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Liverpool Win Big: On The Pitch & In The Window; Transfer Deadline Frenzy; NFL Season Hot Takes
17 Plays2 months ago
- Liverpool vs. Arsenal: Takeaways, Did Arteta Get It Wrong ?
- Transfer Deadline Frenzy: Isak to Liverpool, Guehi Trackback, Donnaruma to City
- NFL Season Hot Takes
- SNF Ravens @ Bills
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Transcript
Episode Introduction
00:00:09
Emeka
Welcome, welcome, welcome to episode 33, the Larry Bird edition of the Love of
Post-Deadline Day Madness
00:00:16
Emeka
the Game podcast.
00:00:16
Chuku
you
00:00:17
Emeka
We're coming to you straight after Deadline Day Madness. We got lot to talk about this episode. You already know the big game of the weekend, all the juicy transfers, the NFL starting, and no tackle all these conversations. There's no one I'd rather do it with than my two people here who stayed with us through the transfer window. you know They put their statements on Instagram.
00:00:37
Emeka
Bits came in, but at the end of the day, we couldn't leave them we couldn't let them leave. We have to hold on. you know I'm joined by my man Chukwu. Chukwu, how are you living today, man?
00:00:46
Chuku
Hey, man, you know, coming up with disappointing loss over the weekend. But, you know, we bounced back, you know, a lot to talk about. Excited for the you know NFL season. I know a lot of us have had our fantasy drafts. Hopefully your drafts went well.
00:00:59
Chuku
And, yeah, I'm just happy to kick with the boys again and a lot of
Season Kick-off and Transfer Recap
00:01:03
Chuku
talk about. I'm excited, you know, ready to go.
00:01:07
Emeka
Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. My man, you know, communicado official came in and I'm glad to have you back for another season, man. How you how you living, brother? but
00:01:16
Chino Onwuka
I'm good. I'm good. It was a good labor-long weekend. Obviously, it was transfer deadline, so a lot of shenanigans was happening. College football is back. There's some some games that we'll get into EPL. And, like, yeah, you talked about fantasy. I survived three fantasy drafts, including my first dynasty.
Liverpool vs Arsenal Clash Analysis
00:01:37
Chino Onwuka
So, yeah, it was quite the weekend.
00:01:40
Emeka
You know, that was that beautiful time of year when college football is back, NFL starting up, football is swinging in. It's just a nice time.
00:01:47
Chuku
Thank you.
00:01:48
Emeka
It turned me into fall. and yeah I'm glad we all had good weekends because I had a great weekend. and and Well, I had good weekend to start until Sunday morning. I woke up and the talk of the town, non-transfer-wise, I'd say, is this weekend they had a big clash.
00:02:05
Emeka
Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield, one versus two last season. You know, be hyped up Super Sunday. Big game. Who's going to title challenging, determining game?
00:02:17
Emeka
And as anyone who's... Can watch Arteta predict it was a boring affair to say the least. A drab match that have Man United Legends going on radio and crashing out saying they never wanted a team to lose more than Arsenal.
00:02:31
Emeka
This tells you what was going on that game. A game that looked destined for nil-nil until the 80-something minutes. Shabazz Sly lines up it and just pings in a beautiful free kick.
00:02:44
Emeka
1-0 in a match that featured the lowest combined XG in the last four years in the
Arteta's Strategy Critique
00:02:49
Emeka
Premier League. I cannot emphasize how boring this game was. now Nothing happened. Everyone's talking about it. a lot of takes are flying in all over the place.
00:02:57
Emeka
I'll start with my man Chukwu, who I watched that game with. I'll give you a question in the lead off. After watching that game, do you think Michael Arteta got it right?
00:03:10
Chuku
See, I'm not one to overreact. or Sorry, I'm actually one to overreact. But this time around, what I will say is, like, after actually went back and rewatched, you know, big chunks of that game again. And honestly, you know what?
00:03:28
Chuku
Like, going into that game, knowing the injuries that we had prior to the game, Odegaard not being, you know, fully fit, only able to give, you know?
00:03:39
Chuku
a lot of time that he did. ah can't be too mad at it, you know, because as i honestly think going to Anfield, like, he went with the proper game plan. He was going to make the game and and a messy game, not easy.
00:03:53
Chuku
You know, it was never going to be one of those games that was going to be appealing to the eyes. i mean, as a fan, obviously, you would like it. You know, you like your team to, you know, go out there full throttle and, you know, play ball and try to go and score as many goals as possible. But at the same time,
00:04:08
Chuku
You've got respect your opposition. it is Liverpool. we're talking about the defending champions. I mean, again, feel like as much as you want to make or people want to want this narrative that, you know, Arsenal didn't really offer much offensively on their end, very much can be said about the other side. you know And I feel like and not not enough credit is being given to the fact that, you know, for the most part,
00:04:32
Chuku
Arsenal is able to handle or deal with the offense, listen at least in open play, the offense of what Liverpool you know puts together. And we know Liverpool is one of the more attacking teams in the league.
00:04:45
Chuku
So for them you know to not have that many you know open shots or chances at our goal, would take that as a positive. you know It's just unfortunate to drop points the way that we did, you know, it's it's definitely unfortunate. too I do wish, you know, Ezzi had came on a lot earlier for me.
00:05:05
Chuku
And that's just me personally, after seeing the half that Martinelli did, I just think that creative spark in the second half could have been used a lot earlier. But, I mean, other than that one, you know, or other than that, there's really not much else I can honestly say that all would have changed in that game, per se.
00:05:25
Chuku
It's just disappointing to you know come out of the come out of that game with zero points. But you know well'll say oh what I'll tell you know people is, look, end of the day, Liverpool now got to come back to the Emirates at some point later on in the in the season.
00:05:40
Chuku
And I'm really hoping that the approach when it comes or when it comes time for that game, will be ah ah know much different than what we tried to pull this time around, you know, playing at Anfield.
00:05:53
Chuku
And hopefully we're able to get the three points, you know, next time. But as far as this past weekend, yeah, I can't be too mad at it. I think anyone that's, you know, upset over the matter, you know, just try to – I mean, you can be upset, but just try to, you know,
00:06:09
Chuku
not overreact with the situation. At the end of the day, you know, it was this was a game that was destined to be 0-0 with the possibility of, you know, a team nicking a goal at the end.
00:06:20
Chuku
And we just happened to be on the wrong side of things this time around. So, you know, you live with the results, know, and we just push on. You know, hopefully... in our next game, we're able to, you know, hopefully we have an opportunity to come out and play, you know, more expansive football.
00:06:35
Chuku
I'm really excited to see what Eze is going bring to the table. Even his little cameo, you know, had me excited with some of the touches and, you know, some of his play that, you we got to witness. And I really am looking forward to seeing a full, you know, front lineup, I would say, of, you know,
00:06:55
Chuku
Yachares with the support of and Asaka, Eze, Odegaard. I think that's going to be something that Arsenal fans are going to be clamoring to to see. And yeah, just got to give it time. But for now, you know, we'll so we'll we'll take the punches with the results against us this time around.
00:07:14
Chuku
But I do think, you know, the best is yet to come when it comes to this Arsenal squad. And hopefully we're going to see that after the international break.
Liverpool's Transfer Success and Squad Analysis
00:07:23
Emeka
Chino, what are your thoughts after watching that game?
00:07:28
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, my sentiments, you ah pair pretty much with what everything Chukwu said. Was it a surprise that Arteta lined up the way he did?
00:07:41
Chino Onwuka
No, it's not. You know, we have enough of it a track record of of how Arteta sees things that, you know, at least I thought there was a really high chance we were going to see, you know, a Moreno, Rice, Subimendi midfield.
00:07:55
Chino Onwuka
The one thing I sort of, maybe hoped was that Eze would start, you know, to sort of balance that out a little bit. But I can understand Martinelli starting during that game because of how he's played against Liverpool in the past.
00:08:13
Chino Onwuka
And, you know, with Liverpool's attacking threat, you know, Calafiore starting, maybe he's trying to protect that a bit. And and and so was he a little cautious? Yes. But that's because you're going to Anfield.
00:08:28
Chino Onwuka
I mean, I grew up in a period where how many Haram Manchester United Chelsea games did we see? Where they'd be built up as this clash of titans and they were usually some of the worst games ever because during those big games, you know, sometimes you get a banger, but a lot of times it's two really good teams canceling each other out and That's what we saw.
00:08:55
Chino Onwuka
Yes, Arsenal weren't maybe as aggressive as they could be because, I mean, and needs to be said that Saka was out for this match again. Odegaard was out for this match again.
00:09:07
Chino Onwuka
We lost to Liba after five minutes. Kai, who I think would have started this game, wasn't there. So we had mitigating factors there. Liverpool as well had Frimpong injured, so they played Soda Sly at right back. So they were probably trying to account for some of their personnel issues as well.
00:09:25
Chino Onwuka
And two really good teams had a slugfest.
00:09:28
Chuku
you
00:09:28
Chino Onwuka
You know, this is where you have, you know, you get this big UFC match and, you know, you're expecting, oh, who's going to knock each other out. And it's just grappling in tactical positioning for, for five rounds.
00:09:41
Chino Onwuka
So, so that's what we saw. So really disappointing to not at least come out of that game with, with a point, You know, really, really good weekend for for Liverpool. What a free kick.
00:09:54
Chino Onwuka
I guess we've talked for almost 10 minutes without talking about that. That wonder strike of an effort from Shrubhslai. That's one of those that you just don't save.
00:10:05
Chino Onwuka
And sometimes you just got to tip your hat and, you know, you know liverpool Liverpool won the game. And that's really, really, really big marker for them, you know, going for the rest of the season. They've had games.
00:10:18
Chino Onwuka
against Newcastle and Arsenal now, and they're three out of three top of the table. So really good sign for them, especially, and we'll talk about it later with other news that happened to them for the rest of the weekend.
00:10:29
Chino Onwuka
One thing I do want to say is, you know, i liked the little cameo that Eze had. You know, i wish at the very least maybe Arteta could have brought them on earlier. i think he really could have.
00:10:41
Chino Onwuka
Martinelli, really, really disappointing for him. I really don't know what's going on with him. He needs to crack on really, really quickly or else, you know, it's it's not looking good for him with all the options that we have now.
00:10:53
Chino Onwuka
And big, big shout out to Mascara. I mean, to come on in that stage to replace Saliba against Liverpool and to handle it like he did, I think we we we got a gem of a signing there.
00:11:00
Emeka
please
00:11:06
Emeka
Like, the biggest compliment I can give Mascara is that I really didn't notice Saliba wasn't playing.
00:11:08
Chuku
I'm not sure what doing. not sure what I'm doing. I'm not sure what I'm doing.
00:11:11
Emeka
And that's incredible for a guy who, you know, pree pre-match, Saliba rolls his ankle, fights it all, plays it for five minutes, can't go.
00:11:11
Chuku
not sure
00:11:21
Emeka
He has no idea he's going to play.
00:11:22
Chuku
what doing.
00:11:23
Emeka
And I was stunned.
00:11:23
Chuku
I'm not sure what I'm doing. I'm not sure what I'm doing.
00:11:25
Emeka
Like, again I really did not notice Saliba was missing. Mascara for $13 million, like, looked fantastic. Yeah, i mean, I i really don't have much to say about this game. You guys will cover most of it.
00:11:36
Emeka
It is what it is. Like, Mourinho used to famously do the, I play for a draw away and I play for the wind at home. Like, that's just how it goes. This is the hardest game we're going to play all season.
00:11:47
Emeka
We haven't won an Anfield in 12 years. You're going to play, you're going to hope it's nil-nil and nick a corner or something and run away with the result. Unfortunately, i don't know what happened. Every corner we got was on the right side and both our left footers were out.
00:12:01
Emeka
And it really it shows that we only practice in swinging corners because Rice had no, Rice who puts the best corners i've sweared I've seen in the generation doesn't know what to do without swinging corner. I was stunned watching that.
00:12:14
Chuku
That was a big thing.
00:12:15
Emeka
You guys are talking. I don't understand it. Like, i look, I'm not professional footballer in any way, but I have to think that you you can put in delicious in-swingers. You can't put in one decent out-swingers.
00:12:27
Emeka
I don't know. But echo everything you're saying about Eze, I mean, i just wish he took that one chance he had.
00:12:29
Chuku
Yeah.
00:12:35
Emeka
He just shot it. I mean, maybe it's just no unfamiliarity, trying to look for an assistant instead. Just blast that out of Allison. You never know. So, I don't know what you're talking about.
00:12:44
Chuku
have a question for the boy. I'm just curious because, again, I was getting hearing a lot of like online narratives going on about Raya and his positioning and whatnot on the free kick.
00:12:55
Chuku
What are y'all guys' take on that? Do you think could have positioned himself better in the free kick?
00:12:57
Emeka
madness.
00:12:59
Emeka
You put two keepers in that net, the free kick still goes in.
00:13:00
Chuku
OK.
00:13:03
Chuku
okay
00:13:03
Emeka
Like, if they go in off the bar like that, there's nothing you can do.
00:13:04
Chuku
OK.
00:13:09
Chuku
What's his use, you know?
00:13:10
Chino Onwuka
Nah, I mean, it looks bad because of how he's shifting from one side to the other as he's setting up the wall. But if you just take a look at where the free kick ended up, he he wasn't saving that.
00:13:23
Emeka
I don't understand.
00:13:23
Chuku
Yeah, to be clear, I echo those same sentiments. like I don't get the the whole like know arguments of like you know positioning and whatnot.
00:13:33
Chino Onwuka
Look, you get that. You get that with every free kick that goes. After like 10 minutes, people will go from saying, oh my God, to... Hmm. Cause the keeper, like I saw that after Declan Rice's free kicks where people were started questioning Courtois and if he could have done better and you know, and it's like, what?
00:13:50
Chino Onwuka
Honestly, i don't, I don't know what it is about this generation and sports media today. It's instead of people just giving credit where credit's doing and walking away. And that's, that's the stuff in football. We, we want to see, hopefully it's for your team, but if not, it's, it's Joga Bonito.
00:14:07
Chino Onwuka
Sometimes,
00:14:08
Chuku
Mmm. Okay.
00:14:09
Chino Onwuka
Someone doesn't have to be criticized.
00:14:11
Emeka
I swear.
00:14:11
Chuku
go
00:14:12
Emeka
Like, thank you, Chonel, for saying that. I don't get this whole thing of we have to find fault. Every goal is conceded. There's people operate on this mindset that every goal, someone's at fault for it.
00:14:23
Emeka
lot of the times that's true. Sometimes you just put your hands up and say, hey, man, he did it. Like, you I swear you put two keepers in that net. there They might not still save me. Like, that ball went in, kissed the post.
00:14:35
Emeka
From that far out, that hard, like, it's... Credit to Shabazz Light. That was an amazing, amazing free kick. Like, honestly, up there of the Rice free kicks against Madrid. Like, I was thinking about it throughou throughout the week. Like, man, we're on both ends of this.
00:14:49
Emeka
You know, we got to see the highs and the lows. Rice put in two bangers against Madrid, and then we got a banger conceded against Liverpool. I just want to give him more of his flowers because, like Chinon said, he filled in at right back and...
00:15:01
Emeka
My goodness, even before the free kick, I would have actually had him as man of the match. He looked fantastic. And it says a lot about Martinelli that, you know, we had a center midfielder playing fullback and he couldn't do anything to him.
00:15:13
Emeka
He was amazing, switching the plays so easily, athletic, tracking back, and then capped the performance off with a just an all-time free kick. So, you know, hey, 60 million pounds sometimes can get you some talent.
00:15:25
Chuku
In his defense, though, will say this. i and In the defense of Martinelli, I will say this. like Having spoken with Liverpool fans that are that know follow you know they follow the team, not that we don't follow them no as well, but again, these are guys that follow the everyday day-to-days with the Liverpool squad.
00:15:43
Chuku
oh no Apparently, this is something that's been going on for a little while now with the social buzzword fooling in and right back at times. And from all accounts...
00:15:52
Chino Onwuka
Oh, yeah. people people lot of I've heard a lot of people say that, like, that's that is such a, that is almost a better replacement for Trent than Frimpump.
00:16:02
Chuku
Same. That's what i'm I so was going to lead into. I was like, yeah, apparently, you know, Zabuz like profiles really well as ah a right back. who Who I thought? You know what I'm saying? Like, and honestly, look, I mean, with Martinelli, I don't, I really don't want to, you know, bash the guy, but like, bro, I'm just disappointed. That's really where I feel like ah I don't want to misconstrue this with any hate toward Martinelli.
00:16:29
Chuku
Any negative, like, comments I'm making about him is truly coming from an Arsenal support supporter vibes of, know, the thought of, like, wanting more or just the thought of, like, what, you know, at least my initial thought of what he could have been, you know?
00:16:46
Chuku
And this is coming from the perspective of seeing a ah ah young teenage Martinelli. People want to, like, people don't understand. This guy's 24 years old, man. Like, I mean, he's been at the club a long time. Like, he's been at a club for,
00:16:59
Chuku
what, almost over five years now? Am I, am I, is that safe to say, to guys, or am I missing something?
00:17:03
Emeka
Yeah, easily five years. Easily.
00:17:05
Chuku
Like, easily over five years, you know?
00:17:06
Emeka
yeah
00:17:07
Chuku
So, I mean, like, at some point, again, this is, look, for me, this is the season, like, you know what I'm saying, when it comes to Martinelli, like, you put up or you shut up. Like, it's either we see something, don't know what you guys' thoughts are on this as well, but I just think if I don't see, if I don't see some kind of improvement, even if it's coming from,
00:17:28
Chuku
off the bench or some sort of spark, something, bro, to give us hope, it might really be time to to to try and look at, you know, try to get something.
00:17:38
Emeka
Well, I'll ask you this then. It's simple, again, moving forward. Should Martinelli start when we come back after the international break? Should he start in the Premier League?
00:17:51
Chuku
I said that respectfully.
00:17:53
Chuku
Hell no.
00:17:54
Chino Onwuka
I will say, understand what Chukwu's saying. i will say yes. And do you know why say yes?
00:18:00
Chuku
okay
00:18:02
Emeka
Why?
00:18:03
Chino Onwuka
Eze is clearly the better player.
00:18:03
Chuku
yeah
00:18:05
Chino Onwuka
It's because let's not do what Arteta has done with other players where once it's clear they're not useful, they're not what to be. He just banishes them to the shadow realm and then tanks their transfer value.
00:18:19
Chino Onwuka
Eze should start most of the games going forward, but I think we need to sprinkle in a certain amount of Martinelli starts, you know, in certain games just to keep his market value.
00:18:19
Emeka
i
00:18:31
Chino Onwuka
Because that's what other teams do that Arsenal need to do better at.
00:18:32
Chuku
I hear you, Andrew.
00:18:32
Emeka
That's true.
00:18:34
Chino Onwuka
Because there are a lot of games where, okay, yeah, it's Martinelli, but with what else we have on the team, we should still be okay.
00:18:45
Chuku
Here's my negative i'm only negative to that point. I'm not saying that there's no right or wrong in in this conversation. Again, we're just talking here, right? okay But my thing is, in in when it comes to most people or most situations, that line of thinking makes sense.
00:19:04
Chuku
And you know i don't like you know that that would apply to a lot you know in a lot of cases. Now, you see here with the case of Martinelli, Yo, I'm not even trying to be funny, bro. I think playing Martinelli, or studies least at least starting him, is actually going to have the adverse effect, and it's actually going to lower his value.
00:19:24
Chuku
And the reason why I'm going with this, ah again, this is all dependent on the performances that Martinelli has over the course of these games that we're talking about hypothetically that he starts. Because for me, I'd much rather, in the Premier League, keep him off the bench,
00:19:43
Chuku
and bring him in as late substitutions. But then in games like where we're you know getting into the cup seasons with Carlin Cups and all that, you know, FA Cups, early rounds, that's where I want to be, know, throwing Martinelli more in so that can get some good cameos and get some, you know, get some good, you know, hope. Again, this is all and I'm hoping here, right?
00:20:06
Chuku
But I'm hoping you can put us put in some good tape against some, you know, lower... you know lower teams or, you know, so I guess, you know, in those type of you know environments or scenarios and hopefully use that to propel us getting a better deal or signing for him if we do end up, in fact, looking to upload him come, you know, whatever be, January or next summer or whatever the case may be.
00:20:33
Chuku
That's the angle I would be going with it because, quite frankly, what I've seen from him, Martinelli, so far in the Premier League, If this was to continue on moving forward with these type of these type of performances that I've seen so far, again, who's no he could he could turn it around all of a sudden.
00:20:50
Chuku
you know You never know with this guy. But from what I've been seeing, I just think it might have the the opposite effect where his play you know on the on the field against the Premier League oppositions, depending who those oppositions are, could actually lead to a more – situation where teams just don't, other teams just don't rate him. And he's putting, because he's putting bad, you know, bad tape on with some of his performances.
00:21:17
Chuku
And that's not going to do, know, that's not going to do us any good if we're trying to, you know, get something for him. So, again, that's just like my line of thinking on it. But I'm curious, you know, what about you, go what but what do you think?
00:21:26
Emeka
Chris is new. i mean like we're acting it to me it's it's too early to be worrying about selling i know you're like we need to be better at sales but season just started with september or in about next summer's transfer window i i tried to keep the faith in martinelli i've tried and tried and tried and to be fair adfield is a tough game to play in so like it's hard to you don knowt want to you know be too drastic I just think that from now on it's clear Eze is going to be the starter.
00:21:53
Emeka
And even... i won't be shocked if Maduike gets played over Martinelli because he has not shown much and... Arteta is a ruthless manager. When he does, like Chinon said, when he doesn't like a guy anymore, you're out of there. And it's tough to break in.
00:22:12
Emeka
We have so much competition for minutes now. I just, oh, it's tough. to i hate it because you said it. I was an Arsenal fan. You can't not help but feel positive feelings towards Martinelli. We've seen him grow up.
00:22:24
Emeka
But it really might be time for him to, to you know, find greener pastures because, oh oh, man, it's been hard to watch.
00:22:30
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, Marcello is that one guy that we all want to succeed, especially the way he he came out of nowhere from fourth division of Brazil. And honestly, sort of that that starting point is beginning to show now.
00:22:44
Chino Onwuka
but That technique, you know, I think players have sort of learned his game and you can sort of see where that education is at the highest level. beginning to catch up to him. But again, I think he can still be useful in in certain ways. Like he still apparently he's going to start for Brazil in the next game.
00:23:03
Chino Onwuka
So if he's someone where you can, again, just keep him, you know, at ah ah at ah ah at a slow boiling point up until the season and he makes the team for the World Cup, then I think you got something your hands. I think he's someone that he would be, he would be brilliant in team like Atletico Madrid or Inter Milan. So I think
00:23:20
Emeka
um two percent
00:23:21
Chino Onwuka
yeah he's he's He's... I don't know. And it's weird because... Again, it's good that we have Eze now, so it's not as much of an issue where if Martinelli is your backup option that you start in certain games, can bring him off the bench. I think, i think honestly, that's the right level for him now.
00:23:39
Chino Onwuka
At some point, he looked like the next coming of... don't even want to think about it anymore, but that's not the case now. But I still think he can be a great utility player. Again,
00:23:50
Chino Onwuka
It's weird. I don't know what it is with him We saw last season where he was pretty bad to start, had some good periods in January, then got injured, then came back, was okay, and then ended up the season really well. So maybe it's just a thing of where he has – he needs to stack some games to get that confidence back. But, again, like you guys think, it's probably, you know,
00:24:16
Chino Onwuka
the end of a certain bit of era with Martinelli. I think we can, we should utilize him as best we can this season for what he is and, you know, make a good sale come the summer.
00:24:28
Emeka
You know, you mentioned the Inter. I really would like to see Martinelli in a back three system playing as a wingback. I feel like that would suit his skills a lot more. You get more space. yeah You know use athleticism because the the dribbling. I mean, the jokes. I hate that internet joke. He dribbles with his head down. But it really is true a lot of the time.
00:24:46
Emeka
And he just can't beat... You know, you want to profile him as a tricky winger. He doesn't really beat his man that often anymore. And it was so apparent to me when Eze came on because... For that cameo he had, he was constantly getting by people.
00:25:00
Emeka
And yeah, the final ball wasn't there yet, but like even just the touches he was given, not one touch when he put the ball on the baseline, just confidence to do that. And it's extra apparent as well when he plays opposite Saka because if you don't put two people on Saka, he's going to get by his guy. It's just guaranteed now.
00:25:18
Emeka
Whereas with Martinelli, you just – if the ball's not hitting the space, else is is hard to watch. But, you know, again, it was Anfield, Liverpool away. I predicted Arsenal to lose that game.
00:25:29
Emeka
We don't win there.
00:25:30
Chino Onwuka
I feel like, so just last comment on this, I feel like based on, just thinking of last season, what we might see is if I was Arteta and I'm clearly not even close that level is as he plays a lot of the, of the Premier League games, especially the big one, but at least the one thing I know is Martinelli was cooking Mandem in Champions League even last year.
00:25:30
Emeka
I just –
00:25:52
Chino Onwuka
So that's one place where you still find space.
00:25:56
Emeka
Yeah, maybe.
00:25:56
Chuku
Yeah, maybe it that's to do with how the teams play us in Champions League. Sorry not to interrupt you, brother, but like, yeah, was just i just on on that point. That's a good point because I think when we're playing a lot of these teams, you know, Champions League teams don't really come to know play low blocks or mid blocks, you know?
00:26:12
Chuku
feel like a lot of times they they try to at least come out and play and that leaves room in the back for where Martellick can hopefully or what tends to normally exploit, you know what I'm saying? so So I do think that's definitely something to look out for because I do think that might be the case. But I guess against certain teams, like if I'm playing an Inter Milan, a Lodico Madrid type of team, I think Eze should be starting those games by far, like without a doubt, in my opinion. But we'll get hopefully we'll see how, you know, Arteta chooses to deploy, you know, this this this group of players, you know, in the coming months.
00:26:49
Emeka
Yeah, yeah ah ah first episode of the season, I said I'm so curious to see how Arteta rotates. I love Arteta for a lot of things. Rotation is not one of them. That's not a strength of his. We have the squad to do it, and we're in all the competitions. I want to see rotations. I want to see different lineups and different combinations.
00:27:07
Emeka
I don't want to see Marino, Rice, and Zubimendi ever again. Maybe at the Etihad, but even then, I don't want to see it. It was like, you know, I nailed it, man. We know Atleta so much that he was going to play the most haram lineup possible.
00:27:20
Emeka
And my goodness, was that the most haram lineup I've seen in a minute?
00:27:21
Chuku
you
00:27:25
Emeka
No disrespect to all those guys, all hard workers, all physicality, blah, blah, blah. I never want to see that lineup ever again. Put someone creative there. It was a slog to watch. I don't, I mean, like, the overreaction has been so bothersome.
00:27:41
Emeka
Everyone's acting like it was the front of football. Like, you know, mentioned, it's always what happens when big teams play each other. They're always these, you know, low-scoring affairs and whatever. That being said, man, that was brutal. That was an especially brutal, ah brutal watch.
00:27:56
Emeka
I said it at the outset, i want to reemphasize. That was the lowest combined XG in a game in, like, four years. like That was great. Nothing happened. It was destined for nil-nil. Arnie Slott, I think, put it best.
00:28:10
Emeka
You play that game 10 times. Arsenal win one. Liverpool win one. They draw eight times. We just so happened to be in the in the multiverse where Sylvain's live bangs in a free kick. And fair play to them.
00:28:20
Emeka
What a free kick it was. They got their win. Liverpool start off three wins in three, nine points. The only team that's won every game. And then later on that day and the next day, Transfer deadline hits, and essentially it was the deadline for if you're a Liverpool fan. you They were the protagonists of football.
00:28:38
Emeka
I'll give them credit yesterday. They were the protagonists of football involved in the two biggest stories. Listen to this podcast. I'm sure you're well aware. After all summer of being on a great sadness, Alexander Isak finally gets his move.
00:28:52
Emeka
$125 million of the king's to go from Newcastle to Liverpool, the third highest transfer fee of all time. And funny enough, the highest non-PSG fee. I thought that was funny.
00:29:04
Emeka
the The first two are Mbappe and Neymar. No one's touching those. But the first normal club, quote-unquote, Izak goes to Liverpool, and then later on they try and, you know, greed in the Bible, they say. They try and sneak Mark Gehe, but last second, he pulls in Romontanda against his will and stays.
00:29:21
Emeka
We'll start with Izak for now. Chinon, we've been talking about it all summer. After all the moves, what are your thoughts about them signing Isak? And do you think, as the only one who picked Liverpool to win the league, do you think it's this transfer solidifies it as Liverpool's repeat?
00:29:40
Chino Onwuka
mean, my first thought is I'm i'm jealous. I mean, that's the one striker that we've all wanted for the longest time. He reminds me so much of my favorite player of all time, Thierry Henry.
00:29:56
Chino Onwuka
He's ready-made in the pram. He's cooked us so many times, you know, coming into the summer window. it was like he was our number one option at striker. It seemed like that was no-go and all of a sudden Liverpool from nowhere.
00:30:14
Chino Onwuka
Even after all the signing words for what was the previous record, stealing a Kitsie K for 95 million euros and then doing this. it's It's just sad, you know, when when players really like some of your favorite players go to go to your rivals.
00:30:29
Chuku
Thank you.
00:30:30
Chino Onwuka
I think it's a great, great signing for them. it's Honestly, they've they've
00:30:39
Chino Onwuka
I said it before, this is a statement of intent from Liverpool because, you know, i'm I'm just thinking out loud in so many different variations. Like, even if for some reason he, the unlikely scenario in that he doesn't work out, well, they already have his, the the next back thing in Kittike, so they protected themselves
00:30:58
Chino Onwuka
and Part of that is probably Isaac was baked in a little bit at that time, but I probably would have still had them number one without it. And I think this definitely solidifies them as the favorites.
00:31:11
Chino Onwuka
Again, having them as the favorite doesn't mean I think they're going to run away with the league or anything like that. I think Arsenal are going to provide a very strong challenge. They're very strong contenders as well. But yeah, I think Liverpool have to be the favorites. If you're a Liverpool out there listening, honestly, like enjoy this moment. like It's been a whole saga.
00:31:32
Chino Onwuka
It must be nice to probably dealing with Newcastle fans and everything that and then on the deadline day, last day of the window, you get your man. It must be a good feeling, good vibes winning against Arsenal.
00:31:45
Chino Onwuka
Enjoy it. Enjoy it. I don't want to hear nothing. First of all, you know, it's I think one I don't really hate on Liverpool too much because, you know, there's no shenanigans of where the money's coming from, but Liverpool fans, don't don't try and and act like ah ah a small club. You've been a a generational club for a long time. had a down 20 years.
00:32:08
Chino Onwuka
Now you're back. So don't don't cry. Poor me. We cannot compete anymore because think you guys now have the most expensive keeper of all time, most expensive defender of all time, most expensive midfielder of all time, and...
00:32:25
Chino Onwuka
depending on, at least in England, most expensive striker all time.
00:32:29
Emeka
I mean, what else did I used to get so triggered by Liverpool fans when they were used to play the whole, oh my God, we're so plucky going up against Evil Man City when they had Van Dyke and Alisson and everybody else starting. But, you know, fair enough to them.
00:32:43
Emeka
I got to be honest, I did not think Izek was going to go to new Liverpool. I thought Newcastle were going to put their to foot down, Saudi don't play, hold him to his contract and all that stuff. I really did believe it. So I got to put my hands up on that one. I did not think it would happen. And so the fact that they stayed confident all summer, they signed Nekitike and they still were saying we want to get him too.
00:33:04
Emeka
it's It's a transfer window. i I joke, you can't do this in FIFA. I have a couple of Liverpool fans every in my life. and i It's incredible. If you told them this would happened in June, no one ever believed you.
00:33:17
Emeka
And yet, here they are. you know I'm jealous. I can't lie. You said Isak is a dream. I think every Arsenal fan who watches him, you have to just see shades of Henri. like He's not Henri. There's shades there.
00:33:29
Emeka
And Henri is so amazing. When you get shades of him, you get a 20-goal-a-season striker. I mean, anything I can negative would just be me hating. I hope that TK, who started off so great, even though they're gonna rotate, I hope you you know he throws a fit and downs tools because now he's losing his starting spot. I don't know. I hope that Saka goes – I mean, Salah goes balling more. I don't know. i just I'm just going to hate it right now because it's – Incredible. You win the league and you spend all that money.
00:33:57
Emeka
Yeah, you can say whatever net spending sales. I don't want to hear it. You spend 500 million pounds in a transfer window. yeah That says something. You break the record for words. You sign that ticket and then you break the record again for ISAC. It's just stuff of dreams.
00:34:12
Emeka
It really is. I got to get to put my hands up. We got a segment coming up later when we change stuff. I'm going to say, yeah, I got to hold. I was being very very pessimistic about Liverpool to start the season. And I'm not going to say they're going to run away with it. But, man, it's they're in a real good position to to make a lot of noise this year.
00:34:34
Emeka
They are definitely the favorites. And I'll go further and say they're so much the favorites to me if they don't win the Premier League or the Champions League. I would consider it a supporting season. That's how you can't win the league and spend $500 million.
00:34:48
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, it should be. It should be, yeah.
00:34:48
Emeka
That's the level you're reaching now.
00:34:51
Emeka
Yeah, that's the level they're at now. This is a team that should be up against every team in the world. They should be toe-to-toe, chest-to-chest with them. So, hey, again, you said, man, Liverpool fans, enjoy it, man.
00:35:02
Emeka
Enjoy It really is. i would have a soft spot for them. We didn't really grow up as rivals. my The rivals were Man U and Chelsea. They didn't take our players like that. Like, you know, we're all the same boat.
00:35:13
Emeka
LeBron owns them partly. like it's you know I can't be mad at it, but man, I'm just i'm just jealous, really. End of the day, I'm just jealous. How are you feeling, Trickle?
00:35:25
Chuku
Yeah, I mean, I think I just echo a lot of the sentiments that you guys are on. Like, it's just, what can you say, man Like, other than, you know, I'm jealous. I'm jealous, man. Like, if you ask all of us, any Arsenal fan, all of us here, i mean, you know, who who did we want as our first choice option to...
00:35:45
Chuku
lead the line, and I think all of us, you get a unanimous decision, you know, Isak was that guy. And, yeah, part of me i was really hoping that Liverpool weren't going to be able to get him through the line, at least not this summer.
00:35:58
Chuku
But, you know, they found a way, man. was just kind of just gutted that, you know, Isak really, really out of his own mouth. Like, he made it ah ah clear distinction that, you know, he felt like Liverpool was the best place to be, the best place to, easiest place to win, ah know, to win the Cups and whatnot.
00:36:19
Chuku
I would have hoped, you know what, I would have hoped Isak would have been on a different type of vibe in terms of, like, you wanting to go to some place and um be the reason why they win rather than pulling, ah in in my opinion, a KD.
00:36:33
Chuku
and go to a team that's already been shown that they can win without you. And then, you know, now you're coming in to add to that. You know I'm saying? Like, it's just, hey, either way, there's going to be massive, there should be a lot of pressure, and there's going going to be massive pressure on Liverpool, well, especially on Isak, because, you know, by all accounts, he's made it clear that, you know, Liverpool was his only, you know, only option.
00:36:57
Chuku
And part of that was he felt like that was the place that he could win, you know, win the, win cups or, you know, win trophies. So if he doesn't win any trophies this year, best believe, i mean, he's not the end of the world because he still has a long career ahead of him, you know, hopefully if he sees healthy and whatnot.
00:37:15
Chuku
But, I mean, we're going watching. The world's gonna be the the football world is going to watching, you know I'm saying? We expect. you know they you know you're going to be winning or lifting some trophies in Liverpool.
00:37:27
Chuku
And best believe, at least on my end, there's going to be a lot of heat watching when it comes to Liverpool. I mean, don't like you said, Amaka, honestly speaking, out of all the top six clubs, I think would say Liverpool is definitely the one club that I'd rather them win.
00:37:46
Chuku
It's between them and... I guess them and City, just because, quite frankly, I don't know any enough City fans in my life. I do and i don't know a few Liverpool fans, but even them, they're not really that, you know, in your face about it. it' Any club that's not Tottenham, my United, Chelsea, I'm typically more okay with with with with them, you know, lifting trophies or lifting silverware.
00:38:12
Chuku
But, you know, I do low-key want to start going on the... hate bandwagon of Liverpool, and, you know, especially with how they like to throw this narrative of woe is me, and I can never compete with the big boys, but look at them spending big boy money this summer.
00:38:27
Chuku
it's It's crazy, but hey, man, you know, just like Arsenal, I ain't trying to hear no excuses this year. You know, you've got the players, you know, you wanted, you've been able to rebuild, you know, retool, you know, the club.
00:38:41
Chuku
And now it's time to, you know, put it on paper and and see you perform. So, you know, Isak got his big move. You know, Liverpool are going to be able to at least be set when it comes to their attacking options, you know, moving forward.
00:38:57
Chuku
Even now now that, you know, even now where we're saying Salah is getting up there with age, I mean, they should still be sorted out, you know, with the next generation, with Isak, Eketike, Gakpo,
00:39:10
Chuku
And, you know, whoever else, they end up coming around in Rio and
Transfer Market Dynamics and Player Behavior
00:39:13
Chuku
whatnot. So it's going to be interesting to watch this year. That's for sure. um um Of course, you know, definitely jealous.
00:39:21
Chuku
You know, i wish it was a different shirt this sack was putting on. But, you know, all all I can say it's going to make for a very interesting season. You know, so everyone grab your popcorn and, you know, it's going to be a fun watch.
00:39:33
Chuku
That's for sure.
00:39:35
Emeka
Man, shame the doubt. hate Liverpool. I hate Sastron Gorda, but damn, it just, oh my goodness. Funny that point you raised about football players. I love football as a sport. It's favorite sport in the world.
00:39:44
Chuku
Thank you.
00:39:46
Emeka
I hate the mentality most footballers have. Like, you nailed it. They just want to join the best teams. Like, oh, I i dream to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona. I want to go to the best teams. Like, it's it's shameless in a way sometimes. Like, you want to be the reason why a team wins. I it's easy for me to say this, but I felt like you want to be the reason why a team wins instead of just joining Madrid or Barcelona or even Liverpool now. Like, ugh.
00:40:08
Emeka
But, you know, that's just the culture that is there. It's just, the unless you have a a guy who grows up, you know, in your academy and local lad. Oh, wait, no. It doesn't even matter because Trent won everything in Liverpool and still wants to go to Real Madrid.
00:40:19
Emeka
So, it's just how the the beast goes and in Premier League. It's sad that we haven't been at the of the food chain in 20 plus years, so we don't get that kind of clout anymore. It's a, you know, self-fulfilling prophecy.
00:40:32
Emeka
When you become the top, everyone wants to come play for you and you get more people and you get stay at the top and Repeats and repeats and repeats. Well, now everybody got their wish to play for the best because the other half of joyous sorrow and Liverpool fans were celebrating Isak and thought they were celebrating Margai.
00:40:49
Emeka
He got the here we go. It's funny because earlier that day, me and my brother were having conversation about how, oh man, you know, this transfer is done when a player goes for the medical. You know that. I was like, ah you never know. Sometimes medicals happen and things fall through.
00:41:01
Emeka
i Little did I know the best example would come through. Mark Gehi goes for his medical, 35 million pound move from Crystal Palace to Liverpool. All agreed. And then by all reports, his coach, Glasner, approached the owner and said, point blank, you sell Gehi, I resign.
00:41:17
Emeka
Owner blinked and bluffed and pulled the transfer and now Mark Gehi's back. Warning left on his contract. the Reports have already come out saying he's not going to renew. He's going to leave on a free. i Stories all over the place. I'll start with you, Chinon. Your thoughts on what do you make of this Mark Gahee transfer fiasco during the deadline day?
00:41:37
Chino Onwuka
Honestly, the the the the thing I really want to discuss when it comes to this is just what we saw play out in terms of the transfers that went through and those that didn't.
00:41:49
Chino Onwuka
We saw Isak, Wisa, Yokorez, and I think there are a couple of other examples of players, you know,
00:41:57
Emeka
Anthony.
00:41:59
Chino Onwuka
Anthony, yeah, I'm not going to mention Anthony with those other names, but yeah, fair enough. Who pretty much went on strike to get their moves and eventually it worked. And then you saw other examples like, you know, Gweihi and make it didn't work. I mean, Eze, he kept playing in spite of all the all the speculation and he got his move, but Gweihi, you know,
00:42:26
Chino Onwuka
For a couple of years now, he's been trying to leave. Teams haven't been able to meet Crystal Palace's valuation. Now he gets his chance for his ah ah dream move to Liverpool, and it gets blocked because Crystal Palace can get a replacement it in time, and you know he did it the quote-unquote professional way, not throwing a store man.
00:42:46
Chino Onwuka
you Disappointing for Guahy, disappointing for Liverpool, I really understand it from Palace's point of view. I mean... Igor going to West Ham on loan i questionable decision there. But, you know, he's i think one one way in which way he's different is that he's on the last year of his deal, so he can leave next year versus some of those other guys who maybe have multiple years on on their deal. And so if they don't agitate like they they did then, they're sort of stuck for potentially multiple years. But
00:43:22
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, I know we talked about this a little bit a couple of episodes ago With what's happened this summer, I see this. I think it's something players handing in transfer requests you know has always been a thing, but sort of this going on strike until you get your move, throwing statements on social media, just like we've seen it become more prevalent in the NBA. think you're going to, especially with this, our generation, you know, or the generation below us, we're going to see that become more and more common.
00:43:53
Chino Onwuka
As to the impact of Liverpool, I think, you know, this puts them in a very tenuous position. I guess they kept Joe Gomez. I think he stayed, but yeah, one injury to...
00:44:04
Emeka
Yeah, you're good, my state.
00:44:05
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, so I guess he's the backup, but one injury to Kanate or Van Dijk, and, you know, they're looking pretty thin in that position.
00:44:12
Emeka
Hey, you forget they bought that 18-year-old Italian guy.
00:44:15
Chino Onwuka
That's true. Yes, they did. They did. They did. You're right. So, yeah yeah, they have four center backs, so...
00:44:21
Emeka
Yeah.
00:44:22
Chino Onwuka
Maybe not as yeah.
00:44:22
Emeka
Honestly, I don't think they need gay heat.
00:44:23
Chino Onwuka
yeah
00:44:25
Emeka
Like, I've seen the reports that people say afterwards, and I'm like... Yeah, okay, look, if Van Dyke blew his ACL out, no matter who, if they had Gahey or not, it was going to impact the team. But they have four center backs for two positions. I mean, that's a pretty decent cover.
00:44:39
Emeka
You spent $35 million on an 18-year-old from Italy. You could given that offer to Crystal Palace a month ago, and they would have had time to find a replacement. You want to play hardball and wait until the last second. That's what happens. You play with fire, and you might get burned.
00:44:51
Emeka
But I think if ends with Liverpool, they're like, we don't need him. Like, You know, it's negotiation here. He has one year left. And like your point about strikes normally for why I didn't believe Isak was going to get a transfer is because, okay, you go on strike.
00:45:06
Emeka
You have three years left. I can call that bluff. You're going to wait three years. With Gehi, it's I have one year left. I could easily just say not signing a deal. You have to play me.
00:45:17
Emeka
I'm your best defender. Hell, I'm your best player. Where in Europe, I'm going to play, but now I'm not going to sign a contract. And this is where I, everyone is celebrating Palace, and I get it. Listen, you always want to keep your players.
00:45:31
Emeka
I think they made a terrible mistake. and I just don't understand. I get why he did it. Your coach who took you to Europe when your first trophy says, I'm going to resign if this guy leaves.
00:45:43
Emeka
I will just point out, Glasner's on a one-year deal too. He might leave regardless. Like, would you be shocked if in January Glasner's coaching Man U or he's coaching Biala Leva Kusin or any other big team?
00:45:55
Emeka
I wouldn't be. If I'm...
00:45:56
Chuku
but Hold on. Oh, sorry. Go ahead. Finish, bro.
00:46:00
Emeka
If I'm the owner and Glasner comes to my office and hits me with that bullshit, I tell him, sign a contract extension today and I'll pull the transfer. Otherwise, you're just talking all noise to me because there's a very, very... In fact, I'd say 90 plus percent chance that this time next year, they're to have no Gayhi, no Glasner, and then no money for it.
00:46:18
Emeka
And just let him walk for free. Yes, they're in your conference league for the first time. You want to have your captain there to help you out. I get that part of it. Maybe just the cold, calculated brain of mine is just... If I have an asset that I'm going to lose for free in a year, and the guy who's making demands, I'm also going to lose for free in a year, I'm say to hell with both of you guys, I'm going to get the money, try and reinvest it, and then move forward.
00:46:40
Emeka
Crystal Palace isn't a team. Funny, I just said a whole thing about football. They want to go to big teams, but that's just how it works, and this is the house how it works for teams like Crystal Palace. They get money by selling people.
00:46:51
Emeka
Now they're going to get Gehi walk for free, and even him before he walks for free, who knows what the vibes are like. Yeah, he's quarter quarter professional, That's a know asking a loss from a guy to do a medical.
00:47:04
Emeka
Like, D was in, did his medical, and then got the move. don't know if you guys have seen it. The goodbye video leaked. They made the goodbye video. This transfer was going to happen, and at the very last second, you pull the plug.
00:47:17
Emeka
I'm sure he's going to take a water cover dismembering.
00:47:18
Chino Onwuka
no Why did they pull the plug, though?
00:47:21
Emeka
I say, well, the coach said, I'm leaving if he leaves. I'd say, cool, sign coach like
00:47:24
Chino Onwuka
what But I think it's because they couldn't get Igor through the door.
00:47:30
Emeka
I get it, but I still...
00:47:33
Chino Onwuka
if They're trying to play plague Prem, and remember, they're in Europe as well, so they need bodies.
00:47:33
Emeka
I
00:47:39
Emeka
coffeeers the i know.
00:47:39
Chino Onwuka
If Guayi left and they couldn't get somebody else in, i if it was just they just... lock man down, then I get it. But the mitigating factor of the replacement they had in mind doing the last switch up on them, that that's tough.
00:47:55
Chino Onwuka
I even wanted to, I forgot to not even talk about, you know, the other side of this player power and what we saw with with Nicholas Jackson and even with Anthony where, you know, they they they freeze you out and then all of a sudden, you know, when they need money or something from you, you know, they they force you to to do a certain thing and, you know,
00:48:14
Chino Onwuka
you know When you look at and players you know act on in their own interest, it's one thing and it's seen as taboo and they're seen as spoilt. But when the clubs act in their own interest, this is including Arsenal. We had a bomb squad as well.
00:48:28
Chino Onwuka
Then you know nobody says too much of that. So that's that's the other side of, I think, everybody. it's It's not back in the day where everyone's trying to be, oh, good little boy. Players have brands.
00:48:41
Chino Onwuka
you know, staff working for them. So they're going to do what what they're going to do.
00:48:55
Chino Onwuka
I'm going to let you finish. um I'm going um I'm going to let you cook when it happens to us. I, yeah, somewhere the back of you might be like, oh yeah, i like the players, but it will not feel good.
00:48:59
Chuku
yeah.
00:49:08
Chino Onwuka
And I've said this before, but when it's your your club going through it and a player seemingly rejecting you or pushing you down for somewhere else, it does not feel good.
00:49:19
Chuku
But why we acting as if this has never happened to us, though?
00:49:22
Chuku
Like, i feel like it happened to all...
00:49:23
Emeka
But that's what you're gonna say. When happens to us, it feels terrible.
00:49:24
Chuku
what I'm saying is it's really happened to us. and I agree, and I echo those same sentiments. It doesn't feel great, but regardless of whether it happens to a club that I support, someone else's support, or whoever, whatever the case may be, what I'm trying to say is I'm still side with the players because, quite frankly, at the end of the day, these institutions are going to remain regardless.
00:49:51
Chuku
However, what's not going to remain are these players' careers. They have a finite amount of time to play out their career. And yes, these are contracts they're signing on or they sign with. But as we've clearly seen, contracts don't really mean much.
00:50:10
Chuku
i only mean ah They only mean but so much. And where I'm going with this is, thank you for bringing up the example of ah Nicholas Jackson. As we all know, Chelsea offered their sign-ins, what we like to term death row contracts.
00:50:29
Chuku
Basically, contracts that have you locked in for long stretches or long periods of time. And with Nicholas Jackson, i don't know if you guys have this. I can't remember if he said the exact time period or not.
00:50:42
Chuku
But essentially, Nicholas Jackson was still on under contract for you know few few years, was definitely left right on his contract. And the fact that even with having that much time still left on you his contract, we saw what Chelsea were willing to do in terms of axing out a player right and making it clear that they don't see...
00:51:09
Chuku
them as part of their project. So if a team can do that, right, with someone that is by all accounts locked in, right, in terms of ah ah of ah a a deal, and all of a sudden, you know, we're seeing them have to not go find a new club, he's founded this new club, and then want to come and pull a last second retraction and come back. It's not a Marguese situation where you view him as a young prospect, you know young prospect has time.
00:51:39
Chuku
you know You have plans for this guy in the club. But you're sitting out sinon alone to get some experience, and then end up recalling him back because of injuries or whatever the case or circumstance may be.
00:51:50
Chuku
That's not the case with this in this situation. this is You've literally pretty much told up the player, We don't see you as part of it our plans moving forward.
00:52:01
Chuku
We've bought your replacements. Go ahead and find it go find yourself your you know your new club.
00:52:05
Chino Onwuka
I'm pretty sure Boogie is older than Jackson.
00:52:08
Emeka
He's talking about Chelsea Marguerite.
00:52:08
Chuku
Are you sure about that? I'm
00:52:10
Emeka
I know, this sounded the same. I know what you're talking about.
00:52:13
Chuku
talking about Chelsea.
00:52:13
Chino Onwuka
Okay.
00:52:14
Chuku
Yeah, sorry. I'm talking about Chelsea in our game.
00:52:15
Chino Onwuka
Okay. Okay.
00:52:17
Chuku
Forgive me if I'm pronouncing name incorrectly here. But i'm just what I'm trying to say is the point is Clubs clearly don't care about in a harmony what's know you know how much how many years a player has left on their deals with them.
00:52:33
Chuku
And regardless of ah regardless how many years are left on the deal, they can still treat a player or shun a player out of their their teams and force them to look for you know other avenues outside of them why can't players do the same? Is their careers, if they, if they, if they feel like, they you know, they want to go or they've given enough time to a particular no team and they want to make another approach or next step. And there is another team willing to pay market price for that player.
00:53:04
Chuku
should be within their, you know, their rights to, to try and find, know, uh, you know, a deal that works for all parties where they're able to make that move and make that shift.
00:53:15
Chuku
So, I just think in most situations...
00:53:16
Emeka
But there's a difference, though. What what I'll say is I'm pro player up until a point where they go on strike because all you said is fair, but if the club decided, okay, you know, Zinchenko, we're not playing you anymore, just going to stop paying you your salary.
00:53:32
Emeka
That's you know it's ridiculous. Obviously, you can't do that. So I don't get why we're allowing players to decide, even though I'm getting paid X amount per week, I'm just not going to play anymore. Like, that's way players lose me.
00:53:42
Chuku
Because... what Well, here's the thing, because because of the examples of what Chino just brought up with the flip side, where you've been given that contract, you have years left, you as the player did not want to leave, you are okay where you're at playing for that same club, but but due to you know unforeseen circumstances, maybe the club doesn't rate you the same way they rated you initially.
00:54:10
Chuku
And now because they went and gone into the market and bought replace the quote-unquote replacements for you, now they view you as, you know, basically, you know, access access access to requirements.
00:54:21
Chuku
And they can treat, you know, they can treat you as if, you know, you're not someone that's part of the team and pretty much not force you, but essentially push you or, know, push you towards having to find a new a new team. Even though you're locked in in this contract for, you know, a long period of time,
00:54:40
Chuku
And I'm pretty sure when Jackson signed, there there must have been periods within that time that he must have been promised, hey, you know, we view you as ah ah someone that, you know, can have an impact for this team.
00:54:53
Chuku
And all of a sudden, that viewpoint changes. It's like it goes both ways. you know what saying?
00:54:58
Emeka
But they're still paying you though.
00:54:58
Chuku
So...
00:54:59
Emeka
That's my point is that like, yeah again, you can do it. You can request a transfer. i guy I'm fully supporting that. I just, the equivalent would be if a team said that to Jackson also said, well, now things have changed. We're not going to pay you anymore.
00:55:12
Emeka
That's ridiculous. Flip side, if I'm paying you, yeah, we're on the bottom score or whatever, but you can't just decide not to play anymore. And if you do, again, my my point is um I'd be fine. And I feel the same about NBA players when they hold out ah ah all that stuff too.
00:55:28
Emeka
This should be allowed professionci in and in professional sports contracts where if a player says, I don't want to play for this team anymore, it's fine. They just don't get paid anymore for the equivalent amount of games they miss.
00:55:39
Emeka
If that system happens, don't want be mad at it because, hey, listen, no one can make you work. So I fully agree with that. But the flip side is...
00:55:45
Chino Onwuka
I can go behind that.
00:55:48
Emeka
Yeah, like, you don't want to work fine, but still not going to pay you. And then you're just go to sit at home, and everyone can move on with their lives. If that happened, I'd be fine. I just think players, again, I'm pro player up until that point. The point they lose me is when they say I'm not, I refuse to play, and then they just sit out.
00:56:02
Emeka
Well, if you do that, then what like what we what are we doing here? Because the club can't decide, you know what, we've been trying to sell you, we can't get a buyer, we're just not going to pay you anymore. that yeah That just can't happen. So flip side is you can't just decide to not play anymore without repercussions. And if you do, I'd be all for it if you just forfeit your salary.
00:56:21
Emeka
going to not track you because the point of the day, i do I agree what you guys are saying about fan sentiments. I'm, you know, absolutely 1000% agree on that point. I think fans are so hypocritical that...
00:56:34
Emeka
When a player wants to play for them, when a player no longer good enough for the team, it's get them out of here. I'll drive them to the airport, blah, blah, blah. But then God forbid a player feels he's too good for your team.
00:56:45
Emeka
Now he's a traitor. Now he's this and that. I made fun of Trent earlier. I cannot believe after Trent has won everything you can win for a team and fulfilled his contracts, he still gets...
00:56:57
Emeka
Altered by Liverpool fans. That to me is ridiculous because there's no way a player can leave and still get loved. So I'm with people on that. I think, and again, it's hypocritical because I grew up in watching this happen to Arsenal.
00:57:11
Emeka
It doesn't feel great. I'm commiserated with my fellow fans and say, listen, I saw Spain win the World Cup and then they put the Barcelona jersey on my favorite player at the time.
00:57:21
Emeka
I still get triggered seeing Peperina because of that. So I get it when someone does that. It sucks. But flip side is this summer, man, I thoroughly enjoyed every Yoko Ress story about how much I wanted to come to Arsenal.
00:57:37
Emeka
I'm an hypocrite. I'm sure if I was a sporting Lisbon fan, every time reading this guy was going, you know, breaking up with his girlfriend or moving at his house, I would have been sick too hearing that. So it is just...
00:57:48
Emeka
You know, how how it goes. It's just how football is played. You have the highs and the lows, ups and the downs. When it happens to you, it's amazing. When it happens against you, it's disgusting.
00:57:58
Emeka
You know, we're all hypocrites at the end of the day, but I just think this Gehe story, to put it in the put full circle, I get what you're saying, you know, about how he wasn't, you know, glad he didn't just wake up and said, screw this guy.
00:58:12
Emeka
It was because the transfer fell through. I just think ah in a year's time, if I ask Crystal Palace fans, was it worth it? I hope they say yes. I like Crystal Palace. I hope Gehi leads them to titles, to the Prem.
00:58:26
Emeka
Well, not the Prem, but to, like, the Conference League and the Finnish Tons. hope they have a great – I have no ill world towards Crystal Palace at all. hope Glasner stays and it gets an extension. I like when teams are good. I just think it's asking a lot to let, you know, it's funny because this similar thing kind of happened when Van Persie left.
00:58:44
Emeka
I remember at the time I was young. I kept saying, if that was me, I'd let him go for free. I wouldn't refuse to sell him. And as you get older, you realize what pride has no business and no place in business. you know Make decisions that are most beneficial in the long run.
00:58:58
Emeka
Arsene, I want to give you an apology because it took me a while to realize, yes, you have to cash on an asset. You can't let them walk for free. and
00:59:05
Chino Onwuka
Nope. Nope. Nope.
00:59:09
Emeka
a
00:59:10
Chino Onwuka
hello no
00:59:11
Emeka
You know what? You're right.
00:59:12
Chuku
Let's not go for that revisionist past.
00:59:14
Chino Onwuka
not of much
00:59:14
Emeka
I was going too far there.
00:59:14
Chuku
Let's not do that. Let's not do that this evening.
00:59:15
Chino Onwuka
not the majesty invited did
00:59:18
Emeka
I was going too far there. I was going too far. You're right.
00:59:19
Chino Onwuka
yeah
00:59:19
Emeka
You're right.
00:59:20
Chuku
You, you, you, yeah, you went too far, bro.
00:59:20
Chino Onwuka
oh
00:59:21
Emeka
I was going too far.
00:59:22
Chino Onwuka
and with last title na no man
00:59:22
Emeka
I was going too far. I was too far.
00:59:25
Chuku
That has to be the nastiest, like, situation.
00:59:25
Emeka
was too far.
00:59:28
Emeka
I'm still...
00:59:29
Chuku
In fact, I'm still broken by that, bro.
00:59:29
Emeka
I tried to be a reasonable adult and then you guys said a word and my my inner angle came back again.
00:59:31
Chuku
Bro.
00:59:33
Emeka
i see how we should have never split.
00:59:34
Chino Onwuka
no
00:59:34
Chuku
Bro.
00:59:35
Chino Onwuka
Because I and a met guy i think on a normal basis, I'd agree with you.
00:59:35
Chuku
loved roll
00:59:40
Chino Onwuka
I really think Crystal Palace, they just won two titles. And they think they can win.
00:59:44
Emeka
One title. obviously I refuse to acknowledge that. I'm sorry.
00:59:47
Chino Onwuka
Sure.
00:59:47
Emeka
I shouldn't.
00:59:47
Chuku
Pool titles.
00:59:48
Chino Onwuka
Again, this is Crystal Palace talking about.
00:59:48
Chuku
They got the comedian.
00:59:48
Emeka
Nah, I've used to acknowledge it.
00:59:49
Chuku
Oh, whatever.
00:59:49
Emeka
I'm sorry. She is not trophy. He's not trophy. But continue.
00:59:54
Chino Onwuka
And they indeed they probably feel like they can win Conference League after getting screwed out of Europa League. And if they win Conference League, where does that take them? Europa League.
01:00:04
Emeka
Back to Europa League.
01:00:04
Chino Onwuka
So you talk about, okay, it's 35 million.
01:00:09
Chino Onwuka
In the long run, if the if if it's a big if if they win Conference League, the money might pay itself off if if if they're able to win it. And they have probably a good chance.
01:00:22
Emeka
I really want to see how Gaye handles it.
01:00:22
Chino Onwuka
They just pumped somewhere at the weekend.
01:00:25
Emeka
That's all.
01:00:25
Chino Onwuka
heard
01:00:27
Emeka
Yeah, I know, but I want to see how Gaye handles it. That's what I'm saying. I want to see if he's cool with it or if there's... We saw Nico Jackson handle what his move got, Tauron. AJ was saying, players don't fly backwards.
01:00:40
Emeka
I'm really, really curious to see how if Gaye's as good of a leader and a man and all that stuff as... Because I know if it was me I wouldn't be rational about it. That's what I can say. I wouldn't be rational about it.
01:00:52
Emeka
And God forbid Glasner leaves before I do, I would crash out. But, hey, I like Crystal Palace, so I hope I'm wrong. And I hope they have a great season up ahead of them. I don't want to besmirch them. They're a great team. I just, you know, i know i'll I'll also fully admit I see your point in that.
01:01:11
Emeka
he could get them a further season of European football if they win the Conference League. That is a valid consideration. So, i hands up, I do agree with that. I do agree with that.
01:01:21
Chuku
I mean, Gay professional. You just have to consider the fact that it's a World Cup
Man City's Goalkeeping Decisions and Implications
01:01:24
Chuku
year. I'm pretty sure he wants to get selected for England.
01:01:27
Emeka
True, true, true.
01:01:28
Chuku
He wants to get England called up. So I think he'll handle this professionally. And I mean, look, he knows his one year, you know, one year left. Like, he's already been at the club for, like, you know, a bit. It'd be a different story if he had, like, three, four years similar Eze.
01:01:41
Chuku
But, yeah, no, I just think worst case scenario, which is what I see play out, is he's going to, know, come back. like we'll Take it like a man. He is the captain. He no plays out know the know the season and has a good performance.
01:01:59
Chuku
Gets called up for England. Gets to make his dream move to Liverpool the next season. at you Like we talked about outside of this, keeps all that you know sign and signing on bonus. And yeah, it's happy days for him. He gets to pick which team he wants to go. And Liverpool will still probably be there waiting to you know to suck scoop him up. So I think you he'll be all right, man.
01:02:19
Chuku
He'll be all right.
01:02:20
Emeka
Yeah, I think so, too. I think so, too. Well, there's so many transfers we can talk about, and, you know, we're going to talk about more, but I think the third biggest transfer of the of the day yesterday was after weeks and weeks of rumors, Man City finally confirmed the transfer of Donnarumma.
01:02:39
Emeka
My guy has now played for AC Milan, PSG, and Man City before turning 26. What a career. And in doing so, they also... Let go of Ederson, Tefeno Bache, Turkey just spending money. I'll let you guys, there's no ways to go about this, and and we're going to talk about Donnarumma and his fit with Pep, but i just want to give a quick, pour some know podcasting liquor on the streets for Ederson.
01:03:03
Emeka
I feel like, and I use this word, and you correct you can check me if wrong for using this word. I feel like he's a Premier League legend, and it's the reaction to him leaving has been so weird for a quote-unquote Premier League legend.
01:03:18
Emeka
He's been in Man City for eight seasons, he's won six Premier League titles, three Golden Gloves, and... You know, New Year's the godfather keepers of modern era. I feel like Ederson is the godfather archetype of keeper, whereas they always joke about how you can play him in midfield and all that stuff.
01:03:35
Emeka
The passing, keeping passing was a big deal with New York. Again, I'm not going to disrespect New York. New York was the guy who brought up passing as a stat team for keepers. I think Edison took it to a different level. Like, it really was, he's the first keeper I can remember where that's what you talk about before the shot stopping.
01:03:52
Emeka
You say how good he is with his feet, how good he can dribble all the passing. Maine stayed in Pep's side for eight seasons, and they just ship him out to Turkey. No big tribute, no big noise or anything. I just thought that was weird. Like, I don't know. Maybe I'm getting older and more sentimental. But it's wild that I would say the second best keeper of the 2010s, no, late 2010s, early 2020s, just get shipped out with this little fanfare like that.
01:04:17
Emeka
But, hey, they shipped him out for a good reason because, man, they got themselves a big signing. And Chuka, I'll start with you. You've heard, I'm sure you've heard it all.
01:04:28
Emeka
Why sign a keeper who's bad with his feet when you're Pep Guardiola at Man City? Do you think Man City made the right move in moving for Donnarumma or do you think he's going to mess up the system Pep has going for him already?
01:04:43
Chuku
Man, that's that's a tough question.
01:04:49
Chuku
I just think, you know, and end of the day, sure, Donnarumma might not be as good as Ederson when it comes to, you know, kicking ball with his feet. But quite frankly, sometimes, you know, this whole narrative of, like, keepers being good with their feet, look, it's is cute, it's nice. Don't get me wrong.
01:05:10
Chuku
I mean, I'm... Trust me when I say I enjoy that, being able to have that with you know with our situation with David Raya. But at the end of the day, what are keepers there to do?
01:05:22
Chuku
They're there to put or stop the ball from getting past the net. And if one thing that Donnarumma can do, that is stop the ball from getting past the net.
01:05:37
Chuku
And I just think...
01:05:39
Chuku
like I've seen it. I've seen him win games for PSG. You know what I'm saying? When it comes to some of the... We don't have to even go too far. Just last year alone, we saw what Arsenal put on this display offensively.
01:05:54
Emeka
Disgusting to see.
01:05:56
Chuku
Disgusting. We've seen it single-handedly. Just nullify a team's attack. And, you know, I think it will be only... as will be only It would be more just hope, you know.
01:06:11
Chuku
It would be more coming from hope in terms of me thinking or me saying at this point in time, Donorama would be a flop at Man City. Because quite frankly speaking, I just think Donorama, wherever he he goes,
01:06:27
Chuku
I just think you're looking at a top three goalkeeper in the and in the in the world right now. And, you know, as far as when it comes to, again, doing the primary job of a goalkeeper, which is, again, i repeat, putting or stopping the ball from getting past the net.
01:06:45
Chuku
And... You know, at end the day, I think, you know, Massey will figure it out when it comes to all the other stuff of, you know, being creative, you know, with with the other 10 outfield players that they'll put on display.
01:06:59
Chuku
But I think just having a keeper that you feel strongly about that can make great saves, can on his day be the difference maker as far as, you know, keeping a clean sheet or, you know,
01:07:12
Chuku
so Being able to win games ugly. I just think Donnarumma just adds a lot to any team. And I think he'll do the same for Man City. I have no reason to believe he he can't replicate that for Man City. So, yeah, I think he'll you he'll come good for the most part.
01:07:30
Emeka
Chenon, you think it's an improvement, upgrade, or downgrade for Man City? Going from Edison Donnarumma.
01:07:36
Chino Onwuka
I don't know if they needed to make this move. Like they they just signed Trafford, who has a bit more of the qualities of what like what they're looking for.
01:07:47
Chino Onwuka
Like it's what was the whole purpose of the Trafford signing then if they're doing this? Because now you just spent this money.
01:07:52
Emeka
now you just
01:07:54
Chino Onwuka
we just kept You just kept Trafford from going to Newcastle probably. i wonder what he's thinking. I've heard a lot of his story. He has a really tough mentality, so he'll back himself against Donnarumma, but... Now you've signed Donnarumma. And for any other coach, I would say, you know, i think this will work well. Okay, he's not a... He doesn't play really with his feet. He's a shot stopper, so we're going play to his strengths.
01:08:16
Chino Onwuka
This is Pep. Pep is still going to want to play the brand of football that Pep wants to play. So this has nothing to do with Donnarumma itself versus is Pep willing to change his philosophy to incorporate a keeper like Donnarumma. I guess he's done it a little bit with Haaland, but...
01:08:34
Chino Onwuka
We all know the famous story of you know his first moves when he came to came to Man City, he got rid of Johart, got rid of Bravo as well to to to get keepers that can play with their feet. And how is this going to work? Because if you buy Donnarumma and you insist on him playing off the back, it will really hurt the football they play. They'll probably need to more to more to more mistakes at the back. So i honestly question this move not because of the player himself because I think he's great but just because of the fit with Man City because it is so such a departure from what Pep wants to play and how I think he will still try to play
01:09:16
Emeka
See, I get what you're saying. However, this funny i just i spent the first part of the segment praising him because i just i knew this was coming. I think this transfer is big for City because I think Edison has been low-key washed for at least two seasons now.
01:09:32
Emeka
And if you watch Man City in big games so often, they concede these cheap goals as soon as your opposition opposition team...
01:09:38
Chino Onwuka
Sure, they signed Trafford. And Trafford's...
01:09:42
Emeka
I don't know if you saw against Spurs, but Trafford is not that good with his fight feet either. And...
01:09:47
Chino Onwuka
No, he's good with his feet. When you play the way Pep wants you play, there will be mistakes, but he's good with his feet. What was the game before that against Tottenham where he made some... Yeah, he had some mistakes, but he made some big saves as well. He's a young keeper.
01:10:01
Chino Onwuka
So...
01:10:03
Emeka
Trafford is the biggest loser in this. Like, that that's... i You mentioned he was supposed to go to Newcastle, then Man City swooped in with the buyback clause. i you know yeah I know he backs himself, but I really, really, really wonder truly what he thinks in a World Cup year, going from being the promised number one to this. But regardless, I just think Edison needed to be replaced. like He was costing them points.
01:10:26
Emeka
And the Man City system... See what you want about it. All the older players are getting older and teams don't respect them that much anymore press them. You don't see those games where Man City have like 75% possession anymore.
01:10:40
Emeka
Teams know the book now. They go at Man City. They press them and they concede chances. And when you concede chances, you need a goalkeeper to actually make a save once in a while. I could not have said it better than my brother did.
01:10:52
Emeka
What is the per primary purpose of a goalkeeper? It is to stop the ball from going into the net. Give me the keeper who is one of the best in the world, if not the best in the world at that, and I'm confident we can get the rest to figure itself out.
01:11:04
Emeka
People bring up the Joe Hart comparison. With all due respect to multi-time Golden Glove winner Joe Hart, he is not Donnarumma. Great keeper, above average keeper.
01:11:14
Emeka
There's a reason why he went to Celtic right afterward and crashed and burned. He's not Donnarumma. Donnarumma is 26 years old, just won the treble with PSG, a team that likes to play out the back.
01:11:25
Emeka
Yeah, he struggles at it, but he's not useless at it. He's just not good at it. But what he is good at is the most important thing a keeper can do. And I am annoyed that Man City aren't going to the season with Edison going forward.
01:11:39
Emeka
And honestly, maybe I'm just traumatized because, like my brother said, as an Arsenal fan and as a Bukayo Saka fan, no keeper hates our star boy more than Dararoma hates Saka. He stops everything.
01:11:50
Emeka
And I have to deal with him twice a year every year for Man City. yeah It's going to be... It's going to be tough. Hey, I hope you're right, you know. I hope he crashes and burns and the system breaks down and they suck. But I always thought, you know, Edison was a sneaky weak spot for them.
01:12:06
Emeka
And it's funny because I picked Man City to win the league. But, you know, and they signed an upgrade in the position. I just didn't see their defense. i thought the difference be better than it actually is. Which case, they're really good for them that they got down to Roma because...
01:12:19
Emeka
I think if Edison and Trafford remained, they were going to concede a lot of goals. I know Trafford's very good. Very, very good. Look up his stats with Burnley last year. Like, I get it. They just upgrade for any keeper.
01:12:30
Emeka
They upgraded for the goalkeeper. And you know, like, hey, we're FM manager, man. Sometimes you just have to keep her to be a homegrown sometimes. You know, it is what it is, Trafford. You get a nice little homegrown status for City. You get a nice pay raise.
01:12:42
Emeka
And if the dollar slips up, you can step in You're still young too, but I think for the next couple of seasons, we're going to see a big Italian manning the sticks for Man City.
01:12:51
Chino Onwuka
Again, this signing, again, i don't think this is not an impact of Donnarumma in terms of my thoughts. This signing, I'm looking more at Pep than Donnarumma when it comes to this signing and how he's going to play.
Strategic Moves by Aston Villa and Chelsea
01:13:05
Chino Onwuka
how he's gonna play
01:13:08
Emeka
Hey, man. Man's been in England for 10 years. Now he has a big striker who can't pass the ball, he has a big goalkeeper who can't pass the ball. Yeah, it's England. People say how Pep changed England. What about how England changed Pep?
01:13:20
Emeka
We've talked about a a lot of transfers, and we haven't even covered so many, so many. So real quick, open floor. Is there any other move that we haven't touched about that you thought was particularly interesting on deadline day and the days preceding it?
01:13:33
Chuku
Just be quick here. I'll be quick. For me, it was the moves that Aston Villa made towards the end. And primarily for me, it was the, you know, I guess England young boy coming up, Harvey Elliott.
01:13:47
Chuku
I think that move low-key is going to be a good move. I really liked what I've seen from Harvey Elliott this summer, especially playing for the England under, is it, can correct me on this, but believe it was like the under-21s, believe, yeah the other tournament, or yeah, under-21s.
01:14:02
Chino Onwuka
know Yeah, the other Tony Williams.
01:14:03
Chuku
But he balled out. And, I mean, Harvey, it's a shame, you Elliott hasn't had a chance to, you know, really come out and, you know, have get regular football or enjoy his football at Liverpool.
01:14:16
Chuku
But, I mean, from all accounts, this is someone that I think is extremely talented and I think has an opportunity to be playing next to a fellow and England boy in Morgan Rodgers. They have a chance to you know do something special there in Villa, even though they've started the season not the but not the best.
01:14:30
Chuku
But you know there's still a long way to go, long way to turn it around. And I just think, yeah, Elliott is someone that going I feel like is going have an impact when it comes to you know playing for a new team, you know different coach, different system.
01:14:45
Chuku
I just think yeah he's one to watch for sure.
01:14:48
Chino Onwuka
For me, it's just i what was going on at Chelsea slash Blueco on the last day. Between the whole Nico Jackson fiasco, calling back Gwee, sending Chilwell to Strasburg on on a fee, selling Tyreek George, but then the transfer not going through.
01:15:13
Chino Onwuka
then a guy they sold to Strasburg for $20 million. He then comes back for an undisclosed fee.
01:15:21
Chino Onwuka
i mean, I know we already lost some Chelsea fans previously, but this is just legitimately like, what the hell?
01:15:28
Emeka
They don't even try to hide it anymore. That's what it makes me like. They're literally announcing transfers saying Blue Cove is signing this player. Like, that's just a joke to me. That's such a joke to me.
01:15:39
Emeka
Oh, my goodness. Hey, Cronkies, if you're listening, we we need to feed our club to Arsenal, man. Colorado Rapids, they're cutting it anymore. The stakes are getting higher now. I guess I'll quickly say, Chukwu, I was going to pick
Newcastle's Financial Strategies and Signings
01:15:54
Emeka
that. Harvey Elliott was mine.
01:15:56
Emeka
So I'll just throw out there. Wisa, last week we talked about Volta Mare and how we didn't think he was going to be good enough to lead the line for Newcastle. People will happen up. I feel like Wiesa has been on strike the entire summer.
01:16:09
Emeka
All I heard about him is just him trying to be on strike. Gangster Gibbs finally gets his move. I don't know saw the story. 30 seconds before the deadline. he They thought he signed something. Yeah, he didn't.
01:16:20
Emeka
They chased him down. We were 30 seconds away from an all-time meltdown. Alas, he completed the documents up to Newcastle. I'm really, really curious to see how...
01:16:32
Emeka
the combo of of Wisa and Valtima to replace Isak and Wilson, who did nothing last year. I didn't pick them to finish in top eight after these signings. I put my hands up to say I might be wrong.
01:16:42
Chino Onwuka
How do you guys feel about million for
01:16:48
Emeka
I... I know we've even had this fight about a couple times for Arsenal and things. I just can't bring myself to care about resale value. I just truly, truly can't.
01:16:59
Emeka
If Wiesel scores 20 goals this season and they finish top four, like we talked about with Gehi, that money pays for itself, essentially.
01:17:06
Chuku
Hell, if he scores 15 goals and then make top four, top six, that money pays for himself. So, I mean, look, I can be... the end of the day, I think this whole... At the end of day, can you... Are you a baller?
01:17:18
Chuku
Can you, you know... Is he... Uyssa has the the whole plan proven... How many goals he score last year? I mean, pretty sure he scored close to 20.
01:17:26
Emeka
20.
01:17:26
Emeka
20?
01:17:26
Chuku
There he goes. the other are the ghost
01:17:28
Emeka
I think most.
01:17:30
Chuku
There you go. So, I mean, know it's for a middling table side in Brentford. Like, you know, Newcastle, you got to believe, is a step up playing with better players around him. Like, I just think end of the day, look, Wiesel may be 29, but at the end of the day, Newcastle have ambitions to win something.
01:17:48
Chuku
And they they did their best with the combination of – if it were just Wiesel alone for the $55 million, may have a point there, but it's the combination of having him there as an insurance policy with a young up-and-coming prospect for the amount that they paid for, know, Watamade.
01:18:03
Chuku
Like, I just think, you know, in that scenario, it works. It makes sense. And that's why I think, you know, it's not not that big of a deal, especially in today's market where we're seeing guys, you know, get sold for ridiculous amounts, you know what saying, that barely put up the kind of numbers that Wisa put up last year.
01:18:21
Chuku
And, you know, it is what it is, man. You have you got cuff up to get these kind of these kind of players to your teams, you know.
01:18:30
Emeka
But I guess that's
01:18:32
Chino Onwuka
Like, yeah, it's it's two things where, like, yeah, it really doesn't matter. Age doesn't really matter. You know, if he comes in and he bangs for them, it's a good deal. But, like, you do always have to look at the market when you're doing these things. Like, you know what? Maybe it might be the same situation with Wiltamari where think they overspent for you and Wisa. I'm sorry.
01:18:58
Emeka
Oh, 1,000% they did.
01:18:59
Chino Onwuka
Like, you look at... yeah Yeah, so I think they overspent. And you say, okay, resale value doesn't matter. And I guess maybe it might not if he's able to get them in the Champions League. But this is a club that keeps crying because apparently they have PSR issues.
01:19:17
Chino Onwuka
I guess maybe they just sold Isak for...
01:19:19
Emeka
I literally about to say Those PSR issues are resolved now.
01:19:20
Chino Onwuka
that sort of Yeah, but but again, this is this a club that has dealt with...
01:19:22
Emeka
Yeah, they're resolved.
01:19:27
Chino Onwuka
PSR issues for a couple of years now, which seems to be holding them back. So they do need to be thinking about those type of things.
01:19:34
Emeka
I would have agreed with you if they didn't just sell a guy for 125 million pounds. I'm no accountant or expert, but apparently ah ah big sale like that, even though Isak costs a lot because he'd been there for a while, blah, blah, blah.
01:19:47
Emeka
A big sale like that puts you in the black for two or three windows. So they're going to be fine. And they have enough people.
01:19:53
Chino Onwuka
I mean, they... the they spent the equivalent amount of.
01:19:57
Emeka
Yeah, but you know how it is. It's over the contract. So they get the $125 million in one payment, and WESA's contract is $55 over like four years. So it's only $10 million per year. I hate talking about this stuff because it's so infuriating.
01:20:07
Chino Onwuka
I did. Amortization, baby!
01:20:09
Emeka
Yeah. i say I hate talking about that's what modern football is. Shout out to Swiss Rambles of the world. I know all these things now. The reason why these teams can spend money like Chelsea and whatever is because the impact of a sale is so much bigger than the impact of a purchase.
01:20:28
Emeka
And that's how these teams finesse all these swap deals and all that nonsense. But Newcastle are going to be fine. I agree with what me and Chico are saying. like When you sign a young project like Valtima, it's imperative you get an older veteran striker to pair him with, a sure thing, someone who can score goals that's what they need.
01:20:48
Emeka
cost They definitely overpaid. You know what they overpaid? Because their first bids were like $25, $30 million. That's what they were talking about. And in the summer, they said, you know what, screw it, $55 million. Yeah, that's a lot of money.
01:21:00
Emeka
But, hey, when you flip side the way, let's start Liverpool. If they had sold ESAC end of August or even like the emys are end of like July, they'd have a lot more room to negotiate teams.
01:21:12
Emeka
When you sell ESAC on the deadline day, you call for Brentford, it's very easy for them to say, fam, you pay 55 you get out of here. So, you know, timing is everything, and that's what the the price they paid. I just think they're gonna they're not really going to care about the the price at the end of the day if he banks in goals for them. And we sell it fantastic.
01:21:30
Emeka
I think he's going bank in some goals for them. episode 33, and I'm sure you're loyal your listeners. We're here in episode 30. We all predicted the Premier League table. Well, deadline day. When we give our predictions, we did throw out the caveat that they're all subject to change if the transfer windows ended in a different way that we weren't expecting.
01:21:50
Emeka
I guess I'll start because mine is simple. Liverpool fans, I owe an apology. I really do. I predicted you guys to finish fourth. What was I thinking? Yeah, if I could make one change, I would say Liverpool are probably going to repeat again.
01:22:04
Emeka
didn't think they got ISAC. They did. Even without getting Gahey, it doesn't matter. They got ISAC. It's disgusting. We've said enough already about them, so I'll throw a few, start a few, you know. Now that the transfer window has ended, if you can make any change to predictions you had preseason, if what would you do?
Reevaluating Premier League Predictions
01:22:19
Chino Onwuka
Stand ten toes on my predictions, man. I'm not going to change any. I think I factored a lot of a lot of what could happen into my decision. So I don't think there's... I think it's too early.
01:22:34
Chino Onwuka
Honestly, like if if let's say we... And maybe part of it is already had Liverpool finishing first. wasn't really drinking too much of the of the Kool-Aid on on certain things you guys had spoken about. But maybe at midseason, once we've seen actual football be played, I might have some changes. But honestly, i don't think there's too much else I'd change.
01:22:53
Emeka
Hey, man of his principles, I respect it. Chico, any changes you'd make?
01:22:58
Chuku
I think for me, the my top four would change. I think I would still out switch Man City winning, and I think I have Liverpool winning.
01:23:11
Chuku
And I'll probably have... Yeah, I think I'll have Liverpool first, Arsenal again, breaking the record, and coming a second, Chelsea third,
01:23:24
Chuku
Man City 4th. That's what I have it.
01:23:28
Emeka
Well, I'm curious to see, you know, it's just three weeks in, curious to see how we view things come Christmas time.
01:23:29
Chuku
Yeah.
01:23:36
Emeka
Cause you know, always say the table doesn't matter until Christmas, but it was a big transfer deadline day. Like, what can you say? lot of outgoings and ingoings. Now that the dust has settled somewhat we've seen all the moves.
01:23:49
Emeka
Chukwu, who is your signing of the summer?
01:23:52
Chuku
I mean, has to be Isak, bro. It's Isak, bro. I can't believe Liverpool really got him. like I mean, I knew it was a possibility. i knew he had made it clear he wanted to go, but i just for whatever of reason, I just didn't think someone was going to be willing, especially after they spent the kind of money they spent on words and on the fullbacks and whatnot, to still have that kind of money in the bank to go and break another transfer record.
01:24:20
Chuku
and get Isak through the line this summer was just, yeah, it's crazy, bro. It's crazy. So, no, I think it easily has to be Isak, bro. But if I'm not picking Isak, again, because I feel like that might be the easy option, for me, have to be a homer, and I'll go Eze, because I really think Eze is going to transform our offense in terms of being more a lot more creative with the ball.
01:24:48
Chuku
And really think once he gets fully settled, that's going to be someone that's going to have a huge impact for us. So, yeah, one of the two, but yeah, I think, you know, one of those two for sure. much Some transfers.
01:25:00
Emeka
transfer I'll, you know, we say signing doesn't have to be a transfer, and I'm going to pick a lone person as my signing of the summer, and that's one Jack Grealish on loan to Everton.
01:25:11
Emeka
he's not gonna this start his you know He's not going to assist two times every game. That's whatever, but I just like when a big fish and a... And a small pond goes to a you know big pond and becomes a big part player.
01:25:23
Emeka
And then goes back to a small pond and then stars and flourishes. That's my favorite archetype in football. I loved when James Rodriguez came to Everton for that one year. He was magical. And I can see a similar something happen with Grealish there.
01:25:36
Emeka
He has freedom to play now. he put an Instagram story. He's taught it for three times in a row for the first time in five seasons. He links up well with the other attacking players they have. And I just always like – I've always had a soft spot for Jack Grealish.
01:25:48
Emeka
So maybe I'm just hoping it's consistent and he keeps it up. So i'm I'm hoping that he's the signing of the summer for Everton. He leads them to something. Also, Everton are due for a good season. They've been struggling too close. I want to have a good year. I like Everton.
01:26:01
Emeka
And also screw Liverpool. So I'll pick Jack Grealish as my signing of the summer. Jeno, who's your signing of the summer?
01:26:10
Chino Onwuka
i Thomas Frank. I think going from and Pustakaglu and whatever he was doing with his philosophy the last season to a a manager I hold in really high regard, I think it's just going to be a big transformation Tottenham. I don't want to talk too long because I'm just trying to be cognizant of time, but...
01:26:35
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, I just think that's a, I had some players I had listed down, had Zubomendi, I had Tajani, but, you know, just thinking about it, think the impact Thomas Frank will have, not just for one year, but for multiple years, almost can't be quantified.
01:26:50
Emeka
hey It pains me to say, but I fully agree. Even though Spurs have to be Spurs, beat Man City, and then lose to Bournemouth the next week. But Thomas Frank, compared to Ange especially, what a signing he is. I'm not jealous because I love Arteta, but I'm frustrated because I like when Spurs are bad, and I think Frank is going to really shape them up.
01:27:13
Emeka
freedom Flip side, you know, I'll keep it with you. Who is your flop of the summer?
01:27:20
Chino Onwuka
I just think it's going to be Cunha.
01:27:26
Chino Onwuka
like he He's such mercurial player. and We've seen what Manchester United has done. to He's a good player to better players than him.
01:27:41
Chino Onwuka
you know if it had to be someone, i just i think Mbobo is going to be solid. I just think... Cunha, he's going have big flashes, but he's someone where, you know, two or three years, you look back at it, you see the amount of money they spent, and it's, you know, someone you almost see in the same boat as Di Maria, Jadon Sancho, Anthony, and the like.
01:28:05
Emeka
Damn, let's see them all back to back. Man, you've had so but have some transfers in the last couple of years. I'll keep mine short. i don't want to keep you know relitigating this argument we've had off the pod. but Lacuna's teammates, when the signing happened, I said it so confidently with my chest, and I'll say it on the record on this podcast, I've never been more confident a transfer was going to fail than when Benjamin Sesko went to Manchester United.
01:28:31
Emeka
And it nothing to do with Man Sesko. He was a fantastic prospect. Like Man City right now, Man United right now are where players' careers go to die.
01:28:42
Emeka
It's just as simple as that. he had He joined the sinking ship. It made me question his judgment. i don't know why he would join them. I know they're Man U, but for a young player to to blast themselves on to Ruben Amarin and what what's going on,
01:28:56
Emeka
For the same reasons why Hoyland failed, I think he's not even going to get a chance. I just can't see him succeeding in this setup. So for really things outside of his control for the most part, I think Sesco, with the price tag expectations, is going to be the flop of the summer.
01:29:12
Emeka
Chico.
01:29:14
Chuku
I'm going to keep mine short and sweet. I echo every sentiment he just recorded there. is not This has more to do with the environment, the club, and where they're at at the moment than the actual player's raw ability.
01:29:28
Chuku
And i just think Benjamin Sesco, as I may refer to him outside of the pod as Tesco, just think he's going to be the flop this summer because, quite frankly, I don't see him having at least the impact that my United fans have.
01:29:43
Chuku
think they may have with the price tag that they used to purchase him. And, yeah, I mean, I just think United right now is just a ticking time bomb that has probably erupted a few times and just continues to erupt.
01:30:01
Chuku
I just don't know how or what's going on that in that club. Like, to see where, you know, where they were at, you know, only a couple of decades ago to see where they are. Fast forward to now, it's kind of crazy to see their downfall. And you know I'm here for it. So yeah, long may you continue. so
01:30:21
Chino Onwuka
Damn, all all you mean United signings, damn.
01:30:22
Emeka
Downfall,
01:30:25
Emeka
downfa didn't you guys see Amorim coach them to a thrilling victory this weekend? Oh man, long may Amorim stay, long may he reign.
01:30:34
Chuku
Oh, you're so right, man. my My apologies, man.
01:30:37
Emeka
Downfall, hey man.
01:30:38
Chuku
Amaran in. in Amaran in, bro. He's here to stay.
01:30:42
Emeka
Listen, their goal difference is negative.
01:30:42
Chuku
But yeah, know
01:30:45
Emeka
That's an improvement over the last couple of seasons. It's zero.
01:30:49
Chuku
You're right.
01:30:49
Emeka
so You know, improvement's right there, man.
01:30:50
Chuku
You're right. They have a chance. They have a chance to get a win streak going. you know They have a chance. So yeah, we'll see. We'll see.
01:30:58
Emeka
Oh, long way.
01:30:58
Chuku
yeah. yeah
01:31:00
Emeka
Yeah. No? Hey, listen. United fans, listen. Don't be mad at us. Look at your history. Like I mentioned, I said, there's the DiMarias and the Anthony's and countless others. like Don't be mad at us.
01:31:15
Emeka
It is what it is. Well, my least favorite week of football is coming up. it International break after the summer transfer window. i could go on and on and on and on and on and on how stupid this international break is.
01:31:28
Emeka
But this Love of the Game podcast, we cover all things, not just the beautiful game, but even the other kind of football.
NFL Season Predictions
01:31:35
Emeka
And Thursday night, the NFL season starts off once again. I love it. Fall's coming in, the leaves are changing, and I just have a day of the week dedicated, sitting on my couch and just watching Red Zone all season. and With the NFL season approaching, you know, I love a game podcast. I think we do a lot, but what would what we really do enjoy is the hot takes.
01:31:55
Emeka
And I want to ask each of you now, with the NFL season approaching, give me one I don't want to see a ah ah somewhat hot take. Give me something you think will happen this NFL season, and to kick it off, I'll start With the chief Kansas City Chiefs, who for some reason I'm seeing people slander and say other teams will finish in the division.
01:32:16
Emeka
They don't realize who Patrick Mahomes are. The Kansas City Chiefs are going to finish 16-1. sixteen and one to the season. They're gonna be out for blood. They're gonna smack every team.
01:32:27
Emeka
Mahomes are gonna throw for like 5,000 yards. For some reason, I just can't shake this feeling. The Chiefs are gonna have a season to remember and all the disrespect people have for them, making Taylor Swift jokes, making, call them washed because they lose they lost in the Super Bowl.
01:32:41
Emeka
The Super Bowl. And people are thinking it's over. We're all gonna shut up when Mahomes comes for blood. 15-2 or 16-1, just to keep a hot take. They're going to have a season to remember. That is my my bold prediction.
01:32:53
Emeka
Chinna, what do you have think is going to happen in the NFL season?
01:32:57
Chino Onwuka
Is it predictions or a bold take?
01:33:00
Emeka
Just a hot take. Listen, give me a hot take.
01:33:01
Chino Onwuka
take. you are You might have to give me a second to to think on this one. Let's pass it to the hard take master himself, Chippo.
01:33:08
Emeka
I was trying to save the best for last, but all right, Chico. give me I know you got ah ah you got plenty. Give me one hot take you have for the NFL season.
01:33:17
Chuku
I like the way you'll be overhyping me right now. but I don't have that much takes. But I think this is more of a
01:33:24
Chino Onwuka
You guys give us a big one. let me let me let i need to i need to drop I need to drop the two for your your infamous heartache, man. No forehand, no forehand.
01:33:35
Chuku
a... This might be an hot take. But I mean, this is definitely more of a want than, know, my heart wants this to happen for him. rather than what I think will actually happen with my head.
01:33:49
Chuku
But
01:33:50
Chuku
he may have but he had a stinker of a year last year, a stinker, at least as far as you know what those coming into the league projected him to be. But I think this year, with a new coordinator and some additional talents on offense, I think he's going to put it together. And I think Caleb Williams is going to be a top five quarterback in the NFL this year.
01:34:14
Emeka
Woo! Top five!
01:34:17
Chuku
Top five. That's how good Ben Johnson is going to be in terms of helping this guy.
01:34:21
Emeka
There we go. That's what I did. I like that.
01:34:22
Chuku
And, yeah, top five.
01:34:23
Emeka
Top five.
01:34:26
Emeka
Will he throw over 4,000 yards for the first time in franchise history?
01:34:30
Chuku
He will get the 4,000 yards. It's a must to be top five. He's going to get 4,000 yards, throw for 30-plus TDs, and under 15 interceptions.
01:34:43
Chuku
Let's go.
01:34:43
Emeka
I like this one.
01:34:43
Chuku
Let's go somewhere. Let's go.
01:34:44
Emeka
I'm looking for it. That's a hard take right there. I have some Bears fans in my life. They'll be very happy if you're right. I'll tell you that. I think most will just settle for 4,000 yards, literally. If he can just hit 4,000 yards, the the city will throw a parade.
01:34:58
Emeka
Chin-O, we're giving you a time. would you You got one for us? or I can jump in with a single one.
01:35:01
Chino Onwuka
Aye, aye, aye, aye. My hot take is Steelers have a losing season for the first time in many years.
01:35:08
Emeka
Wow.
01:35:10
Chino Onwuka
Bringing in some bad juju.
01:35:11
Chuku
Oh, whoo.
01:35:12
Chino Onwuka
Bringing in some bad juju into the clubhouse and Aaron Rodgers. Yeah, it's...
01:35:19
Emeka
you He's burning ayahuasca.
01:35:19
Chino Onwuka
Too
01:35:21
Emeka
He's getting the vibes right. The carmas are Last quick one.
01:35:23
Chino Onwuka
much, Aguasca. Those guys are going to on the field. They're going to be in a different plane of existence. they Instead of playing smash-mouth defense, they're going to be singing Kumbaya, looking at you know alternatives to vaccines, all of that stuff.
01:35:39
Chino Onwuka
Yeah.
01:35:42
Chuku
That was crazy.
01:35:43
Emeka
I hate to say this because you know it impacts the person on the pod. My second semi-quick hot take is that the Travis Hunter two-way experiment lasts three weeks max before he gets hurt or they realize this is stupid and why we're having our second-best receiver play cornerback for no reason.
01:36:02
Emeka
That's just... hey i will wrong i'll put it but Every time I give a Travis Hunter take, i always caveat it by saying I was 100% wrong in college. I thought I couldn't do it. He did. I might be 100% wrong in the pros, but screw it. I'm going to be it. He can't play both ways.
01:36:15
Emeka
He's going to get hurt. So... Three weeks max, and then the team decides, yeah, well we traded two picks for him. Just put him at receiver. Just put him at receiver.
01:36:28
Chino Onwuka
ah cut.
01:36:29
Emeka
Hey. I hate to – again, listen, again, I was wrong in college. We saw I wouldn't be wrong again. But I just can't – I don't know. i just I'm just a hater, man. I'm just one those guys saying people want to shine. I'm the guy saying you can't do it.
01:36:43
Emeka
and I'm the guy saying, Travis, you can't do it. Prove me wrong, I guess. Like I mentioned, it's the international break, so we know you typically do the game of the week here. No football this sub weekend that I care about. It's it's friendly. Don't matter to me.
01:36:56
Emeka
but NFL is back. And Sunday Night Football is starting off with a banger. So game of the week this week. We have the Baltimore Ravens heading into the Buffalo to play the Bills.
01:37:10
Emeka
A battle of the top two MVP candidates last year. i know it's going to be electric. I'll be quick. I have the Bills winning. Josh Allen rejuvenated this year. Seeing his wifey spit in people's mouths in the summer. He's going to emphasize him ginger up and shut everybody up.
01:37:27
Emeka
I got the Bills with ah what a smooth 28-20 win over the Ravens to start off the NFL season Sunday night. Chin-O, what do you have for this game?
01:37:36
Chino Onwuka
Interesting, interesting. I got Ravens 27-24. wait a minute.
01:37:41
Emeka
Chukwu?
01:37:44
Chuku
Yeah, I got to go with my boy Chin on this. You crazy, man. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are coming back in with a vengeance. And I think this is the year Baltimore puts it together, man. I'm giving a Baltimore 31-17.
01:37:57
Chuku
thirty one seventeen
01:38:00
Emeka
Interesting. Interesting. Woo. Hey, man. Josh.
01:38:03
Chino Onwuka
spicy man is back this is the Chikwilno and Love okay now
01:38:03
Emeka
I believe in you, Josh. Don't worry. I believe in you, Josh.
01:38:10
Emeka
Hey. Hey, well, either way, I know it's going to be a banger, and I cannot wait to watch it. I miss football. Oh, God. It's amazing. I can't wait to rage on my TV. All my fancy you guys suck.
01:38:22
Emeka
But I hope you join us for the rest of the season. Again, we cover all sports here. We are a football-heavy sport, but we try to cover most things. I was stretching it. No hockey takes on this podcast.
01:38:33
Emeka
But we try to cover all the sports and join us as we move on throughout the season. Football is aware, but the other football is back. It's just meant to be. We'll be back next week, breaking down week one of the NFL and all the other big storylines and sports worldwide on the Love of the Game podcast.