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Sunderland’s METEORIC Rise + NFL QB Rankings Debate & The Cavs Get Swept
1 Playsin 10 hours
Episode 78 – Sunderland’s European Dream, NFL QB Rankings & NBA Playoff Drama
Episode 78 of Who’s Got The Ball? sees James and Shane rank their Top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL, leading to plenty of debate over who truly deserves to be considered elite in the league right now.
The lads discuss the biggest risers in the NFL, controversial omissions from the list, and which quarterbacks could dominate the next few seasons.
In football, attention turns to the Premier League where West Ham’s relegation becomes a major talking point, while Sunderland qualifying for Europe leaves everyone stunned. There’s also a deep dive into the ongoing chaos at Chelsea and what exactly has gone wrong at Stamford Bridge. The lads finish up the football chat by previewing this Saturday’s Champions League Final clash between PSG and Arsenal.
With Gan Seans and the Power Rankings now finished for the season, the lads switch things up by predicting five transfers they believe are DEFINITELY happening during the summer window.
Michael then joins James for the NBA section to discuss the Knicks sweeping the Cavaliers before previewing the massive Game 6 clash between OKC and Spurs.
Another packed episode full of NFL debates, football drama, NBA playoff reactions, and questionable takes throughout.
🎧 If you’re into:
Premier League, NBA & NFL talk
Weekly predictions & reactions
Underdog picks (Gan Seans 👀)
Power rankings & sports debates
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(0:00) Intro
(2:57) Top 10 QB Rankings Debate
(20:27) West Ham Relegated
(30:17) Sunderland’s Meteoric Rise
(34:59) Can Chelsea Bounce Back?
(39:10) Champions League Final Preview
(46:24) Gan Seans Final Results
(48:07) OKC vs Spurs Game 6 Preview
(1:02:01) Knicks Sweep the Cavs
(1:10:33) Premier League Transfer Predictions
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Upcoming Segments
00:00:09
Speaker
Alright lads, welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball. It's just me, James, here for the intro section. Usually we do a bit of a back and forth, as you know, myself and Shane, but he is not here for the intro.
Top 10 NFL Quarterbacks Debate
00:00:21
Speaker
He is on holidays in Lanzarote at present, but we recorded this most of this episode yesterday before he left.
00:00:28
Speaker
So I said I will wrap up the intro after we got our and NBA section down with Michael. So you'll hear plenty from me and Shane and then a little bit from me and Michael with the and NBA towards the end of this episode. So you've got a good mix in there. Let's do the rundown and jump straight into the action. So we started off myself and Shane with an NFL debate. We ranked our top 10 QBs and we went back and forth to see what we thought was right and wrong in each other's lists and Surprisingly, we had quite similar lists throughout, but there was a couple of big differences towards the back end and in terms of where we were ranked guys. So it was an interesting one.
Football Club Performances and Predictions
00:01:05
Speaker
We moved on to another type of football then and talked about the Premier League, West Ham getting relegated on the last day, where they went wrong, their transfer history over the last few seasons and how they ended up where they were.
00:01:17
Speaker
And then we looked at the incredible story of Sunderland getting European football, not only European football, but into the Europa League next season. and After just getting promoted, they finished seventh, an unbelievable turnaround from where they were a few years ago. So we spoke about that. And then we did a preview of the Champions League final. Of course, we had to get that in there. PSG versus Arsenal on Saturday.
00:01:38
Speaker
Then we gave our final score update on Ghan Shantz, who got the win for the year and by how much.
NBA Playoffs Analysis with Michael
00:01:44
Speaker
Then Michael joined the show. It was myself and him talking about the NBA side of things. We had the OKC and the Spurs series. We gave our game six preview, who we think is going to come out on top and just how the series has gone so far and our thoughts there before talking about the Cavs being swept by
Wrap-up of Predictions and Outcomes
00:02:01
Speaker
the Knicks. Plenty of Knicks talk next week when we prep for the finals, but just a final talk about the Cavs and how they're their whole series and their whole season completely fell apart at the end and then we did wrap up with a little interesting one myself and shane once again we talked about five transfers that we think will happen so we picked five each and we're going to revisit them throughout the summer to see what we got right and what we got wrong in terms of our predictions for for premier league transfers for the season ahead i going into this summer But yeah, a bit of a mismatch in terms of timing. So if you're watching on YouTube, you'll see me in a couple of different outfits.
00:02:39
Speaker
Dana, myself at the start, Michael joining me at the end and then back to myself and Shane. But despite Shane being a away, we got this episode to you. He's involved, Michael's involved, I'm involved. And it's coming to you a day early so we can preview game six of the and NBA series between the OKC and the Spurs. So enjoy the episode. Okay, so we're going to lead with some NFL action this week because we've got a nice kind of debate topic that we can do.
00:03:05
Speaker
Usually we go kind of draft style back and forth to pick things, but i thought we thought it would be good to rank our top 10 quarterbacks and kind of see how our lists vary.
00:03:15
Speaker
and So... I'll throw it to you first, maybe if you want to run through your one, two, three, and then I'll see how that matches up with mine. And we'll we'll go through it that way and take it maybe three at a time and then we can run through the last four.
00:03:29
Speaker
Yeah, perfect. I think there's only one option for number one here in this list and I'd be shocked if you you don't have him as well. It has to be Josh Allen at number one for both of There's no one better in the league at him and it's not just his passing because that's obviously insane but the way he runs it, he's such a threat and I know you have the likes of Lamar Jackson can run, Mahomes can run but when Josh Allen takes off it's just it's a different level because he's so big, he's so strong.
00:03:53
Speaker
that he literally can just he runs through people for fun and i think he got was it 14 or 15 touchdowns last year 14 russian touch fourteen yeah russian
00:04:06
Speaker
halfback like he's a bigger he's a bigger runningback that you can just run over so james put can' get true here okay i'll do it so he was obviouslymer number one i had ma staffordna too and he's have to get another a big contract i think he deserves this I think the Rams are might go into this season as my favourites for the Super Bowl, despite the fact they had didn't have their best shots. I just think they're day the best balanced team, and I think he's a big dick he's a big difference maker for as well. and Despite having a poor year last year, I do still have Patrick Mahomes in my top three.
00:04:36
Speaker
i just I think that he had a poor year, but he's going to come back off this injury and he's just going to be like a man reborn, I think. He's keeping Kelsey for another year. It's one of those, it's going to be their last chance because I don't think Kelsey is going be allowed to do another to year after this if he's going to be married and all to the most wonderful woman in the world after this year. So I think...
00:04:54
Speaker
if If they were ever going to come out and just get Kelsey to touch anything he needs to break for whatever records Mahomes to start running again the way he did before they've invested a bit in their O-line I'm pretty sure as well and so I think he'd be far better protected I think they're going to be so dangerous this year so i have Alan Stafford Mahomes top three by your face I think you would have the same three No I have two of the same three I've got Alan one I've got Mahomes three So I've got Alan the same as you. Just dual-thread ability in the NFL is so important right now. So he's the best dual-thread NFL quarterback. like He can do everything so well.
00:05:35
Speaker
25 passing touchdowns and 14 rushing touchdowns, as you said, last season. It's just insane. And that's what puts him a bit ahead of the likes of Lamar and Mahomes for me, just that physical dominance he has when he runs with the ball. You just know he's going to get in there.
00:05:49
Speaker
Mahomes, same as you, He can do anything at any time. He's probably has some of the most outrageous throws of any quarterback in the league. Two-time MVP and he's going to bounce back. After winning three Super Bowls, you know, you can't rule him out. So he's third there for me.
00:06:06
Speaker
Number two, this is where we differ. I've got Joe Burrow. He is the best natural quarterback in the league for me, just in terms of throwing, like sitting back in the pocket, picking teams apart, reading defenses.
00:06:22
Speaker
I know Stafford can do so many good things with no-look passes and things like that, but Stafford is, throughout his years, he's become more risk-averse, where if he sees something like double coverage... he'll avoid it.
00:06:36
Speaker
he's He's done that against the Seahawks a number of times. He did it in the in the final game that got them knocked out. There was passes he didn't throw that Burrow might just go for and it will come off because he has that kind of belief in his arm. Obviously, he's been riddled by injuries his whole career, but when he has been out there for me, he's just so good. and Him and Alan are one and two for me. and I just think if Burrow got full season under his belt,
00:07:04
Speaker
Yeah, he could have a different a different kind of impact on this league. But what do you think of that choice at two? Yeah, so I have Borough at four, and not to give away the game or anything, but I think it might have been a bit of recency bias from me because he missed so much of last year with that turf toe. And as you said, he he does get a lot of injuries, but when he is out there, himself and Chase are just, they're they're just they're probably the the best duo to watch in the league. um I think anyway, it's just a pity about the rest of the team around them being so poor the last couple of years, but I think the two of them,
00:07:35
Speaker
Aaron saying, and I do agree, Joe Burrow is another man who is bit of a dual trust. And again, if he was fit, I think maybe not on Allen's level, but I do think he is running in him. I think he'd be capable if he trusts himself to and do it every now and again. So he is in a four for me.
00:07:51
Speaker
I then have another runner in five. I have Lamar Jackson. I don't know what it is about Lamar Jackson that he just, he doesn't look like a quarterback. He looks like he should be a running back. He just doesn't feel like a quarterback kind of build to me. But when he's out there, he's another one who can pass, he can run. Baltimore, another really good team. i think he kind of, he let Derrick Henry do a lot of his running last year and I think he might take 15 or 20% of that back off him this year and see how it goes because he felt very nullified last year and I think that might have been behind when he was so ready to leave as well. By the looks of things, in the summer I know he's not leaving now, but there was a stage where it looked like he was so he was just so discontented with how it was going that he was like, no, i want to out. But I'd say they probably told him, we'd like to do what you doing before if you could stay. And Derek Henry was probably more than happy to say, okay, if you win me a Super Bowl, you can do whatever you want. So he's a five for me.
00:08:43
Speaker
And then judging, i put in Dak Prescott at six. It's just for pure passing ability. Like the man can pass the ball every now and now, all over the place. But his problem is when he comes to playoffs, he just can't do it. And he could be higher up this list if he was able to win a playoff game, but he just doesn't seem to have the ability to do it. I think it was too early to put Drake May in the top five, top six. He only had one good year. So that's why he's not in there yet. But maybe Herbert could have gotten in there. But I just put jack i just liked Dak Prescott. You have Herbert in your your next tree anyway by your your face.
00:09:17
Speaker
Yeah, it's actually funny because I've got Stafford at four when you had Burrow at four. So obviously the reigning MVP, some of the best just pure quarterback play, 46 touchdowns, eight interceptions, over 4,700 yards. It's just so good to watch.
00:09:34
Speaker
um and he's just behind those other guys purely because I think they've got more mobility as well their age like so I think if he was a bit younger and he played in this kind of a Rams team but then what makes him so good is his experience then five I've got Jackson the same as you two-time MVP second best dual threat behind Alan for me but like you said only two Russian touchdowns last season in 13 games he didn't want to run it as much now You talk about his interest in maybe leaving the side, and that was coming to a head last season when they looked at the contract situation. But I feel like there's a big reason...
00:10:16
Speaker
for that on the Raven side too, which people don't tend to talk about, but like Jackson often doesn't train for like the first training session of the week. And he could be ruled out due to illness or he doesn't show up because of something else. And if he maybe took things a little bit more seriously at times from what it seems like on the outside, then...
00:10:36
Speaker
They could be going a bit further and he could be higher up this list because he has all the ability in the world and he worked so much on his passing game and it improved so much. But look, I don't think he takes it as seriously as some of the other guys. And maybe if he does this season, there could be something a lot different going on with a new head coach.
00:10:55
Speaker
And then six, yeah, I've got Herbert. Somehow he's both underrated and overrated the same time. It makes no sense. But last season, over 3,700 passing yards, and nearly 500 rushing yards as well. So that kind of John Harbaugh effect is in full flow. Him with McDaniel this year, I think the Chargers are going to cause an upset and they're going to go pretty far.
00:11:17
Speaker
I think they've they've got a great offense once Rashaun Slater and Joe Alter both back fit like they were playing with. basically a mashed together offensive line and Herbert was feeling the effects of it. But if those two guys are back, they have a good defense. They've got McDaniel, they've got Harbaugh. I think it's the recipe for ah really good season.
00:11:39
Speaker
And yeah, I snuck him into the top six here ahead of some other guys because I think he's just on the cusp. Him and Lamar, I think, are just on the cusp of that top four, but just not quite good enough and need a really, really good playoff season to push themselves in there.
00:11:56
Speaker
Yeah, I think if we do this again in 12 months, I think our lists are going be an awful lot different because I think Mendoza is going to come in and be a star straight away. Really? if herb Yeah, I really do. I think he's just going to he's gonna just take to take to it h too is like a duck to water.
00:12:11
Speaker
what what that produce He's sitting behind Cousins, I think will help him. And if the Raiders lose like five or six of their first eight games, then I think he could be primed and ready to come in. Because I'm interested to see how long they wait to put him in because they said they won't all season.
00:12:26
Speaker
i don't buy that at all when you spend the first overall pick on him. Like, I don't buy the third and away all season. Yeah, there's no way they they sit him for the whole season. that would makes up It would just be so silly. Like, why come in and why waste your first pick if not going to use him when there's so many other options there as well? So he will definitely play.
00:12:43
Speaker
And I do think when he does play that he will be he will be absolutely brilliant. I think... My next three here are all going to push up. Well, two many are going to push up the list into a top five next year, maybe if they have the years that we know they're capable of. And I do have Herbert in at seven.
00:12:57
Speaker
Okay. I don't need to say anymore. You've literally just nailed it there with everything you just said. I have Drake May in at eight. He got through a Super Bowl, but he did fall apart. He just couldn't get it going at all in the final, but I think that's going to help him more than hinder him. I think he's going to come back with a vengeance. They have a really tough schedule this year, so I think we'll see what is really made of him this season coming, because last year he had it pretty easy.
00:13:19
Speaker
And if he comes out and does what I think he can do, he'll be in the top five next year. And then Jarek Goff sneaks in here for me, but I think it might be more to do with the team around him more than him. But he's another man. he When he trusts his wide receivers, he'll torture him constantly, and... When you have the likes of Amon Rossi-Brown, you have Gibbs as the dual threat, as the runner and the catcher as well. I think gs it's easier for him, but I do think he's a i do think he is still a really, really good quarterback. And I think but there's a reason the Lions aren't trying to upgrade him just yet. I think they'll give him one more year and see what he does.
00:13:50
Speaker
And then at 10, snuck in Brock Purdy because... I didn't really, like, yeah it was kind of tough picking out of the other 21 after I picked the top nine. Sorry, the other 23 when I picked the top nine. I thought there's a lot of very, very average quarterbacks in this league who were getting away with murder. We said it all last year, that fella who called himself a quarterback for the Jaguars...
00:14:12
Speaker
Like he's not a top 10 quarterback for me yet. Trevor Lawrence, that's his name. He wasn't getting any it for me. Brock Purdy didn't have his best year last year, but for Mr. Irrelevant, what he has done the NFL is something to be really, really admired. So I do still have him in the top 10 for me.
00:14:26
Speaker
It wasn't going to be Geno Smith. I didn't really want to talk about Jackson Derrick after the week he just had, but I think he's probably in the top 15 conversation. But I just think the rest league is kind of struggling for quarterbacks. So we'll have to wait and see.
00:14:38
Speaker
Like, is danny wonder the Raiders so much money at Kirk Cousins to bring him in to mentor Mendoza for a year? Because who else is he going to bring in? Yeah, i I did struggle a little bit after six to decide which guys I wanted to put in because like you mentioned, I need and another good year from Lawrence. I need another good year from Bo Nix.
00:14:58
Speaker
Love. i look, Shaden Daniels, you need more sample size. So those guys couldn't make it, but we have a very similar list overall. I've got Dak Prescott at seven, just a rocket of an arm, probably the best arm in the league. 4,500 yards last season, 30 touchdowns.
00:15:17
Speaker
One of the best offenses in the league and their defense was just awful. So that let them down big time. and Number eight, I have got Jalen Hurts. I think last year he was very bad.
00:15:29
Speaker
But I put that a lot down to Kevin Petulo as the play caller. He's had a different play caller so many times in his Eagles career and it's gone up and it's gone down. But when he had Shane Steichen and when he had Kellen Moore, both times he looked superb and he was great in his two Super Bowl appearances. He won Super Bowl MVP just a year ago.
00:15:48
Speaker
in the game of his life he was so so good he has that dual threat ability um and i just think that if if things work out better this season with their new offensive coordinator we could see another great jalen hertz year um and i they just think he has the ability to be very good but i know it's kind of a debatable one that lot not a lot of people have him in this position I actually forgot about his existence. the key yeah He would people be in my top 10 here over Goff or Brock Purdy, if I remember, that he actually existed as a person. So that's on me. But yeah, I like that fake fair play. I mean, I think after last season, it's easy to forget because we talked about the Eagles and people talked about them so much. And then you go into the offseason and it's kind of like, oh, yeah, they were bad. So let's just forget about it.
00:16:36
Speaker
But then number nine, I have Jared Goff, same as you. I still but believe he'll never lead a team to a Super Bowl. I just think he doesn't have that extra thing that you need to get there. But he does all the basics right most of the time, apart from when he's having like a five or six interception game, which he seems to throw once a year. But last year, look, 34 touchdowns, eight interceptions. They had so many injuries, but he did such a good job. And...
00:17:02
Speaker
He's had 4,400 passing yards in each of the last four seasons or more, which is really incredible. So he deserves that top 10. And number 10, Sam Darnold.
00:17:13
Speaker
Super Bowl winner, does everything right. The last two seasons, he has been so, so good, barring that one Vikings game where he had a meltdown and really just knocked them out of the playoffs.
00:17:25
Speaker
And then he comes to the Seahawks and he never has that moment. He's so good in every game. He's right on the edge. he throws the ball deep. He takes so many risks because their defense is so good.
00:17:36
Speaker
but often it it pays off. He's like one of the best deep threats in the league because of his ability to take that risk. And I think maybe he'll regress with the fact that now they've lost their offensive coordinator who's gone over to the Raiders as the head coach.
00:17:50
Speaker
And that might play into why Mendoza has a great year too, which is an interesting one. So maybe he will regress, but I think he deserves it after his last season. And funnily enough, I had a note on Purdy that he was number 11 before he even mentioned anything because he's right on the edge for me.
00:18:05
Speaker
And Drake May doesn't make it. The playoffs he had, ah one of the worst playoffs we've ever seen from a quarterback. It just horrendous. And somehow they made the Super Bowl. So look, I think he needs to do more. If he does well against a tougher schedule this year and they get into the playoffs, no doubt if he does slightly better job, he'll be in this top 10. But one regular season, that doesn't put you in the top 10 for me yet. And I think they're a bigger aggression candidate going into this season. I don't think they make the playoffs.
00:18:35
Speaker
I think Sam Darnold is a bigger repress regression candidate this season than Drake Mayne and the Patriots. We can see how goes. I'm shocked that neither of us put in Jean or Smith. I think we've had a bit of an oversight there.
00:18:47
Speaker
He should be in around the top five, I think, but it was just i it was hard to fit him in over the other lads. folks The lists are fairly similar. I think we might have only two different players, but obviously players are in different positions all over. bus Yeah, it goes to show where we're looking, going into next season anyway, we're watching a lot Josh Allen again and probably Patrick Mahomes.
00:19:07
Speaker
Yeah, i see people, I was listening actually to Heed the Call podcast, I regularly listen to that and um Mark Sessler, that was like, Kind of saying he's fed up of like all the Josh Allen coverage and him being on like every holiday game. But I actually love it because he is like, who else do you want to watch? And that Mahomes versus Allen matchup is always good. Mahomes versus Sparrow.
00:19:32
Speaker
Allen versus Sparrow. You know, any of those clashes, like that's why we love watching the sports. i feel like, you know, there's never enough bills on like primetime. They always deliver such a good game. Yeah.
00:19:45
Speaker
I think like no one wants to sit down on Thanksgiving and watch Kirk Cousins go up against Deshaun Watson. That's not how you get people to watch football.
00:19:59
Speaker
You get people to watch football by letting them watch Josh Allen regularly, watching Mahomes. As you said, Burrow, Dillon Daniels in his first year was a joy to watch as well. so They're are the kind of players you watch. You don't want to see two lads who won't leave the pocket there and just trying to slugfest for An hour. it's It's long enough as it is. You don't need this to be boring as well. So there's no way you can start taking Josh Allen off these primetime games because as long as he's there, i think they have to maximise him to all his potential. And that's the only way to do it. 100%. Yeah. 100% agree.
00:20:27
Speaker
Let's move into another type of football. And we've got a good few topics to touch on here. But let's start with the Premier League final day. West Ham get relegated. Look, 39 points, just three shy of the record for a relegated side, which was also West Ham in 2003. So they were pretty close to kind of having the most points of the team to be relegated, which shows...
00:20:52
Speaker
you can put it a couple of ways, but for me, it shows how we've been talking about how this Premier League season has been poor and there's not much of a difference between the top and the bottom because of some of the football that's played and that kind of shows it. But having said that, they were awful this season. 46 goals scored only better than Burnley, Wolves and Palace.
00:21:11
Speaker
Minus 19 goal difference only better than Burnley and Wolves and 65 goals conceded only better than Burnley and Wolves. And their defence, even when they bring Nuno in, he so shores them up for two or three games, but then the players really, they don't even want to play.
00:21:26
Speaker
And that was the thing that stood out to me most. Their attitude was thinking. and And I just think that that's the ultimate thing that that got them relegated. Not even Nuno could save them. Yeah, I think a lot of the stats you've listed off there put them as the third worst team in the league and that's where they finish. So you can get your 39 points and say you're unlucky, blah, blah, blah. You're not unlucky. You were genuinely the third worst team all season.
00:21:48
Speaker
I'll just never forgive everything. Because they handed Arsenal the league and then didn't bother showing up on the last day to relegate Tottenham. We're not here to talk about Spurs. I'm sure we could do a whole episode on that over the summer at some point.
00:22:01
Speaker
This is a West Ham team that have paid the price for terrible ownership, terrible management decisions over and over again. Lopethege was the start of this absolute circus and it's Cullum come... it's column come It's finished with Nuno being the one that brings him down and it's not even on him because he walked into an absolute shit show and we don't normally swear on here but I think that's the only word that actually describes what but West Ham are.
00:22:26
Speaker
They hate the stadium. Their fans hate the stadium so much. like It's very hard to create an atmosphere in a stadium that has a running track between you and the pitch. It's an actual joke where they haven't... like No one runs in there anymore.
00:22:38
Speaker
There's no atmosphere. If you're that far from the pitch, how can you get an atmosphere? But why haven't they thought about putting more seats in front? I thought that initially there was plans when, like after the Olympics. The Olympics. But that was in 2012.
00:22:52
Speaker
The whole government, I don't know who was in government in the UK at the time, but then they like left and they had an agreement to like bring it closer. But then that got scrapped with them leaving. So I don't know what was was the situation.
00:23:03
Speaker
Like the stadiums are shambles. The players are shambles. The only ones who looked like they cared were Pablo and Tati and they only came in in January and they probably only cared because, yeah, but I think they only cared because they're we'll just do six months here and some other Premier team will pick us up then if we do anything good.
00:23:19
Speaker
On a side note, I think either Tati or Harry Wilson have to win goal of the season. That goal against Newcastle from Tati last again is absolutely outrageous. But the Wilson one with the outside of Ford is just sublime. It's absolutely sublime. But... The two of them have come in and they've made a difference.
00:23:34
Speaker
In fairness to the sassy, he seemed like he was the only one with the back four trying, but that was the problem. He was one of four. The rest them were just doing nothing. Kyle Walker-Peters should never play a Premier League game of football again. He's absolutely awful. I'd say if he's lucky, if he's lower championship level.
00:23:49
Speaker
And they just have so many players like that who came in and... think they're this superstars like, oh, I had to play in championship. This is disgraceful. It's like, well, now you've put the team that's tried to give you a chance back into the championship and no one's going to take you. So i think they will struggle to come straight back up.
00:24:07
Speaker
I think they they have a lot of work to do there. And unless those owners go, I think they could be they could be in it for the long slog down the championship now. I think Wolves have a far better chance of coming back up. I think they've stabilized really well with Edwards coming in. Andres signing a new contract, which I think is absolutely wild because I think he missed out on the Brazil squad, but he was playing the whole way up until the squad was an announced. So imagine getting a Brazilian international to agree to stay in the championship. It must be Harry Wings wages or something to keep him down there. So we'll have to wait and see. But I just think West Ham are in for a real slog now. And yeah, i I just, I don't know where i's going to go from from here because...
00:24:45
Speaker
They have such a clear out to do. And then you need to sign players that will play championship for at least a year. So you can't bring in can't bring in like premiership proven players and say, we'll give you 90 grand for a year. We'll we be we'll be back up then.
00:24:57
Speaker
And there's no guarantee you're going to get back up. Although the playoffs is extended to eight teams, I think next year. So like they'll surely finish top eight and then it'll be a bit of a circus on there. But we'll have to wait and see. yeah i just think they're going to struggle down there as well.
00:25:11
Speaker
Yeah, i I just want to look at their recruitment because you mentioned some of the players that they've got in. And since Declan Rice's departure, they look this is all going to be in Euros, but they got €116 million eura for him. The same summer, they got €28 million for Skamaka, amongst a few other somehow sales. yeah And off the back of that, they bought Mohamed Koudas, which is good business, €43 million. euro But then...
00:25:36
Speaker
You're looking at Edson Alvarez for 38 million euro, amounted to nothing. James Ward-Prowse for 35 million euro, which is insane. Madre Panos for 20 million euro, which he's been fine, but seems too much. A loan fee of 7 million euro for Calvin Phillips.
00:25:54
Speaker
Then you go into the next the next summer, and they didn't really sell anyone of note. And they went and bought Max Killman for 47 million euro. They bought Crescensio Somerville for 29 million euro. That was good business.
00:26:07
Speaker
full It was OK. Look, he's he's a decent player. I think we could argue that one, but it's the best of a bad bunch. Fulker up 27 million Guillerme, 23 million euro. Neither of those are at the club anymore. Aaron Wan-Visaka for 17 million euro.
00:26:23
Speaker
Then, the next summer comes around. Koudis goes and he gets sold for 63 million euro. Great business. 42 million 23 million euro, they sell Aguild.
00:26:36
Speaker
Those are some of your most important players all going a one window. They go and get Mateus Fernandes. Great bit of business, but he's going to leave. 44 million euro. And, Then Tadibo, €40 million url for a guy who has the worst attitude I've seen of any signing in recent years. He gets subbed off early against Newcastle and refuses to play the final game.
00:26:56
Speaker
He wants to leave. And then you mentioned Castellanos and Pablo in the last window. They were, between the two of them, €52 million. That's a lot.
00:27:08
Speaker
Juve was €22 million. euro He looked good, but he can't defend. He's not a left-back. He's a left-winger. Hermanson was 20 million euro and he's an awful keeper. Magasso was 17 million euro.
00:27:19
Speaker
Didn't really feature. like Just woeful business. And a lot of these guys aren't even top level championship quality. But you go into this summer and Fernandes is going to go. He'll be gone within the next week. Juan Bissaka, he's not going to play in the championship. He has an awful attitude. He wanted he won't want to be down there. Jared Bowen is their most important player. He's way too good for that. Tadibos is gone. Somerville is too good for the championship. Someone who just came up will probably buy him.
00:27:48
Speaker
And who else are you going to... get in like you mentioned you're going to have to get guys that know how to play in the championship realistically are they going to want to play with west ham who nuno's probably going to go they're probably going to end up with scott parker like are they going to want to go there and play in that stadium and play with some of those players who've had bad attitudes and have just come down are they going want to go to a club who are just on the cusp of coming up and like you said the playoffs are expanding And they'll have a chance to go up with one of them or go to a Burnley or go to a Wolves, a team who have gone up and down and they've done it recently. It's been a long time since West Ham have been down here. And I don't think they're well prepared to go back up at all.
00:28:29
Speaker
The way I look at it is what you were saying there about trying to get players in. Will they want to play in this stadium for these players? like They're trying to get like kind of championship journeymen.
00:28:40
Speaker
were like, if I go here, i need to be frozen out next year if they go up and they cancel because they'll ask for too much money and I'll just be playing 21s football. Like, why would you to take that risk when you go to borough or a Blackburn or someone who even when you go up, there's a good chance they'll keep you in or around the first team. That was kind of the way Burnley did because they'll feel, oh, we have a year, we have we're we're up here two years too early or whatever. So you get one year in the premiership, then go back down and stuff like that.
00:29:09
Speaker
West Ham could bomb out half the squads if they came straight back up next year because they'll just sign players from... Try and sign Wrexham's best player or try and sign the cast-offs from Hull now because Hull are going to have to sign 17 players to have any hope of competing in the Premier League next year. They're one awful, awful football team. I think they might actually challenge Derby for this point. I think that is on the cards next year with all of us.
00:29:36
Speaker
I just, I don't see where West Ham go from here. And I think, I think it's going to be a really, really tough time for them from now for quite a while. And having to play Millwall is not going to be as fun as it looks on paper at all. There's so many derbies in the Championship next year and it's going to be a very interesting watch. But I just, i think West Ham are the least equipped of the three teams that are going down to come straight back up.
00:30:00
Speaker
Yeah, which is funny to say considering they finished the closest to Syracuse. I think that's because they were on that edge and they thought they were kind of a ah greater team than they were. I saw someone say that the West Ham-Milwall game will be the first 8am kickoff in history. Yeah. and Which is funny, but I just mentioned Sunderland there and the fact that you might need to purchase a lot of players if you're hold the way Sunderland did to to stay up. But Sunderland went one better than that.
00:30:27
Speaker
And they are in Europe. And not only just the Conference League, they are into the Europa League next season with their victory over Chelsea on the final day. Unbelievable turnaround for them. In they were in League One for the fourth successive year.
00:30:43
Speaker
Getting laughed at on Netflix. Literally getting laughed at on Netflix. Yeah, and they got down there with back-to-back relegations, finishing last place in the Premier League and last place in the Championship.
00:30:54
Speaker
And then that season, it all turned around. They got promoted to the championship via the playoffs. They finished sixth and then 16th before Reggie Labrie came in. It was a risky decision to get him in, but he got them into fourth. They got a playoff victory and now they finished seventh in the Premier League, which is their highest finish since back-to-back sevenths in 1999, 2000 and 2000 and The last time they were in Europe was 73-74.
00:31:21
Speaker
Just an unbelievable, unbelievable performance by them across the season. Proper hard-nosed football got them here. They didn't score that many goals. They didn't play great football at times, but they ground out results and they made it so difficult to play in their home stadium. And they're great value for where they are. They deserve it. And the money they're going to get for it is brilliant. And it's going to keep them in a good position.
00:31:44
Speaker
Maybe they finish 12th next season. They won't care. They were surely tipped to go down 20th this year. So the fact that they've done what they've done is so, so good. And i think they deserve all the credit in the world for it. yeah Do you know how many European games Sunday have played in their history?
00:32:01
Speaker
Seven. Four. That's the only season they've ever been in Europe. so they're going to play at least eight in the Europa League because that's how many group games there are. So that's double what they've ever played before. Their fans are going to have one hell of a time next season. And if they finish 17th and stay up on the last day the way Spurs did, but they go on and have a really good run in the Europa League, their fans won't care.
00:32:21
Speaker
I was trying to think, and I know that the Europa League is stacked next year, but going into next season, they're surely top five, top 10 favorites to win the whole thing because they are Premier League team. Yeah, well, with the way teams, ah like, look at Forrest this season. with the profile Like, themselves and Bournemouth surely have to be in the top 10 favourites just before they're in the Premier League.
00:32:41
Speaker
Like, I know you have the likes of Juventus and Milan, but they're just names. They're not actually good teams. Bournemouth and Thundon are probably better teams, definitely, than Juventus this year. Maybe not AC Milan. They have some superstars, and if they get in Eriola, I think they'll be...
00:32:53
Speaker
a problem next year, but Chelsea should actually be embarrassed. And I know we're talking about Sunday here, but this what elses the way Chelsea finished this season once Liam Rossini came in, to finish 10th with the money they're spending over and over again, is and it's embarrassing that there's not any European competition next season. Finishing below Sunday, below Bournemouth, below Brighton, teams like that, below Liverpool, who were absolutely abysmal all season. how are you letting Liverpool finish 5th you're finishing 10th in a season where...
00:33:22
Speaker
On paper you're looking, this is a really, really good young team and they haven't they haven't played a single game for other all season really. Not since they probably beat Liverpool, was probably the last time that they all showed up for a game at the same time. and My God, but if I was a Chelsea fan, I'd be tearing my hair out because it's only going one way and it's nu it's not a good direction for them, the way things are going.
00:33:43
Speaker
But yeah, let's just focus on Sunderland for a minute. 14 wins, 12 draws and 12 losses is the Crystal Palace factor. and That's what they always do. Only this year has gotten them up to seventh, whereas normally Palace finish about 12th to us.
00:33:57
Speaker
They deserved it, as you said. The way they made that home stadium was just relentless for the first half season. I think then they lost to Liverpool, lost to Fulham a couple of games back-to-back, but I think that was more down to tiredness than it was them packing it in.
00:34:12
Speaker
Because the way they finished the season was so strong again. Two wins and two draws in their last five. they've just They were so solid and they just ran Chelsea o all over the place on Sunday. Chelsea just couldn't keep up with ah a team that was just up from the championship. A team of superstars couldn't keep up with a championship team.
00:34:29
Speaker
Yeah, they deserve everything they get and delight it from. Yeah, like looking at the statistics behind it, like 42 goals scored and they only finished on minus six goal difference, which is the only team in the top half to be in the minus. Yeah. It's kind of mad. But then you look at their defence and only Arsenal, Brighton and City conceded less than their 48. Yeah.
00:34:52
Speaker
So they've done such a good job defensively and they're just so hard to beat at all times. And the Chelsea point, I'm looking at Xabi Alonso coming in there. Weird one now.
00:35:04
Speaker
He's a guy that wants the players to like study and watch videos and learn analytics and learn their position on the pitch tactically more than anything. And do you think any of those Chelsea players want to do that?
00:35:17
Speaker
Cole Palmer literally said in an interview the other day he hates the cinema because the television is too big. Like as if he's going to sit in a room and just study tactical videos here and there. it's Yeah, it's just not happening. It's just not going to work. It's just like it's just like ah a Spanish lemur senior. So I'm sorry, but like he's he's a tactical guy with a lot more kind of notes about him. And he's been at a high level of football. So he has that respect. So obviously he's got a lot more...
00:35:43
Speaker
personality about him than Rosinior did and that's something that you know you would expect to succeed at a big club but I'm talking in terms of their approach and their tactical approach and maybe wanting to learn everything through video analysis and things like that and training sessions are laid out in tactical setups rather than kind of physical play These Chelsea players won't want to do that. And I just don't think it's going to work at all. I i just think that it's going to be a disaster, to be honest, because I think he he could end up being a good manager. But the way Madrid ended and the way this might end may push him down the ranks and have to climb the way back up again. I think the way he's taken these jobs is really bad for him.
00:36:24
Speaker
I think he jumped way too soon into that Madrid job after two years at Bayern Leverkusen. I know he won the league unbeaten, but that was just a really bad year for Bayern. Well, it was a really bad year for the whole league, obviously, so he went unbeaten. But to go from that to Madrid, you need a kind of Dortmund in between or something like that. Somewhere where the fans expect you to do things, but they don't expect to win a league automatically. They don't expect to win the Champions League. He went straight into Madrid and they were like, oh, treble.
00:36:49
Speaker
Treble or nothing. And they finished the season trophy-less. And... Like when you look at the names, like they brought him back in Jose Mourinho now. Like that's the route that they're looking to go. Like Xavi Lonzo has never had a hope of being a success there.
00:37:03
Speaker
And now he's taking a job in England where it's another poison chalice. i I don't understand why he... I understand the need and the want to get England. If he waited six months, the Philly job could be back on the table. Lufthul job might be on the table. The United job could be on the table. Like jobs that would be, you're walking into a much better situation than working for Chelsea.
00:37:25
Speaker
Like I don't, and maybe these managers are like, i utter choga i can fix him. jobta kind of That's the kind of thing that it looks like. it's like, well, all these lads have failed. I won't fail. And fair enough if you back yourself. for You seem to be the only one that packs yourself when you're going into a club like Chelsea at the moment. I think Chelsea, if they're not careful, if it could end up being like a Watford.
00:37:47
Speaker
Not in the division, but they could end up having 24 managers in 22 years the way Watford have under these owners and absolutely zero success in the same time as well. And with the way Chelsea recruits, and we said it last summer when they brought in Jamie Gittins, it's like they're selling Maduwekid bringing Gittins.
00:38:04
Speaker
Because it's the exact same player does the exact same thing, but they've made a bit of a prop on Maddie Wecke, so that looks good. it And they brought in Gittins for whatever was 51 or 57 million, one or the other.
00:38:15
Speaker
And he's been bombed out again. And if they go and do this this summer game where they sell Gittins and bring in James Kellis. And he's the same player as Gittins was, but he's just a new and shiny toy. And he goes out and you play the first five games, no goals, no assists, bombed outs.
00:38:32
Speaker
Yeah, and... Like if he thinks he's going to go in there and get players to play in a 3-5-2 and he'll get all the wing backs he wants in the world, then I think he's another incoming because there's no way they can afford to go and spend another a billion quid on a squad for a manager that it might last six months.
00:38:49
Speaker
Yeah, I agree with that. And if they did want to offer James Kellett one of those nine-year contracts, like I'm going to take it any day of the week. They can put me in the reserves all season. I don't care. But I think it it's something probably we'll touch on in the summer because their financial situation is not good right now, especially in Europe.
00:39:08
Speaker
So that's made me want to revisit in the summer. A manager who's gone into somewhere and said, I can fix them, and actually has done it, is Luis Enrique. And he's with PSG and they're in back-to-back. That's segue. That is. well it Very well done. I have to say for myself now. But look, they're into the Champions League final again, back-to-back seasons, and they're playing Arsenal.
00:39:29
Speaker
Coming up this Saturday, I think it's a 5pm kickoff. Is this? Bit of a weird one, yeah. and But it's an interesting game. I think... Arsenal should have all the confidence in the world going into this game because they've just won the Premier League. And I say should, that might not mean that they will.
00:39:50
Speaker
I think... The way PSG play, there's no team on earth that can sit in and try and defend and hold them. You have to go out there and also play good football and try and attack them and just basically score more than they can.
00:40:04
Speaker
And back in November, Arsenal played Bayern Munich. They beat them 3-1 and they were unbelievable. They played so well. It was one of the best games of football I watched all year. Both teams were so good. Arsenal were just better and they were just stronger.
00:40:18
Speaker
But since then, they've retreated into their shell a lot, tried to defend so much. And I just would love to see them go out and actually play. Because between Arsenal, PSG and Bayern, probably the three best teams in Europe this season.
00:40:30
Speaker
And if Arsenal went and actually played the football that they can against PSG, this would be a great game. But I just see it going away of PSG. turning the screw early and Arsenal seeing, well, we need to sit back here and we can't continue to play because they're so accustomed to doing it recently and it becoming an attack versus defence when it really, it just can't be because PSG are always going to win that.
00:40:57
Speaker
Yeah, I think Dechton Rice is in for a rude awakening in this game when he comes up against the midfields where all three of them can play. And he can't just give the ball off to Zubimendi or whoever's beside him or if it's Havertz or Odegaard in front of him just hope for the best. He's going to actually have to try and run the show here because if they give that ball up to that PSG midfield over and over again,
00:41:19
Speaker
They're just going to put Kravart Scalia, them belly in behind over and over again. And I think the reason Arsenal sit so deep is because i don't think Saliba or Gabriel are very good on the turn.
00:41:31
Speaker
I think they've gotten away with a lot of dragging people down when they've gotten in behind them this season. And even the Bournemouth game towards the end of the season was a ball over. Both their goals kind of came from just turning the Arsenal defence. And i think peter that's what PSG are so good at, too.
00:41:46
Speaker
they They'd turn you around. Look what they did to Bayern over and over again. They absolutely ran them ragged. And that was a really good Bayern team that we both backed to be in this position instead of PSG. I think... i this I really hope this only goes one way. And I hope it's the most one-sided Champions League final of all time. But I do agree with everything that you've said. And i will give Ars a bit of credit. I do think they are worthy winners of that Premier League. Because...
00:42:11
Speaker
even if we don't like the way they play football, they're the ones who adapted best to how bad Lee was going to be this year. They just, like everyone else was doing set-piece as well, they just managed to be the best at it. And I know I've been abused them all season long for the way they've won matches and played football and still gotten a lot of favourable decisions, but...
00:42:31
Speaker
Arteta did really well to set him up for this season and they've won the league and I think I said it last week that every other team in the league was like a mid-table team where like look at Bournemouth beating...
00:42:43
Speaker
Sorry, not Bournemouth. Villa beating City last game of the season. Bournemouth getting a draw off from the week before. it was like It was just teams who City used to go out and just annihilate over and over again. Just looked as good as them this year. And Arsenal just managed to grind out all the wins they could possibly need with a lot of help from VAR. But they haven't played a team like this PSG team all year, bar when they play PSG.
00:43:04
Speaker
And I don't think they'll have learned anything from that. So we'll have to wait and see. I have it down as 2-0 PSG. too nill pierty If Arsenal go 1-0 up though, then I think we are in serious, serious trouble of having the most boring Champions League final of all time.
00:43:19
Speaker
Yeah. And that is the fear. I agree with that. i hope that's not something that happens. I would like to see PSG first and Arsenal continue to try and play because I do think it could be a great game.
00:43:30
Speaker
But I don't back on it or I'm not relying on it being a great game. I think it could be, but I really just don't think it will be. And... Funnily enough, I also have 2-0 PSG down here because I think they'll get one and Arsenal will just sit back and then just be like, we can't concede another, we'll try score a counter-attacking goal. PSG's defenders are so good one-on-one that that just won't happen. I don't think if if this is the way it plays out, you have to overload them and go at them like Bayern did in the first leg. And...
00:44:01
Speaker
Just to touch quickly on the Arteta point, I think you're right. And I think it's no coincidence that Pep left because of the way the Premier League is going. And Arteta is finally kind of one step ahead of him in a way that Pep doesn't want to go.
00:44:15
Speaker
So I think that's no coincidence that it ended up like that. It'll be interesting to see how next season goes. But yeah, I agree that they've they've mastered that kind of art, and but I don't think that works against a PSG.
00:44:28
Speaker
And if they've played, like I've said a few times in this, but if they played the way they did against PSG that day, then... it would be completely, or Bayern that day, it would be a completely different game. But I'm not banking on it being that way. And I think PSG are obviously going to be primed because Ligue 1 has been easy for them this season. They wrapped up the league good in the second last game and then they were able to take off most of their starters early in this in their last game, which was a couple of weeks back by the time this game goes on Saturday. And then Dwayne and Neves were on the bench and they only came on for a bit. So it was all kind of,
00:45:04
Speaker
Fall into their game. Clearing up for this, yeah. But yeah, I'm going with a 2-0 the same as you. Yeah, I just two more points to make on this before we do move on. One is that I think the league on is actually far more physical than people think.
00:45:18
Speaker
Like this isn't the PSG team who just go out and they're able to counter on the pitch every week. I know they win the league every year, but a lot of teams do put up a really good fight them over and over again. Lons this year put up a really, really good fight towards them. And...
00:45:30
Speaker
They get kicked, they get elbowed, they get shouldered, they get absolutely battered around the place. And that's why likes of Marquinhos kind of doesn't play many league on games because they do want to try and keep them fit for the Champions League. So if Arsenal think they can come out here and bully PSG for a start, that's not going to happen because PSG are well used to getting shoulder all over the place.
00:45:49
Speaker
My other point is, I think this is more likely to go the way last year's final did than it is for Arsenal to come away with this with i mean with any sort of... and predi I think it's more likely to be 5-0 PSG than 1-0 Arsenal because I don't see how they can possibly keep out this PSG team.
00:46:05
Speaker
Well, I've said it now, but like we so we literally saw what happens when you try to do that against them last season in the final. one So if they come out and do that, then they're just asking for the same result.
00:46:16
Speaker
So let's hope that they don't because we obviously want a good game of football in the Champions League final. That's what everyone wants. um So let's see how it goes. Looking at our last week of Gun Chance, we're just going round up the scores.
00:46:29
Speaker
It was another five-pointer for me, my third of the season. Great way to end it. Sunderland to beat Chelsea at home, that came off. United to beat Brighton away, that came off. And the Thunder to beat the Spurs in game three, which came up. You also had the Thunder to beat the Spurs, which came up, but you had Everton to beat Spurs and Palace to beat Arsenal. More wishful thinking than anything, I think, for those two.
00:46:53
Speaker
Excuse me, hiccups there, but yeah, final score was 47-32.
00:46:59
Speaker
Do you know what Spartan score for season one was by any chance? Like, I just want to know if you won by bigger margin than I did. I can probably check, actually. I'm not 100% sure, but I can go back and find it.
00:47:12
Speaker
I can't remember when the of the season. Yeah, that's such interesting because I have all the episodes in my dark year, but I can't remember what episode would have been the end of last one. We can put it out on socials after. Yeah. Oh.
00:47:25
Speaker
I've got one here with the Champions League final in it, so it could well be in this one. um No, can't find it. This is a podcast and let's come back. Yeah, let's leave it there. Yeah, so that's a roundup for this season, 47 to 32. I won by 15, so it was a nice win. 15 is the three five-pointers.
00:47:45
Speaker
Three five-pointers, that's the difference, yeah. So you'll have to get back on those five-pointers next season. Yeah, shocking there for me. Yeah, a bad one all around, which are Premier League Fantasy 2 is not a good one. Oh, stop.
00:47:58
Speaker
But let's welcome Michael in. It's just going to be me and him in this next section. We're fast forwarding a few days, so let's invite him in for the NBA. Okay, so Shane is gone and Michael has taken his place. We're fast forward to Wednesday night. We're going to talk some NBA action, of course. and We'll start with OKC and Spurs and looking at the Game 6 matchup.
00:48:21
Speaker
So we're currently sitting at 3-2 to OKC after last night's victory. We're heading into game six Thursday night. So this episode is coming out on Thursday, a day early. You're going to get your game six preview in your ears before the game starts.
00:48:36
Speaker
For my money, I think the way things went is games one and two were great games, really enjoyable. Game three, OKC were really good. They played some great basketball.
00:48:47
Speaker
And then games four and five were a little bit... Two one-sided to be great games. They didn't really match what we saw in the first game or two or even three. I think game six is going to be another ah classic because OKC have a chance to close out and the Spurs have the pressure of keeping the thing alive while they're at home. So what's your thoughts heading into this game six?
00:49:11
Speaker
I think think you know it has to be a good game, and I think part of that is how good Wemby is. Now, OKC is doing a great job. In two of the games that they've had really convincing wins, what they've done is they've limited his shots at the rim. Now, whether or not you want to say that's because they're holding, they're pushing, they're being too physical, all that,
00:49:37
Speaker
That is not for them to decide. That is for the league to decide. And it's... I have a friend that is so upset about the OKC Thunder and these calls and stuff.
00:49:49
Speaker
And he thinks I'm... i'm not I'm being biased by saying it's not up to them. But, for example, that foul on D'Iron Fox, on Shea, where he stands straight up, that happened twice.
00:50:06
Speaker
In one game... In Celtics versus Sixers. Like a lot of these calls that people are complaining about. Are happening all over the league. But yeah OKC have a direct spotlight on it. Now.
00:50:20
Speaker
Shea does fall on 17% of all of his shots. Which is an insane statistic. To be reported on. And that's why you're going to have that spotlight on the team. But people who think.
00:50:33
Speaker
That they're getting some kind of preferential treatment. They're not. It happens a lot. It happens all over the league. You want to see a really good foul baiter? Look at James Harden. He was still doing it. And it doesn't work. And he's still doing it.
00:50:48
Speaker
So I just feel like Wemby is ready for the pressure. And the biggest thing is when Wemby scores over 26 points, I think they're for and o And under points,
00:51:01
Speaker
they're three and five So right there, the the key for him is to get aggressive early and start putting up points. If he can get in rhythm early, this would be a great game to watch. And I want him to win. Like, I really want him to come through and win because I need this game seven. I need to sit down. I need to watch this game seven. I need to take it all in because still...
00:51:28
Speaker
this This is one of the most entertaining playoffs I've ever watched in my life. Like, this series is just crazy basketball back and forth.
00:51:39
Speaker
There's so much talent on both teams. Jared McCain started last night, dropped 20 points, field goal percentage, not great. But we keep pushing. I want to hear what you think. Yeah, he still started in a Western Conference Finals game, which is crazy considering we sold high on him. But and one point on the foul stuff, I think they get away with it a little bit more because Stefan Castle is physically assaulting Shea on the other end all game long.
00:52:06
Speaker
like He is doing just as bad as what Hartenstein is doing to Wemby. So I think that's why... things get away like obviously not on every shot and hartson's not doing it on every shot or carus is not doing every shot to wendy but it is being mimicked on the other end so i think that whole narrative is just i just yeah i just put it to the side to be honest but yeah i looked at wendy a lot in this i think the fact that Hartenstein can affect him so much at the rim that he's kind of avoiding it is an interesting dynamic because that leads to poorer shot quality outside the three-point line for the Spurs when Wemby can't get into the paint and can't draw bodies.
00:52:50
Speaker
and And we saw that last night where they just shot pretty badly from three. And in the whole series, they're shooting 32% from three versus 36.5% for OKC. Now, neither team is a good three-point shooting team historically.
00:53:05
Speaker
But it's really important for the Spurs that they get a little bit more there in the next game if they do want to bring it to seven. And that starts with Wemby getting aggressive, as you said. i think him taking five threes last night...
00:53:20
Speaker
in the way that he did is what OKC want. There are games, obviously, he's gone three of seven from three. Like, he's able to shoot the three, but it's often when they're leading or they're on a run, and he is kind of feeling it, and he hits some nice threes.
00:53:34
Speaker
But when he's kind of trying to force it because he can't get into the paint like last night, then that's that's an issue that they need to solve. And I think it's gone in ah kind of an up-and-down flow because...
00:53:46
Speaker
He was a bit aggressive maybe in game three. And then he thought, okay, no, I need to kind of dish to my teammates a bit more in game four, which he did. And then they won. So that's kind of an interesting dynamic back and forth for him.
00:53:59
Speaker
But all non-Wemby minutes are just, okay, see, he's eating ground. Like... In game one, he was plus 16 in a seven-point win. He was plus one in a nine-point loss in game two.
00:54:12
Speaker
He was plus four in a 15-point loss in game three. Plus 29 in a in game four. And last night was the first time where he kind of correlated with their performance, minus Aiden, a 13-point loss because it was his worst game of the series. and So I think he'll come out with a vengeance because he's not the type of guy to just lie down after a bad performance and and let it happen, especially in His stadium, his place, his ground, he's going to want to protect his his home court, obviously. And I think, yeah, I'd love to see this going to seven. I think if it goes to seven, it's must watch TV no matter where you are in the world. You have to stay up for that one.
00:54:55
Speaker
Yeah, and you know you know that he wants the pressure. You know he's ready for the moment. This isn't big for him. He wants all the pressure he can get. Like, he's been training for it. He loves it. He skipped media and got fined for it by the NBA.
00:55:12
Speaker
i read on report before we hopped on. This, he's such an exciting leader for this team. um But you really, you look at the rest of the players and what we were saying in the last round about, is De'Aaron Fox worse than Devin Maslow and Dylan Harper?
00:55:34
Speaker
Well, There's a couple of injuries on the team, first of all. But second of all, it kind of feels like nobody's doing really that well. Keldon Johnson had the best game of the series last night it meant nothing.
00:55:48
Speaker
it's It's upsetting to see all of the momentum from the first two rounds kind of c chug out. But I think that's what OKC do, is that they're like a clothesline.
00:56:03
Speaker
That's how they play defense. Every single person on their team can play. Every single person puts in effort on the defensive end. Most of them are good defenders. Even like Jared McCain, he's...
00:56:17
Speaker
Not that great as we can see against a couple of the players on the, on the spurs, but he puts in effort on that end and that correlates into, you know, getting his opportunity on the offensive end and contributing.
00:56:30
Speaker
All of that is difficult to go against every single night of a seven game series. You're not getting a break. Alex Cruz dropped 22 points again last night.
00:56:40
Speaker
You're not getting a break. He can do this. Like it's On Caruso, that statistical jump is crazy. 17 points per game in 25 minutes, shooting nearly 80% true shooting percentage, 58% from three, 57% from the floor. like He doubled his three-point percentage from the regular season from 29 to 58.
00:57:05
Speaker
And that's if he holds on to that, that's going to be the biggest jump ever in in regular to postseason history with a minimum of 50 attempts. And we give credit to this team, like to the players on this team, which they should, obviously. But Dagnall is like, it's like he can see through every player. There was ah there was a quote that when they were scouting players in this upcoming draft, someone was talking to him about it. And he said he didn't want to go with this player because he couldn't imagine that player sitting and watching film with the rest of the team.
00:57:40
Speaker
So he didn't want to go for him. The way that he can read these players, and you were saying about Alex Caruso having his jump. Game one, two minutes into the game, Alex Caruso checks on.
00:57:53
Speaker
That is the earliest he's checked on all year. So in two minutes of play, Dagnall knew the person who had to come out, the person to come in, And that guy had like a career playoff night for himself.
00:58:07
Speaker
And you you read it like that. Not even three minutes into the first quarter. Like a coach knowing his players like that and all of them wanting to play and putting in effort, it is so rare. And it's so amazing to watch him play, to see people fall out and the next person up and the next person up just come in. Jalen Williams had a great game in game game four, I think.
00:58:32
Speaker
Oh, love Love to see a team kind of bring itself together like that. And I think people are focusing too much on the the negatives and the controversy, like you're saying.
00:58:43
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. And I think that finding the final point I'd make is you kind of alluded to it, but the great defense that you get from the guards on OKC is what sets them apart, including Shea in that. Because while he is averaging 26 points per game and 10 assists, he's still given two steals and a block.
00:59:02
Speaker
on average each game. And then you add in the Lisa Caruso and Kaysen Wallace. Like in the last game alone, you got seven steals in three blocks from SGA Caruso and Wallace combined, which is crazy from from a few from three guards who are, and two of them are are coming off your bench. And...
00:59:21
Speaker
We'll get into it when we preview next week, if it is OKC and the Knicks, that's where OKC really have that advantage of their guard defense. And it's what sets them apart pretty much from every other team in the league.
00:59:34
Speaker
I'm going to say, looking at game six, I'd love it to be a game seven, but I think that OKC have just really read the Spurs so well and they've combated what they've thrown at them.
00:59:47
Speaker
the game after they've thrown it at them that pretty much every time. And then going into game three, they were a game ahead and look, they got it back to one, one, and then they were a game ahead of what the Spurs wanted to do. And they beat them quite comfortably and they played some amazing basketball. I think that's what happens again in game six. I think they've, they've figured out what they need to do. And Mitch Johnson, while he's a great coach,
01:00:10
Speaker
I think they've exhausted a lot of what they can try. and part The OKC side that we're looking at right now is really, really settled into this series and they know exactly what they want to do. And I think while it'll be a great game, I think they take game six on the road. Give us your prediction for it.
01:00:29
Speaker
I want to say that, yeah, OKC figured them out and they got it down. And I think there's a real possibility that that's true. And they come out here and they even have a close game and he and they end up winning.
01:00:45
Speaker
But there's something, it's kind of like the LeBron factor for me, right? Where you just like, you can never bet against him because he'll always do something crazy.
01:00:57
Speaker
I think this is what make great players great. That the moment is here, you're at home court. Like, this is like LeBron in his first stint in the Cavs scoring 20 points straight on the Pistons or whatever. Mm-hmm.
01:01:13
Speaker
I don't know if you remember. I think that was in a game six as well. Like, these moments is what begins your legacy. And even if he wins game six with 40 points and they lose game seven, people will remember the game six.
01:01:29
Speaker
e And I think he knows that too. It's why he skipped media. It's why he's preparing for it. I have to, I like, I want to believe the legend that we will eventually tell about this player. So I'm going to say I bought in. He's winning game six.
01:01:47
Speaker
He is 32 plus points right now. Get on it. Get on the bet for that. Wemby. Points. I think he he he he's the great hit for whatever his points line is. You gotta hit it. Even though I do think, okay, see, I'll grab it. But you talked about Dagnall being able to read the game and make like a change early. And like identify what his team needed we saw the complete opposite of that in the next cal series look we went hard on the calves last week we went hard on james hardy so let's not spend too much time on this but this is the last time we're going to talk about this team the knicks knicks fans don't worry you'll get your moment will be coming back next week with ah with a finals preview and you'll get plenty of love but this is the last talk for the calves and i think this whole series was terrible kenny atkinson seemed happy to run out the same team with the same issues all series long and the fact that he came out after game three and said analytically we won two out of three that just sums everything about this up and everything that's wrong with this calves team
01:02:49
Speaker
And look, analytically, you lost by 77 points in total across four games. So there's your analytics for you. This is just so sad.
01:03:00
Speaker
Like, and I was, we were talking about, what team was I talking about looking for a new coach? And I mentioned to you, oh, what about Kenny Atkinson? He could get fired. no At this point, I was thinking that they might lose and in round two.
01:03:15
Speaker
I think it was early enough. Yeah. You said, oh, there's no chance. said, first time they got back to the conference finals since LeBron. And they go and do this. Yeah. And i think I think your opinion on Kenny Atkinson must have won AD by now. You must be thinking, yeah, he's not the guy for the job. I didn't even think that he was the best coach. I just thought there was no way they'd fire him. And they've already they've already confirmed that he's staying on, which is you know a bit quick, to be honest, considering how bad they were. like That final run is sackable. If Thibodeau got sacked after last season, he should definitely be considered to be sacked right now.
01:03:52
Speaker
And it's just, it's it's upsetting. And I think part of it, <unk>m I'm pretty sure I said it on the podcast a couple of weeks ago, but I'll say it again. The Cavs play in this weird style the last two years. And it's it's part of the reason I don't particularly find them too, like,
01:04:13
Speaker
easy to watch besides when Evan Mobley is playing good because they kind of live and die by Mobley. Like if he doesn't really have a good game, the team isn't playing well. And they they really, I don't think they're going to trade him this offseason. I think it's more likely they trade Allen and James Harden might opt in. So he might just say, but It really, he it kind of has disappointed me, especially after the James Harden trade where we do see this guy have 15 plus assists in playoff games as well as all the turnovers. But you haven't really taken the jump everyone was thinking you were going to make and to be like an all NBA big, for example.
01:05:02
Speaker
And Jalen Duren got it over you. And I feel like you don't care. do you get me? it feels like they're just living through this player that isn't really that good. Harden sucks. Donovan Mitchell has been objectively disappointing this offseason. Yes. Especially in the fourth quarter. I don't have the stats for every game. But...
01:05:25
Speaker
in the in the the comeback, the game one comeback win, which just felt like the Cavs threw in the towel after that. There wasn't really a close game after.
01:05:36
Speaker
Donovan Mitchell shot five times in the fourth quarter. Your team is blowing a 30-point lead. I would rather you shoot 10 and you guys lose. And he goes, oh, well, because nobody else on this team really looks like they're ready to step up. And it's unfortunate.
01:05:54
Speaker
yeah I think that's why the front office traded for Harden. But you still have a team where nobody can step up. And that's why you should go for LeBron this offseason. ah oh You have to get that in there. And I actually, like, it wouldn't actually be the worst thing right now, looking at how poorly they played, because the Mitchell thing is, like, if you looked at him in the first two series he played in, he was disappointing. And if you looked at him statistically in this series and go, oh, he didn't play that badly, but he did.
01:06:27
Speaker
like you know You can select what you want to look at. He scored, but he was ah on the periphery in big moments, like you mentioned. In that fourth quarter of the of the blown lead, he's just standing on the on the side. He's not even cutting or making runs to make somebody be dragged away or make it look like hes he just allows Harden to go ISO.
01:06:45
Speaker
And then, you know, it it's just a bad look. He averaged minus 16.5 on the box score across the four games. Harden minus 13.8 average and Harden shot 17.9% from three in this series. He was literally just trying to get fouled because he doesn't want to do anything else other than go to the free throw line.
01:07:06
Speaker
Two out the four games, more field goals and turnovers. And I'll leave it at this statistic before I get your closing thoughts. This is how the Cavs season ended.
01:07:16
Speaker
They blew a 22-point lead and lost by 11 in overtime. They lost by 16 without scoring 100. They lost by 13. And they lost by 37 without scoring 100.
01:07:28
Speaker
That end into the season. i
01:07:33
Speaker
Oh, my God. That's so depressing. I just needed to take a moment. Jesus Christ.
01:07:41
Speaker
This was upsetting. If you were a Cavs fan, this was the most upsetting way your playoff run could have ended. And you look at this team...
01:07:55
Speaker
And I i think parts of this team is great. Like you said, if LeBron was on this team, hypothetically, imagine having Jaron Allen and and Evan Mobley behind LeBron.
01:08:05
Speaker
And Donovan Mitchell. Like, ah even players like Max Struess and Keanu Ellis. Sam Merrill is going to make him so much better. And like this team looks great.
01:08:18
Speaker
If you don't have LeBron and you have your big four or whatever you wanted to call it this year, I do not care whatever you do next year. You could win 60 games next year. I will not believe.
01:08:34
Speaker
At all. It's not working. And just because you say, oh well, we only got James Harden at the trade deadline, so maybe one more year.
01:08:45
Speaker
That is that same logic. did nothing for the Clippers for the last five years. We were running ads for Kawhi on billboards saying that LA was his town, okay? It will return to nothing, and LeBron will retire as a Laker, and you'll just be sad that you never got the opportunity.
01:09:02
Speaker
You're just like... If you're and not going to get LeBron, you have to move people. You have to move somebody. Let Donovan Mitchell go and just tell James Harden, you know what?
01:09:15
Speaker
Do what you did with Maxie and Sixers. Start teaching Jalen Tyson all your moves. Okay? Like, i don't like... you have to do something new. I don't want to see this team. You and i and Shane set it at the start of the season, set it in the middle of the season, and set it at the end. This team is not fun to watch.
01:09:35
Speaker
change it i think that's a good way to end it on your lebron point you wanted to get that in there but i think you make valid points across that and it's hard to argue with with anything there but look we'll be back again next week with with a finals breakdown because we all know then what our matchup is and the finals will finally be here so we got the knicks facing off against either okc or the spurs let's see how that goes and we'll chat to you again next week mike See you.
01:10:02
Speaker
All right. Back in the past again. We're going to wrap
Excitement for Upcoming NBA Games and Player Transfers
01:10:05
Speaker
up. I'm sure Michael was absolutely superb as always. I won't have heard this by the time this episode has gone out, but I'm sure he'll be very excited about it the Knicks battering James Harden all over the place. And I'm sure he's really looking forward to game six of the Thunder and OKC.
01:10:20
Speaker
Yeah, it's almost like they were there. Yeah. I think you're fairly going to hit the nail the head there. We're going to get probably another James Harden rant from Michael, but you will have just listened to that. So let's get on to what we're going wrap up with. No power rankings this week. So instead, we've got five transfers that we both think will happen. So we're going to get five each and we'll come back to them then over the summer if they do come true or the player ends up somewhere else. It'll be interesting. So,
01:10:47
Speaker
I might give my first one and then I'll throw it to you and back forth. Yeah, i was going to say, yeah, we'll go back and forth and instead of just listing off five and see, because then we could very easily have the same five. Yeah, you go first there.
Transfer Predictions for Premier League Players
01:10:57
Speaker
Yeah, I've got Anthony Gordon going to Bayern.
01:10:59
Speaker
I think the way things have shaped up for him, he seems to they want out of Newcastle. Bayern are the hotly tipped favourites to go after him. And i think that they do go for him.
01:11:11
Speaker
I think Barcelona would like him, but they ultimately, I don't know if they have the finances to get him. So I'm going with Anthony Gordon. I think he leaves Newcastle and I think he goes to Bayern.
01:11:22
Speaker
Yeah, I think a lot of people are like, oh, why would he go there to sit on the bench? But you have to remember, Lucia is 30 now. It'll be 30 in the next season. So Anthony Gordon does one year at Bayern where he plays 20 games, maybe, sorry, maybe starts 20 league games and comes off the bench in another 15. And then it just gives him a bit of a taste for the season afterwards, himself, Elisa and whoever their striker is at this stage. So yeah, I do like that.
01:11:46
Speaker
My first one is, unfortunately, Morgan Rodgers going to Arsenal. I've seen a couple of links for this recently over the last couple of days and they seem very, very keen on him. I think they definitely need to sort out that left wing position with Trossard and Martinelli. I think they'd love to get rid of at least one, if not both of them, to somewhere. I think Rodgers be a really, really good addition to that front line for him if they are going to go back to playing any sort of football again next season.
01:12:11
Speaker
Did you see any figures quoted with those? Because I imagine he would be very expensive. I think, Wes, are Villa looking at over £100 million, obviously, which just seems to be the going rate for everyone this year. But I'd say if he does go there, it'll be £75 or £80 million. I think that man's going to fill it down because Villa's financial situation isn't exactly wonderful.
01:12:28
Speaker
Yeah, that's an interesting one. I've got a player going to Arsenal here as well, so I'll throw that in a second. I've actually got Jared Bone going to Arsenal. I know it's a strange one because I know he's heavily linked to Liverpool, but I think there's just something about that move from West Ham to Arsenal, obviously staying in London, Declan Rice just did it a couple of seasons back. And I just feel like that could be something that Bowen will do moving to the Premier League champions and giving them a versatile option of someone who can play up front who can also play on the wing.
01:13:01
Speaker
and I think that would be something that really fits with them. So although it's not something that's tipped, it's like 25 to 1 to happen. I just have the have a weird feeling about this one. The reason I like Bowen to Liverpool is because of what you said, he can play both wings and cover the striker and with Ekotique being out for probably all of next season, Liverpool are going to need some of the backup. Alexander Izak, that's not called Cody Gakpo. So if the relegation of the clause of 20 million is true, then think Liverpool will be stupid if they don't even try and make an effort. Even if they go him and he goes to Arsenal in the end, at least try and get him because think he'd be a really good option for next season.
01:13:36
Speaker
Obviously you can't replace Mo Salah, but Gerard Bowen scored 16 goals for a West Ham team who were absolutely crap. If he goes into a Liverpool team that's actually functioning in any sort of a way and have two fast wingers and him through the middle, I think he could be a real man, I suppose.
01:13:50
Speaker
If he went to Arsenal, I'd be livid with that to be honest. think he'd be a great signing for Arsenal too. The next one is one that seems almost set in stone. Actually, no, I'll come back to that one after. I'm going to go with Matthias Fernandes from West Ham to United.
01:14:03
Speaker
i think United are going to be looking for someone like him this summer now with Casemiro gone. I think he has been outrageous for West Ham this season. and I think all the top teams will be after him. I think City have their midfield signing wrapped up, which is the one I was about to say, but I'll come back to that in a couple of minutes. You might pat throw it in yourself in a minute.
01:14:21
Speaker
I don't think Arsenal need one. I think Liverpool aren't going to want to spend £70 or £80 million less supported on a non-midfielder when they need to sign two wingers and maybe a centre-back as well. So I think it kind of frees up the space for United to just come in and grab him, and I think it'll be great pick-up.
01:14:37
Speaker
Yeah, I'll go with that next as well so we can talk about it because I've also got that on the list, Mateus Fernandes to United. I think the 70 or 80 million is more likely to be close to 45 or 50. West Ham will want a profit from when they bought him, but they're never going to get that much after being promoted. And the reason I have him... Yeah, relegated, sorry. The reason I have him ahead of other teams going to United is because of that Portuguese connection. And he's obviously said he loves to play with Bruno in the past and they've been close when they were playing with the Portuguese team and they've had conversations. So I think that does make a draw. So two Fernandeses in midfield for United is what I've got going into next season.
01:15:19
Speaker
And Kabi Mainu as well, who's going to come back out. I... hopefully very disappointing somewhere with England. I actually think we could have done a podcast on that England squad. I think it's absolutely hilarious. But yeah, i I really do think that's where Fernandes ends up, unfortunately. I'd love him at Liverpool because...
01:15:35
Speaker
Liverpool really need a six. And I think he looked like one of the best and most attainable ones from the season we just had, despite the fact he was relegated. its Look what Andy Robertson, Gino Wijnaldum did at Newcastle in all the years they were relegated and what they ended up doing for Liverpool.
01:15:50
Speaker
Mathias Fernandes could win to United and very easily make such a difference to that team. I agree. yeah What have you got? I'm going to throw in Elliot Anderson here the Man City. So there was a lot of talk of that is almost done now that City have moved ahead he United in the pecking order.
01:16:06
Speaker
Whoever gets him and whatever price he is, I think he's worth every cent. I think he's an absolute Rolls Royce in midfield. Newcastle's biggest mistake they've made over the last couple of years was letting him go instead of Anthony Gordon, I think.
01:16:18
Speaker
I think they should have held on to him and let Anthony Gordon go for the money. No, he didn't want to go anywhere. He was a Newcastle boy, through and through, and they're like, no, off you go to Forest there and battle away. And I think he'll he'll make such a difference with City. Rodri is slowing down.
01:16:34
Speaker
Give him a year to work beside Rodri and then let him take over. And I think he's going to be absolutely insane immensely. Yeah, I didn't put him on the list. i But I do think that that's something that happens because of the finances. I think Maranakis is the type that doesn't back down.
01:16:48
Speaker
And ultimately, United need probably three midfielders. So if they sell Ugarte, which they will, um so they can't afford to be spending over £100 million on one of them. But I've got...
01:17:00
Speaker
Ederson to Man United then for this for this case basically from Atalanta. I really wanted him at United a couple of years ago. i thought he was he was really, really good and he's shown that even in the European stage when they came and they won.
01:17:15
Speaker
Did they win the Conference League or the Europa League? The Europa League in Dublin. Yeah, and that that was that was a superb performance by him across that season in Europe. And he's been good in Syria as well. A Brazilian kind of of coming in. I don't think he'd be direct Casemiro placement. I think that would be Fernandes. And then I think Ederson is a good rotational midfielder because United will have so many more games next season.
01:17:37
Speaker
I think they want to be... what did you say? They couldn't have less. They couldn't have less. No, not possible. Literally can't have less, yeah. But I think they'll they'll have a good midfield if they do get Ederson and Fernandes and I think Atalanta want about 40 million for him and he already has personal terms agreed with United so I think this one is something that will go ahead and I've got that as... as as my four choice here That's the weird one for me because he's off the back of a really, really poor season for Atlanta from everything I've seen when I was reading about him during the week and he's gone into the last year of his contract as well. So...
01:18:11
Speaker
if if If you're paying 40 or 50 million for him, would you not be better off waiting in a year, seeing how he performs this year in Serie A, see if he's still up to it, and then bring him in the free next summer? We need a midfielder now. And if he performs well this summer, there's no way they they let him run down his contract. So I think 40 is probably the least you're going to get him for, because he is still young and he's very good, despite a a bit of a weaker season.
01:18:35
Speaker
yeah um Yeah, I don't mind this. My last two are, well, actually have three to pick from. i think they're two of them aren't touted at all. And one of them is Barcola to Liverpool.
01:18:47
Speaker
And that's just kind of wishful thinking, I think, more than Antin, especially because I'm winning another Champions League. So might leave that one off. I think Crescentius, some of it, looks like an Everton player. And I think that's where he ends up this summer. Either Everton or someone like that. I think that's where he goes. Yeah, I think that's where he goes.
Speculation on Key Player Moves Across Clubs
01:19:03
Speaker
They'll probably get him for £40 million. i they I'm not sure if they'll sign Jack Grealish. I think it's a bit much in for them to be asking for now. And I think he's almost a perfect Jack Grealish replacement where he'll show up for 12 weeks and then disappear for the rest of the season, which is what Grealish the Dishers also. Yeah, I'm going to go with...
01:19:22
Speaker
Somerville to Everton but I think Barcola's Lufthul is one that could happen as well David Ornstein and a lot of the patch journalists were saying it's stated he's second on Lufthul's list Andy Armanday so we'll have to wait and see interesting one to watch my last one is one to Man City another midfielder but it's not Elliot Anderson it's Enzo Fernandes I think yeah he's not going to want to play anymore for Chelsea I know that it's going to be a different situation with a different manager but they treated him so poorly for such a little thing and he he was great under Maresca and I think they have a good relationship and I see City going and just breaking the bank on Fernandes and Anderson and getting a complete new look midfield and that kind of dominate the Premier League and over the next few years so I think that that is something that could happen even though that one I think is about 6-1 at the moment so obviously not very likely but i i do think it's possible
01:20:13
Speaker
Is 6-1 not very likely for a transfer? Not really. I think he's like very heavily money on to stay at Chelsea. so you know it's it's likely It's likely compared to other teams, but it's like if you get six to one it's like... It's kind of like, oh, they're just giving you the odds and then people are putting money on him to go to City.
01:20:34
Speaker
So that's coming in. But then to stay at Chelsea, you're getting nothing back. So yeah, I think it is decent for a transfer, but just not... not really the most likely one I could have picked here but I just have a weird feeling about this one too.
01:20:48
Speaker
Before I give my last one have you any like really vague ones of like this player is going to be playing in this league next season because I have two of those one of them is very obvious one's a bit more under the radar I'll give my fifth my fifth pick then if you have anywhere in the two to see he's going to move leagues I don't know what team he'll be at but he's definitely not going to be playing for his team next season.
01:21:07
Speaker
Well, i I think one is Salah, obviously. He's going leave Liverpool and I think he could end up in in Saudi just for the money. Yeah, that's one i ah one of the two I have. And then the other one is Rodri.
01:21:19
Speaker
I think he could go back to Spain. I think he's he'd be a great Atletico Madrid player, but he could be also a great Barcelona player. So, you know, I think that could be one. Another interesting one, obviously from an Irish standpoint, is Triparrott looks like he's going to leave. So I wonder where he ends up. I think it would be beneficial to him not to come back to England because he's done so much in Europe. But yeah, that's another interesting one to watch from an Irish standpoint.
01:21:45
Speaker
I think Turemany ends up in the Premier League this season and it could very well be at Chelsea or someone like that. He was apparently one of Xabi Lanzo's biggest backers and that was kind of the whole row with himself and Valverde kind of ended up starting over that a long time ago and then it comes.
01:22:00
Speaker
I can't say that word today and I don't know why I keep trying to say it. Yeah, that one. But it it ended up with them fighting. I think he has to leave Madrid this season. One of them has to go and they're not going to sell Fede Valverde. So I think Turemany ends up in the Premier League this year.
01:22:13
Speaker
My last one is Hayden Hackney to Brighton because I think he'll be the most Brighton signing of all time. he's the He's the best there in the championship by a country. He's absolutely insane. If Burrard had come off he might have stayed there but the fact they haven't I think he how he's out the door and I think Brighton be a perfect landing spot for him. There's a lot of young midfielders there the likes of IRE who They don't really look they're going like they're going to fill their potential. I think they might as well of a couple this year because they probably should have done better and finished higher up than they did.
01:22:41
Speaker
I think someone like Caden Hackney comes in and just walks into that midfield besides Pascal goes for a year and then just takes over the year after. or even next to Beliebe, that would be a very good comment. Yeah, and I think he's a man who's not going to get his dream move anymore because he was so cropped this season. So himself and Beliebe could be absolutely wonderful. And I think for 20 25 million...
01:23:00
Speaker
you'd sell him for out of more than money in two or three years time. I do genuinely think he's that good. So yeah, that's my fifth one. I would love to see him at United. I said it like a year or two ago when Carrick was there initially and then Carrick has that connection to him. So I think if you United were like astute and were willing to go down to the championship for their recruitment, I think signing the likes like Mateus Fernandes, Ederson and Hackney, you're looking at a total of just over 100 million for three great rotation midfielders. um I feel like that would be a great move, but ultimately United really, they never do something like that. so I think you're you're probably a good estimation there at Brighton or Brentford are the type of team that go after great players like him so yeah I like that one too so that's what all told he could end up replacing Adam Wharton at Palace as well if he does go to Liverpool which is all the talk the last couple of days I said to you two weeks ago that I'm already sick of talking about transfers and the window hadn't even opened yet and all the rumours flying around my head now are just driving me bananas so we're going to have a long summer can't wait for the World Cup to kick off so we can talk about that for a while
01:24:01
Speaker
Yeah, you should do it, because i've I used to like look at the stuff that comes up on on Twitter and all that, and now I'm just like, oh, I just can't be looking at all these transfers. So I just want, like, if the Athletic writes something about United, and then I'll read it if there's something actually concrete there, or they mention it on the Athletic podcast.
The Overwhelm of Transfer Rumors
01:24:21
Speaker
that's when I'll be like, right, okay. But other than that, I'm like, I just don't pay attention to it because there's so much things and not all them can be true. So you're like, I'm going to look at so many of these and how many are actually going to be realistic.
01:24:34
Speaker
When it happens, it happens. And I just think that, like I know with the Ederson one, that's something that's massively reported right now and looks like it's in the works. So now I'm kind of thinking, all right, what would he look like at United? Whereas I could spend so much time thinking of how many different players would look at a certain way at United. So...
01:24:50
Speaker
Yeah, it's an oversaturation, really, of transfers. And at least we've got the World Cup to yeah slow that down because transfers won't be mega in the summer while where the they World Cup is on.
01:25:01
Speaker
i'm I'm literally sure I've seen a full new XI for Liverpool of players, like... Oh, yeah. the likes of Diogo Costa, the goalkeeper, Dumfries, from Colwell, obviously i just mentioned him out of Morton, Elliot Anderson was linked for about two minutes, that's another one, Baricola, Gordon, Diamande, Jarboe, and it's like, it's literally impossible to sign all these players, so either someone is penning fives left, right and centre, these agents just really good at trying to make their money, but yeah yeah have to wait and see where it goes let's see how these go we'll revisit them in the summer obviously if if we get them all right we're geniuses if we get them all wrong look it's too hard to pick them yeah we have it lined up either way but yeah no it's interesting to throw these out and Shane good good topic you threw out there and said the power rankings will have to come up with I think we've got a couple of ideas and that we're not to place gun chance and power rankings over the summer so keep an eye out for those but I'll throw it to you to wrap up the episode because we've got a lot in here and we've got Michael to come, which you'll have already heard. So conscious of the time, but I'll throw it to you to wrap it.
01:26:08
Speaker
Yeah, so it is a packed episode. We were doing it a bit earlier here this
Closing Remarks and Podcast Milestone
01:26:11
Speaker
week. So we're recording this part on Tuesday I'm off to Landerotti in the morning and gave James so much notice. I was going as well. So he was well prepared to hop in on a Tuesday instead of the Thursday.
01:26:22
Speaker
Just again, as always, we appreciate the support. 78 episodes now is absolutely insane, I think, to be perfectly honest. like I think getting past 50 was an achievement in itself. and We're definitely getting to 100 now and just keep sharing to keep liking it. It really, really does mean a lot to us, even if we don't see all the comments or anything like that. But we do read every single one of us. One of them reads every single one of us reads every single one of the comments anyway. So thank you for everything and we'll see you again next week.
01:26:49
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball with Shane and James.