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Englands Best XI - Game of the Season -Manager Grades
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Join your Global Sports Podcast Network team for your daily briefing on all things premier league – News, transfers, analysis and opinion – you’ll find it here on Daily Premier League part of the Global Sports Podcast Network podcast channel
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Transcript
Introduction and Casual Talk
00:00:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh.
00:00:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome everybody, welcome aboard to the Daily Premier League podcast. It's Wednesday, the 8th of October. It's early in the morning, feels very early. My name's Ken Davis, his name is Nick Britton, and a very warm welcome to everybody, wherever you may be, who makes the Daily Premier League podcast part of their daily routine. Good morning, Nick.
00:00:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
How you feeling this fine Wednesday morning?
00:00:36
Nick Britten
A very fine morning to you, Ken. I'm very wealthy. I'm very well. I'm not very i'm very wealthy. I'm certainly not that. I'm very well. Thank you very much is what I meant to say. Yeah, it's it always feels like um missing football already.
00:00:49
Nick Britten
so
00:00:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah. I hate it.
00:00:51
Nick Britten
You know, by now but now you're thinking about the weekend's games, aren't you? You're thinking about the weekend's games and yeah.
00:00:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, some great games. No, there isn't. England v Wales on Thursday night.
00:01:01
Nick Britten
Yeah. Dull.
00:01:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, we hate it.
00:01:03
Nick Britten
Dull. Why are? Can I just ask you this? Why are, when England and UEFA seem so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to qualifying, yeah qualifying around the rest of the world is either in its latter stages or finished.
00:01:17
Nick Britten
UEFA is miles behind. Why are England playing a friendly on Thursday night? There should be no friendlies at this stage.
00:01:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not friendly, isn't it?
00:01:22
Nick Britten
should'
00:01:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's qualification game, isn't ah think it's
00:01:25
Nick Britten
ah I thought it friendly. I thought the second one, Latvia, was a...
00:01:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it's... I think it's a way for qualification, isn't it?
00:01:32
Nick Britten
No, it's not. I'm sure it's a friendly against Wales and then a qualification game against Latvia.
00:01:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, could be. It could be. um need to check.
00:01:40
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:01:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
need check.
00:01:42
Nick Britten
um It's an Alzheimer's Society kind of game, sponsored game against Wales.
00:01:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yes, you're right. It's just that you're friendly. You're right.
00:01:49
Nick Britten
why the what So my question to you, again, seeing as you doubted me the first time, is why are are England playing a friendly at this moment in time when there's still qualification games to be played?
UEFA Qualification and England's Friendlies
00:02:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't It's crazy. And, yeah, all the other, as we do the Road to World Cup podcast, by the way, you need to listen that if you've got any interest in World Cup. It's the best only and by far the greatest World Cup podcast in the world.
00:02:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
All the other ah confederations of FIFA have finished or virtually finished and there's a load more games this week. And essentially, we're going to know exactly who's going to be qualified. Come on, Cape Verde, by the way.
00:02:26
Nick Britten
We are. We're all back in Cape Verde, aren't we?
00:02:27
Nick Britten
We're all back Cape Verde.
00:02:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Come on, Cape.
00:02:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Come on, Verde.
00:02:30
Nick Britten
Do you think if we if we write to the Cape Verde Prime Minister or President whoever it might be and say, look, we've been backing Cape Verde for ages and ages and ages, it'll give us free holiday.
00:02:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
I reckon i reckon we we'll become the media correspondents of the Cape Verde government and get free pass to the World Cup. Worth a try.
00:02:51
Nick Britten
Yeah, we could go as part part of the Cape Verde delegation, do you think?
00:02:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think so. I think so.
00:02:55
Nick Britten
Mate, you might end getting a game.
00:02:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. So anyway, so that looks like they're going qualify. Anyway, so so this is like part two to the episode we released on Monday. which is ah another dig, a rummage.
00:03:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Nick loves a rummage around the postbag. He was rummaging at the bottom of the postbag, came up with three three more questions from our dear listeners. ah So we're going to get to them.
Spurs Takeover Withdrawal
00:03:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And they're quite interesting questions, as they always are, to be honest.
00:03:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
But before we get to that, there's a couple of things just to mention ah news-wise.
00:03:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brooklyn Eric herric has officially, Nick, officially withdrawn from the takeover of Spurs. When you express an interest, particularly in the US, on takeovers, you have a certain deadline to which to confirm that you're actually going to go ahead with it.
00:03:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah That deadline has passed. He's confirmed he's not going to go ahead with it. i So it all looks like it's as you were for Spurs now because they've rebuffed a number of these things now.
00:03:55
Nick Britten
Yes, there was a lot of speculation, wasn't there, after Daniel Levy left and left in such kind of Strange circumstances, i.e. very, very suddenly and very unexpectedly. And everybody kind of thought, well, is this paving the way for a sale of Spurs?
00:04:07
Nick Britten
But to be fair to you unique refer to the Lewis family, they have said robustly from that moment on, we are not for sale, we are not for sale. And we've had three or four suitors now, and they've all been knocked back. And what this what this sort of formal recognition of not putting in a bid means, they can't now put a bid in for another six months.
00:04:22
Nick Britten
So as you say, it seems to be very, very straightforward now at Tottenham. They're not going to be sold. Lewis's were good for their word, all that media speculation around, oh, actually, no, all this stuff's going on behind the scenes and and they're just somebody will come in with a strong bid and it'll get done.
00:04:40
Nick Britten
Doesn't seem to be the case at all. And it seems that actually they are properly rebuffing offers. So it very much looks now like now the Tottenham are not for sale.
00:04:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very much looks that way. I just wonder if people got wind of the fact that Levy was leaving and said, well, here's our opportunity just to test the water, tested the water, got rebuffed. Okay. as It's kind of as you were.
00:05:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
So...
00:05:00
Nick Britten
ah think it's I think it's undoubtedly that. It's undoubtedly that.
00:05:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:05:03
Nick Britten
Look, they may have hope but they may have had some information that encouraged them at the time.
00:05:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:05:07
Nick Britten
We don't know. But is it's very consistent, isn't it, from Enix, very consistent from the Lewis family. And I don't think anybody's in any doubt now what their position might be.
00:05:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, think that's true. And of course, Tottenham are quite an attractive proposition, I think, particularly for the US. They've obviously got an amazing stadium. they' They're right up there again this year.
00:05:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah you know I can imagine that if you're a suitor, you are looking at the Premier League teams and thinking, yeah, that's they've got potential to be ah ah you know a huge yeah huge acquisition. So I can quite understand why they're of interest.
00:05:43
Nick Britten
Well, one of the things you get with Tottenham that you don't get with pretty much every other Premier League club is you're not buying a load of debt. You know, there are they're a profitably profitably very well-run club with fantastic ah facilities in terms of stadium, in terms of training. training They are a ready-made club.
00:06:00
Nick Britten
They're kind of ready-made for a sale. So where the money comes from, i.e. the Middle East or America, I can imagine they're an extremely attractive proposition.
00:06:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, maybe maybe it'll come back, this story. I've got a feeling it will, but certainly won't be for the foreseeable future.
Mo Salah Performance Debate
00:06:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
The second point, I've just cast my eyes over some of the comments in the Premier League over last couple of days.
00:06:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Wayne Rooney, who now, if you like, has rediscovered himself as a football pundit, um commenting on Salah, Mo Salah, and specifically talking about his work ethic.
00:06:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was pointing to the game against Chelsea. said, where he just wasn't tracking back. He was kind of watching, in his words, watching while his full-back was being torn apart against Chelsea.
00:06:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Actually, has Rooney put his finger on something here? One of the things that we've pointed out in the last few weeks is about Liverpool's issues at full-back. Actually, is part of those issues, are part of those issues, to do with the fact they're not getting the support from their front-wide men that in the modern game yeah you kind of have to provide?
00:07:01
Nick Britten
Good night.
00:07:06
Nick Britten
I think in the modern game, you're right. It is expected that your forward players don't just stand there when the ball is in your defensive half and wait for it to come to you. If they're wide men, they are expected to help out in some way.
00:07:20
Nick Britten
And it's indicative of Salah's performances so far because he hasn't just he just hasn't been in games. i mean, he's got a couple of goals, couple of assists, but just hasn't really, really been in games. Now, I was trying to think when I read that, is a natural part of most Salah's game to track back?
00:07:35
Nick Britten
Or has he always been like this?
00:07:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
You've always been like that, I suspect. Thank
00:07:38
Nick Britten
Yeah. So you could probably turn around and go, well, he's done nothing different. He's just playing his his normal game and it's he's never, ever done this. So it's not like he's suddenly downed tools and isn't really trying very hard.
00:07:49
Nick Britten
Equally, you might want to say that it's not really a great team play, is it? When you can see your full-back struggling so much and you might want to drop in and give them a helping hand because Liverpool have been ripped to shreds pretty much down the flanks in certain games at certain points.
00:08:05
Nick Britten
And I'd imagine the full-backs are looking up the pitch and going, come mate, could do with bit of help here.
00:08:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that think that's exactly what is happening. The other thing, of course, is that Salah, 33 now, there just seems to have been tiny bit of spot loss from his game. And and obviously, he signed a big contract over summer.
00:08:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
There has been a slight ah change, I think, in his in his kind of mentality. ah I just think tracking back, doing his shift... It's kind of, okay, if you're not scoring goals, at least do that.
00:08:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
It just shows effort, shows a kind of commitment, shows ah ah you know being part of the cause that if you're not scoring a lot of goals, you know maybe you can build on that and kind of build your build your confidence back up that way.
00:08:36
Nick Britten
look
00:08:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
But especially when looking out,
00:08:48
Nick Britten
There are probably very few players in Premier League or indeed anywhere in the world, there are probably very few players who could get away with it, who could get away with it, who they're not doing their primary function, which is creating score. And you might argue, look, we've had, what, seven league games?
00:09:03
Nick Britten
And Salah scored a couple and got a couple of assists. So he's doing his job. But there are there are very few players who who wouldn't be able to get away with it. I Salah's one of them. I think he's one of them I don't think Liverpool fans will be looking him going, you're not contributing, mate. You're not trucking about. You're not doing this. You're not doing that. Because they love him.
00:09:19
Nick Britten
They absolutely love him. They'll let him get away with anything. And with with some justification, I should add, given that he even his record there over the years.
00:09:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
yet.
00:09:26
Nick Britten
I think it's... Look, i know rooney's I know Rooney's got to say these kind of outlandish things because he's building a career for himself. He's got this new a media job and his media profile's growing quite a lot of the moment and people are keen to hear what he's got to say, that's fine. So part of that, with that comes saying controversial things because it gets easy headlines. It gets people like you and me talking about it a lot.
00:09:52
Nick Britten
And he may have a point. He may have a point.
00:09:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it does. I think it does, to be fair to him. I think it does. And I just get the impression, by the way, that I think the mood music is changing a bit with Salah, with Liverpool fans. i see you know I see some of the comments on the games.
00:10:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah I just get the impression it's shifting a bit.
00:10:15
Nick Britten
Maybe, yeah. Maybe. Maybe. i mean, there's always there's always this kind of deal around when Salah's contract is up, isn't there?
00:10:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway,
00:10:22
Nick Britten
and There's always this kind of hand-wringing and it goes on for months and months and months and months.
00:10:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:10:25
Nick Britten
And the Liverpool fans are absolutely desperate. I mean, I remember when it raised its head last year, the GSPN Daily Liverpool podcasters here at Global Sports Podcast Network. By the way, if you are Liverpool fan, give that a listen.
00:10:37
Nick Britten
ah Search the Daily Liverpool up on Spotify or YouTube. they were They were just giving whatever he wants.
00:10:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:10:43
Nick Britten
Give him whatever he wants. It doesn't matter. Give him whatever money he wants, whatever, the keys to the city, whatever he wants.
00:10:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
in
00:10:47
Nick Britten
Just give it to him.
00:10:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, the duration, the issue was the duration. You know, was it was it going to be three-year contract? Was going to be a one-year contract? Anyway, it's it's it's it's an interesting developing story, that. I think it's one we've got to watch.
00:10:57
Nick Britten
It is. No, it is. I should say actually about wait Wayne Rooney, I should say about Wayne Rooney, what things you've touched upon him. I'm quite glad that he is building a career in the media. I think I'm really quite pleased for him because I worked with him for about a year at Derby when he was manager at Derby.
00:11:17
Nick Britten
And talking to him, yeah I mean, his managerial skills, you might want to call into question given his record, but talking to him, you could do it all day, all night. His knowledge of football and his analysis of games.
00:11:29
Nick Britten
And even even when he was manager of Derby, listened to his post-match. His analysis of games has always spot on. And you could talk to about football just for his knowledge of football. And more importantly, his understanding of it is unbelievable.
Zencastr Partnership Promotion
00:11:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, that's an interesting thing to hear, actually.
00:11:43
Nick Britten
It's unbelievable. Brilliant.
00:11:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
So as Wayne Rooney knows, In football, pays to get your team selection right. Here at Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery partner. And we chose Zencastr because Zencastr makes it easy to bring your vision to life, share it with your audience, wherever they may be. It's got 4K video recording.
00:12:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's got AI editing. It's got top-tier distribution tools. And they're all in one place. Absolutely amazing. So if you've got a story to tell, tell it with Zencastr. Check the show notes for more detail.
00:12:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
can't believe it's 12 minutes, 12 minutes into this. We haven't even started the postcard.
England's Team Lineup and Formation
00:12:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. Nick's been rummaging, as I mentioned earlier. Three questions. you're going to have to deal with them fairly quickly if we're going to get this done in 30 minutes.
00:12:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah First one from Alison in Bedford. ah With England set to play Wales in friendly on the Tuesday thursday night, who would be your first 11 choices for the England team?
00:12:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Forget about injuries at this point. i think she's looking ahead to the World Cup. So what's your top England team? I think the first thing to ask Nick is what formation you playing?
00:13:07
Nick Britten
4-2-3-1.
00:13:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, we agree. Four teams, mate.
00:13:09
Nick Britten
Which kind of morphs into a 4-1-4-1 in possession.
00:13:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, thatc I kind of get that. Okay, right. i' going to come back to that bill let little tactical switch. Who's in goal, Nick? We'll go through it all together and see if we agree.
00:13:24
Nick Britten
Jordan Pickford.
00:13:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Agree? no No question. I think he's England's number one.
00:13:27
Nick Britten
Yeah, nobody...
00:13:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:28
Nick Britten
there's I mean, look, Dean Henderson's having a fantastic season at Palace.
00:13:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:31
Nick Britten
And he is a very, very able number two. But Pickford's done nothing to suggest that he doesn't deserve the shirt.
00:13:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, agreed. Okay, back four. I've got Rhys James, Konso, Gahy, Liveramento, the back four that played against Serbia. And obviously, that was an extremely good performance. Anything you change on that?
00:13:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, Konso, Gahy.
00:13:49
Nick Britten
Yeah, I don't know. Now, the the problem is with the left back. Now, I would have said, if we'd had this conversation three months ago, would have said Lewis Skelly's the perfect left back.
00:13:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not getting enough game time, is it?
00:13:59
Nick Britten
He's not playing.
00:14:00
Nick Britten
not playing He's not playing. not playing Arsenal. so So, that then opens the door. Now, Tino Livramento had a very, very good under-21 tournament in the summer. Of course, England under-21 has won that tournament. And he's back in the team, although he's injured at the moment, but he's back in the team at Newcastle.
00:14:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:14
Nick Britten
I can't think of anybody better at the moment.
00:14:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
I agree.
00:14:17
Nick Britten
I can't think of anybody better. So, yeah, I'll go Liverpool at left back. Mark Gay, definitely nailed on 100%.
00:14:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:25
Nick Britten
I'm not sure. I'm not sure who his partner is, you know.
00:14:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Stones?
00:14:30
Nick Britten
I just, well, the problem with Stones is that he's forever injured and he hasn't played regularly for, what, two years now?
00:14:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, yeah. I wouldn't
00:14:36
Nick Britten
Is that right?
00:14:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
have stones. That's why I've gone for it.
00:14:38
Nick Britten
I said, no, Stones is not. I mean, I know he's back in England squad for this couple of games now, but I wouldn't necessarily have him in... I think maybe his time has passed. And you can't rely on him... You can't rely on him being fit. I know you said, like, injuries aside, but you've got to be realistic as well.
00:14:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, great. Yeah.
00:14:52
Nick Britten
You know, otherwise, you know, otherwise I'd have Terry Butcher back in there. ah So... Yeah, I don't know who, I mean, you can make the you can make the case for Kwanzaa, you can make the case for Harry Maguire, you can make the case for Dan Byrne, you can make the case for Esri Kwanzaa, Aston Villa.
00:15:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:15:12
Nick Britten
ah To be honest, I just don't know. If I had to pick the team right here, right now,
00:15:19
Nick Britten
for the World Cup, this is a World Cup team, yeah.
00:15:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're playing the first World Cup game ah in America on a Thursday night. You've got to pick the team.
00:15:30
Nick Britten
Probably Jarrell Kwanzaa for Bayer Leverkusen.
00:15:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:15:34
Nick Britten
Or Dan Byrne from Newcastle. One of one of those two.
00:15:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not CONSO.
00:15:38
Nick Britten
Because I think they've both had really good seasons and they're both playing very well.
00:15:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting.
00:15:41
Nick Britten
And Byrne's got a lot of experience and I think it's more experience in World Cup.
00:15:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
So coming off the back of a final victory in Serbia, you're changing the back four?
00:15:47
Nick Britten
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because this is not... This is World Cup we're talking about.
00:15:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:15:52
Nick Britten
i'm having um'm I'm having players in my team who aren't even in the squad at the moment.
00:15:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're playing New Caledonia in the first game.
00:15:58
Nick Britten
Hmm?
00:15:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're playing New Caledonia in the first game now.
00:16:01
Nick Britten
Well, we we don't know that. Could we play in Brazil in the first game?
00:16:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's true. I doubt it.
00:16:06
Nick Britten
and So, yeah. so So, who have you got in there, by the way? Who have you got?
00:16:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I've got Liveramento, Gehi, Concert and Rhys James right back.
00:16:12
Nick Britten
Esri Kwanza from Villa.
00:16:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:14
Nick Britten
Yeah, that's fine. oh There's nothing. That's absolutely right. i don't i just I think Gaye's absolutely nailed on. I think the others are ah just, at the moment, ah I don't think there's much between Jara Kwanza or Esri Kwanza or Dan Byrne.
00:16:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:27
Nick Britten
I think any of those.
00:16:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
The only thing that that occurred to me is...
00:16:29
Nick Britten
By the way, by the way, so on the left-back side, I think Jeff Spence had a great season at top.
00:16:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, i he did. He did.
00:16:34
Nick Britten
um
00:16:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Full-backs are still iffy. Full-backs are a thing about for everyone at the moment.
00:16:36
Nick Britten
Yeah, I think they are because when I'm looking at my right-back, I'm going, yeah.
00:16:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
What about Trent? What about Trent on the...
00:16:41
Nick Britten
Well, this is it. I'm not 100% sold on Rhys James, if I'm brutally honest with you. And I kind of probably was until I saw him play against Andorra.
00:16:48
Nick Britten
ah And yeah, Trent, maybe, but he's not really, i think we everybody understands now he's not really right-back, is he? I don't know. mean, Kyle Walker's back playing in the Premier League, but I think his time's passed.
00:16:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:59
Nick Britten
I think it'd be Rhys James, yeah.
00:17:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think it'd be a research.
00:17:01
Nick Britten
think it'd be Rhys James.
00:17:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, moving move ahead. So we've got the two holding midfielders. Rice is an absolute nailed on. I would personally go over and nail him onto it.
00:17:13
Nick Britten
he wouldn't be able to get him down a pitch.
00:17:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And...
00:17:14
Nick Britten
If if you nailed him onto to it, he wouldn't be able to get him down a pitch, would he? He'd be there sort of slapping in the end going, can somebody take these nails out of me so i could run around?
00:17:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
eight Just need to sit there. i
00:17:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that's fine. Just needs to direct the traffic, protect the back four. Elliot Anderson... done nothing wrong. ni steve black So I've got Anderson and Rice as two holding midfielders. What about you?
00:17:38
Nick Britten
50% agree with you. Yeah, Declan Rice without shadow of a doubt.
00:17:41
Nick Britten
I prefer him to be not nailed on anything, if I'm honest with you. But he can push on. My holding midfield is Adam Wharton.
00:17:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
ye
00:17:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's it.
00:17:47
Nick Britten
so I think he's the best i think hes iss one of the best out in the Premier League. I can't believe he's not in a squad. I literally cannot believe he's not in a squad for these two games.
Best Holding Midfielders Debate
00:17:55
Nick Britten
Elliot Anderson has staked his claim and played really well in the last two games. but I think Wharton's just a better player.
00:18:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's good debate, that one. And just going, if you if we're moving to a 4-4-1 mid-game, which we needed to, is it right should you' be pushing forward?
00:18:09
Nick Britten
100%, yeah, yeah, yeah. Will it be Wharton?
00:18:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I agree Yeah.
00:18:11
Nick Britten
And he can just sit. Anderson, I think, is
00:18:17
Nick Britten
is gets gets forward a bit more, probably, than Wharton does. i would If we're releasing Rice, even against New Caledonia, I'd like one midfielder to stay vaguely in position.
00:18:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:30
Nick Britten
And I think Wharton's perfect that.
00:18:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, yeah, there's a toss-up between those two. Right, I'm going to move right at to the front because I don't think there's any debate about this. We're playing Kane at nine, aren't we?
00:18:43
Nick Britten
Much to my delight and your dismay, yes.
00:18:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, we're pay we're playing Kane at nine. We've got to do that. now And therefore, we're left with the three attacking midfielders. Now, talk about embarrassment of riches. I was like scratching my head on this because obviously I was got to see the latter.
00:18:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah I came up with
00:19:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Saka on the right, Bellingham in the middle, Eze on the left.
00:19:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
What say you?
00:19:12
Nick Britten
Well, that's exactly what I started with.
00:19:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:19:17
Nick Britten
That's exactly what started with. But Eze's being used at a 10 at Arsenal and everybody thinks that's his best position. I think he's not a traditional winger.
00:19:28
Nick Britten
He's somebody who will pick up the ball. i like I like him best when he can pick up the ball from deep and run with it. I think that's when he's at his most dangerous.
00:19:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I agree with
00:19:35
Nick Britten
he's not you know You don't want him playing high up with his back to goal or anything like that. You want him ya'rening dropping and creating. So do we have him at 10 in which could do Osaka are absolutely on the right. No problem about that.
00:19:47
Nick Britten
There's an issue about Bellingham. I'm not 100% sold. i should be sold, but I'm not 100% sold on him. So if I...
00:19:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
that. Yeah. Tuchel seems singularly unimpressed with Bellingham.
00:19:58
Nick Britten
Yeah. Yeah.
00:20:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
um but And on paper, Bellingham's the best player we've got.
00:20:01
Nick Britten
I think that line itself out. On paper. But but the game isn't played on paper, can it?
00:20:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
a Yeah.
00:20:06
Nick Britten
It's played on grass. So, yeah, on paper he is. There's something going on. And I don't know what it is. There's something going on. His performances haven't been great in England. He's popped up with some important goals. ah But his performances haven't been great recently.
00:20:21
Nick Britten
So, yeah. Have we got hungrier, younger, hungrier players? Not necessarily younger, but hungrier players out there? Maybe. Maybe. Foden's coming back into the fold after a very good starter season for Manchester City and that's that'll be great I think Rashford's a backup I don't think Rashford's starter Cole Palmer yeah well Grealish is forcing his way back in which is a really interesting one Cole Palmer absolutely is in in in in the thinking so take your pick but I mean strangely are any of them what I would call left I don't want to call them left they're left wingers are they
00:20:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Rashford.
00:20:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Cole Palmer. Grealish. I mean...
00:20:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, yeah they're not out and out, but...
00:21:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's played on the left, doesn't he?
00:21:00
Nick Britten
So probably, yeah, probably your wife. Probably Saka on the left, Eze on the right. And then if I'm honest, if I had to play, if the World Cup started tomorrow and everybody's fit, I'm putting Cole Palmer in at 10.
00:21:11
Nick Britten
Ahead of Bellingham, yeah.
00:21:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ahead of Bellingham.
00:21:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting. Well, that's it. So that's we've picked our... We're not miles off. We agree on the structure. we pretty much agree on the key things. But there's a lot ah lot of places up for grabs. And, of course, seven games to go or gone in the Premier League.
00:21:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's still plenty of time for, you know... Hey, remember when were talking about Morgan Gibbs, right? Why? And Loftus-Cheek and all these guys. haven't even mentioned that those guys. up Okie dokie, so that was question one.
00:21:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
really good question. Thank you Alison Bedford for that.
00:21:45
Nick Britten
you
00:21:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
By the way, sports Global Sports Podcast Network is partnered with Bionique, the world's most personalized supplements, because your body's unique and because without knowing what your actual deficiencies are, if you take off the shelf supplements, you might be getting not enough of the ones you need, nutrients wise, and too many of the ones you don't need. So Bionique very cleverly provides 100% tailor-made supplements designed to deliver precisely what your body needs at exactly the right level.
00:22:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
So click the link on the show notes, use the code GSPN2025. You'll get 40% discount off your first order.
00:22:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
Liverpool's Matches and Vulnerabilities
00:22:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Question two from the postmaker from Marco in Bologna. Bologna. ah What so far, Nick, has been your match of the season and why? We've seen an awful lot of games, whatever, about 70, I suppose, over the course of the... Well, it would be exactly 70, I wouldn't think about it.
00:22:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
um What's been your favourite game so far? Why was it? And tell us all about it.
00:23:03
Nick Britten
Well, there are two that have really, really, really, really stood out, I think. They both involve Liverpool.
00:23:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, dear. Don't pick the one I've got.
00:23:10
Nick Britten
and Well, the one I've gone for is the opening game of the season where Liverpool play Bournemouth because I think it set the tone for how this season is playing out, which is madness, chaos and very, very late goals.
00:23:24
Nick Britten
And that seems to have kind of set the theme for the Premier League this season.
00:23:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
And a frailer Liverpool, a Liverpool that is, that can see...
00:23:28
Nick Britten
and
00:23:32
Nick Britten
Well, yeah, exactly. And we saw what we saw in that game. So it was it it was the opening game of the Premier League. It on the 15th of August. ah It had a ah start for the summers at that time, in brackets.
00:23:45
Nick Britten
Big summer signing for Liverpool, ah Hugo Ekitike. And everybody's wondering how he's going to come in. And by the way, when we talk about... when me talk i don't think we've done a thing on on on sort of summer transfer players who have really hit the ground running.
00:24:00
Nick Britten
But he is one of them. There haven't been many.
00:24:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:02
Nick Britten
but he's definitely been one of them.
00:24:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:04
Nick Britten
And so we're interested to see how he was getting on. And all seemed well for Liverpool in what what one might many expect on, i think it's a Friday night game, many might expect to be a fairly routine opener against Bournemouth. When the fixture list comes out and you go, right, what's your first game?
00:24:19
Nick Britten
Home to Bournemouth. You go, yeah, okay, I'll tell you that. If you're Liverpool.
00:24:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bournemouth lost a load of players.
00:24:22
Nick Britten
Not Friday night game.
00:24:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think they lost the manager. It was going to be...
00:24:26
Nick Britten
No, they didn't lose their manager. you're thinking Brentford. No, Ballham, but they had lost their entire back line pretty much.
00:24:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're right. Yeah, they watched the time that line.
00:24:31
Nick Britten
They'd lost four out of five. yeah do The goalkeeper had all gone.
00:24:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
But everyone thought 4-0, Liverpool got...
00:24:36
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:24:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Salah gets a hat-trick. It's all kind of...
00:24:39
Nick Britten
its' It kind of had that feel to it. And now, that's no disrespect to Bournemouth, because if you are a team in the lower half of the table, an opening game at home to Bournemouth isn't easy. But if you're Liverpool, you would expect to win that game.
00:24:51
Nick Britten
And all seemed well. So, Eketike hits the ground running with the opening goal after 37 minutes. Everyone's going, yay! One-0 at half time. Cody Gakpo. You would think at that stage when he scores 49 minutes...
00:25:02
Nick Britten
That's the game put to bed. You kind of think, you know, we're five minutes to the second half. We're 2-0 up. We're at home.
00:25:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:25:08
Nick Britten
we We are, you know, we're going to just roll this over. We're the reigning Premier League champions. We're going to roll this game over and everybody's going to be happy.
00:25:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everyone thought that game over.
00:25:18
Nick Britten
And then ah then enter stage left, Antoine Semenya.
00:25:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. What a player.
00:25:22
Nick Britten
who
00:25:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Talking about players of the season.
00:25:23
Nick Britten
Well, it's funny, isn't it?
00:25:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh,
00:25:24
Nick Britten
Well, absolutely. We talked about this the other day, didn't we? Our but best players the season so far. And Semenyo's very much top of my list.
00:25:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's great.
00:25:32
Nick Britten
And it's interesting sort of knowing what we know now, because we didn't know this at the start of the season, but knowing what we know now, how good Semenyo's been, how good Bournemouth had been, but we didn't know at this time. Anyway, he rolls up with an absolute storming goal, an absolute blockbuster of a goal on 64, to put it.
00:25:48
Nick Britten
put it back in the mixer, and then lo and behold, with 14 minutes to go, equalizes.
00:25:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:25:56
Nick Britten
And everybody's like, what is going on? Literally, what is happening? And of course, this is in this fixture, it's set against the backdrop of a supporter racially abusing him earlier on in the game.
00:26:09
Nick Britten
And the supporter gets ejected at half-time. to I've not heard about what's happened to that actually. I must chase that up to find out what what the what the outcome of all of that was in terms of what's happened to the supporter, because he should have been banned for life, and I hope that he has.
00:26:22
Nick Britten
So suddenly, you got Semenya on fire, Bournemouth on fire.
00:26:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:26:27
Nick Britten
Liverpool 2-0 up, now it's 2-2. And you're thinking, right, I've got no idea which which way this game's going to to go. But we also know that Liverpool are... the masters of late goals. and they they They have been for you know quite certainly the last ah couple of seasons.
00:26:43
Nick Britten
and And predictably, I suppose some might say, substitute Federico Chiesa nets on 88 minutes to put them 3-2 up. And then Mo Salah completes the job on 95.
00:26:55
Nick Britten
So it finishes 4-2. It's a game that shows... that the Premier League is going to be very, very exciting this season. It's got everything loads of stuff in it. It's got Eketike, the big summer signing, hitting the ground running with a goal and he's carried that on.
00:27:11
Nick Britten
It's got Liverpool's frailties at 2-0 up, back to 2-2. That's carried on, as we know. It's got Semenyo for Bournemouth. That's carried on. He's starred in pretty much every game he's played at. It's got Bournemouth showing that they can compete in the Premier League because they look the better team for quite some periods that second half.
00:27:29
Nick Britten
And they've carried it on. And of course, we've got late goals from Liverpool. And up until a couple of weeks ago, that was the hallmark of their season. So for that reason, for setting the tone of the season in all those ways, I've gone for Liverpool 4, Bournemouth 2.
00:27:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's that's that's a great that's a great choice. It was a fantastic start to the season. And it did show us, now we know, some of the trends which were going to become part of our conversation throughout. And in fact, my choice, which was...
00:27:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
again, a Liverpool game, Newcastle 2, Liverpool 3, was a very similar, really, really similar game, really, in many ways. ah And we were all saying at the end of both of those games, that's what champions are made of.
00:28:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's what champions are made of. They stick with it. I mean, Liverpool unbeatable. They've just got that determination. They've got that edge. They've got that... It's undeniable belief that they're going to win and eventually, guess what? They'll win. Now, we know now that actually that was papered over a few cracks that have started to become fairly major fissures in the course the last few weeks. But of course, I'm referring, by the way, to Newcastle 2, Liverpool 3.
00:28:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah And one of the things that really i really kind of stands out on that game, this was a game played in Newcastle, obviously, and that's a pretty ferocious game. atmosphere to play in.
00:28:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's particularly ferocious with all the hostility around the controversy about Alexander Isak's move to Liverpool. That had just happened. ah Obviously, he'd been sitting out, really, at Newcastle. There was lot of bad feeling about that, really.
00:29:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it was so that it was this cauldron. ah And guess what? Just like in the Bournemouth game, Liverpool take a 2-0 lead, Gravenberg and Eketike again. Everyone thinks, well, that's silenced it. that's so They're going to run away with this one. it's going to be another 4-0.
00:29:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it isn't. ah Gimesh scores. Sula scores for Newcastle and makes it 2-2. Anthony Gordon gets sent off for a daft challenge. ah um then ah And wasn't it? He scored that amazing goal.
00:29:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Again, 90 plus three minutes or something or something around that time ah to win it for Liverpool.
00:29:39
Nick Britten
so It was late. It was like 97 minutes.
00:29:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it was...
00:29:41
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:29:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
crazy
00:29:42
Nick Britten
No, it was 98. I think it was 98, wasn't it? It was 98. It was right at the end of game.
00:29:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:29:46
Nick Britten
It was literally almost the last kick the game.
00:29:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was crazy late. and And everyone again was saying, hey, that's what champions are made of. But actually, the real story, the real story is Liverpool are get-at-able.
00:30:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
particularly down the flanks. And I think in these early games, teams have worked Liverpool out a bit. And i mean, no one would ever think we'd be saying that five games ago.
00:30:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Teams are working Liverpool out and it's going to become, I think this is a ah theme that she's going to rumble and continue for the rest of the season.
00:30:21
Nick Britten
Yeah, i may it it may well do. It may well do, I think. Yeah, it's going to be interesting.
00:30:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:30:28
Nick Britten
Look, if Arnie Slott gets the summer signings working, so Frimpong on the right, Kyrgyz on the left, Verts at 10, then Liverpool will be ah real team to stop.
00:30:41
Nick Britten
They will probably be the to stop.
00:30:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's no sign of that. Absolutely.
00:30:43
Nick Britten
But there's no sign of it at the moment. There's no sign of it at the moment.
00:30:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
No sign of it. And we're going to come to that, I think, in in in the last
Listener Engagement Invitation
00:30:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
bit of this. By the way, if you want to send us your letters or mail or thoughts or anything, abuse even, dailypremierleadpodcast at gmail.com. As we're doing in this episode, we're very happy to go through. Nick loves a rummage, as we know, and he'll grab your message from the bottom of the post back and we'll cover it at some point.
00:31:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Final question. Let's wrap this up in the next few minutes. Dan from Houston in Texas. Welcome, Dan. ah Regarding managers, which manager has impressed you most so far this season and and which one has been most disappointing? Nick?
Premier League Managers: Standouts and Failures
00:31:27
Nick Britten
Well, there are there are several contenders for managers who have impressed me most. There's there's quite a lot there's quite a lot going on. I think that Thomas Frank has gone into Tottenham and done a very, very, very good job.
00:31:40
Nick Britten
We were talking the other day about Regis Lebris at Sunderland, who took them up from the Championship last season and has got off to a very, very good start in the Premier League.
00:31:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:52
Nick Britten
We know about Oliver Glasner.
00:31:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:31:55
Nick Britten
at Palace and he won the FA Cup last year, he won the Charity Shield this year, only on Saturday in that very late, somewhat fortuitous goal for Everton by Jack Grealish did Palace's 19 game unbeaten run come to an end.
00:32:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:32:12
Nick Britten
And look at the brilliant job he's done there in in in the backdrop of losing his, arguably his best player over the summer. in SA2 Arsenal. and So all of those, all of those have, I think,
00:32:27
Nick Britten
got a very good claim for being manager of the Premier League thus far. thus far I'm going to go for Andoni Iriola at Bournemouth, I think, is my as my top pick, because I just think they have gone through in the summer, and we mentioned it moment ago, an enormous amount of change and flux, and they lost you know three key defenders. They lost their goalkeeper,
00:32:52
Nick Britten
And he's managed to get them playing in a way that's got them fourth in the Premier League. And not only fourth in the Premier League, but looking really, really good. To the point that when they played Newcastle the other week and drew 0-0, I was quite annoyed.
00:33:04
Nick Britten
was quite annoyed because I turned on expecting to see a really good free-flowing Bournemouth team. And that's kind of what they've been.
00:33:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:33:12
Nick Britten
their His ability to motivate, his ability to organise, his ability to just get players pressing and running. And then, you know, the Bournemouth players are first in some of the stats, you know, about running and about sprinting and about pressing and about winning the ball back high.
00:33:28
Nick Britten
Seven games, four victories and two draws. Has them on 14 points, which is great. They've been hovering around kind of the bottom end of European places for the last couple of seasons.
00:33:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:33:42
Nick Britten
um I wonder if this year, this is the year where they might sneak into the Conference League or or even better Europa League. We've seen with Nottingham Forest last season that teams can do it. outside of the established, what I call bigger clubs.
00:33:55
Nick Britten
He has to manage, I mean, they are an unfashionable club. So you're not going to get the big money signings. They play in front of what, 12,000 people at the Vitality. He's about the capacity.
00:34:08
Nick Britten
So I think he's done an unbelievable job. And like Glasner, he will go on to bigger and better things.
00:34:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, think there's any doubt about that. He has been, given the resources, given what he inherited, given their outperformance at Eriola, I think anyone can argue with that.
00:34:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
couple of people just to give, I think, honourable mentions to that we haven't really mentioned. I quite like the work that David Moyes is doing Everton.
00:34:39
Nick Britten
100% Yeah, 100% Yeah, but look
00:34:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everton.
00:34:40
Nick Britten
yeah hundred percent
00:34:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everton. Everton look are much more solid, much more confident, much more assertive, much more front-foot team than they've sit they've looked in for a long time. So Moyes, hats off to you. Always rated Moyes as manager.
00:34:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And the other one I suppose we should mention is Arteta.
00:34:53
Nick Britten
um um you
00:34:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, look, Arsenal do for me. ah i mean, he's got he's got all the resources in the world, Arteta, but Arsenal do look, they look like champions to me. And think he's given them a little bit.
00:35:05
Nick Britten
yeah but look
00:35:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just think they've got more belief than anybody else at the moment.
00:35:10
Nick Britten
and Until he wins something, I think it's very difficult because Arteta is, yeah as you say, he's got loads of resources. He's got all the backing. He's been there for, what, five years now. He hasn't won anything of value other than the FA Cup.
00:35:24
Nick Britten
And yet they're top the table at the moment, but we don't know whether they are going to stay there. ah think the the performance against Liverpool when it was a game where they could go to Anfield and give them a real game, they just didn't.
00:35:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
no that was
00:35:39
Nick Britten
one They went with a very, very negative performance. ah
00:35:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
It did against Man United's first game of season. Real smash grab job, wasn't it?
00:35:45
Nick Britten
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. They really struggled to get anything at home against Manchester City. They needed a 94th minute equaliser. So, no, I can't agree with you on Arteta, I don't think. I think the jury's out until he actually achieves something.
00:36:01
Nick Britten
But David Moyes, certainly. i'll tell I, too, am a big fan of David Moyes. And, you know, West Ham fans, be careful what you wish for here because they hounded him out of the club. And now look at him.
00:36:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look away now.
00:36:12
Nick Britten
Now look at him. And he's done he was always a good fit for Everton. Going back, I think he was the right man at the right time for Everton because they were they were facing a relegation battle and there's no way they could... could have been relegated to start their new season in the Championship. That would have been really hard and awful. And he's not only sort of made sure that they were going to start their life in the new stadium in the Premier League, he's got them playing very very well. As say, more attacking.
00:36:37
Nick Britten
think bringing in Grealish is a masterstroke. And they're sitting eighth in the table. And it's not often we can say that about Everton.
00:36:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, and he looked very solid in defence as well, so that's that's good. A couple of underperforming, let's say. couple of D minuses or Ds on their half-term report.
00:36:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Obviously, Graham Potter's gone. Obviously, that wasn't working at West Ham. We'll move on from that. Ange, obviously, is having a torrid time, ah which we we hate to see.
00:37:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
not ah By the way, apologies, Ange is Greek. He was born in Athens, ah but he is from these's from Anatolia. He is from Turkey. that Their family was, because Postocoglis a Turkish name, but they are a Greek extraction.
00:37:17
Nick Britten
Thank you very much.
00:37:20
Nick Britten
I should accept, I will, yeah, I will accept your apology. I will accept your apology.
00:37:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:37:25
Nick Britten
Oh, by the way, I meant to mention, sorry, before we move on, I meant to mention, there was a great story a couple of days ago about, because I was talking about Areola at Bournemouth.
00:37:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
But
00:37:34
Nick Britten
There was a great story about him. So obviously international break now, Bournemouth plays Saturday. Sunday morning, he was running the line at an under 11 girls game like on the on the park. I presume he's a relative or is somebody who's involved playing.
00:37:51
Nick Britten
But yeah, he turned up and and gladly gladly took the flag and ran the line. well i love that. I mean, that is that is a amazing.
00:37:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Superstar. I love that he's a saint. um So cut tune i've got I've made a note of two, we've taken Angie out and we've taken Graham Potter out of the equation. Vito Pereira, Wolves. We liked his appointment last year.
00:38:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
They did a good job with him. But this year, they just seem lightweight. They seem vulnerable. They seem just don't seem just don't seem to be the team they were last year. I think they're in extreme peril.
00:38:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
And to be honest, it just doesn't look like they're going come out of that. So I put Pereira certainly down there. He's disappointed You know the other one that I've got written down on his slot?
00:38:37
Nick Britten
Don't say it. Don't say Oh, okay, right.
00:38:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
um age of the government No, no, no, I was not saying well, Amorim, yeah, which you've kind Amorim is in the post-to-coggle things.
00:38:40
Nick Britten
Okay, good. I thought he was just going to say Ameren again.
00:38:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's It's so bad. We just put it to one side. I'm trying to look for people who was really expecting to be better and hasn't. ah Slott seems a little bit kind of he's not solving the problems and that's what a manager needs to do. So I've got Pereira and Slott written down as my haven't really done what I expected this year.
00:39:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
How about you?
00:39:09
Nick Britten
Well, slots funny ones. So he obviously took over from Jurgen Klopp last year and won the title. And everybody everybody goes amazing.
00:39:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:39:18
Nick Britten
Fantastic. He's won the title, but he's won the title essentially with none of his own players. Now, there's been a big move around in Liverpool this year, particularly around the front line and and the fullback areas. He's bringing in his own players.
00:39:32
Nick Britten
So this is the first probably, I mean, I hesitate to say this is the first major challenge he's had because he's won the Premier League last year. But is there a so is there a sense, right, as soon as you've raised this,
00:39:44
Nick Britten
Is there a sense that last year he kind of just carried on that crest of a wave with Jurgen Klopp's side and rode that wave and it got him to the Premier League title? And now, actually, this is his first big challenge because A, Liverpool look like they're underperforming and B, they're doing it with five or six new players, which he has brought in, they're his players.
00:40:06
Nick Britten
Is there a sense that this is his challenge or or is that unfair on the basis that he's won the Premier League?
00:40:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I don't it is unfair, actually. Um, you essentially you could say Klopp won the league last year. Also, I think the standard of competition last year wasn' wasn't particularly high. i I think, you know, Liverpool were clearly the better team, the best team.
00:40:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh, everybody else had a pretty terrible, pretty terrible campaign. So, um Yeah, I think it's fair to say that. One of things I've heard in the course of last few days is, I'll have a pool and a team in transition. Eh?
00:40:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
What? They've won they just won the Premier League.
00:40:40
Nick Britten
Thank you.
00:40:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
They just spent 400 million quid on talent. ah Every team... adds to their talent roster in the summer.
00:40:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
This isn't a team in transition. This should be a team that's pulling away from the rest of the competition. And it isn't. And yeah, I think that's a very interesting point you make there, Nick, that actually, ah is this really slots level rather than last year?
00:41:08
Nick Britten
Well, we don't, yeah, this is it. I mean, I guess we'll see. We'll see how he comes out of this sort of mini crisis, if you like. We'll see how, see what happens with that. And if he if he responds well and they come back and then in three, four weeks time, they're flying and winning games and all these new signings look like world beaters, I think we have our answer.
00:41:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:41:26
Nick Britten
think we have our answer, but yeah, we don't, we we don't know. It's an interesting, it's an interesting point. As, as, I mean, Vito Pereira has got to be, got to be top of the list of massively underperforming managers last year. Came in, stabilized Wolves, kept them up and everybody expected them to kick on.
00:41:42
Nick Britten
They've played seven. they haven't won a game yet.
00:41:43
Nick Britten
They've got two points from two draws. He was sent off after 20 minutes in the last game.
00:41:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:41:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:41:48
Nick Britten
That tells you if somebody who's under massive pressure, he's got, I mean, unbelievably in the middle of this bad run, he got offered a new, signed a new contract. Uh,
00:41:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
um haven't wolves always got this kind of portuguese thing yeah the super agent on what yeah i mean it's always a bit i mean i don't like that but anyway anyway that is so we said at the top of the episode that this is going to be 30 minutes of pulitzer prize winning in punditry it's not it's 42 minutes we can gabble i mean when we're on this subject we can go on and on
00:42:01
Nick Britten
link Yeah, they've had it they've had it since the Super Agents. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:42:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah But I hope you find it interesting. ah So next ah podcast is on Thursday or Friday. is It might be tomorrow. might be Friday. ah International breaks. We're only doing three a week. hope you understand. we don't want to bore you.
00:42:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
But there's still plenty of stuff to go through, as we found out today. So ah thank you for all those very interesting requests and that is emails. Keep them coming.
00:42:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
We love to receive them. So on that bombshell, it is a goodbye from me. Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday. And same to you, Nick.
00:42:54
Nick Britten
Thanks very much, Ken. Goodbye, everybody.
00:42:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
See you next time.