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Vikings Disappoint & Jalen Hurts' Question Marks | Bruno Fernandes as a Leader & Forest's Unstoppable Rise | Jalen Green's Inconsistency & the Turnaround of the Kings
13 Plays1 month ago
In the inaugural episode of Who’s Got The Ball, the lads spoke about the disappointing Minnesota Vikings, Jalen Hurts’ question marks, Bruno Fernandes’ ability to be a leader, Nottingham Forest’s unstoppable rise, the inconsistency of Jalen Green and the turnaround of the Sacramento Kings.
We also got the first iterations of Gan Seans & the WGTB Multi-Sport Power Rankings.
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Transcript
Introduction to 'Who's Got the Ball'
00:00:09
Speaker
Hey lads, welcome to our new podcast. This is Who's Got the Ball. So my name is James. I'm from Ireland and I'm going to be doing this podcast with my friend and co-host, Shane. Shane, want to introduce yourself? Hi lads, I'm Shane. I'm from Nimrikin, Ireland and just looking forward to getting this going with James weekly and we'll see where we all from there. Yeah, that's it, man. So basically I'm going to quickly explain the podcast, right? So it's going to be
00:00:40
Speaker
It's going to be focused on three sports, so we're going to focus on the NFL, soccer or football, whatever you want to call it, and the NBA. So the idea is that every week we're going to do focus on one team and one player from each sport. So we're going to take it in turns to either do a team or a player from that sport.
00:00:58
Speaker
So we're going to work through those sports segments. We also have a few games in there. So they might change as time goes, depending on how each one pans out. But we have a couple of good ideas and we'll introduce some tea later on the episode. And then we're going to have a multi-sport power rankings. So we're going to go through two teams from each of the sports. So two from the NBA, two from the NFL, and we're going to do two from the English Premier League. So as not to make it like a bit convoluted or something like that by
00:01:27
Speaker
putting in multiple leagues and that just leads to too much drama. So we're going to do two from each and we're going to rank them one to six and we're going to see who each has. So we don't know who each other has and we don't know who each other has done for the other game, which we'll chat about later. But yeah, that's pretty much the whole idea of the podcast. We wanted to just do something a little bit different. I don't think there's many podcasts just focusing on these three sports alone, kind of popular enough sports. Obviously the NFL has grown in Ireland, the NBA.
00:01:56
Speaker
is popular sport not as much so in Ireland but hopefully it will grow in the future because it's such a great sport basketball in general obviously but the NBA is what we're focusing on here again we don't want to get into college stuff we want to keep focused on what we're what we're doing otherwise you're just covering way too much so there's that and then with football we will focus mostly on the Premier League but we will talk about European games in the Champions League Europe League stuff like that if
00:02:20
Speaker
if that's what we want in that week. And obviously the Irish national team as well, which yeah, we'll try to steer away from that.
Minnesota Vikings - Darnold & Jefferson Performance
00:02:28
Speaker
So what we're going to do is start with the NFL. So this week I've taken a player and Shane has taken a team. So Shane, if you want to go first, I'll let you go straight into your team and
00:02:42
Speaker
Basically, tell me what's the crack? I'm going to have a bit of a pop off to Minnesota Vikings, if that's okay with two teams. I think the Vikings have shown that their season was a small bit of a fluke, like a team to come out of that, coming out of the season with 14 wins, with Sam Darnold out of the quarterback.
00:03:02
Speaker
They were always going to blow up in playoffs. Sand down, you can take the man out of the Jets, but you cannot take the Jets out of the man. He was just so bad on Sunday night. Nine sacks allowed through an interception. His main target, Justin Jefferson, he only went from eight times. He caught five of them.
00:03:19
Speaker
If you're not aiming for your best man on a night like that, you're really struggling from the off and you're not aiming for your best man, you're just never going to get anywhere. I don't think them winning 14 games on the season is something they're going to repeat anytime soon. I agree with you that they wouldn't repeat it if Darnell is the quarterback. I think in terms of the actual roster in general and the coaching staff,
00:03:49
Speaker
there's ability there, but yeah, Darnold was just not the guy. And if anyone wants to know, Shane is a Jets fan, so he can attest to how bad Darnold is at times. Of course, man, he had such a good regular season, but it felt like unless you had like this romantic feeling towards him that he was going to be good, like that you wanted him to be good. It just felt like this was bound to happen.
00:04:10
Speaker
I just didn't think going into this playoff game, as a team who'd won 14 games, I still didn't see them winning that game. No, I didn't see it going as badly for them as it did. But to come out with nine points, only one touchdown target in TJ Atkinson. And Justin Jefferson only seen the ball five times. It just, it wasn't a surprise to me. It really wasn't a surprise. It's like, as you said, maybe it's going to be a better quarterback.
00:04:36
Speaker
Or if he got in, yeah, maybe just a quarterback would probably help a lot, but Sandarim does not answer. He will be maybe one of the NFL's greatest romanticized one to see the wonders with the scene he just had with the Vikings. But if they go forward with him, I think they're fighting a losing battle from the off-road. Yeah, I agree. I don't think they will, to be honest. Obviously, they have JJ McCarty there.
00:05:02
Speaker
Yeah, of course, fortunate injury for him at the start of the season. So he'll be, he'll be the starter next
Jalen Hurts' Playoff Impact - Question?
00:05:07
Speaker
year. And Kevin O'Connell, like, well, he's managed to do it. Darnold, if he can do something like that from the very start of the young quarterback's career, like with McCarthy, it could be special, I think. And obviously Brian Flores as defensive coordinator, just like top class, obviously for him, like as head coach of the dolphins, but I think he'll get another head coach and job soon. But I actually wanted to say,
00:05:32
Speaker
that for Darnold, like obviously he kind of shot the bed like a bit, but there was absolutely no running game from Aaron Jones. Like he wasn't offered anything. I think he had 48 yards. Um, and I did look at his stats on the season then cause I thought he was up and down the season. And he actually had the most yards he's ever had in the season, but he played the most games. So obviously that's what happened to that. But he had 67 yards per game.
00:06:02
Speaker
Across the season no doubt was blown up with some games over 100 yards but you have to show up in the playoffs like and obviously when you're a quarterback struggling like crazy, like, for example, who I'm going to talk about next general hurts, he was struggling and Saekwon
00:06:16
Speaker
He didn't have the biggest game that he's ever had, but he's always there to bail you out. Yeah, he's always one. They can always trust that if Hearst is struggling with the ball on his hand or with his legs, that's give the ball to Bercht and he is more than likely going to make something happen. It's very rare, but he doesn't make something happen. Now, I know he costs you, so you might be the biggest fan at the moment for us. I think if anyone is going to do anything for a team, and if you need your running back to show up big time, it is going to be Bercht.
00:06:46
Speaker
Yeah, well, his reference in there is I had an Anytime touchdown score bet from all the games on the weekend and Saquon was literally clean through to the house. I'm sure you've all seen it and he slides to be a nice guy. I'm a Giants fan. I have a Saquon jersey and I was literally just wearing it in the gym. Like I still think he's such a good player, but I just rubbed more salt into the wounds after a big season he's had.
00:07:10
Speaker
Anything else on the Vikings before I jump over to German Earth? No, I just think they really, really did. I just said they shut the bed big time. And if they can get anywhere near to 14 minutes again next season, then get a playoff.
00:07:25
Speaker
And I really do hope that they can do it with JJ McCarrity next year, because like Jefferson, this evening he's been having since he commenced the league, has been unbelievable. And then to barely see the ball in a playoff game, it's just, I'd say he'd come off that game and he was living it. I'd say he was human. Yeah, I'd say so. I'd say even if he probably thought to himself, even if he had Kirk Cousins there throwing the ball. Oh, a hundred percent, yeah. He'd seen more of us.
00:07:52
Speaker
Yeah. But anyway, that's, that's the Vikings. That's, uh, Shane's Sam Downey rant over. He's not allowed to talk about him again until next season. That's it. I'm already marking that down. But Jalen Hurts anyways, who I want to talk about as my player from the NFL to focus on this week. So I'm kind of a bit of a Jalen Hurts apologist. Like I think people actually like dog him like a lot and they give him like a lot of a bad rep. Yeah.
00:08:21
Speaker
But he's a very good quarterback. His record speaks for itself. And obviously, he's not perfect as a passer. He wasn't meant to be a perfect passer. They used so much. They didn't sign him to be a perfect passer. They knew what he could do with his legs. Yeah. So when you have both of those things going on, people are focusing on their own thing. I think they should just admire what they have there. And I think we're back there now. They complement each other so well. And he didn't have a good game against the Rams.
00:08:51
Speaker
against Rams first the Packers they're playing their Rams next which is what I'll get onto but against the Packers like yeah they scored 22 points not amazing they he went 13 of 21 so 62 percent 131 yards two touchdowns but he was only sacked twice he doesn't get sacked much and I think his highest on the season was like five obviously because he can run around a lot but it's just a question did
Bruno Fernandes' Leadership at Manchester United
00:09:16
Speaker
that concussion he got against the commanders
00:09:20
Speaker
really take a bit of wind out of his sails because I felt like he was on a good streak and they end up losing that game when he went out then he's benched for a few weeks because of the injury of course now he was only back to training and late and he didn't really look comfortable obviously the Packers great defense they knew what they're doing but realistically you know
00:09:38
Speaker
there might come up against a tougher defence in this postseason and will he be able to handle that? 100% I agree with you. I do think that the concussion definitely has done something to him because he doesn't want another and often heads that could rule him out of potentially playing in an order Super Bowl. At the weekend, he only rushed six times.
00:09:58
Speaker
Like that's, that's not, Jalen Hurst doesn't rush only six times. The average over the season, I think he, so he rushed 150 times across the season, across 15 games he played. He was 12 and three across 15 games. He rushed 150 times. So he'd average in, in around 10 a game. Like I know a six from 10 is not a huge drop, but it is in terms of like when one of the main focuses of your game is around him, him rushing and with him to trust he's going to rush for him to drop that by four.
00:10:27
Speaker
I know they got away with it, but I just said if they come up against a stronger defence and he's not willing to go on rushes or not willing to run us, then they could really be in trouble. They could very quickly become unstuck. I think the QB sneak as well obviously adds because they all count as a rush. Again, he didn't do that in that game, which is another point. Obviously they didn't have, I don't think they had a chance really to do it, but it's like one thing is like you're expecting at least one a game.
00:10:57
Speaker
And I don't know exactly what the situation would be if they were worried about if he did take another blow to the head or something like that. I don't think they would shy away from doing the touch push, to be honest, because
00:11:11
Speaker
Obviously it's basically a cheat code. If they're on the one, they're scored at which time that's just the way it works. And it's like, if they do need like a big four to one, like there's no way you can go back and say, oh, throw the ball out wide there. Find the one this way or something. Like if you, when you have that in your locker and you've been so good at it for the last four years, even that's just the last two years. So it is something that they rely on quite heavily that they need to be able to go into and use.
00:11:36
Speaker
like when it's needed the most, like as I said, a four in one or even a three in one, or as you said, on the one yard line, it's really important that they can continue to do this. Yeah, no, I agree. And I think across the season in general, I did want to not just hate on him. I wanted to say now he did have this highest completion percentage that he's ever had. So 68.7%. Now he rushed for
00:12:03
Speaker
kind of a similar amount of TDs that he usually does. I think it was 14 on the season last year, 13 and 15. And then this last year he drew more touchdowns. He drew 22. This season he drew 18, but he took 10 interceptions off. So only five all year and 15 last year. Like, you know, that's a big difference. It shows that second one is alleviating a lot of those times. It doesn't have to fire the ball for no reason.
00:12:31
Speaker
it's into maybe coverage or something where he's trying to force the ball to A.J. Brown because kind of you can see A.J. Brown's antics on the sideline like reading that book to kind of carry on.
Nottingham Forest's Form & Chris Wood
00:12:41
Speaker
Like you can you can ignore that if you're just giving the ball to Saquon because what's A.J. Brown going to do? Say don't give it to Saquon. I know he said already this season he wants more targets, but that's obviously the way to go. And Saquon against the Rams already this season when they won 37 to 20, he rushed for 255 yards.
00:13:00
Speaker
his first game ever over 200 yards rushing. So, you know, obviously that is the game plan. They're going to go back to, I can't see hearts having a huge.
00:13:10
Speaker
throwing game here, but I don't think it's worth risking it either. Like Quincey Quan has that in his back locker as well. Like he's done that already at the scene. There's literally proof that he can go and do that. There's no point in risking. There's no point in throwing risky throws over the top or trying to find the one dismayed on a curve. Like there's just no point. You might as well give it to the man that's done the damage all season.
00:13:32
Speaker
and just let him rip. Like, I was on his page today, so like, his Sean yards dropped from 3-8, 5-8 to 2-9, 0-3. They go to show how much he did trust Saekwon over the season that he had brought nearly the bond of 900 yards off his total Sean on the season. He was really able to go, okay, Saekwon, we need this 10 yards here, go and get him. And like, again, for what he did across the season was just impeccable. And Saekwon, absolutely impeccable.
00:14:00
Speaker
Yeah, crazy. Very annoying as a Giants fan to have seen them go, but look, that's the way it goes. I think, yeah, I'm going to actually talk a little small bit about, kind of giving something away, going to talk about that Rams Eagles game in one of our games. I won't mention it now, but
00:14:18
Speaker
Anything else on heart before we move on? I think he needs to get his confidence back in his head. And if he does, then I think there are a real fighting chance for a Super Bowl here. But if he comes there again next week like he did this week, then I can see the Rams kind of turn him over. And I don't think it will be a surprise if you watch the game from start to finish. If it hurts him there, then I think the Rams can do it. Yeah, no, I actually.
00:14:45
Speaker
I do agree with you on that. But yeah, let's get into that a bit more in a few minutes. So moving on now, the next segment is we're going to focus on soccer, football. So I'll go first this time. I've got the player again here. So of course, I've gone with my one and only Bruno Fernandez. Hated by every other fan. Loved by United fans. Even hated by some United fans, if you're on Twitter enough.
00:15:15
Speaker
But I just think his leadership in the last few big games that we've had has been outstanding. That game against Arsenal, the way he just continued to prevail the whole game, I don't know how the man runs so much, first of all. Obviously, that stupid red card he got against Wolves helped him rest a little bit. But we'll ignore that for now. But the whole 120 minutes nonstop running, organizing the team,
00:15:45
Speaker
him chatting to Amorim on the side to put Lezandro Martinez up top when he couldn't run anymore, constantly barking out orders. Yes, other fans can see that there is times he has a bad attitude. He does complain to the ref a lot. But when you have that on your side, you're going to love somebody who demands more from the other players. And you can see how much passion he has for United, for the game in general. And I think his performance firstly against Arsenal and
00:16:13
Speaker
Also moving further back from that, how he played against Liverpool was also excellent. And then earlier in the season when we played against City, well, not earlier in the season, in December, I thought he was excellent as well. And he kind of took command in those three games, three big away games and United performed in all those three games. They haven't performed in many others, but they performed in those.
00:16:38
Speaker
Yeah, I think, as you know yourself, I'm not a Bruno friend. I really, really dislike the man, but I think those three games you mentioned in particular, I think he's been absolutely exceptional. He ran the show at Anfield from start to finish. He completely dominated in midfield. I lived from a field that hadn't been dominated really on seed and like, and doing a command and practice did it on his own.
00:17:02
Speaker
I think he missed the Newcastle game. Yeah, was it? Yeah, you can get me suspended. Yeah, you can see the difference when he wasn't there against Newcastle compared to the two games he played since that Arsenal game at the weekend, even the finish, the finish for to put him 1-0 up. It's beautiful.
00:17:21
Speaker
It's like, he's had it so sweetly and it's bounced up to him a little. So if Aaron Goyer could have gotten some tips from him, then he might have gotten a better little answer. I think it just, it's not even about the gods of Thor. And as you said, he'd overtone Damerim in the Birkin orders at the writing center. He's looked more like a captain in the last months than he had in the previous 18 months. And it could be Amorim.
00:17:44
Speaker
Portuguese, like you never
Predicting Underdogs in 'Gone Chance' Game - Question?
00:17:46
Speaker
know, kind of a difference that could make it a little worse. I think I think he has been exceptional, unfortunately, in the last couple of weeks. Yeah, no, I think I just think he's been so good. And I was looking at a couple of his stats, like I found it interesting that this season he's had the highest pass completion percentage he's ever had for United in the league. So eighty point three percent. Obviously, a lot of chances he creates
00:18:13
Speaker
might not get on the end of somebody's head or balls he plays speculatively might not work out but that's pretty high for an attacking midfielder considering all the chances he's created so like in 2024 he had 99 chances created in the Premier League across the calendar year that's the most only Palmer was close with 97 so that's that's a lot of chances obviously united have historically for the last few years not been able to finish our dinner but
00:18:43
Speaker
you know, he's making the chances as well as kind of grown into this more controlled player where he's, I think it was tough for him at first when Amorim came in for the first couple of weeks because he's used to wanting to play that killer pass, looking for the pass, but Amorim wants the ball to be controlled a bit more and you could see him now consciously making that effort, but also telling other players, you know, you need to play the ball backwards and sideways before trying to just launch a ball.
00:19:09
Speaker
in hope, like over the top. So I think that side of his game has improved. Yeah, the goals and assists, of course, aren't everything. But in general, he has been very good for United. He has 86 goals and 76 assists in 262 appearances. So 0.6 goals or assists per game. That's something that nobody else really has done since we lost Ferguson. So I think he's probably the best sign in United have had since then.
00:19:38
Speaker
one of the only successful January transfers United have done in recent memory. So, you know, obviously as a United fan, I'm fully behind him. I think he is, you know, captain material. I did have doubts at times, but the last few games have kind of stabilized that for me as a belief that he is United's captain going forward.
00:19:57
Speaker
I'm actually shocked at how high his goals and assists are there. I didn't realize it was at 0.6, so he'd average on a goal or assist every second game, really, which you have someone in midfield that's doing that. If you could have a striker that was taking the 99 chances, obviously not all 99, but if you had a striker that was taking 30 of the 99 chances he's made in 2034, it's a massive difference for a team.
00:20:21
Speaker
I think if he can kind of balance what he was doing at the start, where he was scoring 20-yard goals in the first year, if he can get a balance of getting 20 goals and assists across the season, as well as the leadership he's shown, the passes into space, if he can get all of that in one goal, then I think you really deal with a player on your hands again who, with confidence, he is unbelievable. But I really hope he question burns.
00:20:49
Speaker
thought of for those of you who don't know Shane as a Liverpool fan so obviously a hatred there towards Bruno but you know I think one thing I was looking at as well is that like this season I think last I think the most assists he's had in one season in one season I don't think I may not but I think it was something like maybe apart from that one season where he went mad I think across the last few seasons he's had like 13 assists per season in the
00:21:16
Speaker
in the league or in all competitions and this season he's had 11. So his assist numbers are coming up closer and we're only like, what, 60% through the season. So like, you know, I think obviously he is a man for a goal and generally his goal numbers have been higher than his assists, but like his assists are coming up. So if we could, as you said, if we could have somebody who would take some more of those chances
00:21:40
Speaker
know, Highland hopefully gets gone eventually, but we do need another striker though, like a consistent goalscore, but maybe we'll take Chris Woodshire, you know, he did damage to you last night. That man is having, we've landed him now in a couple of minutes actually, I won't give thanks to my boss. Yeah, you know you do need a proper striker, but yeah, I think
00:22:08
Speaker
To kind of put a bow on the Bruno conversation, I'm very happy with how he's performed. And I think, obviously, my opinion and how I feel about him doesn't mean anything, but Amrun is clearly happy with him and, you know, they're kind of working well together. And I think the fan base in general, from what I can see, is getting behind him as a captain, which I'm happy about. So, yeah, that's pretty much what I've got to say on Bruno. So he's my player to chat about for this week.
00:22:36
Speaker
Shane had the team to talk about. So who have you got this week? I have picked the team that did a bit of damage to 45 minutes last night. I've gone with nothing for us.
Jalen Green's Inconsistency at Houston Rockets
00:22:48
Speaker
I think the season they're having is out of this world. It really is like what they're doing.
00:22:54
Speaker
Six wins in a draw on their last seven did six in a row until the loop for the match last night. I think they went seven hours without conceding the goal in the Premier League before John has had her. I think the improvement they did in the summer, or the last two summers even, they signed Marillo and Sells for a combined 17 million. And those two last nights were the two best players on the pitcher order team.
00:23:16
Speaker
I think taking Elliot Anderson and getting rid of Odyssey is the goalkeeper that no one wants. Elliot Anderson last night was also incredible. Ryan Yates in the field looks like a man or born and he'd only 26 to 27. I think what Forest are doing to be second in the league after where they were last year, it's just, it's insane. Especially around what they did at the back, like bringing in Malenkiewicz, that was the third goal they conceded from Corners last night.
00:23:44
Speaker
in the city. I think lastly, they had 23 goals since eight different corners.
00:23:49
Speaker
It goes to show that if you bring someone in and then get them in the right places at the right times, I think Nuno's management deserves an awful lot of credit this season because he was out on his feet. He was out to back doors first. They wanted nothing to do with it. And Forrest took a big chance in getting rid of Steve Cooper, who the fans absolutely loved. The fans weren't too enamored now when they brought in Nuno. They were really kind of
00:24:15
Speaker
oh how how is this the next move how is this the option we're taking and they've reached the rewards massively the recruitment has been brilliant the players are all playing together as a team chris wood is having the season in his life it's actually it's outrageous everything you touch it at the moment seems to turn to a goal that goal is going against everything with the land games having the land game the one two of headers
00:24:37
Speaker
It's like, that's not the kind of thing that's going to last all, suddenly last forever like this. They really are making the most of what they have at the moment. And if they continue like this, I don't see why they can't finish in the top five. Yeah, I know. Maybe we get a chance to be like this. I just don't see them dropping like they saw one at the moment. No, I think they're going to get top four, to be honest. I think that stability and defense will get you there as long as you're winning the games you should win and challenging like they did last night. You know, I know in the second half, it was just
00:25:07
Speaker
like muck, like they were just, they didn't care as long as they didn't concede. And then when they did concede, they're like, okay, we're not conceding again. We're not going to try when, but like, look, they're playing Liverpool, you know, they weren't expected to even touch a top team in this season and year top of the league, Liverpool are top of the league and they beat you once and drew again, second time. So, you know, they are performing in big games. So as long as they can continue to knock off the smaller teams,
00:25:37
Speaker
then I think they will finish in the top four. I think they have that kind of makeup of a team that could do that. And the way that they can defend is just so good. 20 goals conceded, I think, in the league this season in total. And they've scored 30. So not a big scoring number, but Lachlan Chriswood is banging in chances very handily. I think he's 22 games in the league so far, 12 goals. And that's from 7.5 XG.
00:26:05
Speaker
So yeah, like, and he said only 22 shots on target. So he's scoring more than like pretty much one of every, his second shot on target, he's going to go from and one of every like three shots he's scoring. Cause he's only had 37 shots. Like that is clinical. And the other striker like that, like if you have somebody like that, then I think.
00:26:30
Speaker
There's no reason why you can't finish in the top four now. I don't think Chris Wood is going to do this for like five seasons, but he's doing it now. And that's all that matters. I don't want to say that I think Forest are going to win the league because I really don't. But I think there is a lot of like very good comparisons you can use with the Leicester team that did go on to win the league. Like if you look at the Leicester centre back partnership that season was Wes Morgan and Robert Hookes. That should never be a Premier League winning centre back partnership.
00:27:00
Speaker
Now maybe Marilla Malenkovic will go on and they could go on and be a Premier League winners for someone else. But like the partnership they've built together has been incredible from the start of the season. It's left to be playing together for years and years. Like that has clicked so well. Anderson and Yates in midfield. Like that in midfield too has clicked so well as they're just bossing everyone around the place. And then the two wingers and Chris Woods.
00:27:21
Speaker
are all playing out of their skin, and I think the two wingers were lads that weren't wanted by clubs who are now behind him in the league, you know, so they can end up that united he was dubbed out. Callum wants to know each other a good way to get rid of him.
00:27:34
Speaker
Chris Wood's a bit of a journeyman, to be fair, like, to know it's kind of, even going on the phone box, like, Nico Williams couldn't go away to get rid of him. He was, he was marshaled sellout to have been into his life last night. Oh, and Aina is just, I think he's incredible. I really do. I think he's a Peter Propper. He was one of the best players.
00:27:52
Speaker
He's up and down that line and he never slows down in the 90 minute. He'll be running as fast as he was in the first minutes. I think he, like I don't keep that a contractor for us in the summer. And I think there could be some like mentally no need to write back if Walker is going off to Italy or whatever. So wouldn't be surprised if Oney and I did end up going to a team that'd be kind of a regular top 16. Although I would like to see Forrest get that top four and break it again for the second season in a row.
00:28:18
Speaker
Yeah. Well, I think Liverpool might need to write back if it's gone walkabout. So that kind of effort though, it shows like, you know, if a player can run like that the whole game, it does make a little bit of a show somebody like Trent, who sometimes can decide not to put in the effort. It shows like that little bit of extra effort that you need to make can be put in there. This team is going very well, but that's the reason why they're not going, Oh, we're second now. We're just chilling.
00:28:46
Speaker
they're like, we want to continue and push on. And that's why I think, yeah, that kind of comparison to Leicester is, is a pretty good one now. I actually agree with you. I don't think they're going to win the league. Um, but there is that comparison to be made there and they're not slowing down their second in the form table at the minute, only Newcastle are ahead of them. So, you know, let's see, let's see what happens.
Sacramento Kings' Potential with Doug Christie
00:29:09
Speaker
But yeah, exciting team and definitely,
00:29:11
Speaker
Yeah, I like that pick as your team to chat about. So anything else on Forest? I just think they're very quick to become one of those teams that everyone is watching for their results now, kind of themselves, Brentford, Brighton, everyone. So you have your main team, you'd be looking at how to loop and get on, how to deny to get on. Or how to Forest do, how to Brighton do. I think that's a massive compliment from Brighton to so many people's second teams would say. I don't personally believe in having a second team myself, but
00:29:37
Speaker
they're like brighten out the team a lot of people look out for and i think over the next three or four years forest will be like oh how before is sadistic are they one again what is christ like i don't think i can see him i didn't been an established family team again now yeah i'm kind of like that with brentford i i really like the football they play and i like timesprank so i'd be checking like how they get on pretty much all the time and i think they might
00:30:00
Speaker
They might put it up to you a small bit at the weekend. They're very good at home as well. So there's that. But anyway, so that was kind of our football segment wrapped up. So we're going to get into our first game that we have. So the name of this game is Gone Chance. So a bit of Irish F3 or No Chance or Without Chance basically is the direct translation. Basically means we're going to pick underdogs in each sport. So the stipulations we have in place are that
00:30:31
Speaker
The team has to be playing an odds on favor of the following weekend for the NFL and the English Premier League. And then in the NBA, the odds aren't out yet for the games that we're going to be picking for the following weekend because we're recording this ahead of time, recording this on Wednesday. And the games are going to be playing on like Saturday, Sunday, Friday night. And so odds aren't out yet for those. So what we're going to do for that is we're going to have the team has to be playing a team that has
00:31:00
Speaker
five or more wins more than them. So they're five wins worse off at least than them to be the underdog. So who have you got for each of yours?
00:31:11
Speaker
I'm going to go in the Premier League. I'm absolutely backing Unai Emery's Aston Villa to go to Arsenal and pick up three points. I think Arsenal will be going into that game off a really tough one tonight against Spurs and then Villa. Villa hate Arsenal because they have Unai Emery and what they did to Emery. They're really treated every time he goes there. I think at 5-1, I think Villa are a great shout. They can fiver on them.
00:31:36
Speaker
Arsenal struggling to score from open play. Villa's set piece coach Austin McPhee is an absolute superstar. He doesn't get the plaudits that Arsenal's family gets but I think he is definitely up there as well. So I can definitely see Villa going away at Arsenal 5-1 and winning. Arsenal are there, I think they're just over, just under 2-1. I don't think they're worth it. 1-2. 1-2, sorry. I think get on Villa. Villa are going to go and do us.
00:32:04
Speaker
And for my NFL one, I think the Washington commanders are going to end the dream of the Detroit Lions. I think it's one of those fairy tale stories. There's seven to two. The Lions are one to ace. I think the commanders, Jane and Daniel is the goal.
00:32:23
Speaker
buying Tarim Batoran a hat full of times, I think it would be a bit of a shoot house. We know the Lions love a shoot house, but the Lions... Yeah, I agree with that. The Lions do lose a shoot house, and I can see the Commanders being the next one. They're going to be the dream killer for another year, I think. And finally, I'm going to go for a completely outrageous one in the NBA. I think the Pelicans are going to beat Dallas, the Mavericks. Oh, not a bad shot. Not a bad shot.
00:32:53
Speaker
I think it's one of those games when it is, they're in the park where they're playing games pretty much every day at the moment. And I think shops like this do happen across these games. So I can definitely see the Pelicans going and kind of bringing Dallas down to their level instead of Dallas keeping their own level. And the Pelicans come out by a point or two, winning us, getting their ninth win of the season. Yeah. No, I think I could see that happening to be honest, because obviously with Luca's injury,
00:33:22
Speaker
And Zion coming back into the squad now, God knows if he's actually going to play or not. You could actually see that happening. But I've gone for something a little bit different in the NBA. I've gone for the Hornets to beat the Bulls. So the Hornets are eight. They have eight wins so far and the Bulls have 18 wins. So there's a 10-1 gap there. They've played twice already this season. The Bulls have won both, or maybe three times actually. I'm not 100% sure. But the last game that they played
00:33:52
Speaker
I did go to overtime and that was when the Hornets didn't have Brandon Miller or LaMelo Bob. So I think they might do a job on them here. I just don't ride the boats and I feel like they might just start losing on purpose pretty soon because things are just going absolutely nowhere for them. I could see them just randomly, you know, deciding, look, this is it trading away half their team. Look, they've been trying to do that for a while or half time. God knows what they're at.
00:34:17
Speaker
Yeah, I could just see an upset there for the Hornets. So that's Friday night, that game. I think that is one of those games that if everyone would think of it as an upset until they see it or not, they're like, oh, well, we shouldn't have been looking at this as an upset because the Pelicans are getting the mainland back. The Bulls, as you said, are going to start falling like a stone soon. This could just be the one. This could be the one that starts this humble down the conference. Yeah, yeah, true.
00:34:47
Speaker
And I felt, look, I can't agree with you there with the commanders. Um, I just think the Lions after a week off, you know, I think they'll just be around to go, but look, I have to respect it. You've gone bold with that one, like a one to eight favorite and you've gone against them. I've gone for kind of coming back to what we discussed earlier, the Rams knocking off the Eagles. So the Rams are nine to four. Eagles are four to 11 favorites at home, but I just think.
00:35:16
Speaker
The Rams want to get to that game against the Lions so badly. It doesn't matter. They'll just do whatever it takes to get there.
Power Rankings for NFL, NBA, Premier League - Question?
00:35:22
Speaker
Especially after what Campbell said to Kevin O'Connell, after they beat the Vikings, he said, I'll see you back here in two weeks. I think I saw something that Sean McVey has that like in the locker room or something. And he's such like a maniac. If he wants to get something done, he's going to get it done. He's an absolute football genius. And he's going to look at what the Packers did last week.
00:35:42
Speaker
And he's going to say, how do we do that? How do we confuse Jalen Hurts? How do we slow Seq one down? Because he just copies little things from other teams. He does little things simply. I think Jordan Rodriguez covers the Rams, the athletic. I think she said one of the best kind of summations of the way the Rams play was like, they focus on one thing and they just beat you to death with it. They don't just try and over scheme you. They just find one weakness and they will kill you without weakness.
00:36:12
Speaker
And you saw it last week, they absolutely demolished Arnold, like nine sacks. I think, I don't think they're going to sack John Hartz nine times, but they'll do something else, in my opinion, that will get them to win. So that's my pick there for the NFL. Then moving on to soccer. Um, it's got a bit mad here. They're going with Ipswich to knock off Sitti. So Sitti are one to three favorites and Ipswich are seven to one. Now might be a bit mad, right? But Ipswich are at home.
00:36:42
Speaker
I know City kind of bothered them earlier in the season, but at times they've looked okay at home. They're not on the worst run, and I think City are just there for the taking by absolutely anybody. Just the way things are going, they're just in the toilet at the moment. And last night being 2-0 up, 82nd minute Brentford comeback 2-2.
00:37:02
Speaker
I don't see any reason why Ipswich couldn't do something similar. I think if Ipswich take an early lead, they're playing with fire there and I think City will beat them. But if it is like 1-0 with 15 minutes left or something like that, then that's a recipe for disaster for City. So I'm going with Ipswich as mine. And I didn't say at the top, but we'll get one point each for getting this, for getting like one or two correct. And then we'll get five if we get all three of these correct. So keep a bit of a leaderboard go and see how we're.
00:37:29
Speaker
getting on as the season progresses. I think it switched out is. It is probably as outrageous as my commander's one is, but it's one at all as well. That's it. You can absolutely see it happening. If with the way the lap and Smalix have been playing together, like you said, if it's one in on 75 and said you signed up low up like they've been doing the last six or eight weeks, you could see one of them coming off the bench and feeding the other one or the two of them going from the start and just terrorizing whatever.
00:37:58
Speaker
bad formations, pet goes on at the bat this week. I think it is very believable boss. Yeah. The lap didn't get his goal against him last time. So he wanted it this time around. But those are our picks for the first game. So that's our conscience. So we're going to move into our final sport. That's going to be NBA. So I'll let you go first. You had player for this, I believe. So
00:38:25
Speaker
you're going to go ahead and focus on a player who we've got. I'd like to talk about Jan Green.
00:38:30
Speaker
There we go. The Rockets man, I wouldn't say main man, but the man who probably should be the Rockets main man. I think his inconsistency across the season has been something to behold. After the contract he got in the summer, it's just like, then you wonder if it's on board. Oh, this is a tradable contract. It's a tradable
Liverpool Player Positioning & Wrap-Up
00:38:49
Speaker
contract. He scored 42 against Memphis the other night, which was double his season average. Crazy.
00:38:57
Speaker
He's double the season average. He's averaging 21 across the season. If you're going to be the main shooter on a team that's pushing top end of the playoffs, you have to be averaging more than 21 if you're going to be the main man.
00:39:09
Speaker
Like his greens are quite good. He's 34% from three across the league, which is in and around the league average, which is 34.5%. In December, he was turned the ball over 2.4 times a game. He's thankfully brought it down to 1.7. But even 1.7 is too high. Like if you, again, if you're going to be the main kind of, do your the main target of the ball, everything has gone through you. You need to be consistent. He's had four good games in a row now after three terrible ones.
00:39:38
Speaker
Like he could very easily go and have another three terrible games in a row. Rockets come out of it one and two. And it's not as early as it was there a week ago. So if he's going to be the man you're building around and you're not going trading for a big man, then you just need him to show up week on week, keep the turnovers down, keep the shots going in, bring the percentage from three up even.
00:39:59
Speaker
I know like the league average is great, but again, if you're pushing for a potential championship in the next two or three years, you need your main three shoulders to be above the average. You need them to be hitting 40% for today. Yeah. Yeah. No, I think I agree with you. It is inconsistently. It's obviously very annoying to watch as a fan of the Rockets like as you are. I think
00:40:23
Speaker
to watch a player who you know has a lot in him, but then sometimes it just seems like he decides, nah, not tonight. And I don't know if that's an accurate estimate, like summation of him, but like, I feel like that is what he does because he has that ability. And like, I looked at like how he's played in January. This is so far has been excellent. Like you have five wins and six games. Obviously you have that 48 point game, which does bring up his average, but in January he has 27.5.
00:40:53
Speaker
six points per game. And another thing I thought he's averaging two steals or blocks in January, which is up from his season of average of 1.3. Yeah, so he is like performing better this month. I hope it can continue. But previous kind of performances will tell us that it probably won't continue. And yeah, that contract they gave him, obviously, it's a lot of money, but it's kind of a bit of a
00:41:20
Speaker
you're not our main guy, that contract. That's what that contract is. Definitely. It's one of those, we had to give him something, let's give him a kind of, we can get out of jail free with this one. It's a contract that I've already had to give him something, it's like, oh, and we can get him gone if we need to get him gone. Yeah, no, I think, yeah, that's pretty much exactly what it is. And I think they will get him gone. I'll be honest, I think
00:41:43
Speaker
I don't know what they're going to do in terms of, will they move picks as well and try to get something big. And, but I think regardless of all of that, they will trade him away on a team will take him, you know, and he is a good player. Obviously he's an excellent player when he wants to be, but I don't think you would, as you mentioned, when the championship, I don't think you're going to win a championship with him as one of your main like two guys. Like you have Shingoon there. You just need to give him somebody else and give him someone that's a bit more.
00:42:13
Speaker
consistent or somebody who, you know exactly what they're going to give you every night. If you're guaranteed 30 points a night from Jaylen Green, you take the 30 points a night every day of the week. Instead of him getting 42 this week, 17 next week, his average is still going to be 30 points across the two games. But he helps you more if he's going 30 and both rather than blowing up on one game and just not showing up for the next one. Across the season, he has 89 total turnovers.
00:42:43
Speaker
That's, again, for one of your top two, you can't be turning the ball over that much. You can't be turning it over an average of five or six times a game. You're giving away three points. His assist numbers are pretty bad as well. Yeah, they're not those. He's down on assists across the season than he was. His assist is even lower than his average in the NBA as well. I think if he wasn't, say you would say, OK, if he's turning the ball over, but he's very creative, he's getting eight, nine assists per game, but he's not. He's turning the ball over, and he's
00:43:13
Speaker
enough feeding his teammates and he has players there that want to be fed. So, you know, I think, yeah, that game against the Grizzlies was exceptional. You know, he went five or six from three, 13 of 18 from the field, 72%, 83%. That's just an outlier. Of course, nobody's going to perform like that all the time. But if you know, he has that in him, then you don't want to be seeing these random 13, 12 point games all too often. So, yeah, I agree pretty much with everything you've said on him there.
00:43:43
Speaker
Yeah, anything else on him?
00:43:45
Speaker
No, I think, as I said, I think we both think he will be traded away probably at the end of the season or at the end of next season. But I would really love if he turned into a player that I know he can be because when we did draft him, I was so excited. I thought this is an unbelievable pick after getting him at a good time, good part of his development. Now if he can just develop and move on. He's still young, so there is still time, but we'll have to wait and see how he goes in the next 18 months.
00:44:13
Speaker
Yeah, I think the forgiven factor with that is that you've drafted so well as outside of that too, that you don't have to worry too much on that one. But so Jalen Green is the player where we talked about, we're going to stay in the West for the team that we're going to talk about. And it's going to be the Sacramento Kings. Now, Sacramento Kings don't get a whole lot of pop across the NBA in general. Like if you listen to NBA,
00:44:37
Speaker
anything NBA related or you you know you watch NBA media anything to do with that like they're kind of one of those teams that people don't want to talk a whole lot about and then bang everybody wanted to talk about them when they fired Mike Brown. Is there drama there? Is there something with the Iron Fox and him like it's crazy this one little bit of things suddenly gets all the eyes on them but like you know I think at the start of the season I wrote an article about things that were going to happen this NBA season in my opinion and I
00:45:06
Speaker
I put the Kings as my surprise package to be a good team and they were looking like, that was looking like a ridiculous thing to say, like 10 games ago. Now they're on, they were on a seven game win streak. They did lose last night for the Bucks to end that streak, but of course they're not going to win every game, but they were on a seven game win streak before that in which they beat the Celtics, they beat Memphis and they beat Dallas.
00:45:30
Speaker
you know, and they scored 129 points against the Warriors, 138 against Memphis. These are good defenses. And what I did right at the start of the season is this team can score. If they go back to what they did the last couple of seasons, especially the season where they finished, I think third seed in the West, like that was the season like Brown won coach of the year. He got them into the playoffs for the first time in 17 years. And then all of a sudden he's fired. Now, I don't know what went down in the background there.
00:45:58
Speaker
Now with Doug Christie in charge on an interim basis, it looks like everybody's kind of singing from the same hymn sheet a little bit more. I don't really know was a little cooling off period of Darren Fox not playing consistently. Was there maybe something going on there? I know, you know, he was obviously injured. He couldn't play. But was it be, was that little removal of him from the team and Mike Brown from the team, the team can focus on basketball. Malik Monk was turning up like he hasn't done all season. Mike Brown was messing around with him.
00:46:28
Speaker
way too much this season. He was runner up with six man of the year last season and my friend was just chopping him in and out of the lineup all season long. Now this month he's finally turned things a bit around. 23 points on average in January and eight assists and then you look at October he had 12 points per game. November 16 points per game. December 16 points per game. Now he's up to 23. It's a smaller sample size but you know him and Sabon is performing well together
00:46:54
Speaker
keep Monk on a good consistent basis like they last last night but Monk wasn't playing I do think he's a huge x-factor for this team but what he can do off the bench so I'm not going to say anything about Mike Brown because I don't know the situation there realistically no one really knows what went on but we will we will find out but I'm not going to say anything about Fox or about Mike Brown I'm going to say something about the Kings that they have this in them they're a good team
00:47:20
Speaker
They can't really defend, but they've never been known for defence with the players they have right now. They just need to keep scoring the way they're scoring. If they score like this, they can blow any team away. If they just get into the playoffs. Yeah. So they're up now to 20 and 20, so they're up to 500. I know it's a far more competitive conference than it is on the East, but 20 and 20, I think they're 10 at the moment.
00:47:48
Speaker
So if they can continue to run, as you said they lost last night, but that seven game winning run brought them up to this place. So they could be five runners and getting back into the playing picture. There's no one that wants to play them in a playing match.
00:48:03
Speaker
If they keep doing what they're doing, nobody's going to want to take them on. And if they can keep up a run of winning games, they can win. At the moment, they're seven and three in their last time. If they can keep up kind of a run like that, then no one's going to want to play them in a playing match. I really don't think they would. I wouldn't want Durockus to play him at any point. Yeah, no. And like what they did last year, it was obviously underwhelming. Like they knocked the Warriors out in the first round of the playing and then they lost to the Pelicans. It's just like,
00:48:31
Speaker
That was a real letdown from the season previous, where they were only just knocked out of the playoffs because of Steph having an all-time game in a game seven. I think it was unfortunate that things regressed last year, but Brown, as a coach, I don't think he should have been fired. But if there's something going on in the background, which we don't know, so we can't decide if that's a good thing or not, clearly the basketball is better right now. And that's the thing that matters. And they're kind of
00:48:59
Speaker
clearly clicking on the court. You have DeRozan playing a little bit better. He has struggled to settle in there, but I do think as time goes on, he will be good, especially if it gets to the postseason. You know, you have last year's winner of clutch player of the year and last year's runner-up to clutch player of the year on the same team. If you get into the playoffs, just give them the ball for the last few minutes and they can turn anything around. So I might be going a bit over the top here on the Kings, but I do like the way they play basketball. I just like watching them play. I don't know. I just think that
00:49:29
Speaker
their team definitely that shouldn't be written off and I was close to writing them off myself giving their start to the season but now something has kind of switched.
00:49:38
Speaker
Big time. I think as you said, it's like they have the clutch flares, they have this second, they're running up into six men of the year last year. I think if you can get to three of them on the course with five minutes to go, if they're within 10 or 12 points and you have those three fire and then they're a match for anyone on their day, they really are a match for anyone. And over a series, I know kind of like the whites come out, the whites come out of the wash over a series, but you never know. Like they could very easily get to four games for anyone else can in the series. Yeah. And I, I think.
00:50:09
Speaker
If they just get on a proper score and run against somebody, it's just hard to slow them down. Like you said, those guys on the floor, any lead is not really until the game is over. So that's also plays into the minds of an opponent in a series. They're like, Oh, we can't take off our best players with five minutes left because this, this crowd could score 20 points in five minutes. You know, so.
00:50:28
Speaker
I think that's the big thing too. But yeah, I really like the Kings. Hopefully we'll be talking about them in the postseason because I do want to see them there. So we've covered the NBA, the NFL, soccer, and we've got our first game in. So this is our second game. It's the multi-sport power rankings. So this is six teams, two from each sport ranked from one to six. So we're both going to go through our rankings and then we're going to have a chat about them. Now we've kind of looked at how teams have played across the season since this is our first one.
00:50:58
Speaker
But if teams are performing exceptionally well or they're on a good run, as this kind of progresses, we will move them in, not just the teams at the top. But for now, we've gone with teams who've been good all season but are still playing well right now. So they're also ranked who we think. And it's quite difficult to rank across sports, but what I've gone with is the Cleveland Cavaliers at one, Detroit Lions number two, Buffalo Bills three, I've gone with your Liverpool at four, Forrest, who, you know,
00:51:29
Speaker
just, we talked about them, what a team, at five and then the Oklahoma City Thunder at six. So who have you got? Well, I have disbusted subjects at one. I also have the Lions at two, despite me backing them to lose this weekend. I do still think they are absolutely incredible. I've gone for Newcastle United at three. I've done what? It's at four. Liverpool at five and the Chiefs, I think they had to get in there. So I put them in at number six because they are still on for the three piece. Yeah, no, I like that.
00:51:59
Speaker
I think looking at how teams played, I really liked that Newcastle pick. They were, if Forrest hadn't been going so well, I would have put Newcastle in. It's just Newcastle have been excellent recently. And I just felt like, oh, I have to put Forrest in. I have to give them the shout. But I liked that Newcastle pick. I do also like the Rockets pick, given how they're going across the season. Celtic's interesting. What do you think there? I think the Celtics are
00:52:29
Speaker
If anyone is going to win an NBA title at a counter, I think it would be the subject of the teams that are up there. I know the Cavaliers have been insane across the whole season. Again, 9-1 in their last 10, but this Cavaliers team has just had to come out of nowhere.
00:52:44
Speaker
they weren't doing this last year, whereas the Boston Celtics were doing this last year. And it would be very, Boston Celtics could click into gear at any point and just go on a 10, 11, 12 game winning run. That brings them into the policy even quite nicely. So I think, as I said, if anyone's going to win the NBA title at a counter, it would be the Celtics and not the Thunder. Not the Cavaliers would be the Celtics, I think. Yeah, I would agree with that. I think the team that
00:53:12
Speaker
looks the most championship ready obviously they just won it so of course they're championship ready i do like the thunder the reason i put them at six is because of the calves just recently making them look silly and you know how
00:53:26
Speaker
Well, the Cavs have played across the whole season and I just like continuity. I like a team that has played together for a long time in the NBA, players that have played together. There's too much chopping and changing as we've seen what the Sixers are doing. God, it just displays what they're putting out on the court. I'm a Sixers fan. It's just God awful. But you know, continuity there with the Cavs, how well they're playing. Similar thing with OKC, they're
00:53:50
Speaker
They have continuity, but they kind of showed them up and that's what pushed them to the top because I think those two teams are massive powerhouses in their respective sport. But one just beat the other and quite well. So I think that put them first for me. Lions, obviously, as we both discussed there, they don't really need to be talked about how good they are. You know, bills now I have the bills at three. That is because of how good they are at home. The reason I think
00:54:18
Speaker
they will get to the Super Bowl is because of how good they are at home. Obviously they would be playing the Chiefs away if it did go that way, but I think they could beat the Chiefs. I just think they have that ability. They've already shown it this season, but they're 9-0 I think at home this season, including the playoffs. So I just think they will beat the Ravens. I think that's going to be such a close game, but that home kind of advantage is just swinging it for me. So that's why I've gone for that. And then obviously I've got Poole Fort just flying it across your
00:54:47
Speaker
Europe and in the Premier League unfortunately. I think the thing for me with the Bills is like the home form is as good as I'm saying, but going to Arrowhead's Championship, it's a different story. The Chiefs are the reason Chiefs are one of the last two and third of the season, they get talked down at the start of every season because they don't want to have elite weapons and wide receivers. They don't want to have elite running backs.
00:55:10
Speaker
like yet Pacheco is excellent he missed nearly if not more than half the season. Incomes Kareem Hunt and bang he's back to the fella he was four years ago so like the Chiefs just know how to deal with some championship day and going to our heads like you never know there's a reason that they haven't won there the last two times they've gone there. I just I think it's very difficult to go to our head and win this in the championship game to get to the Super Bowl. Yeah I think it's hard to argue with that given the fact how
00:55:38
Speaker
chiefs have performed they just know how to win and that just matters so much in the playoffs and I hope they don't win it again because I would like to see a different winner but I wouldn't be surprised if they did and I kind of wrote a piece recently about how I thought they wouldn't win it because I just
00:55:57
Speaker
didn't buy into the fact that they would do the three-peat, just considering how hard it is to do that. There's a reason it's never been done before. Yeah, but I'd argue with them as well at the same time. I like your lineup and I think we're going to get that out on social media and we're going to see how that evolves as the season goes. Obviously the NFL is winding down so we'll probably do three soccer and three NBA for the few months there and then we'll think of something a bit different in the summer to mess around with.
00:56:26
Speaker
That's our first power rankings. Let us know if there's anything you would change or if you want to give your power rankings across the three leagues. That'd be pretty fun too, so let us know.
00:56:37
Speaker
Any other business to end the episode? I have one I'd like to come on to, and I haven't really told you much about this now, so it's common as much to surprise you that there's everyone else both. Lewis Diaz as a striker. I'm not having this. I think I'd rather, and this is hard for me to say because I'm really disliked him at the moment, but I'd rather be starting newness. Obviously, I'd take a shot at every day of the week as a certain striker, both. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:57:03
Speaker
It's shown in the last couple of games, they had a great run where D is on the striker, but the lesser game, it didn't work without Lucky. He denied the game, but clearly it didn't work. He was pulling left too much, and last night it didn't work. Everyone was like, oh, he's the next Firmino, he's the next this, he's the next that. For me, that was never talked about as being a winger.
00:57:22
Speaker
Diaz is the winger who's been shoehorned into number nine at the moment. And I think if we are going to go on and win this title, I think getting an actual number nine back up there and hopefully it is Jota when he's back to fitness. But I think Diaz put him back on the left three. He started the season on fire from the left. I did a couple of humble pies because I give him awful of use at the end of last season. But I think putting him through the middle is kind of showing me that I was semi worried again to get him back out in the ring, get him back out on the left wing.
00:57:52
Speaker
and get a number nine through the middle again. Yeah I actually agree with you and I think that idea obviously what is it like that the plan would be for him to drop when he's there but he doesn't really as you said he pulls left he doesn't really know how to drop because he's not a natural player in that position honestly if you could wind back time and give you for Mino of years ago how well he would fit in there right now honestly Gackpo would be better there
00:58:17
Speaker
but Jada obviously I think is the best option. He can drop and how he can play and when you have Salah running off and even if you have Diaz running off on the left that would work way better than Diaz being the one up front and yeah I don't think it has worked but I like you bringing this little gripe you had to the end of the podcast.
00:58:38
Speaker
to air out your laundry at the end. Yeah, it's something I don't need to go to counselling now for the next week because I've gotten that off my chest. That's all went down west for another week. I'll think of something I can gripe about next week to throw in at the end. Yeah, so that's pretty much it unless you have anything else. No, all good for me. Yeah, so lads, I hope you enjoyed the first episode. Leave a review or a like. If you're watching on YouTube, leave a like and subscribe.
00:59:05
Speaker
If you're listening on any of your podcast apps, just leave us a five-star review if you can, or just subscribe to it, share it around. Let us know what you thought. We want to hear what you think of it. And we'll be back again next week. And we'll have some more teams, some more games, and we'll have a lot more to chat about. So hopefully you enjoyed it, and we'll chat to you again next week. Thanks so much.