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The Referee's of Suspect Patronage!!! - Contentious Refereeing decisions dominate Sunday's games image

The Referee's of Suspect Patronage!!! - Contentious Refereeing decisions dominate Sunday's games

Daily Premier League
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Transcript

Introduction and Pre-Game Thoughts

00:00:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome everybody the Daily Premier League podcast. My name's Ken Davis. It is Monday the 25th of August. We are recording this, I should tell you, before the Liverpool-Newcastle game, so we're expecting fireworks on Townside

Refereeing Decisions: A Weekend Review

00:00:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
later. I am joined by the pundits pundit himself. It's Nick Britton himself, kind of connected to Newcastle. We'll touch upon that later, but a very warm welcome. Nick, how are doing? How's your weekend been?
00:00:41
Nick Britten
It's been great. There have been some very good games. I'm scratching my head about some very, very curious refereeing decisions that we've seen over the weekend. and ah Every year, i hope that referees are going to get better. And and I hope that this is going to be a year that we don't spend all our time talking about refereeing. And guess what?
00:00:58
Nick Britten
We're into the second week of the season and I'm looking at some really curious and, in my opinion, very incorrect refereeing decisions over the yeah over the course of the weekend. But look, some good games. there' some good stories in there.
00:01:08
Nick Britten
You know, great to see Jack Grealish back playing football. ah Great to see Everton winning their first game in a brand new stadium. I like that. You know, disaster for West Ham again. What's going on with Graham Potter?
00:01:19
Nick Britten
a Great win for Tottenham away at Man City. So lots it. It's been a very good, very good weekend of football so far with, of course, an enormous game to come tonight.
00:01:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's been very exciting.
00:01:27
Nick Britten
Thank you.
00:01:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
And as you, as our qualified referee, we are definitely going to be touching on some of those issues. But before we get into those things, before we get into the games, particularly from Sunday, ah some breaking news, which I just want to run past you, Nick, get your view on this.

Saka's Injury: Impact on Arsenal

00:01:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Looks like Saka is going to be missing four weeks with a hamstring injury to Arsenal. How impactful is that going to have on um the start of Arsenal's season. Everyone's talking Arsenal up at the moment, so I'm interested in terms of what the effect Saka's going to have on that.
00:01:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:02:00
Nick Britten
It's going to be absolutely massive. And it's two things. One, it makes the and the the signing of Eberache Eze even more important. and Goodness me. yeah It got him through the door just in time. Secondly, we saw last year when Saka was out for quite a long period, the effect it had on Arsenal. It ruined any chances they had of fighting Liverpool for the title. He's that much of an important player. It's a big blow.
00:02:21
Nick Britten
It's a big blow.
00:02:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is this starting to put a bit of a question mark over Saka, though?
00:02:22
Nick Britten
There's no doubt about it.
00:02:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
is he Is he a little bit susceptible to these kind of...
00:02:26
Nick Britten
Yes. Yes.
00:02:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's happening with a bit of regularity with Saka, isn't it? We start to see that more and more often.
00:02:31
Nick Britten
Well, maybe, and and it may be related to to the problems that he's had in the past, but the reality is when he's fit and playing, he's an outstanding player and he's one of Arsenal's most important players. So if you're going whatever team you support and whatever team you follow, if one of your most important players is out for a month, it's going to have an effect. And,
00:02:50
Nick Britten
They've just got, obviously, Goy Koresh through the door. They need somebody to supply the bullets. Thank goodness Eze has signed. They need to get him the team as quickly as possible. And he will, I think, mitigate some of that. Because if you take Saka out, you don't really have anybody in there who is of that level of creating, of causing havoc on the on the flanks, of unlocking defences who are sitting in a low block.
00:03:13
Nick Britten
Now, Eze can do all of those things. He can do all of those things. So I think that signing mitigates it. But there's no doubt, yeah, Saka will be a big miss.
00:03:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it actually provides Eze with an absolutely golden opportunity, doesn't it, to go in there and actually yeah make a name for himself, make a real name for himself over the course of the next month. I know we've got miss a few games with the international break, but it's a great opportunity for Eze.
00:03:38
Nick Britten
It is. And I think he'd be in the team anyway. I think you'd probably see him on one side, Saka on the other, and Goykeres up top.
00:03:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:45
Nick Britten
so But yeah, what an opportunity because everybody will now be looking at him. I'm sure people would be thinking, well, okay, fine, Saka's not in the team, but you're in the team to do his job.
00:03:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.

Transfer Talk: Newcastle's Moves and Rejections

00:03:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
True indeed. Second point just wanted to raise with you. Keith Andrews expects Johan Wisser to stay. Now, I've got a note here. Spoiler alert, he's not.
00:04:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah But um what do you think? do you think there is a good chance or do you reckon Andrews has just been a bit delusional there because that's not the way football works anymore?
00:04:14
Nick Britten
I don't think he's being delusional. I think he's just being professional. And I don't think you'd expect any manager where you have a player who... It's not like Isaac, where he's gone on strike and he's nowhere near it. It's not like that. You know, he's training with a team.
00:04:26
Nick Britten
He's in and around. Andrew's felt that he wasn't in the right headspace. And in fact, it didn't benefit the team to have him involved on Saturday. But we don't know what's gone on behind the scenes. And if it's kind of gone quiet behind the scenes, and it might have done,
00:04:42
Nick Britten
then he's got to be opening the door and keeping the door open for Whistler to come back. But I think even if he knew Whistler was going in the next couple of days or there was something in the offing, he wouldn't say that at this stage.
00:04:54
Nick Britten
You just play every... we And we say it all the time, don't we? Managers just playing everything with an absolutely straight bat because that's kind of what they have to say. So I don't think... I still think the Whistler to Newcastle transfer will go through.
00:05:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bye-bye.
00:05:07
Nick Britten
I think Newcastle need him, even if even if they're left with Isaac on September 2nd, which is a distinct possibility. We don't know. We've got no idea quite what's going on there. ah But even if Isaac is there, they need him. And if he's not, then they certainly need him.
00:05:19
Nick Britten
So I'd imagine that Eddie Howe or whoever is dealing with transfers at the moment, ah now they don't have a direct football, the um ah there'll be they'll be trying to get Whistler over the line as quickly as they can.
00:05:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Which is an interesting segue because the third bit of news just want to touch on because it pertains to the game later on today is that Wolves have have rejected a £50 million pound bid from Newcastle for Jürgen Strand-Larsen. Now, two questions from me to you, Nick.
00:05:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Strand-Larsen, £50 million. Uh... it's that Is he a £50 million pound player? and The first question. Second question, is are teams using Newcastle's desperation against them in the sense of, are teams putting in a Newcastle tax now on strikers?
00:06:10
Nick Britten
Well, there's there's a third question, which is almost the most pertinent one, which is this.
00:06:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:06:15
Nick Britten
Is Newcastle's £50 million pound bid for Strand-Larsen linked in any way to Keith Andrews saying that he expects Wissler to stay? That's the question to ask. In other words, has the Whistler deal gone south and Newcastle suddenly now looking elsewhere?
00:06:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting.
00:06:32
Nick Britten
Now, if if that is the case, is he a £50 million player? Well, he's a £50 million pound player if somebody's willing to pay £50 million for him. And you' only ever your value as a football player is only whatever anybody is prepared to pay for you.
00:06:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:06:44
Nick Britten
And sometimes that's higher, maybe an inflated ah market value. Sometimes it's lower. depending on your circumstances. So if Strand Larson is out on the market and you and and say £50 million, pound well, but feels like a bit too much, then yes, the argument to your second question, which is are are people imposing a Newcastle United tax on players because they know they're so desperate so they can afford to whack the price up? Well, yeah, of course.
00:07:11
Nick Britten
so market It's an open market football players. So they will respond to market forces. And if you know that you are selling to ah purchaser who is desperate you' you're going to put the price up that's what happens so
00:07:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep, makes sense. 6'4", 25 years of age. He scored 31 in 106 in the last 106 matches. Compare him to Cunha.
00:07:36
Nick Britten
think
00:07:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Cunha went for 62 million, scoring at much, much faster rate.
00:07:37
Nick Britten
yeah
00:07:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah I've got serious doubt about Stan Larson at Newcastle.
00:07:43
Nick Britten
i think
00:07:45
Nick Britten
Yeah, I think what you're asking is, on the open market, is £50 million pounds a fair price, a fair start price?
00:07:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, they've rejected 50 million. They're going to have to go to 60 million, presumably.
00:07:54
Nick Britten
Yeah, and I don't think so. I think that's too much. I wouldn't pay £50 million for him, I don't think. They've rejected it because if Wolves sell Strand-Larsen now, that's their season over.
00:08:04
Nick Britten
They're done for. They're going to get relegated. They've already lost their two best players over the summer. They've got off to a pretty wretched start this season. they've lost two out of two. ah He's their only striker of any value. So if they sell him now, that is essentially a message to say, right, hold your hands up, lads. Season over.
00:08:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting point of view.
00:08:21
Nick Britten
Enjoy the championship.
00:08:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, okay.
00:08:24
Nick Britten
You cannot afford to lose him. Unless...
00:08:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:08:26
Nick Britten
unless Unless they can get...
00:08:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everyone's got a price, though. And if that's 60 million, Strand-Larsen, they're not going to knock that back, they?
00:08:30
Nick Britten
thought
00:08:33
Nick Britten
But what only if only if they can get somebody in before the end of the window. There's still a week to go. So they may be prepared to sell it in for that, but they want time and they want to be able to line up somebody before they do any deal.

Palace vs. Forest: Match Analysis

00:08:45
Nick Britten
And they'll want that other person you know the with ink drying on a paper before they sell it.
00:08:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, there's a lot of moving parts with Wissett and Newcastle and Strand Larsen everything else. we're going to keep you updated on that every day on the podcast. as you know, in football, it pays to get your team selection right.
00:09:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here at Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery partner and there was a very clear winner and that was Zencastr because... Zencastr makes it very easy to bring your vision to life, share it with your audience. It's got 4K video recordings, easy AI editing tools.
00:09:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's got the very best distribution tools all in one place. So if you've got a story to tell, tell it with Zencastr. Check the show notes for details. Right, Nicholas, Sunday's games, three games on Sunday, Palace 1-1, Everton 2-0.
00:09:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the Fulham Man United game 1-1. So let's go through them in order. Palace Forest. Palace, you're kind third team, probably. out Second team, maybe.
00:09:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah What did you make of the Palace Forest game? Bit of bad blood there, of course, because that was... We talk about Liverpool-Newcastle things, but of course Palace were dobbed in by Forest in terms of the Europa League and Conference League thing.
00:09:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
So what was your take on that?
00:09:56
Nick Britten
yeah they lost yeah they lost their fancy Yeah, they lost their place in the Europa League because of Nottingham Forest squealing on them. um It didn't feel like a game where there was any bad blood between the two sides, to be honest. There wasn't really any of that, I didn't think. it was ah It was exactly what it was always, always, always going to be because...
00:10:18
Nick Britten
A Palace have drawn it five out of eight in their last few games. ah They're very hard to beat, but they're not winning games particularly. Forest don't lose at Sellers Park. They draw quite a lot, these two teams.
00:10:29
Nick Britten
And it was a very, very fair, even game were where one all was a perfectly acceptable result. I think... Palace had the better of the first half and quite rightly and deservedly took the lead.
00:10:42
Nick Britten
Forrest came out after the break. It was a good goal. mean, Forrest scored a lovely goal, by the way.
00:10:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, did.
00:10:46
Nick Britten
i um But after that after that, I thought the game just kind of petered out a bit.
00:10:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Pete that?
00:10:53
Nick Britten
I was expecting a real blood and thunder last 15 minutes. It never came. There were chances at the end. Okay, Palace would have got penalty ah had there not been a very, very, very slight offside just before it.
00:11:05
Nick Britten
Forrest had a couple of very good chances. Igor Jesus hit the bar with a great shot. Amari Hutchinson had a couple of chances, one of them very presentable in the dying seconds.
00:11:16
Nick Britten
Either any of that goes in and and and that's they'll they'll be winning goals. But I thought 1-0 was a fair result. of What, in the end, after all of this, was a little bit of a tepid affair, I thought. It was good to watch. It was entertaining, but it was a little bit of a tepid affair.
00:11:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's interesting. It's first game, obviously, after Nuno Espiritu Santo spat with Marinakis. I was interested in whether, see, that would have any effect, if you like, on the game. Don't know what I was expecting there. Didn't seem to.

Everton's Victory and Brighton's Missed Chances

00:11:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah But we're going to be watching that space because I've got a feeling we haven't heard the last of that particular issue. I'd be very surprised if he's still there at Christmas. Everton.
00:11:51
Nick Britten
Well, I don't need...
00:11:52
Nick Britten
Here's the thing. Here's the thing. he's either going to get He's either going to get sacked in the next three days or he's not going to get sacked at all. That's it. I don't think by Christmas. But Christmas isn't completely relevant all of this. I think if he's going to go, he'll go very soon.
00:11:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, go on, sorry.
00:12:06
Nick Britten
if they're going to get Posca Soglu or Mourinho, who are the two names being linked with this job, if they're going to get him in, they're going to get him in sooner ah rather than later. Or they're going to... It's just the whole thing's been a little bit out proportion and it'll just carry on as it.
00:12:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
i i think there's ah i think there's and I think there's a middle ground there. I've got a feeling that we're watching the disintegration of that relationship and it might not be finally disintegrated yet.
00:12:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just got a feeling the last couple of things we've seen with the game against Leicester, with what we've just seen, we're seeing a slow disintegration of that relationship. So I think Christmas is relevant in relation to that because I think it's not going to happen right now, but I think it is going to happen pretty shortly because that that relationship is disintegrating.
00:12:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. Everton against Brighton, 2-0. First game at the new, ah beautifully named Hill Dickinson Stadium. ah It was interesting. ah Tarkovsky looked shaky.
00:12:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brighton had some great chances first half.
00:12:58
Nick Britten
Thank
00:13:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hit the bar, hit the post. Pretty wasteful. I thought Brighton was a better team first half. Grealish, course, two assists. um I'm slagging Grealish off in the last podcast, but there he was. Second one was just a pass, to be honest. I could have made that.
00:13:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Welbeck Mr Penalty he looks bereft of confidence I thought the result flattered Everton but they're not going to complain at what was your take on that one Nick
00:13:27
Nick Britten
I think the game panned out exactly exactly how we predicted it was going to pan out on Friday's podcast, which is Brighton will be the better team. But the whole Everton, new stadium, massive crowd, adrenaline of all of that will see them over the line. Now, I didn't expect them to win. I thought they'd be a draw.
00:13:42
Nick Britten
I think you thought Brighton were going to win that game, didn't think i don't think and I couldn't see Everton losing on such an occasion.
00:13:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
I did.
00:13:49
Nick Britten
But fair play. ah the It's worth mentioning Jack Grealish. I thought had a terrific game. The first goal he set up was was great. And it was kind of prime kind of prime Aston Villa-Grealish, whereby he runs down the line.
00:13:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it was.
00:14:02
Nick Britten
You look like he's going to check in on his right foot. which is what he always does, let's face it. And if he's playing for Man City that stage, he stops, plays the ball back 10 yards.
00:14:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, I used to.
00:14:10
Nick Britten
But instead of checking in, he faints, carries on and crosses the ball with his left foot.
00:14:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:14:14
Nick Britten
I haven't seen him kick ball with his left foot for God knows how many years.
00:14:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah
00:14:18
Nick Britten
and And, you know, and dies there to pop into an empty net. So it was great greenish, as say, rolling back the years greenish, not Man City greenish, very much Villa greenish. And generally, he looked happy. And generally, I thought he played very, very well.
00:14:31
Nick Britten
Everton, I thought on the whole, played well. um As you say, i think Brighton will be kicking themselves on the very long coach journey back yesterday. They'll be kicking themselves because they loads of opportunities to to win. And it would have been interesting to had Welbeck's penalty gone in, you know how Everton coped with that.
00:14:47
Nick Britten
But on the whole... I think it's great for Everton. I think it's great. that in in I think, you know, they're in a brand new stadium, huge hullabaloo, amazing thing. looks amazing. looks fantastic stadium. And you just want them to win the game.
00:15:01
Nick Britten
Because the history books will dictate now that they won their first ever game. And that's great.
00:15:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the history of books will also record that NGIE scored the last goal at Goodison and the first goal at Hill Dickinson.
00:15:06
Nick Britten
I'm not a romantic guy.
00:15:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that was a nice little bit of circularity there as well. Third game want to talk about. I do you want to come back to the penalty, by the way, of the Everton game, but but I suppose this is a better segue in.
00:15:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Fulham against Man United. I continue to be very impressed with Cunha. To me, it looks looks a million dollars. ah But not much else work really for Man United. what was your What was your take on that game?
00:15:37
Nick Britten
It wasn't as good a game as I thought, and that's the end of it. it was I was expecting quite an entertaining game between two decent sides. It kind of wasn't. It was a bit all right.

Fulham vs. Man United: Controversies and Penalties

00:15:47
Nick Britten
and Man United still have trouble going forward.
00:15:52
Nick Britten
Cunha was playing in a nine role, and I think he's better not playing in that. I think he's better coming in from the flanks. Like Mbwemo one side. I think if Mbwemo one side, Cunha the other, and Cesco, who's been on the bench up and picked that up,
00:16:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, guys, come come in haven't they? Thank you.
00:16:05
Nick Britten
that's a much more potent strike force. Kunjur, I don't think he's an out-and-out striker. a great player. But Man Utd continue to create chances without scoring. They got really lucky yesterday. And this is this is where we go into the debate about refereeing decisions. They got really lucky. They were on the sharp end of a couple of very dubious refereeing calls, both of which they benefited from.
00:16:28
Nick Britten
So, yeah, it was all right. It was all right. I like the look of Fulham. I always like watching Fulham play. I think they're a very good side. It's a shame they've not really brought in any players to really kick them on. But I thought, nonetheless, they were fully deserving of their point.
00:16:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
they do
00:16:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, just one other point to raise about the United game is, I'll say by India in goal, a better game, but he's still flapping at crosses in corners.
00:16:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's very shaky under a cross. ah is that a saint Do you think that's a thing with Bayern D? And by the way, just as an aside on that, we we mentioned in our last podcast about Sonny Llamas.
00:17:02
Nick Britten
so
00:17:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was left out of the Royal Antwerp game against Mecham a couple of hours before. Sounds like that's going to happen. ah you know are we Are we looking at just ah another keeper at United in in in Alto Bayern D is just just not going to be good enough?
00:17:23
Nick Britten
Join the queue. Yes. Yeah. Just join the queue. Look, some players are very, very good players, but the weight of wearing a Manchester United badge is heavy. And the weight of expectation at Manchester United is heavier than lots and lots of other clubs.
00:17:34
Nick Britten
Rightly or wrongly, it is just because the history and the culture of the place. so just doesn't fill me with any confidence. And if it doesn't fill me with any confidence, I'm not quite sure how he fills the back four with any confidence. And we all know, because we've all been around the game long enough, if as a defender you don't trust your goalie, it massively impacts on your game and your ability to perform at the top level. So, no, i think we'll see a new goalie in there by next week.
00:17:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting. Okay, right, i want to come back to these penalties. Before we get to the United ones, and there's some very dodgy decisions, as you say, and you're talking there as a qualified ref. What about the Jusby Hall one against Brighton? I watched that again today before we we started recording this.
00:18:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
The more I look at that, the more dubious that that looks. I know it hit his hand. It clearly hit his hand. But you've got to have your hand somewhere. and it didn't And it didn't look to me though like that his arm or his hand were in a natural position.
00:18:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the ball was whacked at him from ah from and a yard away. mean, what's the bloke supposed to do? Just disappear? I mean... ah What's your view on that one? Then we'll get to the United ones.
00:18:39
Nick Britten
It was a great Stuart Atwell moment. don't know what's more disappointing. The fact that Atwell saw fit to give it or the fact that the AR didn't tell him you've made a massive howler. Don't give it. Reverse your decision.
00:18:50
Nick Britten
We've got a situation where Minta from Brighton, he smacked the ball. Dewsbury Hall's throwing himself in the way of it. But A, you look at proximity. it was ah The ball had travelled a very short distance. And we talked about this on Friday, didn't We talked about the rules.
00:19:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is.
00:19:05
Nick Britten
What do referees look for when there is a penalty? Well, they look for for whether it's deliberate handball or not, and they look to see whether you have made your body unnaturally bigger. And they also take into consideration, they're the two kind of laws of the game, but they also take into consideration proximity and whether or not you kind of could have got your hand out of the way.
00:19:22
Nick Britten
And um what we've got here is Duesbury Hall throwing his ball body at the ball. His right hand is absolutely bang smack in front of his chest. So if the ball doesn't hit his hand, it just hits his chest.
00:19:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
is
00:19:33
Nick Britten
So in what possible way is that deliberate? In what possible way has he made his body unnaturally bigger? And in what possible way when he's been the ball's smacked at him from about two yards out, is that not is that is that a significant and distance away to do something else about it?
00:19:49
Nick Britten
It's just a rubbish decision by Atwell, again, and we see it plenty from him. And what on earth the VAR is doing, looking it and thinking, oh, no, you're all right, mate, just befalls me.
00:19:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:20:00
Nick Britten
And the gods are smiling because Danny Welbeck must have been so embarrassed himself that he said to Jordan Pickford, I'll tell you what going do.
00:20:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:20:08
Nick Britten
going tell you where I'm going to kick the ball. And then when I do kick it I'm going to do it really lightly so it will just about reach you. And by the time you've dived, you can probably get up again, nip the dressing room, have a cup of tea, come back out and dive again. And you'll just be in time for the ball to reach the goal line.
00:20:22
Nick Britten
It was the worst penalties.
00:20:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was an appalling penalty.
00:20:24
Nick Britten
Absolutely wretched.
00:20:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Appalling penalty. And sadly for me, I had Pickford on the bench in my fantasy football league. Not that it mattered, because I'm still at the top. But before we get onto the United penalties, because i really want to do a deep dive there, is I better just remind you that Global Sports Podcast Network has partnered with Bionique, the world's most personalised supplements.
00:20:35
Nick Britten
you But you know, that's you're listening. You're not listening to that. You're not listening to that. not to
00:20:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:21:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Check on the show notes for more details. You can use the code GSPN2025 for 40% off your first order.
00:21:06
Nick Britten
to treat people.
00:21:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, so let's go back to the Fulham and United game. So, we've got two big decisions in that game. In fact, there's ah there's a a little aside decision as well, which so I'd like to talk about.
00:21:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, the penalty that was awarded against Bassey for his challenge on Mason Mount. Now...
00:21:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're going to give them... This is Ken DeLayman talking. I've seen a lot of football. and I'm interested in your refereeing perspective. If you're going to give them, you're going to give 10 every game because that's just a player running into a player, a player shrugging him off, and then they take the corner.
00:21:49
Nick Britten
the whole world. I was going go the house.
00:21:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
i mean, that happens 10 times every corner.
00:21:53
Nick Britten
And was to
00:21:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
So... I mean, from my perspective, there was just nothing there. And obviously it took him about 25 minutes to work out there was something there. So what was your what was your take on that one?
00:22:07
Nick Britten
Okay, so I think it's a bit more than shrugging him off. I think it's fair to say that Calvin Bassi threw Mason Mount to the ground in ah in a pretty cool w WWE style. He literally flung him to the ground.
00:22:17
Nick Britten
That's not the point. The point is... initial cut You've got two players, two Manchester United players, hitting on two Fulham players as the corner is about to be taken. So you've got Mason Mount on Calvin Bassie.
00:22:30
Nick Britten
You've got Luke Shaw on Munez. And if you look at it, the two Manchester United players make first contact with the Fulham players by grabbing them. Okay? By grabbing them.
00:22:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
ye Yeah, there's a hands-on situation.
00:22:41
Nick Britten
And the Fulham players... Yeah, and the Fulham players are looking at the area that the ball's going to come into. Now, because they've grabbed them, then both the Fulham players start grappling with the Manchester United players and one of them throws one over and ah and a penalty is given.
00:22:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, Maitre Moun's not going to throw Bassi over, is he?
00:22:56
Nick Britten
Now...
00:22:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's always going to be the other way around.
00:23:00
Nick Britten
Correct. Now, I can see why Chris Kavanagh... gave that penalty if all he's looking at is Mount and Bassey.
00:23:11
Nick Britten
And if he sees that last moment where Bassey throws Mount to the ground, yeah, I can see that's why that's a penalty.
00:23:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:18
Nick Britten
but the But the point is this VAR is there to look at the more holistic wider view of the incident and if you're looking at at a VAR you see that it's the two Manchester United players who instigate contact on the two Fulham players so it should have been a free kick to Fulham and that that penalty should have been overturned and a free kick should have been awarded to Fulham because it's the Manchester United players who fouled the Fulham players first and again You know, what is VAR doing here?
00:23:49
Nick Britten
What are they looking at when they're looking? They know the rules. What are they looking at when they see these incidents?
00:23:58
Nick Britten
Or are they just too scared to not upset their mates on the pitch by making them look stupid and overturn their decisions? I don't get I'm confident.
00:23:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting.
00:24:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Strong stuff. Strong stuff, Nick. The interesting thing is, though, you can't really give the... You couldn't give any foul there. You can't give the foul because that's what players do, like running into the opposition. That's what they do.
00:24:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's what the Man United players did. You certainly can't give the foul on the Fulham players because they never instigated contact. They just shrugged them off pretty violently. Honestly, if that's the standard of penalties, there's going to be 12 penalties every game.
00:24:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, I want to, of course, in the context of this, you then get a situation of Joros goal when it seemed a pretty blatant push on Bassey.
00:24:35
Nick Britten
So, think what I'm saying. I that's I'm saying. think that's what I'm saying. think that's I'm
00:24:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Bassey's in the mix of both of these things. ah I mean, do you think the Man United goal should have stood?
00:24:53
Nick Britten
No. No. Again. I mean, what is the referee Salisbury looking at? Because it was obvious. It's right in front of him. He's looking at that.
00:25:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:04
Nick Britten
He's got two hands on the back as Bassey is about to move for the ball and he gets pushed over.
00:25:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:25:11
Nick Britten
ah and and And I'll go back to this. I'll go back to this situation whereby, okay, so let's pretend the referee...
00:25:22
Nick Britten
Hasn't seen it. He might have been unsighted. His line of sight night might not have picked it up what have you. That's fine, okay? Because the referees, I do have sympathy with them. You've got to be looking at 600 things at the same time. That's where the VAR comes in.
00:25:36
Nick Britten
um for the and And for the second time, in my opinion, you've got Darren England, who was the VAR for that game, has made an absolute howler of it. Because it's so obvious to anybody, and everybody who's looking, that it's two hands in the back. It's not nudge.
00:25:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:25:54
Nick Britten
Yeah, it's not shoulder. It's two hands moving from a position whereby they are kind of in towards their body and to be outstretched as they push Bassey over. And then that means Joros got a free header.
00:26:07
Nick Britten
So he's gained an immediate advantage through that contact. It's just a foul. And everybody can see it's a foul apart from the referee and the ridiculous VAR.
00:26:18
Nick Britten
What are they doing? Why do we have VAR in this game if they can't make basic, easy decisions like that?
00:26:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
well Wow.
00:26:26
Nick Britten
Why bother with them? Get rid of them all. Absolutely ridiculous. Wow.
00:26:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, makes sense. I tell you what, if it's anywhere else on the pitch, it's a foul. Anywhere else on the pitch, that's a foul. Right, okay. Before we get on to... The big game tonight, the big game.
00:26:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
And really want to talk about that for a couple of minutes.
00:26:44
Nick Britten
So,
00:26:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thanks for listening to the Daily Premier League podcast. i hope you're making tuning in every day part of your routine. It's great to have you here. You're going to find out the latest news, views and analysis from the best club league in the world.
00:26:58
Nick Britten
don't
00:26:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's available wherever you get your podcasts.
00:26:59
Nick Britten
hope
00:27:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
So please subscribe. and that will make sure that we're delivered straight to your device. So leave us a rating. Let us know your thoughts. You can reach us at dailyapremierleaguepodcast at gmail.com. Send us your comments. Send us your thoughts. Send us your questions.
00:27:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll try to cover them as soon as we can. Right.

Liverpool vs. Newcastle: Game Preview

00:27:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
To wrap up the show, want to talk about the big one tonight, Newcastle against Liverpool, all overshadowed by the Isak saga.
00:27:23
Nick Britten
What?
00:27:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
What do you think is going to be the key battles here? What do you think, Nick, is going to be the determinant who's going to end the game victorious?
00:27:40
Nick Britten
I think the most important thing is how, or the the critical factor in this, is how the players cope with the what's going to be an absolutely vibrant, fibrous atmosphere. It's a bank holiday Monday.
00:27:54
Nick Britten
It's the Geordies. The pubs have been open since this morning. It's a massive game, given the whole Isak thing. St. James' Park is going to be electric. And actually, the determining factor on this may well be how the players cope with it from both sides.
00:28:07
Nick Britten
Do the Newcastle players, can they cope with the adrenaline to play level-headed, sensible football and sticking with the game plan? And can the Liverpool players cope, as they haven't done in recent times, with the intensity of what Newcastle are going to throw at them?
00:28:24
Nick Britten
And Arne Slott has been speaking about this in the last couple of days around the fact that Liverpool in the last couple of games and He noted the Carabao Cup final. They've not been able to cope with the Newcastle intensity.
00:28:38
Nick Britten
So it's whether it's that it' those things will determine this game. I guess at a micro level, it will be, is Liverpool's attack going to be better than Newcastle's defence?
00:28:50
Nick Britten
And you would think it probably is.
00:28:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:28:52
Nick Britten
But equally, can Newcastle do what they couldn't do against Aston Villa, which is... create loads of chances and put one or two of them away because they created a load of chances against Villa and some good ones at that and couldn't score.
00:29:09
Nick Britten
They're going to create chances tonight. The key is, can they put probably two of them they're going to need? can they put Can they put them away? So it's not by any stretch of the matter a done deal.
00:29:22
Nick Britten
I don't think this game. You would expect Liverpool to win it. The form book would suggest Liverpool would win it. Player for player, you might expect Liverpool to win it, although I think Newcastle's midfield is stronger.
00:29:34
Nick Britten
I think a midfield three of Tunali, Gimaraes and Joe Linton is as good as you'll find anywhere in the Premier League. But... But at either end of the pitch, have Newcastle got the firepower to go past Liverpool's defence?
00:29:47
Nick Britten
Who have, by the way, proved a bit vulnerable. They look shaky in that game, shaky against Bournemouth for a period.
00:29:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah. Did it? Did it?
00:29:54
Nick Britten
Don't feel like they're settled. At the other end, can the Newcastle defence keep out what is ah shaping up to be a very, very good Liverpool attack?
00:30:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's pretty good synopsis there. I think it's about right. I agree with that. This atmosphere, it's going to be charged. It's going to be electric. It's going to loud. It's going to be intense. This is a great test, two games in for Liverpool, I think.
00:30:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is a really good test.
00:30:18
Nick Britten
So,
00:30:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
If if Liverpool go and go win 3-0 here and go back on the bus, we're looking at the champions already. ah you know, this is just the kind of test we wanted to see out of Liverpool. It's going to be, this is going to about about Liverpool's professionalism tonight.
00:30:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think if they can just calm things down, go about their business, they're a better team and they'll emerge victorious. If, if there's Early impetus from Newcastle.
00:30:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
If Newcastle can harness this and channel this energy that's coming from the crowd, it could be an amazing game.
00:30:52
Nick Britten
oh
00:30:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think there's going to be i think there are going to be goals on both sides. I'm very interested to see Eketike again in his second game. i I was extremely impressed with Eketike in the first game.
00:31:05
Nick Britten
mean
00:31:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Tall, fast, mobile. If he can follow up his excellent opener with another great game, I think it's going to be, my prediction is 3-1 Liverpool. I think it's going to be a cracker. Can't wait for it to start.
00:31:21
Nick Britten
I'm not sure what it is.
00:31:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah And anything could happen.
00:31:23
Nick Britten
I'm not sure what it is.
00:31:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
But um my my money and your money as well, because I know we did the predictions of the other day, is on Liverpool victory. But it's it's going to be a classic. It could, as all the hallmarks of a classic.
00:31:36
Nick Britten
Well, the team news is just out. So I'm just looking at the Liverpool team now of Alisson. I've got Sobberslai, Kanate, Van Dijk and Kierkez. Gravenbertsch and Jones sit in and then a three of Salah, Wurz and Gakpo playing in behind Ekitike.
00:31:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thanks.
00:31:51
Nick Britten
So that's as strong a team as they are likely to put out.
00:31:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, Virts had a mixed game first game out.
00:31:58
Nick Britten
That's strong team.
00:32:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Virts needs a better game this second game. I'm going to interested to see how Virts gets on today because they've got a battle on the hands in midfield, as you were saying here. It's going to be interest interesting to see you emerge as victorious there.
00:32:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think the midfield could win this. I know they've got some issues up front. They've got some massive issues up front, as we know, Newcastle, but... This is where the game's going to be won and lost.

Refereeing Improvements: An Ongoing Debate

00:32:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway, Nick, thank you for that 32 minutes of wisdom, as always.
00:32:27
Nick Britten
that That's
00:32:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
You've been properly on your soapbox there about refereeing, which you've got feeling is going to be a recurring theme through the season. But ah just don't hold back next time, Nick.
00:32:37
Nick Britten
Well, they just... They've just got to get better. That's the point. ah We say this every year and we kind of go through this every year. And it just needs to be better. I'm just looking at the Newcastle starting line-up just before we go.
00:32:51
Nick Britten
The Newcastle starting line-up, which has dropped just in the last couple of moments. Pope in goal. And there was a question, and I was talking to somebody about this this morning, actually, whether Pope or Ramsdale might play.
00:33:02
Nick Britten
Pope's in goal. Tripier, Shah, Byrne and Liveramento across the back. Gimaraas, Joe Linton, Tinali in midfield, and as expected, Barnes, Elanga and Gordon. So it's it's pretty much the same team.
00:33:13
Nick Britten
It's a team that we would expect to see. we'll We'll have to see whether Gordon starts as a nine through the middle like did against Villa or whether he mixed it around or not. But both teams, both teams given where we where we know they are, at full strength.
00:33:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great. Well, what's the space? We'll report back on it tomorrow. And thanks for listening. It's been a real pleasure to bring you this as it always is. Hope you're listening every day. and Make it part of your routine. You know where you're going to get the best coverage on the Premier League.
00:33:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's here, Daily Premier League Podcast. Just a reminder, you want to reach us, it's a daily premierly podcast at at gmail.com. But until next time, Nick, thanks for being on there on the show. is' As always, you were you always say you always bring out a wisdom and sense a common sense, I think, to bear, which is what we're all after.
00:34:00
Nick Britten
No, thank much. And let's hope tomorrow night when we do this, we're not talking about the referee, but we're talking about an absolutely cracking game, which we're hoping to see tonight.
00:34:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm just going to throw two more things at you before we finish. I don't reckon there's going to be 22 players on the pitch at the end of the game. And I reckon this week, as soon as this match is over, Isaac's off to Liverpool.
00:34:19
Nick Britten
Well, good crystal ball gazing, Ken. We shall see, and I'll tell you whether you're right or wrong when we meet up tomorrow, mate.
00:34:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brilliant. Thanks, Nick.