Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
NBA Boom or Bust Teams | Is the Premier League Crap? | The Rams Make the First Big Off-Season Splash
14 Plays5 days ago
NBA Playoff Race, Premier League Debate & NFL Offseason Moves
Episode 65 of Who’s Got the Ball is here! Shane and James are joined by Michael to break down the biggest stories in sport this week across the NBA, Premier League and NFL.
NBA: With the playoffs approaching, which teams are rising and falling in the playoff race? Plus, are the Los Angeles Lakers underachieving this season or quietly preparing for a serious playoff push?
Premier League: After discussing the importance of Everton’s win over Newcastle, the lads tackle a big question — is the Premier League declining, and what could fix it?
NFL: The offseason is heating up as teams start using franchise tags and trades to shape their rosters. The Los Angeles Rams make the first big move as the road to the new season begins.
Also in this episode:
- Gan Seans
- Weekly Power Rankings
- Big sports debates
🎧 Listen if you’re into:
- Football (soccer) analysis
- NBA previews & predictions
- Weekly NFL reactions
- Underdog betting tips
- Draft-style sports debates
- Power rankings across multiple sports
- Sports content from an Irish perspective with global takes
🔁 New episodes drop weekly!
Follow/subscribe so you never miss a breakdown of the latest in the EPL, NBA, and NFL.
💬 Connect with us:
📸 Instagram → @whosgottheballpod | X / TikTok → @wgtbpod
📩 Send your takes → wgtbpod@gmail.com
🌍 Based in Ireland | Talking global sports weekly
(0:00) Intro
(2:35) Michael Joins to Chat NBA Boom or Bust Playoff Teams
(16:34) Are the Lakers Over or Under Performing?
(26:25) Everton Pushing for Europe
(29:39) Is Eddie Howe the Right Man for Newcastle?
(38:36) Is the Premier League Crap?
(55:45) Our Champions League Brackets
(1:01:28) Gan Seans: Our Underdog Picks
(1:06:03) The Rams & Bills Make Big Trades
(1:18:52) NBA X Premier League Power Rankings
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Milestone Celebration
00:00:09
Speaker
All right, lads, welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball. Up to 65 episodes now. How are you feeling about that, Shane? Good. We've all almost done as many episodes as there's been NBA games played by most teams this year, which is a bit mad when you think about it, but...
00:00:23
Speaker
Like I still love coming on, doing it every week and loving the support.
Social Media Success and Engagement
00:00:27
Speaker
There's our TikToks are going mental at the moment. Obviously posting every day is helping. One of them got over a thousand views there during the week, which was great to see you as well. So we really do appreciate the support wherever it's coming from and let's just keep it up.
00:00:41
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. No, we appreciate everybody who interacts with everything. And if you do not follow us on social media, if you have any social media accounts, give us a follow because we do, like Shane said, post every day at least something and to get the conversation going. So we'd love to hear from you in the comments and and hear what your thoughts are if you agree with us or anything else that you think or you'd want to see in the future. and We won't talk too much on
Deep Dive into NBA Playoffs Prospects
00:01:05
Speaker
this intro. We usually have a bit of a chat, but this episode was packed. There's a lot to get through. So let's just jump straight into it. What you're going to hear.
00:01:13
Speaker
First of all, Michael joins, which is always a good time. We talked about teams that could boom or bust in the and nf NBA right now. Who's going to climb up the ladder? Who's going to go down before the playoffs start?
00:01:23
Speaker
Then we moved on to the Lakers, who Michael has been wanting to rant about for quite a long time, so he got his chance. You'll love that one. DeAndre Ayton, please cover your ears if you're listening.
00:01:35
Speaker
We moved from that then into football, which we had a couple of good chats. One was about our performance of the weekend being Everton, and the fact they'd beat Newcastle led us into a chat about Eddie Howe's future there. and what he can do to help them in the long term or whether he's the right guy. And then we talked about the current state of football and and Shane put it very well and he just said, is football just
Football Highlights: Everton and NFL Free Agency
00:01:56
Speaker
crap now? Because there's been a lot of pointless games, a lot of weird tactics and a lot of hard to watch wrestling matches in the penalty box lately. So we gave our thoughts on that before quickly running through our Champions League brackets all the way up to the final. Then we did gone chance as usual, gave our underdog picks.
00:02:13
Speaker
Then we moved on to the NFL, talked about whatever transactions have gone down, including the two big trades of the last few days, our thoughts there before we move into free agency next week, where we'll have a hell of a lot more to talk about. And then we wrapped up on the power rankings. So listen, the whole way to the end, you'll hear our power rankings. You'll hear all the crazy changes we made. So let's get straight into it.
00:02:35
Speaker
All right, so let's start with the and NBA this week. We've got Michael back again. One week off, one week on. Michael is living the dream out here doing part time, but he's giving the takes hot when he comes in. So and he needs that time to dwell on it. And this week he's got two more juicy topics for us. So Michael, first of all, how are you? Welcome back. And second of all, lead us into your first topic.
00:02:58
Speaker
Thank you very much. it's always It's always a pleasure to be back. You know, I'm getting into the just one thing now. You know, writing up my... We're keeping it mild so far, but the the spicy takes will come as the season leads on into the end. So to start us off, this topic was actually something I had the last time I was here. and We decided to expand it out to a whole the whole own section. So after the All-Star break,
00:03:23
Speaker
Normally, the top eight seeds are the same teams going into the playoffs. So upon looking into this, I have all of this because I prefer physical data for some reason. And I realized there's always one team that either surges up the ranking or just busts and goes completely out of the playoffs. So with the seeding being so close this year,
00:03:46
Speaker
and you know a lot of drama stirring into our last 20 games i want you guys to give me your best prediction on which team is either going to boom up and make it into the playoffs from the fringes or absolutely bust and might go into the play-ins and then just lose okay i'll throw it to you first shane because i'm gonna go off when i go up so i want to let you speak first Okay, well I'm going with the Hornets as a climber.
00:04:13
Speaker
Even since before the All-Star break, they've just been on this run of form that has come out of absolutely nowhere. They're up now to 32 and 31, so they're They're in the ninth seed, and with the form they're on, I can see them pushing on a bit further up to that seventh or eighth seed and not having to worry about a play-in.
00:04:30
Speaker
Since I just, I don't know where it came from. At one point, they were 9-1 across 10 games heading into the All-Star break, and they've just continued out at the other side. Absolutely dismantled the Celtics the other night as well. 118-89 or something that. Yeah, they right.
00:04:44
Speaker
second know it was yeah they did you're right you're having exactly yeah that was like where where did that come from like yeah it's another one that it's just like this Hornets team we're just so unserious and all of a sudden they've just become a very serious basketball team La Mena Ball looks like the La Mena Ball we saw before everything about them at the moment is a really fun watch as well I think they're going to keep going they're going to push into that top 8 and they might actually a problem for someone in a playoff again in a playoff series as well Yeah, I agree you. Actually, i had it one team that's going to sink. I'll come back to that. But I had the Hornets as a team that's going to climb.
00:05:22
Speaker
I agree with that because I looked at how they played lately and the teams they beat, like beating the Hawks who are around them, beating the Bulls well, like they beat bad teams well. They beat the Blazers quite nicely. Like you mentioned, they they beat the Celtics very, very nicely. So they're a team that not only beat the teams around them, but they go up above their weight too, it seems. And they challenge other teams, like they only lose to the Cavs by five. And then I looked at kind of how far back they are. And they're only two and a half games back really from that six seed spot. So it's not...
00:06:00
Speaker
too far considering how they've been playing lately and then you look at the games they have to play like suns and blazers are both around their level kings they should beat them the spurs is a challenge heat magic grizzlies all are around their level kings again which is easy Like these are all games that are winnable for them. Like they could go through that eight game stretch, nine game stretch, and they could win eight, nine games. Like you wouldn't be surprised if they won every single one of those or just drop one or maybe two.
00:06:31
Speaker
So I agree. that they are a team that are going to climb up the board because they've they've already done it. And I think they're just going to continue to do it, even though they did hit a little road bump not so long ago. They they got over that and now they're back on it again. so Yeah, they're back on another six-game winning run again now.
00:06:48
Speaker
After you said that little that little speed bump and they're right back on the horse again. Just going keep mixing about first year of mine. But I don't see how they don't get into the top eight. At this point, I'd be very surprised if they don't get into the top eight and there will be a problem for anyone they play because they just play fun basketball. They all clearly enjoy playing with each other as well, which is always a massive thing as well.
00:07:12
Speaker
For a that to be doing what they're doing now, is just I can't think of too many in the recent past that have done what they're doing where they came from completely out of nowhere and have just decided to be an actual serious basketball team.
00:07:26
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. What do you think on on the Hornets, Michael? Did you have anybody else to climb? ah The Hornets, I really wanted to go with the Hornets, but I felt like everyone was going with it. feel like the biggest question is, is this like a Hawks, you know, kind of search for the Hornets? Are we going to see like a second round exit and then next year they're back to doing nothing? Or like, is this Lamello like actually turning the corner and playing, winning basketball and contributing? I don't even know what that might be different than what they're doing now, or if he's figured it out and they are clicking on all cylinders. I just, I'm so scared to say that this is sustainable for the Hornets.
00:08:09
Speaker
Out of every team, like if it was any, almost any other team other than, you know, the Nets or the Wizards, I'd feel more confident. But for me personally, my team to surge is the Hawks.
00:08:24
Speaker
And I don't know why I still like them. I knew you were going to come on this. I'll tell you why i think, like, I wanted to go with something different. I was looking at the West, and I don't really feel it. The Hawks, I feel good about.
00:08:37
Speaker
Now, Jonathan Kaminga is out again, unfortunately. Ignore that. He's coming back soon. okay guys? But i actually really like this team, and I don't think they're going to be, again, with the Pelicans pick, they don't care about what happens this season. They're going to keep competing as hard as they can. And I feel like...
00:08:58
Speaker
The Sixers are slipping. I can't light i like I've been off them since the McCain trade. I've literally refused to talk about them all year because I didn't want to get clipped on saying something outrageous, which I'm so happy about now because, I mean...
00:09:19
Speaker
We're looking at our team now and we're like, oh God, if only we had, you know, another ball handler, and someone else who's pretty good at shooting. And we're asking Quinton Grimes to do it and he can't.
00:09:30
Speaker
He cannot. Okay. As much as we thought he was great at the end of last season, we found out that it was a flash in the pan. So... Back to what I was saying with Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, you know, they have Corey Kispert, who's had a couple of huge shooting games for them. James has said that was a wonderful pickup and he was absolutely right. Onyekyo Okungwu is playing out of his damn mind over the last three weeks.
00:09:58
Speaker
This team might make some noise. I mean, I could see the heat possibly falling a little bit as well. They don't seem to have the same momentum as they had at the start of the season where they were using that new ah offensive yeah offensive system. It seems like teams have kind of figured them out.
00:10:15
Speaker
So that's kind of my pick. But you said you had one for busting. James, pause. i
00:10:24
Speaker
I think that's what you were doing over the Hawks just two seconds of ago. And it has been the same since the start of the season. The parallels, though, like, but I like that Hornets-Hawks, before I go on, I like that Hornets-Hawks parallel you drew with. Could they be just like a team that goes back to what they were before? The reason I think they won't is because of Karn Kanepo.
00:10:46
Speaker
Like, you look at the Hawks team, and at that time they had Trae Young. That's a parallel to Lamello. kind of unserious, can play well if he wants to, but most of time he's just messing around.
00:10:58
Speaker
And then you have the injury-prone star in Jalen Johnson, who could translate maybe to Brandon Miller. And then... The Hawks did not ever have that concanable guy that they just brought in. And he looks now like the rookie of the year when when people didn't expect him to be this good. He just plays smart basketball and the others had to adapt. So that would be my my take on why the Hornets may not fall into that Hawks and reset after a good year. But my my bust is the Sixers.
00:11:30
Speaker
I'm sorry. They're going to slip. Whether that's going to be them, like i would... You mentioned the Hawks, how they're playing. They're getting wins. The Hornets are getting wins. The Magic are iffy. The Heat are iffy. So whether the Sixers fall all the way down or just down a couple of spots, they're definitely going to fall into the playing. There's no way they stay in the top six because Embiid, he's either going to get at least one more small injury or he's going to continue with us this oblique injury that he has right now.
00:11:59
Speaker
Vijay has a back issue which is never good. PG is still out until we play the Thunder and before we play the Thunder we've got the Hawks, Cavs, Pistons, Blazers, Nuggets,
00:12:14
Speaker
all these are games that we're going to lose by 10, 15, 20, 30 points because we're just not good enough. Unless Joel plays, then we might win a few of those. But as I said, he's got injury issues.
00:12:27
Speaker
and So I think we could slip as far as 10th, to be honest, but i don't think we will. But I wouldn't be surprised if we did. and And I think the Sixers are going to be the team that slide down this board. And The Raptors were an intriguing one to look at, but when you look at the teams they lost to, it was OKC, Pistons, T-Wolves and Spurs.
00:12:46
Speaker
So it's not like they're losing to bad teams like the Sixers are. So yeah, I'm going to go with the Sixers. I'm sick of what they've done. Trading away Jared McCain, he's had double the amount of points as Grimes since that trade.
00:12:57
Speaker
It's just embarrassing what they did with this team, even when Embiid was begging for reinforcements. So now I don't blame him for playing for not playing through injuries because he asked for more reinforcements. They didn't give them to him last night.
00:13:10
Speaker
Barely beat the Jazz by three. Watching Tyrese Martin minutes like I'm just sick of this team and they're going to slide for sure. What was the reason behind the Jared McCain jared mccain trade? Because it didn't make sense to me on paper. Clearly it doesn't make sense to do either V either. Like what was the...
00:13:30
Speaker
What was feeling around him? He wasn't playing many minutes since he came back from injury, but he looked like he was ramping up. It was more a gorgeous thing. I think it was like Nurse wasn't fully sold on him. He preferred to play Grimes and Vijay more minutes because their defensive ability.
00:13:47
Speaker
And he's high on defense. and I think that it's a basically lack of foresight. or ability to look into the future by the front office because they went with what one coach thinks when we most likely will have another coach in the next year or 18 months because nurse cannot draw up offense to save his life so I think that was why they went with the coach's opinion and also mental Josh Harris wanted to deduct the luxury tax yeah but we already had deducted like we already had yeah so that's why makes some even less sense
00:14:19
Speaker
Yeah, really sickened. But does anybody else have a team to bust before we... of Okay. mar i have the one quick one before we move on. I think the Warriors are having a really strange season and i I can see them falling even out of the play-in picture at this stage. Steph is out injured. Obviously, Jimmy Butler is out for the year.
00:14:39
Speaker
they're just they They're very uninspiring, if you ask me. Even their form, they're 4-6 in their last 10, 31-30 across the so they're just about over that 500th.
00:14:51
Speaker
I think they will drop below five hundred before the season finishes, and I think they'll finish outside the top 10. I don't think they can finish outside the top 10, because the Grizzlies are never going to catch it, so they're not going to fall outside the top 10.
00:15:05
Speaker
No. Grizzlies are about eight games back. Yeah, the Grizzlies are so far back. I just noticed as well. Yeah, they davidly they'll be in the play-in, so they they won't they won't get there they won't get play-off. They will get play-in, and even then, I don't know what they do then. I just don't want the Rockets to play them because they always manage to beat the Rockets.
00:15:25
Speaker
Well, but with no, Steph, they're absolutely fat. Garbage. His ah knee injury is one that he doesn't even know because it's like runner's knee. They're swelling in his knee, so he doesn't know when it's going to come and go. So, yeah, that that's not good.
00:15:39
Speaker
Yeah, the Warriors, I was going to say them for for my team to slip, but I had a feeling James was going to do the Sixers. So I said, you know what i'll leave I'll leave it to him to talk. but I mean, the Warriors, it's just sad.
00:15:51
Speaker
I mean, you... Can we talk about Chris Stapps for Zingas? We knew about this mystery illness two years ago. In what world did you think trading for him was going to change that?
00:16:06
Speaker
Because he wasn't playing in Atlanta. And then you traded for him. And like I thought it was more a salary dump. But then everybody who's talking about it in the Warriors front office is like, it's going to be a great addition to the team. We can't wait for to make a playoff push with him.
00:16:22
Speaker
He's not playing. They still yeah' he said that he's one the one that they're not just having him as a rental. That's what they just said. What else is he then? Because he's why would you sign him long term?
00:16:34
Speaker
It's just, it's sad what's happened with the Warriors, but I wanted to leave my ranting for one team, which is their second topic today. So we're finally talking about the Lakers. We kind of, you know, we talk about different teams every now and then. I like to keep keep it interesting, but we're talking about...
00:16:52
Speaker
The big show, okay? With their big three finally back on the court, the results have been polarizing. But regardless of your opinion on this team, there's still only two games behind the Rockets who are sitting at the three seed.
00:17:05
Speaker
So do you feel like the Lakers are overachieving, underachieving, or just exactly where they should be? I think they're underachieving because of what the the team they built. Like,
00:17:17
Speaker
I think they could have built a way better team around Luka and they would be achieving a lot more right now. They're achieving exactly what their roster is built to do. Actually overachieving, I would say. But they're underachieving in the potential that they're in such a big market. They could have got better names. If they followed through on that Mark Williams trade, things would be way, more way different.
00:17:36
Speaker
You're stuck with DeAndre Ayton right now, and who last week is is saying they're trying to make me like Clint Capella and not Clint Capella. No, you're not. You're probably half the player Clint Capella is. So let's let's get that one straight.
00:17:51
Speaker
He needs to stay away from the team. I would play Jackson Hayes 40 minutes not to play DeAndre Ayton. And that shows how bad DeAndre Ayton is. um they just It was just a disaster class in in roster management and what they built. Luka...
00:18:06
Speaker
luka He's insufferable to watch lately. and All he does is complain. He doesn't play a defense. If one thing doesn't go his way, he'll argue with the rest for the next five possessions and not play defense. um Yeah, they're just a horrible team to watch. And I predicted them to get blown out last year in the first round when nobody was doing it.
00:18:27
Speaker
And this time I'm predicting it again because I don't like them. I don't like the way they carry carried themselves, the players, the way they speak. The arrogance they have for no reason. They have the worst record with teams against teams over 500 in the top six in the West.
00:18:43
Speaker
That's not going to cut it. You're going have to play one those teams in the playoffs and they're going to beat you 4-0. Yeah, I agree with James. um i just put him down as achieving. So they're not underachieving or overachieving. They're achieving with what they have.
00:18:57
Speaker
But as James said, they could have done so much more after they traded Luka and made this a team that was up there challenging the Thunder, challenging the Spurs, ahead of the Rockets.
00:19:07
Speaker
But they they just haven't. And now Luka's out there. He's doing 32.4 points per game. But as James said, he's he's impossible to watch at the moment. The Lakers are really hard to watch. It's not...
00:19:19
Speaker
It's not the Lakers of three or four years ago that i went out and played fun basketball. This is the Lakers team just go out and... ah I'm just going to call it they play ball. Because the basket, they've taken the fun out out of it a small bit. like and they're like their And their net rating is zero a plus 0.3.
00:19:36
Speaker
But since the first of March, they're minus 0.1. like This is since they've like they're all kind of coming out in the media. and As you said, DeAndre Hayton saying they want him to be Clint Capella. You're never going to be that unlucky.
00:19:48
Speaker
Luka just complaining left right and centre Lebron is just I think it's time for him maybe pack it in now I know he's still putting up his numbers now and then but it's time for him to let the new guard kind of take over if that means he moves on to another team or he finally hangs up there the boots or whatever they call it in the basketball and just hangs up something and just packs it in i think at 37 and 24 if they had done what they should be doing they should be well over 40 wins but they're achieving with with the rubbish they've managed to put together.
00:20:21
Speaker
Yeah, that's literally exactly how I feel about it. It's just like they are just so middling for me. And yes, my answer for this question is they're over they're overachieving.
00:20:36
Speaker
Like, I don't know. James, you kind of said that you felt like they're exactly where they're built. I think this roster is horrific. Okay. We did the LeBron James with like six ball handlers next to him.
00:20:52
Speaker
four years ago, five years ago. And guess what? It didn't work. And then you traded everybody for AD. So now you have LeBron James, you have Luka Doncic, whose hero is LeBron James. And then you have Austin Reeves, who guess what? Plays like a mini LeBron James. And then you have, eh, around them. Like, they have salvaged some pieces where, like, love Rui Hachimura. And then Vanderbilt and Marcus Smart are really nice pieces around that. but
00:21:25
Speaker
Marcus Smart has been good for them. Yeah, and I think the biggest... And this is the thing about DeAndre Ayton talking. Hey, bud, you started talking at the worst time possible because the biggest hole in this team is the center position.
00:21:41
Speaker
Two years ago, the Lakers... Nobody wanted Jackson Hayes. Nobody entertained the thought of having Jackson Hayes on their team. He was caught outside his ex-girlfriend's house holding a shovel when he was getting arrested. Nobody wanted him. He was too much to deal with, and he couldn't play on the court.
00:21:59
Speaker
Then they pick up DeAndre Ayton. On paper, great pickup. Here's a list of like 45 second, like non-starting centers in the league that I would rather have over DeAndre Ayton. They can't even play him over 25 minutes a game. It's unable, like it's literally not possible for them to do it. They'd rather keep playing like Jackson Hayes and LeBron at small ball five. Give give give us the funniest name on that list.
00:22:28
Speaker
The funniest name on this list. Let me look at Green Shepherds. Reid Shepard had center. Honestly, he had four blocks or something the other day. i' I'm going down this list. I'd rather have Jaden McDaniels as my center for the whole season. I'd rather have Adam Bona on this team as a center. Paul Reid. Give me Mo Wagner. Give me Jock Landale.
00:22:52
Speaker
Jericho Sims from the Bucks. I won't have anyone slander Jock Landale. He's Rockets legend. He's really the best name you listed there. He actually probably is. Even Trenton Watford, I'd rather have at the five. Like, I don't think you understand that this guy is seven foot four. Like, okay, he's not seven foot four. But like, he's seven foot. He's huge. And he's never averaged like over six rebounds or seven rebounds in his career. I mean, Clint Capella for six years straight was just averaging a double-double.
00:23:30
Speaker
with two blocks, four offensive rebounds on the second best team in the league that was competing against the Golden State Warriors. And it wasn't his fault because he didn't shoot one three out of the 27 that they missed.
00:23:44
Speaker
So, like, DeAndre Ayton... You might have just cost yourself a job for next season. Because nobody wants to deal with this. JJ Redick is massaging every little minute he can out of you. The...
00:24:04
Speaker
the I'm going to going to step off and let someone else. Deandre Ayton, across his career, he's averaged 10.5 rebounds. That's not included in this season now. That's up to the end of last season with Portland. He averages 10.5 rebounds per game and 14.4 points per game.
00:24:25
Speaker
But he's not doing that this year. He's nowhere near that level this year. Just there. That's my bad.
00:24:32
Speaker
soto The point still sounds busy. We can see what he's done like with our with our eyes and in every single game. And his reluctance, like if you trend that over time as well, the worst is this season. the third worst was last season. like It's going down.
00:24:52
Speaker
so And he's still only 27. So where does like how does that make sense? He should be coming into his prime. He should be hitting. He should be averaging a double-double. religiously across a season 27, 28, 29 years old and if anything he's getting much worse and worse he'll be out of the league at 30.
00:25:12
Speaker
Yeah, well with that attitude here like Michael said like it's a It's a Ben Simmons-esque way of of carrying yourself and seeing nobody wants him. And he was picking up smaller deals until it's fizzled out. And this is the same. that He's only got like 8 million this year. like The Lakers had to do it because they had no option at centre. But they waited so late to do it that it didn't like if they moved away earlier, like I said, they would have had so many options. But they went with him last minute.
00:25:45
Speaker
nothing really else going. They paid him a little bit of money because nobody else wanted him. Yeah, I think the Lakers are on serious and LeBron is going to leave them, I think, next season. Definitely, probably end up with the Warriors because that's something they're going to do.
00:25:58
Speaker
yeah And it's just going to fun to watch him and Steph next season, but they're not going to be a serious team either. and so Yeah, I think we'll leave it there. Hit on the Lakers pretty hard, which is Michael has been holding on to that one for a while and hit our boom and bust team. So appreciate you coming on once again, Michael, and we will have you again in two weeks for your next round of takes.
00:26:22
Speaker
Thank you so much. Always a pleasure. right So Everton are beginning to make a push for Europe by the looks of it. Two wins on the bounce. They were particularly impressive in their 3-2-1 against Newcastle.
00:26:34
Speaker
I know we've got a game since then that they've played beating Burnley, but like we're going to go back and look at the best performance from last weekend like we usually do. And that was the one that stood out to us.
00:26:46
Speaker
think they took advantage of Newcastle's mistakes and they were pegged back to 2-2. with only eight minutes left, and straight away they were on the they were on the counter, and they won the ball back and got another goal, and that was down to probably Newcastle's mistakes, but they did put the pressure on, and I think they were a lot different with their finishing product than they were a week before against United, where I thought they were really, really poor in that aspect, and kind of a bit standoffish at times, whereas in this game they really took it to Newcastle, and they got the three points as a reward, and then, as I said, went to beat Burnley, so 6.5, them at this time and they're sitting in eighth just a point behind Brentford in seventh yeah if Everton's home form matched their away form they'd honestly be in the top four at moment they've 24 points away from home which is the same as City it's the third best in the league they just hate playing at home and I think it's the same thing happens to every team that goes into a new stadium they kind of struggle for the first year
00:27:44
Speaker
maybe struggling for first two years, they might never get used to it. But if he if they did if they do get used to it and then keep up this away form as well, then they could start pushing for Europe on a regular basis. 2.13 to 1.03 in XG away at Newcastle is really good going for an Everton team that are kind of, they're very unfancied. They have three big chances to one as well, scored three goals, so that lines up too.
00:28:08
Speaker
Newcastle just didn't really get going. Even, as you said, when they got it back to two all, there was only one team. If there was a winner in it, it was still going to be everything. They somehow never... hook the momentum of getting back to 2-2 and bringing the crowd on sides.
00:28:21
Speaker
It's just kind of very Newcastle this year. It's what they've done when they play in Europe, and we all say this, until Eddie Howe eventually loses his job in the summer. He's just he he's not a manager that can do this Champions League, run things.
00:28:33
Speaker
And I just think that this is just another shining example. Because then they go off and they beat United in midweek after losing to Everton. but It's two Premier League games in a row, he can probably do that. He doesn't seem to be able to manage the Champions League.
00:28:48
Speaker
The high of playing the Champions League and bringing it back to Premier League level. And this was almost a perfect example of why I don't think Eddie Howe has a job next season. Well, not at Newcastle anyway.
00:29:00
Speaker
Yeah, we've we've touched on that a lot. And I think it's interesting to to to look at it now after the end of this bad run of form. I will say a funny thing about Everton moving into the Hill Dickinson is that after the first few games, they played really well and all the fans loved it, loved the new stadium. And now they've been awful there and now they all hate it.
00:29:20
Speaker
So it's like turning aber once they once they start winning again there, they'll like it. But I think they're definitely on on the cusp of of getting back into Europe, which, you know, that'll be interesting to see. And they need to keep playing like they have been in last few games rather than the crap that they were playing against United. But, on Eddie Howe, that was three home losses in a row for the first time, like, of him managing Newcastle. And...
00:29:46
Speaker
I think they made too many mistakes in that game that were characteristic of how they've played this season. Just goalkeeping mistakes, losing the ball, and they didn't need to pour pass in And then they dropped Nick Pope against United, and Ramsdale has a brilliant game, made some great saves, um helped them on their way to get the win, which they thoroughly deserved, even though they only had 10 men.
00:30:09
Speaker
They wanted it more. They fought harder for it. And that's the thing, like, Fighting hard and wanting it more will get you there a lot of the time against a team that it had it had been coming for United. They hadn't lost in the league since the 21st of December. They were eventually going to get complacent and it was it was kind of bad timing that it did at the moment where you could capitalise and pull further away in third.
00:30:34
Speaker
But... That was always going to come. And Newcastle, they smelled the blood in the water and they went after and United. did it And they've always been able to do that. they've They've had that doggedness about them. But it's not about being dogged every single week. It's about playing football. And it's not about borderline getting three you red cards in that game. The Ramsey one probably shouldn't have been. Byrne was on the cusp with his elbow in Charles Stokes.
00:30:58
Speaker
And Joe Linton clapping sarcastically for the refs. So you can't continuously do that and expect to get results. I think Howe has done a superb job there.
00:31:10
Speaker
And when they have only one game a week or a cup game and a Premier League game, it always works because that doggedness outshines these other English teams who play a certain way and it's getting more physical lately, which is something we'll get on to now in a few minutes. But the Champions League is a different beast. There's beautiful football being played by teams from all over.
00:31:31
Speaker
You look at Bodo Glimt, like, would you fancy Newcastle against them right now? i'm not sure that that dogginess is going to get you there unless you're fully, fully organised. So I think how...
00:31:42
Speaker
He has hit his peak. He's shown a few times now that he can't manage this Europe and Premier League um run. And I think the fact that they beat United with 10 men is the perfect thing to spring you forward and to use that as as something to get her on a run of form. But then you look at the games they have to play. City away in the FA Cup, two Barca games sandwiched in between those as a game against Chelsea away. And then right after that is a Sunderland derby.
00:32:10
Speaker
So that's all before the international break. If they go on a bad run there, I don't know how how survives. Maybe since he's been there so long, they do on the solid of leaving him until the end of the season. But if they get through this run with a lot of losses, he'll be done in the summer.
00:32:27
Speaker
Yeah, I don't think they will fire him now at this stage. I don't think any anyone, bar maybe Spurs, is going to fire their manager between now and the end of the season because just like, what's the point? There's 10 games left. Why are you bringing in a caretaker or bringing in someone who might want to just tear everything up and throw it apart for 10 games left? Just do us the third week of May when it's all said and done, the parades have been done, all that, then say, okay, thanks very much, Eddie.
00:32:51
Speaker
See you later. Yeah. like They're always talking about, oh, we're being held back by PSR. like I understand that they can't spend the billions and billions that they have in their back pocket, but they still spend $278 million in the summer yeah on on nothing.
00:33:06
Speaker
There's nothing there that you can write home about. Like, Ramsey isn't... mean, PSR didn't force them to buy a Ramsey for that much money or of automatic for 70 or 80 for a little bit. Yeah, like Fultimata will be a good player. He's not the finished article. He wasn't a kind of exact replacement they thought he was going to be. He was never going to come in and score 20 or 25 league goals. And now the last time he played, they played him in midfield.
00:33:28
Speaker
joe and It's just kind of his decisions like that. And the way they've thrown money around, Lange, another terrible bit of business. Vissa, okay, he got injured. That's not their fault. But again, you're spending that much. like They went all out for so long for a 29-year-old.
00:33:42
Speaker
and spent that much money on a 29 year old, there was better options out there you could have gotten. im I'm not saying he's not a good player. i I think on his day, he's as good as anyone in the league. But if this is the way you were kind of like building your future,
00:33:55
Speaker
Signing a 29-year-old, Anantin Yolanga, was never going to go anywhere. And every time they're in the Champions League, the next season, they fall off the way they have this year. Next year, they can very easily be back fighting for a Champions League place again. Because as you said, one game a week, they're a different team.
00:34:10
Speaker
But Eddie Howe can't be the manager going into that season and again. Or it's just it's literally just Groundhog Day over and over again for Newcastle. Oh, great, we qualified for Champions League. Now we're 12th. Like, it's just, it's it's a nonsense way of doing things. And this is a club that's massive fan base.
00:34:26
Speaker
Their stadium is incredible. The noise they make when it comes through the television is actually outrageous at times. That game last night when the Anthony Gordon penalty went in, sorry, Dave, yeah, well, his penalty as well, but the Ocelot goal by TV nearly burst, like, with the noise that was coming out of from that stadium. But...
00:34:42
Speaker
Eddie Howe is not the man that's going to take you on to push for winning a Champions League or anything like that. I just think, I think this, at the end of the season, he has to go. I'm surprised he lasted six months. He's now lasted, what is it, four years maybe?
00:34:55
Speaker
And he has done a really, really good job, but it it is time for him to move on and get someone that can can handle the transfer market for stars, sign players, spend your money better. And then when you are in the Champions League, can actually manage to do the two big games in a week. Because he's he's shown over and over again he can't do it.
00:35:14
Speaker
Sorry, that was a bit of a rant. I can't believe I spoke for that long. No, you're good. I agree with a lot of the points you made. I think... they they did invest poorly when they could have invested a lot better. And some of these guys might be good. Like you might get something good out of Altamad in the future. But like you said, Wissa has missed a lot of time through injury and you spent that much on him.
00:35:34
Speaker
You could have chased somebody else in the meantime and not be so wedded to him when you knew Brentford had you over a barrel. And... you mentioned the size of the fan base and the stadium. And one thing I'll say on top of that is the ownership. The ownership has really high expectations. They're pumping money into the team. and so i think...
00:35:55
Speaker
It could be trouble as well if if some of the rumours are true that you know they're they're open to, not Newcastle, but the players like Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes are open to leaving in and because they're at the heartbeat of the team.
00:36:09
Speaker
So if they do leave, I don't know where where they go from there. They definitely need a new manager. and I don't know if... This is fair or accurate, but I'm not sure how it lasts as long if he's not English.
00:36:24
Speaker
and they I think he did get some bit more leeway because of that. and i think the media would have went harder on him. And also this fact that he was the darling, the next possible England manager for so long, the media was always bigging him up. So I think that was a little bit of a save on his on his part too.
00:36:44
Speaker
Yeah, it seems to be only me that has been gunning for him for the last 18 months. Like, you don't see it anywhere saying, this has to the Eddie Howe, this has to the end of Eddie Howe, except me coming on here for the last 65 episodes and every chance I get.
00:36:56
Speaker
It's not Arsenal, I'm blasting, it's Newcastle. And i just, I agree with you. I think he's gotten know away with for so long because he's English, everyone loves him. his assistant manager gets more sacked than he does and fair enough he absolutely deserves it as well but I think he kind of like Eddie almost hides behind him not in the literal sense he's not literally going out there and oh Jason go out and take the heat there but he gets away with a lot more because his assistant manager is such a clown that I think it has to come to roost this summer and they have to do it early They can't hold on to him until the middle of June and then say, oh, look, Jambi Alonso has said he'll come here. Because then it's too late for him to make signing. You have month then, you're into pre-season, middle of a World Cup.
00:37:38
Speaker
They have to do it. At the end of May, say, Eddie, thank you so much, but this is the end of the road. we We have to do it here. Give him his payoff. I don't care what it is. It can't be that much. And then just move on and say, okay, this is our new manager. This is idea.
00:37:52
Speaker
I'd be surprised if they do manage to hold on to Denali and Bruno again without Champions League. I think they're two of the best midfielders in the league. Denali in particular, since he came back from that that ban, he's just been, he's absolutely incredible to watch. I think he'd be great i university a and Arsenal, unfortunately, I think, but I don't think they will sign him, but I think he'd fit it in so well with either of those teams.
00:38:13
Speaker
I saw reports already that United had held some talks with his people and they'd scouted him for few years, so... That's possibility. It would make sense there as well. And then Bruno, I'd love to see Bruno at Liverpool. think it would happen. I think he's too old for Liverpool's owners to sign now. I think he's 28 or 29.
00:38:32
Speaker
But I think he's an absolutely incredible player as well. Yeah, I agree. We teased it a little bit before we were talking about the physicality of the league. But the question Shane posed is just straight up, is football crap?
00:38:45
Speaker
Is it just getting kind of... like harder to watch, less enjoyable. All those all those thoughts come to mind. But and since it was your topic, I'll lead let you lead in with what your thoughts are on this.
00:39:00
Speaker
I think it's horrific. The two main points I want to talk about are the fact that no team seems to know how to attack from open play is mad. And the referee in this season in particular, whatever it is, has just gone it's it's just it's beyond belief how bad it is. I tweeted, texted you this other day, 260 set-piece goals as of the weekend just gone. I know there was another couple in midweek. I don't know how many there were and I didn't want to try and do the maths against this is a grand even. 25% of all goals scored across the 281 games that were played up until the weekend. 260 set-piece goals.
00:39:39
Speaker
Like this can't be the way it goes. Like this can't be the product the Premier League are trying to sell if they're saying it's the best league in the world and a quarter of the goals are coming from set pieces. It's just, it takes so much time out the games. The wrestling that they're getting away with in the box this season is nothing I've ever seen before. It's like you can literally have a boxing match in a six-yard box until that ball is kicked.
00:40:01
Speaker
And then we'll just give her free out or we'll let Arsenal score a goal. And that's way it's been all year. I know like the Paraton, no team knows how to attack outside of set pieces. Liverpool scored seven goals in a row from set pieces up until Jeremy Fringpong forced an own goal against West Ham.
00:40:20
Speaker
That's not the football I want to sit down and watch. I said to you before we came on here that I came out of that Liverpool game more confused. I've never seen such an unconvincing win. They were 3-0 up at half-time, all three goals from corners.
00:40:32
Speaker
Outside of that, they did not look like they were going to score from open play. And it's not just them. Arsenal last night against Brighton, 0.53 xG across the 90 minutes. the goal they scored was a fluke. It came in, it was a cross in, hit the keeper's leg and went in.
00:40:48
Speaker
Then, Jesus, don't get me... They took 30 minutes and 51 seconds out of that game last night waiting to get the ball back into play from corners, set pieces. David Raya going down injured three times. It's...
00:41:00
Speaker
I know they're probably going to win the league now, which drives me insane. How have we let a team like this just go and walk away with the league? A team who has the most corner goals in any league season up there with all them and someone else I can't remember other one was, but it was two teams that got relegated this season. They did it. They scored that many goals in set pieces.
00:41:18
Speaker
No team in the league knows how to attack from open play. It's such a hard watch. The inconsistency is in refereeing. So Man City got a penalty for Liverpool for the same thing Haaland didn't get a penalty for against Spurs last night. Knocked it down to Keithberg.
00:41:32
Speaker
Keeper takes her out. It's a penalty 10 times out of 10. No penalty last night. Penalty against Liverpool. The Gabriel foul by Colin Moany in that Spurs game. That's happened, I'd say, six times since and hasn't been penalised.
00:41:45
Speaker
It's because Gabriel shows his arms up and goes down. yeah And I'm going to talk about the one from Van Dijk. That wasn't a foul, but... Like what Eketike did to Christian Romero is worse than what Colin Moran did to Gabriel and we got a goal out of us. There's so many examples. Jacob Ramsey booked for diving. Since when do they book people for diving again?
00:42:05
Speaker
like get your That's kind of something that kind of comes and goes every second week it seems. They don't seem to do it until it's like, oh, I'll do it now. The time-wasting, not just the 30 minutes last night. All season.
00:42:16
Speaker
from throw-ins, Brentford, Bournemouth, Arsenal, Liverpool, whoever it is, shouldn't be taking you 30 seconds scale to get a throw-in back into play. Corners, we mentioned us that. That Everton-United game, I'm going come back to it again. My God, that was the worst game of football seen in about eight years.
00:42:32
Speaker
And I can't think of a single game. United-Brenford game. Sorry, United-Bormitt game aside, no other game comes to mind that I would say, geez, that was really enjoyable.
00:42:44
Speaker
And that's not just Liverpool matches, that's across. I've watched a lot of games of football this season. And there hasn't been too many I came out of and said that wasn't a waste of my time. And that United Everything game like my I came out, I went into my phone and was like, I would really like those two hours back to go and cut the garden in the pitch darkness or something, because it was just an abysmal game of football to watch. And the whole season is just, it's been crap.
00:43:11
Speaker
And it's summarised by the fact that Arsenal going to win the league by wasting time. on of yeah, I'll let you go before I do a Michael on it. I just can't believe how bad it's gotten this year and something has got to be done this summer to try and fix it because this can't it can't go on like this.
00:43:28
Speaker
Yeah, i there has to be something done, but it's hard to imagine what they can do because... Well, first of all, the first thing they can do is sort out the wrestling in the box because that is not football.
00:43:40
Speaker
That's the first thing and the main thing they need to do. But that doesn't eliminate the way that the game is played more more recently because let's say they start by going right. Defensive player, for the first game week of the season, if you're grabbing someone around the waist, straight away it's a penalty.
00:43:56
Speaker
Attacking player, if you do it, straight away blown up free. You don't even take the corner. and That's it. that starts something in the works, something getting solved. But it doesn't change the way that teams are being built now because they will come up with new ways to have set piece routines, corner routines, throw in routines where players move around in certain ways to block people off without actually using their hands and that will continue the cycle of of teams going with bigger stronger players like Arsenal play four centre-backs every single game because they want to win the game in the in the penalty box they don't want to play football Fabian Herzler said it last night and you could say it's sour grapes when he was 100%
00:44:40
Speaker
You look at it in the return of XG to goals, I thought is interesting. Arsenal are fourth and XG with 50, but yet they have 59 goals because they're scoring so many from set pieces and things where they're fouling players in the box or getting goals. Bournemouth Brighton have 45.6 and 42.1 XG respectively,
00:45:00
Speaker
but they only have forty fours thirty eight goals I brought them up because those two teams play nice football. They play attacking football. They play direct. They want to play the game, but they're not getting the points for it.
00:45:13
Speaker
You get points for now playing physically and playing the way that the league has gone. And that's an issue beyond Arsenal. Arsenal built the team to win in the way that needs to be won.
00:45:24
Speaker
they They did it. They did the same thing that when City went down, they built a team with a lot of technical players, slick players that could come in and out for each other. They won so many times. They built the profiles. They had a big domineering midfielder in Jaya Torre that was able to work up and down. Right now, you don't need some of those profiles. You need big guys who, across your backline, you're playing four centre-backs. Everton do it as well. A number of teams do it. Then you've got a defensive midfielder in Rice who is a good passer and a very good deliverer of the ball. that's Unbelievable. The only do any bit of praise I'll give him is he he delivers one hell of a corner. Other than that, I hate him. Continue. And then you have, like, outside of that, you' you're trying to buy guys who are winning you.
00:46:09
Speaker
The idea with Giacarez is that he was physical and he was strong and he was able to help, didn't translate really into the Premier League. Kai Havertz isn't a proper striker. he's He's kind of more of an attacking midfielder, but even be more defensive. and But he's good in the box as well. So the whole thing was built towards this one goal and they did it perfectly and they're going to win the league for it.
00:46:30
Speaker
but it's horrendous to watch because they know they can get away with time wasting, wrestling, play acting, diving, because they've got away with it all season and they'll continue to do so.
00:46:42
Speaker
And it's just taken away from the fact of watching good football. Like, what they did against Spurs, OK, Colin Moani's goal, that was ah a massive issue that shouldn't have been given as a foul. But Arsenal played some nice football in that game. So they cant they can if they want to. But they don't want to do it against any team that's not absolutely useless like Spurs.
00:47:04
Speaker
There's too many times that teams don't want to play. They want to sit back for the majority of the game. They want to sit in a low block and they want to say to the other team, try and break me down. If you can't, we'll hit on the break and we'll win.
00:47:16
Speaker
Which is what Everton have done a lot. and i have a list of teams here who do it. Wolves do it. Burnley do it. They attempt to do it. West Ham have done it now at Nuno. Forest do it. Spurs under Frank were doing it. Everton, it's their bread and butter. Palace do it. They have alarmingly low amount of the ball. Villa do it for any big game. Sunderland do it every single week. Leeds do it by necessity. frank does or Farca doesn't even want to play that way, but they do because they have to.
00:47:41
Speaker
And then... the teams at the top are the teams with the better players because it's less about playing football and figuring out a way to break down systems like it used to be. It's more about Who has the better individual players that can produce a moment of brilliance?
00:47:55
Speaker
And they're the teams that get to the top of the table. And it's not like, oh, we figured out how to play nice football, so we're up here now. No, it's we're big, we're bruisers. And then we have some players that can can get us a nice one moment in a game that that will change it like Saka.
00:48:11
Speaker
Last night not being a good example of that, but in general. So it's not it's not it's not a thing of all teams are are equal and able to figure things out. It's either be physical and hope you can get a season where you get loads of counter-attack goals like Forest last season and do really well, or just hope to get as many draws as you possibly can and and stay in the league.
00:48:32
Speaker
So I don't know where it goes from here, but it's it's just completely on the downturn. And on your point of how many games have been good to watch... I think that Liverpool and City game, the 2-1 was quite quite a good game. The United and Bournemouth game was a good game. and i enjoyed the United and Arsenal.
00:48:51
Speaker
And then outside of that, the only other game I can remember that I enjoyed was in are in the Champions League because there have been so many games. The Fulham City game, the 5-4 or whatever it was. Oh, yeah. i I didn't watch that, which I didn't can... Obviously, like, that was obviously a good game of football. That was two teams i wanted to get the ball down and play.
00:49:09
Speaker
You make a great point there about it being... about players bringing up moments. That there's been no, like, sustained period of, oh my God, Villa are on a massive run. Villa were up so high where they were because Morgan Rodgers was scoring from 20 yards every week.
00:49:25
Speaker
Yeah. Like, they were... Like, they've come back down to the mean of XG, and I won't mention XG again now because this isn't about... This isn't about the stats book. This is about the actual football we're watching. But Villa have just come kind of reverted to me. And they were getting away with moments of pure brilliance that was winning them games for so long.
00:49:41
Speaker
And now they're just coming back down to earth. Barcelona's season. have been creating nothing, playing for corners. They're the only team that I see get away with actually pulling people down.
00:49:53
Speaker
That one against Chelsea where Rice handled it, Saliba has two arms around Joao Pedro and Joao Pedro gets punched in the head by Raya. That's three penalties against any other team in the league and they just seem to get away with it. And that brings it back to the inconsistent season and referee. and Peter Banks last night is an absolute disgrace.
00:50:14
Speaker
Thomas Bramwell, I think was his name, did Wolves in Liverpool. How he ever passed his exams to be a Premier League referee is beyond me because he was abysmal for both teams as well. um Michael Oliver used to be good.
00:50:28
Speaker
He's not anymore. Whatever's happened to him. I hate the sight of Anthony Taylor doing any sort of Liverpool match because I know something is going to go one way other that's going to lead to controversy. Gerard Gillard came over from Australia with this big massive reputation for being unbelievable.
00:50:41
Speaker
His last game went viral everywhere. The way he was speaking to players, the way he was dealing with DeVar, all that stuff. So he comes over and just goes through that men in black thing that clears your memory. It's like he lands in England and just like, okay, everything you learned as a referee in Australia is now gone. This is how we do it in England.
00:50:59
Speaker
And the protection they get from chief spoofer of all of them, Howard Webb, when he goes on and says, oh, we're really sorry about this mistake. We are putting things in place to stop this happening again.
00:51:13
Speaker
Then why have Arf why we now nearly 30 games into the season and Arsenal keep getting away with dragging people around the place? I can't think of a single penalty given against Arsenal this season. I'm sure there probably has been one, but I can't think of a single one off of my head.
00:51:25
Speaker
where Arsenal have conceded a penalty. Maybe they haven't conceded a penalty because they get away with everything in the box, holding people down. and then some of goals they're scoring where Gabriel is literally using someone as a springboard and on their shoulders to hoist himself up to win a header against Chelsea for the first goal. And not a thing said. And the other team does it. It's ruined out. And...
00:51:47
Speaker
I'm not going to say it's a big, massive conspiracy that they want Arsenal to win the league because I don't think that's it. I just think they're just so numb to like, oh, there's eight fouls there. Which one do I give? Oh, let's just give none and move on.
00:52:01
Speaker
Like, i actually think it could be that where it's just like Arsenal have worn them down so much for what they're doing that they're like, oh, just just get on with this. And especially when you take 90 seconds get to get the just, they're probably i already running out to try and get play backy back up and going. They're not even watching what's happening because they're so sick of waiting for Arsenal to get ball back in play.
00:52:22
Speaker
David Royer's dive after João Pedro semi-nudged him in the Chelsea game. it's It's one of the funniest clips I've ever seen. He takes three steps and then throws himself. I'm so surprised of what Harry Maguire did in that Palace game where he's pretending he got kicked in the head. i don't know where that came from with him. but That doesn't seem like his kind of player.
00:52:40
Speaker
i mean, I wouldn't put that on Maguire because as a character trait, like, Oh no, I know I'm not. But like at first I was like, oh, the ball just hurt him in the head. And then I saw the clip where he's like, the referee, that's twice now. That's twice. as like He wasn't within six inches of your head. like I don't know why you've done that. And is that him just trying to play up to the rules the way everything else is going?
00:53:02
Speaker
I said to you at the time, am I thought was a penalty. The Maxson Lacroix one. It's a bit of a dive from Cunha as well. his finger he's he's He has his hand on his shoulder for a second and he goes down.
00:53:13
Speaker
I mean, and he had, it was, the fact he brought into the penalty, into the box, shows us how aware the players are with these rules now. yeah Cunha was like, I need to keep running into the box, because otherwise I won't. But in fairness, Lacroix has a full hold of his jersey for a good three seconds. so But he does outside the box, and then when Cunha gets into the box, it's like ah a brush on his shoulder, like, okay, now I can go down win the box. He had it outside the box. If he went down outside of the box, it's a free, it's still a red card, he's through on goal. So I think,
00:53:43
Speaker
Like that one, it it's, it's, that one shows me how aware the players are of the rules that they can't even play the game properly and go down when they're fouled. They have to wait until they're inside the box now.
00:53:54
Speaker
And then Liverpool are just so on street smart towards it. Liverpool don't go down. Liverpool just keep running. When Yuka Ekutike against Wolves was literally having his jersey taken off his back and he just keeps trying to run and get away It's like, just stop. He's going to get booked instead of lashing out and potentially getting yourself a red card for swinging your arm back and catching him in the face because he's just tagging off your jersey. Just stop.
00:54:17
Speaker
Stop on spot. You're getting the free kick anyway. You're not going to get away from He literally has his hand in your jersey. You're not going to get away from it. Luford is so stupid. Every other team in the league nearly seems to have worked out that the referees are so bad. If we do this, we'll get away with it.
00:54:32
Speaker
Again, that's that's what football has become and I really don't like it. I'm going to the market's field tomorrow to watch Treaty. I haven't had a shot in target in two games instead of staying at home to watch Liverpool because I just can't put myself through another 90 minutes of crap football.
00:54:48
Speaker
Well, to UMass, probably going to be crap football as well, but it's like... Just go up there and actually kind of like feel something instead of sitting there and waiting for something to happen. I'm just, I'm so sick of how the season is. I actually can't wait for it to finish.
00:55:01
Speaker
And it's really bad because we do a football podcast, but I actually just can't wait for the season to be finished and see if they are able to do anything about what's going on somewhere in the summer then. Yeah, i mean, like you can still be honest about how you feel watching it, even though we do and love the sport. And the fact of the Premier League is still so interesting because of the jeopardy around how anybody can beat anybody and what the positions that are still up for grabs.
00:55:27
Speaker
That's why it's interesting, not because of the football that's being played, but you should watch. I don't know. I wouldn't recommend a treaty the way they're playing. and No. It's not good for your heart either. I think you should stay at home and watch Ireland and Wales and the rugby. That would be your best course of action. Yeah, we'll But let's quickfire then through what we want to do something. and we've We've talked a lot about football, so we'll just give our picks so we won't go too much into it. Let's try and do it in 60 seconds each. Go through our full Champions League bracket.
00:55:58
Speaker
And we'll we'll go with the left side first and then our right side and then we'll give our our winners. So let's try and 60 seconds each. I'll go ahead first and before the first round is starting next week. So PSG and Chelsea, I think PSG are going to have too much. Chelsea aren't consistent. Galatasaray and Liverpool, I would have picked Liverpool up until they played Wolves. I just don't trust that they can beat Galatasaray over two legs because Galatasaray scores so many goals. City, Madrid, Madrid are having a wobbler.
00:56:31
Speaker
They're gone for me. City through. Bayern and Atalanta. Atalanta are solid, but they're missing that punch since they got Luckmann. So Munich, I think, are the best team. in Europe right now and they're cruising and in the Bundesliga so that's why I've got them through PSG, Galatasaray then in the quarters, PSG all the way, Galatasaray won't get far enough, um won't be good enough to get this further than that. Bayern then against City, I've gone with Bayern, I do think that they are the best team in Europe and they have such an easy run in the league that they'll be relaxed and being able to rest players in the league and that's why I've gone with them beating PSG because they have lawns breathing down their neck in in the Frenchbacks they're my finalist on the other side then I've got Newcastle of Barcelona I'm going with Barca I think Newcastle are not going to be able to to put up with the technical ability of Barcelona Atletico against Spurs Atletico don't really need to say anything there Bodo Glimt against Sporting I'm going with Bodo Glimt story to continue
00:57:33
Speaker
get the win over Sporting although they are a good team I just think that Bodo Glimt are riding a high Arsenal against Leverkusen Arsenal will set peace their way through that and get into the quarters Barcelona against Aleti I'm going with Barca I think that they did lose to Adleti 4-0 in the Copa del Rey but then they pumped them 3-0 in the second leg wasn't enough they'll get their revenge here Arsenal against Bodo Glimt I'm going with Arsenal.
00:57:59
Speaker
I think the Bolo Glimm story comes to an end. Although I would love to pick them. I just think Arsenal are just so savvy with set pieces as we've talked about. Barca then are going to beat Arsenal in the semis for me.
00:58:11
Speaker
i think take away the set pieces and you kind of... obviously see Barca as a better team Arsenal are probably going to get a couple of set piece goals but Barca do have good strong defense and they're much better on the ball at creating chances so I'm going to take them to take it Bayern and then Barca in the final give me Bayern for all the reasons I outlined i think they have a great run I like what company has done I like their squad I think they'll be the freshest team going into this and they're going to take down Barca in the final
00:58:42
Speaker
Yeah, I don't mind it. I don't want to get dissimilar to you either. I wanted to do two. One, where Liverpool win it out. But I'm just going to leave that one to aside for the moment. I'm obviously going PSG to beat Chelsea.
00:58:54
Speaker
I'm going Liverpool to beat Caledas-Royce. So that's my first quarterfinal. And going with City to beat Madrid, again, Madrid's just aren't very good at the moment. Erbelo has come in there. He's done very, very little to kind steady this ship. They're just not a very good team this year.
00:59:08
Speaker
They're picking up injuries left-right and centre as well. Man City will get through that. And obviously Bayern will beat Atalanta. So PSG against Liverpool.
00:59:18
Speaker
like my My heart really says Liverpool get through this. So i am I'm going to go i'm goingnna put Liverpool through and I'm going to put Liverpool against Bayern in the quarterfinals.
00:59:30
Speaker
So Liverpool-Bayern. Yeah, Bayern. I just think they're... like Harry Kane is a menace coming up against what Liverpool call as a defence at the moment. I just think Bayern will just have too much for Liverpool.
00:59:43
Speaker
So it'll be that's Bayern in my...
00:59:49
Speaker
Is that Bayern in the final for me as well? Well, it should be anyway. I might skipped a set post. On the other side then, Barca do beat Newcastle. Atletico Spurs, I think, will be tighter than we think because this is the kind of game where the Spurs player are going to get up. They just don't do in the league because they think, oh, look, we're going to get a move out here anyway. I don't really care. I want to win the Champions League. they won't have enough for Atletico because...
01:00:10
Speaker
Well, it's just the Letico, Simeone, Spurs just aren't actually a very good football part team. Even if they do try, they're not getting through this. I'm putting Bodo Glimm through against Sporting as well. Nobody wants to go to Norway.
01:00:22
Speaker
And I might go there as a holiday, but I don't want to go there and play football anytime soon. And then obviously Arsenal are going to get through against Leverkusen.
01:00:31
Speaker
Barcelona go through and they face Arsenal, unfortunately, in the semi-final. But I have Arsenal making it to the final and losing to Bayern Munich.
01:00:42
Speaker
um I think Barcelona against Arsenal is going to one of those games where Barcelona want to play football, but they're just not allowed. It's going to be complete and utter terror ball from Arsenal. Just if you think they took a lot of time out game against Brighton, wait to see what they do when they're playing Barcelona in a first leg at the Nou Camp. They're going to just kill the game. It's going an awful watch.
01:01:04
Speaker
But in the final, Bayern are just going to do them. So we both have Bayern winning, but I have Arsenal in the final, unfortunately. Okay, I'm surprised you brought yourself to do that. So that was big of you, putting Arsenal all the way to the final.
01:01:17
Speaker
Well, if I put Liverpool to win it, then I'd left Arsenal out. because I had to go with my my actual head over my heart this time. Yeah, fair enough. So those are our two brackets. Both got Bayern to win.
01:01:28
Speaker
Let's jump into Ganshans. Okay, so last week we both had one win each. Both in our... We're both stinking. Yeah, we're we're in bad form at the moment. We... At least we got wins this week rather than last week when we didn't get anything. But both in the soccer and we picked underdogs, bigger underdogs than those, I think.
01:01:48
Speaker
I had Everton away to Newcastle, which we talked about earlier. That got the win. But I had the Bucks to beat the Knicks and the Sixers to beat the Celtics. Both were losses. You had Wolves to beat Villa, which is massive. They got the win there, too knowl Then you had the Cavs to beat the Pistons and the Nuggets to beat the Thunder. Both were overtime losses, so was very, very close. So I'm 26-24 in the lead, two points up still. and I'll throw it over to you to give your picks first.
01:02:14
Speaker
Yeah, this is the week where you're getting zero and I'm getting two. and The first one is Newcastle to beat City in the Cup. Newcastle are City are evens.
01:02:26
Speaker
Newcastle, I know I've just just absolutely honked them all over the place there about five minutes ago, but I just think in the cup, Newcastle going want this more than City. City have the Carabao Cup final coming up soon, Champions League against Real Madrid, and they're still fighting for that Premier League title. I think they have to throw one in the bin, and I think it could be the FA Cup. I can see them making a good few changes.
01:02:46
Speaker
Again, they're playing Madrid midweek after. This is a Sunday game, I think. I'm not 100% sure, but it's late on saturdayra day if eating an ender playing under worst day so the So they are going to have to make a couple of changes. So Newcastle get over the line there.
01:03:00
Speaker
Going with the Rockets to beat the Spurs. So the Rockets are 38-22. The Spurs are I think they're actually quite evenly matched now. The Rockets are on a bit of a run of form at the moment, and they look like an actual...
01:03:12
Speaker
semi-functioning basketball team. Reid Shepard is on a really good run of form. He was absolutely incredible Sunday night as well. Hopefully he stays in the lineup, but we'll see. Ian Madoka doesn't seem to want to leave him there. And finally, going the Grizzlies at 28, sorry, 23 and to beat the Clippers, who were and These teams are so close in terms of where they are in the division.
01:03:34
Speaker
But obviously they're seven games apart, but they're both on losing records. The Clippers are so up and down, same as the Grizzlies. It's one of those that if you don't back them now, you're never going to back them. So I'm going with the Grizzlies, Newcastle and the Rockets.
01:03:46
Speaker
Yeah, those Newcastle and Rockets picks were two that I looked at. The only reason I didn't go with Newcastle is because I feel they have the Barca games coming up and... They just may kind of be shut off a little bit. But yeah, it's a good point you make about City.
01:04:01
Speaker
I've gone with two really big underdogs. I've gone with Wrexham to beat Chelsea 21-4. Chelsea 21-50. 13 games they've played this year, Wrexham. They've won nine, drawn two and lost two. One of the wins was on penalties against Forest. So they show they can do it against...
01:04:22
Speaker
Premier League opposition, they're going to sit back and try and frustrate Chelsea, who also have big game coming up against PSG. and So that's going to be on their minds. I've also got Norwich 6-1 away against Leeds 4-9. Norwich have been really disappointed in this season, but...
01:04:41
Speaker
In 2026, they've really turned it around. 13 games, same as Wrexham, but they have 10 wins. And they did beat Ipswich in the cup, who are going very strong in the championship right now. They also beat Wrexham and Coventry on that run. So they're in very good form right now. So I'd like them to go and grab a win against Leeds. And then last up, I'm going with the Jazz to beat the Bucs.
01:05:04
Speaker
The Jazz are 18 44, Bucs 26 and 35. Both teams tanking. The Bucs are too far away to get back into the play, and though so they probably will tank even harder. And the Jazz have better players still. I saw that against the Sixers the other night. So I'm just going with the team that have better players on the court, but they're both tanking, so who knows what's going to happen. So those are my three there.
01:05:26
Speaker
Yeah, I like the Rexha one. I looked long and hard at that on Paddy Power's site, just staring at it like, am I this brave? And it turns out I'm not, but you are. I didn't realise they in form North Toronto because I'd love have picked that, but i didn't didn't look at them to see. i just knew they were having a crap season. and They just lost just lost Josh Sargent to Toronto as well. I thought everything was falling apart, but clearly it's not. Yeah.
01:05:49
Speaker
Yeah, hopefully. Look, if one of us get a five-pointer at this stage, i'll I'll be happy for both of us. I don't care if it means I lose or if I get battered. We just need to have a five-pointer before this season ends. I can't believe we haven't had one yet.
01:06:01
Speaker
Yeah, one of us needs it for sure. We'll do quick fire NFL portion because next week the free agency, the legal tampering period is going to start on Wednesday. So we'll have a lot to talk about because there'll be a lot of news coming out then. But there is still some stuff coming out at the moment.
01:06:18
Speaker
And we want to talk through it. So we'll go through in order of when I'm going to just shout out the stuff that's happened since we last recorded. And if you have any thoughts on it. We'll start with the trade from the Lions. They traded David Montgomery to the Texans in exchange for a fourth rounder and a seventh rounder and offensive lineman Juice Groves. So I think the Texans are obviously trying to retool because Joe Mixon is clearly not right. Nick Chubb has passed it and Woody Marks is a backup. So they want their bell cow back. I don't know if Montgomery is good enough to do it behind this Texans O-line. They'll definitely need to get some better players, but it's worth a punt for what they gave up, I think.
01:06:59
Speaker
Yeah, I really like Dave Montgomery. I think he's a really, really good running back as he's shown over the last two or three years with the Lions in that one-two punch with Tamir Gibbs. So i think it's a good move for him to get back to being a running back one.
01:07:13
Speaker
But as you said, they need strengthen the offensive line or you might as well just send him back to Lions because he won't be able to get anything going if he doesn't have any protection in front of him. Yeah, 100%. Commanders released Marshawn Lattimore. That's not surprising. and So not the guy on that. and The Jets franchise tag, Brees Hall. The way he spoke after, it seems like he's got a point to prove and doesn't want a long-term contract. But I don't know, really would you even want it anyway, considering how he's played lately? At least this will put a fire under him, I think, to to prove a point, I guess.
01:07:45
Speaker
Yeah, 100%. I think he has to prove a point. He was, since his rookie year, and I know he he ended that with an ACL injury, so fair enough, but he has just not been the player. I said that a couple of times over the year that he's not been the player we expect him to be.
01:07:57
Speaker
As you said, this lights fire under him. Either to rocket or the Rockets, the Jets get an unbelievable season out of him, and then they can discuss a contract or they get a mediocre year again. they have more of an idea of what they want, and they can just say, okay, go and go give us a second rounder there, a second and a fourth with someone, and just off you pop.
01:08:15
Speaker
So yeah, so on it's it's a big year for him to see what kind of future he has in this league now. Yeah, yeah.
NFL Strategies and Trades Discussion
01:08:21
Speaker
It's funny actually when you said the Rockets, I just thought your two teams you support in the NFL and NBA are both like aircraft.
01:08:28
Speaker
That's kind of weird. Oh yeah. yeah I actually never noticed, I never realized that either to be honest. Liverpool are a bird as well. They're based off the liver bird so treating the fly.
01:08:39
Speaker
Airborne. There's absolutely no correlation between mine so no point. Yeah. Colts use the transition tag on Daniel Jones, just in case you didn't know what that is. basic thank you trade on there's okay There's three types of tag, franchise tag, you can sign the player.
01:08:56
Speaker
So basically there's two, there's two, sorry, franchise tag is the overarching name. So the first one is non-exclusive tag. if This allows the player to sign an offer sheet with another team. The original team has the oft has the right to match the offer or receive two first round draft picks in compensation.
01:09:15
Speaker
So that's the one most teams use is what the Jets used on Brees Hall because nobody is going to go all sign in and then give the other dealer team manages to get two first rounders. Like they don't want to give someone else that advantage. exclusive I think all all of these were non-exclusive. The Pickens, Pitts, Hall and Dan Jones are all non-exclusive ones. Yeah, they all usually are.
01:09:35
Speaker
No, the Daniel Jones one isn't. It's transition tag. The others are non-exclusive, but they usually are. Exclusive tag, and that completely binds the player with his team. It basically...
01:09:46
Speaker
It doesn't allow him to sign with anyone else. You're going, we're signing you and that's it. Leads to players not being happy, so it's not really ideal. Then the transition transition tag, which is really rare, is what the Colts used on Jones.
01:09:59
Speaker
It's like the non-exclusive, except it provides the original team to to match the offer. But if they do not match it, they don't get the draft picks in return.
01:10:09
Speaker
So I don't know why... The Colts did this. It's like they're trying to play 4D chess when they could just simply non-exclusive franchise tag him. And if someone does want to pay him, they go, okay, Grant, we won't match that. We'll get the two first rounders.
01:10:24
Speaker
But then in this case, someone's going to try and drive the price up for him. Then they have to pay him more. And then you don't get anything in return. So it doesn't seem smart on the Colts' point of view. It seems like they're just trying to be...
01:10:38
Speaker
better than everyone else, but doing something that nobody else does, you'd think they would go, wait, why does nobody do this? There's a reason. Yeah. um I was literally, as you were explaining it, it was like, so they're just putting themselves in further trouble. And then you you said what I was thinking. So...
01:10:53
Speaker
Yeah, like I understand why they signed him back. I think he showed, like, yeah I'm not going to say what he can be because I still think he's pretty poor, but he showed that he has running games then we can go and win eight and one out of nine games or something. But like, I think it was two weeks ago mentioned that he is absolutely guaranteed to get an injury.
01:11:13
Speaker
And it's it's it's just win, not if. So if a team comes in and says, we'll give you 130 And he'd be like, OK, well, now you've to offer me 130 million or else I'm going there and you're getting nothing.
01:11:24
Speaker
Makes no sense and us in that kind of in that world. Whereas like I think the Jets would be more than happy to get two first round picks for Brees Hall and move on. I just don't think any the other team is going to come in and pick him up anyway. So I think he is, it's basically an exclusive type because no one else is going to pay him. So what they might as well kind of just do what they're doing and either keep him or get two first round picks.
01:11:44
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, I agree with you and everything you said there. And i already went in on Jones's injury um look or injury history last week. So won't go in on again. But i yeah, I agree with what you said about him there. And I think next up was Cardinals releasing Kyler Murray. We talked about that last week. We knew was going to happen. And now he's fit to find his new home, which we discussed on last week's episodes. If you want to hear where we think he could end up, go back and give that one a listen. If you missed it,
01:12:12
Speaker
two more releases before we get into the big trades. and We had the Patriots releasing Stefan Diggs. They're obviously going to look to move. Maybe they look to move on AJ Brown. Makes a lot of sense to go there and pair him with a young um quarterback in in Drake May.
01:12:29
Speaker
Diggs had seen the end of the line there. i think his attitude on the sideline the Super Bowl played a big part in my in my point of of his future there. I don't know whether or that played a part in their decision, but he's gone. And Johnny Smith released by the Steelers, which is not one bit surprising because Arthur Smith is gone and he's the guy who likes to keep him around.
01:12:48
Speaker
Yeah, you said all there is to say in those two. Yeah, so let's move into the two trades then. Two big trades. First up is the Rams. They went and made a massive splash. So they felt that in the... What I really like about the Rams is when they see an issue, they go and fix it. They go, look, this is a big issue. We need to sort this out. So they saw in the playoffs how soft their secondary was against big receivers and how easy it was for them to give up yards. And and they went and they they traded for Trent McDuffie. So...
01:13:20
Speaker
That's huge to get him from the Chiefs. They gave up the number 29 pick. They have two first rounders because they made that trade with Atlanta last season. So there rumours that they could use one of them. They used one, the lesser one, gave it to the Chiefs, gave a fifth, a sixth and a 2027 third round pick. So a good haul for the Chiefs who are looking to rebuild themselves. And the Rams get one of the best cornerbacks in the league and retool for another year where they probably do try and make the Super Bowl.
01:13:47
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's one of those that it's a strange one that it makes sense to both teams. I don't think the Chiefs will miss him too much, even though he is, as you said, he is one of the best corners in the league. But I think Chiefs aren't stupid. The Chiefs wouldn't do this if they thought it was going to be a massive hole for him.
01:14:05
Speaker
And to get four picks, including three, going into the season where they just had a really, really bad year. i think's I think that's really good for him. It doesn't really affect the Rams so much. They still have a first rounder for next year, as you said. So it's not like they're throwing away their future just to get this one fella in. So it's it's one of the trades that I'd like to shake hands with both GMs and say, well done, lads. You've actually done really well here.
01:14:27
Speaker
McDuffie last year, 45 tackles, 18 assisted tackles, a sack and an interception. and So yeah, i he had really he had a really good year and he's just going to go and really elevate this Rams team.
01:14:37
Speaker
Yeah, he is. He's exactly what they needed. And I agree that you you think with your point of thinking that both GMs did a great job. And surprisingly, it's two teams that do smart things and they continue to do it. And the Chiefs are great at drafting. So now they have two first rounders this year.
01:14:53
Speaker
So watch out for how they rebuild. and The last one is another trade that just went down before we started recording. It was the Bears giving DJ Moore over to the Bills. Bills making a massive splash. They're not messing around. They're getting the guy for Josh Allen, getting him his wide receiver one. They listened finally to all the talk from their fans and and media saying that they didn't have a proper wide receiver one.
01:15:18
Speaker
They went and got one and they gave the Bears a second rounder and a fifth rounder in the upcoming draft. So probably around what DJ Moore is worth, but it might have a massive upside for...
01:15:29
Speaker
the Bills, they obviously believed that whoever they'd pick in the draft for the second rounder wouldn't be good enough. So you go and get a guy who's proven and has a lot of skills. And I like it. I like it a lot for for the Bills. And I think the Bears, it's okay for them too. it's not They didn't get fleeced, but they probably could have got a little bit more.
01:15:49
Speaker
Yeah, I think this is one of those things. We said it's before the playoffs last year, sorry, not last year, the playoffs a couple of weeks back, that No matter who is that wide receiver for Josh Allen, he always seems to make it work.
01:16:01
Speaker
And it's always kind of being below par lads that are just, he just manages to drag him up to a level that is acceptable. if If he drags DJ Moore up from any further than what he is, he's going to be one of the best receivers in the league with Josh Allen showing to him. I think it's a really, really smart move from Buffalo to go and do this.
01:16:19
Speaker
As you said, they've been crying out for a wide receiver one for years. They finally have it. Some of the receivers
NBA Power Rankings and Performance Analysis
01:16:24
Speaker
they've had recently have been just abysmal on paper and yes they're getting catches left right and centre but they should have beaten that Broncos team and gone to a Super Bowl share this year this was the best chance they want to have they've obviously decided to double down and they're going all in for it next year Yeah, yeah.
01:16:40
Speaker
So a lot of interest interesting stuff going down. We'll be back again next week, but a whole lot more because it'll be... There's there's just two others. So Pickens and Kyle Pitts were both franchise tags as well. I think they're worth... I think they're worth both worth a mention. Pitts especially kind of looks like the player everyone thought he was going to be coming the draft. So I think that's really smart. And obviously Pickens...
01:17:00
Speaker
Just had a really good year. I think they paid CeeDee Lamb last year, maybe. So they really needed do something to hold on to Pickens as well. Outside of that, the Jets just being Jets, trading away Jermaine Johnson to give him back with Salah.
01:17:12
Speaker
And yeah, we'll leave it there. Yeah. Actually, the Pickens one slipped my mind. The Pitts one I didn't include and because it was before the last episode, but I should have thrown in here.
01:17:24
Speaker
But the Pickens one, yeah, you're you're right to bring that up. Like, I think it's a huge move and it's it's intent from the Cowboys because they're going, we're still going to give you a lot of money and you can work your way for a long term deal, but you're still getting paid massively. So they are respecting him in that regard. And if it works out, he'll stay there. But yeah, they they could be interested. And Jerry Jones says they're going to make a lot of moves. He says a lot of things, but... yeah Are you surprised that Kenna Walker was in tight?
01:17:55
Speaker
Yeah, I am surprised, but I don't know what the relationship is like there. It seemed at the parade that it was a little bit sour when Schneider brought up that Walker was trying to negotiate with him. It was obviously meant as a joke, but Schneider was clearly drunk and Walker didn't seem too happy with that. I don't know if that does play into it, but the Giants are pushing very hard for him, apparently, and... Also, the Giants were second in line to trade for Trent McDuffie, and they just didn't want to include additional picks outside of the first rounder, I think. So, yeah, looks like the Giants were really making a splash. They wanted to give a future first rounder for him, so they're pushing hard right now under Harbaugh for big players.
01:18:39
Speaker
What does that mean for Scatterboot? one-two punch. You're going to need a one-two punch. so yeah Especially after a big injury. i think you And the speed that Walker has, Scott Abou doesn't have. So I think they would be perfect. Fair enough.
01:18:52
Speaker
Let's wrap it then with the power rankings quickly. Last week I had the Piston Spurs, San Antonio Spurs that is, Man City, Man United, OKC and Arsenal. and This week,
01:19:04
Speaker
Some slight changes, but I still have all the same teams in there. I've got Pistons first overall. OKC move up one, move up a few, sorry, to second. I think we put them down because they were on a bad run of form or for their standards, bad run, but they look really, really good still. And SGA is back and they beat the Knicks, which the San Antonio Spurs did not. So that moves the San Antonio Spurs down one. So I've got three and NBA teams at the top because the Premier League is not great at the moment, as we discussed. and Then
Conclusion and Farewell
01:19:36
Speaker
I've got Arsenal because they they're still at the top. They're they're stretching out their lead. Man City then in fifth and Man United in sixth after that loss to Newcastle. and They just cling on there because there's no one else really I saw good enough to bring in. So it's Pistons, OKC, Spurs, Arsenal, City and Man United.
01:19:53
Speaker
Yeah, solid. And last week I had Spurs, Pistons, City, Hornets, United, Arsenal. And I literally just realized I was looking there that my six have actually stayed in the exact same order. Oh, nice. i think I think that might be the first time we've ever had literally no changes. and Spurs stay top because they're 10-2 their last 12.
01:20:12
Speaker
I had taken out the Pistons and brought in the Thunder. And then I looked to and saw that they were they were on an 8-2 run in their last 10 as well. And it felt pretty harsh to drop a team who were on an 8-2 run. they just beat OKC too. so Yeah, exactly. So it felt a bit harsh. If I had the Thunder in last week, they'd have stayed, but I didn't.
01:20:28
Speaker
I said I'd leave the Pistons and I thought the Thunder would come back in this week. But the Pistons, as I mentioned at the start, the episode are still absolutely flying. I've left City at third and they're four wins in a draw in their last five. years The draw wasn't very good on Tuesday night, but they are still the closest challenger to third all.
01:20:47
Speaker
The Hornets, six wins in a row. Sorry, but the Hornets i wanted to take out, not the Pistons. but and I think the Hornets out for the Spurs, but I saw they've won six in a row, so I kept them in. And then United and Arsenal are my five and six, the same as they were last week.
01:21:00
Speaker
Arsenal are only in there because they have to be. they're They're not going to be above sixth unless they win the league. They're only there because they have to be in United. Liverpool didn't use the Wolves, I'd have brought in the Rappuyl bus.
01:21:12
Speaker
Alas, let's wait until he gets a Champions League final. Yeah, makes it. Alright, you had to sneak that in there, but makes it easier for me to edit the Power Rankings post and I don't have add any changes when I'm getting up on social, so this is great. If we can keep it the exact same until the end of the season, that would be ideal. No, Liverpool will be back in next week now when they win in the FA Cup and batter Galatasaray and then beat Spurs.
01:21:35
Speaker
Let's see. Let's see how it goes. Right. Another episode done. Absolutely jammed so much talking to that one. Like we had so many topics that we went deep on. So I hope you enjoyed it.
01:21:47
Speaker
All the good stuff as usual, liking and subscribing would be greatly appreciated. And leaving a five star review is also very much appreciated on Spotify. If you have the time, if you made it this far, we appreciate you. Shane.
01:21:59
Speaker
Yeah, thanks lads. I won't keep you too long because we've already kept you long enough with, there was a couple of rants in there today. So we'll see you back next week. Like, subscribe, road to 100,000, all the hits. Goodbye. Nice one lads.
01:22:10
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball with Shane and James.