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NFL Free Agency Round-Up | NBA Five Year Championship Draft | Man United’s Future & Dominic Solanke’s Form
21 Plays1 month ago
In this week’s episode of Who’s Got The Ball? the lads give a round-up of NFL free agency, before drafting a championship winning NBA team for the next five years with guest Michael. To finish, the lads discuss Man United’s issues, where their future lies and discuss why Dominic Solanke isn’t the right fit for Spurs.
Gan Seans continues with the score at 16-8 to Shane & there is an update on the WGTB Multi-Sport Power Rankings.
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Transcript
Introduction & Episode Welcome
Chaotic Boxing Match: Kilkenny vs. Tipperary
00:00:09
Speaker
Well lads, welcome to another episode of Who's Got the Ball. We're on episode nine now. So back again, myself and Shane. How are you? How's things? Good. Playing it yourself.
00:00:21
Speaker
Good man. Not too bad. Any crap from the last week? ah No, very quiet. Just had to watch the boxing match that turned into hurling match at the weekend between Kilkenny and Tipperary where there was...
00:00:34
Speaker
four right cards in 10 minutes of them to me was absolutely wild both other that's just being kind of keep myself quiet just head down yeah it was uh yeah it was absolute madness utter carnage um but yeah man i don't know just uh usual stuff with the sport is a bit disappointing that ireland lost on the weekend so let's let's steer clear of that one let's stay away from that but uh Obviously we're recording this on Wednesday this week, so
Humorous Champions League Cancellation
00:01:02
Speaker
last night... There was no Champions League last night. There was no Champions League last night. The Champions League was cancelled.
00:01:08
Speaker
Didn't happen, don't know what you're talking about. Donnar Roma with those long arms. but so Let's move on. In fairness, though would i'll just I will say one thing. that It was but some game of football. It really was between two really, really good sides and they they did deserve to go through over the two legs in fairness. Liverpool didn't do enough to...
00:01:28
Speaker
yeah to earn their chance to go through like don't only scoring one goal in a smashing grab and then not taking their chances at home yeah roma he's done it before he has he has previous for winning penalty shootouts a big time so he did it for Italy as England in the Ours yeah I just I'll never for as long as I live I will never understand penalty taken order how Darwin and Curtis Jones were up second and third over yeah it's It's the only thing that it's bothered.
PSG vs. Liverpool Analysis
00:01:56
Speaker
It's still bothered me since yesterday. It's the only thing that bothers me. I can get over the result. I can get over losing. and We deserve to lose, but I can't understand the choice of penalty takers, I suppose.
00:02:05
Speaker
Yeah, I thought Gachael and Van Dyke are better to go sooner. um But... Yeah, that's the way it goes, I suppose. I think over the two legs, PSG were probably... They shaded it, especially given their dominant first leg. So look, it was two quality games though over both legs. God, just unbelievable to watch. So that's all you really want as a neutral. exactly. And Donnarumma was like...
00:02:32
Speaker
Liverpool didn't really test him with shots, but every cross, every corner went into the box. His punch was going outside the box nearly every single time. His punching was unbelievable. He absolutely loves a punch as they catch him, and you can see why everything he just goes miles out. He was...
00:02:47
Speaker
Yeah, himself and Pat Shaw was unbelievable at all it us to centre half. um Yeah, he was so good and Nuno Mendes over the two legs was unreal.
00:02:58
Speaker
um But yeah, that's it, man. That's the recent couple of days of sport and some things that happened. but
NFL Quarterback Decisions & Trades
00:03:05
Speaker
We'll get straight into it. um So we're going to touch on the NFL first. We're not going to spend too long on this because we have a little bit of a guest next week to go through the quarterback kind of carousel.
00:03:16
Speaker
We don't know yet. When this comes out, maybe we'll know what's going on with Aaron Rodgers. I think there's supposed to be a decision later today, and but who knows? So we're not going to go into the quarterback side of things until we have all the info.
00:03:28
Speaker
um So... I've just made notes of some of the big deals that I thought kind of stood out to me. Feel free to stop me at any time or if you want to let me know at the end which ones you thought, how i of these are, any others. So I thought big deals looking at Edrush or Josh Sweat going to the Cardinals from fresh off a Super Bowl ring with the Eagles, four years, 76.4 million.
00:03:51
Speaker
That was a pretty big one. Buffalo Bills re-signing Josh Allen. Just before free agency started, six years, 330 million in total.
00:04:02
Speaker
Absolutely outrageous. I like what they did in general, kind of re-signing some of their big guys with Greg Rousseau getting a four-year 80 million, Shakir, four-year 60 million, Terrell Bernard, four-year 50 million. like I really like that, paying the guys that you've got there.
00:04:16
Speaker
So that was good today. i think they just picked up Joey Bosa as well for a year. That's the one. but was but That was top of my list there. He'd been outraged for the Chargers over the last couple of years. He's absolutely brilliant.
00:04:28
Speaker
And it feels like a bit of a steal to me, to be honest, at 12.8 million for the year for one year deal. Like it's not like you'd expect him to, his deal should be starting with a two, I think. Not like there should be 20-ish. It's one-year deal as well. Yeah, one-year deal. I would think it would be better.
00:04:46
Speaker
So I think so that's a great pick up for him. You'd think like long term, okay, they're thinking he's older, whatever, we can't give him too much, but one year deal. He's 29, I think. like He's not even that old. But for an edge rusher, you know, like if they gave him a four or five year deal, you would be expecting it to tail off at the end. But for only one year...
00:05:04
Speaker
You'd think it would be more, you're right, than 12 million, yeah? Yeah. Panthers paid JC Horn four years, 100
NFL Roster Improvements & Signings
00:05:11
Speaker
million at quarterback. He's an absolute lockdown defender.
00:05:14
Speaker
And they needed to improve their defense and stick him with one of the best guys they have as well. um I think I really like that. He's going to be one of the number one cornerbacks in the league in a couple of years. Bears made a couple of trades, signed...
00:05:29
Speaker
Drew Dahlman as their center, two new offensive linemen, including Joe Tooney, who's got four Super Bowl rings, I think. Two with the Pats, two with the Chiefs. So they're really trying to protect and Caleb Williams, which I think is the right move.
00:05:42
Speaker
We've got Myles Garrett getting retained by the Browns. Four years, 160 million. He said he wanted to move away. He just wanted money. That's the crack with him. Don't know what the Browns are doing, to be honest.
00:05:54
Speaker
They're just like having to pay the rest of their roster pennies now because of what they've done with Garrett and already Deshaun Watson. Then the Cowboys still refuse to get a running back.
00:06:05
Speaker
Javante Williams, one year, three million after his knee just exploded like a year ago. So absolutely ridiculous. The Colts getting some improvements on their secondary. So they signed Traverius Ward.
00:06:18
Speaker
and That was a great pickup, three years, 60 million to play cornerback. And then Cam Bynum, four years, 60 million for safety. So that was a good... A good bit of business there for the Colts who need some improvements on defense. um Raiders, Max k Crosby, extension, 106.5 million over three years. What you make of that one? I think he's worth it. I think he's ah he's unbelievable. he's just he's He's another lockdown. Anytime you see him running at someone you know, he's getting there.
00:06:45
Speaker
i I thought he would move on from the Raiders this time. mike I think he deserves to go to a team that is going to challenge for a Super Bowl. And yeah he he'd he'd be a difference maker for any team in the league. So Raiders getting him for just over 100 million in for another three years. And and I think it's good business, to be honest, i really do.
00:07:03
Speaker
Yeah, no, I think you're right. It is good business. Keep your guy there as well. And whatever they did to convince him was obviously a good job because, you know, they're not a winning team right now. So, and he wants to win.
00:07:14
Speaker
Then Chargers get Khalil Mack back a year, 18 million. So Joey Bosa out the door. They go back for Khalil Mack, the return of the Mack. I apologize. The Rams signed Devontae Adams for two years, 46 million.
00:07:30
Speaker
A lot of money for that guy once again. always getting paid um but i like that one to add to the puka nakua um he's got uh they've got their their wide receiver core completely locked in now um one diadolx agent is absolutely unbelievable yeah it's it's unbelievable every single time every single time he gets him paid it's really really impressive Yeah, you're right.
00:07:56
Speaker
So that's one of the big wide receivers off the market. There wasn't meant too many big ones this time around. We've got a huge deal for the Vikings getting Will Friesen offensive guard five years, 88 million. He was the big the big guard, the first one to fall.
00:08:11
Speaker
I think the Giants were looking at him, but they couldn't stomach that kind of money. And they also got Jonathan Allen in three years, 60 million. So that was a big one from when the commanders released him.
00:08:22
Speaker
The Patriots are throwing money around because they've got the biggest cap space. They've gone mad, paid Milton Williams. Four years, 104 million. We've got Harold Landry, Carlton Davis, Robert Spillane, Morgan Moses that you took from the Jets. you apparently say You can enjoy him, to be honest, because he's from the O-line, which was stinking. Yeah, it just...
00:08:47
Speaker
Yeah, they're gone crazy. What do think all that money? They're taking Holland as well. think Matt Holland was mad move. They're throwing money at us, trying to make things better and bringing in Matt Collins then to be a wide receiver. It doesn't make sense to me. I know he's decent, but he was decent because Josh Allen knew exactly what they taught him.
00:09:04
Speaker
You're counting on quarterbacks. Who's the quarterback for the Patriots again? Drake May. Yeah, some difference coming from Josh Allen to Drake May now and expecting him to still catch all the balls you want.
00:09:15
Speaker
and I think a big one, I don't know mentioned yet, but Debo Samuel going to the commanders. I think that's a big move as well. I think that's good for, and I think it's good for him. I think it's good british commanders. And I think they're a good outside chance. I think I said it last week. I think they're a good outside chance of getting their Super Bowl here now.
00:09:33
Speaker
Yeah, they also traded for Laramie Tunsil, which, look, they gave up a lot for a guy who's renowned for being an excellent blocker, a good left tackle, but he was shocking last season. Not shocking, but not up to his standard.
00:09:47
Speaker
um And he gave away so many penalties, so not sure about how much they gave up for him. if the Texans wanted to move him on realistically, you know, why should you give so much up for him? Yeah. um I'm also not sure about re-signing Bobby Wagner and Zach Ertz there for the commanders.
00:10:02
Speaker
I know that they did well for them last year, but the contract they've given them and they're a little bit aging, yeah um you know, it's, Yeah, I think it's good, but could also end up coming back to bite them. It's more the Zach Gertz one than Bobby Wagner for me. I think Bobby Wagner is really still a really good player, but Zach Gertz, he's been falling kind of year on year, and he had a bit of a resurgence last year. both he's So he's not the man you need as you're starting to tie down Rudy.
00:10:28
Speaker
Yeah, I think he yeah he was very good last year, but like he is getting older. Yeah, to give him, I don't know, it takes they should be moving, I think, forward with younger players yeah in some key positions right now, um trying to build rather than, I don't think they need to go all in and say win now because we've seen that doesn't work a lot of times, even if you do have a young quarterback. They should build it around him and try and aim to win in the next two or three years rather than straight away, but that's just my opinion.
00:10:56
Speaker
Then couple of other teams, the Giants made some moves. They filled some roster spots. Some of the guys really aren't household names that they signed, but I liked what they did because they filled a lot of spots in their roster that they needed to.
00:11:08
Speaker
and Darius Slayton getting re-signed was a big shock to me. So I like the fact that they've paid one of their guys. Got the Eagles giving Zach Bond a three-year, 50 million contract. Saquon Barkley getting a two-year, 41 million extension. Those are two big contracts, Super Bowl winners.
00:11:25
Speaker
Super Bowl gets you paid. As we mentioned, they lost some guys. Milton Williams, CJ Gardner-Johnson got traded away. Yeah, just a good few guys gone now.
00:11:36
Speaker
um But look, those are the moves that they've made that stood out to me. Got DK Metcalf getting traded to the Steelers. What do you think of this one? I and I'm confused by it from both sides.
00:11:49
Speaker
um I don't know why the Seahawks were so mad to get rid of him when he is still like he still produces every single season. I don't know why they were so mad to get rid of him when they like they don't really have much behind it and they're getting rid of. He did request a trade. So, OK.
00:12:03
Speaker
And then from the other side, the Steelers are giving him one hell of an amount of money. Like they're they really are going all in on him before they've even kind of sorted out their quarterback. You don't know who the quarterback is going to be. That's the thing. That's the thing.
00:12:16
Speaker
It's it's something very, very strange. And they already got George Pickens there. That's like two diva wide receivers. yeah i don't know when you don't have a quarterback and you just have these i don't know what yeah i really don't know i don't know about
NBA Draft: Building Championship Teams
00:12:29
Speaker
that move at all to be honest there's a thing that rapper benita said once and it was it's like they're building the plane while they're flying us yeah like they've no idea what they're doing kind of out around it so like the main one is quarterback you no idea who the quarterback is the quarterback might be able to throw deep into pickings and metcalf like you know it might be to get a rookie and they're living on
00:12:49
Speaker
the edge of their nerves then for the season and so it's a really really strange one to give him so much money and Yeah, if Rodgers turns them down, they might end up having to go back to Wilson as well, which would be ideal in that situation. So, yeah, I'm sure we'll touch on that one more throughout the offseason.
00:13:04
Speaker
Yeah, strange one and in general in terms of the Metcalf trade. But Chris Godwin getting a three-year 66 million extension from the books or a re-signing.
00:13:16
Speaker
That was really good. I like that they did that. um And they've also paid your man. Your guy, Hassan Redick, who did not want to play for the Jets, got one year 14 million. Yeah, that's a lot of money for him, for somebody who set out for half a season last year. But Joe Oste, another one you can enjoy him. I know he's brilliant, but he quite clearly had no interest in being in New York from day one, really.
00:13:37
Speaker
There's two there... Yeah, there's two that kind of stood out to me. One of them is one that hasn't gone yet in Cooper Cup. Like, I can't believe he hasn't been snapped up by someone yet. And I know we mentioned it when we were talking about the Rams about how did the first week of March that they had to pay him two and a half million or something like that.
00:13:55
Speaker
So I wonder if we'll see that drop after that. And i think a big one is Hopkins going to Baltimore. Oh, yeah. Yeah. and but I think that's a good move for both of them. Yeah, I see people joking about the fact that Baltimore is a bit of a death zone for wide receivers, but I don't think so with the way Jackson has been thrown recently.
00:14:17
Speaker
And he's not going to be expected to be number one because you' got Zay Flowers coming back. So I agree with you. I like that. And I think with the cup situation, I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that they were holding out for a trade partner, but everybody knows that they're going to cut him.
00:14:32
Speaker
So okay they just need to wait basically for him to be cut for them to then somebody decide. But I don't know what the date on that is, but I think that's the hold up on that end. um So yeah, let's...
00:14:44
Speaker
Let's so leave it there. I think we touched on all the big deals. We don't want to go ah too much because we're going to talk about the quarterbacks next week. Obviously, and we've got something nice coming up for you right now. so that's goingnna That's going to take up a nice bit of time because we're going to have fun with it. so Let's jump into that.
00:15:00
Speaker
Okay, lads. Michael is back on with us again for another episode. You joined me before when I was all on my lonesome. We had a great chat so to get the man back on again this week.
00:15:11
Speaker
Something a bit fun for you. We're going to do um an nba draft for a team to win a championship for the next five years so we're going to pick from the pool of players in the league right now um or if you want to go outside of that that's up to you um but like basically someone who's going to win for you now but also in the next four years so uh that's kind of the idea of it um michael thanks again for joining us how are you man Thanks for having me on. i'm I'm excited. feeling a lot more relaxed this time. So hopefully, you know, I'll be able to school you guys with a bit of basketball on knowledge. Oh, here we go.
00:15:47
Speaker
That's fight and talk. Straight in. He doesn't even know the draft order and he's straight in with the nonsense. Shane, give us the order there. You're the spinning wheel man. Unfortunately for everyone else, James has gotten the first pick.
00:16:01
Speaker
Michael is going to be second and I'm the third pick. yeah we do We'll do it snake style so when you're third you can go first in the next round. First pick obviously is like yeah, that's perfect.
00:16:17
Speaker
so We're picking um an eight man rotation so obviously we need a starting line up and Effective players off the bench can't just pick like five guards. So I'm going to have to pick an actual team here. So I'm going first.
00:16:30
Speaker
I don't think there's any point to beat around it. Obviously, I'm going to pick Wemby because this is from next year on. I know he's injured now, but yeah, he's the most obvious choice. 21 years of age, an absolute freak of nature. So he's my starting center. So he's first off the board. Michael? Michael?
00:16:49
Speaker
ah I'm going to do something controversial for Nico Harris, which is believe in Luka for the next four years. yeah Pick him. um cut Maybe a little bit controversial.
00:17:02
Speaker
You know, some people might say Jokic, but I don't know. I think Luka is Luka, man. i I don't like really feel like I need to explain that.
00:17:14
Speaker
No, go pick. Shane? I'm happy you picked Luka because I am going to take Luka. I'm going to take Jokic at three, thankfully. How old is this fella, Luka? He's 30, so in the next five years, he still has plenty in him to give me championship in the next five years. He's not. He has five years in him at least. If he wins one more ring, he's hanging the boots up, Luka. If his horse wins one more ring, he's hanging up the boots, bro. He's the best player in the NBA. There was no way I could leave him there if he fell to me, so I had to take him. He's going to be starting centre.
00:17:43
Speaker
ah So for my second pick, I'm going to take Anthony Edwards to be my shooting guard. 27, 6 and 5 on 44% for the season. He's only 23 years old. He's going to keep getting better. So himself and Jokic are a good, solid foundation to go from there.
00:18:02
Speaker
No, I like that. I like that start. good ah Honestly, and was probably going to be my next pick, which again might be controversial, but ah I'm going to go with, you got pair someone up with Luca as fast as you can.
00:18:19
Speaker
So I'm just going to go with Giannis. He's 30. But I think if you're talking about the next four years, he's got at least three. He might start falling off on the fourth, but he's got at least three.
00:18:33
Speaker
And he's going to go up there and grab whatever Luka throws up. We're going to look at about 10 alley-oops every single game. No, like that. Yeah, it's going to be a connection as well.
00:18:46
Speaker
Okay, that's interesting. I've actually ended up with my number one and two on my draft board now. So my second pick is SGA. How are you not picking him? He's 26 years of age. like that's another like I have ah had Luke at three, Ant as four, and SGA was two for me. So I've got my one and two settled, absolutely sorted.
00:19:10
Speaker
Now I have to play a little bit what I want to do here.
00:19:15
Speaker
looking at my board. Do I want to go? What do I want to do? Okay, after that, I'm going to go with Paolo. Paolo Bancaro, 22 years of age. but but my Got one of my starting forwards. So now I'm locked in with center, guard and forward.
00:19:30
Speaker
So what have you got for us, Michael? Oh my God. He was exactly who I wanted next. I was thinking about SGA as well, but I think...
00:19:43
Speaker
I think if I went SGA and you go Giannis there, there's a big step down. Who am I picking? Derek Lively? like I need it to be with Luka right there.
00:19:55
Speaker
got someone up.
00:20:00
Speaker
Third pick. Who thinking? I've frozen now. I was so locked in on Paolo Banqueiro, but...
00:20:11
Speaker
We'll go with the ultimate do it everything. Do everything on the court. We're going Jason Tatum. He's 27. He does everything on the court. He passes. He rebounds. He plays defense. He shoots.
00:20:24
Speaker
He'll take it to the rim. What more can I ask next to Luka and Giannis? Yeah, I like that. Yeah, I don't like that because he was in bullet writing here for me to take in my third spot.
00:20:37
Speaker
um Oh, yeah. I'm going to take Jaron Jackson Jr. Yeah, that's exactly what I was saying there. Yeah, he's 23, 6 and 2 and 50%. He just, every time you watch him, he passes the eye test.
00:20:51
Speaker
He's just, he's an absolute quality and he is, he is he's my third choice. In my four, this is where it gets interesting. So I have my power forward, i have a center, I have point guard, so need a shooting guard and a
00:21:10
Speaker
could almost go with two more guards if you wanted because you have Jackson and you wouldn't have to go for a big forward. like No, that's very true. I'm going to take Darius Garland. 21-3-7 on this evening.
00:21:25
Speaker
He's a da solid player. Another one that kind of, every time you watch him, he's he's doing all the right things. So take him at four and see where we go after when he ruined my life again.
00:21:39
Speaker
Here we go, Michael. Oh. whom am I picking up here? Okay.
00:21:48
Speaker
I've immediately just forgotten who you just grabbed again. Jaren Jackson Jr. Jaren Jackson Jr. Okay. okay Okay. Okay.
00:22:00
Speaker
Over the next four years, you know what? We'll go little bit of little bit of Jalen Williams. a Loving Jays.
00:22:13
Speaker
Bro, here's my next Jalen Williams. You know, we got one, two, three. We got five. Almost everybody, three of them can shoot at elite level. Jalen Williams can put the ball on the floor, do whatever I need him to do.
00:22:27
Speaker
This is... You guys let me... girl That was a perfect pick because I had him next. He was next for me. I wanted him alongside SGA. So let's move on then to my next pick then I suppose is I'll just go to the next guy up who is my next option after Williams to be starting forward is ah Franz Wagner.
00:22:49
Speaker
So he's going in at... My fourth pick, so I've got him starting next to Paolo. A couple of Magic players alongside each other got that connection.
00:23:01
Speaker
Next selection is a big one because could go with another big man. But then ah want somebody who's able to handle the ball.
00:23:15
Speaker
am I going to do? here Yeah, okay. now i'm gonna do me I'm going to get myself a facilitator. I'm going to get the ultimate facilitator right now and I'm going to plug in Tyrese Halliburton into this lineup.
00:23:26
Speaker
So that's my next pick. 25 years of age. 25 years of age, man. Quality passer. He is quality.
00:23:38
Speaker
he's quality like um and he he's going to be he's ah is the He's the guy I need right now because I could go with another strong forward. I don't know. It's between him and somebody else for me right now, but I think he's a better facilitator and I have scores already, so let's go with him.
00:23:56
Speaker
ah um I'm going to plug in another defensive minded player. ah He averages 1.3 steals a game on top of 55% from the field when he's shooting.
00:24:09
Speaker
I also get to pick a player from the Rockets, which is great for me. I'm going to take Eamon Thompson to be my starting point, Gareth. What a player. Honestly, what a player. What a player. We skipped Michael there, no?
00:24:24
Speaker
Michael, you're next. think we did. i kind of got confused there. Take A-Man Thompson, A-Man Thompson. ah
00:24:34
Speaker
oh I gotta think. I gotta think. I gotta to think right now. Even if I didn't want I'd just take him right now. But that's just me.
00:24:47
Speaker
Why does A-Man Thompson? Oh, he's tiny. He's only like five eleven I think. Yeah. yeah I think he's 6'9", 6'9". I'd say he's 6'6", or 6'7". 2 meters tall!
00:25:01
Speaker
Damn! He is small, yeah.
00:25:06
Speaker
Oh my god, you just... now
00:25:13
Speaker
um'm I'm frozen, I'm frozen because you just said him out loud. i don't think I was going to pick him. But... You kinda need a guard.
00:25:25
Speaker
You know what? me You can have Eamon Thompson. I think we're going to have a super defensive-minded player here because we've got to cover Luka. Jason Tatum can hold his own.
00:25:37
Speaker
Giannis is obviously at the rim. Give me the DPOY, Dyson Daniels. I knew you were going to pick him. Give me Dyson Daniels. I knew you were going to pick him.
00:25:53
Speaker
He's so excited. You've got your Dyson Daniels. who Yeah, nice pick. I like it. His starting five is crazy. think you I think he go he's gone too early in this, but he fills a hole that you need. Makes sense.
00:26:09
Speaker
Shane's obviously gone with Eamon Thompson and Snake's back to you again, man. Who you got? one i I have five. need three more. I'm going to take a backup center.
00:26:21
Speaker
i I'm going to take Kat. He's 29, 14, 13 and 3 and 52%. Bit of a panic pick here because I didn't know what to do myself, but we'll have him for now. I think my my last pick is safe enough.
00:26:37
Speaker
Take Kat. Yeah, you can have him. I know.
00:26:42
Speaker
Stop! Stop! I wasn't going laugh! I wasn't going to laugh. Oh, off the bench. Over the next four years, elite playmaker, 41% from the three, has every record in the game. Give me LeBron!
00:27:05
Speaker
Man, you need to get off this right now. like I told you I'm ending the call if you pick LeBron. I'm not going to lie. He's perfect. He's perfect for me. He's perfect for me. Wait, i I'm cooking here.
00:27:20
Speaker
Give me a second. Give me a second. He's 40. He's not playing like that. He's going to be 43 with his seventh ring. oh Jesus.
00:27:32
Speaker
Okay, okay, okay, okay. I think you just excluded yourself from any realness from this whole thing. That's crazy. Okay, I got a double pick now. So I'm going to go with similar to what you did, Shane. I'm going to go with backup center.
00:27:47
Speaker
I've got few to pick from here. need to decide here what I want to do. Do I need more defense? I've got Wemby.
00:27:57
Speaker
Okay. Yeah, let's go Evan Mobley. This is between him and someone else for me, but yeah, absolute. Probably up there for a defensive player the year this year as well.
00:28:09
Speaker
Only getting better with a shooting can defend like crazy. Yeah, have to go with him. He was like ninth on my list as well, so he's gone pretty far down. And then next, I'm going to... See, I've got a couple of people in mind, but then I'm thinking, will you guys pick them?
00:28:27
Speaker
That's in my mind right now. Okay, what going to do is...
00:28:33
Speaker
I'm going to go with my guy. can't leave him there, even though I'm not sure if he's the best pick right now, but I can't leave Tyrese Maxey on this board any longer.
00:28:45
Speaker
My sixer, I've got to get him in. Absolute stud, fast player, not like any of the other guys I have on the team. Absolute injection of pace. Probably going to end up being the starting point guard on this team in the long run since, you know, he's got that juice and good shooter, getting better every year.
00:29:02
Speaker
Let's get him in there. Mike? Ooh. Okay. I feel like you guys really don't believe in the vision with LeBron James as a playmaker next to Giannis, Jason Tatum, Jason Williams.
00:29:15
Speaker
Oh, he's taking Bronny. Okay, man. So next... i' was going to joke about taking Bronny. No.
00:29:24
Speaker
I obviously want to take it big. The reason why I went LeBron there was because you had taken Kat, which I was thinking about. And I was also thinking about Evan Mobley, but I really wanted an elite, like the best playmaker in the league on my team.
00:29:40
Speaker
But for backup center, this is going to be such a weird pick. But it's just because I really like him personally. And I think he does so much on defense that with the right pieces, he'll just be perfect.
00:29:54
Speaker
Super young as well. Give me Walker Kessler. no Averaging almost over three blocks a game. I got two elite level role players for the next four years who just make a little money and said do their job.
00:30:08
Speaker
Just wait. Just wait. Elite level role players. Man, you could pick through anybody in the league and you're picking Walker Kessler. Yeah, but for the next four years, I'm trying to win one two, three, four.
00:30:20
Speaker
yeah Okay. I feel like he like shares a lot of there's a lot of players I would take over him for the next two years. Not for the next four. Okay. Okay.
00:30:32
Speaker
Gosh, yeah. OK, I think these are my last two picks. and um So I'm going to take first going to take Devin Booker, 26 years old. Very, very solid.
00:30:45
Speaker
He's 26. Yeah, he's only 26. I really wanted Devin Booker. Gosh, that's He's doing quite well this year. Hopefully he is a Rockets player next year. I've struggled a bit here, to be honest with you. So I'm just going to take him because i know he's solid.
00:31:00
Speaker
And for my last pick, I promised myself I was going to do this. No matter how bad he went or how well I went. When I'm looking at the small and forwards for the next couple of years, I can't believe took Gantt. can't believe I took...
00:31:13
Speaker
cut over Shingun that I didn't want to go back to my Rocket players and then i was like why do just take centre when I want Shingun but anyway i i was looking at the small forwards and outside of Jason Tayden and my bridges there really wasn't that many options so I'm drafting from college I'm taking Cooper Flagg yeah 18 years old.
00:31:35
Speaker
He's flying. He's six foot nine. He's on 19, seven and five for season. and I've been in two seals on top of that. He's going to be the future of my team in my small forwards. And he is my last pick.
00:31:46
Speaker
No, I like that one. That's a nice way to round Michael, who's your last pick? So, you know what? I've really realized now. I, I, I drafted for position every time.
00:31:59
Speaker
And I just did not think about the fact you guys are not picking any of my guys. Damn, I really wanted Devin Booker.
00:32:09
Speaker
Oh, can you tell us my first my first real draft? None my friends know ball enough to do this. So I just, oh, oh, you know what I don't hate my team.
00:32:20
Speaker
So I'm fine with it. Your team was good until you absolutely blew it out of water by adding LeBron and that mocking Kessler. What a bunch.
00:32:33
Speaker
And he's already got Dyson Daniels starting. Hey, Dyson Daniels is a fire pick, and I'm not going to pick that. That was a good pick, but I was expecting him to go like eighth for somebody.
00:32:44
Speaker
I was worried about you taking him, honestly. Last pick here. For me, i really want a shooting guard.
00:32:55
Speaker
And, like, I could just go, like, again, i got these young players that I love. I love Trey Murphy III. Love him. But I feel like you guys have fried me enough.
00:33:08
Speaker
Give me Donovan Mitchell. Yeah, good pick. Donovan Mitchell. Yeah, I like it. yeah he see joe what he's t He's only 28. He is having a really good season.
00:33:19
Speaker
24, four rebounds five assists on the season. So i did I think that is a good pick. He definitely has a he has three years in him on LeBron.
00:33:31
Speaker
Okay, ill I'll round up my team. The people I have left on my list, I'll go through who I have left that you guys haven't taken. I have Zion.
00:33:42
Speaker
i have Chet, which is absolutely outrageous that you took Kessler and Kat over Chet. like and so Yeah, so he's sitting there.
00:33:56
Speaker
You can have your Kessler for four years. Kessler only 22, man. You also didn't pick Jalen Johnson, which would have been another pick there. I was...
00:34:07
Speaker
I've also got Cade, Sengun, Jaa, Brandon Muller, Lamello, Jaden McDaniels and Mathurin. So I've got a pick from one of them. That's the point I think in there.
00:34:19
Speaker
I'd written an note here besides Chet that if I panicked that I could make him a center if I needed to. And then I just completely looked over him eight times. Yeah, like he plays center yeah when Hartenstein's not on the floor and quite often as I saw.
00:34:36
Speaker
I think a that would have been nice. But look, man, I can't decide what I want to go with last because I went with Mobley for the defensive side of things. So I'm not going go Jalen Johnson.
00:34:48
Speaker
Look, that's just let's just do it. Let's just go with Zion Williamson, 24 years of age. yeah Young guy, tough injury and history and some some issues. But look, we're not expecting him to start on this team. So let's bring that power off the bench. We've got a little bit of everything coming off the bench. So yeah, that's my eight-man rotation.
00:35:09
Speaker
I'm going to go ahead and give you... my my eight, if you haven't given me years then. So going to have starting five is going to be Wemby at centre, two forwards, Paulo and Franz, two starting guards, let's go SGA and Halliburton.
00:35:29
Speaker
Then from the bench, I've got Evan Mobley, Tyrese Maxey and Zion Williamson. Michael? Ooh, okay. just You're starting five and you're three. LeBron.
00:35:41
Speaker
certain
00:35:44
Speaker
I, okay, okay, okay. I'm sickened that I forgot Chet because I picked LeBron James because I was like, Chet's not going get picked. And then I completely looked over him and he's sitting right here and he would worked so well, but we're going to take that on the chin.
00:36:00
Speaker
Starting five is Luka. Donovan Mitchell, Jason Tatum,
00:36:08
Speaker
Jaden Williams, and Giannis. And then off the bench, I got 41-year-old LeBron James,
00:36:19
Speaker
Dyson Daniels, and Walker Kessler. I think the thing about... In three years, your bench will literally be giving you two points per game. I think the thing about...
00:36:31
Speaker
making a full like superstar team like this is that yeah I just the Suns have the Suns and KD with his like three superstar teams and how bad it's went outside of the Golden State Warriors I just think if five players want to shoot 20 shots I might get the number one pick again Yeah, but the number one pick is not good too because took leg.
00:37:04
Speaker
But like, I'm definitely losing this. But I think a real life application. And we're doing a draft for the next five years winning champions. And he's telling us what he's going to tank with this team.
00:37:19
Speaker
Like, no, I'm saying in an 82 game season, I think I'm cooking. I think I'm cooking. Okay.
00:37:27
Speaker
okay ah there sha Okay. i'm I have Jokic as my starting center. have Jaron Jackson Jr. as my power forwards. Because I'm the boss, Anthony Edwards is now a small forward. And have Booker and Thompson as my two guards.
00:37:41
Speaker
And then have Flagg, Cingun, and Garland not benched. No, Cass, not Cingun, unfortunately.
00:37:49
Speaker
Nice, nice, nice. So, lads, obviously we're all going to be biased towards our own team, but if anybody is listening and wants to say which team is the best out of the three, let us know.
00:38:00
Speaker
Or which team is the best out of mine and Shane's, let us know. and
00:38:05
Speaker
Michael eliminated himself from contention. I've come out on my Rashad McCants immediately. I understand my role. No, no, no. Three good teams.
00:38:18
Speaker
We pick pretty much a lot of solid players who are strong in the league right now, but also guys for the future, which is the point in this. So, yeah, I think we'll do something similar if there's another kind of draft, like...
00:38:31
Speaker
Anybody has an idea for throw it into the comments or lads. If you have one, let's, let's do it up soon and we'll do something similar because this is fun, but I really appreciate you coming on again, Michael, and we are going to have you on again soon. Certainly. yeah I'm going to link your Instagram and stuff in the bio if anyone wants to check you. So thanks again, bro.
00:38:50
Speaker
Thank you. Thank you for having me. We can talk about LeBron for half an hour, most how he's going to last another four years in the league. I'll faint halfway through. We can't. Oh, I just realized he's wearing a Lakers t-shirt as well.
00:39:05
Speaker
I didn't know. I put it on just for this. I'm not even Lakers fan. I'm just a LeBron fan. I appreciate it, bro. shelved the Sixers for now.
00:39:17
Speaker
I'm trying to get Cooper Friant. yeah let's let's tank let's keep tanking on the Sixers side. But yeah, nice. Really liked it. Good segment. was like So jumping into Ganshan's after that wild draft. um So right now we've got a result, some an updated score of 16 to 8 to Shane. So i'm I'm making up a little bit of ground, little by little. had two wins last week. Shane just had the one. So I'm still a good bit behind, but look, not as far as I once was.
00:39:48
Speaker
um So I'll take every little helps. Last week I had Brighton... Sorry, I had Fulham away at Brighton. Brighton won 2-1, so that was my loss. But then my two basketball ones came up. I had Clippers to beat the Knicks, which they did, by 10 points. so And I had the Hawks to beat the Pacers, which they did by 2 points. And I believe you also had that one as your one winner. So those were the wins last week. This week...
00:40:15
Speaker
What do you think? Are you going to allow me to pick Newcastle as one of my picks, even though it's in the Carabao Cup? ah You can have one if for you want because it's not happening, so I'm more than happy for you to take that one as a loss.
00:40:27
Speaker
Beautiful. I'll take that one. So Newcastle are 15-4. Liverpool are 13-20. Yeah, I think it's a good price, actually, to be honest. It is, yeah. Because is cup final. Anything can happen. But ah but would be wary about Newcastle's left-hand side without Hall and Bourdon. And obviously, that's Salah's side. But I still think, look, I'm going to go with them because...
00:40:46
Speaker
i think I think it's worth a shout and I think Liverpool will be a little bit more drained after that game. A couple of injuries as well from last night. So let's just go with that. Then I've also gone with Brighton to beat City. They're away.
00:40:59
Speaker
Brighton are and City are 4-6. That's on Saturday at 3 o'clock. The reason in mind this one is Brighton are on a four-game winning streak in the league. And they also are on a streak obviously in the cup because they're into the quarterfinals with the FA Cup. So...
00:41:13
Speaker
Yeah, I'm going to stick with them to keep the hot streak going. And then last up, I've gone with the Pelicans to beat the Spurs. and It is in San Antonio on Saturday night, but I think with Zion playing well, um I think they'll take a game off the Spurs. So they're 18 and 48 and the Spurs are 26 and 37. So eight games back there. So what have you got for us?
00:41:34
Speaker
ah First of all, I can't believe the price of Newcastle, to be honest. If actually Liverpool don't have a right-back, it will be probably be Kwanzaa starting right-back as well, up against whoever they put on the left, probably Harvey Burns.
00:41:45
Speaker
Though it's a centre-back up against the winger for 90 minutes because we don't really have even a sub we can bring on. so Yeah. Yeah, that's it for you. You know, obviously I do think Luke would have gone to come out on top retain the trophy that they won last year.
00:41:59
Speaker
And for me, I also have Brighton to beat City. um I don't know where you got your odds because i have Brighton at seven to two and City at 13 to 20. But obviously it doesn't make much of a difference. They're pretty much the same. Yeah, pretty much. Yeah, probably just a pretty change.
00:42:12
Speaker
Just exactly like what you said, more like Brighton are on a great run. I believe in my my mind, Brighton are a more complete team than Man City are at the moment. Man City just seem to be falling...
00:42:25
Speaker
all over the place, to be honest, and losing to Forest last week, they just, they can't score goal. I have Chelsea in to beat Arsenal. ah Chelsea are 7-2 as well, Arsenal are 4-5.
00:42:37
Speaker
Arsenal have a serious problem. They can't score more than one goal in a game. Cole Palmer might be a coward, but I do think he is going to come back and get a goal in here, a goal or two here, and I can see Chelsea doing Arsenal and kind of just cementing the league.
00:42:51
Speaker
And this is a brave one. Okay. um I've gone for the the Cavs. Yeah. The Cavs are on a 15 game winning run. Yeah.
00:43:03
Speaker
It has to end It can't go on forever. It can't go on forever. And the Grizzlies are really good. The Grizzlies can score. I know what the Cavs can defend. The Grizzlies can score. It's Joe, the Grizzlies have 41 wins as well. I know the Cavs are ridiculous under 55, but 41 wins isn't a bad return either for this stage of the season. And if anyone's going to do it, it's not going be a Pelicans or someone that's going to beat them. It is going to be Grizzlies or a Rockets or a Celtics or someone who's going to beat them. So, yeah.
00:43:33
Speaker
So, Grizzlies, Brighton and Chelsea. Nice. Nice picks. Let's see how we get on. I need to keep making up some ground. So let's see how we get on with those. You get one five-pointer, you're right back in us.
00:43:46
Speaker
That's it, man. I need it. I definitely need a five-pointer after year you had two. um So let's get into our last
Manchester United's Struggles & Strategy
00:43:53
Speaker
sport. So we're going to talk about football. I'll let you take it away first. You had the team this week, so...
00:43:59
Speaker
We're going to have pop at Manchester United because could be fun. could be fun. we've We've already let you talk about your Giants problems and helped you through that.
00:44:11
Speaker
I'll see if I can help you through a couple of your United problems. Christ? Honestly, i didn't even know where to start. I didn't know why i should start with this new circus centre building or if I talk with the players that need to go. So I'm going to just get in.
00:44:27
Speaker
I've written down what I think is the starting 11 that you have at the moment with a couple of, well, sorry, not a starting 11. I have a couple of players here that are missing the cut for me.
00:44:38
Speaker
I want you to tell me who you think you can build around almost like our draft for the next five years. So you keeping Onana in goals? No.
00:44:50
Speaker
Are you keeping Dalit, Jorro, Martinez?
00:44:54
Speaker
Jorro as a starter and Martinez probably as a rotational piece. You're getting rid Dalit? Yeah, not long term. I don't think he fits the system.
00:45:07
Speaker
Dorghu, Ugarte and Ahmad Diallo. No, Ahmad and Dorghu, yeah. Ugarte doesn't really fit the system, but again, I think he could be a bench player. Yeah.
00:45:17
Speaker
And then the last one I have here is Bruno. Obviously, you're keeping Bruno. I don't think there's any here no questions around this. um The contracts that they have to eat up over the next couple of years, and there's, I think, nearly everyone is out of contracts coming up in the next couple of years, which could be good, but also bad because you're getting no money in. 14th in the league.
00:45:36
Speaker
one one lead winning your last fight i was looking at the teams who are above you and there's not a single one that have a worse squad than united have united is so small it's probably the worst league to be honest like it's so small when i looking i was trying to look at it looking at numbers and if you're looking at johnny evans tom heaton as part of the squad unfortunately the squads i think there's about 24 25 players yeah somehow they they haven't even been on the pitch they're injured it's just I don't know, Hoyland, Xerzi, Maguire, Casimiro, they all need to go if you want to try and build end to smart. And that means like that's the two strikers you've signed in the last two years, both going back out the door but within three years, if you can do it all.
00:46:21
Speaker
I think it's five windows away from being anything that resembles a squad that can push it to top of the league. Another thing that I kind of have bit of an issue is, well, two things. I'll let you talk about the last one, so lead that to the end.
00:46:36
Speaker
Right. They can waste a three, five, two, one, three, four, two, one. Sorry. i've notmin lair I don't know if that's the future for a team that looking to get back towards the top. There's no top team around Europe. You're playing three at the back.
00:46:49
Speaker
Literally no. Real Madrid don't do it. They both play three at the back. So. Got to look at that. My apologies. One of the best defensive teams in Europe. Yeah. Well, OK.
00:47:02
Speaker
That kind of ruins that point. Come on now. So I'm going to let you talk about Radcliffe and the Glazers before I have my say in them. I think they're poison, to be perfectly honest. I really do. I think that regime is not going to work long time.
00:47:15
Speaker
Oh, yeah. No, without doubt. Just in terms of before we touch on that, with the three at the back, I think...
00:47:26
Speaker
Ideally, I don't think it's the best formation, but I'm willing to look at it as a thing that... that they'll go with now because that's what Amirim has done and that's his idea and they basically haven't even given it a chance yet. So you can't just jump but jump away from it. And if you watch the structure, and a lot of times that it's that's what it is on paper, but when the players actually sit into their positions during build-up and during defence, it goes from like a 4-3-3 into like a 5-4-1.
00:47:59
Speaker
At times it's rarely actually... in that situation where it's the three and that they're isolated. So I think it's very, that's why I think they've been playing so poorly because I i literally think he's thrown them in at the deep end and gone, this is the way i want you to play. It's extremely difficult.
00:48:16
Speaker
Go figure it out. And then he'll just find out which players are no good, which luck. It has to be done. I'm willing to give it a chance. And I think you're right with the five windows. That'd be couple of to two more seasons. yeah Two and a half years. I think next season is just a build. build um Get in, bed in some guys in the summer.
00:48:36
Speaker
Try to get rid of some of the dead weight. And then the next ah window then really look to challenge a little bit more the year after that. But um it needs to be, it's a it's a game of patience. And a lot of players need...
00:48:48
Speaker
to make a lot of mistakes and Amrim needs to make mistakes and we need to just see how things go. But yeah, it's very far away from it, to be honest. I've just looked at in terms of what you said, like the squad, it's hopeless. It's just a mishmash of players.
00:49:03
Speaker
None of them fit in one particular system. They've all been signed for different systems and the contracts they threw are outrageous. I think there's been a couple of glimmers in the last few games of things happening of what Amirim has betted in that some players are kind of getting some of his ideas, but they're on a small scale. You kind of would have to watch like every United game to be picking these things up, which I do. So I think, yeah, it's obviously you see these Twitter fans going crazy and saying blah, blah, blah, whatever. He's, there's no change, this and that, but,
00:49:34
Speaker
Things aren't going to be great, but there's going to be small changes. So those are just things I'm taking as positives. But yeah, I'm just trying to keep positive because it's been an absolutely atrocious season and every week is just worse and worse to watch. But in terms of Ratcliffe and the Glazers, the Glazers have just sucked money out of the club.
00:49:53
Speaker
They've basically used the club to make huge amounts of money. i don't know how much money the club owes now in interest every single year. and We're looking at Ratcliffe now having to clean up that mess. I don't want to judge him yet because although I don't agree with some of the things he's done, I think he's basically having to clean up an absolute stink of a mess that the Glazers have left behind them.
00:50:17
Speaker
And let's see how he deals with that. But I don't think there's so much he can do if he doesn't fully own the team. But I think the stadium, although it does look... ridiculous with the net on it, whatever the hell that is, it's going to make so much money, similar to the Spurs Stadium.
00:50:33
Speaker
So that's a big move for a club that needs United needed that if they want to keep moving forward. So that's massive. I think that is a big thing. But yes, so much question marks and barely any answers.
00:50:44
Speaker
Yeah, I've just Googled it there and it says here that the debt at the moment is 1 billion and that includes 300 million, which is outstanding in transfer fees to other clubs for players that have bought and Most them probably haven't worked. So you still owe 300 million for players that are... The thing is, United are, I think, the team that have the most revenue out of any soccer team in the world.
00:51:07
Speaker
But the Glazers just like suck all that money out and they take dividends out of the club the whole time. So it's the fact of what they're doing is why United are in debt. like They're not a team that's losing money because they're not a team that people buy into and stuff. you know like yeah it's just It's all they're doing. like That's literally it.
00:51:26
Speaker
Mossy, who you know from Street United match, just asked a good question to myself and Adam O'Neill yesterday. Could United be the next Leeds
00:51:36
Speaker
Or are they literally too big to be relegated down and fall apart? I don't think Leeds are building a 100,000 capacity stadium. No, I don't think so either. That kind of question is like, it's okay to throw you know tro these hypotheticals out there, but there can't be any seriousness to that. Not just as a United fan. None of the three of us said it. All three us said that they're too big to be in the next Leeds, but he was just kind of... I think even outside of being being a United fan, that's like...
00:52:05
Speaker
It's like on a global scale how big the club is now. it's like it's it That wouldn't happen. But yeah, I think they wouldn't. I don't think they'd fall to that level just because of the money behind them and the fact that they do make so much money and the investment in the infrastructure of the team as well. That's going to come.
00:52:27
Speaker
So I think, no, I don't think so. I think Roy Keane has been made look a fool for his comments on Bruno Fernandes there other week. um i I can't believe how much he went dinner in on Bruno Fernandes and you Bruno has just been one of the only shining lights for United in the last month in particular.
00:52:47
Speaker
Scored against Arsenal, scored against Fulham in the Cup. I know he went out, but he got you back in that game as well. He's the man who is everywhere. Everything yeah and everywhere. Everything you do that's good is coming through him.
00:52:58
Speaker
like i just i can't believe how much roi keen went in and in both no it's way too much it was ridiculous um some of these ex pros they need to i know they see things differently from how they were there but they're just not helping the situation and reikin is another one even though i do love him uh i just don't i don't agree with that carry on at all it just does not help the team it just makes it more and more negativity and they're just breeding into this stuff and they're just they're loving it like they say they're there for the you know they want the betterment of united they want no it's for the betterment of themselves to get more yeah it's for the betterment of sports that's yeah that's all it is yeah but um yeah that's all i gotta say on this yeah like yeah did there is there is tough times ahead but if you can kind of build around euro bruno dorgue
00:53:48
Speaker
and try and put a squad around the door who does look like a really good bit of business. But I don't know if the PSR troubles for United in the summer, can they spend 100 million on players try and fit the system?
00:54:01
Speaker
Yeah, I don't think they can unless they sell. But the thing is now that Sancho's going to be gone with that deal. And also if Rashford ends up going, I think looking at the... looking at the ah how how much that affects a pure profit since he's an academy player. Yeah, it'd be 120 million. yeah I think there could be a little bit to spend there. But look, just another thing as well in the summer they'll have to look at.
00:54:25
Speaker
But I think, yeah, I think they'll have to make an investment and they'll have to do some ah some moves to sort that out no matter what because they need to start getting some more of Amarim's guys in there. Like we've already just gotten one.
00:54:37
Speaker
and how effective he's been. So yeah, yeah let's keep that going. But I think do the one thing they can't do is sack him. They need to need to just build around him. He has to stay. They need to literally give him five years and say, OK, the first two years rebuilding, the third year we won the cup, fourth year start challenging, fifth year, sixth year back Champions League, religiously, no kind of no no years missing, no Europa League years.
00:55:01
Speaker
That's what they need. They can't just decide after 18 months and they're too trying to win. There's like, oh, no. this isn't working and they've bought 11 players to play in ah a 3-4-2-1 that are now going to have to try and slip back into a 4-2-3 or a 4-2-3-1. They need to just give him time and sit with him.
00:55:19
Speaker
Yeah, they need to definitely just give him time. But I think Berarda said today that No, he I think he said, without giving too much away, they want players that are flexible and that they hope to have Amrim deep into the future, but they want players who can play in other systems too.
00:55:34
Speaker
But the main thing is to get guys that are physical and capable of covering the ground and stuff that Amrim demands. And so, yeah, you don't want to build half a team like that and then just blow it up. So, yeah, let's keep a consistency, again, is right.
00:55:48
Speaker
I'm gonna um'm going to talk about a player then. So... The guy who I've gone with this week is Dominic Solanke, who I think was an absolute tragic bit of business by Spurs.
00:55:59
Speaker
You would expect no less from Spurs with some of the dealings on over the years. But £65 million, pounds and that includes £10 million in add-ons, which I'm not sure what they were. But he's 27 years old He's had one good Premier League season in his whole career.
00:56:16
Speaker
um Last year scoring 19 goals across the whole season with Bournemouth. Bournemouth must be laughing because they just cashed in on him. They've been way better than Spurs this year and they've got the money to then reinvest still.
00:56:30
Speaker
Solanke in terms of his stats, 31 appearances in all competitions, 11 goals and 6 assists, 7 goals in the Prem and he hasn't scored since Christmas.
00:56:41
Speaker
just Sorry, just one goal since Christmas and one that kind of stood out to me was that game against Tamworth. They brought him on. He played a total of 52 minutes including the extra time and he couldn't score.
00:56:53
Speaker
Tamworth. Yeah, come on. What do you think?
Dominic Solanke's Transfer Critique
00:56:57
Speaker
um I think he is... Actually, before I call him a coward, I'm going to give him the smallest bit of credit.
00:57:04
Speaker
He's very good defensively, but he's a striker. you know He has seven goals in the league, six of them at home, one away. like He's 65 million. He's the man that you need to be scoring seven at home, seven away. He needs to be getting and he be the one that you can rely on against your Fulham's away, against your West Ham's away. And they can't align No one can rely on him.
00:57:26
Speaker
He is... He's stone cold useless as far as I'm concerned. Like I, I just I don't want to understand why they spend so much money on him. As you said, he had one good season. and Like it was never really gone to like there was I don't know what they watched that saw them and thought he was going to stick to the level of getting 18, 19 permanently goals a season. and It just doesn't have it in him.
00:57:48
Speaker
He doesn't have it in him. Like this is third goal at the top six club. And you look at some of the chances he missed as well last year at Bournemouth to get that many goals. He had so many shots. you know He doesn't add anything. like He's 6'2 and he can't hold the ball up.
00:58:05
Speaker
don't like it Make it make sense. like no one like You can't make runs off him because he's going to lose it. He's just... have nothing good say about him. He starts the press and he leads from the front and that's the extent of it, to be honest.
00:58:19
Speaker
He's not a good enough striker. You can't pass the ball. So many holes in his game and to spend that much on him, at the time I thought it was a bad deal and I still think it's a bad deal.
00:58:32
Speaker
And he has, he got two England caps, I believe, last year. There's no more coming anytime soon. No, not at all. So I think Spurs, like, they probably thought, oh, we got an England international. We've got a guy in here now who scored 19 goals in the Prem last season.
00:58:46
Speaker
Lower team. We're going to get him in. We're going to be higher up than them. Create more chances. Sure, you can't finish. On a consistent level, Spurs are a lot worse than Bournemouth are.
00:58:58
Speaker
And Bournemouth are only getting better and with all their youth and some of the players that they have. And Spurs just do not seem to be doing the right things. I think it's this signing just sums up the the way they've been going recently. And I really don't have...
00:59:13
Speaker
much positive things to say other than he does lead the press and sometimes he can get himself a couple of nice goals but I think he's just not good enough for what they paid for him and I think yeah it's just a proper Spurs transfer.
00:59:26
Speaker
Yeah like yeah so his passing so he's in the third percentile for passing the league so that goes up to a hundred And he's been the third percentage. he is he just can't pass the body He's only attempted 274 passes in the league. He's meant to be your Lincoln, man.
00:59:43
Speaker
like He's averaging 14, sorry, 15 a game and 11 of them are successful. So he's given the ball away a lot as well on top of that. It's just is any wonder he's been in so many ground duels and pressing so much.
00:59:55
Speaker
He's given the ball away so much. Yeah. like he so He's given it to the other team so that he can press. Yeah, so he can get his he can get his defensive staffs up. It's just...
01:00:05
Speaker
like a friend of mine jackie my barber he said when the silenky signs he was like he's not the player's first need i was like i agree with you it's ridiculous like he's he's he's the epitome of the big fish in the small pond when he was at bourbon he was the main man everything was going through him at spurs there's dave kieloszewski like bourbon this year if they had him wouldn't be anywhere near over the air if they were still trying to play everything through him look at it like the difference in cliver this year the difference in jango this year all and the players look so much better this year because they're not focused on trying to give it to the big lanky mana front like don they can actually go and do it themselves and they can they're loving long balls and he would honestly get in the way more than anything with the way they're playing off the space
01:00:47
Speaker
i don't think I know Evan Nielsen hasn't gotten a ton of goals, but he's he's been a brilliant foil for him up top. He's a good link-up player. Yeah, he's he's been perfect for the system Bournemouth been going this year.
01:01:00
Speaker
Yeah, no, I think there's a reason why they first obviously it was a lot of money. So you can't say no for that for a team like Bournemouth. But I think they wouldn't have let him go if he was the key man in areola's eyes going forward. No, there's no way. So, yeah I think good business by Bournemouth and not very good by Spurs.
01:01:18
Speaker
No, it's one of those. It's a bit like Queen Liverpool, St. Derrick. There was been fecal ads I met. They were working in staff to make it. They were open. They were laughing as well. And I say Bormer fans are the exact same. They were rubbing their hands and delighted because they just they were like, he's never they were like, Darwin's not going to do it. Darwin had one good year. He completely outshot his XG and they've been proven right, unfortunately. And I'd say Bormer were inside in the press room with bottles of champagne and cakes. They're like, you're 65 million. have to get in for him.
01:01:48
Speaker
We'd have taken 20.
01:01:51
Speaker
They were surely delighted with that. like Oh, 100%. Because they can invest that so much like into their team in the future. And they have result. They have, and they're just building and building. So not not looking good for Solanke, I think.
01:02:03
Speaker
I can't really see things bouncing back too much either because he is getting closer to 30 and he's never going to fulfil that value that they paid for him, I don't think, unfortunately, for him and first for Spurs fans. But ah let's let's let's move on and finish up with the power rankings. So I'll let you work away there first if you want to give us what you had last week and then go
Current Power Rankings & Team Form
01:02:26
Speaker
through this week.
01:02:26
Speaker
Last week I had Liverpool at one, Cavs at two, Punder three, Arsenal up to fourth, Lakers in five and Everton in at six. I have s switched it up a bit this week and I've put in a bit of a wild shout as well. So when you hear that, I think your faces might hit the floor.
01:02:44
Speaker
I dropped Liverpool from first to second. I put the Cavs above them. The Cavs are on a 15 winning run now. It's just, it's ridiculous. Like, and they are, they're the best team across all the sports that we're covering.
01:02:56
Speaker
So they have to be number one in the power rankings. As I said, Liverpool are down to second. They are still unbelievable. They're 15 points here in the league. They're the cup final they're going to win at the weekend. They're not going to drop out of the top two between now andie and the end of the season.
01:03:09
Speaker
The Thunders stay three for me. I know they lost to the Nuggets, but they're still they are still flying. They're still the second best team in basketball. ah The Celtics are up to four for me.
01:03:20
Speaker
but i just I just really like what they're doing. They're up to second as early as they're flying. This is my mad one. So in my fifth spot, three wins row in the Premier League. They're a really fun team to watch.
01:03:35
Speaker
oh I put in Crystal Palace. I knew it. i said I was looking at the Premier League and there's no one jumping out, I think. I knew when you said three in a row, I knew you were putting in Palace there. like Yeah, I just so i enjoy them. The Palace paradox is definitely on running again where they're going to finish it with like...
01:03:53
Speaker
Nearly every year they do 12-12 and 14 and wins, draws, losses. They're looking likely to do that again. They were 9-9-9 there recently. So I just i love this about this. What a team.
01:04:06
Speaker
They keep their record exactly the same. Exactly. And Arsenal in sixth. Yeah. Just I can't take a mouse as much as I dislike him. Yeah, so I've stuck. Last week I went with the um four NBA teams, so i stuck with that this week as well. so i've gone with um Last week I had Liverpool first, Cavs, Thunder, Pistons, Celtics, and Everton.
01:04:28
Speaker
So this week I've also done what you did and moved the Cavs up. So they're number one for me now. They're on a 69-win pace.
01:04:38
Speaker
There's only one team who has ever had 69 wins or more and didn't win the NBA. And that was obviously historically, everyone knows, 15-16 Warriors who had, what, like 72, 73 wins? Yeah, 73.
01:04:52
Speaker
um So that was the record, and they didn't win the championship last in the finals. So Cavs are in elite company there. They've had two 15-win streaks this season, including the one they're on right now.
01:05:03
Speaker
A 12 win streak as well. there They've just been outrageous. And then after that, I've gone Liverpool, number two, self-explanatory. They're still the best team in in English football. They're second. Then I've gone with the Thunder in third. They stick where they were.
01:05:17
Speaker
Fourth, I've gone a new addition. So I've added in the Warriors. So they're on a really good run since Jimmy Butler joined. i really like the way they're playing. completely changed the way they're playing. in their last 10, five-game win streak.
01:05:31
Speaker
I think they're going to be a real problem in the West now with Butler. He just adds everything that they needed. So i really like that move and I like them. Currently, then I've gone with the Celtics in at five, so they stay where they were from last week.
01:05:45
Speaker
Still been very, very good. A solid, just dangerous team. they will become playoff season, so they stay where they are. And then in sixth, I've gone with something a bit different as well. So I've gone with Brighton.
01:05:57
Speaker
So for some of the reasons I mentioned what when I said for them to beat City, like they have four-game win streak in the league and going well in the cup, averse Ever since they got slapped Farris 7-0, they've completely turned things around. I think Herzl have probably absolutely demolished them after that game, and they've completely turned around, and they've responded really well. So they deserve a spot for their recent form, in my opinion.
01:06:24
Speaker
I think that's good. The Warriors are a problem and the 50-point Steph had there recently was outrageous. The amount of trees he shot and put in was just disgusting. Shooting that many trees at all. like Was it 18?
01:06:40
Speaker
18 trees. Like how anyone is letting him get 18 sites when he's had four. Like how are you letting him get another 14 and top of it? Like it's just, it was utter madness. so I agree. I think Jimmy Butler has actually been a brilliant addition for him.
01:06:53
Speaker
ah Better than I expected he'd be to be perfectly honest. And I think there will be a serious bottom if anyone has to face him over seven. Nice one. um Yeah, I think. That's pretty much it for this week. um That was gone through the all our usual games, sports, gone through NFL, NBA and football as well. So um really good.
Closing Remarks & Future Guests
01:07:17
Speaker
Enjoyed the chat with Michael. it was a good laugh as well. enjoyed the draft. and So we'll definitely do more like that in the future.
01:07:22
Speaker
Got special guest again on next week for you to go through the QB carousel of free agency. So that's pretty much it for me. Really enjoyed the episode. Thanks again to everyone for listening. Hope you enjoyed it Give it a share and give it a like, whatever you can, if you have the time to do so.
01:07:38
Speaker
Appreciate all of you listening and I'll chat to you again next week. Cheers, guys. Thanks so much.