Latest / Friends on Football / Ep. 34 - Premier League Weekend Recap, An MLS Minute, Updates Around the Continent and the Champions League Returns

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Ep. 34 - Premier League Weekend Recap, An MLS Minute, Updates Around the Continent and the Champions League Returns · Friends on Football

• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: Hello, friends, and welcome to episode 34 of the Friends on Football Podcast.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: I'm one of your co-hosts, Brandon Johnson, and joined with me as always, Mr.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: Sean Boyle.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: Sean, how are you doing today?
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_03: Brandon, I'm doing well.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_03: It's a pleasure to speak with you.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_03: How are you?
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: I'm doing well, Sean.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: I'm doing well, Sean.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Before we really get going, Sean, I always ask you before the episode starts, what episode are we on?
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: So I make sure to say the right number.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: So to now keep myself in check, I've decided to do a little a little project.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: So anytime I'm hosting and it's an episode, I'm gonna research and look up the best player to wear that jersey number in his professional or her professional career.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: Uh once we get to 100, Sean, we'll have to come up with a new plan.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: But for now, I'll start like this.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: So season 34.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: There's a few interesting players that have worn this.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: The one I wanted to highlight was a player by the name of Abdelhaq Api Nori.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: He was an IAX Academy player, Sean, and unfortunately collapsed and was unable to play football ever again.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: In 2017, ended his career in an academy game.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: And something cool that kind of came out of this were a few players have worn 34 that played with him at the academy level or at the youth levels.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Donnie Vandebeek, Justin Kloivert, and Sofion Amherbat all have worn 34 at various times in their careers to honor Nori's legacy.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: Something really interesting, when Amrbot actually went to Manchester United, he wanted to wear 34, but that was when Van Der Beek was there, also.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: So he was already wearing 34.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: So pretty, pretty sad situation, but a cool way to honor a player who unfortunately lost his life too early playing the game he loves.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_03: Really good job by you.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_03: First of all, finding this story.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_03: This is in the weeds.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_03: This is a good pool from you.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_03: I also love the idea.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_03: So you're you're willing to put in the extra work.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_03: Great job.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_03: That's a two thumbs up from me.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_03: So cool story and good idea by you.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, Sean.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll stop asking you every time before you record what episode number is this.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_03: So well, the the thing is you usually have to end up doing the homework yourself because I honestly often don't have an answer for you.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_03: I'm just I kind of give you a half like it could be this number, and sometimes I'm right, sometimes I'm not.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: No, we'll we'll we'll sharpen up.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: But today, Sean, we'll go over all the Premier League games this weekend.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: We have our awards, best team, worst team, best players, worst players.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: I have a little bit of MLS news for you, and I know you want to highlight the Champions League that begins today as well, Sean.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: So I think we'll just dive right in.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: Our first game, Sean, Friday, was Ipswich Town against Liverpool.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: Liverpool coming out with a 2-0 win from that game.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: Alexander Isak brace, Cody Gatpo two assists.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: I know you watched this one.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: Any other thoughts around this game?
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_03: Well, Brandon, I sat in this very chair last week chirping Alexander Isak, kind of calling him dog shit.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_03: I do think what Liverpool have gotten from Alexander Isak has been extremely lackluster, and I know last season was injury plagued, and this year is a new year.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_03: They're hoping they get the player they paid for.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_03: I think this was the first real sign that we're starting to see that player again.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_03: I never doubted that he would be able to find this form again in his career.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_03: It's just, we haven't seen it in a Liverpool shirt yet.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_03: And this was the first game, admittedly, it was against Ipswich Towns, we do need to take it with a grain of salt.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_03: But this was the first time that we've really seen him flying kind of back to his former self at Newcastle, at Railsociad, at all the stops he's been.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_03: I think there is obviously a great player in there.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_03: Liverpool need this type of performance from him to be able to challenge four titles this season, which is where they want to be.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_03: They're going to need to get this ESAC performance regularly instead of just every once in a while.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_03: I think this is a good step in the right direction.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_03: You mentioned those Gakpo assists, Brandon.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_03: Those for me were the story of the match.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_03: Gakpo was a guy who was touted to leave Liverpool.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_03: They didn't know if he was going to stay.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_03: He was kind of in their plans, kind of wasn't.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_03: He has been brilliant to start this season.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_03: Not just in his overall play, but he's getting on the end of goals, he's assisting goals, he's been their best player so far through these first three matches.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_03: And then I guess the guy who really just stood out to me, his name isn't on the score sheet or anything, but their captain, Virgil Van Dyke, he was absolutely unbelievable in this game, Brandon.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_03: This was a throwback to Virgil from five years ago.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_03: And honestly, this guy, he's into his late 30s at this point, he just does not age.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_03: He continuously remains one of the best center backs in the Premier League.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_03: He's one of the best center backs of all time, and he's certainly one of the best ever to wear that Liverpool shirt.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_03: So I think the performance from him is another story.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_03: This was what you kind of want to see if you're a Liverpool fan.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_03: They got back on track.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_03: This was a good statement win, took care of business, no frills about it.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_03: So I think this was a good job by them.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_03: Would you agree that they're starting to write the ship a little bit, maybe?
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I do agree.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: And that was gonna be a follow-up I was gonna ask you.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: Do you think this is the game that turns them around?
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: I know they have Champions League coming up now as well, so we're gonna mix those games in.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: But did you think they just needed to see a good win, a good solid, clean sheet win to sort of write the right their wrongs and get their season really going?
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_03: They definitely do need to.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_03: I I don't know that I'm gonna go as far as to say like they're going to hit the ground running now because uh you're not going to get a newly promoted side every weekend, so there will be stiffer tests ahead.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_03: But I do think if they string together two or three of these results, then I'll be bought in and back on board.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_03: I still think there might be a couple of other blips on the radar, just some growing pains under Iraola.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_03: But I really do believe in him long term, as we've talked about on the show.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_03: We think he's a good manager.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_03: I think he will figure it out.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_03: I think this is just one step in the right direction.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_03: They just need to walk a little bit down this path before I'm singing that they're going to challenge Arsenal this season.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, fair enough.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: Fair enough, Sean.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: Saturday morning, we had the early game was Newcastle Bournemouth a 2-2 draw.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: Sean, my biggest takeaway from this is Bournemouth dropping points again.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: That's seven drop points in their first three games.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's a lot.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: To lose that many points from leading late in games and giving up goals, uh, losing to City and tying their other two.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: It just it's not that finishing product is isn't there for them.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: Newcastle only had two shots on goal, Sean.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: This just can't keep happening for Bournemouth, can it?
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_03: No, it's not sustainable.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_03: It's not good to continuously draw points because it feels even more disappointing when you end up drawing or losing from a winning position.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_03: It's been a rocky start for Bournemouth, and it's been frustrating if you're a supporter of theirs because they've looked like the better team throughout large portions of all of these matches, and they just haven't been able to close the door and walk away with the points that they feel like they should deserve.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_03: This was another example of that.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_03: Uh they left it late, they kept Newcastle in the match, and Newcastle took their chance and got a late equalizer, which uh honestly I think a 2-2 was it was the result we predicted.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_03: We I think we both said draw.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_03: I think I said it reeks of a 2-2.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_03: Uh this was kind of what we saw coming.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_03: Uh neither team was good enough to take all three, and uh, if you had to pick a side that might have been, it would have been Bournemouth, but those woes late in games continue to come back to haunt them.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_03: And if you want to finish in a European spot, you cannot continue to drop points at this rate.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, especially that they're dropping them.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: It's not like they uh have two points in their first three games, and that just how it was.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: In all three games, they had chances to get three points, and to only come out of with two instead of nine at this point.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_00: I know that's doesn't seem like a lot, but seven points this early in the season that they left on the table is is a ton.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: So, and like you said, they want to make Europe next year, those points are all going to matter in in a season where there's no playoffs and every game counts equally, essentially.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: That's gonna hurt long term for them.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, exactly right.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_03: I think that's the key point.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_03: Now, do are we asking them to get all nine of those points because they had a lead in all three matches?
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_03: Of course not.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_03: The answer is probably somewhere in the middle, but if you ask any Bournemouth fan, I think they would give they would admit to you that they should have more than two points at this stage through these three games, based on their play, based on the positions they were in in these matches.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_03: I've never been the biggest Marco Rosa fan.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_03: We talked about that in our preview episode of the Premier League.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_03: I think he's just a perfectly fine manager.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_03: I don't think he's a transcendent manager, which is what they are replacing in Antonio Reola, in my opinion.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_03: So there's gonna be some warts along with that as well, and maybe we'll see if this continues, if this is a question that we need to ask about the manager.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_03: But I think right now, this early into the season, it would be foolish of us to jump to any final conclusions at this point because there's not many final products out there on the pitch yet.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, good point.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: Moving into the 10 a.m.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_00: games.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_00: We had, I believe, five games at 10 a.m.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_00: on Saturday, and there's only two of us, and we we definitely focused mostly on the same ones, but we will still cover all of them here.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: The first one I'm gonna mention, Sean, is Brentford and Sunderland, a 1-1 draw.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't see this game.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: This was one of those that I did not see.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: I said I looked at the stats and watched some highlights, and it looked like Sunderland maybe was favored a bit, which would have been a great three points for them to get away from home at Brentford.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, unfortunately, it didn't go their way and ended one-one.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: Did you see anything differently in that one?
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_03: No, I don't think either side has a very strong claim to all three points in this one.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_03: I watched the extended highlights, so I can't say to have watched the full match, but it's one of those where I think both teams probably shake hands and say, you know what, point each isn't the worst result.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_03: I think Brentford has been really good to start this season.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_03: Maybe now after back-to-back draws, they could feel a little bit hard done because they've been good to start the season that they only have one win so far, but I don't think drawing to a pesky Sunderland side after a late penalty is the worst result, even at home.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_03: So I think Sunderland will be happy to pick up a point away from home.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_03: That's always good business in the Premier League, especially as a team who you've touted to maybe go down, others have touted to maybe go down, or at least be near the bottom of the table.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_03: When you're picking up points away from home, that's a really positive sign.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_03: So I think both teams can leave feeling like they weren't beaten, and maybe they left just a little bit out there.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: The next one I want to chat about is Manchester City and Coventry City.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_00: Manchester City 1-0 win.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: This game was touted as going to be Holloway's goal party, goal celebration.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: Holland does score the one goal, uh, so they do win one-zero.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: City had 78% possession in this game, but only four shots on goal.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: Sean.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: Coventry is now 0-3, no points on the season.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_00: But in a weird way, this isn't that bad of a loss, right?
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: Only losing 1-0 going to Manchester City, a team that potentially could win this whole thing.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_00: It's weird to say that that was a good loss, but I think it's not a bad loss from Coventry.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_03: No, you don't it's hard to take moral victories when you haven't won a game yet, but you're not wrong, Brandon.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_03: This one I did watch, and I will say I kind of agree with the sentiment you gave there.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_03: Coventry were kind of in this one, could have stolen a point from this one.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_03: On a different day, there was a moment where Donoruma tries receiving the ball at his feet and it is inches from going over the line.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_03: Now, Donaruma is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_03: He consistently has moments like this.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_03: And oftentimes they do end up in his own net.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_03: This time he avoided it.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_03: He also provides the spectacular as well, because he, by some match ratings, was the man of the match in this one, even with a moment like that, because he has made some ridiculous saves throughout his career, and there's a few more in this one.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_03: Coventry, if they had just had a bit more end product, I feel like would have been able to score a goal in this.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_03: They just lacked a little bit of conviction in the final third, which came back to bite them.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_03: It is a scary time, I think, for Coventry.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_03: Like we talked about in the preview, Brandon.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_03: You need to start the season as a promoted side.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_03: You need to start with just a little bit of positive momentum to just establish to the group that you can do it.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_03: It shows people, it settles people as well if you look up at the league table, especially maybe at the first international break, and you're in the top half of it.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_03: That's a lot better feeling than looking up and maybe you still don't have a win yet.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_03: So I do think Coventry need to get something on the board quickly.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_03: I also agree, Manchester City, we thought this was going to be a goal scoring party.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_03: They weren't at their best either.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_03: We had Enzo make his debut there after his big move from Chelsea.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_03: It was because Nico O'Reilly, I think, felt back pain in the warm-up.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_03: So Enzo had to come in last second and get his first start for Manchester City.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_03: I thought he was fine.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_03: There was a couple moments where he could have been a bit more clinical.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_03: He'll probably be pretty good in this team.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_03: He's played under Enzo Moresco before.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_03: Enzo, that was his priority target this summer.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_03: I think that'll end up being a pretty high functioning midfield and a completely revamped one at that.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_03: So some positives if you look at Manchester City being able to win when they're not at their best.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_03: I think that's a good thing for them.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_03: But I don't think they're far, they're close to the finished product either.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: No, that's a good point.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: And going back to your point earlier about early points in the table, Sean, Coventry, there probably is even more worry when they see their other championship friends who came up with them.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: You have Hull, who's technically in the third, third, third in the league, which is wild.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: And Ipswich is in the middle uh with one of their with a win early this earlier this season.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_00: And you look up and you're like, oh, hold on.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_00: Not only are we bad, but our friends that we came with are are doing well.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: So there's definitely probably some worry in that camp.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: But again, losing one nil away to Man City is not the worst loss, and hopefully they can take some things from that and and rebound.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: But it's it's definitely gonna be scary as we get closer to this first international break if they don't get any points.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: Sean, we had three more games at 10 a.m.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_00: on Saturday.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_00: Let's do Spurs next.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: Spurs, Nottingham Forest, Sean 0-0 tie.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: Spurs, I don't know how to feel.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_00: That was the first game.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_00: I did watch the game, so Spurs, you're welcome for the point.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_00: But can we score a goal maybe?
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_00: That would be great.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: Nottingham Forest might even feel a little hard done by they had a goal called back on like a fluky handball.
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_00: Like, yeah, I I get it, I know the rules, and and that's the rules, and of course it's gonna benefit it benefited us, so hey, I'll take it.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_00: But that's tough.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, Spurs had no shots on goal, Sean.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: It's just not looking good in the Spurs camp at the moment, but interested to hear your takeaways from this one.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I think you said it right, it's not looking good at the moment.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_03: I would agree with that.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_03: I would also join you in wishing that we score a goal this season.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_03: I think that would be awesome to just have a moment to celebrate, would be so cool.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_03: Haven't had one in months, which is just brutal to go through.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_03: This game, Brandon, I'm sure you would agree.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_03: There wasn't much in it between the two.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_03: I I thought either side could have made made a statement and snatched this game late.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_03: It was kind of there for the taking, and neither side did.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_03: The moment that you're referring to at the handball is certainly the moment that will be talked about from this match.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_03: Forrests have a goal on the board that is eventually ruled out due to a handball.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_03: It is kind of a weird one where I do think they if I was a Forest fan, I'd be sitting here saying how ridiculous this was, but I also he scored directly from his hand.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_03: And you could say it was lucky that it hit his hand.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_03: If it hit his head, it was gonna go in anyway, and that's true, but he kind of recklessly just tossed his body into the box and took out a Spurs player as well.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_03: So it was kind of like the ball's subject to go anywhere at that point, so you can't feel like too aggrieved that it did hit your hand to win in the net.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_03: You kind of know anything's possible at that point when you just dive into people.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_03: It was a weird one for sure.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_03: Spurs need to really figure out what they're doing in the final third.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_03: It's been brutal.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_03: There's been so many good moments in the last two matches where if there's one incisive pass or if there's one good shot on target, you're going to score a goal because of the build-up play you've had, and they just haven't been nowhere near getting that final product right.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_03: So a lot to figure out in the attack for Tottenham.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_03: I think Forrest, this is kind of the Forest we thought we'd see.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_03: They have a really strong defensive side and they they set up well, they were hard to break down.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_03: Glasner's starting to get his guys in the mix too.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_03: Munoz comes on and makes his debut.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_03: That's one of Glasner's guys from Palace.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_03: I'm sure he'll be a good player for Forrest.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_03: I think it wasn't the best watch.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_03: It's a very forgettable match.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_03: I would be interested if you had any other takeaways.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_00: No, I I'm the same way.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_00: We'll get into it later when we go through our superlative, so I don't want to give too much away, but I may have a player to mention from that game.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_00: That's all I'll just leave it at that, Sean.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_00: Love that.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_00: Two more games uh at that 10 o'clock window.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_00: We had Brighton and Leeds Sean 1-1 here.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_00: Previously, when we talked about this last week, we thought there would be a lot of goals in this game.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_00: Unfortunately, we only saw two.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_00: There were a lot of chances, though.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_00: I saw the XGs.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_00: The XGs were very high, so we saw great goalkeeping.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_00: Verbrugan, who I know you didn't have nice words for last week.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_00: Again, we must have these premium league guys on a string because they listen to you and they start turning up, Sean.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_00: So Verbrugan plays well, and uh James Trafford from Leeds plays well.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_00: But I think the story for me is Luka Vuskovic uh scores and looked incredible for Brighton.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_00: Also saves a goal off the line for them.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_00: Former Tottenham Hotspur player who never made any appearances for Spurs.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_00: Spurs sold him in the summertime to Brighton, and he looks like a star for them.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm I'm I'm happy for Luka.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_00: Unfortunately, I wish he was in a Spurs shirt.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, I think maybe a deserved 1-1 tie, but my biggest takeaway was Buzkovich's performance from that game.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, Buzkovich was a standout performer in this one, Brandon, and he has bags of potential.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_03: It's kind of just how it scales up to the elite levels of football because that's where he sees himself going.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_03: And so far it's he's sl it's off to a good start.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_03: He slotted right into a starting position at Brighton, which is why he wanted to leave Tottenham.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_03: He just felt like he wasn't guaranteed those minutes at Spurs.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_03: Maybe in hindsight, that's a bad decision on Tottenham's end.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_03: We will see how that all plays out, but certainly he looks to be a real legitimate player.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_03: I agree with you, this one.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_03: I didn't see it, but I watched the extended highlights, and it was basically just a missed chance montage.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_03: It was chance after chance.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_03: We said there'd be a lot of goals.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_03: I was confident there would be.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_03: The XGs were both well over two aside.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_03: And hey, the ball just didn't find the back of the net.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_03: I will say from the highlights and from just looking into some stats and some commentary on the match, it does seem like a draw is probably the most fair result for the play on the field in this one.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_03: So I don't think either team, again, will be too upset with a draw.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_03: And I would say a pretty strong start to the season for Leeds.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_03: I think that they were a team who had kind of a wide range of outcomes where people had picked them.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_03: Some people who were bullish on them, I was pretty bullish, had them finishing well inside the top half.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_03: Some people had them touted for maybe a relegation scrap as one of those teams that are in their second year up.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_03: But to be undefeated so far through three matches is strong stuff.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_03: So good for them again to go away from home, pick up a point.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, definitely, Sean.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_00: I had them uh in that middle of the table section, I think 13th.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_00: So didn't have high expectations, but they are performing well so far.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_00: So kudos to them.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_00: The last game at the 10 o'clock window, Sean, I think was the best game, probably.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: We had Fulham in Crystal Palace, Crystal Palace going to Fulham, going to Craven's Cottage and winning 3-2.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_00: Tyreek Mitchell, two goals.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_00: He's a defender, he's on Team Brandon.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_00: He is, he's Gilkin.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_00: I would love to see that if you're if you're Brandon, Team Brandon.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_00: And Fulham, it's scary times at Fulham, Sean.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_00: They were up multiple times in this game and failed to get a point at home against the Crystal Palace team.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_00: That's not great.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_00: You look, you Sean, I gotta give you your flowers.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: You said Fulham could be in some serious trouble early, and it's looking like some serious trouble at Fulham.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_00: So interested to hear how you feel about this game and Fulham overall.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I'll first I'll start with Palace.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_03: A really good performance to get three points in this one.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_03: I don't think that, like you said, they're not a great side by any means.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_03: They're they're going under some growing pains under Pierre Sage and what his new management's gonna look like trying to replace Glasner, who did unbelievable things there.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_03: This is gonna be a statement win they could point to and say, okay, we're moving in the right direction.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_03: Do I think they were perfect in this match?
• 21:07
  SPEAKER_03: No, far from it.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_03: I still think there's some warts inside this team, but they're starting to figure things out maybe a little bit.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_03: They the first match week, I felt like they were a little hard done to lose against Everton.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_03: Then last week they just got battered against City.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_03: And this was a good bounce back for them.
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_03: So kudos to Palace, they deserve a tip of the cap.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_03: The thing that we should spend some time on though, Brandon, is what you just prefaced, this Fulham conversation.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm not going to take victory lap saying I was right, because I'm not right yet, but I did tout Arbolo to be the first manager gone.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_03: And I think so far that prediction looks like it is still in play.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_03: Which, at the very least, I will take a little bit of solace in that.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_03: I don't want this to be the case, though.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_03: I don't want to see Fulham down here in these relegation places.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_03: I don't want to see them in a relegation fight.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_03: I've always been an appreciator of Fulham.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_03: You know, I don't have anything bad to say about.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_03: Them.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_03: They've had good Americans come through the ranks.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_03: Craven Cottage is lovely.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_03: But you look at this squad, Brandon, and there's just not many dudes there that you're confident if things go south, who's picking you up by the bootstraps?
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know is the answer for this Fulham squad.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_03: I just don't know.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_03: Burn Leno has been a really good keeper in the past, but he so far this season hasn't looked great.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_03: It could be age, it could just be a lack of confidence at the moment, I'm not sure.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_03: You would at least hope that he is a veteran presence in net that could be an answer for Fulham.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_03: So far, that hasn't been the case.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_03: Their entire back line, which we'll get to a bit later in the player section.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_03: I I don't have many good things to say about them in this match.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_03: I just think it's a concerning time for Fulham.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_03: And then you hear the coach in the postgame start to mention things like, well, we deserve to win that match.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_03: In match three, that's not great to turn to that answer.
• 22:55
  SPEAKER_03: You know, that's that's kind of close to when you're playing begging for your life type thing.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_03: That's a that's a line you turn to.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_03: I'm not so sure pulling it out in match week three is a great idea.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, not a great idea.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't send a good message to your locker room.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_00: Definitely one we'll keep our eyes on, Sean, because you've mentioned it and now it's starting to to crystallize a little bit.
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_00: So unfortunately, full on you you might have to make some changes quickly to figure it out.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_00: The 1230 game on chat Saturday, Sean, was Hall and Aston Villa.
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_00: I did not see this game personally.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_00: 0-0 draw.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's a good point for Hall.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_00: Hall is not Hull is the only team in the Premier League not to give up a goal this season, which is incredible through three.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_00: Neither of us would have projected that to happen.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: So, and I know they're playing Aston Villa, and Aston Villa is definitely struggling.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_00: That was Aston Villa's first point of this this season with that draw.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_00: But is Hall for real?
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_00: Are we or are we still still a little too early on that?
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know what to say.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_03: They I want them to be for real.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_03: I really do.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_03: I want to be completely wrong about them.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_03: I want them to finish in the top half.
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_03: I still think the answer is probably no, they're going to be down near the bottom of the table in some capacity.
• 24:12
  SPEAKER_03: But they're doing a good enough job early in the season to really fend off some of those relegation concerns.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_03: And listen, we might fast forward six months from now and they will be relegated.
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_03: That is still very much in play.
• 24:25
  SPEAKER_03: But like we just talked about, you would much rather be where Whole City is than Coventry City.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_03: So you just have to clap your hands and keep riding this wave if you're whole and try to extend it as long as you can.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_03: If you could get five matches unbeaten in the in this level to start the year, that's a good sign of things to come, I think.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_03: I I would say if what do you think?
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_03: If they're five unbeaten, so they go two more weeks without losing, would you would you then say they're going to stay up?
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_03: Would that change your tune?
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_03: Or would you still five weeks in say they're gonna go down?
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_00: No, it might, Sean.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_00: There's only 38 games and five, five, you know, positive results.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_00: I know that doesn't sound like much, but we've seen teams Sean go down with 25, 30 points.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_00: And um, they're not gonna have that many after five games, Sean.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_00: But if they have 12, 10, that's they're already a third of the way there, and and you still have 30, 30 games left after that.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe they they just might be for real.
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_00: I also wonder the whole scouting situation where now teams have seen Premier League film of them and they start to make changes and start to attack their weaknesses.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_00: But three games in, and they've not played cupcakes.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_00: Not every game's been a cupcake.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_00: They tied, they beat United at home.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_00: At home, I'm sorry, but but still, like a 2-0 win against them is that's huge, especially with the way United's been playing.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_00: I know they haven't been perfect the last last week, but two weeks ago they go and win a game with five goals.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_00: So they they just might be, they just might be real.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_00: And look, I'll take the egg on my face.
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_00: I have no problem with that.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_00: I would love love to see them do well.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: I I don't know.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_00: Five five is a tough number.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe give me ten, Sean, and we can and we can revisit.
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_03: Ted, we're talking title, Brandon.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_03: Ted we're talking title challenge.
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_03: No, I do I'm with you.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_03: Five, it's still too early to call, I think.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_03: But Brandon, they they're like you said, they haven't played cupcakes and they played United and Villa and done well in both those matches.
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_03: They get the win over United, they get to draw against Villa.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_03: But then maybe even more importantly, is they go to Coventry in between.
• 26:41
  unknown: Yeah.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_03: And a team that they're going to be competing against, a team that was much better than them last season, they take all three points from in a match where maybe they didn't deserve to.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_03: So I'm really encouraged by what I've seen from Hull.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_03: My guy Balloomy's out there balling.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_03: Love him.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_03: I'm covered in egg, by the way.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_03: You mentioned you're happy to wear egg on your face.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_03: Egg's already all over me.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_03: I've picked them, they're almost past the point total I picked them for.
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_03: We've played three matches.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_03: So I'm covered in egg, and I'm happy to do it for Hole City.
• 27:07
  SPEAKER_00: And then let's just talk real quick on the other side, Aston Villa.
• 27:11
  SPEAKER_00: What's going on?
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_00: We've mentioned them a few times already, being a team that didn't do much at the window, team that maybe is built for the future.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_00: Did they did they go too futuristic and forget about right now?
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_00: And maybe they're in a fight late this season to stay at?
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_03: Brandon, I don't like what I've seen from Villa.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_03: I don't want to jump to conclusions because I do think Unayamory will just figure this out because he's such a good manager.
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_03: But I don't think Unayamory is even particularly happy.
• 27:37
  SPEAKER_03: When he's looking around at who his starting options are, who's coming off the bench for him, I can't imagine he's super encouraged.
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_03: I again, you mentioned it.
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_03: We like their signings long term, at least some of the business they did, but there's just so much turnover that happened.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_03: And similar to Spurs, I think we just need to give them some time.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_03: And if we're still having these same conversations in October about Aston Villa, then we'll take them more seriously.
• 28:00
  SPEAKER_03: Same with Tottenham.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_03: Tottenham were just doing a bunch of transactions to try to get good again after two 17th place finishes.
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_03: Villa were trying to, you would think, after being a top four side and qualifying for Champions League, would be trying to take a next step.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_03: But because of guys wanting to leave the club, that wasn't possible.
• 28:17
  SPEAKER_03: And now they're just trying to get back to that level.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_03: And that's going to be an interesting challenge, and one that right now I don't think they're up for, quite frankly, because Champions League football starts today for them.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_03: And I don't think they're ready for that midweek sort of challenge as well.
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_03: So I don't think they're up for it right now, but I will give them some grace.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_03: I'll give them some time.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_03: We'll revisit it in October, I'd say, before I say one way or another, whether they're a good team or a bad team.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_00: Now Sunday we had two games, Sean.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_00: Both both pretty good games.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_00: I think the games on Sunday probably overall were a little bit better than the games on Saturday.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_00: First game we had proper game Sunday, Brandon.
• 28:53
  SPEAKER_00: This was proper Premier League.
• 28:55
  SPEAKER_00: We had Everton, Manchester United the first game, a 2-2 draw.
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_00: Now we see United dropping points.
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_00: They they just didn't have that sort of killer instinct, and you let a team hang, you let a team hang, and Maitland Niles hits a absolute rocket.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_00: I think it was they said it was his second goal of his career.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_00: He's an outside back and hits a hits a rocket in the 96th minute.
• 29:16
  SPEAKER_00: Basically the last kick of the game, Sean, to take a point for Everton.
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_00: Is this more of, in your opinion, United dropping two points or Everton gaining a point?
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_03: This is it's tough.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_03: I would say it's more United dropping, to be quite honest.
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_03: The this was heartbreaking for me, Brandon, because I was with a couple of my buddies this weekend and I picked, I said, hey, let's bet Manchester United.
• 29:41
  SPEAKER_03: One of our good friend, Mark Monera, who shout out Mark.
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_03: He was like, Oh yeah, let's ride.
• 29:45
  SPEAKER_03: I was like, okay, well, we're gonna bet Manchester United here just to win.
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_03: And he walks back into the house in the 94th minute and starts singing my praises.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_03: Great pick, Sean.
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_03: You said 2-1 exactly.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_03: You're cooking.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm like, yeah, you know what?
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_03: That felt good, Mark.
• 29:58
  SPEAKER_03: Literally, as he's singing those praises, I was like, well, hang on a second, hang on a second here.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_03: The ball comes out of the box and an absolute howitzer from a right back who can't score an Arsenal Academy kid.
• 30:09
  SPEAKER_03: He can't score, he couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_03: He hits the strike of his life and it goes top ins.
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm just jaw on the floor, like, oh my god, I cannot believe how we lost that bet.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_03: And that's why I said it feels more like drop points for United.
• 30:24
  SPEAKER_03: Because they literally gave away two points in the final stages.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_03: Just what are you doing?
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_03: You just have to be able to see a game like that out.
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_03: That felt like a real good Premier League game.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_03: Hill Dickinson Stadium, lively, the new Everton ground.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_00: It's nice.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_03: Looks really cool.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_03: It's on the water, looks like a great place to go.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_03: I'm sure it's not Goodeston in terms of all the fans' hearts, but boy, it does pack a punch.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_03: It comes across on the TV of like, oh yeah, these guys are up for it.
• 30:49
  SPEAKER_03: And United answered those challenges for most of the match.
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_03: I thought they did pretty well.
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_03: They were in a winning position, and then at the last second, just did not take care of business.
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_03: Ball falls to Maitland Niles, and here we are.
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_03: Just an absolute, an absolute bummer for me.
• 31:06
  SPEAKER_03: But yeah, that's a good again, Everton somehow doing it.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know how they're doing it, but they're just doing it.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_03: They're finding ways to do it.
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and you said it, David Moyes.
• 31:15
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's his specialty, Sean.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_00: He just figures it out.
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_00: And they maybe didn't do as much as we thought they would in the in the window with the Balogun transfer saga giving up Enjay to Man City.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, we we thought, hey, maybe they'll just figure it out.
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_00: And it seems to be that they're they're doing that.
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_00: So good point for Everton, Man United, unfortunately, dropping dropping two in that one.
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_00: The last game of the weekend, Sean, we had Arsenal Chelsea.
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_00: This was sort of the game of the week around the Premier League.
• 31:47
  SPEAKER_00: They're uh advertising it and and really saying this is the game to watch.
• 31:53
  SPEAKER_00: Two teams that are probably going to be in the title race.
• 31:56
  SPEAKER_00: Arsenal with a 2-1 win.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_00: I thought it was a really good game to watch.
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_00: Unfortunately, I know we're not Arsenal fans here, but they played well.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_00: I thought Kai Havertz looked great.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_00: I I've never been a Kai Havertz guy, former Chelsea player, also.
• 32:11
  SPEAKER_00: I've never been a Kai guy, but he looked great.
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_00: He doesn't get an assist for the second goal, but essentially it's his dummy that frees up Odegaard for the second goal.
• 32:21
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that all biases aside, that was a fantastic goal.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_00: And it was a little nerve-wracking at first.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_00: Morgan Rot for them.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_00: Morgan Rogers comes out and scores in the first minute of the game, and you're like, okay, like this could get interesting.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_00: But Arsenal holds on and scores two and ends up winning two to one.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_00: I think Chelsea really struggled with Arsenal's defense after that first minute, really.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_00: They had a few chances, and I don't think it was a matter of their finishing.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_00: I think it was more just Arsenal's defense, not giving them a lot of opportunities to score.
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_03: I agree with you there.
• 32:55
  SPEAKER_03: You mentioned that this was the game of the weekend.
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_03: It was a game where I think I did say on the show, I did pick Arsenal, I think 2-1.
• 33:02
  SPEAKER_03: It's one of the few things I maybe got right.
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_03: And it was just because I didn't quite trust Chelsea yet to go away from home and keep Arsenal out.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_03: I I Chelsea had given away goals in the first couple matches kind of cheaply.
• 33:15
  SPEAKER_03: And I think Chelsea's advantage, maybe as a finished product later in this season, will be that they could be dynamic in attack and be able to keep clean sheets.
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_03: I think that's what Jabby Alonso's going to be working towards.
• 33:27
  SPEAKER_03: They just haven't shown that they can do that yet, and this was just another example of that.
• 33:31
  SPEAKER_03: It's tough to do, especially against the title holders.
• 33:33
  SPEAKER_03: It's not going to be easy.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_03: Arsenal just had those couple moments of quality.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_03: They were pretty good throughout the match.
• 33:39
  SPEAKER_03: It was a typical Arsenal match.
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_03: I think they're a little bit more pleasant to watch so far this season than last season, which sucks, quite frankly.
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_03: I hate having that be the case.
• 33:49
  SPEAKER_03: This was one of those matches, Brandon, you always wish as a Tottenham fan that both these teams could somehow lose.
• 33:54
  SPEAKER_03: Of course, that can't happen.
• 33:56
  SPEAKER_03: The best result for Tottenham would have probably been if both drew, you know, just keep both points or both teams away from those three points.
• 34:03
  SPEAKER_03: But Arsenal did what title holders should do, and they found a way to win.
• 34:07
  SPEAKER_03: Like you said, they kind of shut the water off for Chelsea after that first-minute goal.
• 34:12
  SPEAKER_03: The chances were spaced out immediately when the game starts, or like, oh wow, this could be an absolute belter back and forth here.
• 34:19
  SPEAKER_03: And Arsenal were able to steady the ship and just kind of keep Chelsea at bay for most of this match.
• 34:25
  SPEAKER_03: A good win for them, certainly, and an early moment in the title defense that they can point to and say, yes, we are still the best team in this league.
• 34:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely, Sean.
• 34:36
  SPEAKER_00: And we we're not a goalie podcast by any means, but I do question Emmy Martinez on uh the first goal from Havertz.
• 34:44
  SPEAKER_00: He gets beat near post and he's outside the box.
• 34:47
  SPEAKER_00: It's a long shot.
• 34:48
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I I don't wanna I don't wanna poo-poo Martinez, but he probably would tell you he should probably get a hand on that, give up a corner kick or something.
• 34:57
  SPEAKER_00: So so maybe a little bit of work there needs to be done.
• 35:00
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean, look, Sean, if it was Robert Sanchez, it would have been a goal no matter what.
• 35:05
  SPEAKER_00: Arsenal would have scored four goals if it was Robert Sanchez in goal.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_00: So so Martinez, I don't want to just hate on him, but he'll probably tell you that he should have gotten at least a hand to that that first goal from Ty Havertz.
• 35:17
  SPEAKER_03: I would agree.
• 35:18
  SPEAKER_03: I I'm always, always upset with keepers when they get beat near post.
• 35:22
  SPEAKER_03: And I know there's more to it than that, and my simple little brain can't understand the complexities of what's actually going on.
• 35:27
  SPEAKER_03: But when you get beat near post, I just hate it.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_03: So you're in my book, in my personal book, it's gonna be a markdown for you.
• 35:33
  SPEAKER_03: Now, in reality, it might not be, but I just never like seeing the aesthetic of a keeper getting beat near post.
• 35:41
  SPEAKER_00: I just I just uh I hate it.
• 35:43
  SPEAKER_00: I agree, I agree, and and that's probably what it is.
• 35:46
  SPEAKER_00: We probably hate it more just seeing that happen, and we automatically feel like, hey, you should have done better.
• 35:51
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm sure it was not easy to keep out, but it's still for me, it's like Esak's first goal for Liverpool against Ipswich Town.
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_03: It was the same thing for me.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_03: He hits a rocket of a shot, but it hits the keeper's left arm, and the keeper's not exactly diving.
• 36:07
  SPEAKER_03: It's like just redirect that one.
• 36:10
  SPEAKER_03: You know what I mean?
• 36:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 36:12
  SPEAKER_00: No, I I hear you, Sean.
• 36:14
  SPEAKER_00: So let's turn now to our superlatives.
• 36:17
  SPEAKER_00: Let's do uh best team, worst team, and then we'll do best individual player, worst individual player.
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_00: I'll let you start with uh best team.
• 36:25
  SPEAKER_03: I've actually gone a little bit different direction for best team.
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_03: It it might not be the most flashy result on paper, but I'm I've gone, I've given it to Liverpool.
• 36:34
  SPEAKER_03: I think we how you kind of mentioned, is this the start of writing the ship?
• 36:39
  SPEAKER_03: The fact that we're asking that question after two disappointing draws to start the year, I think is a sign of good things.
• 36:44
  SPEAKER_03: I thought the performance was pretty complete.
• 36:46
  SPEAKER_03: I thought they were always going to win that match, where some of these other matches teams did end up winning or getting a good result, but it might not have always played out that way in all the different simulations of the match.
• 36:59
  SPEAKER_03: For my eyes, in that Liverpool Ipswitchdown game, that match was always going to go that way.
• 37:03
  SPEAKER_03: They really did seem to find just a little bit of something different.
• 37:06
  SPEAKER_03: And that could be down to the opposition or it could be that down to them taking a step.
• 37:10
  SPEAKER_03: I we'll see over the next course of the next few matches what that turns out to be.
• 37:15
  SPEAKER_03: But for this week, I've just given it to Liverpool.
• 37:17
  SPEAKER_03: What about you?
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_00: No, I like that.
• 37:19
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, this is the first week I'm not giving it to Hall.
• 37:21
  SPEAKER_00: I've given it to Hall the first two weeks.
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I could have given it to Hall again.
• 37:24
  SPEAKER_02: I could have given it to the case.
• 37:25
  SPEAKER_00: I knew we couldn't go three in a row on whole because I thought about it too.
• 37:28
  SPEAKER_00: I it look, it's definitely on the the uh mentions get receiving votes.
• 37:33
  SPEAKER_00: They're not ranked, but they're receiving votes.
• 37:35
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, we might need to do the whole city team of the week award.
• 37:37
  SPEAKER_03: If they keep doing this, we might need to name the award after them, even if they're in the relegation scrap.
• 37:42
  SPEAKER_03: Just the whole city team of the week is I don't I don't hate that idea.
• 37:47
  SPEAKER_00: I don't hate the idea, but I did not go with Hall.
• 37:49
  SPEAKER_00: I went with Crystal Palace.
• 37:51
  SPEAKER_00: We we hit on it a little bit earlier, Sean.
• 37:54
  SPEAKER_00: First win of the season away from home at Fulham.
• 37:57
  SPEAKER_00: I think it just showed a lot of fight from them.
• 37:59
  SPEAKER_00: It's not easy to go on the road in the Premier League, regardless of who you're playing against.
• 38:03
  SPEAKER_00: And we've seen it with Hull teams coming to Hall and not doing well.
• 38:06
  SPEAKER_00: And I I think for them to get off the off the schneid, finally getting their first points of the year, uh I have to give it to them.
• 38:16
  SPEAKER_00: Not the best, most traditional soccer game, some weird goals.
• 38:21
  SPEAKER_00: You're basically goals all scored by defenders uh in that game for them.
• 38:26
  SPEAKER_00: So they're not gonna be happy with their forward production, but anytime you can get three points, you take it.
• 38:30
  SPEAKER_00: And so for this week, I will give my team to Crystal Palace.
• 38:34
  SPEAKER_03: I like that, Brandon.
• 38:36
  SPEAKER_03: They certainly it's it's a London derby.
• 38:38
  SPEAKER_03: They uh are touted to be in similar positions to Fulham on most years, and being able to get all three away from home, that feels like a really, really good result, and something they can continue to point to and use to hopefully grow under the new manager.
• 38:54
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 38:54
  SPEAKER_00: Let's flip it to worse team, Sean.
• 38:58
  SPEAKER_00: I if you don't mind, I'll just go first because it's the same game, it's fallen for me.
• 39:05
  SPEAKER_00: And I apologize if you had the same team, but they're they're 0-3.
• 39:09
  SPEAKER_00: Arbelow is maybe on the hot seat.
• 39:11
  SPEAKER_00: You mentioned it earlier in the press conference.
• 39:13
  SPEAKER_00: He's talking about we should have won, we deserve to win, we deserve to get three points.
• 39:17
  SPEAKER_00: You can't have that mentality three games into the season, Sean.
• 39:20
  SPEAKER_03: And so for that reason, seed three at home, you know.
• 39:23
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know if the deserve to win.
• 39:24
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, maybe they did edge them.
• 39:25
  SPEAKER_03: They might have been the better team, they might have created more chances.
• 39:28
  SPEAKER_03: When you could seed three at home, it's tough to say we deserved all three points.
• 39:31
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 39:32
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 39:33
  SPEAKER_00: So I had to I had to give that to them.
• 39:35
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, interested to see who you gave it to.
• 39:37
  SPEAKER_00: And I apologize if it was also full.
• 39:39
  SPEAKER_03: It was full and Brandon, but I did think that that was going to be a popular answer for us, so I came with a secondary option.
• 39:45
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 39:45
  SPEAKER_03: And that one is gonna be Manchester United.
• 39:47
  SPEAKER_03: If you look at what happened drawing away at Everton, not the worst result.
• 39:53
  SPEAKER_03: But if you look at the context of how that game played out, I think that's a bad result for Manchester United.
• 39:57
  SPEAKER_03: It just feels like sloppy.
• 39:58
  SPEAKER_03: It feels like there's a lack of leadership to see that one out.
• 40:02
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know if that's fair or not, but it just seemed to me that Manchester United were the better team in that match.
• 40:09
  SPEAKER_03: At least they had control of the match at several points.
• 40:13
  SPEAKER_03: Like they took the lead, gave the way the lead away.
• 40:16
  SPEAKER_03: Then they took the lead again and they gave it away again.
• 40:18
  SPEAKER_03: And when that happens in a match, even if the other team are good and pesky and up for it behind a good home crowd, that is just you playing with your food.
• 40:27
  SPEAKER_03: And that to me leads to a bad result.
• 40:29
  SPEAKER_03: So I would agree Fulham should be more ashamed of themselves, but I think United aren't going to sleep great tonight either.
• 40:34
  SPEAKER_00: I agree.
• 40:35
  SPEAKER_00: And we're not talking about a team who's projected mid-table, lower mid-table.
• 40:41
  SPEAKER_00: United has championship aspirations.
• 40:43
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe that's not realistic with this team, with the way they've looked these first few weeks, but they want to be at the top of the table.
• 40:51
  SPEAKER_00: They want to be playing Champions League football every season.
• 40:53
  SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, to go to Everton and to have, like you said, to on paper, you get a draw at Everton, you're like, okay, fine.
• 40:59
  SPEAKER_00: Not the best result, not the worst result.
• 41:01
  SPEAKER_00: But to see how the game played out, Sean, and them giving up a goal in the 96th minute and giving up a lead twice in the game, you're gonna feel like that was a bad result.
• 41:10
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think it's completely fair of you to be harsh on them, even with it only being a draw and not a loss.
• 41:16
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and I don't even think I said Manchester United controlled the game and were the better team.
• 41:20
  SPEAKER_03: I don't even know if that's true.
• 41:22
  SPEAKER_03: They were in control in terms of the scoreboard at different points throughout the game.
• 41:27
  SPEAKER_03: And when you're going up against the David Moy side, it's almost like there's never a clear who's in control.
• 41:32
  SPEAKER_03: It's kind of always just this mixed bag of, oh, this is a moment, here's a moment, back and forth.
• 41:38
  SPEAKER_03: And United, I just I I I just wanted to see more from them.
• 41:42
  SPEAKER_03: I I think me.
• 41:43
  SPEAKER_03: I know the first week against Hole, okay, it's the first game, you can kind of write it off.
• 41:47
  SPEAKER_03: Then they then they sort of seem to answer some of those things last weekend, and then they just kind of reverted back to their ways, I think, in this match.
• 41:54
  SPEAKER_03: So I think it's a little bit of a disappointment.
• 41:56
  SPEAKER_03: I thought they would be better to start this season because they had the manager in place since midway through last year.
• 42:02
  SPEAKER_03: So you kind of look to those teams to be the ones that start this season maybe a half a foot ahead, and I just don't think we've seen that from United yet.
• 42:10
  SPEAKER_00: Oh okay, okay.
• 42:11
  SPEAKER_00: Uh no, I I agree with you there.
• 42:14
  SPEAKER_00: Sean, let's turn to best player Boyles Ballers.
• 42:18
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know what the name is this week, but I'll let you I'll let you start off with your best players from this weekend.
• 42:23
  SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna go give it to a guy who he's won so many awards that this one is definitely the least significant he's ever won in his whole life.
• 42:30
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm gonna give it to Virgil van Dyke.
• 42:32
  SPEAKER_03: I mentioned how good his performance was.
• 42:34
  SPEAKER_03: It's simply outrageous how good it was, just aerially, he dominates everything.
• 42:38
  SPEAKER_03: He's always in the right position.
• 42:40
  SPEAKER_03: He still is able to recover and use his physical traits to win duels.
• 42:44
  SPEAKER_03: And he's just in my life watching the Premier League, he's the best center back I've seen.
• 42:51
  SPEAKER_03: I know the generation before I was super into it or really knew what was going on.
• 42:55
  SPEAKER_03: There was a bunch of great center backs.
• 42:58
  SPEAKER_03: I think for my money, the best one I've seen is Virgil, at least when you factor in the longevity of what he's done as well.
• 43:04
  SPEAKER_03: It's not just that he's been at a high level for a few seasons, he's been at a high level his whole career.
• 43:09
  SPEAKER_03: So for me, I'm gonna give it my first one to Virgil, and then I'll let you go.
• 43:14
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I I think that's a good shot.
• 43:16
  SPEAKER_00: Virgil is honestly so good, Sean.
• 43:19
  SPEAKER_00: He's just one of those guys you expect to be there and expect to make every play, and you realize, oh wow, he's getting older, and he's been doing this for a long time.
• 43:27
  SPEAKER_00: And you don't sometimes you just have to stop and smell the flowers and realize, all right, this guy's actually really freaking good at what he does.
• 43:33
  SPEAKER_00: We need to celebrate that a little bit.
• 43:35
  SPEAKER_00: So I I appreciate that shout from you for him.
• 43:38
  SPEAKER_00: I have a few.
• 43:39
  SPEAKER_00: Two we've already mentioned, so I'll skip those guys for now.
• 43:42
  SPEAKER_00: But third, and not a guy that showed up on the score sheet, not a guy who maybe had the most stats, but Alex Scott from Bournemouth, and we've mentioned him previously.
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_00: I thought he looked fantastic in that game, just controlling the game, his passing, his dribbling, and I I think honestly.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_00: It really should be.
• 44:01
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, Bournemouth and their front office should also get this award for being able to keep him in that in the transfer window, not selling him to another team because this guy is serious.
• 44:12
  SPEAKER_00: I know he's played with the England a few times.
• 44:15
  SPEAKER_00: I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a call up in this next window in the next few weeks here, Sean.
• 44:20
  SPEAKER_00: He's been class for them.
• 44:22
  SPEAKER_00: I know he'll feel hard done because they they did give up another lead, but I think his performances have been fantastic thus far, and he's somebody that I'm really going to be excited to continue watching as the season progresses, especially if he stays at Bournemouth.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_03: Brandon, I love this shout.
• 44:37
  SPEAKER_03: I love this shout.
• 44:38
  SPEAKER_03: He was really good in that match.
• 44:39
  SPEAKER_03: He's really good almost every time he laces up the boots.
• 44:41
  SPEAKER_03: Also, can I give you this little fact, Brandon?
• 44:44
  SPEAKER_03: He is a lifelong boyhood, diehard Tottenham fan.
• 44:48
  SPEAKER_03: Just absolutely love Spurs.
• 44:50
  SPEAKER_00: Just bring him to a club.
• 44:52
  SPEAKER_03: That's right.
• 44:53
  SPEAKER_03: I I he just bring him in.
• 44:54
  SPEAKER_03: Just get it done, sort it out.
• 44:56
  SPEAKER_03: I would have I'd gladly trade you a Tanale.
• 44:59
  SPEAKER_03: You know, see him so you could you could have Tanale.
• 45:04
  SPEAKER_03: But I think Alex Scott is a real pleasure to watch.
• 45:08
  SPEAKER_03: He's he does a bit of everything, and he's kind of a jack of all trades, master of none, but he's really good at all of them.
• 45:14
  SPEAKER_03: So I think that's when you get a player like that, they're kind of a unicorn in that regard.
• 45:19
  SPEAKER_03: So really like Alex Scott.
• 45:21
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 45:21
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 45:22
  SPEAKER_03: Uh interested to hear who else you had on your list.
• 45:25
  SPEAKER_03: I have a feeling you might have this one as well, but the only other name I put down in it was a moment that killed me personally and my finances, but you have to just tip your cap.
• 45:33
  SPEAKER_03: It's Ainsley Maitland Niles, the right back.
• 45:36
  SPEAKER_03: He he's he's one of Everton's only signings.
• 45:38
  SPEAKER_03: They spent under five million pounds for him, I believe, to bring him back to England.
• 45:42
  SPEAKER_03: He came through Arsenal's Academy, never really made it, you know, got cups of coffee in the Premier League at least.
• 45:50
  SPEAKER_03: He's been playing over over other parts of Europe for a long time, but he comes back to the Prem and scores an absolutely unbelievable goal for Everton.
• 45:58
  SPEAKER_03: By far the goal of the weekend, not just because of the strike, but because of the moment and then the chaos that ensued after the celebration in front of the home fans.
• 46:07
  SPEAKER_03: Him, I did like that he gave the the crest on the on the kit a pull and a point, just showing that he's happy to be there.
• 46:16
  SPEAKER_03: It was a cool moment, even if it did mean I lost a bet.
• 46:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, he he was one of the other guys I had on my list.
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_00: I had two two other guys, he was one of them.
• 46:25
  SPEAKER_00: And Sean, you're right, it those moments come very far and few between, and you have to celebrate a guy who does that.
• 46:32
  SPEAKER_00: I like I said earlier, it was his second career senior level goal, and probably the best goal he'll ever score in his career.
• 46:39
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, big shout out to Maylon Niles.
• 46:42
  SPEAKER_00: The other one I had, and we mentioned him earlier, Sean Tyrick Mitchell.
• 46:45
  SPEAKER_00: Um of course he's on Team Brandon, so that there is that extra little pull.
• 46:49
  SPEAKER_00: But to score a brace as a left back is great.
• 46:52
  SPEAKER_00: And but uh the first goal is is a true work of art.
• 46:55
  SPEAKER_00: It's a good strike from him.
• 46:56
  SPEAKER_00: The second goal, sometimes you just get lucky and you're in the right place at the right time, ends up being a rebound, sort of awkward tap in off of a deflection, and he scores.
• 47:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um they all count the same.
• 47:08
  SPEAKER_00: So just wanted to give him his flowers as well because he uh helped out Team Brandon, but also helped his team to their first one of the season.
• 47:18
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, he certainly helped out Team Brandon.
• 47:19
  SPEAKER_03: Team Brandon is off to a flying start.
• 47:21
  SPEAKER_03: Uh team Sean, we might have gotten lost in the sauce of the competition and started, like I said at the time, overthinking and picking guys from teams where I thought there might only be one player.
• 47:31
  SPEAKER_03: Well, those teams stink.
• 47:32
  SPEAKER_03: And Team Sean might stink.
• 47:34
  SPEAKER_03: That's something to monitor as we progress throughout the season.
• 47:37
  SPEAKER_03: We won't be talking about it too much if things continue to go south.
• 47:40
  SPEAKER_03: Brandon will try to bring it up.
• 47:42
  SPEAKER_03: I will be trying to cut those from episodes.
• 47:44
  SPEAKER_03: So get them in while you can.
• 47:45
  SPEAKER_03: This competition might go south really quick.
• 47:48
  SPEAKER_00: Fair enough.
• 47:49
  SPEAKER_00: Fair enough.
• 47:50
  SPEAKER_00: Let's let's do a quick switch to the worst players you saw this week.
• 47:53
  SPEAKER_00: I'll let you kick this one off.
• 47:55
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I alluded to it earlier, and none of these guys are particularly at fault for moments I'm gonna point to and mention and call out by time and date.
• 48:04
  SPEAKER_03: But I'm just gonna say the whole entire full and backline and keeper Burn Leno, Timothy Castagna, Joachim Anderson, Calvin Bassey, and unfortunately Jedi Robinson.
• 48:15
  SPEAKER_03: Those five men, just not good enough.
• 48:17
  SPEAKER_03: Can't let Crystal Palace walk into your park and score three.
• 48:20
  SPEAKER_03: I don't care the circumstances, don't care.
• 48:22
  SPEAKER_03: Just can't have it happen.
• 48:24
  SPEAKER_03: And now you've got the manager saying, hey, we have a better team.
• 48:27
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm just saying there's some writing on the wall that maybe things are going really bad at Fulham.
• 48:33
  SPEAKER_03: Brandon, can I tell you their upcoming schedule?
• 48:37
  SPEAKER_03: Their next few fixtures.
• 48:38
  SPEAKER_03: They go to Anfield to take on those Liverpool Reds that might have just turned a corner this Saturday.
• 48:45
  SPEAKER_03: Then they have an EFL Cup match at West Ham, which is not a good one.
• 48:50
  SPEAKER_00: Not easy.
• 48:50
  SPEAKER_03: Not easy.
• 48:52
  SPEAKER_03: But they don't they might not care about that.
• 48:54
  SPEAKER_03: Then they host Manchester United.
• 48:57
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, you're at home, but that's it, that's a team that is expected to finish top five.
• 49:02
  SPEAKER_03: And then here's where their season comes to.
• 49:05
  SPEAKER_03: Here it is.
• 49:06
  SPEAKER_03: This is going to determine our below his future, it's going to determine Fulham's fate.
• 49:10
  SPEAKER_03: They have a three-game stretch in October where they play Ipswich away, hole at home, and Coventry away.
• 49:17
  SPEAKER_03: So they play three in a row against those promoted sides, and we'll see who means business at that point.
• 49:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that'll be for sure.
• 49:26
  SPEAKER_00: If he can't get points out of those games, yeah, he will not have a job after the that.
• 49:30
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 49:31
  SPEAKER_00: That's an that's an interesting way to lay out their schedule.
• 49:35
  SPEAKER_00: They have two very, very tough games coming up, and then three on paper cupcakes.
• 49:41
  SPEAKER_00: But the way that the league's been going this year, they're not cupcakes.
• 49:44
  SPEAKER_03: So yes, yeah.
• 49:46
  SPEAKER_03: And and for this week, we the question was worse performance, worst player.
• 49:50
  SPEAKER_03: Some weeks there's not a standout, like we had the Gerald Gomes, where I he was trying to get this award in match week one.
• 49:57
  SPEAKER_03: We've had Bert Verbrugan just fondling the ball, handing it to the opposition.
• 50:02
  SPEAKER_03: This week you had to dig a little deeper, and I just wanted to once again highlight the full back line, just not acceptable from you guys.
• 50:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, that's a good one.
• 50:10
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, Sean.
• 50:10
  SPEAKER_00: Unfortunately, this week I have to turn inward and look at one of our guys, Matt Estell.
• 50:15
  SPEAKER_00: He unfortunately This is mean-spirited, Brandon.
• 50:19
  SPEAKER_00: I know, and and I don't and I don't I don't want it to come off bad, Sean, but he just looked so uncomfortable out there.
• 50:24
  SPEAKER_00: He didn't look like he knew what he was doing.
• 50:26
  SPEAKER_00: It just was a really, really poor performance.
• 50:29
  SPEAKER_00: And I think with uh Marmoush and Savio and uh we saw Muhammad Kudus come off the bench late, his days starting are probably numbered, and unfortunately, he's didn't do much to to say to Roberto DeZerbi, hey, keep me in the team, I'm okay.
• 50:46
  SPEAKER_00: He's basically saying Savio Kudus, get healthy because my spot is open.
• 50:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I as much as I want to cheer for him, it just it it was really bad on the weekend.
• 50:58
  SPEAKER_03: Brandon, I I I don't love that you went this direction because it does hit close to home, but it's honestly a really good shout.
• 51:06
  SPEAKER_03: He uh is a player, so for some context for the listeners, he is a young French youth international player who's been excellent for France at the youth levels at every level, one of their best performers in the most talented player pool in the world.
• 51:19
  SPEAKER_03: So Matthias Tell has quality.
• 51:21
  SPEAKER_03: Like there's no doubt about that.
• 51:23
  SPEAKER_03: He's 20 years old, he's starting in the Premier League.
• 51:26
  SPEAKER_03: There's a lot of things you look to and you're able to be excited about.
• 51:30
  SPEAKER_03: But when you watch him play, Brandon, it's increasingly clear that he is not ready to start at this level.
• 51:35
  SPEAKER_03: He was at Bayern Munich, Tottenham, loaned him in in a time of crisis a couple years ago, and then eventually made the transfer permanent.
• 51:42
  SPEAKER_03: And there's a lot of hope and optimism for Matistel.
• 51:44
  SPEAKER_03: And I still am bullish on him long term.
• 51:47
  SPEAKER_03: I think there's a player in there, and honestly, the thing I like most about him, he has some of the most impressive mentality I've ever seen from a 20-year-old.
• 51:55
  SPEAKER_03: In the face of relegation fights the last two seasons, he stood up and not been scared at all.
• 52:01
  SPEAKER_03: He said, I'm gonna give everything for the club.
• 52:03
  SPEAKER_03: He's gone over to the fans in difficult times and said, like, believe and pointed to the badge and done these little things that you just don't see from 20-year-olds.
• 52:10
  SPEAKER_03: And his mentality and his confidence is honestly incredible.
• 52:14
  SPEAKER_03: And it's something he should not lose because if he wants to develop into the player he needs to become to match that, he's gonna need that confidence.
• 52:21
  SPEAKER_03: The problem is right now, he's just not ready for this level.
• 52:25
  SPEAKER_03: He's not good enough, he's indecisive, he's in his own head.
• 52:27
  SPEAKER_03: He's not an out and out left winger, but he's not an out-and-out number nine either.
• 52:31
  SPEAKER_03: He's kind of similar, in my opinion, to a very raw version of Young Min's son, which is weird to say, but he operates best when he's able to get into that left half space and curl in a shot to the far post.
• 52:44
  SPEAKER_03: And DeZerbi's kind of asking his wingers to take men on 1v1 along the touchline.
• 52:49
  SPEAKER_03: And he's just not able to do that.
• 52:51
  SPEAKER_03: He's not able to beat his man consistently, and then that creates moments of indecision.
• 52:55
  SPEAKER_03: And like you said, Brandon, in this match, and so far, honestly, in all three matches this season, every time the ball's gone to Matisse Tell, all Tottenham fans are just kind of looking at him hopelessly, knowing what's going to happen is either a pass backward or a loss of possession.
• 53:08
  SPEAKER_03: And that's difficult for a 20-year-old.
• 53:10
  SPEAKER_03: I know you're not projecting him to be down long term, but I do think it's important to highlight you're right, this week and so far this season, he's a big part of why Tottenham have struggled.
• 53:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 53:20
  SPEAKER_00: And and I'm glad you brought some context in as well, Sean, because he is still so young and he maybe just doesn't fit the manager style, but because of injuries, lack of transfers in those spots, he kind of has to play.
• 53:34
  SPEAKER_00: And it the weaknesses show a lot more when the team is struggling and there's not a s there's not a guy to say, hey, I'll save us all.
• 53:44
  SPEAKER_00: So it it hurt me to to put him down, but I had to be honest and and look at the game, and and truly was for me the worst performance of this weekend.
• 53:54
  SPEAKER_03: It's it's a good answer because he is right up there, and it's so frustrating as a Tottenham fan just seeing it with the ball and knowing nothing good's gonna come from it.
• 54:01
  SPEAKER_03: I wish that wasn't the case.
• 54:02
  SPEAKER_03: I hate it.
• 54:03
  SPEAKER_03: I love Matist Tell and I'm rooting for him, but just right now in this team, it's not working.
• 54:08
  SPEAKER_03: And it's Roberto De Zerbi is starting to see that too.
• 54:11
  SPEAKER_03: He said in his post-match press conference that Matisse Tell makes too many wrong decisions, which is not something you want to hear your manager say, but it's accurate and it's fair.
• 54:19
  SPEAKER_03: And he's kind of said, like, my two options on the left wing are him or Mikhail Mudric, who has not played a match in two years, and he's not ready to play.
• 54:27
  SPEAKER_03: So what do you want me to do?
• 54:29
  SPEAKER_03: And that's a difficult spot to be in.
• 54:31
  SPEAKER_03: So that's part of the reason Tatma struggled so far this year.
• 54:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, Sean.
• 54:36
  SPEAKER_00: For the last last segment here, last few minutes here, Sean.
• 54:39
  SPEAKER_00: I just wanted to give you a quick MLS update and then let you give me an update on Champions League, which is beginning today, like you mentioned, and maybe any other things happening in Europe.
• 54:49
  SPEAKER_00: First, I guess we'll we'll just get this out of the way.
• 54:51
  SPEAKER_00: The League's Cup final was this past weekend.
• 54:53
  SPEAKER_03: I did not have a woods and no one hears it, doesn't make a sound.
• 54:57
  SPEAKER_00: Literally.
• 54:58
  SPEAKER_00: Literally.
• 54:59
  SPEAKER_00: Sean, we had Toluca actually beating Monterey 2-0.
• 55:03
  SPEAKER_00: This was the first all-Liga MX final and first Liga MX winner in Toluca.
• 55:08
  SPEAKER_00: Club Leon actually like coasted to the semifinal.
• 55:12
  SPEAKER_00: They had beaten everybody.
• 55:13
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think they had given up a goal, um, but lost to Toluca in the semis, and then Toluca beat Monterey in the final, so they won 2-0.
• 55:20
  SPEAKER_00: So congrats to Toluca.
• 55:22
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, in the MLS world, Sean, here's another fun one for you.
• 55:24
  SPEAKER_00: So the Portland Timbers had their first ever hat-trick this past weekend.
• 55:30
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, this club has played over 550 MLS games.
• 55:33
  SPEAKER_00: I have never had a player with a hat-trick.
• 55:36
  SPEAKER_00: I'll add this for you, Sean.
• 55:37
  SPEAKER_00: The player that scored the hat trick for them was former Tottenham Hotspur player Vincent Janssen in his first game at Portland with the club.
• 55:46
  SPEAKER_00: First hat-trick in their club history, first game for him.
• 55:50
  SPEAKER_00: The I did some research on this because I was like, this is absolutely insane.
• 55:54
  SPEAKER_00: The next highest team that took this long to get their first hat-trick, uh, they were only in the 200s.
• 56:02
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 56:03
  SPEAKER_00: Philadelphia Union, Philadelphia Union was actually their second game they had a hat-trick.
• 56:07
  SPEAKER_00: There are other teams that had hat-tricks in their first game, but yeah, over 500 games.
• 56:11
  SPEAKER_00: Portland Timber had Portland Timbers have never had a hat trick.
• 56:14
  SPEAKER_00: They also had they had a Vander for a bit.
• 56:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and they've had some class class players at Portland, but never an MLS hat-trick until this weekend.
• 56:22
  SPEAKER_03: Wow.
• 56:23
  SPEAKER_03: Great research by you.
• 56:24
  SPEAKER_03: That's fascinating.
• 56:26
  SPEAKER_03: And I can't believe that.
• 56:27
  SPEAKER_03: I'm honestly stunned that that's the case.
• 56:28
  SPEAKER_03: That seems statistically very, very unlikely that it takes over 500 matches to get a hat-trick.
• 56:34
  SPEAKER_03: And also, what even might be more unlikely than that is the fact that it was Vincent Janssen because he is an absolute farmer.
• 56:42
  SPEAKER_03: And I say that with all due respect, he just was not good at Tottenham.
• 56:47
  SPEAKER_03: He actually did carve out a decent career for himself after moving on from Spurs.
• 56:51
  SPEAKER_03: The Premier League was just not the level for him.
• 56:53
  SPEAKER_03: He has gotten better as a player since then.
• 56:55
  SPEAKER_03: Obviously, that was many years ago, but I would never in a million years have guessed that he would be the one to end the dry spell for the Portland Timbers and get that first hat trick.
• 57:05
  SPEAKER_03: That is good stuff.
• 57:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 57:07
  SPEAKER_00: Very, very weird one.
• 57:10
  SPEAKER_00: I watched bits and pieces of that game, and then it was like, oh, he has a goal.
• 57:13
  SPEAKER_00: He has two goals, and it was like, and it's funny because now MLS is all Apple, so the commentators kind of switch city by city.
• 57:21
  SPEAKER_00: But you could tell they didn't really want to talk about it too much to kind of the the no-hitter jinx.
• 57:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 57:27
  SPEAKER_00: And then it happened, and it was a whole big celebration.
• 57:30
  SPEAKER_00: So shout out to the Timbers.
• 57:32
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, we also saw St.
• 57:34
  SPEAKER_00: Louis, uh, a big win on the road at Vancouver.
• 57:37
  SPEAKER_00: Vancouver, like at home, never loses, but they've they've actually been struggling a little bit lately, maybe a little bit of said Berholter hangover, but they lost at home at big piece to miss.
• 57:50
  SPEAKER_00: And Sean, uh, we got a little hometown derby tomorrow.
• 57:54
  SPEAKER_00: Since he at Philly.
• 57:56
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, you're your your alleged boys against my guys uh here in Philly on Wednesday evening.
• 58:02
  SPEAKER_00: So a lot of playoff implications there as well.
• 58:05
  SPEAKER_00: Philadelphia has actually climbed all the way back, and they are now in the ninth position, which in MLS is playoff.
• 58:12
  SPEAKER_00: You make the playoffs in ninth out of 15, which is whatever.
• 58:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um, a little just a just a bit.
• 58:19
  SPEAKER_00: But Cincinnati is only, I believe, four points ahead of them in the standings.
• 58:24
  SPEAKER_00: So let me just check that real quick.
• 58:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Cincinnati is four points ahead of them in the standings, so huge, huge match tomorrow in Philly.
• 58:33
  SPEAKER_00: And and yeah, they're they're they're playing well.
• 58:35
  SPEAKER_00: Cincinnati is is Cincinnati.
• 58:37
  SPEAKER_00: They're hanging, they're in sixth currently in the east.
• 58:40
  SPEAKER_00: But just wanted to put that on your radar as well for tomorrow.
• 58:44
  SPEAKER_03: Great job, Brandon.
• 58:45
  SPEAKER_03: Love that out of you.
• 58:47
  SPEAKER_03: And also, I will be keeping a close eye on that Cincinnati result because that could determine whether or not I'm backing them as a as an outfit or not.
• 58:55
  SPEAKER_03: Honestly, it's coming down to the margins for my MLS fandom and winning against Philly, where there's a lot of former players, former staff, inner inner workings between those two clubs, that's it's a big one, especially because Philly, like you said, is really making a playoff charge under the new manager.
• 59:10
  SPEAKER_03: So that's interesting to keep an eye on.
• 59:12
  SPEAKER_03: MLS is getting to an interesting point in the season, so we'll continue with these updates, Brandon.
• 59:16
  SPEAKER_03: They are appreciated.
• 59:18
  SPEAKER_03: I will quickly take us around the continent for some updates from the weekend, and then we'll just do a quick little Champions League preview for the next couple days.
• 59:25
  SPEAKER_03: Around the continent, we had some movement in Serie A, I would say, is the main story for me.
• 59:30
  SPEAKER_03: Inter, Milan, and Roma stake their claim atop Serie A so far early in the season, obviously only a few matches in, but these are the two clubs who had big difficult fixtures this weekend and were able to get all three points.
• 59:44
  SPEAKER_03: Inter got it done in a thriller, a 3-2 win over Napoli.
• 59:48
  SPEAKER_03: Lotaro Martinez was the one who got it braced for them and won the game for them, the Argentinian striker.
• 59:54
  SPEAKER_03: He has won golden boot in Syreal before.
• 59:57
  SPEAKER_03: He's a mainstay at Inter Milan as a goal scorer, and he was able to get it done this weekend.
• 1:00:02
  SPEAKER_03: Inter finished first last season, Napoli finished second.
• 1:00:05
  SPEAKER_03: I think it was important for Inter to show Napoli that they still are the champions, the talk of the town.
• 1:00:11
  SPEAKER_03: Roma, a team who finished fourth last season under Gian Piero Gasparini.
• 1:00:15
  SPEAKER_03: I absolutely love him.
• 1:00:17
  SPEAKER_03: He is doing the Lord's work here in Rome.
• 1:00:20
  SPEAKER_03: He turned around a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win with two goals after the 90th minute.
• 1:00:27
  SPEAKER_03: Love to see it.
• 1:00:28
  SPEAKER_03: Dybala once again pulling the strings for Roma.
• 1:00:31
  SPEAKER_03: They are three wins from three to start the season.
• 1:00:33
  SPEAKER_03: They are joint top with Inter.
• 1:00:35
  SPEAKER_03: So those are the two clubs early taking a lead in Serie A.
• 1:00:38
  SPEAKER_03: We mentioned last week, Brandon, we had the McKenny Pulisic Musa Derby.
• 1:00:44
  SPEAKER_03: Well, we also mentioned that McKenny would not be playing, and who knows with Pulisik.
• 1:00:49
  SPEAKER_03: I can report neither played.
• 1:00:52
  SPEAKER_03: Pulisic was an unused sub.
• 1:00:54
  SPEAKER_03: The man who stole the show was Yunus Musa, who played in midfield alongside Luka Modric.
• 1:01:00
  SPEAKER_03: Modric Musa, what a pairing.
• 1:01:02
  SPEAKER_03: That's just, I mean, unbelievable stuff, really, when you factor in like a young American and then the 40-year-old Croatian legend of the game.
• 1:01:10
  SPEAKER_03: Great experience for Yunus Musa to be in this side.
• 1:01:13
  SPEAKER_03: Seems to be a fixture under Ruben Amarim, which we pointed to early in the year might be the case.
• 1:01:18
  SPEAKER_03: So far, so good on that front.
• 1:01:20
  SPEAKER_03: I will say this ended 1-1.
• 1:01:22
  SPEAKER_03: Nothing really in it for me.
• 1:01:24
  SPEAKER_03: Not super exciting.
• 1:01:26
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm very worried about Christian Polisic.
• 1:01:28
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know what's going on.
• 1:01:29
  SPEAKER_03: This injury from the World Cup, I think, is still the cause of him not playing somehow.
• 1:01:34
  SPEAKER_03: I think he got a late start to preseason, had to work up fitness, and now I don't know if he's in the manager's plans or not.
• 1:01:39
  SPEAKER_03: If he is fit, I don't know what the deal is.
• 1:01:42
  SPEAKER_03: Hopefully we get a resolution of that soon and just want to see him back on the pitch.
• 1:01:45
  SPEAKER_03: Quickly, we'll move to Spain.
• 1:01:47
  SPEAKER_03: Big, big match on Friday in La Liga, Brandon.
• 1:01:53
  SPEAKER_03: My oh my.
• 1:01:54
  SPEAKER_03: We promised that Real Madrid would be box office.
• 1:01:57
  SPEAKER_03: And here is the first chapter of this season's story.
• 1:02:00
  SPEAKER_03: It wrote itself.
• 1:02:02
  SPEAKER_03: Real Madrid lost to Real Betis, 1-0.
• 1:02:05
  SPEAKER_03: I said there'd be goals in this game.
• 1:02:07
  SPEAKER_03: Brandon, Real Madrid should have scored seven.
• 1:02:10
  SPEAKER_03: They scored zero.
• 1:02:12
  SPEAKER_03: They, I don't know how they didn't win.
• 1:02:14
  SPEAKER_03: Jose Mourinho, he was quoted after the match saying Real Betis won the lottery tonight by winning because they did not deserve it.
• 1:02:22
  SPEAKER_03: He was at his absolute best in the box office in the post-game press conference.
• 1:02:26
  SPEAKER_03: He is cinema.
• 1:02:27
  SPEAKER_03: It was so good, Brandon.
• 1:02:29
  SPEAKER_03: Some of the quotes that came out from him were excellent.
• 1:02:31
  SPEAKER_03: And Bappe misses a penalty in extra time.
• 1:02:34
  SPEAKER_03: And then Alvaro Valle, who's the keeper for Real Betis, gets in his face and screaming at him, just kind of owning him.
• 1:02:43
  SPEAKER_03: And that was unbelievable.
• 1:02:44
  SPEAKER_03: And then what there's a VAR review because the man who kind of cleared the follow-up rebound off the line, Mark Bartra, he and Mbappe's there to try to slot home the rebound of his missed penalty, and Bartra comes crashing in from outside the box and clears it for a corner.
• 1:03:00
  SPEAKER_03: And it looked as though Bartra went early and was in the box as the penalty was being taken.
• 1:03:04
  SPEAKER_03: That was not the case.
• 1:03:06
  SPEAKER_03: That is what set off Jose Mourinho.
• 1:03:09
  SPEAKER_03: He went in on the refs.
• 1:03:10
  SPEAKER_03: Vinny got a yellow card after the match for going in on the refs.
• 1:03:14
  SPEAKER_03: Lots of crazy shit happened in this one.
• 1:03:16
  SPEAKER_03: They also scored an absolute belter of a goal that was taken off for offside.
• 1:03:20
  SPEAKER_03: Mbappe in the buildup was like half a shoulder offside.
• 1:03:24
  SPEAKER_03: It was crazy.
• 1:03:25
  SPEAKER_03: But what ultimately that has led to is that Barcelona sit atop La Liga.
• 1:03:30
  SPEAKER_03: They had a triumphant 5-0 win against Valencia.
• 1:03:33
  SPEAKER_03: They look unbelievable early.
• 1:03:35
  SPEAKER_03: And the first one to blink in the La Liga title race is Real Madrid.
• 1:03:39
  SPEAKER_03: Brandon, did you see any of that Real Madrid saga?
• 1:03:42
  SPEAKER_00: I did see bits and pieces of it.
• 1:03:45
  SPEAKER_00: And the goal for Bettis was Troy Parr, right?
• 1:03:48
  SPEAKER_00: Another former Tottenham player.
• 1:03:50
  SPEAKER_03: Sure it was, Brandon.
• 1:03:51
  SPEAKER_03: The parrot.
• 1:03:52
  SPEAKER_03: I said he's gonna love life in Seville, and he's also a flying start, a winner against Real Madrid.
• 1:03:58
  SPEAKER_03: How's that?
• 1:03:59
  SPEAKER_00: That's fantastic.
• 1:04:01
  SPEAKER_00: It's funny, I didn't watch the game, but uh on social media I kept getting clips just from I guess things I watched that suggested videos, and it would be like different parts of that game, and I had to go check and I was like, what in the world happened?
• 1:04:15
  SPEAKER_00: And I saw some of those highlights.
• 1:04:17
  SPEAKER_00: And you look, you project you predicted it on last week's episode.
• 1:04:20
  SPEAKER_00: You said, Hey, if you want a little Friday, start of the weekend, you want a little box office drama, watch this one on Friday.
• 1:04:27
  SPEAKER_00: And you're not sure if it was absolutely right.
• 1:04:31
  SPEAKER_03: I had it, it was on the same time as Ipswitch Liverpool, and I made the decision.
• 1:04:35
  SPEAKER_03: I said Liverpool doesn't get sound, they go on the side TV.
• 1:04:38
  SPEAKER_03: I'm a sound on La Liga, and it it delivered in every way.
• 1:04:42
  SPEAKER_03: So that was great.
• 1:04:43
  SPEAKER_03: That set the tone for the weekend.
• 1:04:45
  SPEAKER_03: And then the only other two things I want to mention, I've mentioned a couple times now PSG, not off to a good start.
• 1:04:50
  SPEAKER_03: They lost as well.
• 1:04:51
  SPEAKER_03: They lost to Monaco.
• 1:04:52
  SPEAKER_03: Monaco making noise, and then they beat PSG at the weekend.
• 1:04:56
  SPEAKER_03: Interesting times in Paris.
• 1:04:59
  SPEAKER_03: And then similarly, we're only in the second week of the Bundesliga, but Bayern Munich drew Schalka.
• 1:05:05
  SPEAKER_03: And for anybody who doesn't know, Schalka is a very, very proud club.
• 1:05:09
  SPEAKER_03: They make up one of the best derbies in all of football against Borisia Dortmund.
• 1:05:14
  SPEAKER_03: They have been in the second Bundesliga for the last few years.
• 1:05:18
  SPEAKER_03: They've fallen on some really bad times, bad management, poor, poorly run club for a long while.
• 1:05:23
  SPEAKER_03: They have rebounded, they're back in the top flight, and they open up the campaign with a draw against the champions.
• 1:05:30
  SPEAKER_03: I don't think that's a bad start.
• 1:05:31
  SPEAKER_03: So good for Schalke, bad for Bayern.
• 1:05:34
  SPEAKER_03: I still think Bayern will be just fine.
• 1:05:36
  SPEAKER_03: I'm a little more worried about PSG.
• 1:05:38
  SPEAKER_03: I think they'll be fine too, but it's something to monitor.
• 1:05:40
  SPEAKER_03: And it's getting a little bit later into the season because they're a match week ahead of the Bundesliga.
• 1:05:45
  SPEAKER_03: So we'll continue to monitor that, Brandon.
• 1:05:47
  SPEAKER_00: I was gonna say just one thing to add.
• 1:05:48
  SPEAKER_00: Funny enough, that Bayern Schalka game, I had saw my brother, my youngest brother, lives in DC, and he was up in Philly this weekend visiting my parents, and uh get to my parents' house, and he's on The couch watching that game, and I was like, You're food just like a guy, huh?
• 1:06:04
  SPEAKER_00: And we ended up watching the the final 10 minutes of that game, and it was cinema.
• 1:06:07
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, Byron are whining and crying for every call.
• 1:06:11
  SPEAKER_00: The fans for Shulka are just living on every clearance, every corner kick.
• 1:06:17
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm realized, and I didn't realize Shulka had just come up because growing up, Shulka, that's a promising premier, premier level Bundesliga team.
• 1:06:27
  SPEAKER_00: So I didn't realize, and my brother was like, oh yeah, they actually just came up from the second division last year.
• 1:06:32
  SPEAKER_00: So to see that game and watch the end of it ending 0-0 is good.
• 1:06:36
  SPEAKER_00: Really, really good.
• 1:06:37
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, like you said, uh, I'm not too worried about Bayern.
• 1:06:40
  SPEAKER_00: Harry Kane has a shot that's going top bins in the Shulka keeper, makes this unreal save in like the 90th minute.
• 1:06:47
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, all right, it's probably just not their day.
• 1:06:49
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, it's really cool story, and I'm glad I got to see a bit of it.
• 1:06:52
  SPEAKER_00: That's not a league that I tend to watch very much of, but my brother happens to be into it a lot more.
• 1:06:58
  SPEAKER_00: And USA actually also has USA Network has some Bundesliga rights.
• 1:07:04
  SPEAKER_00: So you can watch on cable.
• 1:07:05
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to watch on streaming as much this year.
• 1:07:07
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, that's been a nice little feature.
• 1:07:09
  SPEAKER_03: There's been a lot more soccer on cable and YouTube TV and some of those generic streaming services.
• 1:07:14
  SPEAKER_03: I guess some of these b providers, the NBC, Peacock, ESPN, CBS, they're starting to put some of them on their channels as well as to the subscription-based apps that they offer.
• 1:07:23
  SPEAKER_03: So we like that.
• 1:07:24
  SPEAKER_03: Continue to do that, please.
• 1:07:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, please.
• 1:07:27
  SPEAKER_03: Something that is going to be always they always do this at the Champions League as well.
• 1:07:32
  SPEAKER_03: They they try to sprinkle a game on CBS Sports Network.
• 1:07:35
  SPEAKER_03: Most of them will be on Paramount, but Brandon, the Champions League starts today.
• 1:07:38
  SPEAKER_03: It kind of snuck up on us.
• 1:07:40
  SPEAKER_03: It's it's the best competition, in my opinion.
• 1:07:43
  SPEAKER_03: I love the European trophies, the Champions League, the Europa League.
• 1:07:46
  SPEAKER_03: The Conference League gets a bit Mickey Mouse, but I do still enjoy it.
• 1:07:49
  SPEAKER_03: I love European Knights.
• 1:07:51
  SPEAKER_03: The Champions League, for those who don't know, a little bit of context, it's basically a competition that is supposed to crown the best team in all of Europe.
• 1:07:59
  SPEAKER_03: The idea behind it is uh the results of who gets in are based upon last season's finishes.
• 1:08:05
  SPEAKER_03: So, for example, in the Premier League, the top five clubs got in.
• 1:08:08
  SPEAKER_03: Uh-huh.
• 1:08:08
  SPEAKER_03: In La Liga, the top four clubs from last season qualify.
• 1:08:12
  SPEAKER_03: Uh and what happens is it turns into a 36 team?
• 1:08:17
  SPEAKER_03: Is it 36?
• 1:08:19
  SPEAKER_03: I think it's 36 teams.
• 1:08:20
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I think it's 36.
• 1:08:21
  SPEAKER_03: That sounds right.
• 1:08:22
  SPEAKER_03: It's 32 or 30.
• 1:08:23
  SPEAKER_03: It's 36 teams.
• 1:08:24
  SPEAKER_03: Uh uh.
• 1:08:24
  SPEAKER_03: And they all uh play a league phase.
• 1:08:28
  SPEAKER_03: It used to be a group phase, similar to the World Cup, how we preview the groups.
• 1:08:31
  SPEAKER_03: There used to be four team groups where you play each team twice.
• 1:08:34
  SPEAKER_03: Uh that is no longer the case.
• 1:08:35
  SPEAKER_03: So now you play an eight-game league season, and what happens is you are sorted based on your performances into a final table.
• 1:08:45
  SPEAKER_03: The top 24 teams from the league stage advance to the next round, which is basically an additional knockout round of sorts.
• 1:08:53
  SPEAKER_03: So the top eight teams in the Champions League will be safe and not participate in that next round.
• 1:08:58
  SPEAKER_03: It'll instead be the teams that finish nine through 24 playing each other to determine who makes the final 16.
• 1:09:05
  SPEAKER_03: Basically, that's a long way from now.
• 1:09:07
  SPEAKER_03: We have eight league games to get to before we get into those knockout matches.
• 1:09:12
  SPEAKER_03: Those start today.
• 1:09:13
  SPEAKER_03: I'm going to give you one from each day to watch, Brandon.
• 1:09:15
  SPEAKER_03: You let me know what you think.
• 1:09:17
  SPEAKER_03: If this will be a will it be a good game to watch or no.
• 1:09:21
  SPEAKER_03: The one I have touted for today, it seems to be the easiest answer, but I have to just say Real Madrid against Inter Milan.
• 1:09:28
  SPEAKER_03: We just talked about Jose Mourinho.
• 1:09:30
  SPEAKER_03: Real Madrid's players are worth watching themselves.
• 1:09:33
  SPEAKER_03: And the fact that he's taking on a former club, a club that he won the Champions League with, I think that adds an extra wrinkle.
• 1:09:40
  SPEAKER_03: That's my pick for Tuesday's game to watch.
• 1:09:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
• 1:09:43
  SPEAKER_00: That's a great pick.
• 1:09:44
  SPEAKER_00: I Real Madrid, they could be playing anybody, but coming off of that result on Friday, I would love to see their next game.
• 1:09:51
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, that's a great shot.
• 1:09:52
  SPEAKER_00: And they're playing a team that will give them a run.
• 1:09:55
  SPEAKER_00: So it's not going to be a cakewalk.
• 1:09:57
  SPEAKER_00: So that's definitely a good shot from you.
• 1:09:59
  SPEAKER_03: That should be a really good game.
• 1:10:01
  SPEAKER_03: And that's at 3 p.m.
• 1:10:02
  SPEAKER_03: on Tuesday.
• 1:10:02
  SPEAKER_03: Before that, we do have Aston Villa going to Bruges to take on Club Bruges, too.
• 1:10:06
  SPEAKER_03: We talked about Aston Villa maybe struggling.
• 1:10:08
  SPEAKER_03: That'll be one to keep an eye on.
• 1:10:10
  SPEAKER_03: You want to pick up a win there because things are not going great on the home front.
• 1:10:14
  SPEAKER_03: So you want to at least start the European campaign campaign well.
• 1:10:17
  SPEAKER_03: And then on Wednesday, the game for me, I'm between two, but I think it has to be Liverpool Atletico Madrid.
• 1:10:25
  SPEAKER_03: It's at Anfield.
• 1:10:26
  SPEAKER_03: It's Diego Simeone's bunch from Atletico Madrid coming back to England.
• 1:10:31
  SPEAKER_03: Could be a Kuti Romero sighting back in England, which would be exciting for me, but I really am looking forward to that one.
• 1:10:38
  SPEAKER_03: I think those two teams you do think of the Champions League when you think of both Liverpool and Atletico Madrid.
• 1:10:43
  SPEAKER_03: So that's the game to watch on Wednesday for me.
• 1:10:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 1:10:46
  SPEAKER_00: I personally actually don't know the other fixtures that are happening, but I would absolutely co-sign those two.
• 1:10:52
  SPEAKER_00: There's just something about that Champions League anthem on a Tuesday or Wednesday night.
• 1:10:58
  SPEAKER_00: There's probably there's a slight chill in the air, Sean.
• 1:11:01
  SPEAKER_00: It's not it's not super hot.
• 1:11:03
  SPEAKER_00: That anthem comes on, the teams walk out.
• 1:11:06
  SPEAKER_00: It just means a little bit more.
• 1:11:07
  SPEAKER_00: And to see it starting, I feel like it is starting very quickly.
• 1:11:11
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe that's just the now the new format, and now they have to start a little bit earlier than before.
• 1:11:15
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, you'll you'll love to see Champions League, and this is what it's about.
• 1:11:20
  SPEAKER_00: This is this is the beautiful part of our game.
• 1:11:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm glad you highlighted it and went through the the basics of it because this listeners is a a separate competition.
• 1:11:29
  SPEAKER_00: I know it's more soccer to watch.
• 1:11:30
  SPEAKER_00: Oh well, sorry, don't blame us.
• 1:11:33
  SPEAKER_00: But if you're gonna watch some extra games, these are the ones to watch because you'll see some cool matchups that you wouldn't typically see.
• 1:11:39
  SPEAKER_00: And the European Knights just just they just feel like they mean a little bit more, Sean.
• 1:11:44
  SPEAKER_00: So I appreciate you highlighting those games.
• 1:11:47
  SPEAKER_03: Brandon Wells said, the European Knights, they do just mean more.
• 1:11:50
  SPEAKER_03: And the Galazzo show, if you're not into one specific match or you don't have a dog in the fight, put on the Galazzo show.
• 1:11:57
  SPEAKER_03: It's basically NFL Red Zone, if you're familiar with that product.
• 1:12:00
  SPEAKER_03: They cut from game to game, goal to goal.
• 1:12:02
  SPEAKER_03: You'll never miss a goal.
• 1:12:04
  SPEAKER_03: They have announcers breaking it all down for you.
• 1:12:06
  SPEAKER_03: I think that's a good way to introduce yourself to the Champions League if you're unfamiliar.
• 1:12:10
  SPEAKER_03: I would recommend that for both Tuesday and Wednesday.
• 1:12:13
  SPEAKER_03: I am excited to get them back, Brandon.
• 1:12:15
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm also excited this should work out perfectly because we have something to talk about in our midweek show.
• 1:12:20
  SPEAKER_03: So we can recap some of these Champions League games and we could preview the weekend ahead.
• 1:12:23
  SPEAKER_03: So that works out great for us.
• 1:12:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, we love we love content.
• 1:12:26
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, we'll we'll definitely highlight those games in our midweek episode, Sean.
• 1:12:33
  SPEAKER_00: Any final thoughts for for tonight?
• 1:12:35
  SPEAKER_03: No, I thought this was a lot of fun.
• 1:12:37
  SPEAKER_03: It was probably more fun for me than the weekend of football itself, honestly.
• 1:12:41
  SPEAKER_03: There's a lot of draws, a lot of positioning of teams.
• 1:12:44
  SPEAKER_03: So nothing super special for me this weekend, but I enjoyed doing this episode with you.
• 1:12:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, I agree with you.
• 1:12:50
  SPEAKER_00: It wasn't the best weekend.
• 1:12:51
  SPEAKER_00: You look at the results, I think we had five, four or five ties.
• 1:12:55
  SPEAKER_00: Some games definitely not too interesting, but we've we we made it through.
• 1:12:59
  SPEAKER_00: We did it, we got through it.
• 1:13:01
  SPEAKER_00: Sean, always a pleasure to do this with you and excited to do the next one.
• 1:13:05
  SPEAKER_00: Listeners, as always, thank you for your support.
• 1:13:08
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for listening.
• 1:13:09
  SPEAKER_00: Like, subscribe, get some merch.
• 1:13:11
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, I see Sean in his Tortured Fans Department hat.
• 1:13:15
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, and hoodie.
• 1:13:16
  SPEAKER_00: And hoodie.
• 1:13:16
  SPEAKER_00: So double.
• 1:13:18
  SPEAKER_00: The Friends on Football uh merch is also live on the same website.
• 1:13:22
  SPEAKER_00: Sean will link it in the show notes, as always.
• 1:13:25
  SPEAKER_00: But listeners, thank you for your support.
• 1:13:28
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, take care.