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That Saturday Feeling - Episode 3 - Heroes & Villains
14 Plays9 days ago
Our weekly deep dive into all things Premier League - A week that claimed no managerial victims, but Lordy that hot seat is sizzling beneath a few.! So exactly what is going on at Spurs, City, Newcastle and West Ham and Why it always pays to take heed of Nick's predictions
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Transcript
Introduction and Host Welcome
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome everybody to episode three of that Saturday feeling. Thank you to everyone listening and there's been a lot of listeners so that's been great to hear and we're really getting into the swing of this.
Co-host Introduction and Light Banter
00:00:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's your weekly deep dive into the week that was in the Premier League and a little look forward into the week ahead and it is my great pleasure, my great pleasure to welcome my partner in crime at Global Sports Podcast Network, Nick Britton to the that's to the That's Saturday for you, man.
00:00:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Studio, to talk about all things Premier League. Hello, Nicholas. How's it going where you are?
00:00:45
Nick Britten
easy and so easy for you to say that was all it it's a bit It's a bit lonely in the studio today because it's only you and me, Ken. Jesse, who was with us also for the first couple of episodes, I presume is getting is his white suit fitted for Liverpool's impending coronation as Premier League and Champions League.
00:01:05
Nick Britten
winners and champions because he seems to think they're going to win, ah they're going to win the lot, not lose another game or season.
Nick's Memorable Match Experiences
00:01:10
Nick Britten
So he's already off getting that done. And yes, it's just you and me, but no, it's been, it's good, mate. It's good. Are you well? All good. Have you thought out since last Saturday? I was a little bit worried about you. I must say, because I knew you were going to watch your beloved Rexton down at Burton Albion, ah just down the road here. And I was a bit worried with you because it was, it was about minus 30. And, you know, with your constitution, you've got to look after yourself. Were you okay?
00:01:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
I kind of battled my way through it but you're right at my age I've got to be careful about these things but it was no it was a it was an interesting experience it was I so was there about so so five past four last Saturday I remember it vividly I was standing there on the on the terraces not seats terraces at so at Burton, in the Burton End, I should say, trying not to be ah obvious, but it was very hard, and just questioning some of the decisions I'd made in my life really, because it was a horrible day, it was nil-nil, it was always going to be nil-nil. If we played
00:02:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
until the rest of eternity it would have been 0-0. If Real Madrid had been playing Barcelona it would have been 0-0. I was literally standing there thinking, you know, there must be some cleaning I should have been doing rather than this.
00:02:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah But then, all of a sudden, the clouds parted. Elliot Lee took a corner on my side of the ground, swung it straight into the back post. 1-0 Reksum, all bets are off. Crowds going mad. 3,000 Reksum supporters going crazy. Life's good again. That's what football can do, Nick.
00:02:45
Nick Britten
and Was it 3,000 Rex's supporters going mad at one end of the ground and one person going mad at the other? Because you were stood amongst all the Burton Albion fans who presumably were just stood there in morose silence.
00:02:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was one of the, we've all been, haven't we? We've all been in the away end when we or the home end where we shouldn't be. I think everyone's experienced that, haven't we? but We've actually sneaked in as as a
00:03:06
Nick Britten
i'll tell you yeah i'll tell you oh I'll tell you a great story one day about how I was ejected from Highbury, the home in Highbury. in the very late 80s, 1969, and walked,
00:03:22
Nick Britten
debt took got taken out of the main stand at Highbury, walked down to the pitch and walked along the entire side of of the stand to be yeah shunted into the terracing for the away fans where dar where all the Derby fans were.
00:03:35
Nick Britten
It was one of the most joyous occasions of my
Derby Performance Analysis
00:03:37
Nick Britten
life. It was absolutely brilliant.
00:03:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is a badge of honor. That's a proper badge of honor. So I never really did that because in the sense of I was, you know, when you're like you're digging your nails into your palms or biting your lip, really literally biting your lips.
00:03:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
So every time we get a chance, you just go rather than do anything more than that. ah But I think.
00:03:55
Nick Britten
but you that sound You just do that sound again. What did what did you do?
00:03:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
me ah But I did notice about 70 minutes in, there was a bit of a bit of a radius around me of no people.
00:04:00
Nick Britten
Sorry. That's brilliant.
00:04:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I thought, that's the smile.
00:04:08
Nick Britten
Yeah, but you're used to that. That's that that's just that's just like your daily life.
00:04:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway, so that was great news. how about Before we get on to the Dizzy Ice in the Premier League, which is what we're here to do actually, we might as well talk about Derby as well, because you've had ah you've had ah an interesting week really.
00:04:24
Nick Britten
Yeah, it's been a reasonable-ish week, which could go either way. It could end up being a brilliant week for us, or or a very good week, are not a brilliant week, but a very good week for us tonight, because this is Friday, we're recording this, and we've got our home game tonight. Or it could turn out to be a catastrophic week. So it started last Saturday with a very with a dismal and rather pathetic 2-0 defeat away at Leeds, who were just head and shoulders above every everything that we could offer, and we didn't offer much.
00:04:47
Nick Britten
Uh, and it was, uh, I don't think they even bother getting out of fifth gear. that Leads look a really good side. I've got to say, they look a really good side this year, but we didn't really put up much resistance. Um, and you worried them going into another midweek game.
00:05:01
Nick Britten
against another top of the table side or top three side in Burnley way up at turf war you just kind of wondered what was going to happen then but fair play to the players of the management they changed formation they changed the side around with you know a lot of changes and they they kind of had a change of attitude in the way they approached the game and came out with a very deserved nil-nil draw which is a really good result up at Burnley I was very pleased with that and you know we could have we could have snatched it at injury time as well Marcus harness
00:05:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Reditable.
00:05:24
Nick Britten
just fired wide from outside the area. It could have, you know, could have been amazing. But tonight we're playing Portsmouth at home. They are one of those teams who are in and around us in that kind of low and mid table position. And they're the games you've got to win. Yeah. Away it leads away at Burnley, those types of games. I wouldn't say they're free hits, but you don't expect to get much out of them. Home to Portsmouth. And we've lost our last two home games against Swansea and Sheffield Wesley. So it is a bit of a, it's an important game.
Global Sports Podcast Network Overview
00:05:50
Nick Britten
It's an important game.
00:05:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and four pounds four points out of nine. That's a reasonable return with those three games.
00:05:56
Nick Britten
it's fine yeah it's better than four yeah it's better than four pads uh but yeah i'll tell you
00:06:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is four pounds. Yeah, well, you'd be looking to get any pants this week, to be honest. But anyway, well we'll all everyone will be watching out to for tonight's tonight's game.
00:06:06
Nick Britten
but great
00:06:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
and So welcome, again, a little secondary welcome to that Saturday feeling. The podcast brought to you as part of the Global Sports Podcast Network, the only network that brings you exclusive daily news, reviews, and your Premier League team, or whoever they may be.
00:06:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
and women's football and we do it in Italian and sometimes we do it in Spanish even. It's a bit of a unique listening experience puts you the fans first bringing you the very latest news so subscribe wherever you get your podcasts there's millions of them to choose from.
00:06:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
The Global Sports Podcast Network is every club, every day. So, Nikolai, let's think about what we've witnessed over the course of the last week. It's been a it's been an up and down, topsy-turvy, smiley, unhappy kind of week for lots of different people. ah Any highlights, any heroes, any villains, anything particular that's caught your eye, you think I better mention that next time.
West Ham vs Wolves Discussion - 'El Sacchico'
00:07:08
Nick Britten
Yeah, well obviously there was a round of midweek games in Europe and there were some interesting results in in in Europe but I'm going to start with the Monday Night game which we build up. massively on last week's podcast. we We built it up to be the biggest game of the season. Obviously everybody was calling it El Sacchico, but it turned out to be the El Non Sacchico, because despite West Ham winning, everybody's kept their jobs. And we're going to the weekend's games, Gary O'Neill still manager of Wolves, Gillian Lofotakis still manager of West Ham. So the whole thing was a bit of a damp squib in the end.
00:07:41
Nick Britten
It wasn't a great game. It was never going to be a great game, but it was a very interesting game because everybody's kind of was just waiting for the outcome and what was going to happen afterwards. and yeah Nothing's happened. and Speaking to the the guys who run the GSPM Daily Wolves and indeed the GSPM Daily West Ham, I think they they are both sort of scratching their heads about about it all as well. There's very much mixed opinion around whether O'Neal or Lofotage should still be on their jobs. I fear a little bit for Lofotage because West Ham are above several teams in the league, who whose managers aren't under any kind of threat.
00:08:12
Nick Britten
You know, Michelle Deitch at Everton, for example, Kieran McKenna, Ipswich.
00:08:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
Jarrod Bowen's Performance and Potential
00:08:16
Nick Britten
And yet the focus seems to be on love taking West Ham.
00:08:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:18
Nick Britten
So I'm not quite sure why. ah But I thought Wolves actually in the second half played well. um Gary O'Dill came out of it with some credit. They got a little bit unfortunate with a couple of VAR decisions. So yeah, we move on, we move on. I mean, both have got tough games this weekend. And, you know, you wonder if, if, well, you know, Wolves particularly, Wolves are home to Ipswich this weekend, and we'll talk about this later. If Ipswich beat Wolves, that's got to be it, surely. That's got to be it. That's got to be it. Yeah, West Ham go to Bournemouth on Monday night. That's not necessarily a game that's going to get you the sack you wouldn't have thought because Bournemouth are playing so well. That's a really hard game for West Ham.
00:08:58
Nick Britten
Maybe we'll see if there's any movement this weekend, but certainly that was an interesting one in terms of heroes and villains My hero for the week is is one of my favorite players and I love watching him play and he was the difference of that game And that's jarab bowen who scored a lovely goal Uh to win the game too well for west ham against wolves and it was it was just a he's just a joy He's just a joy. I just love what he's such a good footballer. I still I know he's broken into the kind of England ranks and he's kind of not Not really in it, but in and around it.
00:09:25
Nick Britten
I think he's still underrated. I just think he's such a good player. So he he certainly gets my heroes vote.
00:09:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting. I mean, what is it about his game what is it about this game that you look and think, you know he's that's very special.
00:09:35
Nick Britten
It's just so skillful. I remember. I remember watching him at Hull when he was at Hull and I remember there was a game, one particular game, obviously we went up to Hull to watch Darby play and Hull beat us 2-0 and it was, you know, it was a very average Darby team, a very average Hull team but Jared Bowen was brilliant. He was just the best player on a pitch by a million miles and he was having a good season for Hull anyway that season and you could just tell here is a guy who's destined to be playing at the very, very highest level and if West Ham do get relegated or even if they don't, I think he you could play i think you could play one of the big you know one of the big teams.
00:10:10
Nick Britten
He'd be perfect for a kind of Newcastle team, something like that.
00:10:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm.
00:10:14
Nick Britten
he's's His movement is superb. His ability to get in and around a box and find space is great. He scores goals. He's quick. He's tricky. He's just got so much to his game and he scores important goals and important games.
Brentford's Home Strength and Newcastle's Inconsistency
00:10:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, no no doubt about it. um There's a few things that I was, as I was watching the goals go in and watching the games last weekend and during the week, a few things occurred to me. Firstly, I mean, Brentford, Wisser and Waymo, I mean, they just look lightning on fire, full of confidence.
00:10:47
Nick Britten
for their home form.
00:10:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just, ah I just thought they were outstanding last week.
00:10:54
Nick Britten
Yeah, their home form is sensational. It is brilliant. And, I mean, Newcastle, as Newcastle are at the moment, they're very up and down, very inconsistent. And the second half, and I watched that game actually, the second half was, Newcastle just kind of fell away quite a alarmingly.
00:11:10
Nick Britten
But Brentford are great. They're such a good team to watch at home.
00:11:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
So entertaining. Yeah.
00:11:15
Nick Britten
Yeah, their way forward is different, but at home, they're so good, yeah. yeah And those two players, yeah you mentioned, are absolutely standouts.
Timo Werner's Performance Critique
00:11:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we'll come to the Newcastle situation in a bit more depth later on, because I know you were you married into Newcastle, didn't you? And so you've obviously got a vested interest on that.
00:11:28
Nick Britten
Very, very much so, yeah. I have. I have. My wife and all her family are are Mad King Jordy fans, and and indeed they are Jordies. So, yeah, I've got a vested interest. And I, like a lot of them, I'm looking at Newcastle alone, and I think just scratching our heads around just what is the next sort step of their of their journey and which direction is it going to take because they are they are a little bit of a crossroads it feels like at the moment. but
00:11:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's on the villain side, did you catch any of the, it's particularly the first half of the Spurs Rangers game in Europa League this week?
00:12:06
Nick Britten
yeah I didn't. I didn't. But I did. I did see the highlights. I did see the goals. And more importantly, I saw the fact that Spurs didn't beat Rangers. And they just go still.
00:12:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well well, on the villain front, we have to we have to raise the issue of Timo Werner. Poster Kogli was going nuts with him. He got hooked at half time.
00:12:18
Nick Britten
They just still be like that.
00:12:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
absolutely and And as you were saying, completely unacceptable performance. You know, we've got 18-year-olds in the team. We've got Werners, a German international. Didn't look interested. Performance, I mean, performance was woeful. Getting hooked at half-time is, I mean, it's telling you everything you need to know as a professional footballer, isn't it?
00:12:51
Nick Britten
Very much so. And we talked about Timo Verner a couple of weeks ago. I don't get him. I don't get him. I don't understand why Spurs ever bought him. I don't think he plays a level that a top five or six Premier League team aspires to be. I just don't understand. I know he can run fast, but that's it. I just don't get what else is his game. And I thought he was poor at Chelsea that he, you know, when he left the Premier League, I thought, well, we won't see him again. And rightly so. And he came back to Spurs and He's done nothing to disperse yet, I don't think, that warrants his selection at all.
00:13:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now I think that's going to be a story that's going to run and
Chelsea vs Tottenham: A Tale of Contenders and Strugglers
00:13:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
run. Clearly it's a bit of ah a bit of a breakdown of manager player communications there for whatever reason. Angie was not mentioning his words. Of course Angie is on his on the hot seat and we'll talk about that shortly but clearly there's just a little bit of A little bit of friction, I think, and that's going to be something interesting to watch. The other thing, by the way, ah just to raise and and really have a team level, I thought thought was so impressive, was Chelsea's response to going two down at Tottenham.
00:13:54
Nick Britten
That was amazing. And that was a great game. That was a typical kind of Chelsea Tottenham game where it's just a basketball game of goals. And it was really funny because we've all got to know Spurs this season a little better and we're getting to know Chelsea a bit better. Head on heart, did anybody think at 2-0 after sort of 15 or so minutes that Chelsea weren't going to win the game still? Everybody just went, well, it's 2-0 Spurs, but Chelsea are still going to win because Tottenham can't just, they just can't do much at the moment and they kind of capitulate a bit. But ah
00:14:25
Nick Britten
Equally, Chelsea are playing really, really well.
00:14:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so much confidence.
00:14:28
Nick Britten
Yeah, we talked about them as potential title contenders in the last podcast last week. ah They demonstrated that they'll delight that I just think they look a really, really good side. And you talk about being angry after the Rangers game, his body language as they kind of capitulated against Chelsea, it was worth watching because he just looked, he just looks sort of beaten and frustrated by the whole thing.
Managerial Sack Race Evaluation
00:14:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, i saw the yeah I saw the press conference after after the Rangers game, and yeah, he's not enjoying life at the moment. I think we ah think we identified him in the first episode of this of that Saturday feeling that we you know he's he's someone that might not be having the greatest ever Christmas, and he certainly isn't having the greatest ever Christmas so far. He's not full of the joys of spring. He's not going to be Santa for anyone, is he, this year, I don't think.
00:15:15
Nick Britten
No, and but it might if he is, it might be the only time he's a bit popular ah because I don't think anybody like it. It's just it's difficult. he's He's made this rod for his own back with this big coming out and saying I would I would a trophy in my second season.
00:15:29
Nick Britten
So he's now looking at him to win a trophy. But if Spurs capable of winning a trophy, the answer is of course they are.
00:15:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
not like it
00:15:35
Nick Britten
Of course they are. But not unless something changes.
00:15:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
something radical Something radical going to have to change there.
00:15:39
Nick Britten
Something's got to change.
00:15:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, so so we mentioned earlier on in this that we kind of that we've bigged up El Sacico and we thought there was going to be some fallout from that. It does make you question what people have to do to get the P45 these days. But it might be worth, as a kind of a running theme in in in this podcast, just revisiting the whole hot seat issue. Because just as yeah maybe a couple of people got off the hot seat and um You know, um I'm looking at glasner palace, which is a decent, decent performance on top of a couple of improved performances.
00:16:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we've got the usual suspects on there, you know, O'Neill and Lopetakey and Martin at Southampton. Couple of people perhaps being added to that as well. Just want to get your view really on on the hot seat stakes. Who are the runners and riders at the moment just to be yeah dusting the CV off for January?
00:16:48
Nick Britten
I think we've talked about last week we talked about so obviously the situation at Southampton and Russell Martin and kind of what's going on there and is he actually doing himself out of a job with his intransigent attitude towards tactics and playing out from the back and costing sounds and goals and points and ultimately they're going to get relegated. Keira McKenna is somebody absolutely hasn't been spoken about but they are on a poor order for
January Transfer Window - Impact on Managers
00:17:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hm?
00:17:11
Nick Britten
the the last Saturday they lost 2-1 at home to Bournemouth having been ahead in the 89th minute. They were really one deal with 89 minutes on the clock and lost 2-1. It's games like that which can have a really really negative effect on morale and when you want watch it switch they're a decent side. They are a decent side but ah They're in games, but they can't win games. They can't get over the line. They had a damaging home defeat to Palace. And it's teams like that and games like that, which see you just just ebbs away at your confidence and ebbs away at your ability to win games.
00:17:47
Nick Britten
And if you think back to last season, Luton were a bit like this. They were always in games, and they always looked like they were going to do something, but ultimately didn't. And ultimately got relegated. I worry about which, are they going to, are they going to get into a habit of just not being able to win games? And therefore, they just can't pick up enough points. Whether that means Kieran McKenna is under pressure,
00:18:07
Nick Britten
it's It's difficult, it's difficult to see, but what I have noticed in the last week or so was was comments on the fans boards and talking to supporters that they are, I would say they're starting to turn far from it, but they are starting to be a little bit critical, critical of their substitutions, critical of the way the team set up, and critical simply this in the naivety of not being able to see games out. So maybe he's, I wouldn't say he's in the hot seat for for the sack, but maybe he's kind of edging towards it in a sideways, crab-like fashion.
00:18:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. um Well, I mean, I think you're right on all those points. ah That's interesting your point you make a about Ipswich just not not being able to win the games they need to win, even though the performances haven't been terrible. I think Southampton is a bit like that. I remember listening. I think Southampton played Newcastle away in the first game of the season. And I was listening to that game. I was in the car and Southampton were all over Newcastle.
00:19:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I remember coming away from that game, Newcastle won that. I think it was 1-0. Coming away from that, I think it was Southampton going to be all right. They play like that and they're going to be all right. But of course, it doesn't translate because they've always got the mistake in them. And whilst you've got the mistake in you,
00:19:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Essentially you're playing from one nil down at the start of every game and they're just not going to be able to claw that back. So a couple of things just to add to the managerial thing. We could be to an interesting period of the season because the January transfer window is about to reopen or it's about to open.
00:19:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah And that's always a time when directors and heads of football are starting to think, can we trust this fella? If we don't spend 80 million pounds on something or 50 million pounds on a couple of players, oh we oh do we trust this manager either to get the best out of them or to be part of that identification process of who we need to bring in?
Manager Sacking Predictions
00:20:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's always the time where people start to drop off the merry-go-round as a manager. Do you think that that dynamic is going to affect anybody's ah position?
00:20:16
Nick Britten
100% because by the time the window opened, of course, we would have played all the Christmas fixtures pretty much. And that will give everybody a very good idea of how the table is shaking down and what the kind of rest of the season looks like. And you get to that period of having played four or five games in close proximity. And if you are losing them all and you're down at the bottom of the table, then you're going to get fired probably, you know, it's going to take it's going to take a lot for you to keep your job.
00:20:46
Nick Britten
And if we just return to Keira McKenna in Switch, people will be saying, and Russell Martin has happened, and they have said, yeah with justification, well, there's no point getting rid of them because they're going to be a great manager for us in the championship, and we'll come back up. And then it becomes an issue of whether the owners go, yeah, OK, I don't really want to invest loads of money, which, let's face it, is no guarantee of staying up. It's no guarantee of anything.
00:21:10
Nick Britten
Do we just take the money this season go down take the parachute payments keeper manager and come back up again? It was successful for Southampton last time round. So it Probably those types of clubs Maybe they've got more chance of keeping their managers It is actually the bigger clubs and I'll i'll go back to West Ham on this who feel like they are underachieving who feel like they should be doing better That's perhaps where the where the managers are most at risk
00:21:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think you're probably right. Whether West Ham have a legitimate claim to be a big club is a, I think it'd be another question.
Zencastr Platform Promotion
00:21:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe another question we'll revisit one day. Just before we finish the managerial thing. So if you were a betting man, and we'll come later to why you should be a betting man, but if you were a betting man, who is going first?
00:22:06
Nick Britten
gar o'de
00:22:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
OK.
00:22:10
Nick Britten
what like go i wouldn't if i was't If I was a betting man, and as you know I'm not, ah but given my performance at the prediction league last week, I should be, but I'm not a betting man at all.
00:22:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
My money's still on the back again, by the way.
00:22:20
Nick Britten
It just seems that he is the most, I wouldn't make any money if I did bet on that, because it does seem he's the most obvious candidate, and it is the most obvious answer, but there's a reason for for both of those things.
00:22:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, I wouldn't mind a quick £5 each way and post a cochlea as well to be quite honest at the moment. Okay, so well thanks for listening to the Global Sports Podcast Network. Thanks for listening to that Saturday feeling here at GSPN. We spend a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencaster came out the clear winner with that.
Newcastle's Struggles and Financial Woes
00:22:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
4k video recording from your phone, AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs. I know you'll think we don't make any ums and ahs but that's because they've been taken out. It's super easy to start a podcast and that so that sounds great and is delivered efficiently and professionally. So if you're ready to tell your story, wherever that story may be, and believe me Nick's got a few stories,
00:23:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
check out the link in the show description to learn that more about Zencaster. So so um before there's a couple of things I want to talk about. I want to talk the European action. I want to put talk about the standout games.
00:23:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I want to go through the prediction thing. We want to go back 20 minutes to go. But Newcastle, what's going on in Newcastle?
00:23:35
Nick Britten
Yes.
00:23:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Where's it gone wrong? Is it going wrong or are they going to claw it all back and everything will be fine?
00:23:43
Nick Britten
I hope they'll call it all back and everything will be fine. But they seem to, I think it's a really interesting situation going on in Newcastle at the moment because they just seem to be at a bit of an impasse about what is happening. And there's, I've had a kind of good think about this in the last 24 hours. And there's lots and lots of kind of bits of the jigsaw, if you like.
00:24:04
Nick Britten
that you can look at, that when you put them all together, you can kind of understand what's going on. So if you start with on the pitch, they look off the pitch, on the pitch, they're very inconsistent this season.
00:24:18
Nick Britten
And one of the reasons they're so inconsistent is because they have simply been too inactive in the transfer market.
00:24:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm.
00:24:26
Nick Britten
Over the summer, they had they went into the summer with ah Wilson and Isaac as their two strikers. They came out of the summer and out of the window into the season with Wilson and Isaac as their two strikers. Now Wilson is a great player but has been dogged by injury all his all his career and now he's at the latter end of his career that only gets worse so he's barely played.
00:24:50
Nick Britten
alex Alexander Isaac is a fantastic player. He is a brilliant player. But equally, he's had his injury problems this year. So for a period of the season, they've played without a striker, they've had no striker. So you then rely on play players like Anthony Gordon to step up and score goals. Not really happened. ah So on the pitch, they have been very consistent. I think they're a bit kind of stale. They need new sidings to to just gee everything up and improve in certain areas. You know, Dan Burz has been a great player, but is he a player that's going to kick them on into the top one or two of the Premier League, which is where they want. But but you know, it's that, it's that kind of feeling on the pitch. And I feel a little bit for anyhow, because he he can only work with what he's got. And he needs, he needs better players, he needs new players in there. But there's also this whole situation, which is fascinating, with what on earth is going off on um the, pitch sorry, off the pitch, if you like, whereby the the new owners came in in a blaze of glory in 2021. And
00:25:46
Nick Britten
ah Great ambitions. are we're gonna We're going to do this. We're going to do that. We're the richest club in the world. We're owned by PIF. We've got loads of money, and this, that, and the other. And of course, they can't spend any of it because of the profit and sustainability rules, which is what they're there for. And they can't spend any of it because they don't bring in enough income. So the whole situation at Newcastle kind of hinges on the stadium for me, because if the stadium is the going to be the big revenue earner.
00:26:14
Nick Britten
but they can't make a lot of money out of it. So they're either going to have to move and you can only imagine the the the trauma for Newcastle fans that Cathedral on the Hill, St James's Park, one of the greatest stadiums in the country, leaving there and going to a kind of, you know, somewhere the on the South Bank of the Tyne and Gateshead.
00:26:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:26:35
Nick Britten
But they might have to do that because it's very difficult to develop there. but they've got to if they But if they do develop it to St. James's, then they've got to bring in, they've got to do it, similar to the way Tottenham have done it, which is focused very, very heavily on hospitality and on corporate, because that's where the money is going to come from. So what's going to happen with the stadium? What's happening with with the executive at the high end of the club? Obviously, there's the CEO we know who's leaving for ill health, Amanda Stavely left, Mera Gudusi left, Dan Ashworth left. you know Who now is running the club? Who are they?
00:27:08
Nick Britten
uh stavely but a about stavely and uh mary gudusi was obviously very there was a very public face of the club you know what's happening with that anyhow seems to be removed from a lot of the transfer activity they brought people in to manage that so there's just all this uncertainty all this uncertainty all around new castle at the moment which you look at it and go well What is going on? And what is the direction now? Is it is the is the the vision, is the project as they called it, still alive and still still going to be what it what it wants to be? Or are they going to change tack and is something else going to happen? And that just, that whole uncertainty just kind of breeds throughout the club.
00:27:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, this ah that you're right, there's a lot going on there. When I knew we were talking about Newcastle in a little bit of depth, i yeah I just had a look at some of the fixes to come and some of the past performances. One of the things that shocked me ah because I don't spend all my day looking at Newcastle's results really, but um I've always had St James's as this kind of fortress. Teams don't like going all the way up there, playing in horrible conditions often. You've got you got a 12th man in the crowd going crazy, ah and it's a tough place to eke out any kind of results. So so why my opinion always, and in this case it's wrong opinion, was that
00:28:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Newcastle's performance in the league is really dominated by their home performance and whatever they hook up on away, it just adds cherry on the cake really. But that's not been the case and and this year, if you look at the home league table in the Premier League, Newcastle had 12.
00:28:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
in the home league table, the 10th in the away league table, weirdly, which is like topsy-turvy to me for for a Newcastle season. The defence, I mean, I watched a bit of the game against, was it, against Brentford.
00:29:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brentford? It was, wasn't it?
00:29:12
Nick Britten
Last Saturday was Brentford, yes.
00:29:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
certainly yeah ah They just look wide open defensively, wide open. I know they're up against a few players playing the top of the game, but they just look like they're going to concede any any moment.
Premier League Prediction Review
00:29:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think there's a lot. I love Isaac, I think he's a very good player, but defensively, they seem to have lost their way, I think, in a significant way.
00:29:34
Nick Britten
Yeah, they're missing. They're missing Sven Botman in there. No doubt about it.
00:29:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
00:29:37
Nick Britten
all All the weight is really being transferred onto Fabian Schar. And they'll be better when Botman gets back or they could bring in, you know, second half in January. I'd love to know what they're going to do in January because it's a really, really important time for their season.
00:29:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, critical, critical. I mean, Shira was, I mean, Shira, you know, St.
00:29:51
Nick Britten
but
00:29:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Alan Shira of Newcastle, you know, was questioning their energy and questioning their just kind of attitude, that the lack of enthusiasm, which you said, which is kind of a given in a Newcastle team, particularly hope, you know, you got you, they're going to be all over you.
00:30:09
Nick Britten
you
00:30:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
But that seems to be being questioned right now. and I wonder what's going on there.
00:30:14
Nick Britten
Look at the last four fixtures, home to West Ham. They lost 2-0 in a really kind of insipid performance. They then went away to Palace and were winning until the 94th minute when Palace scored and it was won all. ah Then they could put in a fantastic performance at home to Liverpool.
00:30:35
Nick Britten
and could be deemed a little bit unlucky, not to have taken all three points, but they were they were great. And you think, okay, maybe maybe the corner has turned there, maybe this is the catalyst. And then they go to Brentford and lose 4-2. And it's just that, it is that inconsistency. So up and down, up and down, not only in results, but certainly in performances. And even within games, you're seeing there are periods of games where they they look really good and on top. And in periods within the same game, where they just go to sleep.
00:31:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's a weird one. So, but even in in those last four games, that's two points at the last 12, they've got the the next three games coming up and I'd be interested in how many points you think will get out of this. So they've got Leicester at home this weekend, they've got Brentford at home, return fixture, and they've got Ipswich away.
00:31:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
So of those three games, how many how many points out of the nine are they picking up?
00:31:28
Nick Britten
I mean, seven.
00:31:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Seven out of the nine, that would be decent.
00:31:31
Nick Britten
but And I'll tell you why, and I'll tell you why, because they're playing Leicester at home, who's away record is poor. They're playing Brentford at home, who's away record is poor. And they're going away to Ipswich and Ipswich are great. So they've got an opportunity here.
00:31:43
Nick Britten
If they want it, they've got an opportunity, but predicting Newcastle is very difficult because you just don't know which Newcastle is going to turn up.
00:31:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, you say that, Nick. You say predicting things is difficult. but I think we've just proved, certainly in your case, that it isn't difficult. And that's something we need just to touch on now, because obviously during the course of that Saturday Feeling episode two, we predicted the results of the Premier League round. Jesse was with us then as well. I won't go through all the results, because everybody knows the results, but I'll give you the results of our little prediction league of those nine games, because of course,
00:32:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everton got a very hard-fought PP draw against Liverpool.
00:32:29
Nick Britten
That's the best. It was the best they were ever going to get out of that game.
00:32:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that was ah that was a good result.
00:32:32
Nick Britten
Let's listen.
00:32:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Deutsch was really delighted with it.
00:32:35
Nick Britten
but but
00:32:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
a so so So there were nine games. ah Let me just tell you that that myself and Jesse managed to predict and we went home away or draw. We got five out of nine. That's a pure's an entirely creditable performance, over 50%. I think we can high five strangers on that.
00:32:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nick Britton ends up eight out of nine correct predictions. I mean, that that's, I mean, if you'd done that on the, whatever they call it on sky, this six thing, you could be, you could be could be a multi-billionaire by now.
00:33:14
Nick Britten
Yeah, but instead I'm left to hugging strangers in the street and and telling them all about it because that that was a sensational. I am bordering your genius when it came to that as you want. OK, because you know I've been doing this many years. My my prediction league qualities are kind of National League South standard compared to I'm terrible at it.
Upcoming Premier League Match Predictions
00:33:33
Nick Britten
um I always come bottom of the prediction league. So to kick off sitting pretty at the top of the league, it's it's looking down, particularly on you and Jesse is a great feeling.
00:33:43
Nick Britten
I'm not going to lie, it's a great feeling.
00:33:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, and to be honest, I'm working on the basis that it's an extremely, extremely small statistical bit of data that we've got here, that over the course of the season, things will even themselves out.
00:33:44
Nick Britten
A long way at last.
00:33:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
And again, you'll find yourself at the bottom of and National League South. But let's put that to the test for this week. And I've got Jesse's sent me his predictions, I'm going to go through the, I'm going to go through the different fixes you give me what you think is going to happen.
00:34:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Arsenal Everton,
00:34:13
Nick Britten
No home win without a doubt.
00:34:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:34:15
Nick Britten
That's your, that's your bank. That's your bank cut that's your bank for the weekend people.
00:34:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I've got a home win. Jesse's got a home win. Liverpool versus Fulham.
00:34:24
Nick Britten
Yeah. Difficult on this. I've gone for a home win, but I think it'll be difficult. I'm a big fan of full of this, this year. And I say it on a regular basis. I think they're a great side to watch. They're doing, they're doing a really, really good job, but Liverpool at home, Salah in the form that he's in. I think a narrow win.
00:34:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think we're all on the same page there. Again, myself and Jesse both got home victories on that. It is an in first really interesting on Newcastle Leicester.
00:34:49
Nick Britten
Yeah, again, I pondered in this. I, as I said, just a few moments ago, I think Newcastle will win it. I think they'll be too strong. I'd like to think that after last Saturday, they'll get a reaction out of, Eddie will get a reaction out of the team. And, uh, I think they'll be too, they'll be too strong for a Leicester side whose away record is not good.
00:35:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
But of course, they got the Van Nistelroy effect. I mean, he's doing all right, but it is too early.
00:35:13
Nick Britten
The hearth. He's doing okay. He's doing okay. It's too early. It's too early to tell. But, he yeah you know, he started well.
00:35:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we're all on the same page on the first three, all got home victories right. This is the first one that me and Jesse disagree on. So wolves to the Ipswich.
00:35:32
Nick Britten
Yeah, I've gone home with... I've gone home with Gary O'Neal not to get the sack.
00:35:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:35:38
Nick Britten
Although, the way things are going, they'll win and he will get the sack. Such is the weirdness of the Premier League. So, no, I do think, I think Wolves will be too strong for him.
00:35:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I've got home victory there. Jesse's gone for a draw. ah Forest Villa.
00:35:57
Nick Britten
I've gone for a draw. I've gone for a draw on this. I don't know whether it will be a score draw or no score draw. Probably a score draw because both teams score goals. So, but I think that they are of an equal, they have an equal standing this season. I think both Forester Villa, a good size Villa, maybe dropped off a little bit from last season in terms of league positioning, Forester having a better season, certainly than anybody would have thought. It's certainly better than the last couple of years. So, uh, but it should be a good game. It should be competitive game, uh, score draw.
00:36:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I've gone for draw as well. Jesse's gone for a home victory. Brighton versus Palace, interesting game.
00:36:30
Nick Britten
Yeah, the A23 Derby. um Yeah, I've gone for a draw on this as well. Now Brighton haven't quite hit the heights as they did, they have done in recent seasons. Last week, of course, we were talking about Leicester moments ago, there were two and a half away at Leicester with, you know, moments to go and throw it away. And what I saw, the last time I saw an entire game was when they played Southampton recently, they weren't good. They weren't good, it finished one all and I was not impressed. Palace had a couple of good results uh they've been in such a way they've drawn it home to new castle good result drawing it home to mad city last week you wonder whether they're starting to find their feet and turn to the corner a little bit i i'm going to go for a score draw here yeah that's this is impossible isn't it this is impossible to predict
00:37:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting. So I've got you down for a draw. I've gone for a home victory and Jesse's gone for a draw. Right. Interesting one. Vulnerable city against Vulnerable United.
00:37:27
Nick Britten
ah Who's going to stand out here? I don't think anybody does. Nobody's standing out for City at the moment. Nobody's standing out for United. I'm going to go for really drab Neel Neel, I think.
00:37:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow, wow. There'll be some moaning and groaning if that happens. So you've gone for a draw, I've gone for a draw, Jesse's gone for a home victory. Chelsea against Frankfurt, I think we're back on, back on more predictable terms here on.
00:37:54
Nick Britten
yeah yeah for me fairly straightforward this one breakfast away form has nowhere near matched their brilliant home form uh chelsea are the team of the moment for me uh so chelsea win
00:38:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep, that's across the board. We've all got the same. Southampton v Spurs.
00:38:11
Nick Britten
Well, one of the great things about Tottenham is that you look at common sense, and you look at what you think should happen, and you look at what ought to happen, and then you completely predict the opposite, because it's normally the opposite that it is going to happen. So I'm going to go for Tottenham win, because on the basis that I don't think they'll win, and and it seems a bit stupid that they will win, so I'm going to go for Tottenham win.
00:38:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
I have no idea what your logic is there, but I'll see if we accept the results. So you're going for an away win. ah Jesse went for an away win. I'm going for draw. i think i think
00:38:44
Nick Britten
Yeah, I think it draws it. I could probably draw is is right. I actually think so too. My, my Nicky. And that's the reason I've gone for a Spurs win because they just do the opposite of what you expect them to do.
00:38:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Fair enough. And finally, ah we've got Bournemouth. versus
00:39:01
Nick Britten
Bournemouth, yeah, my night born with born with western Monday West Ham, Monday night.
00:39:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
brought was against where it's at.
00:39:04
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:39:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's going to be a tricky one.
00:39:07
Nick Britten
Very difficult game for West Ham. I don't think their defence is good. I think their attack is good, but I think Bournemouth are having a great season and they will be too strong. So I'm going to go for a home win.
00:39:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Home win. I went for a draw, Jesse went for home win. So we've we've got about five of them. We've all got the same, which is pretty normal and five of them are all over the place. So that's our predictions for next.
00:39:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
for next weekend or this weekend that we're about to enter.
European Football Results Review
00:39:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Just a quick one, just a quick couple of minutes on the European results over last week. um Some good wins, some noticeable defeats ah and some some interesting draws. So what did you pick out of the European Games?
00:39:50
Nick Britten
Well, obviously, Man City losing 2-0 was a yeah was a ah big one and a really interesting one. It thought they might have turned the corner by now, thought things might be changing, but but clearly not. We talked about Tottenham drawing it away for Rangers. Goodness make a ah don't so excuse me. I only the Conference League, but Chelsea's 3-0 away will was ah was was impressive, particularly as it was minus 11 degrees.
00:40:21
Nick Britten
in Kazakhstan, where they played that game, minus 11.
00:40:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, that um ah um i mean it's that's impressive, but it wasn't Burton last Saturday, I'm telling you now.
00:40:31
Nick Britten
Well, this is true. This is true. But good words for Liverpool, good words for Villa. Villa seem to be thinking, well, the best way to qualify for the Champions League next season is actually to win it rather than through the Premier League position.
00:40:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:40:42
Nick Britten
So they're all doing well. Arsenal, Liverpool, Villa, all doing well. But if you look down the Champions League table, you see Celtic in 21st and Manchester City in 22nd.
00:40:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Two games to go.
00:40:54
Nick Britten
And there was a very, yeah, there's a very real chance that Manchester City won't qualify for the lockout stages.
00:41:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting. and Very interesting. yet Yeah, I think it was impressive wins for for Liverpool and for Villa and for Arsenal, but yeah the city, this is it more deep-rooted than we all thought? We thought it was a blip a few weeks ago. Suddenly, start with you know is it the end is it the end of an era?
00:41:23
Nick Britten
de Well, this is it. We don't know, do we? It's really, really interesting to see how, excuse me, just to see how it's going. Because as you say, it's not going any better.
00:41:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:41:35
Nick Britten
It's not going any better. You would have thought, well, they beat Forrest three-nil in the week. Okay. They've turned the corner. They're going to go
High-Stakes Premier League Matches Ahead
00:41:40
Nick Britten
and draw at Palace, and then they've lost again in the Champions League.
00:41:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:41:43
Nick Britten
And watching Erlan Harlan trudge off that pitch, it just, you just look at it and go, what, what is going on?
00:41:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
He looks dejected, doesn't he?
00:41:52
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:41:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
I saw this in the Liverpool game. I saw went out i want to watch the Liverpool trouncing, really, of City. He just looked a dejected, lonely, forgotten figure at the front, and he's not happy.
00:42:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
So okay so let's bring this to a conclusion. It's been a it's been great catching up again. this week. these These things go so quick, don't they? sir it's ah It's a great thing to do on a Friday.
00:42:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
um this I've got four games that kind of stand out for me this week, ah this weekend. I'm really, really looking forward to to to seeing what happens. Wolves Hip Switch, I think, is is is a massive game for for for for both of those teams.
00:42:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think you know whoever loses that can kind of forget it. Newcastle, Leicester, I think is another really interesting interesting one. I think Eddie Howe is, I'm just picking up a lot of grumbling. I know a few folks up there as well. and ah you know I think half of them want to Continue with the project with how often seem to be having serious question marks about it i think that's gonna be a very interesting game you better win that they better win that. ah City united i think it's gonna be fascinating because i just think it's. ah
00:43:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know If you know if you United walk away from that with a 1-0 victory, then it's ah it's going to be a very, very unhappy city camp. And the other thing is Southampton Spurs. I think that's a cracking game to look forward to. I'm always interested, I've realised now, in games where the managers are really nervous and all four of those games are full of managers who are really thinking, you know one more defeat and it could be all over.
00:43:38
Nick Britten
Yeah. Yeah. There's a lot, there's a lot of jeopardy. There's a lot of jeopardy in all those games.
00:43:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:43:43
Nick Britten
And you mentioned briefly, you mentioned Newcastle there and people are being on unhappy with Eddie Howe. My, my brother-in-law who I don't hear much of in the family chat and WhatsApp chat simply put after Brentford game last week, time for Eddie to go.
00:43:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, that could be the writing on the wall.
00:43:55
Nick Britten
and
00:43:58
Nick Britten
and that's got and That's literally the only thing he said all year.
00:43:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah could be these That could be the thing that pushes it pushes over the line.
00:44:03
Nick Britten
Maybe we shall see.
00:44:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
So any particular games that you think, yeah, can't wait for that one, it's that's going to be the a key fixture this weekend.
00:44:12
Nick Britten
No, I think I think you've nailed them all. I think you've pulled out the most important ones. I think Man City, Man United, for all the wrong reasons, really, I'm looking forward to seeing, not because I'm expecting a classic far from it, but I'm just looking to see how bad both teams are and looking to see whether either one of them can actually turn out, perform the way they should perform and try to sort of break this for Man City, certainly break this cycle or for Man United show Yeah, show a decent side that they are starting to react to the new manager's plans and and ambitions.
00:44:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
And with 30 years of watching Darby and Rexton, we're connoisseurs of bad. We can see bad. We can recognize bad. And therefore, we're probably in a very good position to to report back on just how bad some of these teams have been next week.
00:45:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nick, it's been, as always, a huge pleasure. Thanks very much indeed for your time today.
00:45:05
Nick Britten
As always again, great to see you.
00:45:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And look forward to next week. And just hope you get one out of nine this time.
00:45:10
Nick Britten
but I'll still be top of the league this time next week. You watch. You watch.