Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Liverpool vulnerabilities, Saturday game reviews and early relegation candidates
24 Plays22 days ago
Show Notes
Join your Global Sports Podcast Network team for your daily briefing on all things premier league – News, transfers, analysis and opinion – you’ll find it here on Daily Premier League part of the Global Sports Podcast Network podcast channel
Subscribe, leave a review and share the podcast and you can join the debate by emailing us at: dailypremierleaguepodcast@gmail.com
Our Sponsors
Bioniq - Don't settle for off-the-shelf solutions made for ANY body. Get what's right for YOU. Right now.
We’ve spent years analyzing blood markers to develop our patented algorithm, enabling us to create a 100% personalized supplement to support your health by optimizing your micronutrient status.
Follow the link and Use code GSPN2025 for 40% of your first month’s subscription.
www.bioniq.com/gspn2025
Zencastr
Built for quality - Designed for growth
A new era for creation is here.
The only complete audio + video platform to get best-in-class recording, intuitive editing, AI-powered growth features, and top-tier distribution tools — all in one place.
We highly recommend it!
https://zencastr.com/?via=ken
Global Sports Podcast Network - Creating the world’s first network of daily podcasts for the major teams in the world’s biggest sporting export, the English Premier League.
For advertising and sponsorship details or to learn more about the scale and demographics of our audience – email Ken Davies, VP Business & Development at:
ken.davies@globalsportspodcastnetwork.com
www.globalsportspodcastnetwork.com
Copyright | 2025 Global Sports Podcast Network | All Rights Reserved
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Trip Recap
00:00:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is indeed the daily Premier League podcast. My name's Ken Davis. This is the first Saturday of the new season. It's very exciting. and There's a lot going on.
00:00:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I am joined by my partner in crime against football punditry. It's Mr Nick Britton. Safe off his flight back from the USA straight here into the studio to give is his expertise on all things Premier League. are you doing, Nick?
00:00:44
Nick Britten
Hi, Ken. It's great to be here. Yes, straight off the plane, having spent a couple of weeks in the magnificent United States of America, touring around the sort of northeast-ish bit of the country. went to New York, went to Providence, we went to Niagara Falls. and the The main reason was to take my my son to Rochester, where he is starting his career in college soccer, but we made a bit of a holiday of it as well.
00:01:09
Nick Britten
and
Derby County's Challenges
00:01:10
Nick Britten
Then we came back last night, we actually landed back in the UK this morning, straight up to Pry Park to watch Derby County versus Coventry and delighted to be back in the studio to be joining you to do the Daily pre Premier League podcast. It is my debut on the Daily Premier League podcast. Obviously, you and I do Road to World Cup 26. We've been doing that for a little while now, but um it's great to be here and great to get the chance to talk about some very good games this afternoon.
00:01:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it was really interesting start to Premier League season. Just to say very briefly, we were both at the Derby County game this afternoon, so we hot-footed it from there. Lucky it was an early kick-off.
00:01:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
have to say, seen a few eight-goal thrillers in my time. This was an eight-goal non-thriller. as ah as I mean, it was pretty poor fare because there were eight goals scored, I think.
00:01:56
Nick Britten
Yes, it wasn't one of those that had you on the edge of your seat. And for Derby particularly, who've spent quite a lot of time, effort money over the close season improving their team from what so what looked like, you know, well, they were involved, let's face it, they were involved in the relegation fight last season.
00:02:11
Nick Britten
And
Liverpool vs Bournemouth Incident
00:02:12
Nick Britten
a lot of those players aren't fit yet. And therefore, the players are putting out at the moment probably aren't the players they'll put out when everybody is fit. But they've not conceded five goals at home since the dreaded, or should we say proud, whichever way you want to look at it, 2007-2008 season when they only got 11 points in the Premier League and were crowned the worst team in Premier League history.
00:02:34
Nick Britten
And you don't want to be conceding five goals at home on your opening home fixture of any kind of season.
00:02:41
Nick Britten
And it wasn't it wasn't a game, i mean, look, you were there as well. It wasn't a game where they were completely battered. They were winning 3-2 at one stage. But Coventry were were were the better side. They deserved their win. And really, Derby just looked so shaky, both defensively and also in that midfield area as well, where I thought Coventry, for large parts the game, just sort of dominated the midfield. They're good players up front.
00:02:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's good.
00:03:03
Nick Britten
They got to the playoffs last season. They're a decent side. But yeah, not a good start. Not a good start.
00:03:07
Nick Britten
Not a good game.
00:03:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not at all.
00:03:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or for X and my team, but we'll gloss over that because we are here to talk about the Premier League. It all kicked off yesterday. Liverpool against Bournemouth finished 4-2 to the Champions. Game was marked by the loss of, of course, Diogo Jota. And that was a very emotional start to the day. Liverpool started pretty sharply, I thought.
00:03:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Then had this issue with Semenya and this racist comment ah that stopped the game. ah Ref did well on that, I thought. Semenya did well on that. um What was your take on that? I mean, what do we need to do to get rid of this? It's absolutely nonsense. It's still happening.
00:03:45
Nick Britten
Well, it is an absolute nonsense. It's still happening. Well done to Anton Semenyo for reporting this. Well done to the referee for stopping
Liverpool's Defensive Concerns
00:03:53
Nick Britten
the game. There are protocols involved and all of those were followed.
00:03:57
Nick Britten
We've got to be slightly yeah aware and careful in as much as a 47-year-old man from Liverpool has been arrested by Merseyside police.
00:04:08
Nick Britten
ah He was identified at the time. He was removed from the stadium. At the time, there's videos of social media, all over social media of this. I'm sure you will have seen them.
00:04:19
Nick Britten
What can we do? I mean, everybody's hand-wringing, as they always are in these kind of incidents, and saying, well what think can they do about it? The difficulty is, as always with these things, is that it's not just a football issue. It's not football issue. This is a societal issue.
00:04:30
Nick Britten
And that's the difficulty. People seem to think that when human beings go into football stadiums, they kind of change their behaviour, but they don't. And if you are a racist outside a football stadium, you're going to be racist when you go inside a football stadium.
00:04:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
correct
00:04:43
Nick Britten
And unfortunately, there's nothing anybody can do to stop people from chanting these things because the only action they can take is, of course, after the event. And the action that they can take is is there's legal recourse, obviously,
00:04:57
Nick Britten
There is ah recourse in terms of a club, in terms of banning people for life. And that should happen in any instance where ah racial abuse has been identified. But unfortunately, it is part and parcel of society.
00:05:12
Nick Britten
And like all things that are part and parcel of society, they will spill into football because that's always been the way.
00:05:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think you're right. it's It was a very sad moment to see it still happening. is we thought This kind of stuff was in the past, but but there you go. hope they throw
Transfer Talk and Bournemouth's Promise
00:05:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
book in him if indeed they get that person convicted legally. Now,
00:05:33
Nick Britten
ah don't think it yeah i don't think it ah I don't think it ever has been in the past, though. That's the problem. It constantly rears its head. It constantly rears its head. Every season or after every major tournament or after every...
00:05:45
Nick Britten
yeah This just flares up. order This is the third or fourth time already in this season we're talking about racism across the men and the women's game.
00:05:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's just...
00:05:54
Nick Britten
So there are, you know, the Football Association can do what they can do. The Premier League have got to do what they can do. The WSL have got to do what they can do. You've organisations like Kick It Out, which I'm not a fan of, if I'm brutally honest with you. I don't think, they've been around a long time and nothing's really changed.
00:06:10
Nick Britten
I don't think that they do a great deal ah that that really help matters. ah But until things change in society, things aren't going to change in football because that's just the way it is.
00:06:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, that's a big issue. That's a big issue. I'm not sure we've got in our control, but it's sad to see. Sad to see. Now, ah looking at...
00:06:29
Nick Britten
folks if you I mean, we can focus on the football, focus on the footballing element of the of of the game itself. Of course, Liverpool, they won four two great. They've got their their reigning champions. You know, they got their season off to to a good start, but it wasn't all plain sailing.
00:06:47
Nick Britten
They played well, I thought, in the first half. They took a 2-0 lead. and that At that stage, you're thinking, OK, that will probably do, and they'll probably just start turning on the style and what have you. But really, really fair play at Bournemouth. They came back into it. They made it 2-2.
00:07:01
Nick Britten
Very predictably, Liverpool did what they do really well, probably more than any and better than any other Premier League team. They score late goals. They score late, late, late goals. They've done it so often and they scored two very, very late goals.
00:07:14
Nick Britten
But questions again being asked about their defence, as they were the week before when they played Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
00:07:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Susceptible to the counter-attack. that That was certainly some of the...
00:07:22
Nick Britten
They also said, yeah, I think they are.
00:07:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
i mean The other thing I just wanted to raise on this, because it kind of occurred to me when I was watching game, Uge Eketike looks player. He looks sharp, tall rangey striker, tidy with the ball at his feet.
00:07:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thought he had a great debut. Does this affect the Isaac situation, do you think? Do you think they've found someone that makes them think, well, do we go 150 for Isaac? Yeah.
00:07:51
Nick Britten
Yeah, i look, it's very difficult to know. isaac i mean, look, Isaac, and we can talk about Isaac all day because he's put himself and he has put himself in a really, really difficult situation.
00:08:03
Nick Britten
I don't think it will affect Liverpool's desire to get the deal done, but you're right, it might affect the fee they're willing to pay. If I'm, and I'm sure football, you know,
Weekend Match Highlights
00:08:11
Nick Britten
it's very easy to take a moral high ground view on this. But if I'm Liverpool, i thinking, do I want a player who behaves like this?
00:08:16
Nick Britten
Because if he's going to behave like this when he doesn't get his own way at Newcastle, is he going to behave the same way when he doesn't get his own way at Liverpool? So I'm looking at him and I'm thinking, do I want this kind of player in my ranks?
00:08:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Is there a character question over Isaac all of a sudden that's just reduced, if you like, is his and his desirability?
00:08:35
Nick Britten
think has to be.
00:08:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think then there may be.
00:08:36
Nick Britten
Yeah, I think it has to
00:08:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, it's called it into question.
00:08:40
Nick Britten
I think there has to be. And it wouldn't surprise me at all if Liverpool actually now just sit and wait. And they might low ball again. They might low ball Newcastle again. And Newcastle, I think, have behaved really, really well over this.
00:08:51
Nick Britten
I think they've got every right to just say to his, like, no we're not going to sell you to Liverpool or we're not going to sell you for a low bid.
00:08:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:08:58
Nick Britten
we We want value out of you. He's on a contract to Newcastle and they can sell him. If they wish to sell him, they can sell him to whoever they want for whatever money they seem suitable. So he's in a funny situation where he's now, if Liverpool don't come into him and the transfer know time is ticking on the transfer window,
00:09:14
Nick Britten
What's going to happen? he's not going to be left to Essentially, he's not going to be left to rot, let's face it. He's too far valuable a player. And Newcastle, as we're going to talk about this, there is and there has to be.
00:09:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Is there a way back into Newcastle though? Is there a way back into Newcastle?
00:09:27
Nick Britten
And actually, Eddie Howe's already making noises that have been a little bit more conciliatory than some of the language that's been thrown around over last year.
00:09:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just wonder what kind of advice Isaac is getting and whether he's getting good advice or whether he's getting bad advice, because he will be being advised by people.
00:09:41
Nick Britten
Oh, yeah.
00:09:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I just wonder whether they're giving him the right kind of advice. It doesn't look at it from where I'm sitting at the moment.
00:09:46
Nick Britten
yeah
00:09:48
Nick Britten
Well, whilst I was in America, I listened every single day to the GSPN Daily Newcastle podcast. And of course, the situation with Isaac was raised every day, all the time.
00:09:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:59
Nick Britten
It's all anybody's talking about, quite frankly. It's the biggest story in football over the summer, and it's certainly the biggest story in Newcastle. And they were talking about it a lot. And the difficulty Newcastle got is they don't have a replacement themselves.
00:10:10
Nick Britten
They've failed in all their attempts to sign another striker. We've seen today they've gone to Aston Villa, had loads of chances, dominated a lot of the game, can't put the ball in the back of the net.
00:10:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Talk of it.
00:10:19
Nick Britten
So you you kind of if you're already Howell, to be honest with you, do you really want to cut your nose off to spite your face and leave him rotting? Or do you want to try and integrate him back into the team? Because ultimately, that's going to be for the benefit of the team because he's a really good player and they don't have another striker.
00:10:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's going to be story that's going to run and run. We're going to keep you very closely informed on that here at the Daily Premier League podcast.
00:10:39
Nick Britten
Okay.
00:10:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
couple of things before we move on. I'm great that Semenya rebounded. Two great goals. Two great breakaway goals. We've touched on it kind of causing into question Liverpool's ability to... ah to cope with the transition and cope with with teams who are good in the transition.
00:10:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
What do you think Bournemouth take away from this? Obviously, it's a 4-2 defeat. It was ah disappointing, but, you know, they can take a lot away from that, can't they?
00:11:05
Nick Britten
I think they'll take plenty away from it. And you always worry about Bournemouth and Brentford and Brighton and teams like that who kind of punching above their weight year after year after year. Is this going to be the season where all goes wrong?
00:11:17
Nick Britten
I think Bournemouth fans will look at that and go, yeah, that's a really good start for us. This, we lost 4-2. But not many teams are going to go to Anfield and pick up three points or even one point. I think they can take plenty from their performance.
00:11:28
Nick Britten
I thought they looked sharp. I thought they looked good. They looked solid. They've continued to do what they did last year, which is be sharp on the attack, quick to break forward, scored two good goals. I think there are lots of positives to take from that, and and they they should they should do so. And it you look at it and go, yeah, okay, they're still looking decent, Nick.
00:11:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, they lost some key defensive players over over the over the yeah transfer window. They've got £150 million pounds to play with. I thought they did really well yesterday. day i think they yeah they did they look like a team that's searched that's that's still building. So that was a great way to kick us off.
00:12:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah on Friday night. Great game. We're going to talk about the Saturday games coming up, which is literally
Promotions and Sponsorships
00:12:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
just finished. We're recording this at quarter past five on the Saturday. It's literally hot off the press.
00:12:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
But as we know in football, it pays to get your team selection right here at Global Street, Global Sports Podcast Network, which, of course, Daily Premier League podcast is part of. We spent a lot of time selecting our delivery partner, and there was a very clear winner, and that was Zencastr.
00:12:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
because Zencast are make it easy to bring your vision to life and share it with your audience. And with 4K video recording, easy AI editing tools, and the very best distribution tools out there, all in one place. You don't have to move things across lots of platforms.
00:12:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you've got a great story to tell, you want to be telling it with Zencasters. Check the show notes for more details. Right, Nick. So, four games to talk about that just finished. We just kind of touched on one of them there, which was the Villa-Newcastle game.
00:13:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Finished 0-0. Villa seemed very subdued in that game. Yeah.
00:13:12
Nick Britten
They did.
00:13:13
Nick Britten
They did.
00:13:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Newcastle dominated first half, couldn't convert.
00:13:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, what's going on at Villa? they I mean, they were such, it was a fortress last year. And then suddenly, just see it's your that's the first game, but it just seemed very low-key to me.
00:13:24
Nick Britten
They were quite tepid, weren't they? They were quite tepid.
00:13:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
me
00:13:26
Nick Britten
and And I think they can be quite pleased with the nil-nil. Look, is the first game the season. But I think if you're Newcastle, all the spotlight has been in Newcastle in the lead up this game. All of it because of the Alexander-Izak situation.
00:13:37
Nick Britten
So everybody everybody's looking at them going, right well, what are they going to be like? How's it going to affect them? Well, it affected them in a really positive way. A massive credit must go to Eddie Howe and his players on this. Because if you look at the stats coming out out of that game, they've got an XG 1.47 against...
00:13:52
Nick Britten
against Villa's actually 0.13. So they were much, much more threatening.
00:13:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
i mean
00:13:58
Nick Britten
16 shots to Villa's three, although only three were on target. Villa had three. All three of theirs were on target. But in the first half, particularly, Newcastle were much, much, much the better team. Villa, of course, had a man sent off, which affects the way you play.
00:14:10
Nick Britten
I think they were better in the second half, as soon as you then start having a player sent off...
00:14:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, certainly for those 20 minutes to the second half. yeah
00:14:16
Nick Britten
Yeah, particularly, you know, you don't want to play centre for half an hour ago because that's the time you're kind of building into the game. And that can have a really, really negative effect. And I wonder if they just thought, right, OK, for the last 15 minutes, rather than building and going for it, they're thinking, well, do we actually just kind of just sit and take a point? Because it's not a bad point, is it? It's not a bad point for either team, to be brutally honest.
00:14:36
Nick Britten
But, you know, Newcastle with 60% possession at Villa Park, you don't see that very often.
00:14:41
Nick Britten
You don't see that.
00:14:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:14:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
and I mean, part of that will be about the send-off, I guess.
00:14:42
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:14:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
But do you think Newcastle will look at that in the light the season and think, given the circumstances, we really should have walked away with three points?
00:14:52
Nick Britten
you
00:14:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or do you think they will be going back on the coach right now thinking, actually, first game of the season, everything we've been through would settle for that point. We would have taken the point point at after the first minute.
00:15:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll take it now.
00:15:07
Nick Britten
I think a little bit of both, if honest with you. I think a little bit of both.
00:15:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:09
Nick Britten
I think they'll take they'll take the point. They'll be happy with the point. But yeah, absolutely. I think they'll be disappointed because in the first half, particularly, they had chance after chance after chance. And you've got a front three of of Anthony Gordon, of Harvey Barnes and of Anthony Langer.
00:15:22
Nick Britten
None of them are natural goal scorers.
00:15:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:15:25
Nick Britten
And if you put if you put an Isaac in that team or if you put and of what I call a proper number nine, they win that game.
00:15:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:32
Nick Britten
Simple as that.
00:15:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, i think you're right.
00:15:32
Nick Britten
They win that game.
00:15:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think you're right. I think it
00:15:34
Nick Britten
One or two of those chances would have been converted.
00:15:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, i think I think that's probably right. ah Villa look weaker than last year. No, it's the first game. First games of the season are always odd. Things happen in first games that you don't they don't happen again.
00:15:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're maybe going to come to a couple of them later in the programme. But, you know, just on first look at Villa, they don't look the don't look the dominant team they were last year.
00:15:59
Nick Britten
No, I think they've still got a bit of work to do, if I'm brutally honest. they've still got a little bit of work to do. The the the season, you know the or the transfer window, is still open, and I think that the they need to do a bit of business. i mean, a lot of people are talking about outs as much as they are in.
00:16:14
Nick Britten
Olly Watkins, of course, heavily linked with Newcastle United.
00:16:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
right.
00:16:17
Nick Britten
Look, they have brought some players in. this spent so They spent money on Evan Gessand, who's £30 million. pounds Buy-in, they've got Bizo, they've got Oscar. They've brought players in.
00:16:29
Nick Britten
They brought players in, um but they don't quite look like they've gelled yet. And I think they've still got a bit more business to do. I really do.
00:16:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, sounds that that sounds about right. And following on from that, Brighton against Fulham, finished 1-1. Late equaliser by Muniz for Fulham after O'Reilly's penalty, made it 1-0 for Brighton.
00:16:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Interesting game, really even in terms of possession, fifty exactly 50% of both teams. Looked like an even game, felt like an even game. They look like two mid-table teams there who ah you were just,
00:17:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, battering it out. Both probably going to rely on their home form. Fulham have got to be going away from that. they're Delighted with that late equaliser.
00:17:16
Nick Britten
Oh, without a doubt, yeah. And I think it didn't look like it was coming. I've got to say, it did not look like it was coming. 97th minute, or 96th minute, so they're going to 97th.
00:17:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:17:25
Nick Britten
And yeah, I think Brighton will be really, really disappointed. You do not want to concede a goal at that very, very late stage of the game where it looked pretty comfortable that you were going to pick up all three points.
00:17:38
Nick Britten
But again, two teams who did well last season. It felt like a bit of a season opener where nobody's quite up to speed. Everybody's kind of finding their feet. It's not full tilt.
00:17:51
Nick Britten
It just felt like one of those games. And you do see a lot of them at this time of season.
00:17:55
Nick Britten
But, hey.
00:17:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you do.
00:17:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Two teams sparring with each other, really, I thought.
00:17:56
Nick Britten
that's
00:17:59
Nick Britten
yeah
00:18:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
We liked Fulham. Well, we liked both teams last year. yeah We were doing quite a lot of podcasts around the Premier League last year, and we we liked them both. I still like them both. I think they've both clearly got enough to, if not thrive, they've got enough to more than survive. So, well done to Brighton and Fulham for getting their first points of the season. Now, it's very interesting result.
00:18:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is it going to be the result the weekend? Sunderland 3, West Ham 0. ah I think West Ham are very, very vulnerable this year. ah But I wasn't expecting at the Stadium a Light. So what's your take on that one?
00:18:42
Nick Britten
It was no surprise to me whatsoever that Sunderland won. It was no surprise to me. You don't want to be going to a promoted team away from home on the first game of a season. And you particularly don't want to be going to Sunderland because their stadium is ferocious.
00:18:57
Nick Britten
Packed stadium of light, atmosphere absolutely fantastic. And they they really deserve this. West Ham, to me, look, I don't know. i don't They're at risk this year. They're at risk of getting relegated.
00:19:11
Nick Britten
And yeah Graham Potter has not really done anything of of note since he went there. And he's had a close season and ah and a pre-season to work with a team. They haven't really signed anybody to look at and go, yeah, OK, that's really going to improve them.
00:19:28
Nick Britten
when you're when you're looking at signing the likes of Callum Wilson and players like that with the greatest respect to Callum Wilson, that's not the answer.
00:19:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
no
00:19:36
Nick Britten
That's not going to be answer to anybody's goal-scoring problems. So Sunderland have spent a lot of money, and we'll talk about them a bit later on. They're seven new starters today, played in that 11, and three goals in a second half you know pretty much blew West Ham away.
00:19:52
Nick Britten
It didn't surprise me they won the game. I had them down as a home win in my prediction from yesterday. 3-0, yeah, maybe that was a bit of surprise. Maybe that was a bit of surprise, but I think you should set the alarm bells running all over West Ham
00:20:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:20:06
Nick Britten
because this is a really poor start for them on the back of poor campaign.
00:20:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've been clinging on for for so long. I mean, Lepetegui got hammered like last year for for West Ham's start. Potter, since Potter's gone in, he's earned less points per match than Lepetegui.
00:20:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah He's not the answer. He's clearly not the answer ah because he's actually not performing better than the guy that was absolutely slated left, right and centre. Yeah, i they're not great travellers.
00:20:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
West Ham are not great travellers. They're not going to go up to the north-east of England and put on a performance. They're West Ham. It never happens.
00:20:39
Nick Britten
no
00:20:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've got to be reliant on...
00:20:40
Nick Britten
and not great job theyre not They're not great travellers to the east end of London, let alone anywhere else, are they?
00:20:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, they're not. No, they're not. So, ah delighted for Sunderland.
00:20:48
Nick Britten
No.
00:20:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, it's remember, they finished fourth in the Championship last year. No one really expected them to go to this kind of start. So, great for them. I had one of their defenders in my fantasy football team, which, of course, you're a part of my league, Nick.
00:21:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And maybe we should touch on that later in the show.
00:21:06
Nick Britten
no
00:21:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, anyway,
00:21:08
Nick Britten
I don't think we should
00:21:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
set theap Sunderland sunland looked look the real deal. And maybe...
00:21:16
Nick Britten
we should. It's a great list. As a promoted team, you want to win your first home game. is so important.
00:21:24
Nick Britten
It's so in important, particularly if you're being promoted to the Premier League, because... It incredibly hard league. We know that the general trend now is the same three who get promoted from the championship end up getting relegated because it's the the the chasm and the gulf in quality is so stark.
00:21:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank
00:21:39
Nick Britten
the the The thing that promoted teams have got for them the most is that they come up on a wave of excitement, on a wave of form, on a wave. got all that momentum behind them.
00:21:50
Nick Britten
And if you can get off to a good start and get points in the bag earlier on, When the going gets tough, and it will get tough, you've at least got some insurance in there. If as a promoted team into the Premier League, you get off to a bad start, you can literally kiss the season goodbye by November.
00:22:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I think you're right about that.
00:22:06
Nick Britten
And we've seen it so well.
00:22:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
In fact, after the next outbreak, I want to sit you down and get your predictions for who's going to finish 18th, 19th and 20th. We'll come to the bottom three. But before we get to that, Spurs.
00:22:20
Nick Britten
Great start.
00:22:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Winry. What a start. Where was the Spurs last year? mean, fantastic. Who's this new sign in Richarleston they've banging them in, getting the brace?
00:22:29
Nick Britten
Well, four goals all forone hall of last season.
00:22:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, Yeah.
00:22:33
Nick Britten
Two today.
00:22:34
Nick Britten
And one of them, by the way, all of the season campaign is is is a contender for goal season. It is superb.
00:22:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
I haven't seen it.
00:22:39
Nick Britten
You've got to watch it.
00:22:40
Nick Britten
Oh, it's brilliant.
00:22:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
I haven't seen it yet.
00:22:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm looking forward to seeing it. but Thomas Frank will be wondering what all the fuss has been about.
00:22:42
Nick Britten
Yeah. Yeah.
00:22:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, it's it's great for us. Now, was that because Spurs were great? Or is that because Burnley are actually nowhere near good enough for Premier League?
00:22:54
Nick Britten
Well, Birdie, I don't think will be any good enough for the Premier League. and we're going to come on to that in a little bit. Spurs, look, Thomas Frank's a really good manager. I think he's a great fit for Tottenham, by the way.
00:23:06
Nick Britten
I think it was a really smart move to bring him in.
00:23:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm.
00:23:09
Nick Britten
He will do very, very well there. And let's face it if you can get any kind of tune out of Charleston, that's a big bonus on day one.
00:23:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:16
Nick Britten
So I think Spurs will play a lot better on him.
00:23:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's a real confidence player as well because he's going to see Richarlison who's going to score six in the next six games, you know.
00:23:25
Nick Britten
Very much so. Very much so. And I think Tottenham, what Tottenham need, they were so fractured under Ange Poskas-Cogli last year. And I know they obviously won the Europa League, but great and well done you know well done to them for doing that. But the league form was so horrendous.
00:23:40
Nick Britten
And, you know, we've done the autopsy on that many, many, many times. Thomas Frank, I think, will do a much better job. Now, it might take two or three transfer windows to do that better job, but he'll do a much better job. So i think he's a much better manager and he's proven himself at Brentford.
00:23:56
Nick Britten
He'll get the players playing. He'll fill them with confidence. And today's a great way to kick off the season. Great way to kick off the season.
00:24:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, when you finish the last season,
00:24:05
Nick Britten
Three win. Three-nil win. Fantastic.
00:24:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's great. And when you finish last season in 17th, the only way is up, kind of, is for Spurs. And that's a great a great start to their season. Now, Global Sports Podcast Network is partnered with Bionique.
00:24:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
the world's most personalized supplements because your body is unique. And because without knowing exactly what your body needs, taking off-the-shelf supplements means you're probably not getting enough of what you need. You're probably getting too much of what you don't. So Bionique provide 100% tailor-made supplements designed to deliver precisely what your body needs at exactly the right level. So there's no guessing involved.
00:24:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Click on the show notes for more details. You can
Relegation Predictions
00:24:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
use the code GSPN2025 for 40% off your first order. i bet Nick's body's feeling pretty unique at the moment after all his flights and driving you've been doing the last 12 hours.
00:24:58
Nick Britten
It will need a little bit of sleep is what it needs. And then it will be fine.
00:25:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. OK. Got to wrap this one up by asking you for your predictions for the bottom three. You go first. I'll go second. Well, 18th, 19th and 20th in that order, please, Nick. And why? Off you go.
00:25:17
Nick Britten
Well, can we start the other way around? Can we do twentieth first? Because I think we're both going to agree.
00:25:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, you can.
00:25:19
Nick Britten
Nobody and nobody on the planet is going to disagree with anything that we're both about to say. I don't know what your bottom three are, but if you don't have Burnley at the bottom of the table, I'm going ask you some serious questions because they're the weakest team.
00:25:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
one
00:25:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've got forest. got forest.
00:25:31
Nick Britten
Well, that's because you're not a rugby fan, isn't it?
00:25:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
No. a I've got Burnley.
00:25:35
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:25:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've got Burnley.
00:25:36
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:25:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I take it you've got Burnley. Yeah.
00:25:38
Nick Britten
I've got Burnley at the bottom of the table because they haven't really recruited that well over the summer. The the loss of James Stafford, their inspirational goalkeeper last year, is huge.
00:25:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely massive issue. Yeah.
00:25:50
Nick Britten
They'll be very, very keenly felt. They got they got promoted from the Championship last season on the back of clean sheet after clean sheet after clean sheet. It wasn't that they were an amazing side. They just didn't let any goals in.
00:25:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
No. Yeah.
00:26:01
Nick Britten
Their goalkeeper was brilliant, James Trafford. He's gone off to Man City. And Scott Parker signed 13 players. But some of them were on loan last year, so the championships are level players.
00:26:14
Nick Britten
ah Nothing about it fills me with confidence. Signing Kyle Walker is not in the Premier League really the answer to anything. So, yeah, and look at today, you know, they've been blown away at Tottenham on the opening day the season.
00:26:28
Nick Britten
I think, I just think they'll back down. I just don't think, I don't think they've got anything to add
Impact of Quick Relegation
00:26:33
Nick Britten
to the Premier League whatsoever. So Burnley finish our bottom of the league for me.
00:26:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, I agree with that.
00:26:37
Nick Britten
What about you?
00:26:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've got him 20th. I love Scott Parker as a fella. I love him as a as as a player and as a manager, but I just think he's going to be two up against it.
00:26:44
Nick Britten
mean
00:26:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
So he's finishing nineteen
00:26:49
Nick Britten
Right. I'm going to go, and this may be 18th and maybe 19th. I don't know. ah I'm going to go for Brentford. I think their five-year stint in Premier League is about to come to an end. It's been a great season. They've had great time. But they have had a summer where they have had the heart ripped out of them.
00:27:06
Nick Britten
They've lost their key players. and Christian Norsgaard, who's gone to Arsenal. Brian Mbwemo, who's gone to Manchester United. ah Mark Flecken, the goalkeeper, Bayer Leverkusen. Very much still looks like Johan Wisser is going to go to Newcastle United.
00:27:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, which is which is not and not playing, is he the moment?
00:27:19
Nick Britten
So, yes and no, he's not even he's not even he's not involved. He's doing an Isaac, essentially. Him and Isaac could kind of compare those.
00:27:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:27
Nick Britten
One out of Newcastle, one in. You take out Wisser and Mbwemo. They're two of the three key key strikers, where the goal's going to come from. But the biggest loss for Brentford, the
00:27:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Frank came from Brentford, didn't he, to Spurs? Frank...
00:27:39
Nick Britten
Well, that's what I'm just about to move on to. The biggest loss is going to be Thomas Frank, the manager, who was absolutely inspirational for Brentford.
00:27:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I agree.
00:27:47
Nick Britten
He was the guy who just sort drove it and drove it and drove it. So, so important to them. And not only have they lost him because he's gone to Tottenham, as we've just been talking about, but they've they've taken an enormous gamble in appointing Keith Andrews as the Brentford manager.
00:28:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:03
Nick Britten
Now, I appreciate what they're trying to do, and I think it's a very noble thing act, but he's because he's he's been there, it's continuity, and he deserves his chance, but he's never managed in the Premier League. So you're asking a rookie boss to manage a team in the Premier League who's essentially heart and soul has been ripped out of it.
00:28:24
Nick Britten
And i can see that I can see that being the end for Brentford this year. So I've got them in position number 19. Yeah.
00:28:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very interesting. 19th, I've got West Ham. I think West Ham are really going to in for a very significant struggle this year. I don't really believe in Potter. I don't really believe in any of the players there. Bowen accepted.
00:28:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah And so I think they're going struggle. So who's who's finishing 18th?
00:28:50
Nick Britten
Well, I've got it i've got West Ham in my list of teams on my watch list, and I can't quite work out. I think Sunderland will be all right, you know. I think they'll be okay.
00:29:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, I think so.
00:29:00
Nick Britten
They've spent £177 million, pounds and they've started spent it quite well. They've raised a lot of money in, so they're okay on things like PSR, selling Joe Belliman, Toby Watson, places like that. And they've got a really, really good manager.
00:29:14
Nick Britten
who took a young team and nobody expected him to get promoted last year, but he took a young team and I saw him a couple of times last year.
00:29:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:29:20
Nick Britten
really, really impressed. I think they'll be okay because they'll have the backing of a vociferous stadium-like crowd. It'll be a very hard place to go to, I think. And so so i think they'll be right. then Then you're looking at Leeds.
00:29:33
Nick Britten
And I think Leeds are very much in the danger zone as well because they haven't really recruited that much over the summer, particularly...
00:29:44
Nick Britten
And Daniel Farker, their manager's record in the PL, is absolutely dreadful.
00:29:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's dreadful. He's dreadful.
00:29:49
Nick Britten
i wouldn't trust him. I wouldn't trust him to manage successfully in the Premier League because all the data and stats will tell you that he's not been able to so far. So ah ah to me, it's a kind of toss-up between Leeds and West Ham and maybe with Wolves hovering around the edge as well because I was really surprised that when Pereira took over last year, they didn't kind of shoot up the table because I thought they would do.
00:30:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think Pereira's good enough.
00:30:10
Nick Britten
They've lost it.
00:30:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think Pereira's good enough for Wolves.
00:30:12
Nick Britten
I think he's lost a couple of really important players to the most power, and I think that's going to impact them.
00:30:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he'll keep them up. Yeah.
00:30:18
Nick Britten
I think that'll be okay.
00:30:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
so So I've got a gun to your head, Nick.
00:30:18
Nick Britten
so
00:30:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who's going to finish 18th?
00:30:22
Nick Britten
I'm going to go United. Yep.
00:30:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
So you've got Leeds, Brentford, Burnley. ah
00:30:28
Nick Britten
ye
00:30:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm not far off. i've got to I've got Leeds, West Ham, Burnley. So, you know, that's, I think you're right about ah Daniel Farger.
00:30:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't believe in him as a Premier League manager. I just don't think he's got he's got enough. Leeds were the best team in the Championship last year, no doubt about that, but I don't think they're best of the three going up at this point in time.
00:30:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah So, um yep, my three are Leeds, 18th, West Ham, 19th, Burnley, 20th.
00:30:55
Nick Britten
It
00:31:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're all pretty much on the same page. And I should say, our listeners, we got this absolutely bang on when we did it this time last year with the three going down. Now, it wasn't that difficult, but we still got it right.
00:31:10
Nick Britten
wasn't hard.
00:31:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's still, it is possible to get it wrong still, but we didn't, we got it right.
00:31:14
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:31:16
Nick Britten
Yeah. i think ah yeah i think this year I think this year we will we will break the mould of the same three getting promoted to the Championship being relegated.
00:31:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that is it.
00:31:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:31:25
Nick Britten
And it's about time it did because that's a very, very dangerous precedent set.
00:31:29
Nick Britten
It's really dangerous if we're just going to see a continual revolving door of three up, same three down, three up, same three down. That's no good for anybody.
00:31:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:31:36
Nick Britten
It's not good for Premier League. It's not good for the club. And it's not good for the Championship, by the way, because what we're seeing in the Championship is teams just becoming so rich by having one or two seasons in the Premier League. that they can out-finance everybody else. So the Championship then starts becoming a little bit bit like the Premier League, where you've got a cohort of teams at the top who have been up and down, up and down, who who can just outbid everybody for all the decent players.
00:31:58
Nick Britten
So it starts then becoming uncompetitive the same way as the Premier League is.
00:31:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:32:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's very good point. Very good point indeed. So, well, that brings this very interesting episode of the Daily Premier League podcast to a conclusion. Thank you for listening.
00:32:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
I hope you make it. I hope you make tuning in every day to the hear the very latest news and views and analysis from the best club league in the world. Hope you
Conclusion and Future Episodes
00:32:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
are enjoying this so far. We've been doing it a week now. We're going to be doing it every single day.
00:32:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
for the rest of the season.
00:32:30
Nick Britten
I'm not a good time.
00:32:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah So make sure you subscribe ah so the Daily Premier League podcast is delivered straight to your device and leave us a rating. Please let us know your thoughts as well. And you can reach us ahs dedie pingly podcast at at gmail.com.
00:32:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
So just leaves me now to say thanks, Nick.
00:32:47
Nick Britten
um
00:32:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Appreciate you doing this, ah particularly because I imagine you are absolutely riddled with jet lag. ah ah Really enjoyed doing this.
00:32:57
Nick Britten
um ah time
00:32:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
We must do it again plenty of times in the course of next next few weeks.
00:32:59
Nick Britten
ah speaker
00:33:03
Nick Britten
Yep, I'm on next week. I'll be on the middle of next week. I think I'm doing the Daily Premier League. Of course, we've got the Road to World Cup 26 podcast as well ah to to record this week's episode.
00:33:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, looking forward to doing that.
00:33:13
Nick Britten
We've got to do that. So, all good. Delighted to be back.
00:33:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Fantastic. Thanks, Nick. Thanks, everyone, for listening. Hope your team won today. Hope you had better day than Derby and Wrexham.
00:33:22
Nick Britten
you, Tom.
00:33:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we'll catch you again tomorrow.