involved somehow.
00:20:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah
00:20:08
Nick
De Bruyne, you feel will will be involved somehow.
00:20:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:20:10
Nick
And Hoyland, you you brought him up. I watched a little bit of the game in the weekend. Just looked a completely different footballer. It's meant to what a change of scenery can do for someone.
00:20:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, okay.
00:20:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, yeah.
00:20:20
Nick
But yeah.
00:20:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're coming out of Man United.
00:20:22
Nick
Yeah.
00:20:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, man that Man United shirt weighs heavily. We've seen it over and over and over again.
00:20:25
Nick
Yeah.
00:20:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know why it does, but players just seem released when they go when when they leave that club. Anyway, we should we shall see. but But what we are predicting is lots of goals. So if you if you've got one game to pick in the course of the next two days, it sounds like the Man City-Napoli might be the one to watch.
00:20:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
And finally, a somewhat... You would have been surprised to announce this fixture a few years ago.
Barcelona vs Newcastle Preview
00:20:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Newcastle versus Barcelona. ah Absolute classic.
00:20:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
St. James' is going to be absolutely rocking. ah But, you know, Barcelona are Barcelona. Hansi Flick is Hansi Flick. Laminya Mal is Laminya Mal.
00:21:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Have Newcastle got any chance whatsoever?
00:21:11
Nick
I think they obviously Newcastle's attack is incredibly quick and I think they will definitely score. Obviously, Gordon hasn't been available in the league due to his red card.
00:21:23
Nick
He'll be available for this game and with a lot of energy, you imagine.
00:21:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:21:28
Nick
And I'd be surprised if they didn't expose that high line, but I think Barcelona will just have a little bit too much for Newcastle. sort I'll go with to Barcelona.
00:21:40
Nick
the barcelona We'll see if Jumal plays. I think he's still a little bit of a doubt, but their their depth is so good that it shouldn't really matter for them.
00:21:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
right yeah
00:21:50
Nick
and But again, Newcastle, their physical play, it'll be interesting to see how Barcelona deal with that that kind of brute force of Gimmaris, Tonale and Jalinton in the middle.
00:22:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:22:03
Nick
They won't really have that sort of thing to come up against in La Liga, so maybe Newcastle will cause them a little bit of issue with that.
00:22:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:22:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think they will. I think Nick Britton, who I often do this podcast, considers the Newcastle midfield to be the the best midfield in the Premier League.
00:22:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, that's Nick. and and And I could say, never take what he's saying seriously. But... ah He sees a lot of them.
00:22:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
He sees a lot of Newcastle and he really rates it. And I just got a feeling there's going to be an upset. I think everybody thinks Newcastle, you know, don't well, they do now have a strike force at last.
00:22:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah They do have a remarkably talented midfield. They have got 50,000 crazy people. blowing the ball into the net. I am going to go for 2-1 Newcastle victory.
00:23:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And so you've got I've got you down as a 3-1 Barcelona.
00:23:06
Nick
Yep. yep
00:23:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah It should be a very, very interesting watch. And actually, another game that I think will be... and absolute credit to the Champions League. Now, before we move on to the final part of podcast, Global Sports Podcast Network has partnered with Bionique, the world's most personalized supplements, because your body is unique. And because without knowing what your deficiencies are, taking off the shelf supplements might mean it's not getting enough of the nutrients you do need and too many of the ones you don't need. So Bionique provide 100% tailor-made supplements designed to deliver precisely what your body needs,
00:23:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:23:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was trying to do that, but now done it. Let's do it again.
00:24:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. Sorry about that. I'm normally so much slicker at doing those kind of things like that. But, you know, I pressed the button, pressed the festival button too early and then nothing happened. But you know that because you didn't hear it.
00:24:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. OK. Going to finish off today's podcast. Here we are. Wednesday, 17th September. The games tonight are about to kick off, so we all want to go and watch those games. But what I'm going to ask you, Nick, is two final questions for the podcast. The first one is, who's going to win the Champions League? The second one, which English team will get furthest?
00:24:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
They may be the same one, maybe the same answer, but over to you, Nick. Who's winning it, the whole thing, and which Premier League team is going to do best?
00:24:57
Nick
I'm going to perhaps controversially or perhaps biasly pick my own boys.
00:25:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Spur, spur, spur.
00:25:04
Nick
you No, I'm going to go with Arsenal. I think the squad is more built for the Champions League potentially and sort the tactical setups more suited to the Champions League Arsenal.
00:25:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow.
00:25:17
Nick
the Premier League, the ability for this Arsenal team to just lock things down is remarkable. you You just don't see teams finding a way to score against Arsenal at the moment.
00:25:29
Nick
And the attack is so much better now. There's more ways for Arsenal to create and score.
00:25:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank
00:25:37
Nick
If players are out, you're not as bothered anymore. So going to put my Arsenal hat on and back us to go the whole way for the first time.
Can Arsenal Win the Champions League?
00:25:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow. And so it's going to be 1-0 to the Arsenal just over and over and over and over again until they win the Champions League. What's made a difference? Obviously, Eze is it is it is it just a talent and we expect him, he was great at Palace, we expect him to be even greater at Arsenal because of the players he's got playing around him.
00:26:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is that the big difference or is there more to it than that?
00:26:10
Nick
Yeah, I think having someone you can depend on on that left side is such a massive difference because teams have just been able to shut down Saka, shut down Odegaard, and you can be fairly confident that Arsenal won't score anything unless you give away...
00:26:25
Nick
a lot of corners but now you have Eze you can put Madaweke over there and it he's been so good in his first few games and if a team wants to just focus on Arsenal's right side there's so much space for Eze or Madaweke to operate on that other side and
00:26:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's impressive and in his his own right. yeah
00:26:48
Nick
Good luck giving Eze space on that side because he'll punish you. And on top of that, you've got a different striker in Giocarez who, if Arsenal need to sit in and play counter-attacking football, you've got someone who will thrive in that.
00:26:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:03
Nick
And he's improved every game. He may not... be incredible technically but he's he's a brute he will run through you he'll bounce players off of him and think that makes a big difference but then you can also when Havertz is back fit he can come in he can make the ball stick you could arguably pay play both of them Havertz flicking it in behind for Giocarez there's just so many different things that Arsenal can do now what even Warneri he's a year older we've seen him have to play considerable minutes already and
00:27:36
Nick
arguably in Arsenal's two best performances it's been when Wuneri has played the majority of the game so there's just so so many different things in the attack now and on top of that somehow the defense has got even better so it and the midfield has got even better with Zubimendi coming in Rice operating a little bit deeper i
00:28:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Positioning Rice in that in that position has really allowed allowed everybody else to push on, think.
00:28:04
Nick
yeah
00:28:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's great in that role.
00:28:08
Nick
It's just, it's a little bit more balanced. I think right when he's higher up can kind of get in a little bit of trouble because he's not necessarily that creator.
00:28:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:18
Nick
The fact he's quite right footed doesn't really help our left hand side. So putting him deeper, letting Zubimendi, who's happy to get forward, letting him go a bit higher sometimes.
00:28:30
Nick
So yeah I think the team is just far more balanced this year and
00:28:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, can't disagree with that. I think they look very good. too Two further questions from that before I give you my predictions. Firstly, ah do you actually think they've got a chance to win the Premier League? I mean, they've obviously got a chance, but you think they've got ah good a better chance than ever of winning the Premier League?
Arsenal's Premier League Potential
00:28:53
Nick
ah Coming into this season, i was ah found it very difficult to not back Liverpool, just the sheer amount of quality.
00:29:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:01
Nick
But you watch these first couple of games and there's definitely holes in that Liverpool team at the moment, especially in defence.
00:29:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:10
Nick
But as they have done over countless years, hear it feels like they find a way to get the win and As much as I've seen Arsenal fans already saying they can't keep this up, like this that this will they will get punished for this eventually.
00:29:28
Nick
Arsenal fans were kind of saying that last year and they kept going. and Obviously, Arsenal had their own issues with injuries and suspensions last year. i think Slott will sort it out, but how quickly can he sort it out?
00:29:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:42
Nick
How quickly can... isak kind of find his legs because i can't imagine this first game tonight from him is going to be sensational considering he's not played football for quite a long time so there's definitely that chance for arsenal to win the premier league and like yeah
00:29:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:29:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it's a lot closer. It's a lot closer than it was last year. i um I happen to agree. I think i think Liverpool are going drop points. I think there are some weaknesses and I think teams are going to find them out.
00:30:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah The other thing I would... Yeah... yeah As you were saying, after the other thing I was going to say, I was just going to, be I should mention, I think Isaac is going to be a failure at Liverpool.
00:30:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know the only person in the world who's saying that.
00:30:25
Nick
Yeah.
00:30:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I've just got a feeling that Isaac is not going to be as good at Liverpool as he was at Newcastle. Anyway, time will tell. I know that's not a very popular opinion.
00:30:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah And the second question I was going to ask is, if Arsenal are going to win the Champions League, who's who is it playing in the final?
00:30:47
Nick
At the moment, I think Barcelona.
00:30:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:30:49
Nick
But obviously, it always comes down to what sort of path do you have to take to get there?
00:30:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
yep
00:30:55
Nick
And we saw last year against Inter Milan, a lot of people are backing Barcelona. But I remember saying on the podcast after Arsenal and Inter Milan had gone through, I felt Inter Milan could do them just because of that high line. And that's what ended up happening. And At any point, it feels like Barcelona could get punished for that, but maybe a little bit more maturity in Flick.
00:31:20
Nick
Maybe he'll so so change things up a little bit and they'll get that next step to the final.
00:31:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very interesting. Okay, my predictions are somewhat different. ah I think the final will be between Napoli and Real Madrid. And I think Napoli will win.
00:31:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah, I mean, I just like them.
00:31:38
Nick
Interesting.
00:31:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
And i just I really think they're going to be a surprise package. um Who's going to be the English team that goes furthest? I think Liverpool will go first. I still think Liverpool have got... I think player for player, they're still the best team in the Premier League.
00:31:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think you're right about Arsenal closing the gap tremendously in that. I really think they have. And I think... think I think Arsenal have got really good depth as well.
00:32:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
The only fly in the ointment for that on Liverpool for me is Salah is not the player he was, in my opinion. I've, I've spoke to a few people who follow Liverpool, see Liverpool regularly.
00:32:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah far I did it at the weekend. can And, uh, They're saying Salah just is really off colour. And Liverpool require Salah to be on colour to get these late victories. He scores so many late goals, Salah.
00:32:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah So I'm going to be watching the Salah situation with great interest. so So that's it. Thank you, Nick. That's been great. I really enjoyed doing that. That was really a lot of fun. um So thank you very much indeed. We'll be same teams back tomorrow when we're going to be talking about, and we might talk about some of the European competitions that take our eye. and so it's there's There's more than one.
00:32:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's Europa League that we may well have ah have a quick skirt through tomorrow. ah But that's been the Daily Premier League podcast. Hope you've enjoyed that. Join us tomorrow. And thank you, Nick. It's been a real pleasure. And up the Arsenal.