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NBA Midseason Playoff Contenders | NFL Divisional Round Preview + Predictions | Carrick’s Baptism of Fire: The Manchester Derby
17 Plays11 days ago
Who’s Got The Ball? – NFL, NBA & Premier League Breakdown
On this week’s episode of Who’s Got The Ball?, Shane and James are back with their latest deep dive into the NFL, NBA, and Premier League, covering all the biggest stories and talking points from across the sporting world.
🏈 NFL Analysis & Playoff Predictions
The episode kicks off with the NBA, with a full breakdown of the Trae Young trade and what it means for the Wizards and Magic. The lads also assess the NBA playoff picture as the league hits the halfway point of the season, identifying contenders, pretenders, and teams to watch.
🏀 NBA Trade Talk & Playoff Picture
Next up, it’s the NFL, where the lads debate their Clutch Player of the Week—and for the first time this season, they don’t agree! After both going an impressive 5–1 in last week’s Wild Card round, Shane and James give their Divisional Round predictions and explain who they see advancing in the NFL Playoffs.
⚽ Premier League Transfers & Manchester Derby Preview
Over in the Premier League, Shane and James review the January transfer window moves so far and look ahead to the massive Manchester Derby, breaking down key players, tactics, and potential outcomes.
📊 Gan Seans Update & Power Rankings
As always, there’s an update on Gan Seans, with James holding onto a narrow one-point lead, plus the latest edition of the Power Rankings as the competition heats up.
👉 Subscribe, rate, and follow Who’s Got The Ball? for weekly NFL, NBA, and Premier League analysis, predictions, and debate.
🎧 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) James is heading to San Francisco!
(4:04) Trae Young to the Wizards
(12:12) Midseason NBA Playoff Picture
(26:08) NFL Clutch Player of the Week: Josh Allen vs Caleb Williams
(34:03) Kevin Patullo Demoted and Mike Tomlin Steps Down
(40:31) NFL Divisional Round Preview + Predictions
(56:10) Gan Seans: Our Underdog Picks
(59:08) January Transfer Window Round-Up
(1:12:44) Manchester Derby Preview
(1:20:01) Multi-Sport Power Rankings
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Transcript
Introduction from the Hospital
00:00:09
Speaker
Alright guys, welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball. This one is brought live from the hospital because both of us are literally dying sick. Plenty of coughing, plenty of spluttering, plenty of sneezing, but all of it was off mute or was on mute for you guys. So you didn't have to listen to it. but If you're watching on YouTube, you may see us mute ourselves and do it because if we just had to keep stop recording, the flow would be all over the place. But anyway, Shane, how are you apart from the sickness?
Rugby and Super Bowl Excitement
00:00:35
Speaker
Yeah, so I came up to Dublin to you last weekend and clearly we had far too much fun because now the two of us are in an awful state. we brought it on ourselves. We went to the Leinster game. What a game of rugby.
00:00:48
Speaker
the the The last kick of the game, but it it was just it was absolutely incredible to be there to watch it. So that was fun. And the two of us are paying for it all week. So as you said, the splutter in the coffin is all off. It's all muted, so you don't have to hear it. So you have nothing to worry about there.
00:01:03
Speaker
yeah i just like i was only thinking if we were to pause it every time we coughed this recording would be four hours long and there would be absolutely nothing we could do about it it would just be so choppy would be the worst episode ever recorded so you'll just have to let us away with it for this week we'll be but hopefully be back to normal again next week yeah I'm glad you and kind of Made clear that we had fun at the game because that sounded quite suspect there for a minute when you said we had too much fun and both of us were in an awful state. So yeah, let's not delve too much into that one. But yeah, Leinster got the win despite Shane cheering for Lara O'Shelder in the whole game. and He was welded to his seat when that Harry Byrne kick went over at the end, which is fantastic.
00:01:45
Speaker
thoroughly enjoyed it. Before I get into the rundown, I want to tell you guys, I'm going to be heading to San Francisco to cover the Super Bowl for the week. I got a media pass. Massive thanks to Jimmy at Gaelic Gridiron. So I'm going with those guys because I've been writing articles for them and and I appear on their podcast. They often as well kind of shared on my story. So if you do want to get a bit more of me, that's where to find it. and But yeah,
00:02:09
Speaker
want to thank him a lot for giving me that ah that opportunity. Who's got the ball is going to be represented at the Super Bowl week, at the media events, and press conferences, everything. and So plenty of inside stuff for you and plenty of extra clips and all sorts during the week. So keep an eye out for that on our social media.
00:02:28
Speaker
And once again, thanks to him for for that opportunity. But let's move into our rundown for the week.
Sports Overview: NBA, NFL, EPL
00:02:34
Speaker
Packed episode, absolutely packed. We talked about a lot considering how much we were dying sick, but we started with the and NBA.
00:02:40
Speaker
We went over Trey Young's trade to the Wizards, what that means. We looked at an early playoff kind of picture, what it looks like midway through the season and and the changes we think are going to come in throughout the rest of the season.
00:02:52
Speaker
Clutch player week, we differed here. and We couldn't decide, so we both went and gave our picks, and you can decide what you think for for the arguments we made. We kind of looked at the fallout from the wildcard round, mainly with coaching changes and maybe how that will impact them next season, but also how some of the wins will impact the games that shape up this weekend because we previewed the full divisional round.
00:03:17
Speaker
David Price- our thoughts on each and every one of the games and give our picks for each of them, as well as a lock and one one game, we think is definitely going to come off with our prediction. David Price- And then, lastly, we moved on to the Premier League we talked about all the transfers midway through January transfer window, not that there's a whole David Price- But just kind of some of the interesting ones and and what may be coming up but again not a whole lot of things could be quite a boring window, but we gave you a check in there.
00:03:41
Speaker
And we hope we're on. We hope we get a lot of big transfers to talk about. and And then we previewed United versus City, and the big derby with Michael Carrick at the helm. We also had gun chance and power rankings thrown in there as usual. So packed episode.
00:03:55
Speaker
Let's get straight into it again If you're watching on YouTube keep an eye out for all the nose blowing spluttering coffin that we muted ourselves for absolute tree absolute
NBA Trades and Playoff Predictions
00:04:03
Speaker
gold. Let's get into it Okay, so we've got our first major move of and NBA trade season This is the first one that's gone down before the deadline and it's trey young landing on the Wizards Yeah, he's just played 10 games so far this season with injuries. But last season, if you take a look at his stats, he did have a career high for assists. His turnover numbers were as high as usual for him, and up around five, and just below five. And the assist margin is close to 12, which is really good. But they didn't do a whole lot last season with Jalen Johnson injured and the Hawks. And then looking at 24 points per game.
00:04:41
Speaker
Really what the Wizards are getting here is someone who's just going to put up a bucket load of shots. um And I don't know if that's the right thing that they need because maybe they saw the chance to get an all-star for basically nothing because they gave up Corey Kispert and a 34-year-old CJ McCollum, which is probably a lot less than people thought in Atlanta and also probably a lot less than Trey Young thought he was worth. But yeah, maybe they just went for that because it was so low of a value.
00:05:11
Speaker
But they're going to be taking the ball out of the hands of the likes of Keyshawn George and Trey Johnson, who are trying to learn and and become the future of this team. So I'm not sure that this is the right thing to do for the Wizards. And I also don't know what the benefit of the Hawks getting those two guys just for for pretty much nothing in return for trade Trey Young is.
00:05:32
Speaker
Yeah, I agree with you 100%. I think, first of all, the value was so low. So it feels like Washington literally just did it because they could. One of those like, oh, we can get him. Oh, let's get him. What do they want? Is this all they want? Okay, let's absolutely jump it, I suppose.
00:05:45
Speaker
like yeah they're probably not going to play in the season. So comes out today, he's going to be out for the foreseeable future. They need their pick to be in the top eight or they lose it to the Knicks. And putting him in there obviously gives him more a chance of winning games if he's in there shooting as well. And if they come out of getting a top eight, bottom eight pick, they lose that to the Knicks and they're not going to want that. So...
00:06:06
Speaker
I'd like, I do just want to sit him. Let's say if he comes back in 10 games time, there's 30 odd games left then. I do just want to sit him for the last 30 games, depending on where it they're sitting in their conference and see.
00:06:18
Speaker
So that doesn't make sense to me. For the Hawks, it makes a little bit more sense. So Kispert is a 38% career tree shooter. So he's a good addition.
00:06:30
Speaker
kind of a good addition. Like you could also to see them trade parting ways with him as well if they got an offer from him, so you don't know. It's just a really weird trade. I know he wanted to go, but this feels a bit like, if if this is what Memphis got for Jammerant, it would make more sense because Jammerant's stock has fallen to this kind of a level, whereas Trae Young's stock doesn't feel like it should have fallen to this low of a level yet. Injuries are obviously playing a toll on it, but he's still a quality operator when he is on the course.
00:06:59
Speaker
Whereas getting Jamarant on the court is is a is an issue for another reason as well. So both sides, it doesn't make sense, but it also makes sense in some way that if they go into next season, they keep their top eight pick and they have Trae Young as their veteran. It makes a bit more sense in that sense.
00:07:16
Speaker
But in general, I just think it's it's such a strange move for a team that's trying to tank, to bring in someone that can shoot, assist. Okay, he turns it over five times. As you said, it's it's a it's the assist difference is 12.
00:07:30
Speaker
So his turnovers aren't going to make a massive difference on a team like this, really. Yeah, that's true. If he did play this season at all, which you rightly pointed out that, it could be pretty likely that they don't play him because they don't want to move up the board by the time he is fit after the all-star break. So I don't know. I think that also begs the question if they did get a top pick, would they then be more reluctant to take a guard because they have Trey Young?
00:07:56
Speaker
But that wouldn't, like, I wouldn't think you should be because he's not going to be there for the long haul where, as you could get a really good young guard. But at the same time, you have to think about the roster you have. So I don't know, like really, overall what it's worth, but it it worked out for Trae Young because nobody wants to go to the Wizards. Let's start off there.
00:08:19
Speaker
He didn't decide he wanted to go to the Wizards for basketball reasons. He wanted to go there because they can give him a max extension. He has a decision to make in the summer about whether he picks up his $49 million dollars player option or not.
00:08:33
Speaker
He's hopeful. I think that if he picks that up, plays next season, the Wizards jump up to the playing level and he has a decent season, he goes and grabs a massive contract either with the Wizards or somewhere else the year after that.
00:08:48
Speaker
So he's playing playing the game for himself. you know He said he what he did it for the Hawks that he thought it was a good time to move away, blah, blah, blah. But like it that's not true. He did it for his his own his own ability to get the most money that he can. And he also did it because he knows this is Jalen Johnson's team now. They're moving on from him and they're better without him. So he knows that this is the time to move on and they're not going to defer to him constantly in Atlanta the way they will when he when he plays for the Wizards next season.
00:09:20
Speaker
Yeah, this is such a stepping stone move. um It's clear as day. As you said, literally nobody wants to end up in Washington. So why would he suddenly choose, oh, is where he wants to go. its For him, it's guaranteed money next year.
00:09:34
Speaker
i'm a team that are going to play through him next year. He's still only 27, you have to remember as well. He's not, so he's not exactly old, even though, like, i the one thing I hate about basketball is when they call any player who's been in the league about four years a veteran.
00:09:46
Speaker
Like, a veteran to me is somebody who should be 34 or up. He's 27, so he's a veteran in basketball sense, but he still has 10 years left in him if the injuries don't take a massive toll on him. So he's not going spend the next 10 years in Washington. Like you said, like, if they don't take a guard next year because they have Trae Young,
00:10:03
Speaker
It could be a very silly move if they didn't move up a good bit and they have no pick the year after to get someone in to replace Trae Young, who has gone off to a contender all of a sudden again. So that that kind of thing doesn't doesn't make sense. like There's no way he's gone there for basketball reasons, as you said.
00:10:18
Speaker
It's money and to me try and build his name back up to a point where someone someone someone who was actually contending wants him. Someone like the Celtic something would come in and say, oh yeah, we'll have a piece of that for the next three years if you want to give it up for whatever. So...
00:10:32
Speaker
I wonder as well if the fact they paid so little for him would be like, oh, well, you got me for so cheap. I want you to now send me off here to Boston for cheap as well. So that could be another thing for as well. It's like, so I've shook your hand. You need to shake mine back now. And I want to go and to a team that's contending again. The Hawks were never really contending with him.
00:10:50
Speaker
But if he went somewhere that was contending, think he'd be a good addition. But again, like it's so hard to trust him. Like I just said, he only played 10 games this season. That's why his stock was so low.
00:11:02
Speaker
Like, there's no way the Rockets, who do really need a guard, the Rockets aren't going to go and blow it up for him when he's going be out for another maybe 15 or 20 games and then have him back at the crunch part of the season. You're trying to get him up to speed.
00:11:15
Speaker
You're not going to give it up anything to get someone in like that. So this is kind of his level at the moment. We'll see if he can make the step up again. But I don't know. I just think it's a very strange career move if you are if you do plan on playing basketball and you're not just in it for money.
00:11:30
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. I think you made some good points there. And the thought of him moving somewhere else, I think that's... It may not be that he says, you know, you should give me up for a lower value. It might be a fact like you basically didn't give up a whole lot for me. So I don't feel and any guilt whatsoever for just taking the player option and then walking away.
00:11:52
Speaker
yeah And there's nothing the Wizards can do to stop that. So... Yeah, first move. We'll see if we get any more. Anthony Davis talk is ramping up again, so we might get that. But Michael, I think he'll be back on next week and he wants to chat trades um in the trade season. So we'll we'll defer that one to him leading into next week.
00:12:11
Speaker
We want to take a look at the midway playoff picture. So we're going to start with the Eastern Conference. We'll just run through who's in the mix right now.
00:12:23
Speaker
So out in front, we've got the Pistons, 28 and 10. Then we've got a bunch with the Knicks, Celtics, Raptors, Sixers, Magic and Cavs, kind of all around the same level. Now there's a bit of a space between...
00:12:37
Speaker
the Knicks and Celtics down to Raptors of a couple of games. And then there's a couple of games between them and the Sixers, Magic and Cavs. So those are the next bunch. and One of those is probably going to be in the play and mix. The rest are going to make it through.
00:12:50
Speaker
Then we've got the Heat, Hawks and Bulls all sitting in like just around 500 or just below. And then on the outside, looking in, we've got the Bucs at 17 and 23. They're two games behind the Bulls.
00:13:03
Speaker
And then we've got the Hornets at 14 and 26, who are for and a good few more games back. So they're pretty much out of contention. I think that they probably don't want to win too many games, but they've been looking decent this season.
00:13:16
Speaker
The main thoughts I have here are that I like the Bucs to push the Bulls out. The Bulls have just been continuously falling down, and the Bucs, I'll be honest. So... He said he won't demand a trade, so it looks like he's going to be staying there and he'll get them into the playing mix, I'd say.
00:13:31
Speaker
And then I like the top six to stay similarly enough with maybe the Cavs getting in over the Magic or the Raptors if they kind of hit a slump. I think the Sixers are kind of on cruise control at the moment to get like the fourth or fifth seed.
00:13:45
Speaker
um And they'll have nights where they rest players and nights where they don't and kick on the playoffs. But that's kind of the outlook. I do think that the Pistons do keep that one seed goal until the end of the season. They're clearly the best team in the East. Yeah, I do agree with you wholeheartedly there, especially the point about the Cavaliers. So they are starting to look like a real basketball team again.
00:14:04
Speaker
and i think the Bulls have been getting away over too long kind of settling for a playing spot. So I think this is the year where they will probably finish just outside it. The Bucs will definitely push on from here, especially with Giannis.
00:14:16
Speaker
saying what he said and kind of he's he's like he's a catalyst for that team so when he's playing they play better it's simple as that and i know that's not exactly a massive what's the right a massive bombshell to say that they play better with him but They're better with than the Bulls are when he's in that team as well. So I do think they'll push on. I think the top two is pretty much set. I do think the Knicks will stay where they are, even though they are they're on a four and six run at the moment. i think they will turn that around again.
00:14:44
Speaker
Celtics, Raptors, Sixers, we'll probably see out the top five then. And then it's between the Magic down to the Heat to guess between like to get six and seven. So we'll just kind of see where it goes from there.
00:14:54
Speaker
So what, there's nothing on that side would like, there's no one there that's going to surprise you really. Like the Hornets, the Nets, the Wizards and the Pacers are all awful basketball teams. and So they're not going to be pushing on. The Hornets are better this year, but that doesn't mean they're good at the same time.
00:15:09
Speaker
And the box it will go down as far as the Bucs and we'll see which team drops out then as well. Yeah, I think I'd definitely put my money on the Bulls because I think the Hawks are going to get... We kind of went, like said, there's not a whole lot there with McCollum, but obviously he is aging, so it's not a long-term fix, but he will help them this season to have a veteran guard that will actually defer to Jalen Johnson instead of hog the ball, which is what they want.
00:15:34
Speaker
and So I do think they could push up closer to that seven point. But as you said, the Cavs are kicking on a little bit now. So if the Magic don't get their act together, they could slip into the play. And so I think there's there's kind of, yeah, there's kind of a clear top 10 because I don't think the Bulls are good enough really.
00:15:51
Speaker
and And I agree with you that the Knicks will keep the two seed. I think while the Celtics are doing great, I think maybe three or four is where they'll end up because they do have a a depleted roster and it's not going to work out forever.
00:16:04
Speaker
And so... I don't know. It's going to make an interesting playoff picture, though, because if the Pistons get the one seed and, say, the likes of the Magic or Cavs are in the play-in and they kind of finish in the eighth seed, that would be a very interesting and matchup, like Pistons versus Magic. yeah They get a really tough matchup in the first round where the Magic could be perfectly ramped up at that stage and ready to go.
00:16:27
Speaker
100% and I think that would be for a kind of a neutral point which we would be in terms of the Pistons against anyone. That would be such and be a much more interesting matchup if they were playing the Magic of the Cavaliers and if they got a walk-in by getting the Bulls because the Bulls have snuck through again and they win the play-in like they did last year and they get the 8th seed then i think the Pistons at some point are going to need a proper test because we've said it for since we since day one of doing this podcast we've said the difference in quality between the East and the West is mad and if the Pistons come up against any of the teams in the West without having to go through any sort of hard draft to get there they could it could be really really ugly when it came to playoff time so i think they need to play someone like the Magic or the Cavaliers in a playoff sorry Magic or yeah Magic, Cavaliers or Sixers they need one those a playoff
00:17:16
Speaker
just kind of show what they can do on a bigger s stage than just going out and beating the Nets and the Wizards and the Hornets and a horrible a poor Bulls team at the moment. and So I do think that would be far better for them. In their conference games, they're 20-6 so far this season.
00:17:34
Speaker
I know the Thunder are 27 and 6 in theirs and we'll talk about them in a couple of minutes but like they haven't really been tested much on their side and they've only lost four games to teams from the West then as well so they are clearly a good basketball team but if they go into a playoff um on cruise control or autopilot then it could be as a Sarri safe for them.
00:17:53
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, I think so. You need to be tested early on, like you said. And I think that middle pack is kind of some tricky teams because the Celtics...
00:18:05
Speaker
they can do whatever and Tatum could be back as we talked about them in detail last week. So if you wanted to hear our thoughts on that, go back to last week's episode and give that one a listen if you missed it. But I think the Sixers, Cavs and Raptors all have solid defensive players and solid scorers who can test anybody.
00:18:23
Speaker
And then obviously with the Sixers to have Maxie and Embiid on the same team with Paul George, if all three of those are firing, they could take down anybody. So it's like that middle pack is...
00:18:34
Speaker
that might sharpen a team. Whoever comes out of that little section of teams may well get through the East because they're well-sharpened. They've played tough teams, tough opponents, and they could take down a Knicks or a Pistons. who do I think the Pistons are more tough. They're harder to to beat, but the Knicks, are they have their flaws, and I think playoff teams would know how to attack that as they have done in the past.
00:18:56
Speaker
So, yeah, I think that middle pack is where the real we see the real contenders coming out of, I think, maybe. Yeah. yeah Unless you have anything else there, we'll look at the Western Conference.
00:19:08
Speaker
Yeah, I just want to agree with you, but I just think like anyone on the East can beat anyone. and Whoever finishing that top eight, you could easily see the Magic putting it up to the Pistons over seven games and coming out 4-3. You could see the Knicks losing to the Cavs very easily as well. The Cavs were...
00:19:24
Speaker
a monster a team last year like that hasn't just completely fallen off a cliff. They just seem to be taking it a bit handier this year. So the the East really is wide open at the moment. So we'll have to see who gets that final play-in spot through the play-in. Sorry, who gets the play-off spot through the play-in and just the match-up is going to be so interesting on that side.
00:19:42
Speaker
Yeah, and the Cavs having Sam Merrill, Max Strews and Darius Garland injured, like all their shooters pretty much, and they gave up Ty Jerome. And their main thing was shooting threes last season. So it's it's no wonder that they've fallen off. I think when they're all fit, it will be a different story.
00:20:00
Speaker
Looking at the Western Conference then, Sitting at the one seed, we have the Thunder, who are 34-7, their way out in front at the moment. and Then we've got a pack of teams with the Nuggets, Spurs, and Timberwolves all around the same record, 27-13, and 27-14.
00:20:20
Speaker
Then there's another grouping of Lakers, Rockets and Suns who are 24-14, 23-14 and 24-16. The Suns a little bit further off, but still only half game back and from the Rockets in the standings.
00:20:33
Speaker
Then we've got Warriors, Blazers and Grizzlies making up the last of the playing teams. I think Blazers and Grizzlies are the most kind of worrisome about falling out right now because the Clippers are on an 8-2 run. They've won their last four. They're up to seventeen and twenty three after an awful start.
00:20:50
Speaker
and they're definitely going to get into the play, and I think and it's just whether they push out the Grizzlies or Blazers, and with the way the Blazers have looked as of late, it looks like the Grizzlies may be the ones that are in big danger of dropping out here.
00:21:03
Speaker
Yeah, the Grizzlies have gone and have kind of done the opposite of what the Clippers did. they They had a pretty good start and they're kind of falling off a cliff at the moment. So they're four and six in their last 10. They haven't looked convincing in any of the four wins either, really. So they would be the ones that I would be worried about for the Clippers.
00:21:20
Speaker
I think the top eight is kind of sad. It's just the order needs to be sorted out. And this, I think the Warriors or the Suns will end up in that playing spot. and I think the top six, I don't think the Rockets going to fall into the playing.
00:21:32
Speaker
The Rockets only played 14 home games and they're 12-2 at home. So they do have a lot to catch up on at home as well, which could push them back up the rankings as well. But they're another team. They're 11-12 away. i'm they've just They're losing games they shouldn't be losing. Like losing to the Kings, they've lost to the Jazz, they've lost to the Mavericks.
00:21:52
Speaker
It's just kind of it's a weird the way the Rockets season is going. They really need a guard, as we said, talking about Trae Young. And they just don't really seem to be in the market for anyone at the moment. so i't know hopefully they can push back up into that top four but I do think the top eight are set and it's from Trailblazers down to Clippers or even Mavericks to get there de define the final playing spot.
00:22:13
Speaker
Yeah, I think the Rockets worrying thing as well is their overtime record, their one and four which is one of the worst in the league and definitely by far the worst of all the teams in the playoff spots in the West and I think they are in a little bit of danger if they don't correct course of Fallen because the Suns are only half a game back and then the Warriors are three games back. So I think if the Warriors actually play decent basketball, which they haven't done pretty much all season, the Rockets could find them on their heels. I know I do think they have enough to stay in it, but they just would want to be wary of that.
00:22:50
Speaker
and And the Lakers are in a similar boat, but I wouldn't worry as much about them because Luka is just going to win you enough games on his own to keep you in that five or six seed. Really impressed with the Timberwolves.
00:23:01
Speaker
They're pushing up now. They're only a game behind the Nuggets. So they're well in play for that two seed, especially with Jokic being out. So it would be interesting to see if the Timberwolves make that push and kind of break into the top three and push the Nuggets and Spurs down a little bit. What do you think?
00:23:18
Speaker
Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me at all either, to be honest. they've just to what They've got some really, really good basketball players. Anthony Edwards is just a monster when he's on the court and he's very hard to stop when he's up when he's honest on properly. He's very hard to stop. So, yeah, the Nuggets and Spurs should definitely be very wary of the Timberwolves coming up behind them, especially the Spurs. They're on a bit of um a bit of a cold streak as well at the moment. They're 4-6 and they've lost their last two.
00:23:46
Speaker
they've kind of given Timberwolves the chance to catch up to them. They're the same amount of wins now that Timberwolves have just played one extra game. So they're only half a game back from them as well. So it's really, really tight for a conference that is normally, like the Lord King normally just great about 15 wins, but they're all in double double digits so far this season. So there's no real...
00:24:08
Speaker
honking basketball teams on that side. There are a couple of bad ones obviously. to judge The Jazz, the Kings and the Pelicans aren't good basketball teams but on their day they can go out and kind of do what they want. The Kings have won three in a row out of nowhere as well and they weren't three easy games either. They've beaten beat the Rockets, they beat the Knicks and they've beaten the Lakers in their last three.
00:24:28
Speaker
And three teams that we are just saying there are shoe-ins for a playing spot. So, yeah, there's teams there that can cause an upset on their night and they they could upset anyone in this team.
00:24:40
Speaker
Or sorry, on this side, bar maybe the Thunder who... despite a bit of a shaky run there themselves, they just seem to coming back to themselves now again. There are four wins in a row, eight and two in their last ten.
00:24:51
Speaker
They can very easily go on another run of winning 15 of the next 16 or something. Yeah, they really put those two Spurs losses behind them as well, going out and battering the Spurs with their night by 21.
00:25:04
Speaker
um I think we're kind of more set in the West. I think there's like a clear top four, then a clear next maybe two or three and then a clear next three because i I do think that the Clippers do get in and the Grizzlies fall out and I like what the Blazers do defensively especially with Drew Holiday coming back seven and three in their last ten despite losing their last two and they're they're a solid enough team I think to get the last play-in spot but the play-ins then will be very interesting because you're likely to have
00:25:39
Speaker
Warriors, Suns, Blazers and Clippers there. And all those teams are worthy of of a playoff spot. So really interesting in the West. and Two interesting conferences, but that's kind of the mid-season check-in.
00:25:53
Speaker
I don't expect too much of a shift, but I think those last play-in spots and certainly seeding is really important to keep an eye on down the stretch here. And that it's starting to kind of shape up nicely, I think, similarly to how it's going to shake out. So a good time to do the check-in.
00:26:08
Speaker
Let's jump over then to the NFL. So we've got the playoffs.
Game Analysis and Player Highlights
00:26:13
Speaker
They've just started. and Last week we gave our wildcard round previews and predictions. But before we get into the next round and kind of our reaction to that and the fallout with coaching decisions and stuff from that, we want to touch on our Clutch Player of the Week. So we had two options. We've gone for one each and to go different this week and see what we both have prepped on each one. So I'll throw it to you first, Shane, if you want to give yours.
00:26:37
Speaker
Yeah, so I've gone with Josh Allen. um man is inevitable when it comes down to just getting his team over the line in the stretch. So he was 28 of 35 for 273 yards, one passing touchdown and two rushing touchdowns, including the one that won in the game.
00:26:55
Speaker
There was just no doubt in my mind he was going to get them down there and score the winning touchdown against the Jags after the fall after they'd fallen behind with about two minutes left. He's just, as I said, he's just inevitable. He's always going to do us um They mentioned in commentary, there's no Lamar, there's no Mahomes, there's no Burroughs, that if he doesn't do it this year, when is he going to do it? And he seems to have taken that to heart himself, that he is going to go out here and just put it up to anyone that comes up against him. He's the Broncos next.
00:27:24
Speaker
We'll talk about that in a couple of minutes. I don't see that being too difficult for either, but the Broncos had a good win as well. No, they didn't, sorry. They they had the one seed. Yeah, like I know they're they have an extra week's rest now but I still don't think they'll have enough to get past Josh Allen who's on absolute fire and really really wants it this year He's done this without, we've said it couple of times, but none of his receivers are like, oh my God, every team wants him or every team would love him. But he has players who can just catch a ball, know how to run their routes, and he finds them every single time. And when he wants to run, best of luck stopping him. um He's just an absolute monster of a man. He's just absolutely brilliant.
00:28:04
Speaker
And yeah, I just, I think he was player the week because he had no interceptions, the two Russian in touchdowns. 28 of 35, only missed seven passes, whereas Caleb Williams, who you talk about, it was only 50%, but the 24 passes he did show were pretty exceptional as well. I'll let you have a word on him there.
00:28:23
Speaker
Yeah, i the reason I went with Caleb is because of the clutch part of it. So yeah, the statistics over the game, there was some questionable stuff there, like two interceptions, only 20 rushing yards. He did only take one sack, and...
00:28:38
Speaker
but he only had 50% completion, 361 yards. But then you look at where those yards and kind of the production came and it was in the fourth quarter. 184 passing yards and two touchdowns in the fourth.
00:28:52
Speaker
They won that fourth quarter 25-6 to take the game 31-27. That is absolutely unbelievable stuff and in the moments that matter the most.
00:29:02
Speaker
And while Josh Allen probably had a more complete game against what was probably a better defense, Caleb was just completely clutch. His evolution under Ben Johnson has been superb. He probably needed that kind of strict coaching from, let's be honest, the guy's a maniac.
00:29:18
Speaker
Ben Johnson just nuts like the stuff he was saying in the locker room afterwards, cursing out the Packers, saying he hates them. and That kind of coaching is kind of what Caleb needed. But then he's still allowed to have those explosive plays that he gets outside the pocket. He had multiple 20-yard passes in the fourth.
00:29:34
Speaker
And then... That fourth and eighth throw to Roma Dunze when he's out of the pocket, getting chased tackled as he's throwing the ball and he drops it in between like three defenders. 27-yard completion basically kept him alive, kept the season alive. One of the best throws I've ever seen. It was absolutely amazing. And and that's what he can do.
00:29:54
Speaker
So that's kind of went i why it went for him for clutch. I think and Alan, the playoffs in general are clutch and Alan showed how it's done from from pi to from wire to wire.
00:30:06
Speaker
But you're looking here at at a guy whose very first playoff appearance and he managed to do this. I really, really enjoyed watching him, to be honest. Yeah, John, I noticed you put it like that. I do see where you're coming from and why he was the Clutch player to eat it. It wasn't, John, not everything comes down to stats.
00:30:25
Speaker
i know we don't make, we don't, it doesn't look like it was very often that not everything comes down to stats because we're very stat heavy. But sometimes it is just about the eye test. And Caleb Williams did pass the eye test, particularly in that fourth quarter with what he did.
00:30:38
Speaker
I had that pass written down as well. It was silly. but yeah It's just absolutely outrageous. They're on fourth and eight and let's be honest, his fourth and whatever hadn't gone very well in the the previous couple tries. He'd thrown the interceptions on a fourth down as well.
00:30:52
Speaker
just i just didn't think they had a fourth down. and completing in them, especially when it was for them very long as well. So then him to come out and just drop that into Roma Dunse was absolutely sensational. As you say, kept the season alive, kept that drive going and they won the game then. The Packers must be sick.
00:31:12
Speaker
like yeah just I think it's borderline inexcusable to throw away that game from from the the position they were in going into the fourth quarter. It's absolutely criminal. boss Caleb Williams really did he made it he made it all about him in that quarter and he he stood up and he said that's why this was about me so I do completely agree with you I think he was absolutely brilliant Just a quick note on the Packers as well like that last drive they had was ridiculous because they took only like a like but think it was like a minute and 15 or a minute and 20 seconds off the clock. They had two pass conditions and both them, they ran out of bounds.
00:31:47
Speaker
Then they went to the end zone, I think twice. They called a timeout. Out of the timeout, they had a delay again because Jordan Love wasn't, everything wasn't set at the line the way he wanted it. How can you do that out of a timeout and go back five yards and then go to the end zone again and it doesn't work?
00:32:03
Speaker
And then you miss the field goal. Like, they didn't run the ball enough. They didn't stay in bounds. They won't set up properly for a proper play. That's why there's talk about Matt LaFleur now. I do think that he should stay because the players love him.
00:32:17
Speaker
He needs to be given another chance. They didn't have Micah Parsons. Love missed a lot of games, which kind of took the life out of the team when they were on a good run. So I do think he needs another chance and probably deserves a contract for what he's done there overall.
00:32:30
Speaker
But there should be questions asked of his management of that game. And Jordan Love with that, with that delay of game is just unacceptable, really. and And but i think both of us I think both of us picked the Bears, did we, in that game?
00:32:45
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, so like it like we we just got through by the skin of our teeth. But I think and when you saw that happening, you're kind of like, yeah, picked the Bears. But also at the same time, they should have never won that game because the Packers just made an absolute mess of it more than anything else.
00:33:03
Speaker
Yeah, it it was more about the Packers giving the game to Williams than Williams going out there and forcibly taking it from him. But no, when he got the chance, he clearly took his chance to go and win the game. But...
00:33:15
Speaker
Yeah, as you said, the Packers and another team who I can't believe what they're is the Eagles with their their play to try and keep their drive going on fourth down as well to try and stay in the tournament is four verticals.
00:33:27
Speaker
Who runs four verticals? It's the easiest playing football to defend. It's absolutely mental. Just throw four lads up there and hope to find one. That was another one that was absolutely... just crazy as well. And Sirianni, he won't be fired, but he's another man who should have serious questions asked him as well. I know we'll talk about that in a couple of minutes with their their offensive coordinator being demoted, or if not sacked, we're not sure yet. But I just think there's a very a couple of question decisions from a couple of teams that kind of were in a driving seat to get through and just threw it away.
00:34:00
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, 100%. We'll move on to that now because there was some fallout from a couple of losses. with coaching decisions. So like you mentioned, Kevin Petulo was, would say demoted for now because Sirianni kind of made a statement that sounded like they're moving on from him, but it didn't say that they're letting him go from the team. Now, whether Petulo responds by kind of leaving out of pride and saying like, look, you're demoting me. I know you don't want to sack me because basically he's Sirianni's right hand man since he started there.
00:34:32
Speaker
and just got this offensive coordinator job. It wasn't the right decision ultimately. And the playbook was, was very limited. I don't think that's mainly down to Petulo. I think Jalen Hurts had a big voice in that. He doesn't like movement at the line. He doesn't like motions. He doesn't like any of that stuff. He wants it to be very clear in front of him, which then takes away a lot of the creativity.
00:34:54
Speaker
That was the reason they won the Superbowl with, with Callan Moore. And I just don't know. I think Hearts has a lot of questions to ask. He'll obviously still be there, but Petulo obviously bit the bullet and he was the first one to go.
00:35:06
Speaker
Then we moved into Monday Night Football where Mike Tomlin stepped down as the Steelers head coach after they got the doors blown off them in the fourth quarter by the Steelers. It was close up until that point, 7-6, and then it was 23-0. Not down to CJ Stroud and made a lot of mistakes, but it was mostly down to the Houston defense. And I think...
00:35:28
Speaker
From the way that the commentary team was talking, it seemed like Tomlin had almost spoke to them confidentially and said, look, I'm leaving after this if we lose. And that is what happened. And he's going to probably do TV for a year, similarly to what Sean Payton did, and then come back a year from now when he sees something that he likes. Because...
00:35:46
Speaker
He's obviously had a long time there. He was the longest tenured head coach in the league with 19 years with the Steelers. So interesting. What did you make of those two? and Well, neither of them really are dismissals. One is a demotion, it seems like, and the other one is a walk away. So the one with Tomlin in particular, I saw a stat on Twitter that he started the job three months before the first iPhone came out.
00:36:08
Speaker
That's bad. And it was it was a questionable decision at the time. Apparently, he was the Washington defensive coordinator. No one saw him being a head coach at the time. And the Steelers took a punt.
00:36:19
Speaker
Vikings, sorry. Vikings defensive coordinator. And the Steelers took a punt. And obviously, we know he never had a losing season. But his playoff record was... borderline abysmal to be perfectly honest so I do think it was time for change there if they were going to keep kind of pushing into playoffs and then losing them then it's really might as well just finish the season a week earlier and na not put your fans through the heartbreak over and over again so that one wasn't a surprise I do agree with you I think you'll go and do television for a year then next year take the Jets job or something because it's if it's not coming up this summer it's going to come up next summer more than likely
00:36:53
Speaker
And the one from the Eagles then. We've been saying year, there was a game, I can't remember which one it was, they didn't complete a pass in the second half. And I know that's down to hurts, but it is also the playbook. The playbook's been limited all year. It wasn't just limited for this 49ers game.
00:37:07
Speaker
and It was going to catch up to them. We said that as well at one point, that they kept kind of almost doing the Chiefs on it by winning these one-score games and not doing much in the second half, but the defence was saving them.
00:37:18
Speaker
And their luck finally ran out because Christian McCaffrey is He's just outrageous. He can do everything. Is he the wide receiver playing running back? Yeah. There's nothing that man can't do. and i He was my wildcard pick the preseason. for If he had a good year, he could be in contention for MVP. Obviously, he's not going to win it now, but he's had the season I kind of expected he would have.
00:37:44
Speaker
It's just Drake May and Stafford have just said, no, this is going to one of us. This is staying as a quarterback award us. The season McCaffrey had has been absolutely superb. He stayed fit, which, like, it I think it was his last year in Carolina, it looked like he was kind of just going to succumb to injuries, and he seems to have put that on the back burner again now, and he's back to himself.
00:38:05
Speaker
But yeah, I think the Eagles needed a change, the Steelers needed a change. It was no surprise really. But it's it's very Nick Sirianni to straight away come out and say, OK, I'm not the one that's taking the fall for this, someone else is. But you could see before that last play that Sirianni and Hurst were the ones doing the talking and about the four verticals more than it was.
00:38:26
Speaker
and like his His name is going out my head again. Petula. Yeah, Petulo. It was the two of them that were doing more talking than Petulo. Petulo was kind of standing there like the third man in the committee who had nothing to do with this. And then they went out and threw the verticals and it's like, oh, well, this is his fault, so off he pops.
00:38:42
Speaker
Yeah. yeah and I think in general, they're they're teams that needed to make moves and we'll see how it works out for them, especially the Steelers.
Coaching Changes and Team Strategies
00:38:51
Speaker
Yeah, I don't think Sirianni did a good enough job and Hearts didn't either, but Petulo was ultimately going to be the guy that got the...
00:38:59
Speaker
got the sacking and maybe more questions asked than if next year is similar, but we'll have to hold out on that one. Yeah, Tomlin, I think Steelers fans probably wanted this for a while just as a change because, it's i don't know, it's almost worse to just keep getting into the playoffs and then just losing every single year and not win a playoff game in 10 years. Yeah, that's hard when you get there every pretty much every single time.
00:39:23
Speaker
It's actually mad that he got away with it for 10 years, when you think about it. He went 10 years of winning a playoff game. It's like, oh, but he wins every season. like, yeah, but winning season has been absolutely nothing when it comes to playoffs. Teams getting into playoff and losing records, it doesn't really make a difference if you're going to have a winning season. It's great for his stat pad, but it's not great for team to go out and lose every single first round then. So, yeah, there was definitely time for change. I'm not...
00:39:48
Speaker
not dismissing anything he's done. I think he's done an absolutely wonderful job at the Steelers over 19 years and that's some tenure in any sport, but particularly in a sport where nearly a quarter of the coaches lose their job every summer.
00:40:01
Speaker
So to stick it out for 19 years is some going, but I think it was time for him and the Steelers to go in a new direction. Yeah, 100%. And similarly to the Ravens, they moved on from Harbaugh, which yeah I'm delighted about because he's landed with the Giants.
00:40:15
Speaker
um And I think that's going to be a massive change for the Giants. But I think there's plenty of time in the the off-season to talk about that and what way it's going to be shaped once he has his coordinators in place, etc. So we'll leave that one for now. But everybody just know I'm delighted about it. and We gave our...
00:40:33
Speaker
Predictions last week for the wildcard round, we both went five and one, so we both did really well. and We differed in two games. We split those, and then the other four we agreed on were all correct. So... We both had Bills to beat the Jags.
00:40:47
Speaker
We both had the Bears to beat the Packers. We both had the Rams to beat the Panthers. And we both had the Texans to beat the Steelers. Then Shane went Chargers over Patriots. I had Patriots, so that one got me the win. And then Shane went Niners over Eagles. And I went with the Eagles, which, yeah, we just talked about how abysmal they were at the end of the game. So Shane got the win there. Pretty good from both of us, 5-1. So let's move into the...
00:41:12
Speaker
Divisional round and let's talk about the games and our picks there. So first up on Saturday night is Bills at Broncos at 9.30pm. I'm going with Bills.
00:41:23
Speaker
um i think you're going to go with them too based on how you spoke about Josh Allen. But they battered the Broncos in the wildcard round last season, 31-7. It'll be closer this season because the Broncos play close games with absolutely everybody, no matter how good or bad they are. and yeah The main thing for me...
00:41:41
Speaker
The Broncos, yeah, they have rest. It'll help their defence because their defence kind of seemed to slow down a little bit in the back half of the season. So I think they need this rest that they got. But at the same time, I don't trust them a lot at all.
00:41:54
Speaker
They beat the Chiefs twenty to thirteen when they had Chris
00:42:00
Speaker
They beat Las Vegas 10-7 and 24-17 this season. Not good enough. They beat the Giants tardy three tardy two Not good enough. They beat the Jets 13-11 in London. and Probably the worst game I've ever watched.
00:42:14
Speaker
Worst game of the season. Comfortably. Easily. And then the Chargers last week didn't play a single person in week 18. And they barely beat them. They beat them 19-3. But...
00:42:26
Speaker
It should have been a lot more than that. The Chargers had Trey Lance playing and the the Broncos played their full-strength team. So you're looking at one team who scraped through a lot of games this season and I'm not convinced.
00:42:38
Speaker
And another team who i i I picked them last week to win the Bills, but there were still questions about them. And then they just answered them with Josh Allen going 28 for 35 against a very strong Jags defense.
00:42:49
Speaker
And I think the Jags offense is better than the Broncos and they match up pretty well. to the defense of the Broncos. So I think the Jags are actually a better team and the Bills took them down. We've got McDermott. He gets a good scheme against everybody. He had a good scheme against Trevor Lawrence last week, cover in the middle, and that led to one of the picks because he likes to go there.
00:43:08
Speaker
He'll have something else against Knicks whose tendencies are much easier to figure out because... He can't throw very far. So if you can eliminate some of the check downs, that's how you win this game, I think. I'm really, really high on the bills here. they're They're riding their first road win in the playoffs since 1992, and I think they're going to get another one.
00:43:26
Speaker
Yeah. I don't know if we're doing locks for this round, but this is the one that i will be locking in if we were. I think the Bills will will'll will get this. It won't be comfortable until maybe the fourth quarter. I think the first three could be very tight and then the Bills will probably just pull away towards the end and will look a lot more handsome than the actual match showed.
00:43:45
Speaker
Yeah, there's no way Josh Allen is going to lose this one after winning last week. We'll see in the divisional, in thevisaler day the sorry, final. Sorry.
00:43:55
Speaker
Next up. Next weekend, yeah. Yeah, next weekend. We'll see how he does then because that would be a different kettle of fish to this. But I think he is going to just keep riding the wave he's on and get over the line in this one anyway. i twenty three thirteen Right, if you're giving a score, I'll go for it as well then. I'm going to go with 27-20.
00:44:18
Speaker
so Touchdown in it. and But I think the bills the Bills just have too much. Next up then is 49ers at Seahawks at 1am on Saturday.
Game Predictions and Analysis
00:44:28
Speaker
I'll let you go first with this one. What do you think?
00:44:31
Speaker
I'm sticking with the 49ers on this. I'm sticking with my guns after backing him last week. I didn't like a lot of what Brock Purdy did, but when it came down to when he really needed it, he found his man and he got him over the line.
00:44:44
Speaker
I think George Kittle is obviously a massive loss, and that goes without saying. Losing him is... Probably takes half their playbook out, so they're going to have a bit of work to do to get it going. But I think knocking out the Super Bowl champs is going to give them such a boost of confidence.
00:44:58
Speaker
The Seahawks have Sand Arnold. You can stop him by just annoying him, getting in his face, putting him under pressure. I think the Seahawks can do that. Sorry, Niners can do that. And we'll see just how much he can find Jackson Smith and Jake Ben, see he can get him over the line. But I do think the 49ers are going to keep rolling here. Jennings, McCaffrey, confidence is so, so high.
00:45:19
Speaker
So hopefully they can just kind of just continue on from what they did last week and get themselves in just get themselves to keep going. I'm really surprised that you went with the see the Niners here.
00:45:32
Speaker
I think this could be a bloodbath for the Seahawks. Really? Yeah, i just I just think off the bye week, They beat them 13-3 the week before, so it's not like they hammered them. But the the way they stifled Purdy in that offense when they had Kittle as well, and I just think the Niners have too many injuries. like Loss.
00:45:55
Speaker
Yeah, too many injuries. It's not really flawed if they had their full complement, but like Warner can't play still. He might play if they get through, but he can't play this weekend. Nick Bosa's still out. Mikel Williams is out.
00:46:06
Speaker
You've got Martin and B2 now. Gross Maddow, Dee Winters and Jair Brown are all questionable as well. They're just depleted on defense. The Eagles should have won that game easily. Saquon was actually having a good game.
00:46:19
Speaker
AJ Brown dropped some passes. And Jalen Hurts had an awful game, just kept leaving the pocket when there was no need to do so. Darnold won't do that. The Seahawks won't do that. They'll just pound the life out his team on the ground.
00:46:31
Speaker
and I see Charbonnet having a big game here, personally. I just think that with all those injuries... the sea The Eagles are going to be even more embarrassed after this weekend because they're going to see that this team was here to be taken.
00:46:43
Speaker
Personally, that's that's my take on this. i I really see the Seahawks winning this game by, they could win this by 20, in my opinion. So we're very different here.
00:46:55
Speaker
Oh, okay. I'll go twenty eight ten the Seahawks. I think it will be a pretty pretty big score difference. What do you think? and I have a twenty one fourteen to the Niners. I do think it's going to be very tight, but I just i just have a feeling the about this 49ers team. I'm going to have to wait and see how wrong I am now because there's no way I'm getting four out four. I'm never going to get that lucky.
00:47:19
Speaker
yeah I do think this will be... Will this be the closest of the four of them? I think all four are going to be quite close. Well, three or four are going to be quite close. I think the Bills are going to pull away at the end. But the other three, I think, are very, very 50-50. But I just think the 49ers will scrape over the line in this one.
00:47:37
Speaker
Interesting. Interesting. I like it. So we've got a head-to-head there on that one. and We'll move into Sunday then. I'll take this one first. so Texans at Patriots, 8pm on Sunday.
00:47:50
Speaker
I think the Texans will destroy it this Patriots offensive line. They had an easy start. The Patriots did play in the Chargers in their first playoff game. They had an easy schedule all year, the best, the easiest since like 2003, and a very easy playoff game against a team that was completely depleted on their O-line.
00:48:10
Speaker
Both CJ Stroud and Drake May had kind of iffy games at times, Stroud obviously more so. he He had five fumbles, two of them were lost, and he had an interception.
00:48:24
Speaker
Drake May had one interception and two fumbles, and he only lost one, but... I think the fact that he took five sacks against this Chargers team, and that can easily be outdone by the Texans who have a much better defensive line.
00:48:37
Speaker
That's going to be seven or eight. He could have a couple more fumbles. I just think only managing to beat the Chargers sixteen three with the amount of sacks they had on Herbert, the amount of pressure they had on him, the amount of chances hunt Drake may had now, they got the job done, yes, but...
00:48:54
Speaker
I think if we saw the Texans play the Chargers last week, they would have beaten them by 30. So I honestly think that the Texans are going to come here and and do this thing with their D-line. And I don't think we see Stroud be as bad as he was last week. Now, if he is, it could it'll definitely go the Patriots' way because they're they're a better team than the Steelers. But if he cleans it up and only kind of even has one turnover, their defense makes up for that. So I really like the Texans in this one.
00:49:23
Speaker
Yeah, so I made the mistake last week of underestimating the Patriots and I'm going to do it again this week. I also to see the Texans coming through it. I think Nico Collins playing is absolutely massive for Texans if he can. He went out with concussion last week, so getting him back is really, really important. But as you said, though he is out.
00:49:43
Speaker
He's 100% out, yeah, they confirmed. It's big loss. Okay, but but like what I wrote down here was Texans beat the Patriots based on the defense, and I think that's the it's going to go.
00:49:54
Speaker
That that's video the Texans put out after with the the the four DBs is just, it's comedy gold and some does's not meant to be comedy gold. And I just i think the four them going to come out again, they're going to make their calls and they're going to do what they need to do. And I think the Patriots are just going to, they're just not going to live with this Texans defense.
00:50:14
Speaker
Even if Drake May has a really, really good game or even... and Yeah, if he's an excellent game, I still think the defense is just going to get him. He's going to be under pressure a lot. he hast He hasn't faced a team like the Texans all season. So, yeah, I think the Texans come through this Ooh, okay, 23-10. Yeah, I'm going go something similar.
00:50:34
Speaker
go ten um yeah i'm going to go something similar i'll go twenty four 16 I think that they have enough to get the win and and I do think that you're 100% right in the fact that their defense is too good and I love the fact that you literally know what they're going to do every time and there's nothing you can do about it they never send five very rarely they always send four they have five men back at all times extra DB helps them out And then they just line up four against you and they don't disguise anything. They don't hide anything.
00:51:09
Speaker
They just go, let's do it. And there's nothing you can do about it. That's how good that defense is. And I think that's that's what wins you things. And that's what wins you championships. It makes a difference. So, yeah, we're in alignment here on this one.
00:51:22
Speaker
Last up then. Ooh, this one is tasty. Rams at Bears. Yeah. 11.30 p.m. on Sunday. Go for it. What have you got? um I think we're going to be in in alignment on this as well because you have the Rams to win this and I have the Rams to get to the final. That's not going to change here. The Rams are going to beat the Bears.
00:51:40
Speaker
They're just a better overall team. Tuca and Stafford are... they're They're basically Batman and Robin at this stage. they just that They're always looking for each other. They always find each other. They're just really, really good. The Bears did well to get this far, in my opinion. I didn't see them their season going as well as it has.
00:51:57
Speaker
So, yeah, I think the Rams are going to just pick them off. It'll be tight. It'll be a bit like the Bills game again. I it'll be very tight till the end of the fourth quarter and the Rams will do something to make the score look look better than than their game was. But i just I think the Rams are just going to scrape over the line against the Bears.
00:52:14
Speaker
Yeah, I think it could be close as well. And I do agree with you that I think the Rams have enough. I think it's an interesting game because you look at Caleb Williams, who we mentioned he was clutch, and they've won so many late games, but Matt Stafford is like the definition of clutch. Like what he said...
00:52:32
Speaker
to Devontae Adams before that last drive, he's like, oh, we're going to snatch these guys' hearts about the Panthers. And then they went out and did it. Like, that is crazy. And then to just say that and then to actually go and do it, like, when he says it, he's going to do it. The Rams find it tough versus big, strong receivers. So I do see the Bears putting up points here.
00:52:52
Speaker
They've always found it tough against strong receivers this season. Like, we saw... Tett Macmillan go off against him twice. Trey McBride had big games against him twice.
00:53:02
Speaker
George Kittle had a big game against him. So I think Loveland and the likes of Adunze are going to have big games. But I do think that the Bears' defense can be got after. They're the sixth worst rushing defense for yards allowed per game in the league. 134.5. 11th worst passing yards against 227.2. I think...
00:53:18
Speaker
eleventh worst for passing yards against two hundred and twenty seven point two i think with the dual threat of Blake Corham and Kyron Williams, they're just going to pound the ball all day, get down the field, and then let Stafford do his work in the red zone.
00:53:33
Speaker
and I just think they'll go back to that 13 personnel, play at three tight ends, get the big guys on the field, and and just pound it and against them. So I see it being very high scoring. um I'm going to go with 31. I'll say 31-28.
00:53:51
Speaker
Really close one, but the Rams get it done. Yeah, i have thirty four or twenty three but it's one of those where it's like a garbage time, for want of a better way, touchdown that takes up from four points to 11, and that's how it finishes in. I think it'll be close till the very end.
00:54:06
Speaker
I love what you said about Coram and Kyron Williams in there, but I think the fact that Puka... is he's he' He's an option to run it as well on the jet sweep and when he when he gets kind of moving down hill as well he's hard to stop. So they really have a triple threat at running back if they want this and also Puka through the air is an absolute machine as well. So I think that could be winning and the losing of it. But yeah, I'm going 34-23 with a very late Rams touchdown making the score look a lot better than than it than it probably could or should have been.
00:54:38
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's definitely going to be a game that goes close to the board at the end. And I could see that happening on what you said, like the Bears kind of falling short and the Rams just picking the ball up on a short field and getting a another score. But interestingly as well, it's going to be really, really cold. It could be one of the coldest playoff games ever. So I think that will mean we'll see a lot of running the ball, which opens up big plays down the field. So I think we're in for an absolute treat here with this one.
00:55:07
Speaker
So let's quickly run through our divisional round picks, all four of them. And we'll pick one lock from the four, which team we think is is definitely going to win that we really like. So my picks are, I'm going with, first of all, on Saturday, I'm going with the Bills to beat the Broncos in Denver.
00:55:25
Speaker
I'm going with the Seahawks to take down the Niners in Seattle. That's going to be my lock. I really like the Seahawks in this one with the depleted Niners roster. I'm going with the Texans to take down the Pats.
00:55:36
Speaker
just down to their defensive ability. And then I'm going with the Rams over the Bears in a thriller. Yeah, so we butre we're three the same and one different. So the Biddles is my lock to beat the Broncos. 49ers to scrape past the Seahawks.
00:55:50
Speaker
Texans to beat the Patriots, also based on the defense, and then the Rams to beat the Bears. Kind of, yeah, just the Rams beat the Bears and my lock-in is the Bill then. Or the Bills, not the Bill. The Bill was a great TV show though. If anyone hasn't watched it, you should get on that too. But get on the Bills for first on Saturday evening.
00:56:07
Speaker
Nice one. So those are our
Underdog Picks and Transfers
00:56:09
Speaker
picks. Let's get into Gonshance then where we'll throw out our underdogs. So last week we both had two right each. and So it brings us score to 20.
00:56:18
Speaker
Yeah, again, 20 to 19 to me, still no five pointers. We both had Millwall to beat Burnley. That did not work out, unfortunately. We both also had a fiver on Millwall to beat Burnley. Yeah, because we saw it we saw the odds and we had both got the Hawks right the night before. so were like, oh, let's just do it.
00:56:36
Speaker
And that's the only one that we got wrong on the whole weekend, of course. So anyway, that one didn't work out. Burnley got the handy win. It was 5-1. Bears, I had to beat the Packers. That came up.
00:56:47
Speaker
And we both had the Hawks to beat the Nuggets. That came up. And the other one Shane had was the Niners to beat the Eagles. So that was a good pick. and So let's go with this week then. Let's let's hear what you've got first. Yeah, so I have like i've taken the word underdog to the absolute max limit here with this one because clearly picking teams that are just on the edge of being underdogs hasn't worked for me very well. So I'm sorry to your father, but I've gone for Wolves at 7-2 to beat Newcastle at home. Newcastle are I just think Wolves have been looking an awful a lot better in the last couple of weeks. Newcastle had a really tough game against City midweek as well.
00:57:25
Speaker
We've said all season Eddie Howe can't manage mid-weekend coming into the weekend games again. So I can see him doing that again here and Wolves just kind of nicking it off him. ah The only one I've gone that feels like a lock is the Texans at 11-8 to beat the Patriots. I couldn't believe that the Texans were underdogs. I thought they'd both be odds on in this game. So when I saw that, it was one I absolutely had to go with.
00:57:47
Speaker
And in the NBA, I've gone for the bottom place Pacers at 8-32 to beat the top place Pistons who are twenty eight and ten Don't ask me why. i've only gotten one NBA one wrong all season.
00:58:00
Speaker
That's not going to end here. The Pacers are going to beat the Pistons. When the odds come out, put everything on us.
00:58:09
Speaker
I can't believe you went for that. I think if that comes off, then there's some kind of voodoo going on here. But anyway... I'll give them my picks out. You've gone for big underdogs and a couple of them. I'm going with United to beat City.
00:58:21
Speaker
Anything can happen in a derby. It's 13-5. City are nineteen to twenty the early game on Saturday. So I'm backing my team there to to get the win. I'm also going with Texans over Pats. I'm surprised that they're underdogs and I'm surprised the Pats are 5-9 in this.
00:58:36
Speaker
The Texans are six to four So... I really like that pick. So obviously I'm jumping on that one with you. Then the last one I'm going for is Friday night, the Clippers to beat the Raptors.
00:58:47
Speaker
So the Clippers have 17 wins, but they're on a good run. Eight and two in their last 10. The Raptors have 25 wins. there' They've been good too, I think seven and three in their last 10, but I do like them to get the win here, the Clippers, on Friday night and continue their run. So...
00:59:01
Speaker
There's an eight-game difference in the wins here. So that's my final pick for Ganshans. Let's jump over into the football. So we're just going to do a midway kind of check into the January transfer window and all the kind of, I wouldn't say major for some of these, but all the moves, I guess, that were done by Premier League teams. will so We'll go by date, so we'll do the the most recent first.
00:59:26
Speaker
The most recent one is Facundo Buenanate going from Brighton to Leeds on loan. Yeah, he only played eight games for Chelsea. That was a really, really weird one that he was even on loan there.
00:59:36
Speaker
So maybe he'll do a bit more with Leeds. And while we're on this topic of Chelsea, Conor Gallagher has gone from Atletico Madrid to Spurs for €40 million. euro I'm not sure what kind of football they're going to be playing in that midfield with himself, Paulinho and Bentancourt.
00:59:49
Speaker
They might start trying to tackle each other. But I do think that he's a player, maybe just not with those other two. So what do you make of these two? So I really like the Bruno Nade one because I do think he's a really good player. That Chelsea move never, ever made sense. and It made sense for Chelsea because Chelsea just like to snap up all the wingers they can find or attacking players they can find. But he's better off at Leeds where he will definitely play. Himself and Aronson might kind of swap in and out a bit more, but to give Aronson a bit of a break. And he's been on a really good run recently as well. But I think it's a really good pick up for...
01:00:22
Speaker
for Leeds and I'm delighted he's actually getting out of Chelsea to actually play some football before the end of the season. Conor Gallagher, I agree with everything you said. i I do think it's a good sizing for Spurs, especially to get him from under the nose of Villa who they seem to have this made up rivalry we at the moment where the two of them are going at each other constantly on Twitter for absolutely no reason other than they're all stupid. But I think this is one, ah it's a good pick up for Spurs.
01:00:46
Speaker
like You mentioned in there about Benton Coeur and Panini being defensive and Gallagher dropping in there as well. But outside of those two, they were down to kids, really. They were down to Archie Gray, Bergvall, and then Xavi Seamans is kind of playing a bit as a more of a midfielder and attacking player as well. So they can push Xavi Seamans up to be a front-three player now, especially with the loss of Kudos for Goodwild as well. And drop Gallagher in as...
01:01:11
Speaker
one of the three midfielders as well, maybe drop one of the other two defensive players, even though Paulinho has turned into an overhead kick one there this season. He has two of them now, but I think he's a really good pickup. 40 million euro, feels quite cheap considering, i think, tip cheese before he went to Letico, the offers were pushing 60, so I do think it's a really good move for both of them.
01:01:32
Speaker
Yeah, no, I agree, definitely. I think that Gallagher will have a good stint I actually would have even liked him at United for that price I think it's pretty good yeah and he would have done a job there in the midfield but Semenyo then was next 72 million euro from Bournemouth the City we do have Harry Bailey coming on next week and The chap Bournemouth, he's a big Bournemouth fan. He has a podcast, the Golden Hour podcast, a good movie podcast, but he's also a big Bournemouth fan. So we want to have him on to talk about Semenyo. He was at his last game for the club. So let's hold off on that one for now and move on to Brian Maggio and Kay Furo.
01:02:10
Speaker
These are two guys, never heard of them. One of them has gone from Mets to Villa for 12 million euro. That is Maggio. And then Furo has gone from Club Brugge to Brentford for 10 million.
01:02:21
Speaker
They're 17 and 18 years of age. They're both for the future, pretty much. But I trust Brentford here more with this one, considering their track record of signing young strikers. Yeah, I don't know a single thing about either these two. The Brentford one for me is clearly just, it's the way they run through strikers is absolutely insane how good they're their merit their their talent for signing players is.
01:02:46
Speaker
Like they lost in Buemo and Vissa and all of a sudden Igor Thiago becomes the best Brazilian player to ever play in the Premier League in terms of goals in the season. And I know they picked him up last year and he he missed nearly all of last year of been an injury, but...
01:02:58
Speaker
He's come into this season like someone who's played in the league for a long time. They've done that over and over again. They replaced Ivan Toni with Vissa, basically. And so there's there's no doubt in my mind that this kid is the next one that's going to to just just come out of the blocks and kick on.
01:03:13
Speaker
The lad that's gone to Villa... It's a really strange one. Like, why are you paying 12 million for a 16 year old? We'll have to wait and see. A 16 year old who's played five senior games. and I made a point to the lads and Mossy came back with a great point. Quite strangely, far he probably was saying how Mason Meeley had played 98 games for St. Pat's and played in Europe and they only got 2 million for him.
01:03:35
Speaker
But Phil would go and drop 12 million on this kid then. was the Irish League were giving away their players for free and for 100 grand recently so we're going to have to build up to that level where we might eventually see a lag open 10 million from the Irish League it might be in our lifetime we might get there eventually but I just think it's it's a it's yeah it's a weird one I didn't even put him on my list to be honest didn't think we were going to even mention him so I'm kind of going off the cuff here but I agree with you I do also think Brentford's have the better track record here than Villa have so we'll have to see how they both end up yeah yeah I think as a
01:04:07
Speaker
It's a bit of an odd one, especially i think the price, the reason it's high as well is because he's English background. And so that puts up the price also as well. okay Regardless, I think gets's it's crazy how much some of these teams get for players and when they're so unproven.
01:04:23
Speaker
And and and that that is a good point about Melia. So let's move on then to a couple of kind of Nothing transfers, but I have a point on both of them. One is Cali Mwendo has gone from Forrest to Frankfurt.
01:04:39
Speaker
What an absolute joke of of a few months he had there. And he is clearly one of the guys that Sean Dyche was saying that, you know, the guys that played during that Wrexham game, that there's a reason why they haven't been playing in other games.
01:04:51
Speaker
and So the less said about him, the better. um Another one that people might not care about outside of Ireland is Aaron Cashin going from Brighton to Blackburn. I think yeah that's good. He's going to get the minutes now in the Championship. He's gone there on loan.
01:05:03
Speaker
So I think hopefully he breaks into the Brighton team some stage in the future or else the transfer was kind of worthless. But for now, I think that is definitely a good move to get him some more minutes down back in the Championship.
01:05:15
Speaker
Yeah, so but he wasn't playing at all for Birmingham really. and He was... It was a strange move in the first place because Birmingham two centre-backs that came up with him from League One one of them was was one of the players of the season last and the other fella a young lad who was kind of coming up and along as well. I know a couple of Birmingham fans and they said he was never going to get a look in so it makes sense to get out of there and go to somewhere that he probably will play.
01:05:37
Speaker
And Cali Mouendo, just... I think we both had fairly high hopes for in the summer based on what he had done in France. And he looked like a big, strong unit. But he wasn't getting a look in and there's a reason he wasn't getting a look in. He clearly wasn't either... He wasn't ready for the Premier League yet or he might never be. But it could also be a bit of a Hugo Eketike thing where you go to Frankfurt and make a name for yourself and then move back in two or three years' time. We'll have to wait and see.
01:06:01
Speaker
Obviously, not talking about Eketike playing the Premier League before, but he failed at PSG. Yeah, but he pe he failed at PSG, went off to Frankfurt and showed what he can do and he's shown for Liverpool this year how good he is as well.
01:06:14
Speaker
Touching on Forrest when we're on him, they've signed another player from Botafogo in another one of these dodgy dealings, um a apparently allegedly dodgy dealings. It's another one that just doesn't make any sense. They brought in a 22-year-old left-back because the three left-backs they have isn't enough.
01:06:29
Speaker
So it's another really strange one of... money flying places and players going places that they don't look like they're going to fit in. So we'll have to wait and see how that one works out as well. I don't even have his name written down because it's it's another one of those nothing transfers. bo But when I saw it was from Botafogo, it was just another interesting one where in the summer, I think they did Forrest sold to and signed to and some money broke even.
01:06:54
Speaker
So we'll have to see who ends up going from Forrest to Botafogo and how to break the money even again. Yeah, yeah. I doubt we're probably going to even see that guy. I don't even know who he is, to be honest. So no another one, like you said, that allegedly
West Ham's Transfer Moves
01:07:08
Speaker
looks a bit strange. But let's move on to West Ham's dealings. They're the first ones to kind of really do anything.
01:07:13
Speaker
They've signed Taddy Castellanos from Lazio. 29 million euro. twenty nine millionignnoro A bit much for a guy who only scored two goals and had three assists for Lazio this season. yeah Last season he had 40 games, 14 goals and eight assists, so still nothing amazing.
01:07:27
Speaker
He did score for West Ham in the FA Cup already. And they've also signed Pablo from Gil Vicente for €23 million. euro I think that might be a better one. 14 games, 10 goals and one assist this season so far after breaking into the team.
01:07:41
Speaker
probably one for the future as he's only 22. And then on the way out, they sold Luis Guilherme, which was an absolute waste. They got him from Palermas, Palmeiras, sorry, should I say in Brazil, a couple of windows ago. And he played like 14 games, didn't score a goal. He's only 19.
01:07:58
Speaker
Gone to Sporting Lisbon now for 14 million euros. So they cut their losses there on that one. Yeah, so to see the picture of the two lads from their signs, the two of them side by side,
01:08:10
Speaker
I think it Fritzsche Romano put it off when was home with the two signings. They are the exact same person with a different hairstyle. They did the same tattoos and all. It was literally a copy and paste job of one onto the other. But yeah, as you said, the tatty one is a strange one because he's a striker who doesn't score goals and they have enough of those lying around. That's the reason they went and got two strikers the strikers they had don't score goals and to bring in one that also doesn't score goals a bit strange.
01:08:35
Speaker
Pablo will be the better one, but I still think West Ham are... I think they're they're too far gone to stay up now. They're done. had this question in the group chat earlier today of how many points keeps you in the league. I think it's 30 because I don't think West Ham are going to win five games between now and the end of the season. So 30 will keep Forrest in the league.
01:08:52
Speaker
and I think West Ham are gone. I don't think anything they do this month is going to change that. But why spend all that money on one of the big Brazilian talents, never use him, and then just ship him off to Portugal the first chance? It's...
01:09:04
Speaker
They're the kind of transfers that really annoy me. He could have been an estipal for them if they just played him, but they completely ruined his confidence. and then when he was on the field, he was trying too much to try and earn starting play. So i was never going to work out there.
01:09:17
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, 100%. I don't think any money they spend would make a difference. i'm I'm sticking by my prediction that they get relegated that I had at the start of the season. They're just not good enough.
01:09:28
Speaker
Let's round this up then. Pascal Gross, gone back to Brighton from Dortmund for 2 million. That was great. and He's always been good there. and Straight into the starting 11 again, of course. And then Brennan Johnson from Spurs to Palace for 40 million euro.
01:09:43
Speaker
Kind of went downhill from him for him at Spurs. He always got a goal, it seemed, but he just could never break into the team and be consistent. So Palace did need somebody who has a a bit of pace and can actually finish. So hopefully he gets going for them for their sake. But he's definitely lacking confidence over the after the last kind of couple of seasons or season and a half or so with Spurs.
01:10:06
Speaker
yeah I love the goal signing. um I think Brighton really needed someone like him back in there and as you said he was dropped straight back in so they weren't messing about. They brought him in to do a job and they're going to give it to him probably for the next 18 months. I think he's 34 now so he doesn't have too much long left in him but they needed that old head in the midfield because they were playing kind of Hinchelwood and Boliba.
01:10:26
Speaker
Boliba looks to have fallen off a bit of a cliff coming into this season now. It might have been the speculation in the summer but I think at one stage he was substituted at half-time three games in a row or something because he wasn't putting it in.
01:10:38
Speaker
So I think Gross might get the arm around his shoulder now and then Milner there as well. So Gross and Milner two really good older head professionals to have in a midfield that is just kids that are coming through. So that's a great move.
01:10:50
Speaker
For Brendan Jansen, I do hope it works out for him. and As you said, he always was good for a goal. got the goal in the final against United. Sorry for ringing it up. Yeah. bos I just think it's... He's one of those... If if he gets a couple of starts and gets three goals in his first eight games, he could go on and get... He could go on and get ten between then and the end of the season, including Notre Dame. He get another seven then in the remaining games they play across the Conference League and Premier League. So I think it's a really good move for him.
01:11:19
Speaker
Yeah, I like it. And I do hope it works out as well. There's nothing really... in the room or middle that I'm overly interested in.
Manchester Derby Insights
01:11:28
Speaker
Outside of maybe Sterling getting a move to to maybe Fulham or West Ham, another London team, I think that would be good for either of them. I'd like to see them go to Fulham because I think they're a solid team and they'd make use of them, whether that be on loan or permanently. But outside of that, there's nothing really I'm too interested in. What about you?
01:11:46
Speaker
There's only the one that scares me is Mark Gay to Man City. That's the only one I'm really kind of keeping it near to the ground on because... If Man City come in and put a bid in and Liverpool don't, I'll be really annoyed about that. um I don't think Liverpool will sign anyone this January. I've kind of come to come to terms with that now, despite all the injuries. I think they spent enough money in the summer, where they need to be able to kind of see it through. But if they're waiting for Mark Gay to come in the summer and Man City come and put a bid in and Liverpool don't, at least try to match it and turn his head down,
01:12:15
Speaker
what what was the point of making all that effort in the summer, literally taking pictures of him in his club tracks out to then just let him walk clean through into Man City. So would that's the only one I'm keeping an eye on. Aside of that, I think it's going to be one of the more boring January transfer windows we've had a long time.
01:12:30
Speaker
Yeah, it is. And currently he's eleven to eight to go to City and three to one to or Madrid. So... We're looking at the favourites right now for our city, but again, that can change in the summer. and So we've got the Manchester derby to kick off, 12.30pm on Saturday. It's Michael Carrick's first game in charge of Madden United in this stint.
01:12:53
Speaker
A hard one to call for me, really. i I don't know what to expect here because it's his first game. He did well the three games he played last time. That was a long time ago. He's obviously improved while he was at Middlesbrough, but this is a completely different team.
01:13:08
Speaker
I think he'll set up similarly formation-wise to Fletcher, but I do think he'll change some of the players because he has he is a strong-willed guy and he has his own opinions and his own style that he wants to fit.
01:13:20
Speaker
So... I think Ahmad and Mboumo being back, we'll see at least one of those starting. i would love to see Dalo benched because he's just abysmal. He gets himself into good positions and makes mistakes all the time. When he gets there, someone else in that position wouldn't do that if they just played the same style with them. Masraoui coming back from AFCON when he does get back,
01:13:40
Speaker
after the final will be a godsend in that regard. But for now, it's probably still going to be Dalot. And I could see Luke Shaw coming back in for Dorgu, as well as Manu maybe starting again and Mbumo coming into the side. So I do see it being a different team. And i think...
01:13:56
Speaker
If you United at play similarly to having Newcastle set up in the first half of that cook-in, Newcastle had so many chances on the break in the first half, and Jacob Murphy was all over the place with his crossing. It was awful.
01:14:07
Speaker
and And if they just put in some good balls with Mbumo maybe down that side, or Sesco gets on the ball and they take an early lead, then that could cause City problems because then you can kind of sit back a bit.
01:14:18
Speaker
Whereas Newcastle didn't get that early goal and then City took over in the second half. But I think that kind of style is the best thing United could probably do in this game. And I don't know, I think the best they could really hope for is probably a draw given all the turmoil and chopping and changing.
01:14:33
Speaker
Yeah, I think Newcastle should definitely have had that early goal, particularly the Vista chance as well that he absolutely balloons over the bar from the centre of the ball. Makes such a difference if he can get the opening goal against Man City. I don't think Man City, I don't think United are going to get the opening goal against Man City.
01:14:49
Speaker
This is my first time, i think, since we started the podcast. So this might be the third or fourth Manchester Derby we have covered now. Covered like we're on Sky Sports. But this is the fourth one that we've talked about, we'll say. And I've always backed United and gone chance. This is the first time I haven't gone with United and gone chance. I just don't really fancy them in this one.
01:15:08
Speaker
I think it's it's very quick for Carrick. It's one of those that they might have been better off leaving Fletcher in charge for one more game and bring Carrick in the week after. Because if if it gets ugly here, then it could be ugly with the fans. I don't think it will get ugly.
01:15:19
Speaker
City have drawn their last three in a row in the league. I know they went out then and scored 10 against Exeter, which was outrageous. Don't care who you're playing. Scoring 10 against anyone is just absolutely silly.
01:15:30
Speaker
But three draws in the league, so City really do need to get to three points here. I think they will, to be honest. Haaland, Shirky and Semenya will probably be their starting three. And the way that Foden and Bernardo played against Newcastle in the second half, they were absolutely all over them with their press and they were just exceptional the second half. And if they start like that in this, then it could be a long afternoon for Man City.
01:15:52
Speaker
I also can't believe it's half-twelve on a Saturday. if When do we ever have Manchester derby at half-twelve on a Saturday? No, no. It is annoying that it's at that time. But I think the more like you listed out the players at City have, the more I'm thinking there's no way United get anything out of this game.
01:16:10
Speaker
But I'm going to stick with my original prediction when I was writing my notes. And that's United getting a 2-2 draw with a couple of counter-attack goals. I think if they do get the first one, it would be it would be quite...
01:16:23
Speaker
a different game than what we saw when City played in Newcastle. And yeah, they haven't been perfect all the time. So I think, I do think it was better to get Carrick, to be honest. and Fletcher, while he is quite, he did do a job. He's clearly not up to the level of a senior manager. He did look a bit confused on the sideline. Whereas Carrick, he's got some good guys behind him now that he brought in.
01:16:46
Speaker
And he's also much more experienced. And he did a good job at Middlesbrough, I think. The players will probably warm to him as well. um He's a likeable guy. So I do think that he'll have them better set up. And next week is against Arsenal anyway. So either or is a pick your poison kind of thing. so Yeah, fair enough. I think I'll i'll go with a 2-2 here in this one. and United getting a bit of feel-good factor under Carrick and getting a shock result.
01:17:12
Speaker
Yeah, I think Steve Holland comes in means only one thing for the summer. no way the waistcoat is back that's why they got rid of Ashford he was suggesting Southgate like heavily I don't think there's anywhere they go at Southgate but if they do no I don't think so I really won't watch a game next season because i just I just can't I just can't be in with that um I've gone tree one City here.
01:17:35
Speaker
um I just think the front three of City are going, they're all and they're all in top form. It's very rare that you get an attacking trio in top form and when they're on it, it could it could be anything. The way it was 2018, Liverpool went and beat City 4-1, sorry 4-3, but they were 4-1 up and Liverpool's front three that day just absolutely...
01:17:54
Speaker
annihilated whatever City had at the back. And they I could see City doing this too. It's an understrength United defence still. i Even if Lissandro is back, he's not 100% up to speed. And he's going to be sitting in beside one of the kids. I don't think he'll start hanging Maguire. So it'll be Jor-O or Heiden.
01:18:09
Speaker
Heaven. Probably will be Jor-O. And then... I think he'd be mad to drop Dorgue, he's been in great form, but do you want a really, really attacking full-back? You probably are better off having Dalloch and Shaw in there.
01:18:20
Speaker
Yeah, so it will be Shaw left-back, but I think he, I think he's one of the few players who really benefited under Amram. um I think he was a really, really good left-sided centre-back under Amram. He was probably He's probably the one that Amram turned around most and he really kind of revived his United career because there was talks of him going along before Amram came in and he kind of turned it around. So if he's back now to being a left back, he's just not very, he's not the Southampton Luke Shaw anymore. Obviously not. I know that was 10 or 11 years ago, so how could he be? But he won't be as attacking, he won't be as maraudering.
01:18:55
Speaker
He won't be making overlapping runs really, I don't think. So we'll have to wait and see how that goes. But yeah, I've gone 3-1 City. i just I know City haven't been great, but I still think they just need the three points to try and put the air pressure back on in Arsenal. So I just think they're going to do it here.
01:19:10
Speaker
Sorry. Yeah.
Power Rankings and Conclusion
01:19:11
Speaker
I just, with the Shaw point, like I don't want to be... like I'm not the biggest Luke Shaw fan in general, but I do think he had a brilliant period under Amarim and he had a brilliant period pre-injuries at United. But I think that the times we did see him play left-wing back for for stints...
01:19:32
Speaker
and like in games where Amram turned it around, he had those overlapping runs still. And his timing is just way better than Dorgu's on those and his delivery.
01:19:43
Speaker
So even if he can do it 70% of the time that Dorgu does, I think you'll get more out of that because morphologist has it he doesn't have a good cross. But yeah, I don't think that's enough to make the difference. And I agree that Dorgu's in good form. It just tactically, you can't go with him. He's too attacking, I think. But Let's move in then finally to the power rankings.
01:20:05
Speaker
I'll go first here. Last week I had Seahawks, Arsenal, Texans, Pistons, Villa and Celtics. A bit of a change here. I've stuck with the Seahawks first overall because obviously they didn't play and they got the one seed.
01:20:18
Speaker
So I'm not going to move them. But I've got OKC back in. I moved them up to second because they're in cracking form. Once again, they're the best team in the NBA, I just think. Last week, the other Pistons and Celtics did deserve a bit of a shout because of the the good recent play and you can't have three and NBA in. So I said, why not put put them out for a week? But they're back in at two.
01:20:39
Speaker
Arsenal dropped down now because of that, the third. and They're still going well in all competitions despite their draw at the weekend. They're still sitting in and in a nice position. So they're in third. Pistons stay fourth.
01:20:50
Speaker
Brilliant. Best team in the East. Fifth then are Texans. They slipped down because although they did win, they... They didn't look great for the first three quarters and they just slipped down a little bit because of that.
01:21:03
Speaker
And then sixth is Villa. They're still in there, but they slipped down to sixth and because the other teams are just more powerful for me personally. But that's my sixth. Seahawks, OKC, Arsenal, Pistons, Texans and Aston Villa. So last week I had the Texans first, OKC were second, Seahawks third, Arsenal fourth, Celtics fifth and Villa were sixth for me. So as I mentioned, I have made a couple of changes for this week.
01:21:27
Speaker
OKC moved back up top for me. they're They're the best team in all the sports we're covering, I think, and they're proving it again on the 8-2 run, as we said. I think it's only them on the Nuggets who are on more than a two-winning streak at the moment, so everyone is kind of beating everyone.
01:21:41
Speaker
think there's one other I saw when we were talking a second ago, but there's three teams maybe on air more than a two-winning streak, and OKC are one of them. Clippers, yeah. and The Texans have then just dropped a second for me. I still think they're absolutely class.
01:21:54
Speaker
they They probably should have kept first based on just the dust of the four DBs doing that interview or whatever you want to call it after the game. and That was comedy gold, as I mentioned earlier.
01:22:04
Speaker
The Pistons are back in for me and they're off to third. Arsenal drop to fourth. City are fifth and the Seahawks are coming in at sixth. I don't think they are... less powerful it's just I wasn't going to bring him in and just start firing him up the ranking so they're they're in now they'll move up next week if they win again so it's OKC Texans Pistons Arsenal City and Seahawks Nice, nice. you've We've got similar teams, just in a different order, which is cool. It's getting to that point in the in the NFL season where it kind of shakes out and if teams get eliminated, then there's other guys going to come in. So as of it last season, once the NFL season is over, we'll just move into Premier League and and NBA stuff until those two end.
01:22:46
Speaker
So that's another episode wrapped. and Apologies for the sniffling. And if you're watching on YouTube, you'll have seen us both muting our cameras to sneeze and cough and blow our noses at different times. But we still got the episode done for you. um So, yeah, we are warriors.
01:23:01
Speaker
We both get Clutch Player of the Week for this week's episode. Yes. And I'll throw it to you to end the chain. Yeah, cheers, lads. It's just, it it is a pleasure doing this every week and we're going to continue doing it. So keep watching. The road to 100,000 subscribers are still on. So start hitting that button for us, please. And we'll see you next week.
01:23:19
Speaker
Nice one, lads. Welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball? with Shane and James.