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Episode 50 ! Our All Time Premiership XI
51 Plays2 months ago
In honour of our 50th episode, we put together and debate our All-Time Premier League Eleven
- GK - Schmeichel, Allison, Cech ?
- RB - G. Neville, Trent, Reece James ?
- CB - Which All Time Great Gets Left Out ?
- Midfield - Peak vs. Longevity ?
- Fwd - Battle of the Goats
- Coach - Pep vs. Sir Alex
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Transcript
Celebrating 50 Episodes
00:00:00
Chino Onwuka
Welcome, welcome, welcome to a very special 50th episode of Love the Game podcast. As always, I'm joined with the people making it happen, and now you get to see the people behind the magic. I mean, some of you probably know us. Some of you, for the first time, are seeing these three sexy talker faces.
00:00:18
Chino Onwuka
As always, I'm joined my brother Chukuchuk. How you doing today, man? Man, it's great to be here, great to celebrate the anniversary of our episodes, our podcast. I didn't think we'll get it this far, but man, it just goes to show, man. to start somewhere, and here we are. So, glad to be with y'all, and let's get
Origins and Challenges of the Podcast
00:00:35
Chino Onwuka
it cracking. And the man making the magic happen today. And I say that today really with chest because he organized this visual for all you guys, man. Give it up for the producer. Chin on, Chin on.
00:00:47
Chino Onwuka
How you doing, man? Look, guys, like this is a, I think, I think they sort of buried the lead here. This is episode 50. 50 episodes started from the bottom. Now we're here.
00:00:57
Chino Onwuka
And we have to do it special for you guys. We made a promise. So episode 50. So we're on video. We're all together. so I'm excited for this episode. Honestly, I have no idea how this is going to go. It could be chaos. It could be madness. When you have three Nigerians discussing sports, debating.
00:01:14
Chino Onwuka
But sometimes that's the fun of it. So I'm excited to be here with you guys. So yeah, looking forward to it. Let's see how this goes. that's You know, we took a while since the last time this does not come together easily. I can promise you that. But recording live from my parents' basement, so shout out to them as well. You know, we're bringing the magic happen on this special episode. You know, normally we talk about current topics and events, but I think it's only right we start this podcast talking about the podcast itself. Like,
00:01:38
Chino Onwuka
If you guys don't know, the background behind this is we're three guys who've known each other 25-plus years now. And I think for 20 of those years. More than that, our whole lives. Our whole lives. I know he's not trying to age himself. 30 years. I was trying to keep it on the hush, but...
00:01:58
Chino Onwuka
Long time. For about half those years, we've always said, why not just have a why not civil podcast? It's always something we just do out there. like We talk about sports almost every day on various group chats. and like Why not do this? And then we never took any steps towards doing it until one day my man Chinna really sat down and said, like let's give this a go. We had webcams that would crash. You guys don't even know the webcams that would crash two hours into recording that make us restart again. The microphone issues, the ups and downs, the late nights. but 50 episodes later we're still here and and now we're doing a visual don't expect it to be a regular occurrence i promise you that but for number 50 we had to we had to do a bit hey
00:02:39
Chino Onwuka
You guys keep liking and subscribing. You got us big enough, then we can make this. We can make it happen.
Fun and Friendship in Podcasting
00:02:44
Chino Onwuka
We can make it happen. Hey, man. We're just three starving Africans, man. Help support the art, and maybe we'll get a nice studio making. But, you know, i chi on again, I gave you all the props. This is your baby, essentially. like How are you feeling now, episode 50?
00:02:56
Chino Onwuka
No, I think it's just, like, shout out to us because, you know, sometimes... It sounds so easy, like, hey, let's do a podcast. Nah, it takes work. It takes commitment. It takes time. Like, we're all busy. We all have day jobs. We all have commitments. we have responsibilities. So just the time it takes stuff for us to keep being consistent in this, like, I'm proud of us. This is something we're just doing for fun.
00:03:21
Chino Onwuka
And, you know, it's something that's helped. you know, like you said, we've we've had our relationship for about 30 years now. I think this is something that's helped, you know, some of the the discussions we've had before the podcast after, you know, has been really fun. So no, like this is, it's a blessing, honestly. I'm, you know, really looking forward to seeing where this goes.
Debating the All-Time Premier League XI
00:03:42
Chino Onwuka
Obviously, again, this is just for fun, but you know, maybe, maybe something can happen up here and it's fun, you know, apart from just this, like, We all know sometimes, you know, the reason we love sports is, i don't want to say it's a distraction, but it it's something to look forward to, to build relationships around. And this has really helped with that sometimes. you come back from work, you're tired, you don't really want to do it, but by the time by time you hop on the mic, everything is flowing. starts flowing, man. Energy starts flowing. It's of energy, man. Like today. Like today. Hey, man. got rebel with you. It's a struggle, but we know we husttle iss very hustlers, man. We We started off doing it for fun, but we could be doing this for profit, too. Anybody out there trying to sponsor the boys, just throwing it out there. you know
00:04:25
Chino Onwuka
But I can honestly say this has been some of the fun conversations. And for me personally, i hear so many of these hot takes. It's nice to have a record of them. yeah It's nice for people not to weasel their way out of, if you want to drop a take, it's behind you. And they and now your face is behind it too. So you know that's's that's where we're at now with this beautiful thing. Any any words, Shuku?
00:04:47
Chino Onwuka
I just echo everything my brother Chinol saying, man. like It's crazy because we've been talking about this for years. We finally get it together. We get start you know being snow try be consistent. And I think we got into episode 50. That's crazy, man. That's commitment right there. you know It's not as easy as people think, you know like trying to make the that extra extra time to fit things wherever we're at. you know I know I've been in the city sometimes.
00:05:13
Chino Onwuka
I'm back now in the city. And, you know, just being able to actually sit together and actually make a video, really think is dope. And like you said, man, you want this to be that's continuous, you know, hey, stream the show, like the show. Maybe you never know. Things could always change. Share with your peeps. Share with your peeps. Netflix, man, giving everybody money, all these podcast visuals. I support the urban community. I'm just saying. But... Yeah, episode 50, have to do something special. We're on video, and I know some of you are trying to listen to us record. We're recording this on Easter Sunday. We didn't even mention that. April. Happy Easter. Oh, yeah. Happy Easter. Happy Easter. And i know some people are trying to talk about some recent games with Arsenal.
00:05:52
Chino Onwuka
Join in next week. We'll talk about it then. Episode 50, we thought we'd do something a little special, and we decided, you know, to mark this special occasion, look back and reflect. Why not look back and reflect? on all-time Premier League first 11 and manager, you know, You know, I noticed England with the 4-4-2, but, you know, the game has changed in modern years now. We're going to pick four defenders, three midfielders, three strikers, debate. It's even come to a consensus on what is the greatest Premier League 11.
00:06:24
Chino Onwuka
Of our time. We're saying of all time, but, you know, we're all 30-something here. We weren't watching in the 90s. So my apologies to the Mandem and Blackburn and, you know, the first iteration of Man U and the 90s guys. You're probably not going to make the list. It's just... No, I wouldn't say that. It's 92. I think we have... I think it's fair for us to be able to go back to... Because we we love the game, but we we're historians of the game as well. True.
00:06:48
Chino Onwuka
Probably we can't talk with specificity. I don't know if that's word. Specificity. Thank you. My lawyer over here. About guys in the 70s and maybe the 80s. I think 90s. We can't do it. I'll be honest. My list is definitely tilted more towards the We'll see. All right, well, funny enough, the one guy have in the might be in this position.
00:07:10
Chino Onwuka
And we started off with our goalkeeper. I haven't really watched it that much, but like Chinon said, we are historians and we go on. First of all, before we go, give us the rules just to how to Oh, so as I mentioned, we we go by position. We're rotating, and each of us will nominate one player for the position, and then test our debate skills, try and convince the other two your candidate is the one to go. And because we're three, nice odd number, you get two people to agree, that guy makes the team. And at the end of the recording, we'll kind of sit back and list out our first 11 and see if we want to make any tweaks or any changes, maybe some honorable mentions out there, and and pick a coach and player of the Premier League so far through 35 years. So... You know, test your debate skills. Maybe some be easier. i imagine some positions off the bat, two people will pick the same guy and it's on the third to make a really passionate case. If we all pick all three different people, then let's see who can debate the best. But I'm actually curious to see how many are unanimous versus how many are we each just have our own. So we'll see.
00:08:11
Chino Onwuka
And like I said, starting off with with goalkeeper, got my whole 90s speech. and My goalkeeper is from the 90s. I didn't really watch him play. I've seen his son play a lot more. But from what the people tell me, you know, Peter Schmeichel is carrying United to win a treble.
00:08:26
Chino Onwuka
doing it for over a decade. threw it in my head. i don't have any United nominees. So honestly, I figured I'd sneak one in. They deserve to have some people on this 11. So I'll give it Peter Schmeichel. There are a lot of names I could have picked, and I'm curious to hear you what you guys think. But out of respect to the greatness of those 90s, 90s team, I'll give my man Peter Schmeichel on there. I also like him on TV. He's a good pun.
00:08:48
Chino Onwuka
Okay. Who's your nominee? So he would have been second choice for me, but I think my Premier League all-time goalkeeper it is Peter Cech. And the reason I have Peter Cech is, again, Schmeichel is a great keeper. He deserves his flowers.
00:09:05
Chino Onwuka
You know, there's also a little bit of making sure certain teams are represented. 100%. In this, Peter Schmeichel... was the goalkeeper when Chelsea broke the record for least goals conceded in season. Peter Cech.
00:09:18
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, Peter Cech. 15 goals, marshaled an all-time defense. I think most shutouts for for many years, you know, so for that reason, i can say more, but I know we have other positions covered, but have Peter Cech as my number one Premier League goalkeeper of all time. This is so interesting because that's who I was going to pick. I mean, look, the facts of the facts. He was the goalkeeper for the Premier League team that conceded the least goals in a single season. I mean, enough said. not mad at that. Won titles, won gloves. I mean, he's done it all.
00:09:52
Chino Onwuka
I think he was definitely – I mean, look, Schmeichel is definitely top three. He's probably going second – second or third in my list. But peter so I think just Peter Cech just gets the nod from me because, cause yeah, 15 goals in a season is insane. I'm not angry at it. Although famously, once we did sign Peter Cech, I was promised 10 to 15 points. That was off of the injury. I don't think those points materialized, but I'm not mad at it. Also, I like this goalkeeper argument because we touched on something that i should have brought up earlier.
00:10:21
Chino Onwuka
I like doing all-time 11s because you have to balance between peak greatness versus longevity. And each buddy, we all have different weighing of what we value more. yeah Like, as the best goalkeeper, I obviously have my two eyes in the prep. To me, it's Alisson.
00:10:36
Chino Onwuka
But he's really only done it for like five years. Now he's been injured that much, whereas Cech has decade plus of doing it. So I would pick Cech over Alisson for sure. picked Schmeichel because he wanted to get teams in. I wanted to get a United guy in. I don't know going to pick another United guy that's a lover to bug her a lot, but that's why I kind of picked Schmeichel. I have no wishes at all with Cech.
00:10:55
Chino Onwuka
No wishes at all with Cech. I'm glad you bought it because ask if there are any other names that were in consideration. So Allison is definitely up there. I don't know. Would Seaman get any shots for you guys?
00:11:06
Chino Onwuka
I think it was part of a good one. I don't know Seaman was ever considered world-class goalkeeper. When I think world-class goalkeepers in the Prem, it's Cech, Schmeichel, Allison. De Gea?
00:11:20
Chino Onwuka
De Gea, yeah. Van der Sar, Van der Sar, De Gea. I thought De Gea was good, but I don't think Van der Sar had that cachet when thinking of like World Eleven. Yeah, I don't think. De Gea definitely. De Gea above Dinosaur for me. Definitely.
00:11:34
Chino Onwuka
For a couple of years, he had like two or three years where he was at that level. yeah And then, obviously, we don't think of him as Prem anymore because what he moved, but Courtois played in the Prem. Again, my thing of dominance versus longevity. He was great in the Prem, but for like two years. yeah And then he had a whole decade in Madrid. So, yeah, I like i have no issue at all with Peter Cech, like at all.
00:11:54
Chino Onwuka
He was worthy, very worthy. So, Peter Cech is the goalkeeper. Left back, and I'll let you go not first for your nominee. I think, it'd be interesting to see what you guys think because I think there's just one name above all other names.
00:12:09
Chino Onwuka
Ashley Cole. Cashly Cole for those who still want to, like, I think between what he did at two teams, Arsenal, Invincibles, and, you know, the peak of Chelsea's powers, Ashley Cole was the best left back in the Prem for all those periods.
00:12:28
Chino Onwuka
probably the best England left back of all time. And for a period of time, was the best left back in the world. Amazing. You know, this was a period where i think he was one of the the players that started revolutionizing the game at that position where you had an attacking fullback who can contribute in the attack. you know, Ashley Cole did that. And then you have people like Marcello and other people coming after him. But, you know, Ashley Cole, I think he just stands out above the rest. I i don't know if I could even, you know, some other position, I could think of one, two. I can't even, there's no other...
00:12:57
Chino Onwuka
I was curious. To me, I thought this would be the one position where it was no debate. Yeah. Unanimous. Ashley Cole. And to prevent saying nice things about Ashley Cole, I'm going to say, i agree with you. Ashley Cole is the left back with an all-time Premier League. we can skip. Ashley Cole is definitely the best left back. I believe. At least that's the Premier Street. For me. So just to be, who who else? who The only one I could think was Robertson.
00:13:20
Chino Onwuka
Because all the good dynasties don't really have standout left backs. Like, when you think of a Man City left back, who's that, right? Like... Man United, it when we were winning. That was always a rotating position. Evra, I guess maybe you could say Evra. Yeah, Evra. Evra. Arsenal, after Cole, we had the Khalees. None of them ever really. Because he was at City, Colo. That's what I said. City. City the Centurion team with Delphine left back. Yeah. yeah So, like... Probably only Evra. And that's why i think it's unanimous. Unless you guys want cheat and put Bale.
00:13:55
Chino Onwuka
but it was not when I left back. Obviously, too short. I think you can probably get your Dennis Erwin's and stuff. Winterburn. Yeah, go back. But I didn't watch them, so I got to give it to him. I think Dennis Erwin probably did. He probably got shot. He was older. I think Rourke says he's the best player you've ever played with. You nailed it.
00:14:12
Chino Onwuka
There was a time where, in the world, he was the best left back for five solid years. All people, all team, best left back in the world. Cash, Nicole. Broke my heart, but I got to give it to you. I just want to be on that note alone. I think people need, Arsenal fans, to give Cole some grace. It was the Arsenal board that messed that one up. I was too young to know that back then. He broke heart. I've heard enough. He broke heart. It wasn't Cole. There's a lot of he sheds. Yeah. If I want to believe Ashley Cole, then yeah, we, and obviously we know there's a lot of stuff we messed up. Yeah. Anyways. You know, the worst trade deal ever, as my president would say, gave him for William Gallis. Oh.
00:14:51
Chino Onwuka
Ha, unless I said, Willem Goss will not be nominated for best center back of the all-time Premier League. Well, this one, I feel like we'll do one each and give me your two center backs. actually Let's go two each and see if there's any overlap.
00:15:05
Chino Onwuka
I'll start with you, Chukwu. The two center backs. So for the same reason why I'm happy to check on my list, I have to have John Terry. John Terry makes it. For me, I think... This is what I'm shocked about, you know, having a hard time with picking United-like players. I think it's Rio Ferdinand.
00:15:21
Chino Onwuka
Rio and John Terry, that's the classic. That's the classic. I'm not mad at it. I'm not mad at it. I'm real. I also have Terry, I think. Oh. As much as dislike him as a human being, as a player, I've always thought he was Captain Fantastic, like – Chelsea back line. The thing I like about him is that he's multiple partners and it's been great for all of them.
00:15:45
Chino Onwuka
Koceni, kosini Ferrer, all these guys, Gary Cahill, he was good amongst all of them. I wanted to say Rio, classic Terry and Rio, but I thought about it and I have to give respect to, in my opinion, one of the two greatest Prem sides I've seen. like This is going to be very modern heavy because I think the two greatest Prem sides of all time were in the last five years. And Liverpool...
00:16:11
Chino Onwuka
Virgil van Dijk. I'm putting him i'll put in next to John Terry. but Combine the old school defensive. He's a combination of Rio and Terry. He has Terry's dogged defensiveness and Rio's ball playing and skill.
00:16:25
Chino Onwuka
And just those couple of years there where Liverpool's entire defense essentially was we all go forward and van Dijk stays back. And how many one-on-ones I've seen this man snuff out.
00:16:36
Chino Onwuka
I have to give him credit. like i give van dyke People slag on Trent. They say he's a garbage defender. Liverpool were winning 90 points games with
Notable Players and Their Legacy
00:16:45
Chino Onwuka
Trent there. Why? Because they had a guy like Van Dyke to come before a lot of the time. So I'm giving Terry and Van Dyke for me.
00:16:51
Chino Onwuka
What are you thinking? This is going to make this spicy because I have Rio and Van Dyke. Ooh, I like this. I'm excited. Two names. So there's Terry, Van Dyke, and And here's my reasoning for that.
00:17:10
Chino Onwuka
I think Terry is an amazing center back. The way I was trying to narrow it down is when I'm thinking of which players could play across any era, right? if if it was If you go back to when Rio played, who's a better center back, Rio or Terry, would have picked Rio all day. could hear that. Because Rio could do it all.
00:17:32
Chino Onwuka
Van Dijk can do it all. How would Terry b be in the high lines? It's semantics, but these guys are also good. do do That's what I've used as qualifiers. I'm not mad at that. I'm not mad at that. of Rio and Van Dijk, you'd have two center backs that could do everything. They could play on the ball. They were good early. They were fast.
00:17:51
Chino Onwuka
So for me, that's why it is those two are my all-time like If you ask me who are the two most talented center backs, I would say Rio and Van Dyke. But I just give Terry, like, it's honestly a vote for Chelsea. Like, this guy, it was him, Lampard, check. That was the spine for all the Chelsea teams. And their checkbook.
00:18:11
Chino Onwuka
And their checkpoint. But, again you know, and I mean, also just, I hear him as a guy, but as a player growing up, he was just that that English proper center back, you know? And Van Dijk and Rio are more continental. They're more classic. They're more skillful. They're the Salivas.
00:18:28
Chino Onwuka
I want a Gabriel sometimes. Terry is the Gabriel archetype, the fighter, the guy who, to his detriment, because he made him do a lot of stupid mistakes, aggressively gets stuck in on a guy. That's the center back I want. That's why want Don Terry.
00:18:41
Chino Onwuka
Like I said, that's so interesting. cause See, if you again back to what you said. Talent-wise, for that that time stretch, I can understand why how you guys have Van Dijk.
00:18:52
Chino Onwuka
For me, i just think out of the those those three, Van Dijk has the shortest... like All right, so finish talking. You're not saying shortest pride because Rio, the man, he's been him from Leeds...
00:19:08
Chino Onwuka
to West Ham leads United. The man. yeah John Terry, we've seen all through Chelsea. Enough said. All right. also so huge So here's my thing.
00:19:20
Chino Onwuka
Why I think, and we're going have to break this tie somehow. I don't know who's going to get it. Which one of them of these players was the closest to winning a Ballon d'Or? that's dark in the tie Van so so so's two One vote away. People forget. One vote away.
00:19:36
Chino Onwuka
And who who who do we want to pair with Van Dyke? I think terry Terry had more accolades than Rio when they were playing. Okay, so it might come down to, before we go, okay, if you have to choose one, I know you don't have Van Dyke.
00:19:49
Chino Onwuka
If you have to choose one to keep in your list, Rio and Terry, who would it be? Maybe that's how we do it. You what? can just break. I'm willing to concede John Terry because the argument you made, even I agree with it. Like, if I had to pick the two best, just forget accolades and careers. You know, Martians came, Defere, two.
00:20:08
Chino Onwuka
I would pick Rio and I'd pick Van Dyke. There you go. so i Terry, I'm giving more accolades for career. But if you want to feel okay about have making sure Chelsea's represented, just remember that check. Yeah, check is there. And also that's why as well. So if I'm giving check over Schmeichel, I will have to give Rio over Terry. So was it so what we we're making this list now, right?
00:20:29
Chino Onwuka
Are we based off of the best player we've seen with our eyes? It's up to you. It's up to you. That's what I'm We're doing the... Anyway, the tie's been broken. That's what I said. It's going to be interesting how people weigh dominance versus longevity because Ben Nac is that argument. Those two have way more longevity, but the dominance, he was one vote away for Willing Valendor.
00:20:49
Chino Onwuka
As a defender. But I think underrate how long Van Dijk was going. True as well. When did he move to Liverpool? 2018? 2018, yeah. So it's been seven years at the very top.
00:21:01
Chino Onwuka
Terry and Rhea has been the over decades. Decades, true. Anyways. Any honorable mentions? I'm trying to think. Vidic? Vidic, Stoicambo. So Campbell, for sure. Tony Adams, even though he's here. I really want to mention, again, the OG Chelsea back for his partner.
00:21:19
Chino Onwuka
Terry's partner at the time was of the Portuguese guys. Yeah. Oh. Carvalho. Carvalho. Carvalho. Even Ivanovic, I felt like. Ivanovic was not a crazy good time. But he couldn't touch Carvalho. No, no, no. But that was my... I moved on it, but that was my Terry argument. Remember when it was Terry and Carvalho? People would say, yo, it's Carvalho. He left.
00:21:39
Chino Onwuka
Kept him up there with Ivanovic, Alex. that One year. doesn't matter, but... I'll concede. Yeah, Carvalho. Carvalho was that guy. He doesn't like so. Carvalho, Sol Campbell, Tony Adams. And listen, it's early, so I'm not throwing them out there seriously, but knock on wood, they stay together for five more years. Gabriel and Sliba are going to be up on these lists. They're going to have to win things, but they're going to be on these lists moving forward. All right. Keeper check, left back Cole, center backs Rio, and John Terry. Now to the right. Yeah, sorry. Rio and Van Dyke. My apologies.
00:22:15
Chino Onwuka
Now on to right back. I'll go for this one. To me, this is another one that I thought was cut and dry. And to me, it's Kyle Walker. It's Kyle Walker. Like, you scoff, but then really think about it.
00:22:27
Chino Onwuka
How many right backs have there been really in the Premier League? Like, Gary Neville usually makes these lists by default, essentially. And some people will say Trent. I would say Trent didn't stay that long. If Trent stayed, it would be him. But how many right backs are actually game changers in their side?
00:22:42
Chino Onwuka
People sleep on for these pep teams... I talked about Dyke, similar with Kyle Walker. Their entire defensive strategy was we all go forward, and when they put the ball up top, Kyle Walker's going to win that race and clear it. And they won six titles, essentially, running that thing. And people sleep on, as soon as Walker took a step back and couldn't make those runs, all of a sudden, magically, Man City started getting exposed all the time.
00:23:06
Chino Onwuka
And I would argue that that's really down to Kyle Walker. When he was fit, literally single-handedly at times, would cover for everybody else with that pace. It was just broken. I saw this guy win a foot race against Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. All right, that's just not human. So
Greatest Premier League Player: Henry or Others?
00:23:21
Chino Onwuka
in a position where you don't really get many stars, like, again, it's usually just Gary Neville by default.
00:23:26
Chino Onwuka
I say Kyle Walker from the city domination, and people forget he was good in Tottenham too. So combining all those together is a decade plus of he has the accolades, the the skill. I'm putting Kyle Walker as my right back.
00:23:40
Chino Onwuka
Who's next? Want me to go next? It's Kyle Walker. Because it took me a second to think about it because you mentioned Trent had the chance to be there. You should have been Trent, honestly. But obviously when you compare maybe talent to talent, different styles of play, same as Kyle Walker, but Kyle Walker did it for such a long time. He was there across most of the different city iterations up until this last one. And just everything he was able to do, like they depended, the way they spent, you know, so much time in the other half, their counter press, a lot of the reason they were able to recover defensively was because of Kyle Walker and the things that he was able to do. So I think it sometimes gets slept on. I think maybe as we get older, Kyle Walker will start get of his flowers, but
00:24:30
Chino Onwuka
Kyle Walker is one of the best right backs. Of all time, honestly. Of all time. We have ever seen. I think he deserves to be up there with your kafus. 100%. Players like that. Gary Neville, I think he's a good shot. But just think he was a good player that was part of a great team. Absolutely. I don't know if he was a great player himself.
00:24:50
Chino Onwuka
No. Well, I don't care if he is. There's a family-friendly show, so... but Yeah, it's Kyle Walker for me.
00:25:00
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, listen. Yeah. Top three is going to be Trent, Kyle Walker, and Gary Neville. But for me If you guys can vote Van Dijk based on the best what you've seen with your eyes, right, Van Dijk?
00:25:14
Chino Onwuka
I'm sorry. It has to be Trent for me. What I've seen Trent do from the right back position is something that I don't think we'll ever see. Ever. Like, just looking at what he did the year before he left and seeing Liverpool now, thinking, oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. They got Fring Pong. They got Fring Pong. They got another Bradley kid.
00:25:40
Chino Onwuka
defensively defensive val least, because that was a the crux we used to know put on Trent. But for me, wasn't that bad of a defender. I don't think... A lot of times, I mean, look, the defender wasn't his greatest, wasn't his greatest attribute. I'll give you that. It is what it is, right? It is what it is. It's Luka is a horrible defender. But he brings offensively than mixed up. A lot of mixed up, 100%. But I'm just saying, in general, I just don't think this defender was that. Sure, there were times where, obviously, you could see he lost focus. No, no, I'm just saying, it's not really he lost focus. I'm saying he made Martinelli a lot of money in his career. He made Martinelli a lot of money in his career. Sure, sure.
00:26:15
Chino Onwuka
But like you were saying earlier, what he brings to the table offensively, his passing ability, his free kick taking his set piece. Listen, Trent, for me, revolutionized the game fast. I'm not mad at it all. As far as players that I've seen affecting the game on a positive note going forward, Trent, for me, is clear in that rabbi position. Kaoka, for me, would be second.
00:26:39
Chino Onwuka
Gary Neville third. But I just think, for me, Trent's... But anyways, it is what it is. I'm not mad at him. He's a name that deserves to be mentioned in these conversations. It should have been him. I'm sure he will make a lot of people's teams. It should have been He sticks around, Liverpool legend. He should be... Yeah, I don't know.
00:27:01
Chino Onwuka
yeah I think he would have... He sticks around. He would just still be at the same level as Kyle Walker. you know Yeah, he would. But at least now, Walker's at the end where he's at the prime. He stacks up, you know, three, four, five more years. Those seasons? Of those kind of seasons. think overtakes him. Because my thing, you nailed this.
00:27:17
Chino Onwuka
Trent... I mean, Kyle Walker... Talent-wise, it's up there, and it's just the longevity wins it over for me. Like, he's been doing this since he was at Tottenham, 2012. So that's 12 plus, 12 years. For us poor a guy who relies on his pace, unreal longevity yeah to have a decade-plus career, when your best attributes, your pace. And he's on a team that won all the time. And, you know, I just got to give him.
00:27:39
Chino Onwuka
And he was a big contributor to Tita 1 all the time. So I just got to give him the right back position. One quick shout out to a player that should be also on this list, but I'll say injuries have not done him too well. Even though he's been healthy of recent, actually.
00:27:54
Chino Onwuka
Rhys James. Rhys James. I think Rhys James is healthy. He has the talent. He has all the talents. Rhys James has the talent to be up there. I'm going to throw in Loren. I was going to say, thinking of this list, I feel like a right back is one position where Arsenal really have Like, was trying to think who was the best Arsenal right back.
00:28:11
Chino Onwuka
And was probably Loretta by the default. Samia, I can see. Bakari. Bakari was that. Bellerum for a couple years there was was nice. No, we've had great. But never had good, but not great. Winterberg.
00:28:23
Chino Onwuka
but i just love like who say i so first so So who was the right back in that four? So it was Adams. I'm exposing myself here. Sometimes Keown. Keown. But Keown wasn't his main partner. Yeah.
00:28:34
Chino Onwuka
Lee Dixon. Lee Dixon. Yeah, okay. Yeah, Lee Dixon. Lee Dixon. So, like I said, if I was older, if I was watching the 90s, maybe I'd be arguing for Lee Dixon more. Yeah. No, I think Lee Dixon's great. I don't think he's... Yeah, he's a... I don't think he's kind of long.
00:28:49
Chino Onwuka
Because a lot of those guys, right, like, I know we were young, but... Definitely late 90s, they were still playing. Yeah, i know for sure. they won They won titles at that, and I was watching then, so I still have some appreciation. Yeah, I think it's just, I think we had good, but not great. Yes, yeah, yeah. I think Lauren was good. Lauren was good. I think Sanya was good. I think Sanya was really good, but... Is this a tier where they're world-class? No. don't know about that.
00:29:15
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, but those years, Gary Neville was winning team of the year by the default. Yeah, he won. du car ne I don't think Gary Neville was ever world-class. Exactly. But he won team of the year. Yeah, I would say he was farming preempt team of the year because he was just like by default the best player.
00:29:26
Chino Onwuka
World-class level talent at right back. I agree. I think we've named three of them. Kyle Walker, Trent, and Lee James. I agree. Talent-wise. Yeah, that's to wise yes yes. All right, now this is one I am so curious about this one.
00:29:40
Chino Onwuka
Midfield. who I say give your three and we'll see if any overlap and then sure we'll go and... This one's easy for me. all right I know ro you don't know if it's going to be this. Do you guys agree with me My top three midfielders are clear. alright I think it's well balanced.
00:30:00
Chino Onwuka
Kevin De Bruyne. Ooh, okay. Steven Gerrard. Okay. Patrick Vieira. Wow. Light work. I feel disgusting saying this list. Light work. But I got to be true to my heart.
00:30:12
Chino Onwuka
Interesting. i really wish I could save Vieira. But Kevin De Bruyne for me as well. Okay, so he's in. Super Frank Lepard. I have to give it to him. And this might be controversial.
00:30:23
Chino Onwuka
Only two players, three players have won, but the third guy is Fugazi. Two deservedly Premier League players have won Ballon d'Or primarily for playing the Premier League.
00:30:34
Chino Onwuka
My third guy is one of them, Rodri. Really? Oh, my. Okay. I can't believe it, but he can't make that. I know. I know it's going to be a controversial pick, but you go. All right. KBB. KBB makes it. KBB makes it.
00:30:52
Chino Onwuka
Frank Lampard makes mine. Frank Lampard makes mine. What? I'm telling you. Frank Lampard makes mine and Stevie G makes mine. Those are my things. really wanted to say Steven Gerrard. I know. I'm just a little. This is done. This is done. This is KDB, Lampard, and Gerrard. Yeah.
00:31:09
Chino Onwuka
I'm not mad at that. I'm not mad at that. The thing with me is i would always find out. No. take it back. I take it back. I take it back. I take it back. I take it back.
00:31:20
Chino Onwuka
Oh, no KBG. Here's thing. This is fading me. Because now okay. I want to go controversial. i want to be controversial. I'm rooting for Stevie G. Frank Lampard.
00:31:34
Chino Onwuka
KDB.
00:31:35
Chino Onwuka
Yaya Turing.
00:31:38
Chino Onwuka
Wow. I'm not mad at you. one year. If you want to go by longevity, it's how you it's how you i weigh it up. fuck That year. You guys know what year I'm talking about. know. Yaya Toure literally week on week out. I think this is a stacked position. It's a stacked position. It is. And this is not to say Yaya isn't great, but I don't Forget it.
00:32:04
Chino Onwuka
I'm going to put him over Stevie G and Frank Lappard for me. The longevity. Not even longevity. Even peak. What Stevie G was doing at his peak. Fair. Fair. That year with... Fair. And he did it at multiple midfield positions.
00:32:18
Chino Onwuka
He did it as an eight that year where he was a support striker to Torres. No, listen. There's reason why I had it on my list. And he did this in the with the weakest supporting cast out of all of them. That's also... See, here that's why told him. Because here's the thing.
00:32:31
Chino Onwuka
I wanted to find a way to fit... you didn No matter work for no i what, for me, I'm always on the... Bench, Bench, D. Bench, D. You know what? I can come agreement. I think that I was just being a little bit too much there.
00:32:42
Chino Onwuka
Honorable mention is Yeah. I'm sticking with the Frank Lappard, Stevie G, and KDB. But man, I really want... do I love Yaya Toure as a player. I love that one year of Yaya. That one year of Yaya. It was more than one year. But there's one. But that one particular. One year where Man City's strategy every game would be at 60th minute, they sub on the DM, they push Yaya forward, he would score every single time. It was insane. It was insane. anyway, I'm not mad at it. I can't be Steve Biji. How about some other? else would it be? So we thought Yaya, Toure. We already mentioned. Vieira Vieira Vieira Roy Keane Roy Keane Roy Keane Alright now you know what I'm hijacking the podcast for this topic because have to rant all of us grew up in the same day we all grew literally we are the perfect age for the Stevie G versus Frank Lampard debate that was like prime growing up and growing up that stuff Stevie G
00:33:37
Chino Onwuka
it It irks my soul, this revisionism I've been seeing online, where people act like Scholes was in that debate. The debate was never, it was Lapard versus Gerrard.
00:33:48
Chino Onwuka
That was the debate. Scholes was always the guy who they shoved the left wing when they played England, because we got to put him in somewhere. I hate these 99 fans who've got to put these scores, quotes up there. Scores are very good footballer. Fantastic footballer. He was never Frank Lampard. He was never Steven Gerrard. I watched all these guys. This was like my childhood. I watched them all.
00:34:09
Chino Onwuka
He was never in that conversation. I just have to get off my chest. You said that, but I mean, do that was definitely the three that people threw in the and the debates. don No. There was the two.
00:34:22
Chino Onwuka
Stevie G Vieira. Yeah. Skulls, Skulls was in that combo. And so here's the thing that obviously we're not talking NBA today, right? But sometimes it can almost seem like when you say somebody's here and someone's below, right it doesn't mean we're saying Skulls was in that combo. But sometimes there's like the way to do it sometimes. And I like when people have these combos where instead bracket, just have different tiers. Exactly. So you have the Stevie G and Lampard tier.
00:34:49
Chino Onwuka
And it's okay to say Scholes... They were S and Scholes was tier. Like, Scholes was fantastic. I'm not disrespecting. I just think Laporta and Jarrett were top three Ballon d'Or type talents. Scholes was never sniffing that kind of category. Yeah.
00:35:03
Chino Onwuka
Could you argue that it was the fact that Scholes was playing in a more talented team? Maybe that's the reason why... Chelsea was pretty stacked too, but... In midfield, I mean, Frank Gumbar was always the guy, you know? It's not even about...
00:35:14
Chino Onwuka
Scholes playing a more talented team, right? When you look at the attributes of all these players, Scholes had some of those same attributes, but those guys... Had legs. No, no, no.
00:35:25
Chino Onwuka
Okay, yes, they had legs, but okay, when when when when everything sort of evens out on ability, then when you go to stats, it's not even... Mind you, man, I want to be clear.
00:35:38
Chino Onwuka
I have CVG in front. No, yeah. Well, I don know. I just mean, I was ranting because I've seen this revision is and I've seen it is based on all these. They cherry pick these quotes where ex-footballers love the big up. and He deserves it. He's great. but Because I think one thing we're going to notice here, and this is maybe when guess the coach will come out, what you notice about these Man United teams is they had A-tier players at every position. Absolutely.
00:36:03
Chino Onwuka
At a certain point, then they got some of those S-tier guys which are going to come up later. But... Like, just because they're not, people are going to be like, oh, they had great teams. When you look at some of the individual levels, they were just some guys that were just a team. No, hold on. And back then, Keene was always seen as better than Scholes.
00:36:22
Chino Onwuka
I'm not crazy for saying this. It was always Vieira versus Keene. Scholes in that conversation. Like, Scholes is fantastic. and the best ref for his PR ever is when he retired and came back and he was still good. and he helped them People love an old guy who still got the skill. all people People love that narrative.
00:36:40
Chino Onwuka
And want be like I'm disrespecting him because he's been fantastic footballer. I just think it was always Lampard versus Jarrell. don't know if you've seen those quotes where they start trying to compare Scholes to Parallel. and and That's what I'm saying. And the way footballers laugh. That's what I'm going to say. People love the mask. cra There's a fiction that is painting yeah over Skolls. And I just feel like I'm using this platform to rant together because I imagine fans begin to my nerves sometimes. All their players, for some reason. And Skolls, you can pounce at. That's what also why I'm doing this. back to Sutter Daughter's Team. Skolls never said a word when he was playing, now he's retired. He loves to chat. So let me chat too.
00:37:17
Chino Onwuka
This is how I talk. My name is called Skolls. I have no energy. no emotions. I'm not a justice. Some guys, you can see why they have platform and they have a... Oh, absolutely.
00:37:30
Chino Onwuka
The people who are hiring Skolls to be a pundit, to be horrible. Is that man you care, man? People love him. Some guys start out bad and get better. I've seen Michael Owens get so much better at what he does the beginning. Skolls... He's not even trying. He's not even trying. Anyway, some other honorable mentions. So guys that didn't make the list, we've got...
00:37:51
Chino Onwuka
We've got Yaturi, Vieira, Rodri, some other guys I want to shout out. Roy Keane. Roy Keane. We've Cesc. I was going to say Cesc. I'm going to throw Cesc in there. My heart. David Silva. i want to throw David Silva. Renato Silva.
00:38:08
Chino Onwuka
Bernardo Silva, yes. Bernardo was midfielder of Ringer. I think he played too much. He played too much, but yeah. He doesn't get in. He doesn't get in too much. He doesn't get in either way, but yeah. No, I don't shout out. Is there anyone? Yeah, those are the ones. Gabby Alonso, but I guess he really had that second blooming in Madrid. But people forget he was that guy. Yeah, he was that For a couple years there. I think one guy. Ozil. You know, I'm going to put Ozil in there. One guy I got to get in, and I'm forgetting his name, but he revolutionized the sixth position.
00:38:37
Chino Onwuka
What team? Chelsea. Makalele? Makalele. Conte. I was going to say Conte, but... Yeah, no Conte, Conte, Conte. He only had like five years. That peak is what we is... For winning a league at Leicester, you gotta... I know I gave this a speech before. I just want close the loop on Rodri...
00:38:56
Chino Onwuka
Rodgers is going one of these guys where I think when he retires and yeah you actually look at his career in totality, is he going to – because we're living in it, we just take it for granted. This guy was a DM scoring 10 goals season, 10 bangers of a season, and 10 important goals every season. Guy won the Ballon d'Or. Speaking of one guy we didn't mention at certain back, and I don't know if he gets company. Does company get in any shouts for him? mean, don't even mention. I don't mention. He's not. But the fact that no one mentioned his company. That's fair. That's fair. And the point about Ken Walker, it did remind me, is that all these City guys, I truly think, because Man City is not really that big of a fan base,
00:39:35
Chino Onwuka
if they had the careers for the big clubs, like if Kompany had his exact same career for Arsenal, he'd be getting a lot more respect. For sure. I think Kompany gets respect. I think he gets that level of respect.
00:39:45
Chino Onwuka
Interesting. Because they don't want to have guys fighting for them in the media like that. Same with Yaya Toure. That Yaya Toure season, he did that exact season for Man Ut. No, like Yaya Toure came up for everybody. Yeah, but I'm just saying general. But company didn't come up. i That's fair enough, too. I just think of all these Man City guys because they're so young. They don't get that kind of the that fan base fighting for them. yeah Like Kyle Walker should be having put in the streets that he's the best right back of all three. It is what it is.
00:40:11
Chino Onwuka
Well, we got our midfield. You know what? i'm I am not mad at any way, shape, or form. We brushed past it, though. It's funny. We all had KDB. the There is an argument, and we'll get to that at the end, that KDB is up there for best perm guy of all time. Yes. And when I first heard that, was like, but I can start looking at the stats and everything. so that so Yes. KDB. I like that we all had him in there because, again, we all grew up exactly pinpoint in the Gerard Lampard.
00:40:39
Chino Onwuka
era. like And I always thought growing up, these are the two best guys I'll ever see. To see another creative guy come in afterwards and be there like, KDB, man, I'll give you the numbers. Every type of pass in his locker, they could do that tiki-taka stuff and then KDB can just break the game. Yep. Just break the game. His way to passes, his crosses, he can score two, everything. He's been off the right, off the left. Has the size, his physical strength. So, man, he was, bro, he, Arsenal fans, I think we can honestly say, don't know about, maybe not for y'all, he hunted my dreams. Oh, definitely. he, man. There's a lot of guys. He's on that list. He's on that list, like with Jokvan and Dev that used to hunt Arsenal. A lot of guys. I don't know what is. I say this with Jess because the two years they did overlap cost my team two Premier League titles. But there's a part of me that wishes he and Haaland had of a runway together. Because, you know, City never really had that striker who gets on the through balls until they got Haaland.
00:41:38
Chino Onwuka
And it was only two years together. But, man, I was watching a compilation of Haaland's goals his first season. Fifteen of them. KDB through ball. Just two. That's why was doing it with Wingers. Yeah, with Sané and Sterling. Sané and Sterling. And Sterling was clinical.
00:41:53
Chino Onwuka
KDB made Sterling a 20-goal-a-season winger. Let's really keep this. He made Sterling a 20-goal-a-season winger. Madness. But yeah, we brought Patsy because he was unanimous. That's why gave him his flowers. He deserved it. sort of And I'm wondering if maybe for some younger fans...
00:42:09
Chino Onwuka
his last couple of years will start to color their perception of it. 100%. Because he was always injured. But if you're younger fan and you're listening to this or watching this, KDB was that guy. thought dude Even if he's one of those guys where, you know, maybe if you didn't watch him, the stats even tell the story. The stats tell the story. Highlights tell the Still don't tell the whole story. So pull your research up on KDB. How crazy is it, guys?
00:42:32
Chino Onwuka
That KDB is not one of those. those nine no I know. It's insane. Insane. End of an era. Time is gone. KDB was a wonder that kid. KDB that we saw Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea. Went to Germany, came back. I mean, it's, yeah. Well, speaking of failure, Chelsea, I think for three forwards, another one of those guys might pop up I think in my opinion there's three concrete answers and there should be no debate but i now I'm curious there's three concrete answers in my opinion but there's some guys who oh there's some strong honorable mentions but yeah for me was still out there for me
00:43:12
Chino Onwuka
There's Ronaldo. yeah I know he had his most career outside of in Madrid and Juventus. Ronaldo won Ballon d'Or and Man People, they remember striker Ronaldo. His peak was too. Remember winger Ronaldo, kids. Remember step over Ronaldo. Straw noodle hair Ronaldo. Remember that guy.
00:43:28
Chino Onwuka
Mohamed Salah. Yep. The King, Higwe himself, Thierry Henry. that's That's my three as well. That's my three as well. And then even if we were doing position, works too. It works too. Left wing, Cristiano, striker, Thierry, right wing, Mohamed Salah.
00:43:43
Chino Onwuka
Shout out, Salah. This is your last right, you know, King. Best African footballer, in my opinion, of all time. Shout out, Mohamed Salah. a George Ware. No, it's like my pen george war my opinion. George Ware. George Ware. Samuel Eto'o. I if people say George Ware. No, is it can't be Samuel Eto'o. It can't be George Ware. George Ware is usually the guy, but hey, I got to give my man moment. Maybe he's George Ware. If you like the way Thierry plays, George Ware. If you like the way Ronaldo Arnay plays, George Ware. He was that guy. He did those things first. George Ware.
00:44:13
Chino Onwuka
Okay. So, for me, guys, I mean, okay If we're doing it like... Who's the name that you have that we didn't have? But again, that's what depends. Because you we're doing it like like left wing, right... No, it's three forwards. That's three forwards. Three forwards. It doesn't matter whatever position playing, right? Three forwards.
00:44:30
Chino Onwuka
Henry, Chris Arnaulto, for sure, on my list. don't know. I feel like Wayne Rooney, man. I have Wayne Rooney. That was strong article message. Four guys that I think they are GOATs.
00:44:47
Chino Onwuka
those three are the top guys. I know. I listen. I'm the same three. Rudy ruy' is my my biggest only mention. Can you guys guess who the other three are for Harry Kane?
00:44:56
Chino Onwuka
Five guys. Five guys. I'm so sorry. Okay. Bill? No. oh Wait, wait, wait. Interesting. Jogba?
00:45:07
Chino Onwuka
No. Okay. Alan Sherr, sorry. Alan Sherr, Alan Sherr. Luis Suarez? No. Two more. You guys might be one. feel like I should guess the other one. Fernando Torres, we're going to be on the list. No, no way. 2000s or two thousand or twenty ten s 2020s. 2020? Yes. I put Aguero over him. And Aguero. Those are those guys. Oh, wow. Holland is one of those where, if not for the fact that he's going up against guys, legends, who have done this for decades, he shouldn't be on this list. And he stays around until the end of his death row contract. He's broken every record. He's going to be on the list. He has a 10-year... Yeah, the death row contract. If he finishes it, he will be. I hate the same because Henry is my idol. He will pass Henry.
00:45:54
Chino Onwuka
And like you see, if he stays, he's a 10-year contract. He could. But he ain't doing that yet. So I got to give him a man Thierry Henry. He got the spot. got the spot. I don't know, man. got to. You know what? Anyways. was going to say something. No, like. Hey, yo, man. To me, and obviously maybe Haaland, understand if Haaland's in there because he hasn't played as long, but... No, that's fair. He's broken all the way. But I think Aguero needs to be... Aguero, yeah. I think he gets underrated, maybe because of his personality, maybe because of... telling you, it's the city PR. It's the city PR. But when you look at the amount of goals he scored, the length of time,
00:46:26
Chino Onwuka
And again, he is the one, one of the most iconic Premier League, the most iconic pre league goal moments. And I think sometimes, I think I put a lot of emphasis on this. I mean, people go, that was their first title.
00:46:41
Chino Onwuka
100%. Yeah, yeah, no. But here's the thing, again, but I hear all that, but I'm sorry. If we're arguing player for player, yeah player for player, remove accolades and won, player for player. I'm thinking Harry King over Aguero, though.
00:46:55
Chino Onwuka
been in Harry Kane. honestly, honestly, i think I always thought Harry Kane was great. remember his first year. was like, can he do it again? I remember Ugo. One season wonder. I said the same thing. Ugo's one. You guys went alone. But after he did it the second year, I'm like, he's done. Eight year, one year wonder. And I'm seeing...
00:47:20
Chino Onwuka
I know it's Germany, but I'm seeing what he's doing in Germany and there's Bundesliga attacks, but some of the goals he's scoring. Bro, bro. This technique. Harry Kane. For me, I have Harry. Listen. I Harry I would have that. and how For the Prem, the issue is those three guys, music i list their legacy is just unassailable to me.
00:47:48
Chino Onwuka
Like, Henry is the great authority of player of the whole time. Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo, for sure. Monsala and... And Ray and Rooney?
00:47:59
Chino Onwuka
I feel like there's a debate there. There's a debate, bro. I hear that. I hear that. I know Rooney is the eternal story of what would his career be if he was just a dedicated striker? Yes. If he wasn't dropping back and he wasn't giving so But I was the leader that made him so good. He could do everything. He's the definition of overall forward. He does his debate. No, I can't argue with. can't argue with Rooney. Rooney is fantastic. And he's on top three boards.
00:48:25
Chino Onwuka
I think sometimes like what you've said is a very big point because if you go back and look at the stats, they might not pop like all the other players do, but that's because he was doing some of the other work that allowed him to do something. Stats are definitely going to show his, yeah, his vibes. And you know, it's one of those things where because he was so precarious, pushed onto the scene at 16, his legs did go fairly early.
00:48:53
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, after like 13 years of playing. Yeah, i want to say, he played a fair bit. i like I like 28 guys. No, I like... I like... But you still That's still like just after 12 years of playing, but... So... No, man, that's the funny thing about guys like Rudy is the way you burst onto the scene early. You end early, and people think that's short longevity. But when you really look at it's like, I'll do i'll give it for 13 years.
00:49:18
Chino Onwuka
You can say legs went, yeah? But I've seen guys... For example, Michael Owen, who did the same thing. Started early. But his last weight. Michael Owen is another guy I want to mention. Third guy who won a Ballon d'Or. Ballon d'Or. Yeah, the guy. I always forget he did. I always forget he did. At 17 or 16. Yeah, 18. I always forget he did. He won a Ballon d'Or, so Michael Owen needs to get in them shouts.
00:49:45
Chino Onwuka
Some other guys I want to. okay but yeah I those just want to say names because we're going to. I'm going to throw something out there now. I think there's a very, very, very, very strong argument that the singular greatest Premier League season of all time is Luis Suarez. 2013-14. 32 goals, assists, not one penalty.
00:50:05
Chino Onwuka
And I remember that the goals he was scoring, these weren't tapping. These weren't tapping. They were crazy goals. When you say it like that. These weren't tapping. These were. When you say it like that. I mean, that the season just before he left. The season before he left. Arsenal refused to put the extra. $40 million plus one pound. No, that was Arsenal being. Played by the rules. Because the contract.
00:50:31
Chino Onwuka
They broke the contract. You know, I always salute... I'm a Marceau fan and it cost us. I always do salute the owner for saying, make us. Yeah, at least Klaus says $40 million, make us. yeah What are you going to do? Actually, make us.
00:50:44
Chino Onwuka
I can't imagine we got swarms. We win the Premier There's no doubt in my mind. Just to me, with the two greatest Premier League seasons are still Sierra Young and Cristiano. I think... Funny you say that. I have...
00:50:57
Chino Onwuka
Salah and Haaland up there too. Five. I'm making five. We're not... And is that Bale season too? No, no. Salah's definitely... i just said top two. Top five Salah. Salah's last season is their...
00:51:09
Chino Onwuka
But Bale season was good, but where did Tottenham finish that year? Fair enough. But you can see he made them there. But my point Suarez loses for longevity for me easily because all those guys had at least like five, six, seven years. Suarez was really two elite years. yeah Really one elite year and one year. But after I throw them out there, this is the almost heartbreaking automatically for me.
00:51:31
Chino Onwuka
Van Persie had two of... i For some reason, I got sad and I watched Van Persie highlights. This guy was for two or three years there. yeah The best striker in the world. Yes. So look longevity. But longevity gets him down there. i get your So give him that. I will throw longer.
00:51:49
Chino Onwuka
We got to mention in terms of impact, we got to mention Jogba. Jogba, I don't think he's at the level of some of those other guys. He's a big game guy. he's a guy Yes.
00:52:00
Chino Onwuka
Jogba got to the interest. Nicholas Anelka had the peak. He was the first wonder young guy. like you know young People forget. I don't think he managed his career. He moved around too much. Because of the over him. Big up Alan Shearer. All-time. For Newcastle, he was loyal. stayed at his boyhood club. He could have gone to Man United. He won the league with Blackburn. Man United, all them goals. you guys. For me,
00:52:30
Chino Onwuka
Shearer's peak was in the 90s. I wasn't watching back then. So my memory of Shearer is more towards the later. So I know, listen, I see the records. I get it. But like, that's my issue with Shearer. I feel, it's not his fault because what can you do? But I don't, I wasn't going lie. sure if I was watching in the 90s when he was banging it for Blackburn,
00:52:47
Chino Onwuka
I mean, how sure is that guy? yeah That's like the Sherry-Henri debates. I've always gravitated towards Henry. I saw Henry play. I don't know what about Sherry is, don't know, again, back to the whole, wasn't watching, obviously, as closely or attentively as, like, you know, some the other guys, but I guess my question with Sherry was his overall game. I don't what his overall package was. He was more like, a finisher.
00:53:10
Chino Onwuka
That's what he felt like. He was a... Complete number nine. For what they were asked to do to do back then. by yeah Was he there linking up? That's what i' so I'm saying. that's why He was great in the air.
00:53:25
Chino Onwuka
Good in the balls. Great technique. And before his knee injury, he had pace too. Strength, hold up.
00:53:32
Chino Onwuka
Was he doing Berbatov touches Van Persie? No, but all those things, especially in the two-striker system. Yeah. And he wasn't a poacher. He was scoring outside the box. He was scoring outside the box. Oh, no, it's honorable mention. Dennis Burkamp.
00:53:47
Chino Onwuka
Oh, yeah, Burkamp. Yes, yes, yes. I got him as a Burkamp. Dennis Burkamp. Who else could we mention? Vardy. I'm here. would put him on his list, but a guy that scored 100 goals for Leicester mostly. I'll give you credit. Robbie Fowler. Fowler, yeah. Just a couple of years. there a bunch There's so many. A bunch of United greats. Andy Cole. Yeah.
00:54:09
Chino Onwuka
Sherryham. Sherryham was more of a bench. Sometimes I went back looked at the starts. He was one of their four, but yeah do i you or Andy Cole was the main guy. Sherryham and Cole, they would come come in. Hazard.
00:54:21
Chino Onwuka
hazar Yes. Hazard was... Hazard forward, Hazard has to be... I him in there too. I would definitely throw him in there too. If you were doing it positionally, Hazard is Cristiano's backup. Yeah, he's like... A couple years there, man.
00:54:40
Chino Onwuka
my For a long time, everyone you guys know him. Hazard was my favorite player. After Thierry went to... went to the U.S. to the Rebels, Hazard was my favorite player. He was my favorite player at Lille.
00:54:56
Chino Onwuka
So it hurt me. And now we know that they cheated. I was going to say. It hurt me when he went to Chelsea. What amount of money would you pay fine money to have Hazard play for your team? Anything. That's the that's why i love those I laugh at these rulings. Because what money right now you offered an Arsenal fan.
00:55:11
Chino Onwuka
You paid $50 million dollars fine, but you have Hazard for five years. I'd take that in the heartbeat. Anything. Anything. For him? Oh, man. And he's another guy where stats definitely don't. Look at his stats. They don't draw you touch the surface of the the quality this guy had. So.
00:55:26
Chino Onwuka
guess for I mean, this I think we're we're okay with the three of Salah, Ronaldo, and Henry. I mean, listen, we... but look and let Let us know your guys' thoughts in the comments. You know, which picks do you agree with?
00:55:40
Chino Onwuka
You know, which do you disagree with? You know, what is your, you know, Premier League all-time 11? You know, we we really want to see. Before we move on to to manager, think it has to be asked, who is the greatest Premier League player of our lifetime? Now, you can answer this question again.
00:55:55
Chino Onwuka
Your balance of longevity, dominance, skill, it's you know we each have our own metric you can use for it. But I'm not even just curious now because to me, the answer was was simple. But you've gone through this list and There's no argument for somebody else, but I'm sticking with my guy. I'm just sticking with my favorite and what I've seen best. There's reason why he's involved people's icons.
00:56:21
Chino Onwuka
Thierry Henry, man. Thierry Henry, yeah? He's him. He's him. That's my guy, too. yeah It says something that the first player to be named into the Premier League Hall of Fame was Thierry Henry.
00:56:33
Chino Onwuka
The first player to have the streets was Thierry Henry. Va-va-voom. she He is someone that was a great player, but his impact, sort of the the player I liken him to, and it's not it's not a one-to-one ratio, is
00:56:52
Chino Onwuka
Because when you think of all-time lists, Thierry is not in the top 10 greatest players of all time. But everybody, I don't know one person that dislikes. If you watched him back then, yeah. i hope There's a whole generation where Thierry is your favorite player. Just like Kobe, when you look at concessions list, Kobe is not top 10, right?
00:57:15
Chino Onwuka
He's top 20, which is not saying anything else, but Kobe is like everyone's favorite player for a whole generation. The player you know players model their game after in their backyard, and I feel like that's what Thierry Henry was for football.
00:57:29
Chino Onwuka
i's so I'm biased as as hell. i'm an Arsenal fan. He's my favorite guy. i get he's this He played of such like an era where everyone was mechanical. you know there There were a couple of flair guys, but they weren't really like that. he's but he He was the one flair guy that had the complete game, that was doing everything. He had the Cantanas. Zolas, Gascoigne. But they weren't producing like Henri was. Gascoigne is a shot, but he's a little bit...
00:57:55
Chino Onwuka
But what people say, he was like the first flair guy who may really made him stand out. But then you bring a guy like Henry in and, oh, my. I always tell people, like, listen, see we're all Arsenal fans of the same kind of vintage. Growing up, I just thought it was normal that one of the best guys in the world played for my club. yeah I just thought it was normal that I turned on my TV, Henry's going score. He's going to some magic. yeah It wasn't until he left that I truly appreciated that, oh, yeah, this is – Not everyone can do this. yeah well Back when we had those, and disrespect to all these guys about the name. Dave Boyd was our you know our guy. Matt Percy, God bless him, he tried there.
Comparing Sports Greatness Over Time
00:58:29
Chino Onwuka
was close. But they weren't Henri. like Henri is just... And so when I say some of the things i say now, do you guys feel like i'm doing too
00:58:37
Chino Onwuka
When I think of a great Arsenal team, that is the standard they have to turn to to which I speak to, right? So when people are like, oh, okay, but this guy is good. Cool. I want greatness because I have seen greatness. That's I saw. I know greatness looks like. And that's not that we're going to get it. But when i'm if you ask me what I'm holding us to, once I think we can get to that level, is Thierry O'Reese. It's these other players that we've just listed on this list. Yeah.
00:59:06
Chino Onwuka
Because when OK, we're saying, oh, yeah, that's good. To me, I'm like, there's a level. There's level both. this is how good our team is now and we want to keep it at this level greater, you can't be mentioning these names to me. Because these are the players I'm looking at who I think are at that level. and's So I know sometimes I sound very like elitist when I say something. That's why.
00:59:24
Chino Onwuka
When we were in the trenches and doing this thing, okay, yeah, mentioned these names. Now you guys are saying, oh, we need to be champions. Speaking about Arsenal, we want to be going for multiple titles. Then you need to start bringing me these set title names. yeah so I wish we had those kind of names too.
00:59:37
Chino Onwuka
and youar In honor of the guy, because you know he's about to leave this year, RIP, Premier League career of Mo Salah. I think he's the Premier League guy. If anyone was going to challenge, Henri is the best.
00:59:48
Chino Onwuka
it would have been Seller, to me at least. I know you might disagree. I think in a lot of people's eyes, he is. He's up there, but I guess like what would it... just get this way of like, how close right now to you, now that his career is kind of sadly on the down slope, how close does Seller get to you as eclipsing or matching Henry? Maybe he has. Maybe some people say he has. If I'm trying to be objective, I think...
01:00:14
Chino Onwuka
he has the same arguments as Henri. I think sort of where the difference is, is in the influence. In terms of just on the field stuff, I think he has...
01:00:30
Chino Onwuka
Yeah. He has an argument. He has a case. He has a similar case to Henry. But that other element that I just talked about, the things that Cristiano, even before Cristiano became the guy who was scoring 40 goals a season, the impact Cristiano had on football and YouTube, Ronaldinho, those guys, Thierry had that. Absolutely. And I don't think Salah, his game wasn't, his game was,
01:01:00
Chino Onwuka
Clinical Insective. He wasn't that guy where you're putting up a 10 minute compilation like that. for, for, I actually fully, the word I'll use is aesthetics. Yeah. Yeah. Or they can, similar production, or the reason aesthetics are just crazy. And you know, no one's ever, I can't say no one, it was rare. going to pull up a 10 minute Salah skills and compilation highlights. You know, yeah you with Salah, you pull up football, football, and you look at the goals and the assists and you say this guy, how many guys can lead have led the league multiple years and goals and assists.
01:01:33
Chino Onwuka
That's, that's most of it. Yeah. so Henri, and maybe it's because was a little boy back then, but I watched him as an adult and I still feel the same way. Like, i it's something i've I've really been more cognizant of as I've gotten older is the younger we are, we feel things differently than we do at this age. Because I think about the feelings I had for Thierry Henri and other players.
01:01:57
Chino Onwuka
The feelings I had for Tim Duncan. I've seen... better players since then that I like, I will never have that romanticized feeling. will challenge this with one example when you're done. Like I did at that age, right? There's guys that I, even up to a certain point, like Kawhi was getting there for me, but I can't be, I don't know. I know what you're saying. can't be feeding over a human being at age. One example. 20 something plus like I did when I was 10 to 20. I thought that way.
01:02:29
Chino Onwuka
Wemby makes me feel that way. And I'm a 30-year-old man. and When I watch Wembe, what I'm saying. so maybe i sometimes I think when you're that we're that guy, Mahomes made me feel that way. True. Mahomes definitely made me feel that way. And Wembe makes me feel that way. I just know that there's certain ways I feel. I fully agree. yes i I agree. ru yeah when I want to think of like how I thought about sports and things when I was 10 to 20 versus how I am I would say it was easier to feel that way back then. I thought that about more people.
01:02:58
Chino Onwuka
So now it takes a lot. But when you can reach that level, I thought that way about Mahomes and I feel that way about Mahomes. When I see them, it's just like, wow. like I'm going to tell my kids about this. I've been watching sports for a minute and I've not seen yeah more things like he like... I think about how I would feel about... First of all, shout out LeBron. The Apple mentioned his name. Oh, no, shout out LeBron. LeBron was like that. LeBron was like that. But it's I think about the way i would right for Giannis if
01:03:29
Chino Onwuka
You were a 10-year-old. Yeah, yeah. I get it. That guy for me, he's Nigerian. He's like this. Yeah, I get it. have a certain, like, rationalism. Yeah, no, I understand. Like I said, it's harder for me to feel that way. So the only, that's what I thought in my head, the only two guys the last five years I can think of, Mahomes and Wendy. Like, I'm seeing something. I'm seeing something. don't know what I'm seeing.
01:03:49
Chino Onwuka
yeah I can't describe what I'm seeing. this is yeah So so so it's I think there's a difference. What I'm trying to get at is there's a difference between seeing what you're seeing, but do you... Love him. Yeah. No, wait, wait. Because that's the thing, right? Because that's the thing, for me, like there's guys I can say number one.
01:04:07
Chino Onwuka
Do I love them? Yeah, I know you're saying. love... Thierry Henry, LeBron and Tim Duncan. But those are teams you root for though. That's what I'm saying. like I never rooted for a LeBron fan. I'm a LeBron fan. I'm a way he had fans. He fans
Evolution of Ronaldo's Playing Style
01:04:23
Chino Onwuka
where he had fans. I'm a way he had fans. I was a way he had fans. Yeah, that's what I was. No, I was with you, bro. I honestly think like, because when you love the sports and you watch the sport, like basketball, football, these are not examples here.
01:04:38
Chino Onwuka
Like Mahomes, what Mahomes was doing? what yeah yeah Like, a quarterback that can run, but he's not really running to run. He's running to make someone look crazy. The throws he's making, he's making it look so easy. like, bro, I know Tom Brady's the GOAT, but I'm saying with Mahomes, it makes it fun. It makes it exciting. It makes you feel like it's good.
01:05:02
Chino Onwuka
I actually agree with you guys because i'm cause I think the reason why I feel like I can be a lot more rational now is because back then, know there's a couple of years where I could not recognize Ronaldo. I could not. I would be on that answer. don't even mention Messi. Shout out Lionel Messi. I could not recognize, even though I knew it, you couldn't get me to say it because I grew through i love Lionel Messi.
01:05:27
Chino Onwuka
You should say I should hate Patrick Mahomes as a Jags fan. Cause that's a rival. But now I'm old enough where I can be objective. that's be my homes race ten lift I would not be able to. I'm a Patriots fan. Brady's the goat. And Mahomes is challenging. He's like, I can't, I literally can't bring myself to hate on Mahomes. When I was, when I first started going to the gym and I was struggling, i trying to do a push set.
01:05:48
Chino Onwuka
I would imagine Cristiano's face and that would help me get through it. Okay. It was Cristiano. For some reason it was Robert Patterson. so those yeah so was re not the real I Kobe are the only two athletes I have ever genuinely hated.
01:06:06
Chino Onwuka
I don't hate these men. Yaka Pernod too, but that's another story. That's another story. But Ronaldo. I'm um'm obviously all right, man. Yeah, Pernod would be one of the athletes I ever hated. For me to hate you you, have to be really good. Otherwise, whatever. no or no I know I would say this.
01:06:23
Chino Onwuka
There's a Mount Rushmore of three guys. Ronaldo. I'm sure you know who the third guy is. Tom Brady. Yes. Oh, man. The GOAT. The GOAT. The GOAT.
01:06:35
Chino Onwuka
Fair enough. Again, to be hated, you have to be really good. yeah yeahp You have to be really good. Otherwise, whatever. and moon is yeah are Exactly. exactly and like we you know I want to emphasize this point again because I see this on social media. Ronaldo somehow he's played so long that people – I know people even consider his United States, which is funny. We're putting him as yeah Premier League all time. and yeah That part of his career, people don't even consider it.
01:06:59
Chino Onwuka
Go watch. like I always laugh when I see this whole, oh, Ronaldo's just a technician, clinical. He's a machine. He's efficient. When growing up, the biggest people, this against him was, he was too fancy. yes he was doing he was That was when it was at his most fun. The fun I had watching him.
01:07:16
Chino Onwuka
until he beat im Cristiano was my guy up until he became a killer.
Messi in the Premier League?
01:07:21
Chino Onwuka
because I appreciate that and not worry about the other stuff. because like The stuff he did when he first came in,
01:07:28
Chino Onwuka
Like, it was, who is this kid who's coming up? And he used to murder. We put Ashley Cole as the best Premier League left back of all. He used to murder. He injuring death. He used to murder Ashley Cole, that guy. Not EIG. EIG! It was crazy times.
01:07:46
Chino Onwuka
It was as a messy. Two of us in this play, we are messy fans. A couple years ago, I was worried. couple years ago, I was worried. I was never a worried. Actually, that's when I started to appreciate him.
01:08:03
Chino Onwuka
Because I was seeing what Messi was doing. And somehow another human being was keeping I couldn't believe it. Titans. Was keeping up with it to a certain... And the heights that they pushed it.
01:08:16
Chino Onwuka
Again, I'll always say the reason why Messi edges it for me is because there's other stuff that he does. Yeah, playmaking. There are comparable strikers and scorers. Yeah, playmaking. Oh, yeah, sorry. No, all that I was going say is just... Again, I'm always saying this. Forget about the argument about who's where it's Messi. No, no, no.
01:08:32
Chino Onwuka
Forget all. I just, as a football fan, I really wanted to see Messi do it in the Premier League, bro. I want to see what that was going on. I'm selfish. You what saying? There's a reason we're making an all-time Premier That's the league we all watched. That's the league we grew up watching.
01:08:46
Chino Onwuka
I want every good player to come to the Premier League. I'm back to that. The Premier League is supposed to be, again, arguably the most competitive league. Most competitive league. Yes. Because I'm looking the whole... Pepsi farming it. But yeah, most competitive league.
01:09:00
Chino Onwuka
You know what I'm saying? I would have been elected to see Messi. So, here's my thing. Here's my thing. Let me ask you this question. Do you think Messi would not have done in the Premier League? A cold, windy night in Stoke. It was what he did in boston in the Champions League. so if you can Okay, obviously, you're not saying that's discounting. No, no. I was saying it as a pure football. I really love them. I feel like kids these days don't even know where the cold, windy night in Stoke came from.
01:09:26
Chino Onwuka
It came from Messi. It came from people saying, could Messi do this on a cold when they die Wednesday night in Stoke? And I would just laugh. Just laugh. And then if you played English teams the Champions League and killed them. Killed them. So what we're talking about here. Man United in the finals twice. you Arsenal. So Chelsea can't do it. He would definitely do it. I was just wanted to see.
01:09:46
Chino Onwuka
just wanted to see 14. remember Arsenal. But hey, he'd do it. Either way. Yeah. Listen, there was a stretch there where he was going to come to Man City. And i want to though hat and wanted that I wanted to have that i wanted that i want to see Messi every week on Premier League. but i'm Speaking of, I think we tried when he was like, of course we tried.
Greatest Premier League Manager: Guardiola or Ferguson?
01:10:07
Chino Onwuka
We didn't pay for the HCH. What can we do? It's nice to chip that lane. throw up it off together We picked our 11. We picked the best player.
01:10:17
Chino Onwuka
think it's really pick a manager. and I think there's really only two options. and I'm kind of curious where people lean on this. I think
01:10:27
Chino Onwuka
I think it comes down to two, but there's four names that can be in a conversation. I think there's two, and the third is undeniably Arsene Wenger. I don't want to hear Mourinho. I don't want to hear Mourinho. Sorry, five.
01:10:43
Chino Onwuka
Mourinho and Klopp, I could put them up there. i think If someone puts Mourinho and Klopp, I can get it. I want to hear Wenger's third until I die for me. and she's off on but I think Klopp gets a shout. but yeah it's I think you could put Mourinho. I think Wenger is the hard. I mean, and I'm biased for this. I don't care. Wenger is the hard third for me. No debate. yeah No debate. But the top two, i have changed my opinion on this.
01:11:06
Chino Onwuka
For the longest time, I thought Fergie was the greatest man manager manager period and print manager of all time. And yeah, recently I read some articles now that people think Pep's going to retire, and I've been i've been swayed.
01:11:20
Chino Onwuka
Pep has migrated from United Managing all time. Because yeah the the knock on Pep is checkbook, and it's a very valid knock. There's a court case ongoing about Man City's financial...
01:11:32
Chino Onwuka
pit play I mean, I don't want to go into it. 150 reasons why. But you look at relative to the the market, what it was, Man U were spending money back then. yeah And the thing is, in that league, the only two teams who were spending money were Man U and Arsenal. And Arsenal were spending half what Man U was spending.
01:11:50
Chino Onwuka
Pep was farming a league where everyone has money. Everyone. Chelsea came up. Liverpool. Klopp, people had to act act like Klopp is the poverty manager when he had that most expensive defender, most expensive goalkeeper of all time on his team.
01:12:03
Chino Onwuka
And all this Premier League and, like I mentioned earlier, the Klopp and Pep era where teams are getting 90 points every season. I think when they both leave, we're going to look back and realize this was not normal.
01:12:16
Chino Onwuka
Teams, like the whole fabled, like, oh, you draw, it's up. Because Manchester United are going to win 17 games in row. That was Like, that was the era they were in. You couldn't draw because they were going to win 17 games in the world. That was crazy. Man, you wasn't doing that.
01:12:29
Chino Onwuka
Fergie was forming a lot of, honestly, a weak era of the Premier League. And, yeah, he did his thing. don't want disrespect the legacy. But from what I've seen, got to give credit to the the six Premier League titles in nine years he's coached. Yeah.
01:12:43
Chino Onwuka
That ratio doesn't make sense. Yeah. So, I have wanted to pe pick Pep. I thought I was going to pick Pep. When you think about who the best manager is, that he came in and... because Why I think Wenger comes third above Marino because he came in and revolutionized. Yes.
01:13:01
Chino Onwuka
In terms of bringing international players, bringing in younger players, the style of play was something they'd never seen. And I think Pep did that and then took it to a different level.
01:13:14
Chino Onwuka
But Sir Alex Ferguson, his... Impact? It's a weird one because I'm probably using a different category than I used for others, but I can't discount the impact that Sir Alex brought. How many titles did he win? 11. 11 Premier League titles.
01:13:36
Chino Onwuka
The first to do the treble. I know Arsenal has Invincibles, Pep has Centurions. The first to do the treble. The fact that he just had his teams winning. By any means. Year in, year out.
01:13:48
Chino Onwuka
He's the one that brought in Fergie's fledglings, you know, started with Young. ice Just the the greatness, the impact, like, first the first thought, when you say best, I mean, it's Fergie. I know the best is, but, like, it's very I just think of Sir Alex standing in his suit, chewing his gum, and I know that greatness, that aura,
01:14:10
Chino Onwuka
Maybe aura is the word I'm looking for. I'm not challenging that at all. That is Pep. I think part of it is I do think Pep is the best coach to have managed in the Premier League, but the greatest, I think it just has to be Sir Alex for so many reasons. I ain't mad at it. I'm not mad at it, but yeah.
01:14:32
Chino Onwuka
I'm not mad with what Chinon said to say, but I'm sorry. I'm going Pep. I'm with you, my brother. I'm going Pep. And just because, man, the fact the matter is six out of nine seasons. Six out of nine seasons.
01:14:46
Chino Onwuka
Bro, I think in those in those nine seasons, isn't only one season he's in the control for us? Oh, is it more One season is finished below second, I think, as a stat. No, no, two seasons. Yeah, one season trophy... No, think two seasons trophy list. Last was trophy list well. Okay. Two seasons trophy list. Only two seasons below second.
01:15:05
Chino Onwuka
it's It's insane. yeah The consistency is crazy. I mean, remember, Sarlene struggled when he first came to United. Like, you belong... Time's up before. Pre-prem. Yeah, pre-prem. That's not fine. Fair enough. You got together when the prim was there. Fair enough. That's fair enough. That class of 92.
01:15:19
Chino Onwuka
Pep, man, I just think... The work Pep has done. and like i'm also thinking about i mean i know we're on the Premier League, but just knowing the work he did prior to getting to the Premier League, coming to the Premier League, doing the business, being consistent, doing it.
01:15:33
Chino Onwuka
I just think, he just for me, he guess he gets my nod. To me, is the it's the competition they were both doing it in that edges it over for me. like I love Wenger.
01:15:46
Chino Onwuka
Wenger's only really pushing Fergie for... you know, like five or six years of his, of his like 18 or so for all those other years until Mourinho came, he was against, you know, no Kevin Keegan. I love what he beat. that That was his competition in the 90s. Like they at the names of the Peppers going up against prime Jurgen Klopp, 90 points a season, Liverpool.
01:16:08
Chino Onwuka
But you also say at some point, even though we've we've talked about the players, Pep, I mean, Fergat Sombra was going against a, before he was washed, Wenger and Mourinho at the same time. He was.
01:16:20
Chino Onwuka
He was. Whereas, you know, Pep has always had to go against either Klopp or... Arteta. Arteta, never both at the same time. were the same time, but... 90, like, we put up the point totals. 100 points? 100 points, 90. They were making it seem like 90 points is, look, no disrespect to Funger's winning titles of like 77 points a year. Yeah. That makes me really consider, like, what was going on. You know what mean? And it's really easy. The Prem back then, and people might not know the history, they know what the Prem is now.
01:16:55
Chino Onwuka
English football was not serious. It was absolutely not. It was because it was mostly English talent, you know. Yeah, when could change that? The, the, The talent pool wasn't as large as it was.
01:17:05
Chino Onwuka
Because of what had happened with hooliganism, England had not been in Europe for the longest time. So we weren't going to Europe and being exposed to football. he so So the English game was really... That's what i by my point. really Fergie was farming... Up on until Wenger came in and then you started to see... He was farming these guys who weren't really with the with the program like that. still, Fergie. Sir Alex. And you know what? This is the this is the biggest hater statement I'm going to make, but I don't going to make it.
01:17:31
Chino Onwuka
I want
Reflecting on the Podcast Journey and Future
01:17:31
Chino Onwuka
to see Fergie with VAR. I grew up. I grew up, man. If you didn't, what if I hear a fan say, I feel bad for United? I know that they were a young kid. yeah I know my head. Yeah, you weren't there. yeah You weren't there. yeah If you grew up in the peak Fergie time, for this man, has the word, he used to legitimately scare referees. He used to, bro, look up some of most Man United referee BS that was happening back then.
01:17:59
Chino Onwuka
I'm sorry. It's a hater comment. I don't care. They ended our principal streak with a fraudulent game. With a fraudulent game. That's my point. So, hey, I don't care. if if If you're, again, we, yes, we're Arsenal fans, but, you know, I respect these guys. We can give unbiased.
01:18:18
Chino Onwuka
opinions, right? Honest opinions. When we're being biased, we'll let you know. Guys, talk to any other fan of English football and ask them the things, the shenanigans that were happening with United during Fergie's era.
01:18:32
Chino Onwuka
And there's a reason why there's a whole generation that hates United. I'm telling those reasons. Anybody who says they have sympathy for United, I just know a young kid. And you went around for the, the, the, the chicanery that used to happen. Back with Fergie. Fergie, there's a whole word for it. Fergie time. like Fergie time, a.k.a. we played until you United Equalized. Or score. Or score. That was, that's what it was. And the guy you know what? But people say City get the same, you know, flying reps to Abu Dhabi. At least it's BAR now. There's, there's accountability. equalizers. There's equalizers.
01:19:05
Chino Onwuka
Balls will cross the line against Man United. They won't count as a goal. So I'm just – yeah, that's all I had to say about that. But, hey, we'll give Pep Guardiola a Fardiola. And also, you know, it makes me feel a little better if we win a Premier League title this year. At least we win against the greatest manager of all time. Let me get that one. Let me get that one.
01:19:26
Chino Onwuka
brother something small play All I know, you know, this is a great but one of hopefully many video podcasts we've done. 50th episode. We have to end it with a simple, simple question.
01:19:39
Chino Onwuka
I'll start with Richard. All right. Or someone in league this year. Cephas Stormontzzi. Oh yes, oh yes. Stormontzzi.
01:19:47
Chino Onwuka
Yes, but it is not the foregone conclusion people think because. Stormontzzi. is, we have. have a game in hand, so let's assume they win.
01:19:57
Chino Onwuka
The gap is down to six. If they win at Etihad, the gap is down to three. So people say it's ifs. It's ifs. But I keep saying about the we need to start playing better.
01:20:08
Chino Onwuka
We need to start playing better. no I'll say yes, bracket, I really hope so. I really, really hope so. Because I don't know if Aki can survive. I believe it at that. It'll strictly be an NBA game. We'll start talking baseball, pickleball, golf. I don't know. Anything. I don't know. I don't know if this will survive. Only one? I don't know. If Arsenal don't win this year.
01:20:43
Chino Onwuka
For everyone's benefit, let's hope it does come true. safe This has been a great, fun time. 50th episode, recording this live. You know, again, from my parents' basement. I still may hit up the basement, but we're back for this. I'm glad anyone is watching with, like, thank you so much. We really appreciate the support. We appreciate all our listeners. Like, thank you so much. It's it's a trip that we're here. 50 episodes later, hopefully, for 100 episodes, we got a studio or something to record it But we'll figure that out when that time comes. You know, there's a lot more to talk about. We're approaching the NBA playoffs for third time of the year. You know,
01:21:16
Chino Onwuka
Football is coming now to the wire. Champions League. We got all sorts of things. and Next week, you won't see our faces anymore, so take a good last look. It might be wild before you see it again. This has been a great time. You made the magic happen.
01:21:31
Chino Onwuka
Appreciate you, my man. Appreciate you, my dogs. Amen. That's what we're next next week. Love of the game podcast.