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Daily Premier League in English: Episode 83 - Is the title wrapped up for Liverpool?!?! Monday Review
26 Plays7 days ago
Mikey Thompson is joined by Louie Easton on this week's edition of the Monday Review as they discuss whether or not the title race is finally over as Liverpool complete the double over Manchester City whilst Arsenal drop three CRUCIAL points to West Ham.
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Transcript
Liverpool's Decisive Victory Over City
00:00:44
Mikey
A very warm welcome back to you on this fine Monday where we are reviewing the wonderful weekend of football. We are the Daily English GSPN podcast. I am joined today by the one and only, the voice of our adverts, it's Mr. Louis Eaton.
00:01:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you very much for having me. It's been a while since we've done a podcast together, let alone just us two.
00:01:07
Mikey
Too long and I've yet to comment on just how beautiful the Bayern Munich shirt is that you're wearing.
00:01:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Thank you very much, Opal. ah Shoal on the back. If you know your stuff, you'll know.
00:01:17
Mikey
What a legend, yeah. And um um what a weekend of football. I would say a highly de decisive weekend um of games. where we are going to talk about the challenge of the title, which I think has been decided.
00:01:37
Mikey
Today ah is a day where Liverpool fans, such as yourself, will be waking up as very, very happy people, ah going away to the Etihad and coming away with a 2-0 victory, no less.
00:01:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:54
Mikey
City had the lion's share of possession and Liverpool seemed to cope and manage really well with that possession. They didn't look fazed by City and frankly, didn't look like they were struggling anywhere on the pitch. and Even when City worked it well down the wings and managed to get balls into the box, the box was so swarmed with red shirts that there was no offer that City could snatch anything, in my opinion.
00:02:21
Mikey
and Even when City worked it well, yeah, they they were managed by Liverpool. And both goals for Liverpool were absolutely class. I've got streams of stats, records, that Mohamed Salah has absolutely obliterated.
00:02:38
Mikey
and And I think it's very hard to argue anything against how good that man is.
Confidence in Liverpool's League Chances
00:02:45
Mikey
what's your What's your initial reaction from from that game, Louis?
00:02:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:02:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so I have been really sort of reluctant to say anything about Liverpool winning the league, but I think after that game is the first time all season where I can confidently say I think Liverpool are going to win the league.
00:02:56
Mikey
Thanks.
00:03:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that's decided it. you know um There was another game that we'll get onto to later that I think is another reason why I'm more confident now, but... That performance against Manchester City, I know they dominated possession, especially in the second half, but it really felt like Liverpool dictated that game from start to finish. ah There were times, like you mentioned, where Mamouche looked very dangerous. I think he was the one trying to get the most done, as well as Doku, who, I mean, I think he completely had his way with Trent Alexander-Arnold, but luckily Ibrahim Akarnate was on
00:03:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
On form today, on fine form.
Salah's Form and Future Speculations
00:03:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
um The City midfield really struggled. De Bruyne and Foden really had off days. um Foden had a couple of times where he was trying to get a shot away, but he just wasn't accurate. He was lacking a threat.
00:03:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
And De Bruyne, I just think we're starting to see the twilight days of De Bruyne just because I think he's been rushed back from injury too often. um And you could tell that today he looked a bit tired and it just felt like a sort of shadow of his former self.
00:04:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah But like you mentioned, most Salah. He absolutely is the front runner for the Ballon d'Or, in my opinion, at the moment. and He has been the reason.
00:04:21
Mikey
Bye.
00:04:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he's been the main reason Liverpool have looked so dangerous because that's another goal and an assist in a single game for him today. Sharing that with Sobos Lai. um who I thought was brilliant as well.
00:04:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
eight It was just total domination from Liverpool start to finish. And I'm amazed that ah it was only 2-0. I think that's a scoreline that flattered Manchester City, who were looking completely hopeless in midfield.
00:04:52
Mikey
Yeah, absolutely. And just going back to Mo Salah, let's talk about some of those records that he has set. and Mo Salah is the first player in the Premier League history to register 40-plus goals involvements in more than two so in two seasons.
00:05:07
Mikey
Mo Salah is the first player in Europe's top five leagues to be directly involved in 50 goals across all competitions twenty four twenty five
00:05:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Whoa.
00:05:16
Mikey
He's now scored and assisted in 11 Premier League games this season, the most by any single player in a single season. One of Europe's big five leagues since Lionel Messi at Barcelona Mo Salah has provided more assists in 2024-25 than any other Liverpool player has in a single Premier League campaign.
00:05:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Whoa.
00:05:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is
00:05:38
Mikey
i mean, the list goes on. The guy is unbelievable.
00:05:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah I think this ends the Hazard debate. i i I've been saying it for months now. Salah's better than Hazard ever was. um Well, I mean, across their careers. I think Salah at one point was better than Salah ever who was in terms of for prime...
00:06:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I, I just, I, I cannot get my head around how good he has been because it's every single match. Now, every single match, it's almost like you're just waiting for it to happen. And, you know,
00:06:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's one of those players that if you're switched off for one second, he punishes you. You have to be switched on the entire game, 110% of the time, to even have a chance at preventing him from getting a direct goal involvement.
00:06:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
And for him to be in company with Lionel Messi and that stat you mentioned earlier, is ah no one's done it since, is it's beyond words, it's beyond comprehension.
00:06:43
Mikey
Yeah, I've got a few a couple of things to ask you, actually, on Mo Salah. So the first one is, I think this is purely my opinion, i think Mo Salah's quite an unorthodox footballer.
00:06:54
Mikey
He is a naturally beautiful footballer to watch.
00:06:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:58
Mikey
However, the things he does with the football are phenomenal. But I think that's the reason that defenders find him so difficult to let play against. It's so unpredictable, he's his train of play.
00:07:08
Mikey
He's not just a a winger that likes to cut in from the right-hand side onto his left. He can play both ways. He hasn't got the best right foot in the world, but he will utilise it in situations where he has to.
00:07:20
Mikey
And I think he leaves defenders lacking any idea of of exactly how to how to defend him, what foot to stand, which way to show him. And he takes full advantage of that.
00:07:30
Mikey
And i just think that that that is an unseen thing in football.
00:07:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
in.
00:07:34
Mikey
So when you compare him to Hazard, In my opinion, Hazard was a more naturally and flowing football. he was He was very creative and direct with the ball at his feet. However, defenders and could and work out where Hazard's game was going, whereas Mo Salah doesn't allow defenders to know that.
00:07:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think Salah was obviously the better dribbler. um But because Salah, even in this form that he's in, there are so many times he dribbles in on the from the right-hand side and does lose it.
00:08:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Until these last two matches where he really... yeah I mean, Gwadriel... a couple of times and Nathan Ake really struggled to contain him. And you're right. It's sort of like everything he does looks almost accidental, but he's quickest to react.
00:08:15
Mikey
Yeah.
00:08:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's a sort of ricochet merchant. And that's what made Luis Suarez so good when he was at Liverpool, because he just bullied defenders and sort of bamboozled them completely. and predict where the ball was going to go.
00:08:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah That's what Salah is so good. He's so good at anticipation, but he can also create for other players, um find the perfect path. I mean, he had a couple of moments where he would wriggle his way out of three players and then hit a long ball.
00:08:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And that's something that I have not seen Salah do too much of in previous seasons. And he's now completely perfected that Travella cross that I've seen multiple times now.
00:09:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
um He is a proper joy to watch. And... it's it's It's the only time I can remember ah from throughout my years of supporting Liverpool where I have truly felt like we have the best player
Salah's Irreplaceability for Liverpool
00:09:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
in the world. And it's so exciting to look forward to watching them ah play now because you feel like you can do anything with someone like Salah in that team.
00:09:27
Mikey
Yeah, and and just one last fact or stat to finish off with. Is the first player to score 25-plus goals and register 15-plus assists in a Premier League season? And that stat kind of leads me on to my next question.
00:09:40
Mikey
the The start of the season showed a little bit of turbulence between contracts and Liverpool Football Club and ah nailing down big players in their team ah to to stay at the club.
00:09:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
00:09:52
Mikey
Do you think... One, do you think that the Mo Salah situation is resolving itself by by his performances? And number two is, do you think do you think you could be in this position in the league without somebody like Salah in the team?
00:10:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, absolutely not. And, you know, I don't see where we would replace Salah if we were to move him on because, you know, this is a player that I think has another sort of two or three really good years in him. And it would be a massive loss um for any team with a player of that quality, but let alone us when we're so reliant on him for goals every single match.
00:10:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's not an exaggeration. It's every single match. um I think Trent is the one that is the least of our worries because his performances recently have been very dodgy.
00:10:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And he showed that again against Man City, completely getting skinned and on ropes. I think he actually got dribbled past in that match more than any other player has been dribbled past in any Premier League match this season.
00:10:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
So... that kind of tells its own story. And if I'm Real Madrid at this point, you're thinking, well, hang on. you know if you're If you want these amounts of wages, you better not be doing that at our club.
00:11:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And I think Conor Bradley has been the better right back recently. But i so i it's a difficult one with Salah because he can ask for any numbers he wants.
00:11:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think what FSG, our owners, are doing at the moment are they're playing the long game because if we win the league and... I mean, imagine we win the Champions League as well, even, or just one of the two would be incredible.
00:11:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
We could have more of a say in the numbers because, you know, we've won the trophy and we can do things. We have more rights to negotiate numbers because now we'll have more players that would want to play for Liverpool.
Liverpool's Defensive Reliance on Van Dijk
00:11:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And also Virgil van Dijk is someone else who I really don't want to lose because he... What you can say about Salah in attack and what he offers a team, you could say equally about van Dijk in defence.
00:12:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
He has been responsible for so many um clean sheets this season and I don't think we have the same success or the same points lead that we have if he wasn't there. Plus...
00:12:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
we don't really have many centre-backs. We've got cover for Salah on the right wing in Chiesa, in Harvey Elliott. And we don't have that for Van Dijk because we've got Canate, Joe Gomez is out injured, and then we've got Jarrell Kwanzaa, and then it's just the academy youngsters who have no Premier League experience.
00:12:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So it's it's a very weird situation to be in at the moment. And... i trust it it's I do trust FSG because we've got this far without spending that much money.
00:12:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
um and They have very shrewd business. But I mean, they there has to be reason for this madness. I just don't understand it. It's beyond my comprehension. It's beyond every Liverpool fan's comprehension.
00:13:03
Mikey
Yeah, absolutely. And 11 points clear at the top of the table, not giving away too much because the next game that we talk about is Arsenal-West Ham. um Seven points if Arsenal win their game in hand.
00:13:17
Mikey
um It just seems like a task too far ah for me at this stage. But we'll talk about that after the Arsenal game. Maybe we should we should cover that game and then come back to what we think will happen with the rest of the title race.
00:13:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:30
Mikey
So moving on to Arsenal-West Ham... um
00:13:35
Mikey
Arsenal were 15 Premier League games undefeated until West Ham and they lost 1-0 at home. I want to, because I'm very sure that we'll go down the avenue of how poor Arsenal were, I want to highlight just how good West Ham were across the whole of the pitch.
00:13:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:13:54
Mikey
People like Aaron Wambasaka games that he's not had this season or since since joining West Ham, in my opinion. um You've got James Ward-Crowse dominating the midfield, Jarrod Bowen, just across the pitch for West Ham.
00:14:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:10
Mikey
there was a team united to to to make a difference in a game. And I think think that is so powerful, especially when you're a team that maybe doesn't have the superstars, ah which may be harsh to some some West Ham players, but I think you understand my point.
00:14:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:14:26
Mikey
and and And the game was, there wasn't much happening in the first half, if I'm honest. There weren't any big chances. The only big chance that came to Arsenal, there was no centre forward that wanted to get on the end of it. and And then the best time
00:14:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
West Ham's Triumph Over Arsenal
00:14:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah
00:14:41
Mikey
you could potentially score in a game ah is right before half-time.
00:14:46
Mikey
And that's exactly what happened. It was a fantastic counter-attack where Gerard Bowen picked it up on the edge of his own box, released Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who did a couple of step-overs, um whipped in a ridiculous ball, and it was Gerard Bowen who got on to the end of it. and And he was the only one to react. no I thought defensively for Arsenal, it was really poor, but it was a fantastic and move, all that being said.
00:15:15
Mikey
from West Ham. and and And the difficulty for me, and this is where I want to come to you now, is there's two things that have happened that have that have happened in Arsenal season consecutively or on more than one occasion.
00:15:29
Mikey
And the first one is the discipline has has has let them down. ah So, um yeah, another red card.
00:15:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep.
00:15:34
Mikey
um And then the other one, lacked any belief that they were going to come back into that game. There was there was no, like, ah momentum to where that game felt that you know they're really knocking on the door. And there's another game we're going to talk about shortly where that was the case.
00:15:52
Mikey
um But yeah, Arsenal for me lack the title-winning overarching look as a team.
00:16:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. And I just can't get my head around the fact that they didn't buy a forward in January because that is all Arsenal fans were talking about. You know, Havertz isn't good enough and Gabriel Jesus hasn't really had a run. And I just think when you're playing players like Mikel Marino at centre forward,
00:16:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
then that's how you know that there is a problem at Arsenal. It's shrewd business and I don't get it. it's I just don't understand what happens at the board of some of these clubs because it just seems so simple to us.
00:16:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah But no, you're absolutely right. They really lacked a real threat and that's despite having 20 shots, but only two of them were on target. West Ham also had only two shots on target from five shots and they won the match.
00:16:44
Mikey
Thank you.
00:16:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that kind of tells the story in itself. One team was clinical, the other team wasn't, and that's how the game ended. It's also the second year running where West Ham have won at the Emirates, which is a crazy thing to imagine, considering the fact that they just sacked their last manager earlier this season and they haven't really had a great season by the standards that they should be setting as... ah with with the team they have, but they looked incredible today. And I've been slagging off Graham Potter ever since he went to West Ham because I just didn't understand why you would ah not go for boys instead.
00:17:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
i mean, you're seeing the effect he's had on Everton, but they looked unbelievable. I've written down some names. Wan-Bissaka, like you mentioned. I'm just wondering what's going on at Man United because when they have these players of these quality and they're letting them go and they're immediately doing well, you're seeing Anthony at Real Betis suddenly.
00:17:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
um It just speaks levels. But that's for another podcast. And I'm sure you'll have your fair share to say on that one. But Wan-Bissaka, Aaron Cresswell, who seems to have been at West Ham for ages, he was a threat with his sweet left foot ah going forward.
00:17:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Jared Bowen, of course, getting the goal, had a couple of other chances. um Tadibo at the back, I thought was brilliant. ah Scars and Ward prowls. But the discipline of Lewis Skelly, I think that's...
00:18:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
it feels natural to say that it cost Arsenal the game, but they were still flooding players forward afterwards. But it was a red card.
00:18:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
it It was, and it's stupid because they got caught out at the back and then he's had a swing around the player and that that That does seem like a huge amount of momentum loss because it really took a sort of sting out of the game, it felt.
00:18:37
Mikey
you
00:18:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Raheem Sterling, that free kick, I just... It was shameful. um They were lacking that sort of motivation going forward, the creativity, and it it it was not a good day for Arsenal, to say the least. And also, from a West Ham perspective, interesting see Evan Ferguson coming off the bench um with the number 34 as well. Best of luck to him.
00:19:04
Mikey
ah Yeah, absolutely. Just on the VAR decision, and like the only thing that bugged me about that situation was the on-field decision, in my opinion, was wrong.
00:19:15
Mikey
but no
00:19:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:16
Mikey
not Obviously, it was wrong and he he changed his opinion um and that's maybe VAR working in the correct way. But at the time, i don't know ah don't know how a referee, a professional referee, can get that so wrong.
00:19:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't understand. i And they're not very consistent with their decisions throughout the season. And that's what annoys me, because if we could have some sort of idea about the level and what is definitely a red and what's definitely a yellow, then that would just be so much easier to live as a football fan. But because of all of this uncertainty and going over to the monitors and, you know, having to correct their on-field decisions, it's so annoying.
00:19:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, it's lucky... that they got to the right decision for this one. um The Bournemouth one we'll get onto later, I'm sure. That was completely the wrong decision. um And correct on field, which is the other way around.
00:20:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's It's really annoying. And also the level of handball in Europe is really different to the level of handball in England. So there needs to be some sort of reform across the rules, ah not just in the Premier League, but across FIFA, in my opinion.
00:20:29
Mikey
Yeah, ah definitely a lack of consistency, but a huge statement nonetheless for West Ham. They've gone now 13 points clear of the relegation zone, which you would argue now means they're not in contention for relegation.
00:20:43
Mikey
um
00:20:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:20:44
Mikey
And they've they've pretty much done done that away to the rivals um at Arsenal, which is even better for them. So the title race then, i ah do at his start I alluded to it at the beginning of this podcast and I'm just going to refer back to it.
00:20:59
Mikey
My opinion is, based on the fact that Liverpool have only lost one game ah in this campaign so far, and the fact that Arsenal don't have and an identified ah st striker,
00:21:16
Mikey
who is is performing and their performances, to be quite honest, are inconsistent, ah to say the least. I would say that it's comfortably at Liverpool's league to have.
00:21:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think so as well. And if Arsenal win the rest of their games, they get 89 points. um And so that means Liverpool have 90 to get to. They're on 64 at the moment. So that's, what, 26 points for the rest of the season. So nine wins or eight wins and two draws out of...
00:21:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
12 games, 11 or 12 games? 11 games, 11 games for Liverpool, 12 for Arsenal.
00:21:54
Mikey
Thank you.
00:21:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So it's definitely doable, but with the inconsistency of Arsenal going forward, I can't see them winning the rest of their games anyway. They've got a very difficult one ah on Wednesday night when they play Forest.
00:22:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that will be... ah Arsenal need that win if they are still within hopes of a title. um But they won't get it if they played like they did against West Ham.
00:22:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely not.
00:22:22
Mikey
Agreed. And it's fair to say that it would be catastrophic if Liverpool were to to to fail from this point. But something that isn't catastrophic, something that is, in fact, the polar opposite catastrophic, is Bionic, our advert here at the GSPN.
00:22:40
Mikey
So let's tell you a little bit more about that.
00:22:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bye.
00:23:22
Mikey
Absolutely, use that 40% off your first month's subscription. But we're going to into my prediction on Friday forecast of the pick of the bunch for this weekend.
00:23:35
Mikey
and My gosh, I am not often right about these things. But crikey, what a game. At Newcastle, Forest, a seven-goal thriller.
00:23:48
Mikey
And Newcastle aged it just... um And it should have been shouldn't have been as close as it was. It really shouldn't.
00:23:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:23:56
Mikey
They scored three in 11 first half minutes. um Forrest threatened a stunning second half comeback. Milenkovic pulled one back in the 63rd minute and then Yates hit a 90th goal and left like a very, very nervy ending for Newcastle.
00:24:16
Mikey
and But they did manage to hold on and got all three points. And they've moved up to fifth and joined on points with... The blue side of Manchester who dropped points today, obviously, against Liverpool.
00:24:30
Mikey
Louis, what was your takeaway from this? For me, the reason I was so interested in it is both of these teams had a point to prove. and
00:24:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:38
Mikey
and and and And they did today. ah was really impressed with Forrest and and their response to going so going down and the deficit that they clawed back.
00:24:49
Mikey
and that was That was the opposite to what I i saw from Arsenal. they They made it look as though they could steal a point at the end, and but Newcastle saw it out. It was a great Premier League fixture, in my opinion, for a neutral to watch.
00:25:04
Mikey
Forrest, I think anything we talk about, Forrest, are doing a phenomenal job in a Champions League place and we can't we can't condemn them too much for losing away from home.
00:25:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, Forest have been a little bit inconsistent recently. I mean, they had that really strange 5-0 loss at Bournemouth recently. um And then they came back and beat Brighton 7-0. So inconsistency, I believe, would be an understatement for them.
00:25:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
um i mean they have so much quality in their team callum hudson the die clinical off that murphy mistake early on um but who really impressed me from newcastle was lewis hall because he seemed involved in lots of the attacks uh constantly sweeping up the left wing and putting in wonderful crosses he really deserves to be in my opinion the number one choice for england's left back at the moment um
00:25:39
Mikey
Bye.
00:25:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Lewis Miley, what a story for him as well. His first start in the year and he gets a goal.
00:26:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
The first half couldn't be any more different to that second half. I mean, Forrest won the second half ah because they scored twice and Newcastle didn't score at all. But I base that on a sort of bit of complacency from a Newcastle perspective because they really edged it at the end, like you mentioned, and they were poor from defending corners. ah both of Forrest's goals coming from corners.
00:26:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And that's where Forrest have been punishing a lot of teams recently from their defensive players getting forward and causing havoc in the box. And it was it was a fantastic game.
00:26:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was your pick of the bunch. I mean, fair play to you for predicting that. But... um but
00:26:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
i'm I'm speechless when I talk about it because it it was just there's so much to get into this short segment and I'm worried I'm going to leave stuff out. um Oh, yeah, of course, Isak two goals in two minutes as well.
00:27:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that penalty, that penalty. I've never seen anything like it.
00:27:07
Mikey
Oh.
00:27:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
A Penenka and Matt Sells, who, in my opinion, has been the goalkeeper of the season. yeah getting a hand to it, but made look so ridiculous. but heac um Wow. What a season he's having.
00:27:21
Mikey
Absolutely. 50 goals in the Premier League. um And, you know, like being a Champions League spot for Newcastle is a very reasonable thing to to to want for Geordie fans up and down the country.
00:27:35
Mikey
And what an upset that would be and if they pipped Man City to a Champions League spot and they joined Forest in there as as one of the other teams.
00:27:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. i i think and yeah I think a lot of their focus will be on their upcoming League Cup final against us at the moment.
00:27:44
Mikey
I mean, it just would...
00:27:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, that would be amazing for Newcastle. um But, you know, not going to talk it too much into existence for obvious reasons.
00:28:00
Mikey
Yeah, absolutely. and And I think it's really important to look at the bigger picture because the difference between Forest, who are sat now in third place on 47 points, and they're not getting any European football at all, isn't too far to to to imagine. Villa in eighth, so between third and eighth, is five points difference.
00:28:20
Mikey
that's That's two games.
00:28:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's nothing.
00:28:22
Mikey
it's not It's not a lot. So all of those teams, in my opinion, could make Europe. And I mean, it'd be very disappointing for Forest fans if they didn't make it. But you'd still if even if they finished eighth, you'd think it of it as a successful season.
00:28:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:35
Mikey
Maybe not from the position they're in now, but at the start of the season, I'm sure Forest fans would have taken eighth.
00:28:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, look, they're still in the FA Cup and they're the highest ranked team still in the FA Cup as well. So they have every reason to want to go for that. um But, you know, they can't have one distract them from the other or so on and so forth. And they just need to get their consistency back.
00:28:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
um They've won 14 from 26. They would have bitten your hand off for that earlier ah if you if you told them about before the season. And they've scored 44 goals as well in the Premier League. When you look at them, they've been quite well defensively from what you can see. Still conceding 33 goals though, so they only have a goal difference of plus 11.
00:29:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But they've lost their last two games now in the Premier League. And, you know, consistency. We've talked a lot about it on this episode, but it's vital for them at this stage when they're going into this part of the season, the final third of the season, and that's where points matter the most.
00:29:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah You've got a goal in sight. Now their goal in sight is still to be top four and that, yeah, only three points off fifth.
00:29:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's absolutely nothing.
00:29:46
Mikey
Bye.
00:29:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
And in a real six pointer as well, they need to just recover from this and be able to bounce back and, I mentioned it will be a difficult game for Arsenal.
00:29:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
It will be an equally difficult game for Forest midweek. That's setting up to be a fantastic match.
00:30:03
Mikey
Yeah, another another pick of my bunch for the future. And you do talk about inconsistency, which kindly moves on to our next game. And these two teams, in my opinion, are the main two teams I've spoke about inconsistency with throughout the season. Villa with their league form and Champions League form.
00:30:21
Mikey
ah hindering how they performed and Chelsea, well Chelsea, they've only won two out of the last nine and but in this game they made such a good start.
00:30:32
Mikey
Pedro Neto doing incredibly well. he was absolutely on fire in that first half um and he and he did everything to to make that goal.
00:30:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he was brilliant. Yeah, he
00:30:40
Mikey
Fernandes had a little tap in and it continued. Chelsea for me, ah few big chances after that. Three big chances. that They just weren't clinical enough. And I remember saying this when they played Brighton.
00:30:57
Mikey
And that that's that's, for me, the biggest difference for Chelsea. They just don't... They don't take those chances, those big chances. And that game, for me, could have been over in the first half ah if Chelsea had put those chances away. However...
00:31:13
Mikey
against the run of play, Rashford and Asensio combined to make the score level. And then at 1-1, you have Cole Palmer going through on a one-on-one.
00:31:24
Mikey
And I know he slipped... And I know the Villa keeper slipped, but at the start of the season, in the Cole Palmer form that we saw, it's a goal. It's a 100% goal.
00:31:35
Mikey
Chelsea are 2-1 up and probably coming away with three points from this game. ah They weren't to do it. And, you know, a slapdash goalkeeping, which is another huge issue for Chelsea at the minute.
00:31:46
Mikey
Jorgensen with a massive mistake right the death. And it was just... It was the tip of the iceberg for me of of the issues that that Chelsea actually face. ah There's so much you can unpick from that team that that are struggling on the pitch at the minute.
00:32:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but you say that, they're also just one point off top four at the same time. So that that really tells how competitive this season is. um But you're right, they really do have a goalkeeper problem at the moment because, i mean, Jorgensen is still young.
00:32:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's get that out the way. He's still a young player that was brought in from La Liga and he made more saves than any other La Liga goalkeeper last season, I believe. I remember reading when he joined. um but they also have Kepa out loan at Bournemouth. They also have Petrovic out on loan at Strasbourg. So you kind of have to think to yourself, if you're Chelsea...
00:32:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you've sort of given up on Robert Sanchez. Who do you want from next season? Do you want Kepa back in goal? He's not been too bad for Bournemouth. Or do you want Petrovic? I remember everyone for being absolutely crazy about Petrovic for points of last season as well. And it sort of seemed like they would be even lower if had it not been for him.
00:33:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah But the quality that they do have going forward, i mean, you mentioned Neto, a brilliant assist for Enzo. And I think he's been severely underrated um by not only football fans, but also by Enzo Maresca.
00:33:08
Mikey
that.
00:33:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like you mentioned, on the flip side, the lonely duo of Asensio and Marcus Rashford. They say never fall in love with a lone player. I think that's going to be very difficult for Villa because the fact that Rashford has got this sort of form immediately. I mean, I saw a real threat in him again when the Villa played against us, Liverpool, um earlier in the week.
00:33:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And for him to get two assists and Asensio to get ah his first goal since October. And what what a performance as well by Asensio. That is a veteran.
00:33:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is a player who has been playing at the highest level. And you can just see that difference in quality because Chelsea just didn't really have an answer for him. ah I just I don't I don't know where Chelsea go from here because yeah they're the most unpredictable team at the moment and they have been for quite a long time now I'd say.
00:34:19
Mikey
Yeah, absolutely. But as you have alluded to, that they're they're only a point off top four football. So it's it's any of those teams are in that are in that area, if any of them can maintain some form of form, for lack of a better choice of words, in the next 12 games, you know you'd you'd really fancy a chance to get a Champions League spot. And and and there's no lacking quality in in the Chelsea squad or the Villa squad for me.
00:34:47
Mikey
ah It's just... whether they're able to produce the football that that we know they can do, let's be honest. that It definitely is within them. It's just whether they can they can maintain those results. um I think Villa might really struggle as it comes back to the Champions League and that takes away and their squad and their their levels because I just don't think that they've got enough depth to manage both.
00:35:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
and they'll be Chelsea will be thanking Wolves at the moment because they have really... ah Wolves have done them a massive favour by ah defeating Bournemouth, which is, in my opinion, the surprise of the weekend. who would have seen that coming? but ah
00:35:29
Mikey
Yeah, without doubt. Before we get into the Wolves game, though, sorry, go on, you go.
00:35:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Can you imagine Bournemouth? I was just to say, can you imagine Bournemouth in the Champions League? don't know.
00:35:37
Mikey
and It's crazy. Like, you could literally have Bournemouth and Forest, both in the Champions League.
00:35:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, just great. Yeah, what it's a weird season, this one. Really strange.
00:35:46
Mikey
Yeah, it is. And it's one that I'm ready to get over as a United fan. But one thing I'm not ready to get over is our choice of podcasting platform, which is Zencastr.
00:35:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:36:29
Mikey
Beautiful. Check it out. Zencast is where GSPN gets all of their daily podcasts for every team, the women's football, Champions League, fantasy football, Spanish. We've got the lot.
00:36:41
Mikey
They need to go and search us out. But we are the daily ah English GSPN Premier League podcast. So find us on the social media pages. We are now on YouTube as well. ah giving you daily content uploaded for you. But before we conclude in our last segment, I would like to discuss the teams at the foot of the table.
00:37:00
Mikey
And you've already talked about it quickly there. ah But my gosh, Wolves with a shock result, but a man on fire.
00:37:11
Mikey
Cunha, four in four. um And he took his chance fantastically well. Bournemouth didn't really have have an answer to Wolves' is display, I don't think.
00:37:25
Mikey
I think after Zabarai i
00:37:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
The Bani.
00:37:31
Mikey
thank you got sent off after 31 minutes, it was an uphill task for them.
00:37:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
The Bani.
00:37:36
Mikey
But Wolves played some fantastic football and to be quite honest could have won by maybe a couple more goals.
00:37:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was a fantastic match. I mean, there was action right from the start. And one player that I really want to highlight from that Wolves team, Nelson Samedo. I know you mentioned Kunja, but the fullbacks for Wolves have been so understated. I mean, we've talked about Ryan Ikenori a bit um as football fans this season, but Nelson Samedo has to deserve, he deserves so much praise for his performances recently because he was pushing up and Wolves were sort of overloading that right-hand side.
00:38:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
um and you know, he was creating chances from the back and he was tracking back and Wolves kept a clean sheet in the end. ah But that Zabani red card is an absolute joke because the referee gave it as a yellow card. It's one of those where he goes in and he sticks his studs out, but he gets the ball, but his foot almost sort of ricochets off the ball and goes up onto, can't remember who it was that he yeah challenged, but it it's a yellow card on the field and really not enough contact, in my opinion, ah to send him off from VAR. It looks bad from one angle where the studs are sort of high on his leg.
00:38:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
But if you just look at it in normal speed, um it really doesn't look that bad. And... you know, five years ago, that would never have been a red card. I mean, what are we doing?
00:39:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
We mentioned the inconsistency of refereeing decisions earlier. ah And that is a prime example of it. ah But Wolves maybe could have got more. I mean, four goals and four games for Mateus Cunha, absolutely brilliant ah recently.
00:39:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
He scored a wonderful goal against Liverpool recently. ah One poor sod that I want to bring up. I'm sure he'll be quite harsh on himself about it. Marshall Minetzi, open goal. He's never scored for Wolves.
00:39:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was the perfect time. He had time. he had he was right in front of the goal. The ball was put on the plate for him. Scuffs it wide. He will be wanting to forget that one and move on quickly.
00:39:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
But the way that I saw Wolves play, um two wins from three now, that it's probably safe to say that they will probably deser ah stay up. They'll probably avoid the drop.
00:39:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very harsh on Ipswich to go down, but... Yeah, the quality in the Premier League now is so, so high that you can see teams that deserve to stay up going down.
00:40:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Wolves definitely, I think, will stay up now.
00:40:13
Mikey
Yeah, I mean, just to to touch back on the red card, i don't think that it was too difficult a question. like I can fully understand why the decision was given.
00:40:27
Mikey
and i I think but think that is more telling of today's game and and and and lack of lack of knowledge of what the player was trying to do. There was no intent with that. There was no aggression. ah it was It was very close to being a good tackle. He wasn't trying to hurt the other player.
00:40:45
Mikey
Eyes were on the ball at all times.
00:40:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely.
00:40:48
Mikey
speak I think he was very unlucky to be sent off. But I also, when I saw it, didn't think... Didn't think it was too harsh either in the in the same breath. ah I could understand its the decision by the referee.
00:41:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah i just I just think when you're looking for ah reason to send someone off, you're looking for excessive force. um I just think it was a bit clumsy.
00:41:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think there's any malicious intent. And for a player to be admonished in that fashion and probably now get a suspension off the back of it is incredibly harsh. And i think...
00:41:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah someone who has been as key a player recently as Ilya Zabani, apparently Liverpool were eyeing up a transfer for him in the summer. I think that's really unfair on him. And, you know, Bournemouth fans have every right to be upset with that one.
00:41:40
Mikey
Yeah, and a team that isn't upset and definitely won't be is the significant change in form for Tottenham Hotspur.
00:41:51
Mikey
And Post-Codgou's side one three on the Trotnow, which is the first time since December 2023. And is one of the names that came out of that game for me, scoring a brace.
00:42:06
Mikey
um And he he took the game away from it, which really... It could have been a very different story for Ipswich though. um There were three massive chances that they had in the first five minutes.
00:42:18
Mikey
ah But De Lapp, their star man, just didn't manage to convert.
00:42:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:42:23
Mikey
um And yeah, after an assist from Jung-Sung Min, son, sorry. Yeah, Brendan Johnson scored and it was almost all over. 4-1 was a score...
00:42:37
Mikey
ah Portman Road and yeah ah you've you've kind of mentioned it but Ipswich are the two sides that that could stay up in the Premier League between them and Leicester I'm talking about i would argue you have have the better chance but i think I think there's just a golfing class in in the squads and and and it's quite apparent when they're playing them
00:42:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's It's a shame for Ipswich because their efforts haven't gone unnoticed. I mean, when they go down, they do not stop fighting until the final whistle. And I think there's a lot to be said about that.
00:43:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
um You see certain players just, you know, throwing a strop and walking and no jogging around at the top of the pitch. But, you know, Ipswich players will... fight tooth and nail to get any sort of result. And they've had a couple of unlucky ones this season.
00:43:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, my highlight off the pitch of that one, Ed Sheeran inviting Rupert Grint to that match. So the two most famous gingers in the last 20 years have now joined forces at Portman Road. What a joy.
00:43:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Ipswich started well as well. I mean, DeLapp, as you mentioned, hitting the bar, quite unfortunate, but great link up from Son and Johnson. um I just think if you're Tottenham as well, what do you want to get out of this season?
00:43:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Do you want to, because they're not going to go down. You know, they're 12th. I think they've done enough to survive, considering the fact that 18th place, 17 points. They're not going to catch them now.
00:44:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
But do you just go for the Europa League? I think that's probably what you want if you're a Spurs fan. though Right, Mikey? Just go for the Europa League.
00:44:10
Mikey
Yeah, you're probably right. I think the Spurs fans probably won a run of of a form that reinstates faith in the manager. like it It wasn't long ago before they were they were asking for him to be sacked.
00:44:23
Mikey
and And now they've had a run of three games and it it seems to have ah changed yet again.
00:44:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and I think that's ridiculous.
00:44:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean...
00:44:28
Mikey
um and I think it would have...
00:44:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Three games in the Premier League, I just want to highlight. I mean, they did just ah get destroyed by Liverpool in the League Cup.
00:44:37
Mikey
Yeah.
00:44:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And um yeah that that was a fun one. And they also did lose to Aston Villa in the FA Cup as well, three days later. ah So now they only are in the Europa League and the Premier League.
00:44:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think out of those two, if you're a Spurs fan, you want to go for the European success because that's their only way they're going to get a trophy out of this season.
00:44:57
Mikey
Yeah, absolutely. I think i think you're right. um Yeah, I think i think that's where where they need to. But it is Spurs, so the chances of getting a trophy are stacked against them just because, well, it's the most Spurs thing to do, isn't it? Not get the trophy.
00:45:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, there are some fantastic teams that are in the Europa League. mean, Atletic Bilbao are fourth right now in La Liga and they're only behind the quality of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atleti.
00:45:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
They'll definitely be a force to be reckoned with. And Real Sociedad as well, another great one. Roma, Porto, all still in it.
00:45:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's it's and it's It's a brilliant competition, Europa League, because it's the most competitive it's been ever. um In this new format as well, finishing fourth. That's brilliant. Five wins out of eight.
00:45:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Two draws, only one loss. So i think if you're a Spurs fan, that excites you way more than going on a run of Premier League matches. And also, just imagine they go go on a little run and start to believe.
00:46:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that's the only joy they can get out of this season anyway, because the Premier League has been a total right-off. And I suppose the aim for them would just to be in to finish in the top half out of this. season where they've been riddled with bad luck in the injury list.
00:46:16
Mikey
Yeah, absolutely. and And talking about teams that are suffering, I guess, and there's there's no team suffering more than Leicester currently, other than maybe Southampton, but we're not even going to touch on those guys ah because they're so far away from any offer of of ah resurrection out of the relegation ah places.
00:46:38
Mikey
Leicester are sat on 17 points with Ipswich, and Yeah, and they're in 19th place. It does look like a club that are in trouble. um
00:46:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yep.
00:46:51
Mikey
Three goals in the first half, ah saw the home fans booing and with Anistaroy. And it's a massive, massive step back for them, ah losing 4-0 to Brentford.
00:47:05
Mikey
I just don't, I don't see any hope for Leicester for me.
00:47:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, absolutely not. Leicester, you can blame this on the owners, I think, quite a lot because getting rid of Steve Cooper and bringing Ruder van Nistrooy, an unproven manager, ah it was just ludicrous because Steve Cooper has experience in the bottom half of the Premier League and fighting ah to stay up.
00:47:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I just look at Leicester. I do not see an improvement from the beginning of the season whatsoever. They're reliant on Jamie Vardy a lot of the time. You know, a man coming towards the end of his career, a veteran, but someone who is about five years past it.
00:47:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
four goals and leaving him up front and the midfield I and the midfield in the defense are just the sloppiest most disorganized thing in the Premier League governmentm mean I mean credit to Brentford you know Visa clinical and Burmo and especially Damsgaard caused a lot of problems ah for Leicester But when you have a team who are defending in the bottom half, sorry, in the bottom of the Premier League, and you're not tracking runners, this is desperate times, and you're not doing the basics of football normally, not able to pass it around in midfield, giving it away and giving away chances for free.
00:48:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brentford could have put... could have put a lot more in as well if anything the four nil flatters left flat flatters leicester uh i i it's a absolute are there are words that i would use describing that i'm not allowed to say on this podcast it's a shocking shocking watch
00:48:49
Mikey
yeah yeah
00:48:53
Mikey
that was a quality sidestep there but Yeah, the King Power Stadium ah was very disappointed. They had a Friday kick-off and it it just looks as though it's it's a woeful time for Leicester. But think I think these times you can see two things happening. One, the side will go down and two, they will probably inev ever inevitably sack Ruben and Isteroy.
00:49:19
Mikey
along the way and because I just think there's so long for it to go on and if the fans are are showing disappointment to the level of which they were this weekend I don't know how long as ah as a club you can you can keep a ah manager in place. If you lose the fans to that level, I think i think you're struggling. ah So I think it'd be a full rebuild job and Leicester will definitely be hoping to come back in the Premier League next season, surely.
00:49:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just crazy the fact that this team won the Premier League less than 10 years ago.
00:49:55
Mikey
Yeah.
00:49:56
Mikey
Yeah.
00:49:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
The drop-off since then has been...
00:50:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
i mean, you you you can say that the change of ownership in that tragic accident ah can maybe cause a ripple-on effect to the performances of the players, you know the management changing and everything sort of being a bit hectic behind the scenes and...
00:50:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, that's unfortunate, but these players just don't, what they're not good enough to be in the Premier League. ah The recruitment, just top to bottom for Leicester, things have gone from bad to worse, I think, for them.
00:50:35
Mikey
Yeah, and to conclude this episode with a stat, because I feel like we've we've talked a lot about stats. Leicester are the first side ah to lose six successive Premier League home games without scoring a goal.
00:50:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow, that that speaks levels.
00:50:51
Mikey
and
00:50:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And also I've got another stat that I forgot to mention earlier as well. Brentford have won at Leicester for the first time since, you want to guess the year? Rough estimate?
00:51:03
Mikey
Oh, my God. ah 2000 and... i don't have a clue. but Three, two.
00:51:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
2002 is your final guess.
00:51:13
Mikey
Yeah.
00:51:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're 49 years off. 1953 was the last time that Brentford have won at Leicester.
00:51:17
Mikey
Yeah.
00:51:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
In their defence, they have only visited them six times since then, and they've won on their sixth in good fashion as well for them.
00:51:26
Mikey
Absolutely. And on that note, I'd like to conclude today's episode. That has been the Monday Review. We are the Daily English Premier League podcast. I've been Mikey Thompson, joined by Louis.
00:51:37
Mikey
Louis, it's been an absolute pleasure. Thank you from me.
00:51:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, thank you for having me on the Monday Review. um Hopefully you'll have the normal pay people back next week and have a bit ah a bit more positive things to talk about from ah the lower perspective without being too harsh.
00:51:54
Mikey
I loved your insight, to be fair, Paul. I hope it's not too long till we do another one. But for now, it's goodbye from me and goodbye from Louis.
00:51:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:52:02
Mikey
I hope you all have a wonderful week. Until we see more Premier League football next time.