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That Saturday Feeling Ep 6 - Gunning for Big Ange and Nunez Hits 2 Barn Doors!
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It's TSF time as Jesse is abandoned at the offices of GSPN to bring you all the big talking points from a week in football. From Nunez hitting back at the boo boys, the Gunners looking like perennial brides maids, Amorim feeling the press-pack heat, to sensational Bournemouth and...a trophy finally for Big Ange!
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Transcript
Introduction to 'That Saturday Feeling' Podcast
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to That Saturday Feeling brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. I'm your host, Jesse Sawa. I'm also the host of the Daily Liverpool Podcast, which you can tune into if you want to get to your daily fix of Liverpool FC related content. But I know that's not why you're here today.
Premier League Highlights and Analysis
00:00:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
On TSF, we take a look back at all the big talking points from across the Premier League and what a week it was.
00:00:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, last week you had to endure GSPN head honcho. Nick Britton, I almost forgot forgot his name, rambling on about football from a lower league Derby County perspective with all its inherent jealousy and bitterness. And today, much like last week, the halls and corridors of the sprawling offices of the Global Sports Podcast Network are empty and barren.
00:01:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, you're stuck with me, but unlike Nick, I'll be casting a positive, light-hearted, strictly neutral and non-partisan eye over the week's proceedings.
00:01:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that's why we'll be talking about the title race after the week's results. How are the contenders looking? We'll be talking about our good friends in the red half of Manchester after that result against Brighton and the comments made by Reuben Amorin, which have ruffled quite a few feathers. We'll talk about the game of the week.
00:01:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
our heroes and villains and we'll take a look ahead to the weekend's games and do some predictions. So let's start off with the race for the Premier League title after another dramatic set of results at the top of the table.
Liverpool vs Brentford: Key Takeaways
00:02:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It all started with Liverpool away at Brentford Now, Brentford is, it's such a tough place to go. They always make life very difficult, particularly for the bigger teams. And Thomas Frank, I think is, I think he's an absolutely fantastic manager. He's done such a good job with that club. He knows what he has. He's created a system of play that gets the best out of the tools at his disposal.
00:02:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sometimes they sit deep, they can park the bus, sometimes they play quick counter-attacking football, and they're not afraid to play long ball, direct football. You know, there are so many managers who sit there making excuses, not being ambitious, settling for safety and mediocrity. Sean Dyche comes to mind. But managers like tom Thomas Frank,
00:03:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah show what can be achieved, how you can progress in this league with not the greatest players. if you've got a system and that you're able to adapt and not be one dimensional, then you can achieve great things. So this was always going to be a tricky fixture.
00:03:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
and you know at the 90 minute mark the Arsenal players who are warming up for their 5.30 kickoff against Aston Villa just after the Liverpool game finishes they must have had a spring in their step because it's 0-0 and potentially the third draw in a row for Liverpool and a chance for the Gunners to close that gap at the top to just two points if they can get past Villa But cometh the hour, cometh the man, Darwin Nunes.
00:03:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
who has had absolute pelters from away supporters, from pundits, writers, comes up with two stoppage time goals to get all three points for Liverpool. What a win for Liverpool. It's the kind of win that champions do produce. And right now you've got to say that Liverpool do have the look of champions.
Arsenal's Title Hopes: Reality Check?
00:04:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
So what was the response going to be at the Emirates?
00:04:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, it looked like it was going to be a defiant one because Arsenal will go 2-0 up against Villa and you think, well, from here, there's surely only one winner.
00:04:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
but goals from Eury Tillamans and Ollie Watkins and two really good goals, I've got to say, bring the scores level and the game finishes 2-2, which must have felt like a defeat for the Gunners. And if you saw the reaction of the manager, Mikko Arteta, reaction of the players and the fans, then yes,
00:04:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
it did feel like a defeat and honestly Arsenal in my opinion are just not good enough to win the Premier League. Now I know that people think I'm probably being wise after the event but I invite you to have a listen.
00:05:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
to the Daily Liverpool Podcast, the pre-season special way back just before the season started, where our podcast team gave their predictions for the season. And I, along with Karl Kopak, a veteran cop, I both predicted that Liverpool would be right at the top, challenging city for the title, and the Arsenal would finish third.
00:05:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, OK, we got the city part horribly wrong, but I don't think we're alone there. I wasn't convinced about Arsenal and I'm not convinced by them now. I think that a team needs to get over the line sooner or later. You can't keep coming second because that psychological barrier just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
00:06:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
United, Manchester United, way back in 92, narrowly missed out on the Premier League the year before, but they then took that one step further. They got over the line, it transformed the team and the club and made them into winners and not perennial losers. Similarly, Liverpool, when they were going toe to toe with City,
00:06:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
They ended up on 97 points, 97 points, and they still didn't win the league. But you know what they did do after that? They won the Champions League and they followed a 97 point season with a 99 point season and they go on to win the league. I honestly think Arsenal's charts has come and gone with this set of players. They've got a,
00:07:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've got the look of runners up and they need an injection of new players that have got a winning mentality. And if you can't achieve that winning mentality, then you've just got to buy it. And I think that Arteta does need to be questioned. Uh, I think that he's done a great job at Arsenal without a doubt, but he has to take the next step. And I think that Arsenal's formed this season.
00:07:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
is to some extent a result of his transfer policy that he's embarked on over the last few years. He's bought fourbacks, he's bought defenders, centre backs, goalkeeper after goalkeeper. He buys Kai Havarts and Gabriel Jesus, neither of them prolific goal scorers.
00:08:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that has, I think, been borne out by Arsenal's over-reliance on set pieces. Their biggest goal threat are their centre backs. And that can't be right for for a club the size of Arsenal, with the kind of ambitions that they have.
00:08:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
and I think it was ironic, is that the word, that the best finish of the night at the Emirates was from an out-and-out striker in the form of Ollie Watkins. The Villa striker is just what Arsenal need, not Kai Havarts or Gabriel Jesus or Raheem Sterling,
00:08:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
So what does that mean? Is it all over for for the Gunners? Is the title race over? I don't think that the title race is done just yet. I think there are far too many games to go and some huge games on the horizon, but Liverpool are certainly title favourites. They're just not yet in that there's to lose category.
00:09:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, we're going to go to a very quick break. And after that, we're going to talk Manchester United.
00:09:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
OK, let's talk Manchester, because a lot has happened since last weekend's fixtures.
Brighton's Triumph Over Man United
00:09:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
United's neighbour's city thrashed Ipswich 6-0 last weekend. So maybe giving some hope to their fans that the club has turned a corner. But it looks like every time Ruben Amram turns a corner, he just walks face first into a brick wall.
00:10:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
that brick wall this time came in the form of Brighton. The seagulls coming out convincing winners at Old Trafford to heap more pressure on the new manager. And his post-match comments had the press pack at Old Trafford. Aghast really with his assertion that this is the worst team in United history.
00:10:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow. I mean, what a statement, but, you know, was it true? He can't be far wrong. United have been abysmal this season, only turning up for the big games against Liverpool, against Manchester City and Arsenal in the FA Cup.
00:11:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
which is really a terrible look for a set of professionals because it shows that that the ability is there. They've got the ability, but they just can't be bothered to turn up week in, week out, which is why they struggled the week before, even against Rockbottom Southampton, who were the better team for all of, I think 82, 83 minutes before Ahmad came to the rescue for Manchester United.
00:11:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, Amurim has since backtracked on his comments saying that they were a mistake and that he meant to be critical of himself and not the team. I'm not buying that. Look, I actually like Ruben Amurim. I think he's a really good young manager. I thought you he was excellent at sporting.
00:11:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think if United give him time he gets the players that he needs to work his system, I think he can succeed at United.
Manchester United's Management Woes
00:12:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
But the club have really caused this whole debacle. And so you've you've got to have a bit of sympathy for Amorim. He didn't want to come mid-season. He made that clear. But United gave him an ultimatum. It's now or never. He wanted to come at the start of next season.
00:12:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
so that he could bed the players in with a preseason, really get them bedded into this new system, which is a radical departure from the Ten Harg era and really all other eras before Manchester United have never played this system.
00:12:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it was United's incompetence in how they dealt with Eric Tenharg that eventually led to a situation where Tenharg has to be sacked midway into a season when in the summer they were openly looking for a new manager. And I think Jim jim Radcliffe, Ineos, you know, who came in with great fanfare,
00:13:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've got to take a lot of the blame here because they are the ones who are in charge of footballing matters at United, not the Glazers. And they were supposed to bring some degree of professionalism into the sporting side of the club.
00:13:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
But with the fiasco surrounding Tenharg, not to mention the debacle surrounding Dan Ashworth, the sporting director, who was so coveted by Manchester United, only to be given his marching orders, what, some five months into his job.
00:13:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
So what next for United? They've got Fulham at the weekend away. That's a tough, tough away fixture. Marco Silva has done a fantastic job at Fulham. So it may be more pain for United fe fans after that Sunday fixture. Do I think United will get relegated? No.
00:14:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, not because they aren't in relegation form, they absolutely are. They've lost three, drawn one and won one of their last six, which is exactly the same form as a Wolves, Ipswich and Everton teams below them.
00:14:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
But luckily for United, there are three worst teams than them. So I don't think i don't think there's a realistic possibility of United going down. But the fact that there is a discussion just shows how difficult this season has been for the Red Devils. All right, time for another very short break. And we'll be back right after this.
Bournemouth vs Newcastle: A Memorable Match
00:15:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
OK, let's turn our attention to the game of the week. were some really good games. The Brentford Liverpool game was a very good game. Dratic End to that. Arsenal Villa was a really good game. Arsenal game 2-0 up and Villa fighting back. But the game of the week, for me, the performance of the week, and for me, the team of the week, has to go to Bournemouth. What a team. What a performance against Newcastle.
00:15:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
four fantastic goals and a manager that is for me in line for the manager of the year award. If only they gave these awards to someone outside the team that wins the league. I thought Bournemouth were magnificent and what a hat-trick by Justin Clyver. I'm sure his father Patrick would have been proud to score a hat-trick like that. I think they've got an excellent manager.
00:16:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
with a really good collection of players. Clive, obviously, Semenyo, Kirkez, the young Hungarian, left left back 23 years old. I think he's an absolutely fantastic prospect. And to go to St. James's Park, such a long distance for those Bournemouth fans and and play a Newcastle in red-hot form, and they played them off the park.
00:16:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, I mean, that's what you call a ah ah trip, well worth making for those traveling away fans. And the manager and Doni Iraola, I think has been an absolute breath of fresh air for the Premier League.
00:17:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
him and his Bournemouth team have they've contributed I think to a really exciting league where yeah teams like Bournemouth are up there in the hunt for a European finish, Fulham under Marco Silva are playing some great football, Nottingham Forest under Nuno are I mean, slap bang in the middle of a title challenge, make no mistake about it. And I think that these managers have injected something new, something positive and exciting into the whole league. And they are a lesson to some of the managers in England, those who are in management, those who are trying to get into management.
00:17:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
who, for me, it always feels like they're just complaining about not getting a chance at the top seat. Whether it's the England national job or top clubs in the Premier League, English managers are nowhere to be found. And I hear this complaining narrative far too often that English managers don't get a chance with a big club.
00:18:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Why should they? Why should they be given a chance? You earn your chance, you work for your chance, and you take your chances for your chance. And Ira Ola, I think is a textbook case as to why some of these young foreign managers get the call from top Premier League clubs.
Challenges for English Managers in the Premier League
00:18:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
After years at Bilbao,
00:18:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's from the Basque region, something in the water there because they are producing fantastic managers across Europe. And, you know, at the end of his career, he moves to the MLS and spends two or three years with New York City FC, which I think is interesting. Part of the Manchester City, you know, kind of project, that set of football clubs around the world.
00:19:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he joins them to widen his horizons, widen his football education. And where does he start his manner managerial career? Is it in La Liga? No, it's in Cyprus. Cyprus. He takes himself outside his comfort zone. He gets a wider footballing education. And we're now seeing the fruits of that.
00:19:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
a multilingual, dynamic, forward-thinking young manager that can coach pretty much anywhere in Europe. And I just think that maybe if the likes of Gary O'Neill, Russell Martin, et cetera, go and get your stripes from a lower European league. Cut your teeth there. And maybe, just maybe, they will get a call from Liverpool or Manchester United.
00:20:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
the next time a managerial vacancy comes up but it will be on merit not on what passport you hold. And as for Iraola, I think you're probably looking at the man that takes over from Pep Guardiola at Man City in a few years' time. You heard it here first? Right.
Hero and Villain of the Week: Darwin Nunes & Ange Postecoglou
00:20:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's time for Heroes and Villains of the Week. Let's start with the Hero of the Week. Now, I said at the top of the show that I was taking off my Daily Liverpool podcast hat.
00:20:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
and wearing proudly my GSPN hat of impartiality and neutrality. So after eulogising Iroola and that Bournemouth performance, it's only fitting that my hero of the week is, drumroll please, Darwin Nunez. Yes, Darwin Nunez. Two stoppage time goals to clinch three vital points for Liverpool in this title race. And they they could be title winning but points really. So well done to the big Uruguayan for silencing those boo boys.
00:21:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Coming onto the villain of the week. You know, I have half a mind to say that Andoni Iraola is villain of the week. How weird would that be after saying such great things about him? It's only because I've been told by numerous sources on the interwebs that the Bournemouth manager is the spitting image of a character called Dr. Octopus, the villain in the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies. Get your head around that. But that would make no sense. So, my villain of the week is none other than, this could be controversial, the normally affable, lovable, big, ang-poster-cog-loo.
00:22:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Foster Cogloo, villain of the week. Yeah, he's my villain of the week. After yet another defeat, another shambolic performance, defensive performance, this time against Everton.
00:22:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
who before this game against Spurs had probably forgotten that scoring goals is even a thing in football. And I think Angie is now starting to slowly lose the plot. And he's getting, I think he's getting quite nasty, quite rude with reporters post-match when they asked him ask him very innocuous questions about Spurs' performance, their defensive performances.
00:23:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And those questions are being met with, as I said, a bit of rudeness, a bit of kind of passive aggressiveness that really isn't a good look. And because he just will not make any tactical adjustments to at least try and win a game or not lose a game. Well, Big Ange, I'm afraid you are my villain of the week. So congratulations.
00:23:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
And to be fair, he did say he always wins something in his second season. Right. let's We're going to move on to the weekend's fixtures and make some predictions. Okay. Let's have a look at those fixtures for the week.
Weekend Match Predictions
00:23:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's start off with Brighton versus Everton.
00:23:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, Everton are going to be in that kind of new bounce period with David Moyes taking over and they got a good home win and they finally started to score some goals. So this one could be. It could be a tricky one for Brighton, but i I just think that they will have too much for them at home. So Brighton versus Everton. I'm going to go for a home win. Up next, Liverpool versus Ipswich.
00:24:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
What can I say? It's got to be three points for Liverpool. I think Ipswich have, in recent weeks, you know, they they have thrown in some some decent performances and then you've got Liam Dilapp, who I think is a real threat up front. But I think if Liverpool show up in any way, they've got to be taking three points from that game. So I'm going to go for a home win for Liverpool. Next up, Southampton versus Newcastle.
00:24:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I would still go for Newcastle with an away win simply because Southampton have just always found a way to lose. And even though Newcastle, you know, that they'll be kind of smarting after that hammering that they took against Bournemouth last week.
00:25:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that Newcastle will come away with three points, but this Southampton version I think is is better. you know they They are a little bit more pragmatic. They are still making those mistakes that cost them goals like they did at Manchester United. But you know I've seen the goalkeeper now starting to play the ball long sometimes when there isn't a pass on. so But I think it's too little too late for them. And I think that Newcastle will beat Southampton in that game.
00:25:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Next up, Wolves versus Arsenal. Could be interesting. you know Arsenal, they again have come off that draw against Villa, which really would have been a gut punch for them. It felt like a defeat.
00:26:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
but and And Wolves had a little bit of a bounce with the new manager coming in. But I would still expect Arsenal to have too much.
00:26:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
for wharfs I'm going to go for an away win for Arsenal. Up next, which I think could be a cracking game, could be actually one of the games of the weekend, which is Bournemouth versus Nottingham Forest. So Bournemouth in absolutely sensational form playing great football. They are at home and they're up against one of the teams of the season who are right up there in the thick of a title race and that's Nottingham Forest.
00:26:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it could be a little bit of a clash of styles. So I think this could be a game where both teams kind of cancel each other out. I think the Bournemouth, even though they'll be at home, they'll be reluctant to go to Gunco against a forest team that are just known for their counter attacking. So I'm going to call this one as a draw.
00:27:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
up next Spurs, villain of the week, villain of the week, Anj Posta Koglu's Spurs versus Leicester. A home tie for Spurs and, dear me, if they can't beat Leicester at home, then they may as well just give up this season. So I think that, I think that Spurs I'm quite tentative about this because I really wouldn't be surprised if Leicester turned up and just beat Spurs because you just never know but I've got to go with a home win for Spurs.
00:27:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Up next is the Clariton Blue Derby, Aston Villa versus West Ham. I'm going to go for a home win. I think Villa at home are very good and I think they'll have too much for West Ham even though they've got their new manager Potter coming in but I think that Villa will will beat West Ham.
00:28:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
and what could be the game of the weekend Manchester City at home to Chelsea. What an interesting one that's going to be. in in seasons gone by, you'd you'd say city at home. It's got to be a ah three points for the home team. But I think this Manchester City and this Chelsea who've had a blip. But I think I think that Chelsea's midfield, I think is going to be key. And I think that they could overpower Manchester City's midfield. And so I'm going to go for a Chelsea away win.
00:28:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Up next, Palace versus Brentford. Again, this could be quite a ah good game, I think. Both teams, I think a a very good a good team. I think Palace have really improved. And I think that for that reason, and the fact that Brentford don't tend to travel well, I'm going to go for a Palace.
00:29:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
home win. And then to round that Premier League fixture list off, we've got Fulham versus Manchester United. Oh, I'm predicting some more heat on Reuben Amorin because I think that his compatriot in the opposite dugout Marco Silva, I think he's going to have one over.
00:29:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Amorim and Manchester United, so I'm predicting a Fulham home win. And I genuinely mean that. I know that my GSBN colleagues, Nick Britton, will be thinking I just cannot bring myself to predict a Manchester United win in any circumstance. And you know what? It's true. But I also genuinely believe that Fulham are going to be Manchester United.
00:29:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
What a quick European round up because we have had a few games in the Champions League. Liverpool making it 7 out of 7 in the Champions League with their 2-1 win over Lille. Arsenal 1 comfortably, Villa lost to Monaco.
00:30:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah ah City was the big one winning 2-0 against PSG in Paris and they somehow contrived to blow that two goal lead and lose 4-2 which leaves Manchester City in 25th place in that Champions League table of 36, which is in the automatic elimination spot. So that last game, they've got a home game against Club Bruges. They have to win. They have to win in order to get a spot in the playoff rounds for the knockout stages.
00:31:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
The other teams, Liverpool are through, Arsenal are through and and Villa will we go through as well, even if it's in the playoff spots. So a you know good representation for the English clubs.
00:31:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, that is all for today's episode of That Saturday Feeling, brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. Join us again next week, follow us on social media and look out for our daily podcastd podcast shows for all 20 Premier League teams and women's football. Until next time, thank you for listening.