Transcript
Speaker: All right, lads, welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball. It's me, James Kellett here, joined by Shane Fleming. I said I'd throw in the the names for any new listeners who are like, who are these two lads? Every week they just say, myself and Shane, what's the crack? And it's like, Shane, why you're just slowly drifting down my screen as I'm talking right now. Something wrong with your chair. I was hoping wouldn't notice. My chair just deflated. And I was like, I'm not going to deserve him. I'm just going to let him talk away and hope he doesn't notice.
Speaker: and So that's the crack other than your chair sliding down. oh What is the crack? What did I do this week? and I've done very little to be perfectly honest. I actually don't even have a spiel to tell you. I wasn't at any games. It's pretty you're playing yeah tonight when you're listening. Last game of the season. So get up there to that if you want. It's a fibre for the tickets. And it's it's i't get don what it it's a great day, Oaks. Just go and enjoy yourself. Have couple of pints. Get some food.
Speaker: Other than that, I'm just going to let you italian him tell everyone what happened in this episode because I have nothing to say. I think the chairs after it throw me off there now is I was slowly sliding down lower on the camera like I was trying to hide as you were saying my full name to the new listeners.
Speaker: Yeah, I was like, what is going on here? And then the face you were making, I was like, does am I supposed to just ignore this or what? But let us get into what we talked about this week, because I did have an an interesting weekend heading over to London for the NFL, but we're about to talk all about the Jags at the start of this episode. So you'll hear me talking about it there. So we'll get into what we chatted about.
Speaker: We had Michael on board as he is going to be every single week this year for both the NFL and the and NBA. But no NBA just yet. We'll have our full season preview episode up and next week on Tuesday morning. And the games start Tuesday night. So perfect timing for you. But this week we chatted NFL.
Speaker: Can the Jags win the Super Bowl was our first topic. Because they've started so well. But how far can they go? And then how long can the Vikings keep winning? They're winning on defense. Mostly the offense is stuttering. But how long can they keep it up? They are unbeaten.
Speaker: Two previews then for you, Bears at Falcons, 6pm Sunday, and Cowboys at Packers, Sunday Night Football, before we give our King of the Hill at locks for this Sunday.
Speaker: Then Michael drops off and myself and Shane shift over to Gonshance, give our underdog picks of the week across the NFL and football in the Premier League. Sticking on the Premier League then, Coventry battering Newcastle, that was our performance of last weekend.
Speaker: Levan Grau-Martinez's comments about the United board. We had to dive into those and and what it means for United going forward. And then we previewed Newcastle versus Aston Villa, which is 5.30 on Saturday.
Speaker: Then Premier League power rankings are back. We're doing them every three weeks for each sport. So we will be back after match day nine for the Premier League. So this is after match day six. We gave our power rankings of our top five teams.
Speaker: And then we played a little game where Shane threw some questions to me, football or related, and I had to try and link players to the clubs that they played for. So that was great crack and you will enjoy it if you give that a listen and play along. So let's get into the action.
Speaker: So let's get into some NFL chat with our guy, Michael. He was holding down the floor for some NBA chatter last week, all on his own. mailed it in afterwards. if you didn't listen to that, it's a full roundup of everything that happened in the summer. we'll have a full preview coming at you next week for the NBA season. But Michael, how are you feeling? Did you enjoy that weekend of NFL action?
Speaker: Oh, did I enjoy this weekend of NFL action? I mean, if I put the Eagles out of my mind, yes. But I think...
Speaker: i'll be I'll be very honest. Once that happened, it kind of cratered my enjoyment of this weekend, I will admit. I just couldn't couldn't bring myself to kind of get happy about anything else. But hey, look, I was going to say at least I won in fantasy, but I didn't even win in fantasy. My girlfriend is above my ass. So you know what? It doesn't matter. It's all looking downhill for me right now. The one thing I will say... i think You were going to pick the Jets for your you King of the Hill pick of week and you chickened out, but you you did get a win in your you're King of the Hill with King of the Hill, King of whatever, King of the Week. My God. So congratulations on that, I guess. This this was after you copied what I picked now, though. So I don't know if it's a real win or if it's... Is it just one of those like, oh, Shane is so smart, you're going to pick the same one he does.
Speaker: Blah, blah, blah. You know yourself. He hasn't been listening to that chance if he thinks that then. ha ah Oh man, that Eagles game though, that was nuts because we're but we're actually going to start on that because I want to say about that whole experience at that game, I was there obviously covering it and as a media member with Gaelic Red Iron, which was superb two weeks in a row, and really enjoyed it and that was probably one of the best games I've ever seen live in any sport.
Speaker: because the start was crazy. It looked like it was going to be a really high-scoring game. And then the middle was just so many flags, just so many issues across the board for both teams.
Speaker: And then that made the ending all the more interesting because it just exploded back into life. And that kickoff, that walk-off kick, should I say, was insane and to see live. Everyone was just like, what is happening? Even after that return, nobody had an idea what was going on because it was just so surreal. But that brings us into our first topic, and that's going to be can the Jags win the Super Bowl? Because right now they're looking pretty good, 4-1. They are currently looking at the odds there, to win the Super Bowl. There are six teams ahead of them. Those are the Rams, Bills, Niners, Ravens, Chiefs, and Seahawks. So to be just after all those teams and on the same odds as the Seahawks is very, very good. and Shane, do you think they could actually go all the way and come out with this stacked AFC?
Speaker: No, I'm sorry, but I know they've had a great start, but there's just so many teams on their side of the division that have so much more playoff experience, are better teams that like on paper at the moment, if not how they they're showing on the pitch. I just think da they'll come unstuck against someone when he gets to playoff time.
Speaker: I think Trevor Lawrence is playing and an elite level at the moment. He has eight touchdowns, only two interceptions, and 111.2 passer rating.
Speaker: And their defense is obviously incredible. They have the best turnoff differential and in the NFL at the moment. I just think think they're second second best because the Vikings are plus six, so they're at plus five right now.
Speaker: I think whenever I got my stats, they were plus six as well. So they were the joint best and for me. So whatever, it doesn't matter. they're still They're still top two. I just think there's a lot of teams in their way. And it's one of those where if you're so far down the table, but even if you're four points outside your playoff spot in football, for example, if there's six teams between you and the playoff spot, you there's teams that are ahead who are going to get in there first.
Speaker: I think it's a really good year for to build towards winning one soon, but I do think it's just it's going to come too early from this year. Michael, what you think? i I think Shane's just salty that he dropped Parker Washington as his first move in fantasy this year. so I have already admitted that. I admitted that last night on the Get a Gridiron podcast that I am salty about that. But I just, I just, i i love da like i love the Hollywood or the fairy tale story that the Jags won win it. I think would be absolutely be great for the league. I just don't think this is the year for him. All saltiness left in the pan.
Speaker: I mean, i understand it, but I get a different energy off this Jags team. Maybe it's because they just beat the Eagles too. So I'm getting a little bit of consolation by saying that they could do it. But I think wins like this against... Mediocre. I was going to say established good organizations, but honestly, with the Eagles, every second year, we're just a horrible franchise. So I don't know. But...
Speaker: I think a win like that that they had over the weekend is super, super important for their confidence in close games, in tight games, and also for their outlook on the season. I feel like they feel like they can compete at that level. Their offense looks fantastic.
Speaker: Trevor Lawrence, like you said, is absolutely lightning lighting it up right now. And Parker Washington's doing his best Amon Ra St. Brown impression for him. So...
Speaker: We haven't even mentioned, i really like Brenton Strange. are really like Jacoby Myers for them. there There's been kind of mentions about BTJ on the trade block, which I think would be ideal for them because he's not getting much usage right now.
Speaker: I think they have a chance. I've got a better feeling about the Jags than I do most teams in the league right now. I think this is one of the top teams this year. Hmm. Yeah, I think that right now on paper, they're probably the best, most put together team in the AFC.
Speaker: and that Whether that translates to playoffs is a different story because it didn't last year. and And like some of the statistical factors to back them up as well. And on defense specifically, i would say they are most definitely plus five in turnover differential. So that's second, but it's still very, very good.
Speaker: um their second best in the league in points a allowed also which is 14 points per game um and you're looking at how good they are on on either side of the ball like they have the best rushing defense in the nfl with 64 yards per game allowed but that weakness there is their passing defense They're the third worst in the league so far.
Speaker: They need to clean that up. Travis Hunter needs to have a bigger role. i know he's made some big plays, but he needs to be better as a lockdown corner for them. They can't give up big third downs in the passing game like they did to Jalen Hurts, who isn't even really that strong in that facet of his game this season, so that's important.
Speaker: um And then offensively, you guys have covered it. like Trevor Lawrence just looks so good. He's third... best in bad throw percentage only at 11 last year he was over 14 and on target throw percentage she's eighty two percent he's third best in the league there too and last year he was good bit below the league average at 74 so that's a big jump Liam Cohen's work with him is clearly paying off. Parker Washington, unbelievable. Thank you for him in fantasy, Shane. He is sitting nicely on my team. You're welcome.
Speaker: Also, me and him are best friends, if you didn't see. made him Made him laugh and made him absolutely break his heart laughing in that press conference. He was just laughing up. Not too dramatic or anything.
Speaker: No, not at all. But what a guy. He's actually... The one thing I noticed as well about the Jags team that made me feel very different about them is every single one of them after the craziest game ever, every one of them came into the press conference and was like so chilled out, so nice to everybody. Like that question I asked to Liam Cohn that was up on socials. I only got to ask that question because the press conference was done with him. And I tried my arm to say another question. And he told his press officer to let me ask the question. And like that's why he was pointing at me.
Speaker: Like, what a guy. like for He didn't have to do that at all. Most of them want to get out of there as fast as possible. So I just think that they all seem like genuine good people, that they've got good guys around the locker room. And yeah, I don't know if they can win it all, but I think they could go as far as the AFC Championship game this year, at least, and maybe put themselves on a position where they can make the Super Bowl run the the the following year.
Speaker: i I just want to question one thing you said there and you said you think they're the most put together team in the AFC. Yes. you do think there're Do you think they're a better put together team than the Bills, the Ravens and kid the Chiefs they probably are but do you think they're better put together team than the Bills and the Ravens at the moment? you Have you watched the Bills play defense? they They have to win games by scoring 40 points. Yeah okay.
Speaker: yeah okay And the Ravens, they they're like, Lamar Jackson is consistently a guy who you can't rely upon to to play across the season. And they have a new head coach. So I think that they could be one by the end of this year. We go there more put together. But after this this number of weeks, the Jags just look so complete in every way. and And one thing I didn't know is that they do need to improve on is their their run blocking.
Speaker: they're only allowing 1.9 yards per carry before contact. And you could see that Tootin was constantly either getting blown up at the line of scrimmage or bouncing off somebody and going for like 10 yards. And he was doing the best he could in that game. But I feel like they could be a lot better if they had better run blocking. So that needs to improve as well as their cornerback play. But outside of that, I think, yeah, they they're they're really, really strong.
Speaker: Any other thoughts, Michael? I just feel like,
Speaker: Honestly, the biggest the biggest thing that's kind of impressed me with this team has been the offense. Like you were saying, the defensive side of the ball has been okay. And that's kind of why I mentioned BTJ is that I feel like maybe a tertiary move on the edges for them to kind of bolster their defense a little bit might be really, really useful at this time.
Speaker: You kind of hope... I kind of thought it was going to get spicy this week because I have BTJ in three different drafts. So I'm praying that he gets on a different team because he's getting no targets right now.
Speaker: I... I'm a little bit new to this, I will admit. And ah it is my first season, you know, talking the NFL. I have different vibe from the Jags defense. I'm not as as tuned in as as James with all the stats and everything. But watching the Bills play defense and watching the Jags play defense, like you said, feel very, very different.
Speaker: ye It just... It doesn't seem as much as a... Like, a landslide for both teams whenever the Jags are playing somebody. It does feel like they could round up that defense a little bit and kind of have it come together a little bit more as the season progresses. And I think...
Speaker: As the more pressure gets put on them, I don't expect them to string off three or four losses in a row. I can't see that happening with how they're playing. What I expect is for it to kind of bolster as as they come through into the playoffs.
Speaker: I think we could see them in the Super Bowl, to be honest. I think AFC Championship probably probably where they they end up this season. But if you told me in a couple of months that they're in the Super Bowl, I would not be surprised at all. I think they definitely have the ability to do it. It's whether or not they can keep up this momentum right now.
Speaker: Yeah, another team that are riding a really hot streak then are the Vikings, and they're all doing it all down to defense. There's little or no offense we're talking about over there. They are 5-0, though. They're first in turnover differential, plus 6. Second in total yards allowed, 260. Third best in passing defense, 173 yards per game. Fifth best in rushing defense, 87 yards per game. Least points per game allowed with 13. Insane.
Speaker: Their defense is insane. And for someone to have knocked on with Brian Flores and brought him in as a head coach, particularly the Steelers, because think he would have been a perfect fit there, is criminal.
Speaker: And it's just insane stuff so far from them. And I think the only time their offense really showed up fully was when Carson Wentz came out of the woodwork in week one against the Packers and just lit them up to get the win.
Speaker: I think their rushing the offense isn't that bad. And when ironon jones comes back or on ironon jones Jordan Mason comes back and compliments Aaron Jones, they'll look a little bit better there. And if Kyler can just do what he did last weekend and force feed that ball to Justin Jefferson, even if he's in quadruple coverage, he's probably going to come down with it most of the time. So that's all Kyler needs to do to try and get this team a few more.
Speaker: offensive wins but yeah how long can this go on is is the question like they're five and zero next up is the Colts and then after that they've got us well they have a bye week this week but then the Colts and then the stretch gets tough it's at Detroit versus Buffalo at Green Bay versus San Francisco Michael do you think that they can sustain this level of winning throughout the season i every bone in my body says no okay but oh Brian Flores feels like the Joe Missoula of the NFL for me. i The more I look into it, the more i see that this guy just got crazy defense going. I'll look into it. I had a crazy stat that that the Vikings have had a had at least one five-plus game winning streak in each of the last five seasons.
Speaker: Like, this team crazy is used to winning. Despite the quarterback position somehow, I'm not a huge fan of Kyler Murray at all. I really expected them to fall off a cliff. I don't know.
Speaker: ah I think we were all there together when we saw Kyler Murray kind of take his inaugural ah couple minutes as a Vikings. And he just immediately chucked the ball away, got injured, and got intercepted. And I could not be lower on Kyler Murray since...
Speaker: I also expect that to get worse as more video games are released later on getting closer to Christmas. I don't expect his already abysmal outings to get better.
Speaker: Part of me wants them to just commit to Carson Wentz because at least he'll throw it to Justin Jefferson like 18, 25 times a game and you can actually get some more points up on the board that's not just from your kicker.
Speaker: I just think it has to fall off a cliff at some point. Like, yeah either the quarterback play has to improve or they're just going to start checking up losses because it's just unsustainable. To be 31st in total offensive yards so far and be 15th in points is outrageous.
Speaker: When all of them are field goals. Yeah. i ba Every week. I'd rather have this lodgers. And that's where they went wrong. You know, the, the, what's it called? The prophecy was there to fill in Brett's fire of shoes.
Speaker: I think they missed out on that. And now you're looking at what? 12 field goals. Four weeks in five weeks in it's, it's not sustainable at all.
Speaker: Take your field goals and the touchdowns will come. Isn't that what the prophecy always says? I'm not as down on Kyler Murray. I never have been. I've always been a bit of a Kyler Murray a fan.
Speaker: and like I think he's obviously not special, but he is a very, very serviceable quarterback in this league. And I do think it would click. When him and Justin Jefferson click, and then he has a running game he can lean on as well, I think it makes his life a lot easier.
Speaker: Like we're hard here to ask, can the Vikings keep winning? And to be honest, like yeah they don't actually need to with the way they've started. Like a 5-0 start, 15 of the last 16 teams who've started 5-0 made the playoffs. Now the Vikings in 2016 were the only one that haven't made the playoffs. But I don't think that's anything to read into. If they finish the season 6-6, they get to 11 wins and 11 wins will death will surely be enough to get them into a playoff run anyway. So I think this start is really, really helpful and especially...
Speaker: We always say in football terms or basketball terms, if you're winning games while you're playing badly, if you're a good team. And I think we need to acknowledge the fact that they they're relying really heavily on Richard.
Speaker: And he hasn't missed. He hasn't let him down. And they've won the games. They've only conceded 64 points yeah and in their first five games, which is, I think it's nuts. I know we were just about Jags and they're not far off that either. They've only conceded 70.
Speaker: But like that's an unbelievable level of defense to be keeping up. And while your offense isn't clicking, Cardamari, he was better last week and he's he is he's inconsistent, but he is improving.
Speaker: And if you can just keep going and if you, let's say you finish seven and five, you get to 12 wins, you're into playoffs, you might even win your division and it puts you in a really good spot. I don't think they're a team that thinks they can win a Super Bowl this year.
Speaker: I think they're another team that kind of building towards them in the same way. I think Jags are building towards them. They might even be, they're probably actually a lot further away than the Jags are winning one. But I just think they put themselves in really good spot to have a really good season and just keep players happy when they know that there is actually there is some light at the end of the tunnel. and what I said in preseason that Justin Jefferson might look for a move if things don't go well this season. With the way things are going now, it actually gives him something to to play towards, I think.
Speaker: Yeah, I'm closer on the believing in Kyler Murray with you, Shane, than I am on your side, Michael. I think with with him, I just have that feeling that he can still do something.
Speaker: um Like you said, Shane, if the wrong game is... yeah and you've got a new modern warfare as well don't we so i think yeah you're in trouble there um but i think honestly with the run game like you said that will help things a lot and they can use more rpo kind of style play then where kyler can use his running back and even he could if you had like an option of a keeper where he can run with the ball there that helps too because he is quite nifty in that way um i think the connection with jefferson is sure surely going to grow after last week that they had together and and the fact that they're five and all they play the colts next i think they win that colts are terrible yeah and and then at detroit like detroit are giving up so many points that would be a really interesting game because it's the battle of one of the best offenses against the best defense so
Speaker: you How they get on there will be interesting, but I think there'll be 6-0 going into that. And once you're at 6-0, you just need three or four more games down your down your schedule to get into the playoffs.
Speaker: So, yeah, i think they're I think they're set up to keep winning as enough that they need, as much as they need to, to get into the playoffs, really. And and looking at the end of their schedule here, they've got a the last three weeks, two games that are against the Commanders and the Jets. So, yeah, sorry about that, Shane, but I think that's pretty obvious. They only win one them.
Speaker: You can only win one of them. i I'll be honest. I don't know. I think a big thing for me is this week eight matchup with Detroit and week nine matchup with Buffalo.
Speaker: I just get very worried. if we're to If we're depending on defense the whole time, there are going to be games where the defense doesn't come through. Now, obviously, you can also assume that defense will be there for the the other 12 games that they play. i'm not I'm not here insinuating that defense is going to fall apart, but...
Speaker: I feel like they could get stomped by Detroit and Buffalo and show that, hey, once the other team does score a touchdown or two, we cannot compete.
Speaker: Like, it's just not possible for this offense to function averaging 20 points a game. Like, we can't do that four games in a row. It's going to be 10-point game and then maybe 22 and then another nine-point game.
Speaker: I just, and even at at the reason why I say Detroit and Buffalo is because of their lackadaisical defenses. If they don't manage to put up points on on the Colts even this this next game, I'll be very skeptical about my outlook on Kyler for for the rest of the season.
Speaker: Yeah, that's fair enough. I do think the Colts game is big because I i think coming off a bye week playing the Colts who are not in a good spot, I think you could get a good connection built up in this next week and come out and destroy them. that So I think that would be a real teller if they do manage that. Okay, so we actually want to preview some games that are happening this weekend as well.
Speaker: First up, we've got the Bears Falcons, 6 p.m. on Sunday. i think looking at the odds here, the Bears are one and a half point favorites. The over-under is 50 and a half. and I think Caleb is going to be back from his hamstring injuries, full participant in practice. Michael Penix is likely to play as well. So with two offenses that are humming, two great play callers when they have their starting QBs, this could potentially be the game of the week. Shane, what do you make of this game? What way is it going to go This is going to come down to who runs the ball better.
Speaker: And i love when games are that easy to to preview. They're two of the biggest rushers in the league. So the Bears have 866 rush yards, the Falcons have 834. John Robertson leads the NFL in rushing yards because he's absolutely insanely good when he gets going.
Speaker: And it's if either of these teams can stop the run, I think it puts him in start ah such a handy position is' probably the wrong way to put it, but it puts him in a a much better position to win this game if you can stop either of these these these teams from rushing the ball.
Speaker: But the Bears need their lads back and they need them fit and healthy or they could be in serious trouble. Between these two teams, I love the Bears. I think the Bears are great. Their running game is fantastic. it To harp on what Shane was saying, their running game is fantastic. You have Manungay, you have DeAndre Swift.
Speaker: The two of them together look absolutely amazing this season when they're both on the floor. I think a big thing for me is Caleb Williams coming back from that injury.
Speaker: He's not allergic to making mistakes, and we have seen him make mistakes in high-pressure situations. I don't expect him to be a habitual mistake like taker, but I think his first game back after injury, the Falcons have lost...
Speaker: I saw a crazy stat that ah they've lost seven games recently with a win probability greater than 95%. Like they've just let a lot of these games go in between their hands.
Speaker: i I think they have to get B. John does so much for this team on the floor. Their offense has looked a lot better. Drake London looks like an actual wide receiver when Michael Pinnix is out on the field. I think that they have to get one at least. And I think it's going to be this week while the Bears are kind of psyching themselves back up, maybe getting back into a form with Caleb Williams now under center. So I went with the Falcons.
Speaker: I think Caelan Williams being back is is makes such a difference to this team after the absolute clusterf**k of QB performance that they had last weekend when they were absolutely battered around the place by the Packers. I think Caelan Williams coming back, if he is back, it's such a boost to this offense after getting absolutely nothing going last weekend. He would be the difference maker for me if he is out there.
Speaker: I am going to go with the Bears because I just think, I think they have enough about them with Caleb Williams back under centre to make a difference here. The Falcons, as much as I do harp on about, I do think they are ah very under-prepareded team.
Speaker: I don't think this is the week for them. I don't know why I just have a feeling in my guts that they are going to lose this week to the Bears. Yeah, I think that this is a really interesting game because if both teams have their starting QB, they're both set up to play as well as they possibly can.
Speaker: You mentioned their rushing offences, Shane. They're the two best in the league for yards per game. And yeah both offences have scored 23.8 points per game. So they're identical in that front. the Bears have allowed the sixth least points per game in the NFL. So you'd think, oh, their defense is doing like, well, they're doing a good job. But they put they let so many points up against the Packers. They look like the poor Bears defense we saw last year in that game. And then you look at the other teams they played, and there were the Eagles, Jets, and Vikings who aren't putting up points. So that's why that stat is kind of swayed positively for them. I think they'll struggle to keep the Falcons out. And I do think that
Speaker: The over total is definitely on here, 50.5. I think we could see both offenses really going at it. And I'm going to go with the Falcons to win by a touchdown. I think being in Atlanta, I do think maybe Caleb takes a little while to come back in. And Ben Johnson was humbled by the Packers last week. So he might find it it tough to get back into this one. little bit a feeling about the Falcons to take advantage of this one and and do what they couldn't against the Ravens and just see this one out.
Speaker: But Michael. one more point I have as well with the Falcons. They were averaging, they were allowing an average of, I think, 48 yards per game over over the first season.
Speaker: at Three weeks yeah over the first up until they played the Ravens. And then Derek Henry rushed for like 200 yards. So the stats look horrible now. But it's kind of it's kind of believing like is if that run defense can hold up, do I think that they're going to be able to stop the Bears offense? No. But if they can even stifle it and slow that down, make Caleb throw the ball a little bit.
Speaker: See if he has all of his rush shaken off. Maybe there's an interception or two. Suddenly the Falcons are up a little bit. I think they have to get this win this week. not going talk about Kyle Pitts, your favorite subject, no?
Speaker: No. It's not me this year. yeah Isabel doesn't have him on our fantasy either. I know. I was talking about tight ends. that Not just the man himself. affected Your love of tight ends. Okay, let's move swiftly on there from that. The Andrews swiftly, I say, for the Bears. Okay, Cowboys at Packers, Sunday night football. The Packers are one and a half point favorites. This is also a high points line with 52.5 the line.
Speaker: This game is really, really, really funny because... The Cowboys have a terrible rushing offense. It's the third worst in the league, 82 yards per game. The Packers raise the one, and they have the worst in the league with 60 yards per game.
Speaker: And both teams have a quite poor rushing defense. So it's like, do I just run the ball here? Because I know the other team is terrible at it, but I'm terrible at it too.
Speaker: Or do I keep trying to pass the ball when that's probably where the other team is better in their defense? It's really interesting interesting kind of cat and mouse game over who goes what way. i think the Cowboys could win this game if they commit to the run with Javante Williams and they just open the game up that way. But if they keep letting Dak step back to pass over and over again, i really like the Packers defensive backs. I like Xavier McKinney a lot.
Speaker: And I think they could be the deciding factor in this one. I like the Packers to win by a touchdown in this. I like the fact they're at home in Lambeau. I'm not sure if it's going to go over that point, though, because it's very high.
Speaker: But I do like the Packers to win it. Michael, what do you think? I'm right there with you. I now maybe little bit of bias. Like I said, Eagles fans, you know, we love to shit on the Cowboys here, but I would have felt very, very differently if the outcome of the Packers last game had been any different. I know that we were talking about the Bears quarterback situation, how it's not great. However,
Speaker: This Packers team looked like it was drowning. And I seriously had concerns about it beating Caleb-less Bears, seeing them come out, own the Bears like, you know, like they usually do.
Speaker: I think they have a little bit of momentum here. i think that the the Gaudi, as as Mr. Dak Prescott would say, isn't there this year. it doesn't look as as fluid as it was even last year, let's say, this this point and of the season last year. i think I don't think the Bears are actually this bad.
Speaker: I don't think they're as bad as we've seen them in the first three weeks, and I'm right there with you. I think they have a little bit of momentum from this last game. They've got to... I don't know.
Speaker: i don't have much faith in either of these teams. I don't feel like it's going to be a very high-scoring game, I'll be honest. And... I just got a feeling that the Packers got to get this win.
Speaker: I think you've got to salvage the season somehow. You just had a really, really good win last week. You want to bring that into next week. They've got pieces that I'm okay with, even though they're dealing with a lot of injuries as well.
Speaker: Matthew Golden looking really, really good news this season. And Christian Watson. I've heard so many different people talk about him over summer. I understand now. My apologies. I did not know ball.
Speaker: He's great. He's been great for them. I think I'm right there with you. I think one touchdown Packers. Yeah, and Watson, before I throw to you, Shane, I think Watson's biggest issue has always been in ability to stay healthy.
Speaker: Every time he's been on the field, he's been so good. So if they keep him out there all season with Golden, I think that might be enough to drag them to the point where Micah Parsons comes back. I don't know if they make the playoffs, but they make a push for it anyway. But go ahead, Shane. What do you think about this one?
Speaker: So if you want to talk about a team who are inconsistent, then the Cowboys are the poster boy. So week one, loss. Week two, win. Week three, loss.
Speaker: Week four, win. Week five, loss. Week six, win. I don't know. And that's where we are. like they're They're two and three because every second week, they're either unbelievable in offense and they somehow hold the other team out or They're unbelievable in an offense and they can't stop anyone.
Speaker: And it just comes down to how this defense is. The way they lost to the Bucs last week is really, really bad against an undrafted quarterback. And if that's the jet the Jets, if that's the Cowboys that shows up here, then I think they could be in for an awful time because Jordan Love is up is really, really good. Christian Watson, as he's just been waxing lyrical about him he's absolutely incredible as well he's so good for that deep ball and if the Cowboys can't stop them then do they'll be they'll just be in so much trouble we said I think last night that they have to go to Javante Williams they have to at least give him a chance to try and get get some sort of a run game going against this Packers run defense I'm going to say that the Packers are going to buck the trend and they're not going to let the Cowboys continue to get their their loss win loss win and they're going to go loss loss I think the Packers are going to beat him here by six
Speaker: Okay, so we've all pretty much got the Packers around a touchdown winning. So let's see how it goes on Sunday Night Football. It's a really interesting game. Before we do move on and let Michael go, we are going to do our King of the Hill locks. So this segment is brought to you by kingofthehill.ie. We're working with the guys over there for this season. and If you don't know what it is, it's basically a free game.
Speaker: get your NFL picks in for Sunday and you win money. If you finish in the top three, it's that simple. It's enter for free and you have the chance to win money. If you're confident on that ball knowledge that you've got.
Speaker: So there is a feature in the game where you lock up one of your picks to get double points and, If you pick a team that's an underdog, it's going to be worth more points than a team that's a favourite.
Speaker: So that's kind of the way it works. And we're each going to give our lock of the week. And you'll see it also over on our socials to see who we're going for as our lock and why. So I will go first. and I've got the Panthers this week. They are playing your Eagles, Michael. But you can get them for 20 points. I think...
Speaker: It's a really good offer because they're one of the best offenses in the league. They're coming off a bye week. They're playing an Eagles team that cannot score in the second half. So give me Carolina. What have you got for us, Shane? The Jets continue to go to the well and I'm going to follow them all the way there. Last week's win in the rain was so gutsy. And despite the Patriots winning their last two games, I think the Jets defense has a chance to put pressure on May and cause the mistake we've seen up until two weeks ago.
Speaker: like If they just show up, then you never know. And there's 72 points on offer if you take them as your lock. And I think it's hard to turn down when the defense was so good last week. So I'm backing the boys to the hill. 72 points. Give me that top three finish.
Speaker: So you've got, it's 36 for them and it doubles up to 70. So just to be clear on that for people, in case it's not that. Because mine is 20 and if you double, it's 40. So that's the way these work. And Michael, what is your one then for the last pick?
Speaker: After the Jets won last week and them being my initial pick, I wanted to believe, I said, you know what? I don't want to go too outrageous for my first one. And then they ended up winning anyway. So but here we are as I picked the Atlanta Falcons. I just feel like...
Speaker: Like I was saying earlier, they have to get a win. Bijan is averaging 150 yards a game. Michael Penix is throwing but like 70% completion rate, averaging 10 yards per attempt.
Speaker: Like this team has to get one. There's not going to be a team that's goingnna go like that's going to go 0-17 this year. There's not going to be a team that goes undefeated this year.
Speaker: Every team has to get one. This has to be their one. It's it's just got to happen. ah Fakun's win. I completely forget how many points. I just checked it there. There are 25, that'll double up to 50. Double up to 50 sounds good.
Speaker: yeah pretty nice the safety sounds good Yeah, I like it. I've got little overtime selection in there as well. Don't even remember the two teams, but it doesn't matter because I'm winning all the money this week. Yeah, I put in overtime for Chargers Chiefs, to actually think. I think that's the one you put in the group. i don't know if you went with that, but I'm going with that. I think and think it's going to be super. I was thinking about it.
Speaker: I think it's going to be super close that game. And that was one of my picks for over on the Gaelic Gridiron. When I picked my four picks, I went with Chargers plus eight and a half. I think it's it's a very nice line for them. But yes, Michael, thank you once again for jumping on. and We'll have you again for the NBA full season preview next week and then for the regular episode two going forward. So it's a pleasure to have you.
Speaker: It's always a pleasure to be here, James. Thank you Shane. So there goes Michael. After our NFL coverage, we're going to get into Ganshan's. So the score, we both got one point last week. The score is currently 11 to me and 6 to Shane. i feel I'd go through the rules again because we seem to be getting new listeners on YouTube, which we really do appreciate. And if you're here, give us a subscribe as well. It only takes two seconds and it helps us a lot. but Basically, we pick teams against odds-on favorites. So underdogs, but they have to be against teams who are evens or better. So really kind of tough underdog picks. We do it across NBA, NFL, and football. But at the minute, there's no NBA. So it's just NFL and football. So...
Speaker: Current score of 11 to me, 6 to Shane after the first few weeks of the season. I had Bournemouth away to Chelsea, as did Shane. That did not come off. I had the Raiders at the Pats. Shane had the Colts to beat the Steelers. Neither of those came off, but we both did have the Niners, so that got us a nice little point there last week. I'll throw it to you first, Shane. What have you got this week for your underdogs?
Speaker: Yeah, your five-pointer is the difference between us at the moment, ah which is mad, really, and I really need one. These weeks seem to be getting tougher and tougher. The Premier League in particular is it's a minefield when you're trying to pick an underdog.
Speaker: I've just gone with Hull to beat Fulham because I do genuinely just think that Hull are a better team than Fulham. Fulham are favourites, Hull are 7-2 underdogs. I actually think they're it's great odds on Hull. They're still riding this wave of just landing in the league and kind of...
Speaker: Until they get absolutely battered or trounced by someone, I think they're in a position where they got a good point last week. i think they're going to continue to pick up points. I just like that matchup. And judging by your face, I think you liked that matchup as well.
Speaker: and they The smile you gave me when I said it out. So I think you have that one as well. I've gone with the Falcons at 6-5 to beat the Bears at four to six um teas The Bears last week were a mess. Using both quarterbacks again, and it hasn't worked.
Speaker: And then... My king the hill pick, I backed the Jets at 5-2 to beat the Patriots at 2-7. It's one of those, last week I said I was going to ride the 49ers until they lose. I'm just just, there was something about that Jets winning, which was so gutsy last week. And I still think Drake May is very get-at-able. You can put that in the dictionary. So I've gone with the Jets to beat the Patriots as well.
Speaker: Don't tell me you're the same three. Okay, the logic behind the... red No, I definitely don't. The logic behind the Niners one is because they were 4-0 at the time. They're going with a 2-3 Jets team, riding on them. But look, yeah the vision game, you have to go for it. The Falcons one, like we could have had two the same because I consider the Falcons and heavily, but I went a little bit different. You said I was smiling during the whole pick. I did pick that one. I think is the best Premier League one.
Speaker: seven to two like that's a ridiculous price for who i think is the better team like out of the two only one lost so far and fulham have only had two games that weren't losses so yeah there's only one way i was going there the other two i've got the texans to beat the jags in london 2 30 p.m we did preview it over on gaelic gridiron was just myself and shane this week if you want to go give that a listen for more nfl content and i said i like the texans to win it They're 121 to 100, basically 6 to 5. And the Jags are about 5 to 7 favourites. And then the second one is... I don't know why I've gone with this, but I just have the Titans. 27 to 10 at the to
Speaker: 6pm on Sunday. This team, they're going to have to win at some stage. And why not make it a funny win where Brian Dayball comes and beats Daniel Jones? And I think the Colts are terrible. I saw them in London. They were awful. They lost to the Steelers. that Daniel Jones still looks poor. So yeah, this is a bit of a mad one, but I'm going for it. And let's see if it pays off. So those are my three.
Speaker: Andy Titans thoughts? I need to know. but Where'd you get your 121 to 100 odds? Because when I'm scrolling through Paddy Power are trying to find my picks, I never ever see anything that's like that. They're all normal odds. You would then pull out this 121 to 100. No, that that's thing.
Speaker: on up Yeah, it's the Bet365 one. They're also like exact because I feel like they use the decimal system and then it converts into the fraction that just looks way off.
Speaker: But yeah, I'm not going to call it the decimal. So that's just going to confuse things even more. so No, please don't. Yeah, that's that's our that's our picks for this week. We're going to move into football then off the back of both us picking the whole. Another team that got promoted last season is Coventry and they beat Newcastle 4-1 on Monday Night Football.
Speaker: We will talk a little bit more about Newcastle because we're going to preview their game against Villa and in a few minutes. So want to focus more so on Coventry here. I think... They were incredibly clinical in this game. They had 1.47 XG, but they did have a penalty. So that shows yeah their other three goals came from a pretty low XG number.
Speaker: They took all their chances that they had, really. like they They had two big chances only, but they scored four goals. They didn't panic as well when it went to two one like When it was 1-0, Newcastle were all over them, and Newcastle should have scored a couple of goals. But then when it got to it was a similar situation, and this time Coventry didn't panic, scored twice more, and sealed the deal. in I think was a really big win because it's their first home win back in the Prem, and it's two in a row now after beating Forest before the international break.
Speaker: Yeah, I think it's the kind of... The Forest game was the kickstart they really needed. Coventry have always been a big club. They're a big Premier League club. They have a really big fan base who have gone through the ringer over the last couple of years.
Speaker: I had a feeling and once they won one that they would eat they could easily get two or three in their next five. And now they're up to two in a row. I think they're another team that might try and ride this wave for a while. This was the problem I had with Newcastle coming into the season. and I said it in our our preview that...
Speaker: If they don't take their chances, there there is a chance to get but they get a couple of batterings. Obviously, I didn't think commentary were going to give them a battering. And judging on the stats, it probably shouldn't be. Newcastle's 67% of the ball, 19 shots and 2.22 xG.
Speaker: But they're just not clinical. Alanga was clinical for like two weeks, but he's kind of back to showing the reason he went all season without scoring last year. And Vissa, when he falls into this bit of a hole, i can't remember if he even played on Monday, but when falls into a bit of a hole...
Speaker: it's it's hard to get him back out of it. And this was just Coventry. They had nine shots, scored four goals, but it was like they had four chances and scored four goals. And and like that's not going to happen Newcastle every week.
Speaker: But if it happens more often than not, and the manager could be in trouble because but going to mention when we talk it in minutes, but this is a team who have lofty ambitions of getting back into Europe and you can't be going away to Coventry and getting swatted aside for one if you have any kind of ambitions of going towards the the top seven, top six places in this league.
Speaker: Yeah, 100%. I have a few more Newcastle thoughts, but I will mention them in in a few minutes. As I said, I think Coventry, we're probably not going to give this to them too many times this season. them So if we have any Coventry fans out there, this one is for you that we're we're focusing on them for the win.
Speaker: I thought Bobby Thomas was brilliant. I was in pub in Epsom watching this after the day after the NFL in London game. I stayed there for an extra night. And yeah, it was nice to just relax in a pub, watch a match. And That was a very strange game to watch because I wasn't fully expecting to see Coventry kind of capitulate and to some pressure from Newcastle, but it wasn't. They held their own. Like and I said, Bobby Thomas was so good at centre-back. 22 defensive contributions, and you could see it playing the watching the game. like It felt like every time the ball came into the box, he cleared it. He had 16 clearances, eight of those were headers. And their guy they signed in midfield, Jurenki, I think you pronounce it,
Speaker: He looks really solid and he's just 20 years old, I think. He doesn't mess around really. plays a simple pass and he's good defensively as well. So some nice players in there.
Speaker: Do I think they're going to stay up? No, I still don't think they're going to stay up. I think a couple of wins doesn't change that. and But it is good for their fans at this point in time. Only six games in. You're after getting two wins on a bo on the bounce. You can have some positive feelings, but at least for a few weeks now off the back of these two wins.
Speaker: I think even if they aren't going to stay up, it's the having a chance of staying up and kind of pulling ahead of your Fulhams, of your Palace. They played each other at the weekend. So obviously, I think Palace picked up to win, didn't they, against Fulham? No, sorry, that was like before the international break. It was Palace and Forest.
Speaker: Yes, Sarah, yeah. So if you can get points on the likes of a Fulham on the Palace and anyone like that who's going to be kind of down there fighting with you, at this stage of the season, it's really, really good. And that's why Hull's start has been so impressive because while they might still go down, they have given themselves a real fighting chance of staying up now. And if Coventry can rack up another couple of wins, they might win again now for another five.
Speaker: but they have a bit of a buffer to the the bottom three now and it's kind of it's keeping them in a... It's just giving their fans something to shout about every week, that there there is a chance that they could stay up here because the likes of Fulham, obviously Spurs probably won't stay down there for the whole season, but... They're kind of, they're just pulling ahead for the moment. And that would be crucial coming into the Christmas break in particular when the games are just so tick and so fast that they're just always coming at you. So it's a great win for them. As you said, we probably won't give it to them again this season unless they go and beat Liverpool or United or a City or something. But it's just, it's a massive result for them, I think, in the grand scheme of things.
Speaker: Yeah, 100% agree with that. And yeah, I think getting those points early is is just good for your fans to have that kind of like feeling of, you know, we actually have a chance here, even if they really deep down don't believe that. They they have this kind of a good start really after the last two weeks.
Speaker: because they didn't have any points at all first after the first four games, and now to get these two is good for them. But we'll move on to another team who are also on six points, a completely different outlook at this club, and that's Manchester United.
Speaker: We just want to talk about a particular player and his comments, De Xandre Martinez. After they lost to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, 2-0 martinez was obviously incredibly annoyed in his interview with prime he voices dissatisfaction to say the least with the board um for their transfer activity in the summer and particularly he called out the technical director who is jason wilcox and for me he wilcox has been flying on the sea of his pants to be honest he's a terrible technical director and all things considered what he's done so far united essentially
Speaker: martinez said he feels the players and coach are always first to be blamed but the club is a joke at the board level and he didn't say it in those words but you could read between the lines and exactly what he meant and i think he's correct in every sense with that because how many years have we gone by watching united employ incompetent people at the board level who bring in managers like who they back managers and they don't even have backing behind them they went with ten hag for another few months and brought in amram halfway through a season when they knew they were getting rid of ten hag anyway and they didn't want them they had the whole dan ashworth debacle under wilcox as well now they gave carrick the full-time contract and they didn't spend like a champions league team in the summer
Speaker: It's just, and then you you bring to the money side of things, they don't have the money to spend fully because the club is paying off extortionate amounts of money to service the debt that was used to buy the club out in a way that's not even legal anymore by the Glazers. And that's just continuously going to sit there unless somebody comes in and clears it in a new manner in a new owner, which would only be like a Gulf state, which has its own problems. So the club is just in complete disarray at the board level. and I'm happy a player said it, to be honest. And if they haven't come out and given him any punishment or said he's going to sit out or anything just yet. So I feel like they're weighing up their options on how they can deal with this.
Speaker: Yeah, these next two games for Carrick are crucial, the Leeds and Como games. And I think while Lissandro might have been trying to take a bit of pressure off Carrick, I think this has actually ramped the pressure up on him in a sense that the board aren't going to sit there and take this and the player can call them out all he wants, but he can say, oh, it's always the team and the manager get blamed first. That's not going to change. And Anthony's going to...
Speaker: make it more likely to carrot get sacked in my opinion. It's a reflection of the club at the moment. I expect more from our technical director. I expect more investment. We need to recruit recruit more players to be competitive.
Speaker: As a player, we have more to do, but it's important to have a strong squad for nights like this. They came into the season knowing they were undercooked in so many positions. no like Having to play centre-back at left-back who is still learning how to be a centre-back is really unfair to him.
Speaker: Bruno bruminno playing on the right wing when he wants to be in the middle was ridiculous as well because they don't have enough there. You don't have a striker when Sash goes out because Mbremo is a right winger who is being...
Speaker: kind of not even forced like I know he he kind of played as a striker for Brentford but it was it was it was a split two where one was coming off the right wing one was off the left wing they just didn't really have a striker if they had a clinical striker last night they have a day of two goals in that Madrid game probably by half time especially the one that Mbraino puts past the post of even an Erling Haaland is an absolutely wild example i know it's hard to say after the chances he missed last night but he probably takes that one in particular where he's he's true one-on-one with no one around him i just I just think United are in such a state and it's just this constant cycle of making the same mistakes over and over again.
Speaker: Interm in, has a good interim, give him the contract full-time, fire him. Interm in, probably ex-player, give the ex-player the job, fire him. like Bringing in a Conte is no good to you.
Speaker: Bringing in Mr. Edward Howe, and which would be an absolute disaster or travesty, would be... No, but you need to get a manager that you can trust in for five or six years. And I know like you can bring like I know my thoughts on the day are different to a lot of people, but would you want him coming in there and giving the keys to the kingdom for five years?
Speaker: No, like you wouldn't. And there's no point bringing someone in for another 18 months. Like there's no way bringing someone in for another 18 months either. So It's kind of like they are really, really stuck at the moment. And until they can clear the state build a squad in a way that they want to, I just, I don't see how they are going to like continuously qualify for Champions League football when they don't have the squad to challenge in the Champions League and the Premier League at the moment.
Speaker: Yeah, and and it's funny the way they go down the route with managers because they went with Amram, who's completely wild and erratic and can say anything at any moment. And then they went with Carrick, who won't say boo to a ghost. And it's like, all right, well, when things are going well, he remained calm and level-headed and they continued to roll. But when things are going badly... You need someone who's actually going to step up and say something in the dressing room and rile the lads up.
Speaker: And I feel like he's the furthest from the person that's going to do that. And and like I think someone in a in a medium ground who can speak well but has a bit of fire about um the likes of a Herzler or something would be a really good pick as a manager who has that experience in the Premier League and he's doing good things with Brighton.
Speaker: That could be something maybe down the line, but for now... I just think the whole situation is... It's just brought to light even more. Like, you're right that this whole Martinez thing could bring more heat on Carrick because there could be a thing where the board says, well, they can't control the dressing room now at all. the the players are coming out saying what they want. um And then there's the other aspect of it where you have your ex-players coming out who, by the way...
Speaker: they're working these lads are working for sky they're working for tv channels that all have ins with inios with f with mclaren or mercedes whatever f1 team he owns or has a stake in and the ad there from inios from snapdragon all these companies that he's involved in do you think they're going to come out there and absolutely slate the club and Slate, Jim Ratcliffe. No, they're absolutely not. You get that from fan-led journalism or fan-led content, but not from the ex-players. Those guys are shills for the club at this point. Neville came out today and said, just outrageous that...
Speaker: He said that basically what Martinez is saying is throwing the likes of Maguire and Bruno under the bus and saying that, oh, that we should get better players in, that they're not to play here. That is not what he said at all in any facet. And you know for a fact that that's not what he said. so It's just hard to stomach all this stuff going around now. It's just going to be, Martinez is the problem. Let's forget about the issue with the board, even though everybody knows the board is the issue.
Speaker: And until that is sorted, nothing is going to be any different. Like, your reflection your reflection of... the level of investment that your club has and united finishing third last year as it was put by i think it's chris witherspoon is the the athletic um financial expert for football he said it was a miracle that they finished where they did last year based on the amount of money they spend on wages and that that is not sustainable and you're watching it in the flesh right now they're like paying players at the seventh or eight highest in the league we're going to finish seventh or eighth as a united team and
Speaker: That's what happens. So you get what you put in. And until that changes, nothing is going to change, really. So I think that this whole thing is just another big bit of drama, perfect for Sky Sports to absolutely destroy United and destroy the players. And this will continue now for weeks on end if if they can't get it right on the pitch.
Speaker: Yeah, I just have a couple of things. So for me i but you had United to finish second in the league this season. I put Liverpool to finish second. Neither of them are looking like they're going to be finishing in that spot. So our table's our tables ruined already. But Man City going to get relegated. So everyone's going to be pushed up one spot at least. I cannot believe whoever United's press officer is, I think is in big trouble as well for letting him go into the CBS interview after what he had just said on Amazon Prime and try to repeat what he said again.
Speaker: I think maybe you couldn't stop him. but You're a press officer. like Your job is to stop the the drama coming out. It's to make sure no one gets asked silly questions. When he has said everything you said, you need to be like, oh, no, there's no way you're going being interviewed by Peter Schmeichel now. and Peter Schmeichel trying to see the bright things like, oh, it's only October. And the Sanjay Martinez is like, yeah, but we we we say that every year. I'm just like, oh, but. Yeah, he's right. How the press officer.
Speaker: I know he's right. But like as the press officer who's meant to be like on the club side, letting him go in and do a second interview, I think is absolute madness. And the last thing I'll say is Jim Radcliffe sat down and did an interview with the overlap at the start of last season, I think, or maybe maybe it was for Sky, but he sat down with Neville and maybe Carragher as well, as if they're going to give up the chance of getting that again by saying that Sandra Martin is is dead right and he more players to be in it, blah, blah, blah.
Speaker: Mark Goldbridge isn't right often, but he when when he said that, if this was Harry Maguire came out and said it, there wouldn't be half as much heat, but it's because Lissandro's English is a second language.
Speaker: So he mightn't have been as articulate in what he was trying to say if it was an English-speaking player came out and said what he said. And I think that's a very good point as well. I think this this weekend is going to be really, really interesting for Man United. It's probably the game we should have previewed in our our upcoming preview now that we look at this, but no.
Speaker: Yeah, I think there's enough enough United after talking about Carrick last week as well and Villa are another good story, so we're going to preview that. But before we move on to it, just do want to say that I think there's kind of word coming out now is, apart from the likes of Rob Dawson, who works for yeah ESPN, who is a Wilcox lapdog, consistently peddles a lot of crap. He said that some kind of story about how the the dressing room wasn't happy, blah, blah, blah, multiple players weren't happy. Most of the reports are that the dressing room wasn't surprised by this. So this seems something that was premeditated. And the fact that Martinez is part of the leadership group, it feels like this was something that was going to be said at some point. And this was just the time that it came out. So and read into that what you will. I i do think that it was planned because he did articulate himself, even though English is a second language. I thought he articulated in himself. I wasn't saying he articulated himself badly at all. I know you weren't saying that. It was Harry Maguire who who came out and said it. They'd be like, oh, yeah, Joe, he's dead right what he's saying. Blah, blah, blah. It's because... Yeah.
Speaker: It's not one of the English squad's leaders, want of a better word. The fact it's an Argentinian and they had issues with England at the end of the World Cup and blah, blah, blah. They were just looking for any chance to jump on anything and he gave it to them.
Speaker: I think the Argentina-England rivalry is the thing that played into that and more so than anything, the hatred there after the World Cup. But we'll move into the Newcastle versus Aston Villa preview. So Newcastle are slight favourites. They're 5-4.
Speaker: Villa are The draw is 13-5. I think it's a tough game to call if you look at the team's Premier League performances. Newcastle have two wins and two draws, whereas Villa have one win and two draws.
Speaker: Newcastle have had the week to rest, whereas Villa played in midweek in the Champions League. But they got their highest ever Champions League win over Fenerbahce with 6-0 win at home. So that could do a lot for your confidence. And if you look back to their last number of games, they actually haven't lost since the 12th of September with the long international break. And they had three wins and a draw in that time since. So yeah, there're they're going well on recent results. But the Premier League table kind of says otherwise.
Speaker: Yeah, I think this is one of those games where home advantage really does matter. And I think coming off the back of a 6-0 home win in the Champions League, I think it gives Villa the edge over Newcastle.
Speaker: Newcastle, as you just said, got absolutely walked around the park by Coventry on Monday nights in one sentence. They really do need a response, but I don't think going to Villa Park on a Saturday afternoon. This is in St. James'. Oh, is this?
Speaker: Yes. oh sir Well, then forget everything I just Yeah, Newcastle are going to win this. so No, um I know. I'm back in the draw. um I was back in draw here anyway. I do think the home advantage will help Newcastle.
Speaker: And going to Newcastle at half five on a Saturday evening is worse than going to Villa at half five on a Saturday evening. So i just, how the Newcastle fans can keep getting up and keep getting up, I think is the problem for them now at this stage. I know they manage to do it nearly every week and half five is a good kickoff time on a Saturday because they can all make their way from the pubs in town to the stadium in town. So that will help. us That Villa win, I think it makes such a difference to their confidence, especially minutes of this. But again, there are squads their team with quite a small squad trying to compete on two fronts again, and dad is going to bite them at some point, and it might be this weekend.
Speaker: Yeah, I think... And some of the players that are missing for Newcastle are the issue. Like you mentioned Ilanga. The reason he didn't do anything on Monday is because he didn't play. He was injured.
Speaker: And you said about Wissa, he did play. He was quiet. But the main issue for me was Fernandes Pardo. and Newcastle would have been up at halftime if it wasn't for him. His finishing was terrible. His decision-making was terrible. Every time he touched the ball, he was terrible. So I think they need to start Osula this weekend. And if Livermento is back...
Speaker: He needs to play instead of Miley at right back because that's just a tough situation to put him in there at right back. And Dedic even looks better at right back. I'm not sure why he was on the bench. Maybe he was coming back from an injury, but he did come on. and An interesting game as well for Manzambi because he was set to join Newcastle in the summer and then he ended at Villa.
Speaker: two goals and two assists in the last three Villa games. I think he's one to watch for fantasy heads out there. I think he's just 5.9 million. He's probably going to go up if he has another goal or assist this weekend. So I think Villa will probably have to capitalize on the fact that they just won six nil they have city next in the league so this is huge for them and newcastle on the other hand they have palace everton and fulham before the international break so kind of some handier games there i think this is more important to villa than it is to newcastle even though it is at home for newcastle i just i can't see villa staying down as low as they are for any longer and i'm going with the away win i think villa take this 2-1 uh give us a man's van be winner why not i know too well um
Speaker: I think it's one of those games where two teams are going to cancel each other i I will have to watch it so I can write a piece on it after, which is actually quite unfortunate for me. I should have picked a better game. One that definitely wanted to watch, but yeah, it'll be fine. I think it'll be two all. I do think it'll be entertaining, but yeah, I still think Phil will have the best manager in the league at the moment. I do think he's a better manager than Arteta, and outside of that, it's very hard to make a case for anyone really.
Speaker: I think Villa will be absolutely fine but I think they they take a point and run here and a busy week with kind of Champions League Premier League, Champions League Premier League for the first time in this new system as well.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah, no, fair enough, that's ah That's a good a good call. I think 13-5 on the draw is not a bad bet if you did fancy that anybody listening. and And Shane referred to the fact he's going to write a piece, so that's going to be something you'll see on our sub-stack going forward. Shane's going to write a nice piece on each of the games we preview after they happen and his thoughts, so keep an eye out for that next week. and We'll stick on the Premier League and we're going to do our power rankings, so...
Speaker: We've been doing every three weeks for each league. So the NBA, when that comes back, we'll do it after three games, three weeks of games, and Premier League. We're doing it after match day six, which just happened. So I'll go first here.
Speaker: I'll throw out my my picks from the last time. So this was after match day three. I had Arsenal, Hull, City, Chelsea and Everton. So there's a good change up here for me. I've got City now first. They have a 100% record. and They're going to have to go top. They've been the best team in the Premier League.
Speaker: Second, I've got Brighton. They've won three in a row since we last did this and they beat Arsenal quite well. So they're in second place and they're a new entry for me. Arsenal have dropped down to third. They've only lost once this season. They did have a handy win in the Champions League, but their loss to Brighton pushes them down a couple of spots.
Speaker: Everton then, they are still in here, but they move up a spot. They're unbeaten so far. i think they're a stronger team. in in their draws than the other the opposition should i say like they should have won a couple of the games that they drew in recent weeks that they were the better team and that's why i've got brentford in fifth and not everton in fifth because although brentford are also looking very good and they're unbeaten they dad had a great win against chelsea they were extremely lucky against bournemouth i'm quite lucky against villa to get a draw So I think Everton have been kind of more powerful, even though they're below them on on goal difference in the league at the moment. But yeah, it's City, Brighton, Arsenal, Everton and Brentford.
Speaker: Yeah, I have no complaints, but I do have one notable admission that we'll get to and when we talk about mine a second. So last time out, I had Arsenal, Hull, City, Chelsea and Brentford. I now refuse to acknowledge Man City as a football club, so they are not going to be going into any of my and my my picks until the Chargers are brought against them. I just, I don't think they count. None of their games are going to matter when it comes down to the Nooksikraniya. But anyway, so what's the actual point?
Speaker: So I have our Brighton top. I'm going to watch her laugh and I'll be proven right eventually. Brighton top. I have Arsenal second. I have Brentford third. I have Everton fourth and I have Chelsea fifth. The only reason in Chelsea are so low is because...
Speaker: Although they are starting really well and they do look good and they didn't really do it at weekend, but they are still source of so susceptible to conceding goals and they don't look as solid as the results are telling them. I think the fact that they're scoring so often in the first 10 minutes is really, really getting them over the line in awful lot of games. and I know that's the whole point of playing football is to score goals and have a bit of fun, but they are just sticking in there because that other club from Manchester don't exist anymore. Yeah.
Speaker: All right, fair enough. and I'm not laughing because I disagree that though everything they're doing is in Bortoil because I do think they'll be gone. But it's just a funny sentiment that it just completely ruled them out. and So, yeah, I think the the Chelsea one is an interesting one for me, I think.
Speaker: I had them in in the first iteration, but that win where Brentford kind of battered them did show them up quite a lot. But then they come back and batter Bournemouth. So it's like, what is this team? They're so hard to judge week to week. They're like the Lions in the NFL, to be honest. their Their defense is terrible. Attack is brilliant and anything could happen in any given week. and i can't believe Jordan Henderson is scoring three kicks in the Premier League in 2026. It's absolutely wild. It really is wild. I think they said that was his first ever direct free kick that he scored in the front.
Speaker: like he He scored one or two for Liverpool, but it's sort of ones where it's rolled off and just kind of bends around the wall. He's never actually hit a dead ball into the top corner the way he did there. And he said, himself and Cole Palmer were laughing for him. He was like, which corner are you picking?
Speaker: He was like, I'm going this side and then put it into that side. Yeah, Cole Palmer another man who's loving his football at the moment. He looks really good for Chelsea. Yeah, he is big time, isn't he? So does Rodgers, to be fair.
Speaker: Yeah, that that attack is great. It's just a defense that's shocking. So let's see what what they can do going forward. We'll be back with that then in another three weeks. We'll have our next update to that. But Shane... Man City will be less likely to exist at that point.
Speaker: Yeah, you can continue to keep them out until your heart's content. yeah um We're going to move on to our game. Last week I gave Shane a game and it was a bit of a fun one. Didn't put pressure on him knowledge-wise, but it was him to tell me when to stop when he hears a better quarterback than Dak Prescott. And he got as far as Trevor Lawrence, which was last on my list. So go back and give that listen if you haven't heard it already. But Shane is bringing the game this week to me. So what have you got for me?
Speaker: So it's it is a test of knowledge game, but it's not as hard as the the last one I gave you. So I have kind of based it off. Do you know that's the New York Times game, Connections?
Speaker: Yeah. So I've done that. So I picked four football clubs and i want to tell you which player it is that played for these football clubs. So I'm going to name you four football clubs and you say,
Speaker: Messi played for Inter Miami, Barcelona, PSG, blah, blah, blah. Does that make sense? Oh, right. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get you. So I'm going to start really, really easy. i have four. The last one I think you'll do well to guess, but I put it in there because there's there's it's the two clubs that we love were involved. So it was a a handy one to pick. So number one, this player played for Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al Nassir.
Speaker: Who am I talking to about? Okay, Ronaldo. Yeah. The next one. Atletico Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea, Aston Villa.
Speaker: Atleti, Man U, Chelsea, Villa. and Okay. Garnaccio. Yeah, well done.
Speaker: This one is quite easy now as well. i'll be surprised we didn't get this one. But then the last one is the one that's going to stick you. Okay. So, Basil, Liverpool, Fiorentina, Roma.
Speaker: and Is this Shaqiri? No. All right, give me another guess. Oh, Salah. Yeah.
Speaker: and I forgot he played for Basel completely. Yeah, that's why you put him in. and I could have picked Trav's Bonsboroughs. I could try and give him a better bit of a stickler. The last one is the one that might catch you now. It's probably from before your time.
Speaker: But we have Inter Milan, Manchester United, Football Club, Liverpool, and Wolves. Okay. Inter, United, Liverpool and Wolves.
Speaker: Is that in order? Like, is that the order they went? Let me just double check. I think I might have just one in the middle mixed up. One second. This is tough.
Speaker: It's hard enough to get players that played for both United and Liverpool anyway. Yeah. So the order is you know United, he it Inter, Liverpool. Then there's a blank club I didn't mention and then he went to Wolves.
Speaker: So it's United, Inter Milan, 95-97. Liverpool, 97-99. And Wolves, He was captain teams as well, pretty sure. liverpool ninety seven to ninety nine and wall of two thousand and two two two thousand and six he was captain of all fourteens as well i'm pretty sure Okay, he was captain of all four teams.
Speaker: That is quite interesting. played 206 times for Man United. Could this be? i'm not 100% sure his career path, but it's coming to my mind here. Is this Gary Pallister?
Speaker: No, never played for Liverpool or probably Inter inter Milan. No, he probably didn't, but I know he captained, I think he captained United for a little while around that stage. 89 to 95, he played for United.
Speaker: Yeah. Yeah, well, for all those reasons, was born in 2000, but still, I'm still so thinking who was captain around that time and they went to Liverpool.
Speaker: Maybe he wasn't captain of United, actually, because around that time, there would i mean that would have been Brian Robson's time with us. who who was Can you give me the last club as a hint that was not um that you didn't give me? Middlesbrough.
Speaker: Middlesbrough between 99 and 1002. Okay, that does nothing for me whatsoever. Okay, I have no idea who this is. his whole career path is West Ham to United, to Inter Milan, to Liverpool, to Middlesbrough, to Wolves, to Swindon and to Macclesfield Town.
Speaker: Holy Christ, this fella played everywhere. he He has a bit of a managerial career if you want to ask him to help with it. Okay, go on. So he managed McElsfield, MK Dons, Blackburn, back to MK Dons, Nats County, Blackpool and Reading in managed Reading three years ago.
Speaker: Like but when but but when I do tell you who it is, you will be kicking yourself because you know who he is like. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Man, someone that... It's just... I just can't put... I just can't connect United and Liverpool.
Speaker: Like, that's... I should probably stop focusing on that part of it. But that's what I'm trying to... That's what I'm trying to focus on. And then I'm thinking, like, someone who's captain material. and
Speaker: No, I don't know. You may just tell me who it is. Dennis, not Dennis Erwin. He was about to look him up, see were they together at the same time. Jesus Christ, I was like, oh, my God.
Speaker: Yeah, that is annoying. I should have known that. Man, did he manage Derby? No. Blackpool.
Speaker: Blackpool. Oh, it was his son that played for Derby. That's why i was thinking Derby there. and Yeah, Thomas. Yes. Yeah, okay. Yeah, that makes sense now. Also, the Wolves the wolves thing was throwing me off then because I was trying to make that Liverpool-United connection. i don't know if he ever captained United, but he's still that kind of player that he could have easily.
Speaker: He probably bore it a couple of times. 206 games, he was surely captain at one point. Yeah, that is that is a good one. That was tough. Yeah, I like that. and So i got at least I got three of them, but that last one was hard. Yeah.
Speaker: which I know I liked it. Good brain teaser. And if anybody who has listened along and managed to get all four of them, do let us know in the comments, please. You want to know if you've got that football knowledge. um But yeah, that is another episode wrapped up with a bit crack. Shane, I'll throw to you to finish us off.
Speaker: Yeah, thanks as always. So me and James did the Gaelic Gridiron, just the two of us this week as well. Jimmy will be back next week, but if you want to get a double up of us this week, go over and listen to the Gaelic Gridiron NFL episode. It's a grand easy listen. was only about 40 minutes, I'd say, all in all. So that's not too bad. And as James said during Gone Chance, we are getting a couple of new listeners on YouTube as well, which is always good to see. The numbers are going up. So just hit that subscribe button as well. Make everything a lot easier for us. And we will see you next week.
Speaker: What am I talking about? Just yapping.
