Shows / The Game
The Game
The thinking fan's football podcast.
From previews to reviews, winners to losers, who's in and out on the transfer roundabout, tactics, stats and the dreaded VAR - join the best reporters covering the biggest sport on the planet.
Hosted by Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson, The Game brings you the latest on the Premier League and the EFL, as well as a front-row seat to international tournaments.
We know football isn't life and death. It's much more serious than that.
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Episodes
The GameNo Fred for United and no striker for City?
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Paul Hirst and Bill Edgar to discuss the headlines in the world of football. Arsenal make it 20 games unbeaten as…
The GameMicro-manager Emery and the incompatible Pogba and Mourinho
What a weekend in the Premier League and with a full set of midweek fixtures to come, Natalie Sawyer and Gab Marcotti are joined by Oliver Kay and Bill Edgar…
The GameMore Mourinho melodrama & the Merseyside midfield matchup
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Henry Winter and Gary Jacob ahead of a huge weekend of Premier League action. Tottenham have beaten Chelsea and…
The GamePochettino proving priceless plus how good are PSG?
After a big weekend in the Premier League, it’s an even bigger week to come in the Champions League. Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Alyson Rudd…
The GameSparky losing his spark and the Republic of Ireland reshuffle
The Premier League is back and so are Natalie Sawyer and Gab Marcotti, aided admirably by Bill Edgar and George Caulkin. It’s a big weekend at the bottom with…
The GameThe Southgate and Scudamore success stories
Gab Marcotti is joined by Matt Dickinson and Matt Hughes in the aftermath of England’s progression to the Nations League finals after victory over Croatia…
The GameTorreira, Patricio & Fraser – the stars of the season so far
It’s not quite awards season but with a third of the Premier League season gone, Natalie Sawyer and Gab Marcotti are joined by Gregor Robertson and Matt…
The GameSancho, Silva and United’s waste of money
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Alyson Rudd and Oliver Kay after a massive Manchester derby. Events at the Etihad throw up a number of questions…
The GameCity and Sterling guilty of deception?
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by James Gheerbrant and Paul Hirst ahead of the Manchester derby. While United were securing a famous win in Turin…
The GameRooney, City and the poppy
Natalie Sawyer and Gab Marcotti are joined by Alyson Rudd and Alan Smith in the studio to tackle some thorny issues in the football world. England’s friendly…
The GameIs Pochettino in play this summer?
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Jonathan Northcroft and James Gheerbrant ahead of another huge weekend of football. How will Liverpool, arguably…
The GameVichai got it right on and off the pitch
It’s been a weekend where shocking events off the field have overshadowed football. On Saturday night, after Leicester City’s game with West Ham, Leicester…
The GameMourinho’s handbrake and the psychology of goalkeeping
Natalie Sawyer and Gab Marcotti are privileged to be joined by Henry Winter and Matthew Syed after a Champions League week that’s thrown up a number of broader…
The GameThe Ronaldo dilemma and is Joka’s job in jeopardy?
Gab Marcotti is joined by Paul Hirst, Gary Jacob and Bill Edgar after a big weekend of football and ahead of a big week to come. With Cristiano Ronaldo…
The GamePochettino’s toughest test and a big time for Barkley
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Matt Dickinson and James Gheerbrant as the Premier League returns from the international break with a vengeance…
The GameGerman decline and managers behaving nicely
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Martyn Ziegler and Alan Smith to discuss the biggest story in international football – the sudden regression of…
The GameCan Terry avoid being Aston Villa’s alpha male?
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Matt Hughes and George Caulkin. And it’s a very difficult podcast for Natalie as Brentford have lost their…
The GameRating Ramsey and the damage done to the United brand
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are back with Oliver Kay and James Gheerbrant as the Premier League tightens up at the top. The two title favourites draw 0-0…
The GameLiverpool limping and Lloris in the limelight
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Alyson Rudd to discuss a big week in the Champions League, and a bigger weekend to come in the Premier League…
The GameIs Mourinho erratically engineering an early exit?
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are back to review more misery for Mourinho at Manchester United. After defeat at West Ham confirms their worst start in 29…
The GamePogba and Mourinho enter end game
It’s the story that keeps on giving. The bad blood between Paul Pogba and Jose Mourinho continues to boil at Manchester United. Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer…
The GameWizardry from Wolves as Keegan gets candid on cowboy Newcastle
Natalie Sawyer and Gab Marcotti are joined by Henry Winter and Bill Edgar after another eyebrow-raising Premier League weekend. With Liverpool maintaining…
The GamePoundings for Pochettino and PSG
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer react to an eventful midweek in the Champions League as Tottenham taste their third defeat in a row. Are we right to question…
The GameWounded Wilfried and Everton's unsavoury Silva situation
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer break down some major talking points after another big Premier League weekend, in the company of Alyson Rudd and Paul Joyce…
The GameIs Pogba miscast as a mercenary?
The Premier League returns, as do Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer in the company of Matt Hughes and Paul Hirst, to look ahead to what promises to be an…
The GameWalker left wondering and the pressure to conform in football
Natalie Sawyer is joined by Matt Dickinson and Bill Edgar to discuss the fall-out from England’s Nations League defeat to Spain at Wembley. With Joe Gomez…
The GameThe Nations League – how, what and why?
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Alyson Rudd and George Caulkin to discuss the inaugural UEFA Nations League weekend. But if you’re still unsure…
The GamePlaying out from the back and Pellegrini under pressure
Natalie Sawyer and Gab Marcotti are back together in the studio after another Premier League weekend full of surprises. Oliver Kay witnesses the Woodward…
The GameChampions League group stage draw 18/19
In a special bonus bite of The Game podcast, Gab Marcotti is in Monaco to give his reaction to the group stage draw of the Champions League. In Group B…
The GameSpurs strong and stable as chaos reigns at Old Trafford
Natalie Sawyer is back in the studio, alongside Alyson Rudd and Bill Edgar on The Game podcast. With The Times reporting that Anthony Martial has been offered…
The GameExamining Ozil’s illness and Owen’s injuries
Gab Marcotti and Alyson Rudd break down some complex issues on this Bank Holiday Monday edition of The Game. Arsenal secure their first win under Unai Emery…
The GameEmery changing embedded norms as Newcastle stop trying
Gab Marcotti, Alan Smith and George Caulkin tackle some of the tough issues in football this week, starting with the never-ending dispute between Newcastle…
The GameThe wayward Woodward and the absent Aubameyang
Gab Marcotti is joined by Gary Jacob and Paul Hirst after a Premier League weekend that asks a lot of questions. Manchester United’s defeat at Brighton raises…
The GameTime for Pep to shine without his biggest star
Natalie Sawyer and James Gheerbrant take a look at the issues dominating the headlines in football ahead of another big Premier League weekend. Paul Joyce…
The GameSeamless City unstoppable as Pogba plants seeds with Mourinho
Gab Marcotti and Natalie Sawyer are joined by Matt Dickinson and Oliver Kay after the opening weekend of the Premier League season. And it’s clear the rest of…
The GameThe Game’s Premier League Preview 18/19
The Game is back for the new Premier League season and it's double trouble. Gab Marcotti is joined by new co-host Natalie Sawyer. We’ll be bringing you a…
The GamePogba peaks and Mbappe mesmerises as France are crowned world champions
After 32 days and 64 games, it is France who take home the World Cup after a pulsating 4-2 win over Croatia in Moscow. For our final episode, Natalie Sawyer is…
The GameEngland are a mid-table international side
Natalie Sawyer presents the penultimate podcast of this World Cup. England are well beaten by Belgium in a slightly sobering third place play-off. Matt…
The GameThe future's bright…and football could still come home
England’s World Cup adventure ends at the penultimate hurdle as Croatia come from behind to defeat the Three Lions in the semi-finals of the World Cup in…
The GameEngland free from the past to make their own history
Natalie Sawyer brings you The Game World Cup Daily with less than 24 hours to go until England take on Croatia for a place in the World Cup Final. Henry Winter…
The GameSaluting the most unified England team in 20 years
The World Cup in Russia continues to give and give to England fans. The Three Lions are through to the last 4 for the first time since 1990 after seeing off…
The GameEngland empathise with Southgate's squad as players and people
Can Southgate’s side see off Sweden in Samara and soar to the semi-finals? Natalie Sawyer is joined by Henry Winter and Alan Smith to analyse England’s chances…
The GameEngland's unbelievable opportunity to reach the World Cup Final
Another historic night in Russia. At the World Cup where seemingly anything can happen, England win a World Cup penalty shootout for the first time ever…
The GameEngland need to end embarrassing knock-out record
It’s time. England take on Colombia in the round of 16 in Moscow with the winner facing an appetising route to a return to the Russian capital in just over a…
The GameStupid Spain slip out as changing of the guard continues
Natalie Sawyer looks back at the second day of last 16 ties at the World Cup. Two matches, two 1-1 draws, two penalty shootouts and a whole lot of drama. Hosts…
The GameModest Mbappe steals the show as Messi & Ronaldo exit the stage
The knockout stage of the World Cup in Russia begins with a bang. Natalie Sawyer reviews the progression of Uruguay and France to the last 8. A stunning…
The GameEngland's B team beaten to create Colombia clash
After all the speculation over England's Group G decider with Belgium, two reserve sides face off in Kaliningrad with Gareth Southgate's side losing 1-0 and…
The GameEntitled Germany out as the World Cup continues to shock
For the third World Cup in a row, the holders are knocked out at the group stage. Defeat for Germany against South Korea spelled the end of their reign as…
The GameMessi moves Argentina towards fixture with France…and then Ronaldo?
With the score at 1-1 against the Super Eagles in St Petersburg, Argentina were 4 minutes away from being eliminated from the World Cup. But a Marcos Rojo…
The GameVAR rescues Spain to set up Moscow meeting with Russia
Spain lose and then regain top spot in Group B as VAR allows a disallowed Iago Aspas equaliser while simultaneously awarding Iran a penalty to push Portugal…
The GameEngland are better off beating Belgium
After pummelling Panama in record-breaking fashion, England’s attention now turns to the knock-out stages of the World Cup. But with a game to come against…
The GameKroos takes control but can Loftus-Cheek take his chance?
A sensational finish in Sochi as a 95th minute winner from Toni Kroos keeps Germany’s World Cup hopes alive with a 2-1 victory over Sweden. Natalie Sawyer is…
The GameNervy Neymar sheds tears as Southgate sours on the media
Natalie Sawyer reports on another historic day at the World Cup as Neymar sees a penalty given, then rescinded by VAR. Gab Marcotti discusses the world’s most…
The GameAbysmal Argentina and a scarcity of scoring for Sterling
One of the biggest stories of this World Cup in Russia continues to unfold as Argentina stand on the brink of elimination after their 3-0 drubbing by Croatia…
The GameSouthgate's shoulder separation and BBC versus ITV
Another day, another England story as a wander into the woods ends with manager Gareth Southgate in a sling. Natalie Sawyer gets an update from the England…
The GameDele's diagnosis and the joy of watching Russia
Host nation Russia are as good as qualified for the last 16 of the World Cup, for the first time ever. Natalie Sawyer is joined by Alyson Rudd and James…
The GameCaptain Kane wrestles back victory for England
The rollercoaster ride of following the Three Lions continues as England leave it late to secure 3 points in their World Cup opener against Tunisia. Natalie…
The GameEngland set for centre stage as the world champions suffer Mexico mauling in Moscow
With Gareth Southgate’s men 24 hours from Tunisia, Natalie Sawyer, Jonathan Northcroft and James Gheerbrant ask will we see the real Harry Kane? And what’s to…
The GameIceland upset the odds again while VAR makes its mark
Matchday 3 was historic for the World Cup as not one but two penalties were awarded with the help of the Video Assistant Referee. Natalie Sawyer breaks down…
The GameRonaldo steals the show in Sochi on a day of a late drama
Natalie Sawyer reviews a breathless Matchday 2 at the World Cup. Three games all decided by last minute goals, as the panel react to the greatest World Cup…