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 Game
What’s so special about Arne Slot? And Birmingham City in Europe..?
Liverpool have finally clinched their 20th league title. Arne Slot has landed the big one in his first season in charge. How did he do it, can he repeat it…
- The Game
How Liverpool won the title – inside story of Slot’s triumph
Liverpool have won their 20th league title. In his first season in charge manager Arne Slot has led his side to the top of the English game. How big an…
- The Game
How to stay in the Premier League and top five midfielders?
All the talk is Ange Postecoglou could be on his way out of Tottenham. Not so fast says Martin Samuel…he might have done better than you think. Could a Europa…
- The Game
EFL Extra: Two to go, so much to play for…
All the latest from the nail biting EFL with Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson. Congratulations to free scoring Leeds and rock solid Burnley who are both heading…
- The Game
How important is momentum? Should you protect star players? And greatest ever midfielders…
Leicester are relegated, would they have fared better if they had stuck with Steve Cooper? Manchester United, fresh from a thrilling European come back crashed…
- The Game
Are Arsenal favourites against PSG? And a new contract for Van Dijk
Was Arenal’s win in Madrid a coming-of-age performance for Mikel Arteta’s side? After beating the fifteen-time champions Real Madrid what chance do they have…
- The Game
EFL Extra: The EFL is mad!
Cliché alert: A week is a long time in football. Nothing stays the same for long in the championship, Leagues One and Two Leeds were sinking, now they are top…
- The Game
Who is worse Man Utd or Spurs?
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are on course for their worst ever Premier League seasons. Do both now need massive re builds on and off the pitch? Or…
- The Game
Have you ever seen a better free kick than Declan Rice’s?
Was Arsenal’s win over Real Madrid their best performance under Mikel Arteta? At its heart was a dominant display from Declan Rice, topped off by two…
- The Game
"There is jeopardy everywhere you look!”
‘Crunch time’, ‘the pressure is on’, ‘squeaky bum time’… call it what you like now is when it matters. The EFL is an edge of the seat ride. Tom Clarke and…
- The Game
Is this a great season or an awful season?
Is there something ‘off’ this season? Run away leaders Liverpool lost, but Arsenal had already dropped points, and relegation was sorted out weeks ago. Yet…
- The Game
Jose Mourinho – a great or a clown? And VAR … again
If ever a game highlighted the problems of VAR it was the Merseyside derby. There is universal agreement that James Tarkowski’s tackle on Alexis Mac Allister…
- The Game
Best ever full backs and Premier League predictions
With Forest, Villa and Palace all through it’s a varied FA Cup semi final line up…but does the presence of Manchester City have an inevitable fell to it?…
- The Game
EFL prediction time: Who's going up and who's going down?
All the very latest from an enthralling EFL with Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson. With eight games to go the EFL is far from over. In the Championship the top…
- The Game
How do Liverpool replace Trent Alexander Arnold?
It looks like Trent Alexander Arnold is off to Real Madrid. Where does that leave Liverpool? Does it mean Salah and Van Dijk might now stay? Alexander Arnold’s…
- The Game
"Is international football crap?”
Thomas Tuchel’s first game is out of the way…it wasn’t memorable. Did anyone learn anything from it? Did they lack leadership, is Lewis Skelly a left back for…
- The Game
Does Thomas Tuchel need to win the World Cup?
Is Thomas Tuchel’s England squad a step forward or a step back? The selection of Jordan Henderson and Kyle Walker with the omission of younger talent has…
- The Game
Newcastle United win! A one off or the first of many?
Newcastle United won their first domestic trophy in 70 years. what does it mean to the club, the city and its fans? A well-deserved win on the pitch what…
- The Game
Champions League, VAR and Manchester United’s ‘circus’
Is this why VAR was brought in, for a ‘perfectly good penalty’ to be ruled out? It may be in the letter of the law, but what about the spirit? Real Madrid are…
- The Game
EFL Extra: “This is when it really matters!”
All the latest from the EFL as Gregor and Tom look at the top and bottom of the Championship and the best from Leagues One and Two. It was a very spikey set of…
- The Game
Which teams offer the best entertainment value? (It’s not Man Utd or Arsenal)
Arsenal stumbled – again. Manchester United were average – again. So, which teams do deserve the prime time 4pm Sunday slot? Spurs v Bournemouth put on a good…
- The Game
Can an English club win the Champions League? And Alisson heroics
Paris Saint Germain were amazing…they just weren’t quite as good as Alisson Becker. Liverpool’s one nil win in the French capital was largely down to the…
- The Game
FA Cup reaction and are Man Utd fans turning on Sir Jim Ratcliffe?
Shoot outs, red cards and moments of madness – the FA Cup delivers. At old Trafford cup holders Man Utd were dumped out by Fulham and the fans made their…
- The Game
Best ever individual seasons: Salah, Henry, Terry? Plus, hats off to Arne Slot
The title race is done, so time to recognise the job Arne Slot is doing at Anfield. It is much more than ‘tweaks’ according to Gregor and Martin. With Arsenal…
- The Game
EFL Extra: Championship snakes and ladders and EFL fatigue
Join Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson for all the latest news from the Championship, League One and League Two. Is it time to give Frank Lampard credit? His…
- The Game
Liverpool bossed it; have Arsenal blown it?
Arsenal fluffed their lines at home to West Ham. Liverpool capitalised with their first win at Manchester City in ten years. It puts Liverpool eleven points…
- The Game
Do you pity Manchester City? And is Darwin done?
Manchester City were dumped out of the Champions League by a dominant Real Madrid. At what point do we start to feel sorry for Pep and his team? Now, according…
- The Game
Spurs win the dysfunction derby & 'never go full press'
Tottenham back to their best? Or did they just play against an EVEN worse team in Manchester United? Tony Cascarino, Hamzah Khalique-Loonat and Gregor…
- The Game
Fitting finale at Goodison and the end for Pep?
What a fitting finale for Goodison Park’s final Merseyside derby. A thrilling roller coaster of a game, four goals, three red cards, VAR and a last minute…
- The Game
EFL Extra: Make changes, make 'em at the right time...
Great escapes, standout signings and a managerial merry go round in this week's EFL Extra. Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson discuss whether Sunderland have the…
- The Game
Brilliant Plymouth but what is a cup shock?
Was it an FA Cup shock for the ages, bottom of the Championship Plymouth beating European and Premier League leaders Liverpool? Or did Liverpool’s line up…
- The Game
Newcastle bully Arsenal and Manchester United’s ‘Mission Impossible’?
St James’ Park was a cauldron, Arsenal were cowed, and Newcastle are off to Wembley. Is Newcastle’s forward line the best around at the moment? And did Arsenal…
- The Game
Arsenal humble City and did Liverpool get lucky?
Arsenal stayed humble and thrashed Man City. Did the result say more about a dominant Arsenal performance or a fragile aging Manchester City team? Myles…
- The Game
TRANSFER SPECIAL
Tom Clarke is joined by Gary Jacob and Martin Hardy to look at all the latest transfer news. Will Ollie Watkins be an Arsenal player in the next 48 hours?…
- The Game
“Pep is losing it!” And is Ollie Watkins worth 60 million?
What do you think of the new Champions League format? It gets mixed reaction in the studio – full of excitement but was there any real jeopardy? Manchester…
- The Game
Groundhog Day for Spurs and what makes Bournemouth so good?
Can it get any worse for Spurs? Losses to Everton and at home to Leicester have piled the pressure on Ange Postecoglou, but the fans are turning on chairman…
- The Game
How do City rebuild? And the problem with Havertz
Manchester City threw away a two goal lead again. As they sign three players in a week, will Pep Guardiola be around for the re build? The result proved one…
- The Game
EFL Extra: Clash of the cash and managers old and new
All the latest from the Football League with Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson. Tony Mowbray is back, and he is back at West Brom. After recovering from cancer…
- The Game
Who are the ‘Big Six’? And how long will Ange last?
What is the future of Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou? With his Spurs team sitting in their worst league position at this stage since 2009, injuries galore…
- The Game
How many teams are in the title race?
A tough win in the north London derby has but Arsenal well and truly back in the title race. But who else is in the picture? Liverpool and Forest; Chelsea have…
- The Game
Arsenal v Man Utd and why play extra time?
Did Manchester United display fantastic spirit, organisation and grit or were they lucky and should have lost by three if Arsenal could finish? For Mikel…
- The Game
Will Newcastle or Spurs win the cup? And is Potter the answer for West Ham?
How many Newcastle players would get in a Premier League team of the season - two, three…five?! Would any manager other than Ange Postecoglou buy a…
- The Game
EFL Extra – Managers on the move, promotion places and the FA Cup
A must listen for fans of teams in the football league. With Stoke, Millwall, West Brom, Oxford, Hull just some of the clubs who’ve changed manager. But, will…
- The Game
Have Amorim's Manchester United turned a corner?
Manchester United were more than worthy of their draw at Anfield. Should they have won? Was this an exception or a sign of things to come? Plus, Arsenal…
- The Game
Title race, Chelsea’s belief, Liverpool’s contracts and Amorim’s system
Arsenal go within six points of Liverpool, could they make it a proper title race? Chelsea have slipped up Martin Samuel thinks it is self-inflicted and…
- The Game
Predictions for 2025 and are Manchester United in a relegation fight?
It goes from bad to worse at Old Trafford, are they really in a relegation fight? Will Amorim change his system, can he change his system? Ipswich have their…
- The Game
What on earth is wrong at Man City and Man Utd? Plus, Newcastle, Fulham and Forest are flying.
Could Manchester United be in a relegation fight? Could Manchester City finish mid table and could Fulham or Forest make the top four? It might have sounded…
- The Game
A Happy Christmas for Liverpool; Bah Humbug for Spurs, United and City
Another pulsating game at the Tottenham stadium, another win for Liverpool another six conceded for Spurs. Is the title Liverpool’s to lose? For Ange…
- The Game
What next for Marcus Rashford? And a great League Cup line up
Marcus Rashford looks to be on his way out of Manchester United. A tail of a talent lost or stalled? Martin Samuel, Jonathan Northcroft and Tony Cascarino join…
- The Game
City keep losing; Chelsea keep winning. Plus sackings and the greatest saves
If Pep Guardiola is the greatest manager of the modern era, its time for him to prove his worth. Manchester City are a “crumbling dynasty” losing again in a…
- The Game
Saudi saga and more trouble in Manchester
World Cup 2034 is heading to Saudi Arabia and WC 2030 to Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Martin Samuel was revolted by proceedings… “FIFA conducted two one horse…
- The Game
EFL EXTRA: Our Friends in the North
The top of the Championship is dominated by teams from the north – Sheffield United, Leeds, Burnley, Sunderland, Middlesborough and Blackburn. Martin Hardy…
- The Game
Chelsea shine; Tottenham capitulate; INEOS embarrass
Can Chelsea win the title? Some think it is a silly question, but why? Were Spurs trying to perpetuate the ‘Spursy’ cliché? Two up at home but ending in…
- The Game
Unstoppable corners and managers under pressure…
A six-goal thriller at St James Park allowed Arsenal, Chelsea and City to pick up points on Liverpool. Gregor Robertson and Martin Samuel wax lyrical about…
- The Game
Who is in the title race?
Manchester City are out of the title race…right? Some think they might even have a fight on for top four. Liverpool by contrast looked in control throughout…
- The Game
How good is Arne Slot? What’s too old in football?
Under Arne Slot Liverpool are top of the Premier League and the new Champions League format. They’ve beaten Real Madrid for the first time in fifteen years…
- The Game
EFL EXTRA: Form teams and where to sign great players at great prices.
Gregor Robertson and Tom Clarke return to cast an eye over a busy week of EFL action. Leeds are starting to look like a team who were preseason favourites. The…
- The Game
Liverpool in control, City in trouble and Arsenal back in gear?
What a weekend! Are Manchester City in crisis? Has Martin Odegaard put Arsenal back in the title race, or are Liverpool going to run away with it? It was…
- The Game
Pep’s new contract; Manchester United’s new start and Premier League previews
Will Pep Guardiola’s contract extension end Manchester City’s poor run? Martin Samuel, Gregor Robertson and Tony Cascarino join Tom Clarke to look at what…
- The Game
England are fun again! Will it stay that way?
Lee Carsley has left England with a veritable spring in their step – a five-nil defeat of Republic of Ireland, four first time scorers and the joy of scoring…