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Episode 3: Pt. 1 Transfer Deadline Recap + PL Week 1-3 Superlatives
24 Plays1 year ago
- Osimehn, Sancho, Sterling !
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast and Hosts
00:00:11
blackjag_3
Hello and welcome to another episode of the Love of the Game podcast. I'm welcomed here by my my brothers, Chuku, say what's up to the fans.
00:00:21
Chuku
Hey guys, glad to be back. How you guys doing? Hopefully we're here for another banger episode.
00:00:25
blackjag_3
I'm for sure, for sure. My other brother, Mekus.
Lamenting a Lost Episode
00:00:31
Emeka
Hey, what's going on? Welcome to episode three, technically, but two, I guess. Because we got we lost one, sadly. The best episode ever, Bangor episode.
00:00:43
blackjag_3
Honestly, I was going to say, like, I was listening to the update.
00:00:44
Emeka
Bangor.
00:00:45
Chuku
4-1 out.
00:00:46
blackjag_3
And honestly, guys, I think that episode could have won awards.
00:00:50
Emeka
You know what I'm saying?
00:00:51
blackjag_3
Like, but content was far more detailed analysis.
00:00:51
Emeka
Oscar, but we back.
00:00:56
Emeka
uh, stories you were telling, them man, hey, Manzo couldn't get fired from these jobs at the episode leaked, but so...
00:00:57
blackjag_3
upon then i and for for all For all the Chelsea fans that, you know, actually showed back up, like, we were just talking about y'all in glowing terms.
00:01:04
Emeka
It's
00:01:09
blackjag_3
it's It's a shame you'll never get to hear it.
00:01:11
Emeka
a shame.
00:01:12
Chuku
This
00:01:13
Emeka
Yeah, it's a shame.
00:01:14
blackjag_3
Elon Musk's internet didn't want that episode to come out.
00:01:17
Emeka
Deep white blind, it's crazy that it still didn't want us to shine,
Significance of Transfer Deadline Day
00:01:20
blackjag_3
Nothing we can do.
00:01:20
Chuku
guy's crazy.
00:01:20
Emeka
but we're here today, though.
00:01:22
Emeka
We're here today, though.
00:01:22
blackjag_3
which We'll try our best to make this one just as good. We promise. We promise.
00:01:28
Emeka
Even better, better.
00:01:29
blackjag_3
So so since since the last time we chatted, guys, a lot has happened.
00:01:34
Emeka
Oof.
00:01:35
blackjag_3
A lot has happened. And we're going to start off by talking about One of the best days on the calendar, you know, some people like Christmas day, some people like Easter, some people like Halloween, but we all know where it's at.
00:01:49
Emeka
You love it.
00:01:50
blackjag_3
Transfer, deadline day.
00:01:53
Emeka
Yo, real quick to y'all.
00:01:53
blackjag_3
Wake up in the morning. Yeah, go ahead.
00:01:56
Emeka
you You know, we all, you know, I had to spoil our ages. We all watched Kings, with you know, 30. Do you prefer a deadline day now with social media or do you prefer back in the day when you were like tapped into Sky News a website refreshing? Like you got limited information. You're watching TV. It was a whole production. Or do you like the Romano, Ornstein? I'm just refreshing toward it better.
00:02:16
blackjag_3
I, the the old days were different for me because back then I believed anything, right?
00:02:18
Chuku
down
00:02:24
Emeka
That's what I'm saying, bro.
00:02:26
blackjag_3
It was a little bit of hope. Now I know like, you know, we've been in the game a long time where we know the sources that you can actually,
Nostalgia for Past Transfer Rumors
00:02:32
blackjag_3
might actually be onto something or the ones that that are just, you know, fake news.
00:02:36
blackjag_3
But back then you hear, oh, Arsenal has put in a 60 million bid for,
00:02:37
Emeka
Yeah.
00:02:45
blackjag_3
who who who who's a player and you'd be like, oh, it could be true.
00:02:47
Emeka
Bro, the rush, the rush you feel when you only refresh Sky News and and then, bro, nothing can top that man for me.
00:02:48
blackjag_3
And it's like, right. right
00:02:54
Chuku
yeah watch this guy use the whole the whole deadline day show like it was no it's a crazy time man it's a crazy it was a crazy time man i was just remember oh good no
00:02:55
Emeka
I miss the old days, bro.
00:02:58
Emeka
You know what I mean?
00:03:02
blackjag_3
Like even.
00:03:05
blackjag_3
Yeah, before you go on for me, even for a time, it was the forums. Shout out Arsenal, man.
00:03:10
Emeka
You know what I'm saying?
00:03:11
blackjag_3
You know, my people still out there. That's where I used to go. for my news and all the little tidbits before Twitter became a thing.
00:03:17
Emeka
You know, maybe it's nostalgia.
00:03:18
blackjag_3
So
00:03:20
Chuku
it was a time man you have to be there man
00:03:21
Emeka
Maybe it's nostalgia. I don't know.
Impact of Modern Technology on Transfer Tracking
00:03:23
Emeka
Like Oden Wingy pulling up to the club and not getting the transfer. That can happen these days. Now it'll be like 500 tweets about it. It won't hit the same. You know what I mean?
00:03:32
Emeka
It won't hit the same.
00:03:32
blackjag_3
yeah.
00:03:33
Chuku
Yeah, I know trans venues definitely don't have the same, man. You have people watching like people's flights, you know, people being tracking everything.
00:03:35
Emeka
You know, people's cards.
00:03:39
Chuku
Like it's crazy, man. Time is just different. It's not, man.
00:03:43
blackjag_3
yeah
00:03:44
Chuku
I still remember when we got also through the line that all the biggest, you know, legendary stuff.
00:03:46
Emeka
That's what I'm saying, bro. The wind or smile, legendary.
00:03:49
blackjag_3
i i was involved I was in Manchester when that happened, watching Sky Sports U Live when that dropped.
00:03:56
Emeka
Bro, that's what I'm saying.
00:03:56
blackjag_3
That feeling.
00:03:56
Chuku
Yeah. Crazy.
00:03:57
Emeka
That feeling, you can't match it to me, man.
00:03:57
blackjag_3
That feeling.
00:04:00
Emeka
Like you said, no, we know more.
00:04:01
blackjag_3
Well, here's the thing.
00:04:02
Emeka
We know more now, which is another thing. like
00:04:04
blackjag_3
Here's the thing. I knew it was coming.
00:04:05
Chuku
It's a blessing and a curse, you know? Yeah.
00:04:07
blackjag_3
I knew that was coming because I had them them OG insiders who were saying, yeah, German international is coming. And back then, you believed everything they said. So I knew o it was coming.
00:04:17
Emeka
Every time's a change, man. But sorry for that tangent.
00:04:20
blackjag_3
oh
00:04:21
Emeka
Transfer deadline talk made me nostalgic, man. What what a time.
00:04:24
blackjag_3
Sure, for sure. So you know on that note, again, a lot of things happen. So I'm going to, first of all, just throw it off to you guys. you know Where do you guys want to start? What what is the the biggest deal or no deal that you know stood out to you, transfer deadline?
Arsenal's Transfer Window Performance
00:04:41
Emeka
I mean, listen, man, we're just going to be honest with the fam out there listening. and If you walked the first episode, I think it's clear to understand that we all Arsenal fans. So I think it's only right that we start off by talking about the Arsenal transfer window. And I'm just curious, how would you rate this window out of 10 for Arsenal?
00:04:58
blackjag_3
Seven.
00:05:00
Chuku
Yeah, no, I'm with, yeah, I'm with China man. I think a solid, solid seven, man. Just the for the fact that we were able to get that, you know, forward option through the line and Funny enough, man, I know a lot of people, aren't a lot of fans want to impress with that Sterling Simon, but I really believe that's going to be one of the most underrated signings of the transfer window, because say what you want about Sterling, but he feels a need for the for the club, you know, and I i really do, really, the fact the fact, I think the fact that we got him for free,
00:05:29
Emeka
Big time.
00:05:31
blackjag_3
Yes.
00:05:37
Emeka
For long.
00:05:38
Chuku
on a loan with no loan fee, paying a percentage of his wages. Chelsea are basically paying Sterling to come and play for us at the Emirates. It's kind of unheard of for a man of that talent. I think, I don't know if you guys saw reports earlier, but I think I was reading some reports apparently Chelsea were trying to offer
Sterling's Impact and Versatility
00:06:03
Chuku
Mujic as part of alone.
00:06:04
Emeka
and trick yeah so
00:06:07
Chuku
God, God, thank you, Lord.
00:06:08
blackjag_3
and so
00:06:09
Chuku
We took Sterling and ran with that because, yeah, I don't know how I fought with Mujic. The Mujic I'm seeing these days alone. So, hey, man. And we all know, well, we've all seen the stats of, you know, one of the last, you know, big Mikel was coaching Sterling, you know.
00:06:29
Emeka
Yeah,
00:06:29
Chuku
All I'm going to say was Myles was top three. our top two in the world, we're building assistant contributions.
00:06:33
Emeka
I saw.
00:06:34
blackjag_3
He was putting up numbers. He was putting up performances.
00:06:36
Chuku
He was putting up crazy work.
00:06:36
Emeka
Bigly.
00:06:38
Chuku
He was putting crazy work. So look, if he can just be 60, 70% of that, Sterling, I guess we're racing the blueprints of, you know, getting a Chelsea underperforming player from a dysfunctional club and putting them in in in in a system and getting a better version of that player.
00:06:58
Chuku
so You know, who who knows, man? I guess we'll find out to know in in the coming months, but I really do believe that Sterling signing could be a big, big, big, you know, surprise.
00:07:08
Chuku
And yeah, I think overall you got to give that at least a 6.5 or above, but that's my dream.
00:07:15
Emeka
Man, y'all hard, I'm at eight.
00:07:18
Chuku
And eight.
00:07:19
blackjag_3
Really?
00:07:19
Emeka
because y'll not i well if i If I told you guys in May, we'd get 90 million for Inketia, Ramsdale, and ESR.
00:07:20
Chuku
Yo, okay. Please explain your take. Yes, please.
00:07:33
Emeka
No way you believe me, no way.
00:07:36
Chuku
Okay, I guess you're factoring the outgoings as well.
00:07:37
Emeka
Out the window, I'll go in as well.
00:07:38
Chuku
Okay, that's fair.
00:07:39
blackjag_3
Yeah, yeah.
00:07:39
Emeka
like
00:07:40
Chuku
yeah that for
00:07:41
Emeka
That's where I got to be. It's got to be an eighth because I got to grow. I've slanted my man, Edu, for his sales. We were called called the Edu Special, where we pay you to to leave. That has been Arsenal MO for years. And bro, we got big money for those guys. like I was impressed. Listen, we will we all know how we feel about Eddie. Love Eddie. Hail them products. If you told me we saw Eddie for $15 million, I'd have took down Iran. I did not believe in him as a starting striker. Yet my man convinced.
00:08:07
Emeka
Crystal Palace to put 35 bands on this man. I could not believe it. So, you know, hey, I'll take it like ESR my son. I love him. Even though it pains me 35 bands as well.
00:08:18
Emeka
That's pretty nice. Ramsdale was the only one that's kind of an L but like I ain't gonna I can't be too mad because getting 20 mil back for Ramsdale is crazy. Even though like.
00:08:27
Chuku
even got something known that Ramsey wanted to leave.
00:08:28
blackjag_3
after all I probably did great on that Ramsdale deal.
00:08:28
Emeka
So, you know.
00:08:32
Chuku
Yeah, same.
00:08:32
Emeka
Yeah, I can't.
00:08:32
Chuku
I thought it would be great.
00:08:32
blackjag_3
That's the most impressive one for me.
00:08:33
Emeka
So, I think about that.
00:08:34
Chuku
really Considering the situation and the circumstances we're in, like you teams knew that Ramsey wanted to leave.
00:08:36
Emeka
So, like,
00:08:39
Emeka
You on it?
00:08:41
Chuku
so
00:08:43
Emeka
It's only eight because I know it's not a big deal, it's not the biggest deal in the world. But the fact that we spent all summer openly trying to sell Ramsdale and then for Espanyol, how many times did I remind Jose we agreed personal terms with that goalkeeper?
00:08:54
Chuku
that
00:08:58
Emeka
At least 20 times. I'm sure they were just sitting down all summer and going like, all right, cool. You got personal terms, but you're going to pay up? And lo and behold, when we sold Ramsdale, we were like, hey, may want to take this spare change. They said, why?
00:09:09
Emeka
Bro, pay up. And then we're out here, we're scrambling, and we've gotten that. Oh, look, I don't care about the backup keeper. Ryan's going to play every game. But just the fact that our backup keeper is Cup type of calling Cup. Like, what are we really doing here, man?
00:09:20
Emeka
Now we've got to play Ramsdale against Bolton, and I guess what will we play now?
00:09:23
Chuku
that's exactly why i can't give it an eight man that's exactly why i cannot give it an eight although we did well in the cellar yeah
00:09:23
Emeka
I mean, we're going to play Ryan.
00:09:27
Emeka
I mean, back to the goalkeeper. Go go keep her back and we'll keep working. We got we got kind of fury We got marino even though rip marino guy ran into big gabby and broke his shoulder I kind of still can't believe that first training session.
00:09:40
Emeka
That's an FM stuff. Oh, okay That'll make me restart happen to me ridiculous but
00:09:41
blackjag_3
That's two seasons where a key signing has been injured right off the bat.
00:09:49
Chuku
yeah
00:09:53
blackjag_3
So for me, I don't know if I could give it an eight. Like I said, I'm going to give it a seven out of 10, and I'll give my reasons why. Coming into the season, we've had two seasons in a row where we fell.
00:09:53
Chuku
But see, I don't think so too.
00:10:09
blackjag_3
five points short of Man City and then two points short of Man City. And after the way the season ended, not just in the Premier League, but in the Champions League as well.
00:10:14
Emeka
Yep.
00:10:21
blackjag_3
Chuka, feel free to, I think there's some background noise, so if you meet your mic if you need to.
00:10:26
Chuku
Yeah, got you.
00:10:30
blackjag_3
Coming off the end of of of last season in both the Prem and the CL, we were hearing noise that In other for Arsenal to have a different element of their game, we need to sign a marquee forward. You know, a forward that brings something different to the team. And so for the whole summer, it's been known, and not even the whole summer, for the last, how many transfer seasons that we've been looking for, a forward, a different profile in the attack. We went after Sesco.
00:11:02
blackjag_3
You know, at first it got reported that, you know, he wasn't ready to leave. But now, you know, I've seen other reports where it's come up that, you know, due to the policy of, you know, the team can manage the numbers in the squad.
00:11:14
blackjag_3
You know, we couldn't commit to school while Eddie was still there. So regardless, Sesco didn't happen. And then we spent the rest of the summer chasing Nico Williams. Right.
00:11:23
Emeka
Chase the quorum.
00:11:23
blackjag_3
And that was sort of what was that was a bit of a white elephant. And, you know, we didn't get that deal done. As well, we knew that the midfield, we needed something else in the midfield. And this is probably just due to my expectations. I was looking for that next, that next, nailed on first team, long-term starter in the midfield that would join up with Declan Rice, Odegard, and that would be our trio going forward. That was my expectation. Now.
00:11:57
Emeka
Eef of joy.
00:11:57
blackjag_3
Califiori came in. I thought that was a great deal. Marino's coming. I think that is a solid deal. Assault acquisition. I think he will bring things to the squad. But y'all know where my mind was going, what I was dreaming of. You know you you start me off with Bruno Gimiares. You start me off with Joel Nevers. And then Moreno's nice. He's nice, but he's not.
00:12:20
blackjag_3
He's not there. And then I, you'll know I was the first one to call Sterling. the The minute he went out and put out that statement after I got left out, I was saying, yo, I wouldn't mind Sterling at the club. And I think he is a really, we've seen Arsenal be really good at pivoting to plan B's when they haven't been able to get their plan A's.
00:12:40
blackjag_3
or plan Bs and then moved on to plan Cs. And I think this is a really key one. You know, what I think Sterling will bring is not just his experience of, you know, playing at the highest level, not just his experience playing with Michael Arteza and the partnership that they've had together.
00:12:55
blackjag_3
I think he can fill in in multiple different positions, left wing, right wing and false nine.
00:13:00
Emeka
I hope it doesn't come to that, will you?
00:13:03
blackjag_3
And he can bring things to the squad that I think might add another element to our game.
00:13:11
Emeka
He's got peace. It seemed like much earlier.
00:13:12
blackjag_3
It's not even the pace, it's the quickness of play.
00:13:13
Emeka
Only guys who got peace.
00:13:19
blackjag_3
He has the ability to to take the ball and just with a quick burst get past people. I think that's the one thing that we don't have as much is, I think the only person I can see running through people is honestly Deccan Rice, where he when he takes his one strike.
00:13:19
Emeka
No.
00:13:32
Emeka
It's like awesome times, man. Let's be real. It's like when he gets ahead of team.
00:13:36
blackjag_3
Yeah, for sure, but not not from a standstill, right? When he gets ahead at steam, just that quick that quick shift of the hiss that Sterling can do, you know I think that can be really key.
00:13:46
blackjag_3
And his movement off the ball, his movement off the ball is really good.
00:13:50
Emeka
True. He's got it. Look, that was good.
00:13:52
Chuku
to
00:13:52
Emeka
The
Importance of Player Sales and Financial Prudence
00:13:52
blackjag_3
and then Yeah. And then as well, the other element is the outgoings, right? I was the one who was standing tall on saying, we need to hold on to our evaluation for Eddie.
00:13:53
Emeka
only issue is.
00:13:53
Chuku
not just that, so very good.
00:14:05
blackjag_3
Regardless, you know we need to trust the process and let the kids fall where they may.
00:14:08
Chuku
yeah
00:14:10
blackjag_3
And that ended but ended up working out.
00:14:10
Chuku
yeah
00:14:14
blackjag_3
That ended up working out. And so I think we did did a Good job, not an adequate job of selling because somehow Chelsea be selling some man's for 50 million after they played zero games, zero goals.
00:14:26
Emeka
God.
00:14:28
blackjag_3
But, but this, this is progress. This is progress. And so for all those reasons, I'm giving them seven out of 10, because for me, the reason I'm getting a seven out of 10 is, is it a window that is taking Arsenal past man city?
00:14:31
Emeka
Amen. Selfishness.
00:14:41
blackjag_3
I don't think so.
00:14:42
Emeka
Is that the bar?
00:14:44
blackjag_3
For me, that's the bar at this stage.
00:14:45
Emeka
Man, so then no one has noticed about a 10 out of 10 windows end, because man seems on the last five years, or what are we doing here?
00:14:51
blackjag_3
but But that's the bar.
00:14:52
Emeka
I don't know, man. Y'all expecting me too much, man.
00:14:54
blackjag_3
That's the bar.
00:14:55
Emeka
Y'all are crazy. This is a buts is one of the best windows I've had. Look, obviously it's not that you wouldn't know where we bought rice. We spent $200 mil. But that's not that's not feasible to spend $200 mil every window.
00:15:09
Emeka
like
00:15:09
blackjag_3
For sure. For sure.
00:15:11
Emeka
We're in the profit. This is one I'm pretty sure. We're close to it. like That's crazy. For us to do what we did.
00:15:15
blackjag_3
they I think the net spend is only about 20 million or something like that.
00:15:19
Emeka
You know what I mean? That's crazy to me. I can't abide by this. Wait, I guess right, right. Who else
Future Signings and Squad Improvement
00:15:24
Emeka
but? No, I can't.
00:15:25
blackjag_3
Yeah, right.
00:15:27
Emeka
To me, the fact that we've made decent money selling, which I've never... Again, the EDU special. We're so used to us paying money to F off. We're actually making money on sales this summer, man.
00:15:39
Emeka
I can't... Nah dude y'all y'all too much for me but I got if you want to Nico Williams that's the thing but for me I never believed for a second we were getting a Nico Williams or a Sean Nevis I never believed that for a second so the fact that we got two 16
00:15:51
blackjag_3
i I mean, there's an element of what I believed in an element of what I feel like we we needed to do to get to a certain level.
00:15:55
Emeka
1 in 1 is what I keep telling people we finished the last
00:16:00
blackjag_3
I'm sure, no, it's a good level, but is is, I mean, job job finished?
00:16:03
Emeka
but
00:16:06
Chuku
stop
00:16:07
Emeka
We'll see you, let's see the season then, let's see the season. Man, I said we need dynamic forward, my last time I checked my dynamic forward is named Kai Havertz, so I'm straight.
00:16:15
blackjag_3
Okay.
00:16:15
Chuku
But since when are we using basically like sales as like the end of BLS to read in the transfer window?
00:16:21
Emeka
That's the window, I don't understand bro, that's the chance for what I see.
00:16:24
blackjag_3
It's important.
00:16:25
Emeka
i is it
00:16:25
blackjag_3
It's important. It's very important.
00:16:25
Chuku
it' busy It's important.
00:16:27
Chuku
like is What I'm trying to say is those sales that we made, right? if we're not making up the adequate additions to the team, are we really going to say that it's we're putting out an eight? Because for me, an eight is like a phenomenal window.
00:16:44
Chuku
And I'm just going to say, like look, I think we have a good window. like Again, for what it could have been in terms of like you know we almost went almost no left the window without any forwards, we managed to pull you know Sterling out of you know out of our basically a rabbit's hat kind of thing.
00:16:58
Chuku
And you know what, I'll take him. You know, he's not is' not a bad addition. I think he's getting very underrated, but that's not accurate if he was plan A or B, even like, you know, Edwin comments came out and mentioned they didn't even have, there wasn't even any plans of getting Sterling.
00:17:09
Emeka
This is a phenomenon.
00:17:13
Emeka
Yeah, it wasn't for free.
00:17:14
Chuku
It was very fortunate.
00:17:14
Emeka
I mean, damn.
00:17:16
Chuku
I mean, I'm not complaining, right? He's still a good, he's still a good player to add 100%.
00:17:21
Emeka
I have
00:17:22
Chuku
But all I'm trying to say is that he's a stopgap. Let's just call it for what it is. He's a stopgap, right?
00:17:26
Emeka
to stop y'all.
00:17:27
Chuku
So basically, you know, we have him for one season after this, you know, one can
00:17:32
blackjag_3
He's the stop guy for, he's the stop guy for Rodrigo.
00:17:36
Emeka
Maybe until I, until I, until I.
00:17:37
Chuku
dream, one can dream. But until I see what we do afterwards, for the window, it's a seven, man. A seven I think is more than just because until we bring in like, you know what I was saying earlier about like, you know,
00:17:53
Chuku
the guys that we're building up in our future with, because ever since that Declan Rice signed in, we have not been able to add that cornerstone piece to the mix yet.
00:18:06
Chuku
We're still waiting to add
00:18:06
Emeka
Alright, so it's the last year man, watch out!