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NBA Playoff Preview & Predictions | NFL Top 10 Mock Draft | Mo Salah’s New Contract and Southampton’s Abysmal Season
21 Plays1 month ago
In this week’s episode of Who’s Got The Ball? the lads break down their NBA playoff brackets and give their predictions for the winners of the East, West and the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The focus then shifts to the NFL, as the lads give you their mock top ten selection for next week’s draft, which includes a spicy trade. To wrap up, James & Shane chat about Mo Salah’s new contract and whether or not Southampton are the worst team in Premier League history.
Gan Seans continues with Shane leading 22-14 & there is an update on the WGTB Multi-Sport Power Rankings.
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Transcript
Introduction & Rory's Grand Slam Win
00:00:09
Speaker
Right lads, welcome back to Who's Got The Ball. Myself and Shane back here once again. lot of good stuff coming up this week. Shane, what's the crack of you? All good, just is still kind of reeling from the Rory, finally doing the decent thing and winning his Grand Slam. But I wish he'd had done it earlier than half one in the morning because been catching up on sleep ever since now. But I was delighted for him to be aware. It's some achievement.
00:00:32
Speaker
ah The achievement is unbelievable. Like you could see the emotion coming out. Oh, straight away, yeah. I was on that day, like when I was... at the start then when he dropped back a little bit I was like here we go then he calmed it and then he is so many ups and downs I think only he could put you through that such a such a way to win it like in the amount of years he went between it's just some sporting achievement it's crazy And like some of the shots he hits, like the shot on the 15th around the trees, to then go and bogey on the 18th. I've never seen someone be so up and down in the space of three hours. It was, yeah, I was just, it was absolute madness what he put us through, but i am delighted, absolutely delighted for over the moon. Yeah.
00:01:13
Speaker
I know we, we like a good stat. I saw a stat there that was like a, The approach shots he hit on 15, 16 and 17 within the distance he got them.
00:01:24
Speaker
I think one was nine feet, one was six feet and one was two feet from the hole. The odds of from where he was to get it there, if you compare every golfer on tour, how many times it would take them.
00:01:36
Speaker
it's one in like 28,000 times that that would happen. And he did it with the... Did it three times. Yeah, that's it's just ridiculous. Yeah, that shot on the 13th as well, out from behind the trees.
00:01:46
Speaker
Yeah. I think it was the 13th. Or no, the was when he went into the water. No, it was when he went into the water. Yeah, the 11th, I think, was when he came out from behind the trees. It was just insanity. So much went on. It was madness. Yeah. But yeah, that's but's ah from Augusta over in
NBA Playoff Predictions
00:02:02
Speaker
the US. s Let's stay in the US now, right? We're going to go.
00:02:05
Speaker
You love a good segue. a good segue, unreal. So and what we're going to do now is we're going to go to our and NBA, trend I would say transition because they've got transition on the mind here.
00:02:17
Speaker
our NBA brackets for the playoffs. So the rest of this episode, and we we went through it the usual day. We recorded it on Tuesday. It's ready to go, but we waited until Thursday to get this little bit up. So if there is a bit of a discrepancy in some of the things we say later on in this episode, that's just because they were um yeah we recorded it a couple of days ago. But yeah, we are going to do our brackets. We wanted to wait till at least the first few games of the play and we're done. So we knew the seven seed.
00:02:46
Speaker
um so I think maybe we'll start with round one. Do you want to I'll throw it to you first and then I'll do the second game and so on. So who have you got between, let's go with the Thunder and either they're either going to end up playing the Mavs or whoever wins that match-up tonight, or tomorrow night. i think it's I think it's safe enough to say that we probably both have the Thunder and the Cavs getting through, whoever they play, because they're the only games in there that are still to be determined.
00:03:13
Speaker
I went Thunder and four on that. I'm not going to play, and I just think they're going to walk all over. Anyone they play in the first round before it will actually get a bit difficult then when they play the other play in playoff teams.
00:03:25
Speaker
But I can't see them having any difficulty in the first round, to be honest. Yeah, I think the it's Mavs or Grizzlies, son. I think, yeah, I think they'll win it. I think they'll win it in five.
00:03:37
Speaker
I just see, i think if it's, I don't see the Mavs winning that, I'll be perfectly honest. I think the Grizzlies, and I think they might get one at home, but I agree with you that I think it's going to be very close or very easy for the Thunder. I'll go from, just go straight in with the Cavs then as well, yeah.
00:03:52
Speaker
That's kind of why we didn't really care about what happens on Friday before we predict, because both of us agreed already that the Cavs and Thunder, no matter what. And yeah, I think After seeing what the Heat did to the Bulls, who I honestly thought would win, I think the Heat might beat the Hawks and just get their complementary position in the playoffs that they always seem to get.
00:04:12
Speaker
and But I still think the Cavs will beat them too. Maybe four for one as well. um I could see that in five. How many games do you think there? um I put down, I had to have him in four as well, to be honest. like I kind of just, it was kind of last when they looked at Spann, was like, oh, the tumour is going to walk away with it. I'll just it to him in four and get on with it. I wouldn't be surprised if it did finish 4-1, but there's no way either those matchups go to five, six or seven games. which is It's not, sorry, six or seven games, sorry, it could go to five. There's no way it goes any further than five, to be honest.
00:04:40
Speaker
Yeah, no, I'd agree with that, definitely. I'll go with the two seats on the West, then the Rockets, they're going to face off with the Warriors. It's marked on your face because you support the Rockets and you're not going to like what I have to say. I That's kind of why I wanted to wait because if it was the Grizzlies, I would have went with the Rockets here. But since they're facing off the Warriors, I know you did beat them a few weeks ago, but Steph is never going to shoot like that again.
00:05:05
Speaker
And I think you may have given too much away, to be honest already in that one game as to how you're going to match up against them. And I could just see the Warriors winning this maybe in six, just their, their know-how and championship notes.
00:05:19
Speaker
But what do you have here? I obviously has. like I spent the whole day today head v heart, head v heart. And I was like, Joe Watt, I'm just going to with heart. so It's not going to make much of a difference to you at the end of the day if they win or lose. But I couldn't go against them in the first round of playoffs with the way they've kind of played all season.
00:05:35
Speaker
Emman Thompson, Shingu and Jalen Green are all on form. They were, well, bar with the last games they lost, but sure, it didn't play half the minutes anyway. Yeah. I just went with the Rockets in six. and I think having the two home games to start will be massive.
00:05:49
Speaker
If they can win the two of them, or even if they can win one, it kind of pushed the second one close, and I would back them. But... like I can see the Warriors getting at least one blowout and then maybe they could just go on and run from there and they could win two or three in a row if they've looked at the Rockets are young team. I know they have were a couple of like old heads, but if the Rockets got blown out by 40 points the way the Lakers did to them recently, I could see heads dropping Udoka having a bit of a time trying to put them back. But yeah i couldn't I couldn't take them out in the first round. I had had to push them through, to be fair.
00:06:19
Speaker
Especially when they're two seed. And I do think they have physicality on their side. With that too big system, the Warriors have nobody to really go against that. And then and i think it's a dangerous game. A lot of people have been saying like you know in the West they would want their Rockets in the first round. But it's always a team that you you think you want that come out and surprise you.
00:06:39
Speaker
Exactly. 100%. Yeah. But let's move on then to the East. I'll let you go ahead. Celtics and Magic. That was the easiest one for me to pick, to be honest. I think the Celtics are going to have a walk in the park there. going to lovely little kind of warm up for them going through into the next round. I have them down in five.
00:06:55
Speaker
Yeah. I think they might drop one if they're like 3-0 up and they might do a bit of rest and stuff or do something like that because they'll know that they're just going to walk all over this Magic team. That was the easiest one for me. I can't see the Magic having any Any answer for I think, yeah, it's an easy one for the Celtics and it literally is a bit of a warm-up more than anything. I think, yeah, I think four or five games.
00:07:20
Speaker
I'll go with five as well because I just think that Paolo and Franz could have one really, really good game where you get like good defense ah across the board as well. But I can't see the Magic scoring over 100 points in any of these games because they just stutter on offense a lot.
00:07:35
Speaker
So, yeah, I think Celtics without a doubt. and Then I'll go with my 3-6 matchup in the West. So that's Lakers-Timberwolves. I'm going to go with the Timberwolves here. So I'm going... I know the Lakers did turn things around a bit this season, although they were good before they got Luka, but they turned around what I think maybe was expected.
00:07:55
Speaker
People thought they wouldn't be as good when he came. They'd be poor defensively, but that wasn't the case. But... The Timberwolves are very, very physical. And i think Anthony Edwards is just on a tear at the moment.
00:08:08
Speaker
I really think that they won't want to go out first round here and against the Lakers. And they'll they'll love being the underdogs in this. So I'm going with the Timberwolves to get through. I went the same.
00:08:19
Speaker
Again, the same kind of reasons. Anthony Edwards is just going to have a shawl in the park. Well, not a shawl in the park, but he's going to have really, really good time, I think. As you were saying there about the the Lakers haven't really faced someone like him too often, so we don't really know what they're going to be like against it. But there's a reason everyone said they were going to be poor defensively when Luka came in.
00:08:38
Speaker
And I think Luka and Bron, despite the fact they can score ah million points, I think the Timberwolves are just going to outscore him. I went Timberwolves in six. i tell I think I think it's my number of games, but I'm going six as well.
00:08:51
Speaker
I think yeah i think if you if there's any early games, I don't actually know if there is because they know all the Rockets games are ridiculous hours. But I think i think this is the kind of one to watch. Yeah. And did this is the one this this be the biggest battle, I think.
00:09:03
Speaker
Yeah, no, I think it'll be. a real highlight in the first round. I think yeah all across the West in the first round, apart from the Thunder, that'll be a blowout, but the others yeah are just crazy good match-ups. Yeah, and I just like the Timberwolves to come out, just with the defence in general, what they did last year in the playoffs to the Nuggets, um and I thought they were really excellent there, so I think they can do the same. I think i don't think, yeah, I think If Luka is going to get isolated against Anthony Edwards too much, they're in trouble there on defence.
00:09:33
Speaker
100%. But what have you got then for Knicks Pistons in the East for the 3-6 matchup? ah This had to be the Knicks for me. does but There was no massive statistics to back this one up. It was just in just a feeling from the start I had. I think the Knicks are going to be in...
00:09:51
Speaker
Six or seven. like I could see this one going the whole way. I think they're very evenly matched. But I think that the Knicks have so much momentum on their side at the moment, the way they're playing. And I think the Pistons, they have been excellent. But I think, I don't think they're ready for a playoff. to step to proper wrong Yeah, I think so too. Yeah. So I think the Knicks will get in six or seven.
00:10:09
Speaker
Yeah, I think seven as well. I think the Pistons are going to be Really, really good. and that This is one another one I think people should watch yeah because this is going to be incredible basketball. So physical, so tough. There's definitely going to be plenty of fights because the Pistons have a fight.
00:10:25
Speaker
And last year, my favourite, obviously, I know the Sixers lost, so it wasn't great as a viewer, but my favourite in terms of the battles of the first round was Knicks and Sixers. They fought to a nail.
00:10:36
Speaker
And I think that took way too much out with the Knicks going forward and I think it'll be the same again. yeah I just think the Pistons jumped from like with the worst team in the league last year to now like a sixth seed in the East, and performing very well. So I think it is a big jump.
00:10:50
Speaker
um And I think next year they'll they'll focus in again. But I think they will take the mix to seven. Then the last first round matchup in the West is the Nuggets and Clippers. Again, I'm going for an underdog here. So going for the underdog in three of them. I'm going with the Clippers here.
00:11:05
Speaker
Oh, I thought the Nuggets were the underdog. No, the the Nuggets were the four-seed. And I think they're the Buckees' favourites for this one as well. so I just think the Clippers have been really, really good this year. And their defence has been unbelievable.
00:11:23
Speaker
And not to say that he's like going to stop Jokic, but a bit of Zubac, who probably should get most improved player because of how good he's been this year. I think statistically in the league, he's been the best defender on Jokic across this season. and So they have that going in their favour.
00:11:38
Speaker
They've got Chris Dunn They've got a really, really good defense in general. And then I think Kawhi is just coming back into his own and he really will once we get to playoffs. I know it's Jokic on the other side, so it's hard to like you know discount that. But what the Nuggets have been doing all season is falling short.
00:11:56
Speaker
And I think the Clippers have ramped up really nicely. I honestly think we could see them win this in five. Yeah, I also have to know, I have to clip it against the Nuggets as well. The two points I wrote down was it's the form they're on is nine nine nine and one versus five and five in the last 10. Yeah. The Nuggets have looked aimless.
00:12:13
Speaker
over the last couple of weeks. I know they've lost the coach and yeah like I just think the Clippers are going to exploit him. There's only so much Jokic can do when they're done. I know he's putting up triple numbers. That's great point as well, the coach has gone. Compare on the other side, Ty Lue is an excellent coach. Yeah, exactly. I can't see the Nuggets putting up too much of a fighter, to be perfectly honest. I think they'll go out with their tails between their legs a bit. I think the Clippers will...
00:12:42
Speaker
Yeah, they're going have a good time. I think i might i don't even think it'll be worth watching most of the games, unless it is close coming down the line. and the like if they're If it's 3-1 or 3-2, then start watching them. But I think from the start, the Clippers are just going to have have it all their own way, I feel.
00:12:55
Speaker
Pretty comfortable. In general, I think the consensus in the US is probably to go for the Nuggets, but I think we're both like very high on the Clippers. yeah and i think yeah i think I have to agree with you. i think they will I just think the way things have gone this season for the Nuggets and Tyloo is a great playoff coach and Kawhi knows how to do it in the playoffs. There is question marks around James Harden, but I think he knows his role in this team.
00:13:20
Speaker
um So I think, yeah, I'm going to go on the same as you there. And then what have you got for Pacers and Bucs in the 4-5 matchup in the East? The Bucs in sixth. Okay. They're both on an 8-2 run, which actually surprised me when they looked up. didn't realise the Pacers were still in that kind of form.
00:13:36
Speaker
Yeah. But I think the momentum the Bucs have at the moment, they're eight wins in a row, end of the season. Yeah. Giannis is starting to look like Giannis again. I think he'll be very, very close, but I think the Bucs, I think they have the, if they're three,
00:13:50
Speaker
who who I think they have a home game and I think they win the first home game and they'll win it out 4-2 win 6. Okay, um i I'm going opposite here. I'm going the Pacers. I just think that they have too much depth for the Bucs.
00:14:03
Speaker
Doc Rivers doesn't like to go too deep. with his rotation. Damian Millard is obviously a big miss. Now there's reports today that he's cleared, but it'll take him a few days to ramp up. So that's yeah definitely not until game three, I would say.
00:14:16
Speaker
And it could be 2-0 by then. I just really like the way that the Pacers play. And I don't see what the Bucs can do to stop the way that they play, how fast they are. Giannis will probably be the best player in this series, but it's similar to the Nuggets Clippers for me, I think.
00:14:33
Speaker
They've got the best player on one side, but a better overall team on the other. yeah So I'm going with the the Pacers. I'm going to go with six here. So... where We're the same um in the conference semis in the West. We both got Thunder versus Clippers. So we'll start with that. What have you got there?
00:14:50
Speaker
I have the Thunder. I think the Thunder are just too strong. yeah They're clearly the best team in basketball. And it's like they've proven it over the whole season. They lost a couple of silly games and they always bounce back, went on 10, 11 game winning run.
00:15:04
Speaker
um i haven' themt to I happen to beat the Clippers in five. yeah I think the Clippers are really good. We've just lauded them there for the last minute or so. I think the Thunder are just they' they're waiting for this opportunity.
00:15:15
Speaker
They've waiting a long time for this opportunity. I think the Thunder will get over the line against Clippers in five. Yeah, I'm going with the Thunder as well here. I think they'll get it in five as well. I just think that The Clippers will put a lot into the first round. They'll have it all their own way. They'll find it very difficult then against the Thunder who can do so many different things. They can go small.
00:15:35
Speaker
They can go double big. They can like basically do whatever they want with how many good players they have. yeah And I think the Clippers are just an older team and they'll find it hard to deal with that. Then on the other side, one other game we both have the same is Knicks-Celtics, so let's do that next. and I've got the Celtics winning this.
00:15:54
Speaker
I think they'll win it in five. um I don't see them having too much trouble dispatching with the Knicks. The Knicks just can't play defence, and the Celtics are just going to drain threes on them. I don't have too much to say on this. I think it'll be pretty handy for the Celtics. Yeah, yeah I need the Celtics to sweep them.
00:16:09
Speaker
Yeah. That's understandable. Yeah, I just, I can't see the Knicks laying in glove on the Celtics, the way they shoot trees, the way they get to the line. I just one yeah mis but just... Yeah. He just decided not to play defence again recently. yeah just yeah Yeah. It's just kind of funny how he gets away with this for the money earned in busts. It's crazy. Yeah.
00:16:28
Speaker
I think Knicks fans will be disappointed. Then the games we' we're a bit different in. So you've got the Cavs versus the Bucks in the East and the other conference. So who have you gone with in that one? think The Cavs in six.
00:16:41
Speaker
I think the Bucks, I was just lauding them, but I think do they they don't have it in them to get to a conference final and I think the Cavs are really, really good. And I think they'll just have enough to get over the line.
00:16:54
Speaker
So Cavs in six. Yeah, I've gone with the Cavs over the Pacers then in this one. I'm going with six as well. I think the Pacers have enough to play good team basketball, and enough to get a couple of wins. But I think the Cavs have done so well this season, they'll have an easy first round.
00:17:09
Speaker
Yeah. And I think they'll turn it on when they need to. So I'm going there too. so but and On the East, we've both gone with Celtics and Cavs to reach the final. But let's round up the West then. Yeah.
00:17:21
Speaker
You've got Rockets versus Timberwolves, so who have you got coming out here? I'm sure you're going to be shocked at who I have coming out. I actually have the Timberwolves to come out of it against the Rockets. Same kind of reason as the reason they get this far, to be honest. I think Anthony Edwards is just going to start shooting the lights out. I think he's going to have fun. I think Eamon Thompson can do so much, but it's the Rockets' first goal with this.
00:17:44
Speaker
i just I can't see him putting off up enough points four times in in six games or seven games to dude just win enough. The Rockets had a poor end this season. I know there was no one playing, but again, it kind of showed the lack of depth.
00:17:58
Speaker
that when you when you go past the first five or six like if if if fred van vliet gets a knock again or if dylan brooks decides he wants to get ejected again you're bringing in someone i can't wait more reach effort and they won't have the ability to to just put it up to tim boolov so i have i have the wolden six obviously i really really hope i'm wrong yeah but unfortunately i think next year is the year for the rockets to have a good good push for that we can bring in another big name yeah i think It's probably fair. I'd probably go with the same if I had that matchup. I just think the Timberwolves will have a bit more know-how at this stage. But I do think that would be a really interesting matchup because they're good, good evenly matched teams in their starting fives, I think. yeah The depth wins it out there for the Wolves. But I've got Warriors and Timberwolves in my semi.
00:18:42
Speaker
I'm going with the Warriors here. um I just think they have more know-how than the Timberwolves do. they They got there last year to this stage and they were beaten out by the Mavs. I think, yeah, I just think that I think that the Warriors just know what they're doing once it gets to this level.
00:19:02
Speaker
That, you know, Draymond will do crafty things. Steph will take over games in the fourth quarter. But now you've got Jimmy Butler, an absolute dog out there fighting with you as well. I think it's just an added extra.
00:19:13
Speaker
But I think this will go to seven games and I think it will take a whole lot out of the Warriors. Yeah. So that's my pick. so and Just a word on that. So Jimmy Butler plays 82 games a year that he hates just to get to this point in the season.
00:19:27
Speaker
like he He genuinely thinks the regular season the waste of time. Yeah. So this is when he'll just teal this turn it up now, turn it on and just... If Steph is shooting 30, he's getting 20. And if you have 50 points out of two players, you're halfway towards and the targets you to need to get over a good few games. So, yeah yeah. Again, I go with what you're going. Again, kind of i would have to if I had that matchup, I'd have the Warriors beating the Wolves.
00:19:50
Speaker
And it's the same kind of reason I have the Wolves beating the Rockets as well. It's the know-how. It's knowing how to do it when you're there. So, yeah, I agree with Yeah. That's fair. So in terms of the Celtics and Cavs, then I'm going to go ahead first. That's the East Conference Finals we've both predicted.
00:20:04
Speaker
I think the Celtics are going to do it. yeah I just think that they'll have quite an easy run against the Magic and the Knicks. um I think the Cavs, you know, they'll have an easy first round, I think, but I think the Pacers will be tough. And I just think it'll be a very big step for them to get this far.
00:20:20
Speaker
And I think the Celtics just really know how to do it from last year. And I picked them to get this far at the start of the season. I'm going to stick with what I thought. I think they're ramping up so nicely. And they just have so many different options.
00:20:32
Speaker
I think the Cavs can't eat keep up with them if it comes to a three-point shooting contest in a conference finals. And that's why the Celtics will try to make it if they can. And so I'm going with the Celtics in sixth. ah The same kind of, I'm not even going to go too much further into it. I have the Celtics in seven.
00:20:47
Speaker
um I think the Cavs will only get so far and I think this is their limit. Again, kind of if if they play the box or they play the Pistons, I think they're going to have an awful time. It's not going to easy either game. They're going to go six or seven the whole way. They're going to take it out them. They're going to get bullied a bit in a couple of games there as well by both teams. And as you said, the Celtics, if it comes down to three-point contests, just forget about us.
00:21:08
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. So that's our East. We've both got the Celtics winning the East. Then in the West, I've got the Thunder versus the Warriors. You've got the Thunder versus the Timberwolves. So who are you who you going with?
00:21:20
Speaker
The Thunder in five. I think this is when they' gone to just this one they're going to come into their own. The pressure will be on and they'll either make or break. They'll either win in five or lose in five. i think I think it's only going to go one or two ways.
00:21:34
Speaker
They either show up in every game they're playing or they don't show up at all. And I think they'll have an easy enough walk in today into the Yeah, I think I've gone ah've gone and backed the Warriors like in in ah outside of this. ah When I said the odds were good, I put a yeah few foot on them like as an each-way chance to get to the finals.
00:21:54
Speaker
Yeah, i think i'm good I think the Warriors are going to let me down once it gets this far. I think it's going to be four wins straight for the Thunder. I think they're just going to win it in four. i honestly think that the Warriors will be just beaten up um after the Timberwolves series.
00:22:08
Speaker
And i just think the Thunder are going to really... show everyone when they start questioning them they're coming up against a dynasty they're coming up against a four-time champ everyone will be thinking you know can they do it and I really think they're just going to blow it up and show everyone what they're made of and win this in four so we've both got Thunder and Celtics in the finals I'll give you the the honours of going first I am going to Celtics to repeat Okay. um Again, it's we've said it all the way down. and It's like the way they've ramped up to get to this far has just been it's it's been it's been impeccable.
00:22:42
Speaker
They haven't had to win their division. There's no need them to win it. They've kind of just ticked along nicely, won the games they needed it to win. last game so they were giving players rest and after winning it last year i think they're just going to come out top and top in the finals again i think honestly i'd love to see the thunder winners and i think it will go seven but i think that if i worked it out again i think game seven would be in the thunder's place and i think i think the pressure of a game seven at home might be a bit too much from and just have to see it over yeah
00:23:15
Speaker
yeah That would be a tough one. Yeah, I think it's going to go seven as well, but I'm going to go with the Thunder. I'm just going to stick with what i what I've gone with from the start of the year. i don't want to sway from it. I think it served me well, like what I thought from the start, how well live each of these two teams have played. And I'm i'm going to stick with the Thunder winning it out. I just think it's their time.
00:23:36
Speaker
And i just just the way things haven't been repeated um in recent years, I think the Cavs is going to be very tough for the Celtics. They never really had a tough matchup all the way across last year.
00:23:48
Speaker
I think that will be tough. And I think that will kind of lead them into this Thunder matchup a little bit worse off than they were going into their finals matchup last year against this time a much better team who can do so many different things.
00:24:02
Speaker
As I already mentioned earlier, You know, if you have a team that can go too big, they can go all small. They can mix it up. They can play a guy who can also play shooting guards in Jalen Williams at the centre if they want to.
00:24:14
Speaker
Like, it's just crazy how many different things they can do. So that's the reason I'm going with them. So I'm going to go with the Thunder in seven. But yeah, we both ended up with the same conference winners and the same finals. We just differed by one game in the end. The thing for me is that I didn't nail my colours to the mast at start of the year because obviously we didn't know this podcast was going to be a thing at the start of the year as well at the same time. So I never kind of nailed my colours the mast.
00:24:41
Speaker
Just the way, just kind of watching the Celtics just tick along and tick along. And yeah the fact they won it last year, I can just see them kind of just having again. It's it's about know-how really, isn't it? It's about knowing how to win playoff games.
00:24:52
Speaker
It's why the Warriors will probably get so far before they fall. It's why the Wolves beat the Rockets. It's just kind of being there, done that, bought the picture, let's get a second one. It's just kind of yeah teams who've done it before, just know how to do it again. and I don't know. I think i think it's going to be a hell of a finals if it is the Tundra and the Celtics.
00:25:13
Speaker
I agree, definitely. That would be an unbelievable finals. And every game would be just so much going on down the wire, just crazy stuff. And I think, yeah, knowing how to do it plays an absolutely massive part.
00:25:26
Speaker
I know it's funny we're saying that after teams haven't repeated for a long time but it's not like those teams who like haven't repeated just fell off then after they've still been good and then in terms of the Warriors like they did it just not so long before they did it again and the Celtics have got so close so many times so you do know how to up to a certain point and a lot of those teams that we've picked along the way do know how yeah So yeah, that's it lads. We
NFL Draft Insights
00:25:51
Speaker
both did our brackets on yeah ESPN. We're going to make a group and going to share the link on our Instagram and Twitter and all that stuff. So you can join it if you want to put in your predictions and see how you get on against us. But yeah, let's get into what we have from the other day. Let's jump straight into that record.
00:26:08
Speaker
So moving into our NFL portion, we're just going to do something a bit different because this is our last episode before the draft actually happened. So It'll be on next Thursday when you're listening to this. So obviously we're very excited for that. We had a bit of a preview last week, but we're going to do a mock draft. But the way we're going to do it is as if we're like drafting teams each. So we can't just go like one through 10 each. So I have the first pick, third pick, fifth, eighth and tenth.
00:26:38
Speaker
And the funny order is because I'm taking the Giants and Shane is going to obviously take the Jets, who he supports. So let me mix it up a little bit that way. So Shane will have 2, 4, 6, 7, and 9.
00:26:50
Speaker
So I might as well jump straight into it. um I'll go with the first pick. So obviously it's the Tennessee Titans. I'm going to... Play it the way that everybody has it here. I'm not going to mess around. I'm just going to go. They're going to go Cam Ward.
00:27:04
Speaker
We talked a lot about him last week as to why they picked him, why they will pick him. It seems like that's just nailed on to happen. Similar to last year, Caleb Williams was kind of nailed on. This seems to be absolutely nailed on.
00:27:18
Speaker
I think that it's pretty much set in stone. For me, really, the draft starts with pick two this year and what will happen there, because I think there's still a little bit up in the air, but one, I think, is nailed on to be Cam Ward and they'll they'll get their QB um for the future, and the Titans will. So that's my pick.
00:27:37
Speaker
I think the draft will start at pick three, actually, because I think pick two is going to go in the same way as I'm going to go. There's no way that they can leave Travis Hunter on the board if he's there at two. He's the best player in the draft class.
00:27:49
Speaker
He can play really good at wide receiver, really good at corner. if they If they skip him for anyone, even Abdul Carter, I think they're making a mistake. So I'm just going to go with Travis Hunter in as the second pick. I think, ah i as I said, i just think they have to do it.
00:28:04
Speaker
I really do. I think they're stupid if they don't. Yeah, yeah. No, I think that that would be and the the best thing that the Browns could do in that situation. So, Vick and Travis Hunter there, I think, yeah, you got your dual threat. I think I would love them to fall to the Giants. I don't see it happening, but it's just the Browns, they're so untrustworthy. You never actually know what they're going to do.
00:28:27
Speaker
And the Giants are the exact same. So, in this mock draft, I'm going to do what I think would be the absolutely... clear logical thing to do and that would be pick Abdul Carter number three for the Giants I think there's some options in the Giants kind of um line of thinking that I would hope that if they did get a call here they might trade back because if you can get a nice haul for somebody who really wants Abdul Carter we're kind of stacked in that position But, you know, obviously you want to add a talent like this, but if they could get a really nice haul for him and fill a lot of other positions of need, then I would say, yeah, do that. But I think and in this case, he's the best guy on the board.
00:29:08
Speaker
If there's no decent trade opportunities, they have to pick him. and Adding that to the already very good Russian talent that the Giants have on defense in Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeau, obviously Dexter Lawrence through the middle.
00:29:22
Speaker
Yeah, I think it just makes the most sense. So I'm going to take him off the board here at three. Yeah, I think that, as you said, it does make the most sense for him because, again, you can't leave a player with his talent on the board. Even if you are stacked in that position, don he's coming in as a young player. If you give him a year or two even to settle in before he has to really make that big, massive step up, he could be a game-changer for you in two or three years. and When you do have your... yeah you When you finally get a franchise quarterback, he could be the one that would make a difference for you then. But I do think that's a good pick.
00:29:50
Speaker
ah For me at four, I had the Patriots, and lot of the talk had been about Will Campbell. But I'm not taking Will Campbell there because Will Campbell might go elsewhere in the draft.
00:30:00
Speaker
So I'm going to tackle out of Michigan. um I just, I think he's, he's, he's the best, he's the best tackle on the board again. Yeah. so what that they hate The Patriots could always use help a everywhere, to be honest. So he could definitely use help on their line. So they've definitely taken Mason Graham and not Will Campbell for ulterior reasons.
00:30:21
Speaker
All right. Okay. So, Shane, I think you might want me to pick Will Campbell here, do you? I wouldn't. It wouldn't starve. Okay. So you've got Mason Graham.
00:30:33
Speaker
I think, yeah, that's probably the best player that's still available. I think apart from Ashton Gentry, but I think running back to go that high is very, very tough. So I think Mason Graham is the logical thing. And I completely see Vrabel doing this for his new look Patriots team. So yeah, I think that that would be very realistic.
00:30:55
Speaker
I'm going to do something here a bit funny. I'm going to say there's a call coming in from Jerry Jones. He's panicking. but old man is shaking in his boots.
00:31:06
Speaker
He thinks the Raiders are going to pick his man at six. He wants him. He wants him at five. He's calling up the Jags. He's giving them all sorts. He's giving them pick number 12. He's offering them his second round pick and his third round pick.
00:31:19
Speaker
The Jags are laughing because they don't mind moving back to 12. This is a pretty good draft class in and DT cornerback. We've got a couple of wide receivers that will be still there at 12, which is probably what the Jags might look at if they want to go that that way that early.
00:31:33
Speaker
So they'll say no bother. We'll take that call. We've got the Cowboys and Jerry Jones trading up to five. Jerry Jones is putting that Cowboy hat on and he's picking Ashton Gentty. He's coming to the Cowboys.
00:31:45
Speaker
He's going to be their new running back. And this is the most Cowboys thing ever. Let's let's see this for a bit of excitement on draft day. So I've got Gentty going to the Cowboys at number five with a trade with the Jags.
00:31:57
Speaker
The reason I'm laughing at that is because I also had the Jaguars trading away at their pick. I had them trading it with the Saints. I had the Saints going up, giving two first rounds, and their ninth pick of this draft to get Astringenti as well. Because another thing would be so sense to just do something absolutely off the wall ridiculous to trade up and get someone that they'll probably get at nine anyway.
00:32:20
Speaker
but Yes. Yeah, no, that makes sense. That's why I was laughing so much. He's stolen my idea, but we both had the same idea. I'm up again anyway at six again with the Raiders.
00:32:33
Speaker
And they're they're taking Sanders. um I don't want to butcher his name like I did SGA last week. so So we've got Shador. Yeah, so we're going Shador. I think he's the future of the team for him. I think he'll take a year or two to Redshirt for one time, a better way of putting this, where he'll just play back up and then he'll just step in and he'll be be the future of that franchise then.
00:32:56
Speaker
I like that one. I think that's and ah bit high for the talent level, but I think it makes sense right now for them if they believe in him. and to go there because they have Gino there as you said he can kind of back up and learn from him and you've got Pete Carroll there right now a steady offense coordinator and Chip Kelly who we talked about recently yeah to be honest of all the situations I would have said last year if the Raiders had picked him or before they got in Carroll and Gino Smith I would have said this is complete implosion of the franchise but
00:33:31
Speaker
Now, with that in place, I don't hate it. And I think that makes makes sense. Yeah, I think Pete Carroll and Dino Smith are both kind of on two-ish here. I'm not 100% sure I should have checked it for him. I think Dino's on two and Carroll is on a three.
00:33:43
Speaker
Yeah, so like if if he goes after two years, gives Shador one year on the Pete Carroll before they bring in a new head coach, because Carroll can't go on forever either. yeah like I reckon he is literally doing three years and he's done then. So, yeah, I think that would be a good pick for him. I don't think struggling in many places either.
00:33:59
Speaker
Obviously, they would love an Ashton Dendry as well, but they don't overly need him at the moment. So I think taking Sanders there is a bit sensible for him. Yeah, makes sense. No, I think there's also that quarterback tax where they go higher than they should when teams get a little bit desperate.
00:34:16
Speaker
So yeah, no, nice. So you're ah you're up again now because you've got the Jets. Yeah, I have the the mighty Jets. The Jets are going to be sensible this time around. You might think I'm saying Will Campbell here, but I'm actually not.
00:34:28
Speaker
I'll be just trying to fool you into not taking him later on. I was going to put Will Campbell down already. I was already right in it. The Jets are taking Armand Membo, the offensive tackle. Yeah. Again, the Jets are a team that they really, really struggle with the O-line.
00:34:43
Speaker
Okay. Yeah. So why not bring in a bit of help? We have a new quarterback in there. There's thought that they're going to go to a running back committee. So that would be Alan and Bruce Lightning will be kind of a two-headed together.
00:34:57
Speaker
They're going to need help to both sides. Similar to the Lions idea where you've got your Lions man there now coaching you. Yeah, exactly. So I think bringing in a bit of offensive tackle help, well, it can't go wrong.
00:35:09
Speaker
And you have Justin Fields in Rundan as well to create a couple of holes for him and see how it goes. No, that makes a bit of an interesting one like to get him in there and Will Campbell obviously then slipping and because I think people would expect Campbell to go a little bit earlier. i think that like in terms of talent, there might not be much of a difference between these two guys. I think they're both highly, highly rated. So yeah, I like it.
00:35:36
Speaker
Why not go for something a bit off the beaten path in terms of what the draft boards are maybe projecting. um And I think that's a solid pick because you're, as you said, i think you've alluded a couple of times, the Jets during your whole time of supporting them have never had a solid offensive tackle really, or no a line that was, you know, stable. So nice.
00:35:59
Speaker
I'm up then with the Panthers. So looking at some of the guys that are still on the board here, the Panthers need a lot of things. And if you're looking at, I think if you if you're looking at the Atlantic, there's the beast that comes out every year with like every profile in it and of all the players.
00:36:18
Speaker
That comes out the year like a few weeks before the the draft and it comes out with who's number one to 100 and what the biggest team needs are. and I think that they highlighted a couple of needs for the Panthers. I considered that when I went when i looked at what they might do here.
00:36:34
Speaker
I considered going wide receiver and getting Macmillan off the board, but I do think that The Panthers may look to keep going defense. They've gone defense heavy in free agency.
00:36:45
Speaker
It's a bit of a reach for McMillan. So I'm going to stick to kind of the consensus level of talent and go with Jelon Walker here. and So probably the second best edge rusher in the draft. probably a top five, top ten talent in this draft.
00:36:59
Speaker
So they do need help on the edge ever since they got rid of Brian Burns, sending him over to the Giants. So I think, yeah, get a nice young guy in there to spearhead the defence for years going forward after some of the other additions they've made. So, yeah, that's my might pick for the Panthers. They're going edge here at number eight.
00:37:19
Speaker
Cool. So obviously the Saints are no longer at number nine because in my world they traded up and took Ashton Gentty. But in your world, which is the one that matters, Ashton Gentty is now a cowboy. So Ashton Gentty is... I'm i'm at nine with the Jags.
00:37:32
Speaker
i And Jags... Finally, Will Campbell has found a home. He was sweating. He was like, how have I dropped this far? It might not then be a top 10 pick. The Jags give him a call and say, we knew we were going to get you at nine.
00:37:44
Speaker
We traded back, still got you. with The best defensive tackle, probably the best defensive tackle in the draft, more likely. The Jags, again, another team that need serious help in defense because, ah sorry, with their offensive line because they are just...
00:37:59
Speaker
they crumble so often. it's it's it's it's It's hard to watch way they crumble at times and he'll surely come in and he'll be straight into certain role and he'll give them a good way help there and we can just see where the future holds for him.
00:38:12
Speaker
Yeah, I think that that's probably the pick that would happen if the Jags did manage to to trade back. I think that would be a sensible thing for them to do too if they managed to get someone, either Membu or Campbell, if they managed to trade back.
00:38:29
Speaker
If they were there, it would be it be quite a sensible thing for the Jaguars to do, to be honest, because they have so many needs. like and And that's just one of them that they could fill. Then, obviously, I've got the Bears at 10 to finish up. So they kind of need a couple of positions as well. like I thought they could do with a running back if Gentry somehow fell. That didn't happen.
00:38:53
Speaker
um They could do with edge rushers, a defensive tackle, maybe a linebacker. It's pretty pretty nice what's left here. Let's have a look. a I'm not going to go edge. I could go edge rusher here.
00:39:08
Speaker
There's some good talent left at edge rusher. I'm also not going to go Tyler Warren. I'm not going to pick the tight end. I'm going to go with something a bit different. so Somebody that the Saints fans wanted. and Somebody that Conan has has messaged me and said he hopes the Saints pick him at nine.
00:39:22
Speaker
It's Jihad Campbell. and so I'm going to go with them going linebacker here. at 10th overall getting in a guy to work with their defence it is a position of need for them their defence was a strong point a couple of years ago took a back step last year um And I think maybe going for Campbell might add something a little bit different as well. Have a young talent there on defense and they can look to fill in the offense later on in the draft with some of the some of the positions that they need. But in terms of offense, I think they've got some talent there already. yeah It's going to be year two for Caleb. They've added in the O-line and now
00:40:02
Speaker
you've got i'm your new head coach in there in Ben Johnson, so let's see what he can do before we start thinking there's too many gaps that we have to fill. Let's see what he can do with what's there. I really thought you would take Tyler Warren there now.
00:40:14
Speaker
Six foot six tight ends, that kind of, Joe, he hit like Cam Ward, sorry, not Cam Ward, Caleb Williams really hasn't had too many kind of big targets, Amos. I know ah do they they have some good receivers there, but if they had a tight end and his size, I think they would be absolutely laughing.
00:40:32
Speaker
I'd love for the Jets to take him um up at seven. I really would. It won't happen, obviously. They're not going to go offense in the first round. But I've never seen us have a tight end that I can remember that is kind of reliable, consistent, like like Travis Kelsey, like Brock Bowers. We've never had one.
00:40:51
Speaker
We'd love to see us at a tight end that wasn't like Rutgers or ah The other dopes we had last year. like Yeah, Conklin. I'd love to see us have someone that is actually like a wide receiver coming from the tie-down position.
00:41:05
Speaker
And Tyler Warren. Tyler Warren seems to be the one that's most likely to be that this year. yeah So it'll be interesting to see where he ends up. It's hard to like pick. ah It's the same with running back. I think with Gentry and when it was with Saquon, it's like generational. B. John Robertson, generational talents that you can't pass up on. But it is hard to stomach-picking that tight end or a running back so highly.
00:41:27
Speaker
Like, I know Brock Bowers was so good at the Raiders last year, but he doesn't make that impact that will win you, like, 15 games. No. That's too much, even 10 games.
00:41:38
Speaker
Like, whereas if you get really... get it really right with a good defensive player or a good tackle. and that It makes such a difference. and then It just
Recap & Sports Predictions
00:41:49
Speaker
makes such a difference. So that's why I went um linebacker there.
00:41:53
Speaker
He's a little bit down um in terms of the rankings. I'd say people have him maybe top 12, top 15, but I thought he'll throw something in there. So that's our top 10. We've got Cam Ward going one, Travis Hunter going two to the Browns, Giants picking up Bill Carter, the Patriots going with Mason Graham.
00:42:10
Speaker
Cowboys trading in for the Jags pick to get Ashton Jenty. We've got the Raiders trading, or they're not trading, they've got Shador Sanders at six. The Jets, number seven, getting Membu for an offensive tackle.
00:42:24
Speaker
Panthers going with, who did say for the Panthers? Jalen Walker. Jalen, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Walker from the edge for an edge talent. and Number nine with the Jags was when Will Campbell. So that was in a world where the Jags traded into ninth.
00:42:39
Speaker
and And then the Bears picking up last and going for Jihad Campbell. So we've got two Campbells going nine and ten. But yeah, I think we we covered a lot of the top talents, got a little couple of trades in there. So that's our top ten.
00:42:52
Speaker
Let's see how close we get when the actual draft happens. um We'll be keeping a close eye, but that's just a bit of an interesting one before the draft. And obviously next week, we'll we'll have the draft happening on Thursday and we'll be discussing it the following week because it'll be late on Thursday night. so With the way our look goes, when we talk about people, you might as well just flip the draft upside down. and and yeah cam will go first and cam ward will go 10th yeah i know that a few players we've talked about in recent weeks i've just had shocking games or teams i've just gone on a bad run like since we spoke about atletico how many competitions they're gonna win yeah they've just gone off a cliff edge like so out of everything it's awful stuff but and anyway hey let's move on to ganshan so another zero for you this week was it
00:43:45
Speaker
Don't want talk about it. Three in a row? Yeah. No, try three in four weeks. Because I got a five-pointer to keep me going. I know, it's sick that you had that one five-pointer, but I only had one point myself.
00:43:58
Speaker
course It was in the Pacers beat the Cavs in overtime. So I went with the double Cavs losses. Almost came off because the Knicks were dominating them.
00:44:12
Speaker
and they were playing well like up until halftime. I watched the first half, and then I went to bed. It was on pretty late. And then I woke up, and the Cavs made like a 15-something point comeback in the fourth quarter, even without Donovan Mitchell. So I'm pretty sure Mobley wasn't playing either, or he wasn't playing his best if he was.
00:44:31
Speaker
um So, yeah, that was quite annoying, to be honest. But anyway, and we've got this week coming up. Do you want to go ahead and give us what you what you have for the weekend? Yeah, so the first one I've picked, I've gone two football and one basketball again because I think the playoffs and the play-in are just, they're quite difficult to call. Obviously the teams are fairly matched in the play-ins because they've all finished in the same place basically. So it was hard to pick. So I've just gone for two football. The first thing gone with, I've gone with Everton to beat City Goodison Park.
00:45:02
Speaker
i know i I know City had great comeback last week against Palace, who we both had picked to beat them, and actually smashed them in the end, but they still don't convince me. I'm not convinced by them. I think they're just kind of waiting for the end of season and see what happens now.
00:45:15
Speaker
ah When I saw Everton were and City were evens, so I think that gets me away with... the favourites. and So I just think everything at Goodison Park can make a difference from They've held Arsenal there, they've had Liverpool beaten, they didn't beat Liverpool, they've had Liverpool, held Arsenal beat United or drew United as well.
00:45:35
Speaker
They keep getting draws at home, surely they'll finally win one and get me back on track. I've gone for, sorry now, Wolves at 11-4 to beat United at 19-20. I honestly consider that myself.
00:45:47
Speaker
You'll be off the back of the second leg against Lyon, which is going to be slog. Watching you at the weekend, you're just, you know, on a football team. You're just group of lads that play. Went down to Saturday night and went down to Sunday morning to play a bit of Sunday league.
00:46:01
Speaker
Absolute shambles at the weekend. And I just think Wolves are absolutely flying at the moment. ah They're unbeaten in their last five, four wins and a draw, which has come out of nowhere. So I can see them just keeping that run of form going.
00:46:14
Speaker
Fair enough. And finally, I have the Clippers to beat the Nuggets in the playoff game one. yeah The Clippers are 11-10, the Nuggets are 4-6. I know the Nuggets have kind of picked up a bit of form since losing the manager. They've won their last three, but I think the Clippers are on an eight-game winning run or something like that. Yeah, I think eight-game winning nine wins in their last ten or something that.
00:46:36
Speaker
Yeah, I think they're 9-1, so yeah, I've gone for them to already beat the Nuggets. Yeah. I said this a couple of weeks ago, say it again, we're either both going to have a good week or both going have a bad week because I've also gone for Everton to beat City. The odds I had at the time were Everton fourteen to five and City were 9-10 on. and That was yesterday. So i think i for similar reasons to you, I went against City last week and I honestly don't mind going against them again because...
00:47:07
Speaker
They're so unpredictable. i think if we didn't get one last week, we might get one on them this weekend. Everton are just eking out wins at this stage. and They did so against Forrest. I think they might be able to do it again, but I think, as you mentioned, a draw might be more likely, but I like the chances of of a sneak win here.
00:47:24
Speaker
I've also gone with the Clippers to beat the Nuggets, like you have. I just think that the run that the Clippers have been on has been unbelievable. and Whether they'll...
00:47:36
Speaker
what comes of them and ultimately in the in the playoffs, I do think that they're going to come out firing this first game, really wanting it. um And I think the Nuggets aren't going to really know what's hit them.
00:47:47
Speaker
I think coming off that win against the Warriors as well, and just to end out the season and get the seeding, I think that was really important. And it was a big mental win for them on the last day of the season. So come with the Clippers, same as you.
00:48:00
Speaker
Nice time as well, if you want to watch it, lads, 8.30pm on Saturday. So a nice time, um Irish time. finally for a game. I like the playoffs because at least we get a couple on the weekends that are a decent time. and And then my last one is another and NBA.
00:48:15
Speaker
I've gone with the Timberwolves to beat the Lakers. So, yeah, the reason I've gone with this is I like the way the Timberwolves have been playing recently. I think if you look at the plus minus of teams across the season in the West, I'm pretty sure the Timberwolves are third or fourth in the entire West after some of the guys closer to the top of the board. um I think...
00:48:41
Speaker
The Lakers were maybe third, so they're pretty evenly matched in my eyes. I think Anthony Edwards is having such a good season. Now I know we've got Doncic and LeBron on the other side, but I do think the physicality of the Timberwolves will shock shock the Lakers at the start, Gobert kind of clogging up the paint a bit.
00:49:01
Speaker
I don't know whether this, again, as I mentioned and for the last pick, will this have a long-term effect on the entire series, but I do see them taking game one. So we've got the Timberwolves at and the Lakers at 1-2, so I fancied that one. 33-20 is huge odds for them.
00:49:18
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's pretty good. might. Might have to look at maybe a double with them and the Clippers on on the Saturday night because that's at 1.30am on the Saturday. Yes. Yes, so that's all we've got for that. Do you want jump into football? What we go with first?
00:49:34
Speaker
We'll go with the main man himself first and move on to the sad portion then. Okay, so I had the player this week.
Football Analysis & Updates
00:49:42
Speaker
The main man that he is speaking about, I'm sure you can guess, is Mo Salah.
00:49:46
Speaker
I picked to talk about him because I wanted to talk about the contract. I think is a big, big story, one that's been brewing for quite a while. And I mentioned earlier in the season that it's probably something we'd speak about in the summer, um himself and Van Dijk, but now it's it's come early, a little bit early for Salah. Yes.
00:50:05
Speaker
So it's a two-year extension. I'm pretty sure he's on the same money. 380 grand a week it's gone up. Oh, it's gone up. So that's yeah absolutely outrageous. It was 350 grand. He was the most paid player in Liverpool history. So now he's bumped that up again.
00:50:20
Speaker
So two-year extension for the main man. Obviously, he now has the record for the most goals and assists combined in a 38-game prem season with six games left. He might be hunting down the overall record.
00:50:33
Speaker
and Let's see what happens throughout the rest of the season. But yeah, he's absolutely flying. And across the whole season, he's 46 games, 55 goal involvements across all competitions. Just absolutely unbelievable. makes so much sense to keep him there, I think.
00:50:48
Speaker
see what happens now with Van Dijk but I think this was a big one to get it done early was obviously great so what's your opinion on this as a Liverpool fan he's loved my life with Stavridass like I'll just put it out there I absolutely adore the man so much I think the fact he'd gotten a pay bump is a bit strange I think you've been at 350 for two years. Now it's only 30k is a bump. If that was what the Hagelin Point was from August to now, it was like, I want 380, you're getting 350.
00:51:20
Speaker
I think this should have settled a long, long time ago instead of had this hanging over fans in the club for the last six or eight months, however long it's been. bo i just I think you couldn't let them go this summer with the way he's playing. Not after that season. No, absolutely not. I think you had to give them the 380 or whatever you wanted. Two-year deal. I think kid you're safe enough for two years.
00:51:40
Speaker
and I think the problem now is you have to start future planning straight away. Yeah, yeah. but You need to bring in his and you need to bring in Van Dyke's, not replacement, but the next kind of the nexton the next next cab off the rank needs to come in now.
00:51:53
Speaker
So if they do fall off after six months, you have someone there that can just kind of step in and take over. i think I think it's safe to say that Van Dyke is sorted as well. I looking think we can talk about him in the same kind of light as well. I think that's done too.
00:52:06
Speaker
I think it's a massive summer coming, but I think if they'd let Salah go this season, Anfield might have been burnt to the ground. Don Henry's baseball stadium might have been burnt to the ground. I'd say there could have been riots if they let him go this season. So I think this had to give him what, eventually just kind of cave and give him what he wants.
00:52:23
Speaker
Give him what he wants even, sorry. Makes sense to to pay him when he's after having that season. I would say like say if he had like a season like last year where but he had he had obviously a great season. I think it was 38 goal involvements across the season.
00:52:38
Speaker
like But this is like he's almost got 38 goals in this season. So yeah, I think you cannot, like in the Premier League, this is the most difficult league to perform at that level.
00:52:49
Speaker
you can't turn your nose up at that because where are you going to get that production? You're not going to get it from anybody else. and So as you said, future planning is the most important thing right now to get in and understudy. You've got them for two more years, so you can still get a guy in that's relatively young, and early 20s, even late teens if you have to, um and that can bet in over time. There's no real...
00:53:12
Speaker
rush because I kind of feel like you you know now that he's going to be there for the next two years and he'll see that out and then he'll get his big payday wherever he goes after that 100% yeah I think that was probably a thing as well that I'm not so sure about the bump. I thought it was the same pay. To hear that's 380 is crazy. Like, I think for somebody who's aging, it's such a high amount to pay them. But again, he had such a good season. I think it's not too much to bite the bullet for two years. I think if was a longer extension, it wouldn't have made much sense. But for two years, kind of, okay, that's stomachable. I think he has this level of production at least for another a year and a half of them.
00:53:48
Speaker
and So... Yeah, I think it's really important for you to look to the to the summer now. And what's the buzz around Van Dijk at the moment? Van Dijk said in an interview with Optus Sports, a man asked me, like, what would bring in your weekly, what would you send to me? And Van Dijk said, I don't know, but I know.
00:54:09
Speaker
But I don't know. And then just smiled and walked away. So I reckon they'll be announcing on him someday this week as well. But that's just kind of reading a lot into one facial expression that Virgil van Dijk made and probably his 50th interview an hour after the match as well. So I've probably just been sick of the question too. But...
00:54:25
Speaker
Like, he's done. Like, he is done. Everyone is saying he's done. It's all over Twitter. David Ornstein has said he's done. That's still for Fabio Romano. Fabrizio Romano has said it's done as well.
00:54:35
Speaker
Sometimes we get to right, sometimes we get to wrong. course If it's Ornstein, it's pretty much lot. Yeah, exactly. i Like, you different like you the thing for me is, and like what you were saying there about getting the replacement in, as long as you can bring someone in, like, a kind of top half, maybe 23, sorry, would be the top level. Then he's 25 and Van Dyke goes.
00:54:53
Speaker
then you you have seven years of him then if he's good enough to to kind of step in and be Van Dijk. So Salah's replacement then, like, and the same with the but at the back as well. Being someone who's between, like, 19 and 22 that learns off Van Dijk and then can step in and just kind of just take over the reins seamlessly at all. But I think that's the that's the big thing now for the summer is not replacing him, but future replacing him.
00:55:15
Speaker
Yeah, I think even, and if you get someone who could almost play with, I think in the case of Salah, it's okay to get a backup. But it would be ideal if you could get another centre-back who could play alongside and Van Dijk and then almost be the leader then after. Hoyssen obviously springs to mind if you were willing to splash the cash on him.
00:55:34
Speaker
It makes sense. and So let's see how the two lads end the season. But obviously, yeah, it's it's great for you. um Obviously, you would think as a fan of Man United, I'm not going to want to see them stay there. But I actually like the fact that you have held on to the talent and not moved them on because I think you've built a nice team. And I i like seeing, you know, things continue the same way and not just blowing things up. I like that in all sports, to be honest. I hate when teams just absolutely implode things and then think they're going to get better results.
00:56:05
Speaker
The continuity works. Yeah, so it makes so much sense. Yeah. Yeah, that's pretty much all I have on that, if you want to bring us into the opposite end of the spectrum here. Oh, this is, this team, I've i've been saying it now for about eight months, Southampton who we're going to talk they're the worst Premier League team of all time.
00:56:23
Speaker
They are the worst, they're worse than that Derby team, they really are, they might break the points total because the only needs two more points, so they might get it, but they are a shambles.
00:56:34
Speaker
They're on their third manager this season. I don't know who's in there now, to be honest. I think he's just a caretaker fella. I'll look it up in a second. in there Incredibly, in their 34 league games, they have two wins.
00:56:49
Speaker
Of course, Everton, I think, was one of them, which is always hilarious. but Slayton Rusk, whoever that is. He sounds like a Charles Biscuit. Just get a grip. It's just awfully ridiculous.
00:57:03
Speaker
they they they They just haven't had a structure all season. Yeah. Minute one. Russell Martin was trying to get a Vincent company where be like, oh, I'll do this for a year. We'll go down. We'll be fine. I'll get a big job.
00:57:14
Speaker
That's not going to happen. But yeah. You're it. And i listened to a podcast the other day and they said if you put a line up with him in in front of you, nine out of 10 people wouldn't have been able to pick him out of the line up because he didn't say a word.
00:57:26
Speaker
No one heard an interviewer. No one actually saw him do anything. And he was supposed to be this mad fella coming over to instill a bit of strictness and make the team mentally stronger. That's what I was hearing in Match of the Day the first week. I didn't see it much. And it's just useless.
00:57:42
Speaker
I was looking up there, mistakes leading to goals. her power Tyler Harvard-Bellis is three. Jan Bedler can fly down some three each. Alex McCarty is three. I think he played two games.
00:57:53
Speaker
isn Do you watch that game that he played in? One of them was Liverpool I can't remember But the other one was Newcastle I think Oh my god It was so bad It was just so funny He'd thrown the ball To the wrong team Yeah Like Dave No one there That is going Like you're guaranteeing The Premier League move Maybe Tyler Dibbling Because he's young Your man Mateus Fernandes Looks like a good player Again I like Sulemana as well Sulemana Yeah they're probably The three Yeah he's rough He's unpolished Definitely But I think he has A bit talent
00:58:25
Speaker
Yeah, maybe. But other than that, they've just... When they play a back five, they can tee five goals. If they play a back four, they can tee seven goals. Aaron Ramsdell should just stay in the championship. He's coming into his fourth relegation of the professional footballer.
00:58:38
Speaker
He's 26 years old. I know. I saw a thing today on Twitter that... Obviously, it was from the Daily Mail, so it was pure nonsense. But someone was just quoting it to make a joke, but they said, like, oh, Ramsdale, the Daily Mail said rams United were looking at Ramsdale. And then someone was like, oh, yeah, that's a great deal. So we'll finally be able to get from fourteenth to 20th.
00:59:01
Speaker
so he's don't even know if he's a bad goalkeeper but if goalkeeper comes out and tells you that he can't concierge for 90 minutes so he runs with the pan and plays with the seagulls how do you think you're going to be an England international goalkeeper short sleeves well and the gloves yeah it can't be on I just can't believe 2 wins 4 draws 26 losses ah just tamp like two wins four jas twenty six losses ah And the two wins, 2-1 against Ipswich and then the 1-0 against Everton when Everton were stinking at that time.
00:59:31
Speaker
but yeah if They've scored less goals than games they've won. They've scored 23 goals, they've lost 26 games. They conceded 77 goals.
00:59:44
Speaker
it's a head ah about two and a half goals a game like it's oh it's just incredible how bad they're going to concede more than that Derby team because they had 89 conceded by the end in six games they're conceding at least two a game yeah they're getting they're yeah they are conceding two a game yeah so they're going they're they're going to overtake that and to be honest Leicester are going to come close to that as well but at least they've got a few wins like But what did Sheffield United succeed last year? Sheffield United can see it over 100 last year, I think, or close enough to me. I can't remember. I'm glad we weren't doing this podcast last year because the abuse I'd have given that Sheffield United team would have just been... know.
01:00:18
Speaker
We probably wouldn't be able to put it on YouTube. But this Southampton team are just... They are actually embarrassing. Yeah. The Cedars team are embarrassing. like they're They're so embarrassing to watch. yeah To be honest, though I wouldn't be surprised at all if they didn't get that extra point to even equal the Derby record. Me well. I hope they don't want to diss it. Because they've just been so bad.
01:00:39
Speaker
What do you think about next season for them? I see the thing is that so many teams that are that bad go down. and look Look what Burnley have done this year. They went down, they've only conceded like 13 goals.
01:00:51
Speaker
yeah And they're coming straight back up more than likely. like I could see St Empton doing that, but I could also very see very easily see them doing what Luton did. and falling down like Luton are probably going to get ready. I think they're they're still within touch and distance, I suppose.
01:01:05
Speaker
They need to win all their games. I think with the way the Southampton season has gone, they might literally need to tear up everything. Ramsey will have to go. Howard Benes will have to go. Bednarak will have to go. like These are all lads who will want to be in the Premier League. and Obviously, they're not good enough. Leeds go and pick up Ramsey because Melier is rubbish.
01:01:25
Speaker
There's something like that. so Howard Bellis might get a move because Roy Keane is his father. i just and there what He was playing. He played it in an in the England game when and they played Ireland. Yeah, he scored. How did he get into that England team?
01:01:40
Speaker
I know. Doesn't make sense. But and I think. Like you said, they need to blow it up. But honestly, I think the opposite might work because. no i say I didn't mean they need to blow it up. I said, I say, I might say i think you might blow up. Yeah, yeah. Who will want to get out.
01:01:56
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. I think and the best way for them to come back up was would be to keep it together because that's how Burnley kind of came back up. They had the majority of the same team.
01:02:07
Speaker
and I think it works when you're useless that you get to keep the team together because Luton were actually very close to staying up last year yeah and then some of their players left and now they just look horrible and it's not the same team at all whereas Burnley were very very bad last year and then Now they have mostly the same team, which is very good in the Championship, but wasn't good enough in the Premier League. And now I feel like if they come up next year, they'll have more of a chance.
01:02:34
Speaker
and So could see Southampton going down that route if they keep the same players, because they are kind of they're definitely and a Championship-level team. But yeah, I'd like to see Dibling stay up.
01:02:46
Speaker
He's definitely one that I think is a Premier League talent. in Yeah, 100%. But yeah, i think outside of that, the rest were kind of clutching at straws to pick out talent there. like I hate saying it, but even Ryan Manning has been their kind of in and out left back. He's very good. He's been good for Ireland at times.
01:03:04
Speaker
But he has had a stinker of a season. He's not a good defender, at though. he know He is a good like crosser of the ball. He's a good passer, but he has no spatial awareness at times. It's the same with Will depending Depending he gave away against Liverpool.
01:03:20
Speaker
It's just so braindead. Just sticking your leg yeah in the box where you don't need to do it. He does the silliest things. and and yeah got He's good around the box, but then he has no final product and he's not good getting back at times. I think for him it's been a fairly tough with injuries during his career.
01:03:34
Speaker
I do think he has more talent than he shows, but yeah, I agree. Doing silly things and not really helping the luck for the Irish lads in the league, um especially with Ipswich got so many Irish lads in and looks like they're heading down there as well. Yeah. Yeah. It's just, hopefully some of them make the move back up again, but yeah, it's tough one.
01:03:54
Speaker
Yeah, that's from one extreme to another best player in the Premier League that we've seen in a long time to the worst team we've ever seen a long time. The worst team we've ever seen, yeah. Yeah, so that's pretty much it for them. If you don't have anything else to move on to the Power Rankings. I just wanted to get that off my chest, happy to move on there to something proper
NBA Power Rankings & Team Performances
01:04:11
Speaker
and fun. Yeah, so Power Rankings, last one of the regular NBA season.
01:04:16
Speaker
um So next week we'll be going off the playoffs. Again, we kind of have had playoff teams in the whole time, so yeah it doesn't make a whole bunch of difference, but... I'll go with mine first. I'll go tell you what I had last week. I had Thunder, Newcastle, Rockets, Celtics, Palace, and the Pacers.
01:04:33
Speaker
So this time around, I've kept the Thunders there, the Thunder there. and I think, yeah, they had a bad end to the season. Not a bad end to the season, but not as um like as high. you clinical yeah Yeah, in the last 10 games. But still, they were unbelievable. It's just we had such high standards.
01:04:50
Speaker
But 68 wins, I think they join only like seven other teams have ever done that. So certainly they have to stay top, at least going into the playoffs. And now let's see what happens when the re-election happens.
01:05:02
Speaker
I've kept Newcastle in second because they absolutely battered Man United. They were really, really good. I think, as you kind of mentioned earlier, just to touch on a little bit. Actually, let me throw this at the end for some other business talk about how bad that United team was. But Newcastle is going to stay second. We've got Celtics in third.
01:05:21
Speaker
I moved them up because I think they kind of cruised into those 61 wins that they had. They look so, so good. And down the stretch, they were excellent. So they're up there. I've moved in a new team from the Premier League. I've put in Arsenal.
01:05:34
Speaker
just because of that win against Real Madrid. I think they weren't unbelievable at the weekend, but they rested players. They've kind of given up on the Premier League, and but they've also like not lost a game, I think, in their last like five or six in that competition. And then they've battered PSV and in the Champions League before, and now they beat Real Madrid 3-0 last week. So I think they deserve to go in at that point.
01:06:01
Speaker
I've got the Clippers... In again, i had them in a couple of weeks in, but they're back in again now. Unreal win versus the Warriors. Eight wins in a row. Nine and one in their last time, as we all mentioned earlier.
01:06:12
Speaker
So they are in fifth. and The Rockets are still in there as my final team. I dropped them down because they did lose three games. I know they arrested players in some of those games, but other teams didn't lose their last three. So I think it would have been unfair to completely drop them.
01:06:28
Speaker
But I think, yeah, I think sixth place was fair just to keep them going into the playoffs. So that's my full six. So I'll give you mine from last week before I give you the second one. So I had the Rockets at one, Thunder at two, Alice were in at three, Liverpool at four, the Celtics at five and Forest were at six.
01:06:47
Speaker
um I've actually only noticed then with the players that I've actually gone for 4-2 NBA slid again. I don't know how that happened because I was really, really trying to keep it 3-3. So obviously there's just not enough Premier League team impressing me.
01:06:57
Speaker
yeah I haven't changed my top two. um So it's still the Rockets and the Tunnel there. So a bit like what you said, I know they kind of They both kind of fell off towards the end of the season, but that was more to do with wrestling players. and until They were didn't have full teams out there getting absolutely walloped around the place. so yeah Rockets finishing with 52 wins. As you said, the Thunder got 68.
01:07:17
Speaker
I'm just going to keep the Rockets out I'm in love them. And then the Thunder are still the best team in basketball. So my top two stay the same. I've moved Liverpool back up to three. So they've sneakily now got five wins in six, despite not being very good.
01:07:29
Speaker
They are still going to win the league, hopefully. I know they are kind of limping over the line. But at least they are going to get over that line. So it was hard kind of, I was i said last week and I might drop them out if they were bad again. But that last night a winner was such a relief and joyful experience that I just kind of, just kind of kept them there and moved them up.
01:07:47
Speaker
I put the Bucks in at four, so they're new. I think it's their first time been in for me. They have eight wins in a row. They're on the present for me. They've been really good. It's come out of absolutely nowhere because they looked dead and buried there a couple of weeks back and now they have eight row. I think theyre didn' go in they lost two and then won eight, so they're eight and two in their last ten.
01:08:05
Speaker
They found form at a really, really good time. I don't going to do anything in the playoffs, but I just think their running form at the moment is just incredible. They deserve a mention.
01:08:15
Speaker
Yeah. At five, I also have the Knippers for obvious reasons. both backed them in gun chance. They're eight wins in a row. As you said, nine and one in their last ten is an unreal way to finish the season going in at that. And they're another team who are in really, really good form coming into the playoffs.
01:08:33
Speaker
And at six is another team I've picked in gun chance. Bullets are so hot right now. im They're all beaten in five in the league. They're after beating Spurs. I know it's four howlers from Spurs, but the run they're from where they were, their sentiment field be starting for Brazil and the Cup of America at any point. And they're the 16th best team in the league. It just kind of goes to show one, the strength the Premier League, the pull the Premier League, but also...
01:09:04
Speaker
Like, how are players that good playing that far in the league? Like, how is Paquette at West Ham? And they're 17th. Well, I know Paquette is there. How is Kudos at West Ham? And they're down in 17. So I just think Wolves deserved a bit of a mention finally.
01:09:17
Speaker
they They're probably hotter than the rest of the league, to be fair, with four wins and five as well. So why not? yeah Why not? I like it. I'm still going to... have to call you on the Newcastle slander considering how good they've been. You've just been not mentioning them once since the Cup win.
01:09:33
Speaker
You dropped them out as quickly as possible after that. But anyway, we'll let it slide. Your feelings are hurt after that Liverpool loss. I think yeah it's a good point about Wolves. and That kind of brings us nicely into what I wanted to just say there. They're playing United next.
01:09:50
Speaker
That game at the weekend, we've been talking about United improving over the last... month or so, and they have been. They have been better incrementally each game. And then this week, they just took a complete step back.
01:10:02
Speaker
Honestly, it's every time Lindelof plays, there's just absolute commotion. like He cannot... guide the team correctly from that position. And then to add to that, we had Ericsson sitting deep next to Ugarte.
01:10:16
Speaker
An absolute disaster. He basically picked the same style of team as we played against Newcastle before when they battered us. That time it was Casemiro and Ericsson and Xerxes up top.
01:10:27
Speaker
But this time, to be honest, Xerxes was probably our best player until he got injured. And that's heartbreaking too, because now you're stuck with Hoyland until the end of the season, who honestly cannot hit a baron door. He's been absolutely woeful.
01:10:39
Speaker
But I think that game was just really hard to watch. And even Bruno had a bad game, which is the first time he's had one probably since Christmas. So, yeah, I think we'll just chalk it down to one that we'll move on from, if we get the win against Lyon, I'll forget about it and we'll move on. But if we don't get through against Lyon, honestly, Wolves will beat us because the rest of the, the lads won't care for the rest of the season. That'll
Critique of Manchester United & Player Performances
01:11:02
Speaker
be it. I think the, the big issue as well was your man, I'll take coming in.
01:11:06
Speaker
Big kind of fan for everyone with the lighter with it. And then he goes and does what he does for the Bruno's, for Bruno's goal. Yeah. you had i don't really want to dwell on it too much about the theory and re having a goal in new yorks i don't think what he said it was very fair no wasn't if you both i still think joe as you said it's lindelof is back there and it's just able everyone around him is in panic mode because nobody knows like what's he going to do next that's we made a bag for that as well yeah oh i did think like i know what they all did but i i think to blame it on the kid in the back it was yeah and quite unfair he's probably been our best player
01:11:38
Speaker
defensively over the last month when he's been fit he has been very very good so I didn't like that all I'm glad you brought up Circe because that little interchange with Bruno in the first half that was absolutely his middle kind of his fair weight and if he put that in then I'm just I'm on my knees like because I just I thought was unbelievable but after that I thought you had nothing going forward I know you scored after that Garnaccio nice finish Nick Pope maybe could do a bit better. It it seems to be kind of a weak shot right into the corner, but after that you were just abysmal. You really were abysmal.
01:12:11
Speaker
I was kind of flicking over between that and the Formula 1, so I didn't give it full attention for the first half. But what I did see, like even when I was in the 1-1, there's no way United are getting something this game. like There's absolutely no chance to come down in the second half and getting anything. like They just weren't at the races.
01:12:27
Speaker
They needed to make subs at halftime because it was clear that Lindelof wasn't up to it. It was clear that Ugarte and Eriksen weren't up to it. One of them needed to go. And it just didn't make sense after Kaby Maynard came on during the week. I would have thought this game is one that he could have started. It got 60 minutes under his belt.
01:12:44
Speaker
We missed him so much. And when he came on against Lyon, he was such a calming presence. And then he was excellent that game against Newcastle when he came on as well that last time. you know, he was the only player to who looked positive the first time they beat us.
01:12:57
Speaker
And then he doesn't go to him again. Maybe it's because he's just back from injury, but it didn't make sense to me. yeah It was some players there that I just thought doesn't make sense, that the squad selection. But yeah, with Jaro, I don't want to dwell on that because I think he's been so good this season and now obviously one bad game and like Henri has had has a go at him and then all the media jumps on that and thinks that that's factual and there's no other opinion to it.
01:13:22
Speaker
I think another another annoying thing Oh, I can't believe, sorry, I don't know where it came annoying from. I actually can't believe how bad Giacart has been this year. Because I was saying to cops, when he signed him, was like, that's actually an unbelievable signing. I thought it was brilliant, brilliant bit of business.
01:13:39
Speaker
Yeah. He's just, he's so slow. It's any wonder if he she didn't want him the way they're playing football now. They were so happy to get rid of him, to get more places in the way they wanted him. so No. I just, I can't believe how bad he's been this year.
01:13:50
Speaker
Mm-hmm. there' timeless he's i've I've seen him and I thought, God, he he looks good in that like first hour of that game. yeah He was so bad for the first half, but then he did really well for the goal.
01:14:02
Speaker
He doesn't have 90 minutes in him. Yeah, I'm like, okay, he has flashes. Let's see if he can it consistently. But he really hasn't. And think a couple of injuries and the long trip in international duty didn't help either when he came back.
01:14:17
Speaker
yeah i think i think i'll i'll be I think I said to you before, i can see him being a backup there for a few years, but outside of that, he's not been up to the the level I expected.
Premier League Transfer Window Anticipations
01:14:28
Speaker
Yeah, it was it was kind of something I wanted to mention we were talking about Liverpool to sit my mind. The amount of Premier League teams this summer who have big summers ahead of them, it might be one of the biggest summer transfer windows ever because Arsenal clearly needs a lot of business. City obviously need a lot of business.
01:14:43
Speaker
unit are massive uniteders yeah United need a lot of business. Newcastle, Liverpool. If Forrest gets them in the big football, they're going to have some kind of, they'll need a couple of players in there as well. Villa, yeah, there's so many teams there that are going to be having, are going out to spend a bow into 200 million.
01:14:58
Speaker
Yeah. You could see a billion quid being spent on from the top six alone and then you have the teams coming up who always spend money. Yeah. Teams are in the middle that would be like, oh, I can do, we can do what Forrest did or we can do what Wormer did this year. So there's to be money flying.
01:15:11
Speaker
I don't know how David Orange is going to sleep this summer because I reckon this it's just going to be flying all around and we wonder what to do with themselves. Yeah, we'll have to get the notifications on and we'll have our our roundups every week because I think in the summer Ireland haven't even got any World Cup qualification games it's just friendly so we'll be we'll be on top of the transfers every week amongst other things but yeah we'll have to second show um a transfer special if every Friday morning yeah that's it so big summer ahead you've heard it here but yeah yeah thats that is a good point there are so many teams I haven't even thought about that to be honest but that makes me excited now for the transfer window too yeah
01:15:50
Speaker
But that's pretty much all I have
Conclusion & Listener Engagement
01:15:52
Speaker
this week. Got the United stuff off my chest and covered everything else. But unless you have anything anything else, I'll throw it to you to wrap it up. No, all good to go. Just if people just keep watching, keep liking, keep subscribing, keep leaving comments, do whatever you want, slug it away if you want, because there's, you know, like it's a saying of them no no no news is good news. Well, more comments is good news. So the more we get, just fire them on there, just laugh at us all you want to post. um We really do appreciate the support so far.
01:16:21
Speaker
it It has honestly been incredible. Just here and like we saw there is some people in Sweden are watching us somehow. ah don't know jo I don't know how these things happen but we really do appreciate all the support we're getting and then we will definitely be back next week and we'll see you then James. Say goodbyes.
01:16:35
Speaker
Nice one lads. Thanks again and we'll talk to you next week.