Sports
Isak, Wirtz & Salah Problem, Arsenal Flying & Bellingham’s England Saga | It’s Called Soccer EP 54
In this episode of It's Called Soccer, the hosts dive into the struggles of key players like Mo Salah and the impact of injuries on Liverpool's performance. They also discuss Arsenal's ...
Isak, Wirtz & Salah Problem, Arsenal Flying & Bellingham’s England Saga | It’s Called Soccer EP 54
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Interactive Transcript
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Hi, Chaps. Happy Monday morning in California. Happy Monday lunchtime in the East Coast. Happy Monday afternoon.
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Taylor Twelman has taken a red eye. I mean, this should be called Taylor's Travels. That's what this
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podcast should be. And for those listening, the reason why I'm telling you he's taken a red eye is
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because he's obviously knackered and he has had to get up off the red eye and come straight onto
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the podcast. So he has been consuming and it doesn't look like there's many left in that box.
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An entire box of Blue Rosbury, Sour Mike and Ike. Yes, it's amazing. Greatest taste ever. Naturally next to
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the largest ice coffee you can possibly consume within 30 minutes. It may or may not be my third one
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since I've landed Rebecca. So if you don't hear me speak for two to three minutes, Theo, I am using
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the men's room. Do you feel a bit sick when you I think I used to take a lot of red eyes. I feel a
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bit sick when I land in the morning like a little bit like slightly hit by a truck feeling. Did you?
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Yes. The 18 wheeler went right over me and a cat may or may not have pooped in the back of my mouth
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when I was sleeping on the airplane. Did you have a bed real quick? We like this the every bed.
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Yes, I did. First world problems. Yes, I did. Okay. Well, that actually means that you're on the same
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situation as me and Theo because when you have a bed on a plane, I mean like you said. That's
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my problem. That means you're on the same level as me. Here we go. Let's start the pod.
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Okay. First of all, Taylor, how's your back? Because you said that's a text during the week on
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our little group thread for it. It's going to stop and you're like, I'm throwing my back out. But
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then I saw you playing golf. So do me a favor. What are you talking about? Drugs are good. Drugs are
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really important. You do something like that. No, in all seriousness, guys, short story.
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Getting on the airplane, it's a little wet. And I see it six o'clock in the morning kind of
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weird. And I slip kind of like a quick jolt. And I'm like, I'm fine. I sit on the plane.
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I go to get off the plane. And I can't literally can't get up. I can't stand up. And I'm like,
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oh, no, I threw my right hip out. It wasn't my back. It's no fun. It is funny. Here's why it's
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funny, Rebecca, because you're on the pod. Because Theo and I don't know this pain. I go see
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the Cairo. And he goes, what'd you do? Have a baby? That's funny. And he goes, yeah, yeah,
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Taylor, I only pregnant women do this kind of thing. And I actually did it. I actually went to
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the car practice after I gave birth with a hip that was out of whack. And one leg was like three
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inches short. Then the other after I gave birth. Anyway, nobody needs my burping story. Theo,
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have you played golf nine holes, 10 holes, 12 this week? I played golf yesterday, actually. And I
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had friends with me. I played with some people. And I actually ended up winning as well. So I
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about that Taylor. Yeah. Nine holes. Oh, my God. 18, 18. He's getting better. Taylor, I'm getting
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proud. Like he started with no friends and nine holes. And now he's got friends. I'm winning 18.
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I know. Bless him. Bless him. Well, do you feel I started of 18 holes, but it takes me four holes
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to get going. That's always my problem. So yeah, I think golf should be 15 holes, maybe 14.
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And then go. I don't know. Maybe go to the driving range before it starts. I did. That's the problem.
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Do you think though hiring Angepostocoglu was an error? I think whatever Nottingham Forrest does
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because of their ownership and leadership is always going to be an error. You know, he wants
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he wants characters around. I get down to you. Bellamy is what? That however he wants a team and
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he's not a team member. It's my time. Because I was up close and personal with him and I was like,
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wow, you are feisty. We haven't seen that yet on TV. Well, it's going to happen. If this carries on,
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they're going to push him and they're going to poke him and they're going to try and get him to
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give a reaction. There's an aura to Arsenal right now. There's a different error to it that they
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all collectively are like, listen, we're going to win this thing. We want to win this thing and we'll
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do anything. Now he's realizing actually, God, we've got tough. We've got five, six, seven,
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new signings that don't understand what means to be able to pull.
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Not a good weekend for Liverpool because they go into the international break in second position.
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I didn't think anybody saw that coming. If we were talking, I think it was a week ago last Saturday
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morning, right? They were five points clear. So, let's say nine days ago, five points clear today,
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as we go into international break, a point behind Arsenal after everything that happened at the
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weekend. Let's start with that unbelievable game at Sanford Bridge, the late game on Saturday,
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Liverpool losing to Chelsea by two goals to one. Esteevau with that last minute winner,
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the 18 year old Brazilian one to kid. Incredible scenes. Maresca running down the touch line.
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Absolutely love it. Congratulations to Chelsea, but we've got to talk about Liverpool. I'm not
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quite sure where to start when it comes to them. We've covered Viet's last week. We've done the
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fullbacks. We've also mentioned that Miloz Kirk has been struggling at left back. Right back is
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definitely a problem. Now Trent has gone. They haven't found somebody to fill in properly with. It's
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soberslides. It's friend Pong. Friend Pong doesn't want to work there, does he? As a fullback. But one
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of the problems Taylor that they've also got is Mozala. I don't know how much of the quietness
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of Mozala is because there's no Trent behind him. Yes, I'm so glad you phrased the question in
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that manner because I'd argue three problems that Liverpool have. Two of them, they're the combination
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of no Trent. Then, Salah doesn't have that overriding theme of, do I defend the overlapping run from
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Trent Alexander? Can I can I come inside? So now they're both compounding each other. My biggest
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issue, truthfully, Rebecca is on top of this without Nunez and Diaz. Doesn't it feel like there's a
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lack of energy defending from the front? There's no real of what we love from Liverpool, the defensive
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actions, the counter press. However, we want to phrase it, there's none of that. But I think no Trent
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has hurt Salah. I really believe that because I think Trent consistently being an outside back,
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consistently being a threat. He was honestly the metronome for the team in wide areas because you
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could play through him and know you could have three V2s, two V1s, whatever it may be. But now it
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makes, and I hate saying this word, but it makes it predictable. It was unpredictable with Trent
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on that side for Salah. Now it is predictable. And yes, he's a little bit older, Father
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Times not going on the door. It's a little bit easier to defend Liverpool without trying on the
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side. But I think the biggest issue is that identity in the front with Nunez and Diaz and the
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pursuit in the counter pressing, getting the ball back, they lack energy in that. They lack an
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identity there. And I don't think they really scare anyone when it comes to that type of thing.
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But I think Trent Alexander not being on the right has limited Salah. And I think Theo's going
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to agree with me on this. The counter pressing from Liverpool without Nunez without Diaz. Now they've
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got more of a technical team. I hate saying it that way, but you know where I'm trying to go with
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this with the amount of money that they've signed. You don't have that reaction from Liverpool that
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puts you under the gun a little bit. Theo, Mo Salah, signing that massive contract that took forever
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to come to fruition. He was actually quite quiet towards the end of last season in terms of just
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his presence on the field. And he's continued that Theo this season. I was in the studio this weekend
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with Robbie Musto and Stephen Warnock. And they were both like, well, it's not like we haven't
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seen this before. An aging player who eeks out another contract and then does exactly what
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Liverpool were nervous he was going to do straight away. Now I'm not saying that is happening.
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He might just be having a bit of a sort of a slow patch. What do you think about why Mo Salah is
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just not looking like he has done for the last, gosh, five, 10 years? It's more on the fact the
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level he's set. And I think we'll kind of forget how big of a hit in everything that's happened
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for Liverpool with Diego Jotter. And the fact that when you have someone who's very close
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to you every day and you never see this person who he could influence in a positive way,
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his character, the way he's around the training ground, the way he brings people together,
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it could well be affecting the team massively. It could be affecting Mo particularly,
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anyone like his family of course I understand. But I think we're forgetting that these guys,
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yes, they need to go do a job. However, they've had something horrific happen to
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a big part of their Liverpool careers. And maybe I took a good think about it thinking, yes,
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we want these players to play and perform. But however, we forget that other people. And he's
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trying his best of course, but it's just not quite clicking for him in that that could be a fact
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and no doubt it's a fact to actually, of course it is. I mean, could it be a factor for all of these
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reasons? Obviously, Alison's injured, they've got Mamadash Ville, the full backs are not yet working
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out. Can Arte's not in good form. Virgil's having to do such a lot of heavy lifting. Florian Vitz
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is not fitting in as we saw him again. Salar is quiet. Isaac doesn't even look like
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scoring a goal right now. And Gack posed quite quite when he plays on the left. Do you think the
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grief that we have to remember could be infiltrating and be behind all of this or could it be that
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they've changed too much too soon? I think that's a lot of, yeah, I think they've changed, yeah,
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you're hitting the on head there. I think they've changed too much too quickly. However,
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we all started season were Liverpool was my favourites and they still not perform well, but they're
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only a lot of point off Arsenal, right, without actually performing at a level. And then we were
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expecting Liverpool to perform. Will be Christmas period where their squad will really take its
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shape or what I thought, but I think they all got to look at each other and think actually,
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no, we need to start doing better. We need to be doing more. And I think it's more people,
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players like Virgil Bandaike is actually having them a lot more responsibility than he ever has
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done. He has a lot of responsibility anyway in that football club. But now he's realizing actually,
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God, we've got tough, we've got five, six, seven new signings that don't understand what
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means to play for Liverpool. And I think that's what it is, is not understanding what it means.
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Because I see vets run around like, like, once that time in the ball, and I said this a few weeks
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back, you don't get time the Premier League and people like Frippong, you got to adapt and get
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the best at a Mo Salah. He had Trent behind him who was, you know, the best, just to be over ball
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that probably the English game has ever seen. Now that's gone from him and he's having someone
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like Frippong constantly bombing around him and he doesn't need that. He doesn't need to be,
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he needs to isolate the ball back himself, not actually trap more players. And I think that
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balance and those relationships, the connections aren't happening. I think Mo Salah's really.
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Theo, they look predictable now, don't worry. Yeah, it is. They were never predictable with,
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with Trent there, they just weren't predictable. I think in Theo, I want your opinion on this.
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I think Louise Diaz is a massive miss because he would sacrifice himself to defend. When you
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look at the amount of money they've spent at the TK, ESAC, VIRTS, they're all attacking players,
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they're not going to give themselves up to defend and sacrifice themselves. I think Louise Diaz
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is a massive miss. I think as well, Taylor, actually. I understand why he left because he's probably
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one of the best wingers who was so direct, so unique. And he was probably the player Liverpool that
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was not getting paid what he felt was right for someone in his ability. So I understand as a
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player, he's thinking, one moment, I'm one of the best wingers in the country. I've won the
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Premier League. I should be getting paid. And it does come down to that. I know, and it will as a
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player. I think that was a major factor. And that's the difference. Liverpool actually trying to
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think, you know, the wage side of things, you know, how far they go. So I can look at Harry,
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Rebecca, Harry Keynes got what? 75 goals in his first eight games. I don't find that a coincidence.
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True. Because they're pairing up aren't they? We'll talk about Harry K. And actually,
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because I want to get to Harry K later on in this pod. I think what's also interesting for me is
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on a slot really last season had nothing difficult to deal with during the season other than the
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contract issues of Virgil Van Dyke Trent and Salah, which was something that he can deal with all day
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long, because he's just that good with the media. And all of a sudden, he's now having to rebuild a
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team, which maybe didn't need rebuilding, but they've chosen to try and rebuild it to make it
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better. And that is a huge challenge that he didn't have to do last year under the spotlight
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of Liverpool Football Club, which is not anything he's ever had to deal with before.
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So they've lost a little bit of ground and the Arsenal look like they did last weekend,
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actually, like they have done midweek flawless. And I think you said last weekend in the pod last
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week, you said there is no weakness in this team. And it felt like, because West Ham had gone there,
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I think the last two seasons and one. And so there was always going to be like, oh no, is it going
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to be that history repeating itself? It could not have been more a walk in the park straight forward.
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Than it was. And that is what they need. Just turn out the straight forward out second gear
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victories right there. Yeah, no, just quickly, actually going, quickly going back to Arnie Slot.
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It's well, we don't actually understand what he's like when they're not performing well,
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away from the scenes in the meetings, how he's actually behaviour, talking to players as well,
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because he hadn't suffered these many defeats last year. And now we're suddenly going to see
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different side of him. But anyway, that's enough ball of football. Anyway, Arsenal, yes.
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And also, sorry, real quick on that. No, no, you got me thinking. Also, with the media,
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we haven't seen him get stressed out yet. And I was there on opening weekend against
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Bournemouth and the opening weekend and the press seats that we had at NBC were right there
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between the two that dug out. And I watched Slot a lot and he was getting furious,
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like so animated, unlike anything I'd seen before with the fourth official. Because I was
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up close and personal with them. And I was like, wow, you are feisty. We haven't seen that yet
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on TV. Well, it's going to happen. If this carries on, I mean, unless he is a better person than
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anybody. Like he is there going to push him and they're going to poke him and they're going to
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try and get him to give a reaction. And that is going to be really interesting to see how he can
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deal with that as well. Well, back in the Marco Silva was like that. When we were winning
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in the best managed in the world. Yeah. So you lost two, three. Clop was like that.
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Like Jack Corn, like that. He was like, loving and joking. Let's give everyone a hug,
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Yogan Clop. And then the minute they lost a couple, he was mean. He was mean. Yogan Clop
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to the interviewer. So I'm excited to see that. I would like everybody pleased to be like Thomas
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Frank. Thank you very much. Back to my arsehole question. I asked like five minutes ago.
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I don't even know what it was. I mean, it was just like, could it be, I tell you what it was. Thank
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you very much. It was so straightforward against where Sam, it was like sort of like
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a tailor. There are none left. You've eaten them all, Taylor. You're seven years old. You've eaten
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all seven. Arsenal look like they look exactly where they need to be. Don't they? All of a sudden.
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Do you know what? When you say two nil as well, it was comfortable. It was not,
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and even on it's comfortable. It was never ever ever signs of them actually dropping any points.
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I think that was the difference last year. They drew too many games and these are the kind of games
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they would have drawn. And I think the stress levels around their actual fan base as well
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as pretty relaxed because they knew how much control they were, the possession as well.
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Look, I think Arsenal, I've said this, they are in a moment and I think they can even get better.
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I say that because the matter of players and the competition on a day-to-day basis and they're
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all in one mind right now. Mika Aattetta's got them all focused the way he wants to think.
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And I think when you have that as a manager in your team and that's what it is, it's not a bunch
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of individuals anymore trying to moments. They've got a team where someone drops out, it's no problem.
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Ode to guard picks up an injury, it's no problem. Sucker picks up an injury. It's no problem.
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Everyone would have been devastated before with Ode to guard's injury and it's like,
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oh we got injured, oh yeah, he's out at the incest. What? Oh, because they're scored so good.
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It doesn't matter anymore because and that was a problem. They had to, they were relying on some
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individuals too much last year on a two, like the amount of games that are playing. They couldn't do
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at that level. Now they can, you can afford to take, make subs and the players are quite happy coming
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off. They, they doesn't bother them anymore because they know the matter of games are going to play
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and perform and affect the game and I think that's what it is. Effect the game, Artlenele. He's
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affected the game every time he's been on that field and I think yeah, there's more, there's
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different aura to Arsenal right now. There's a different heir to it that they all collectively are like,
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listen, we're going to win this thing. We want to win this thing and we'll do anything because I'm
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not sure. Odegard's injury or being subbed out would have been handled in the manner by past
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Arsenal teams over the past five to eight years. The way it's being handled now in the
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dress and they dominated. What was it? They had 68% possession. They had 20 semi-charts. They created
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all these, they, West him wasn't even in the game. And as well, Taylor's like, we're talking about
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slot with the way he's been different in the media. Even when the media asked questions about Odegard,
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Michele's like, it would just rob off no problem at all. We have Ezze. We have other players. We
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have Ethan Wenier at times can't even make the bench. It's a different side of him in a way he
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answers questions out to people. I think there's a really more about him right now. That happened
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real quick. That happened after that Gabriel header. That's when that happened because before
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that new castle game, he was one of those managers that was like sweet in the sunlight when they
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win and then a little mean when they didn't. So that at change has happened quickly. I need to
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ask you about Sackad this morning, my little boy went to cross-country practice and he put on his
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Sackad top. Yes. Because Sackad this week, scoring on his 200th Premier League appearance,
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becoming just the seventh youngest player in Premier League history to reach 100 goal
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involvements. So that's 100 goals or assists in 200 Premier League games. This kid, apart from
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the fact I'd like to put him in my pocket and just carry him around because I just love him that
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much. This kid is, how do you even articulate how good this kid is there?
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Yeah, he's one of many, many good wingers at Arsenal Football Club, that's for sure.
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No, do you know what I just I think we forget our young years still and what he's achieved in the
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game and what he's had to come through through some very dark moments in his career from what
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other people say, but his behaviors. He's an absolute role model for every young
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footballer coming through just the way he deals with situations and I just love the way he
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just smiles and just plays with that freedom and we spoke about players in the same freedom.
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And he does and I said this at the start of the pod as well when they started Maddoec here,
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we see a different side of him and I'm telling you we are seeing a different side of him. We
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massively are. He obviously got picked in England scopes, which is amazing for him of course.
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Might have changed Maddoec here he wasn't there but I'm sure we can talk about a bit later.
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However, I just think he's so important to the team. However, it's nice to know,
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knowing that you can have a bit of a rest because he deserves it at times. Yeah.
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And credit to him. But look, he's I remember when I first retired actually and I went into the
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dressing room, I went to go see the guys and I bought the kids kids in and they took them in the gym
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signed their shoes and showed them around and I thought, did goodness me, I want to take you home as
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well and put you my pocket goodness. I know right put him in the pocket. I was in that building called
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that game European Cup final and what was he 19 when he missed the penalty? I think he was 19 or
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would every day was maybe a little younger. And it was four or five days after the mass mandate was
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lifted from COVID and it was there was a real energy to that building one of the things I'll
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remember for the rest of my life. But what he dealt with after that is as
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to show I will always be a soccer. I will always be his fan because to redeem himself. And I'm not
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talking about redeem himself on the field. I'm talking about to not let that derail his hopes, his
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dreams, his passion, his conviction to giving back in life. I will forever be a fan of his
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because that is perseverance. That was completely ridiculous, completely inhumane what he dealt
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after that after a miss penalty which we all would agree was kind of ridiculous he was put into
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something didn't even have a touch and had to take the penalty but I digress. He's unbelievable.
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I will forever be a fan of his. Yeah, I agree. The gumption, the strength of character to deal with
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that disgusting racism and like you say not only continuing his incredibly graceful, humble way
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that he goes about his day-to-day life off the field but then to thrive on the field
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is is otherworldly actually. So anyway he's in my pocket if you need to know where he is he's right there.
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I have just had to pick up my phone to double check, triple check that Angel Postercoglu has yet
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to be fired. He hasn't been fired yet. Nottingham Forest went to Newcastle lost that seven games
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now Angel Postercoglu has taken charge of no win. He's coming out fighting. He is coming out
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fighting. He says I love a fight. He said so what if it's a fight if it's a struggle? It's okay.
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Well it might not be okay because Taylor we know that evangelos Maranakis or Mr Maranakis is
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everybody in the vicinity of Nottingham seemingly has to call him likes to make quick decisions
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and I'm for one I don't think he should be fired because you're firing somebody after 27 days
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in the job today's day 28 would be insanity to me really really insane. Sam Adais at Leeds
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right now has the shortest tenure of any manager and that was when he took over at the end and he
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was only fired because the season ended and he took leads down. So 27 days is 28 days is ridiculous.
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However we're talking about evangelos Maranakis who does these things. He did a manager after
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11 games at an impiaco so I'm now thinking we're on Monday morning at California time. We're on
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Monday if you're going to fire him do it now because don't fire him halfway through the international
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break because you've got to get somebody else in blah blah blah. So I'm hoping that he's going to
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remember international break. Do you think though Taylor hiring and Pastor Coglou was an error?
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I think whatever Nottingham force does because of their ownership and leadership is always going to be
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an error just because it seems like it's way more emotional driven than any kind of analysis,
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any kind of real cool headed calmness it's just not going to happen and so
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I think he took the job too soon. I personally believe that. How do you turn that down Taylor?
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It's a Premier League job. You know you might be the one that's right out of my mouth.
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It's too many in the way to have the choice. No. Yes he too. I think at a perfect world he would have
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been like give me a few months here but you don't have that in a perfect world. It's the Premier League
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and they're going to offer you the job you have to take the job of my work. This is a job where he's
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what lost five. What is he done seven with seven? Get five of seven. He's lost seven without a win.
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They have it look like they've been a part of any of the games Theo and Rebecca. They don't even look
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competent enough to win. He's now having to address the quote that someone said he's already called
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it a lost cause. So now he's defending that in the pressors and talking with that with the media.
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I don't trust anything that force does and I disagree with you. It would not surprise me by the
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time we'd stop taping this podcast. If in the middle of the international break he's out. He's out.
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Well if he does just to let everybody know we will just very quickly try and jump back on and just
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give our reaction. Otherwise we'll be massively out of date. Theo do you think Maranacchi should just
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say I got this wrong. Sack him. Get somebody else and start again. Do you think that's what should
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happen? Goodness me look as a player in your in this dressing room when Nuno went I would have been
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just discussing with each other thinking what are they doing. So now they have these conversations
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the players are because what they achieved last year and what he brought to that football club and
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Maranacchi doesn't look at that. He just looked at oh and he's probably he won the one with Tottenham
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didn't he let's let's get someone in to win that competition for us. I think he'll do it for us.
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If he doesn't it'll be in the second year. But I just mean as a player I'm just thinking we've
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worked so hard to know what Nuno does. Now I've got to do a different way and the profiles of the
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players aren't the way and wants to play. I haven't changed. So right in that short amount of time
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and he's got asked me to do something different they can't do it. It's like when there's that
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so amptum we have managed to change it constantly. They can't adapt that quickly you can't you need
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time in an international break. They need to give them another few months. Well they will have to
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because he's not really you think about it. The period of time he's been there he's had seven games
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he's a wouldn't have trained a lot with these guys and exactly what he wants to do or even at the
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level anyway because managers need you know you know a couple weeks to just even preseason they need
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to see this and they've had mid-week games pretty much the whole time. Exactly and however the way
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the Premier League is and the manager it's sorry the ownership of a lot of clubs and the way the
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talk is he won't be there yeah. I just I can't it's not going to change and the way he is so that's
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a shame because I kind of like the way he speaks in the me I like it I kind of like it. Do you do
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fear? Yeah do you I do I like to speak to honesty like don't mind a bit. Does he though I don't know
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I think I liked him when he first came for the first couple of months when he was such a breath of
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fresh air I just think because everything has kind of not gone his way I don't know I think he I
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I've talked about this last year I don't know about Rebecca I think he always interview interviewers.
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He kind of wants to give the media a little bit he wants to fight everyone I should call him like.
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Yeah but why does he have to fight somebody asking a question doing their job sorry anyway. No
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Okay I'll always come down the side of the journalist off of
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We've got other things to get to this week guys because we're heading into international
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breaks I want to touch on both England and USA and of course England squad comes out and of
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course Harry Kane is in it and he'll always be in it I don't care if he's got broken leg he'll
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still be in it but we need to talk about him a little bit for you at club level because we don't
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really talk about Harry Kane in the same breath as you know the messies and the Ronaldo's and the
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Bappays and stuff and yet here he is with 18 goals in 10 games this season for Bayern Munich and
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to become the quickest player to score 100 goals for one of Europe's top 5 league clubs he's
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absolutely on fire why does he not get more credit from who's he not getting credit from who
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I mean I just I just feel like no I'm not sure he gets enough credit from anybody actually do you
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think he does I think he's incredible I mean playing with him as well as another play with Taylor
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yeah what was that like oh my the name drop but I'm okay with the name dropping I got
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to think it doesn't surprise me he's the most professional person on and off the field he is so
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humble and he for the players he's not he's no Ronaldo put it this way like you you probably
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couldn't look at Ronaldo you'd have to have permission to look at Ronaldo well you can't
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it's in his contract you can it's actually in the contract you can't but I just think Harry Kane is
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he's a goal scorer he he just and I've got no work I just think he's incredible I think he's
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incredible I think it continues to be incredible I think the way he lives his life off the field
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really is a big factor and Harry performs on it as well I think he's so humble and I think he's
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arguably one of the greatest goal scores of all time that I've ever witnessed yes but what Rebecca's
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asking to though I think it's a fair question is because literally the moment he left heart numb
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it's almost out of sight out of mind to everybody and I and I know this sounds crazy but he's not
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talked about the same way especially over here the way we talked about Levantovsky Luis Suarez
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even even Sergio Aguero like it was always these things like and part of it is I think Harry Kane's
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journey was very interesting how many loan spells did he go on and play in or I am Norwich Lester
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and not good at any of them really Mil Wolf did I want to say not good at any of them where
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Theo hit the nail on the head is he is kind of robotic what I mean by that is he's consistent
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but he doesn't do anything off the field there's no real style he's not worried about the hoopla
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about any of that he's worried about putting the ball in the back of the net which he's done at an
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unbelievable rate at Bayern Munich which by the way we're talking about Bayern Munich top five club
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in the world top ten club in the world because people are going to lose their minds that American
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somehow have said top five but you know what I'm trying to say the reality is though it's true
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I mean he's got a hundred goals faster quicker than anyone it's because he's English no one likes
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English I agree I kind of agree with that there you know what those my use you you use the word
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robotic I think what what absolutely sums them up the most are his social media posts they I follow
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him on on X and I follow him on Instagram and I sometimes wonder why I do because I could literally
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tell you what's going to happen great game so happy to get more goals onto the next and we laugh
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at that because it's like either someone's obviously writing that for him but that's also
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reflected that here again yeah hundred percent hundred percent chat HK but fair enough because like
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you say he doesn't want to be distracted with writing his own Twitter feed and then maybe catch
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catch himself reading a couple of comments nobody needs that he has absolutely got his career
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so dialed in and so focused and his wife and the kids and the whole thing again put him in my other
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pocket he wouldn't fit but I'm putting him in my other pocket do you know it's real it's a reflection
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of all that's good yes those players Rebecca the the top top players just do things differently they
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they think differently they just like they they wake up at a different time they work out at a
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different time they they do more hours then people before you even got to the training ground and
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he's that type and yeah he's the go-to man I think he's incredible I think he's amazing okay so
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in the England squad no Jack Grelish guys no no full-fodan no Jack Grelish which you know
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Everton changed their ex bio yesterday after Grelish scored the winner against palace and all
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it said was Everton football club and underneath it just said Grelish for England which I
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love that too I absolutely love that too that's good band it is and the one thing I I mean obviously
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I was little devastated when when that winner went in to say the least but if anyone's going to
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score a winner against palace to end our 19 game on beaten run I'll give it to Jack Grelish because
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I have to say honestly I just think he's an absolute joy in every way in his post-match interview
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which again it's like interviewing a fan he's the most normal bloke he tells stories he just like
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come straight from the heart he talked about how he shouldn't get these he's he's he saw down on the
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floor the man on the match award and he went oh yeah see that man on match awards but you're going
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to give that to me but you know what Adam Morton should get that Adam Morton was the best player on
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the pitch today I mean when have you ever heard players say stuff like that I absolutely love him
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now he's not in the England squad and that is a shame Jude Bellingham is also not in the England
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squad and this is kind of juicy Taylor where do you stand on that coming back from injury and Thomas
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Tuckles has a fitness problem but we know that he's kind of fallen out a little bit with Thomas Tuckles
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when Thomas Tuckles mom called him was it revolting I think was the words which he then apologized
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from about and he and Thomas Tuckles said it was definitely kind of a loss in translation I didn't
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realize the word revolting meant quite what it meant in English you just get the feeling that oh
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England's arguably best player Jude Bellingham and England's manager are not on the same page
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because in the past England managers would have called up their stars as I say even if they've
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got a broken leg yes however it's what is it October 2025 if he's going to send a message to
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Jude Bellingham better now than late so I have zero problems what's the message truthfully
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oh the message is you got to get fit you got to get right because he hasn't really played great
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coming back from injury he hasn't been the same Jude Bellingham that you're that you want
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and if you're going to do it now for injury related fitness thing while also sending a message
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you got to remember Tuckles German there's there's subliminal messaging and everything they do I've
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played for about 10 Germans it just is what it it is what it is I'm okay with it now it's going to
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be a headline and it rightfully so should be a headline but I've seen a couple of the majority
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games I'm not sure Jude's at the same level so as a manager if you can do it now I'm okay with it
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but if he does it after the new year now there's a problem because now you're going into your
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world cup you're going into exactly where you need to prep and get camp and get time and all of that
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together feel I'm okay with it but it does feel like it could be a little murky in about six
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days weeks time Taylor as well you got to remember the squad play their best
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game for a long time in five years against Serbia of course and when I say not it's not the 11 it's not
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it's the squad and it's more the squad the guys on the bench the guys the staff how you speak
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yourself how you behave around the place I'm not saying he's in behave like I don't know him I'm
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just thinking it's a big factor in how much positive energy you want at football club look at
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Arsenal it's positive everywhere right now it's the same story for England he wants people that
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are a team and he can care less of the best players he would go against that and it'd be hard
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to disarray or do you wear anyone from the last squad it really would and as much I want Jack
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Greedis back in sport I do I want Phil Foden because I think he's exceptional however
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me too what message you tend to players when you when you when you take to them this is the best
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performance we've had it's the first good big good performance to the up to you know it's good
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first game they've had well under two so why are you going to change exactly you wouldn't
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check if you're managing right now you're what's message you send into the players that are part
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of the squad that may not have played but they've contributed with the behaviors of how Serbia
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going to play to get the guys up to the level to perform you know the guys at an event sometimes
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I've been in the squad before where they think they should play they should be starting so you know
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they've got to be a certain player for a team but they're going to do it slightly differently do
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their own way no you meant to try and be like the team and I think yep it's important it's a good
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point for him to have a you know he wants he wants characters around I get down to be on his what
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that however he wants a team and he's not a team member it's my time you can see the way at times he
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he throws his arms around I think that's not a good look and then everyone looks like he cares
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and I get it he will care however it doesn't look good it does not look good and if we're a team
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yeah that's that is that's really interesting coming from a former England player England
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store what England legend that's interesting I didn't think you'd say that I actually
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thought you'd say you should call him out up because he's due belling him so I'm interested in
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that opinion very much I'm sort of I can't quite decide on my opinion on this one I just think
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due belling him comes across it so other than what you just said there about throwing the arms up
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when he talks I just think he's magic I think he's articulate I think he's thoughtful I think he's
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humble I think he comes across beautifully I know he has a problem with the written press and he
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doesn't have a problem with the broadcast press and I think if you ask the broadcast press and you
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ask the written press they'd have two different opinions up him I think you get two different
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answers from what I can gather but you can only take as you find and from what I found I think he
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comes across great so I'm a bit concerned that's why I'm so I'm more concerned that there's
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something wrong that's deeper I'm not sure he'd have forgiven Thomas Duke of for what he said because
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that was a terrible error of judgment by Tuckle but as well you look at if Matt O'Recky was fit
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I don't mean Sacka I think Sacka might not have gotten it I think you just said look I know what
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you're saying I think it would have been the same story yeah I do because I think it's the same
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thing he wants to keep that squad always going to be interesting in it it's going to be interesting
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but look I think Jude will be there he will be there I think he should be in the team I just think it's
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yeah I think he'll be there he'll be there he'll be because he's a winner is he's a winner and he's
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makes me create moments he's a welcome for him yeah yeah yeah we don't have that hard it's going to
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be hard to get there though out of your pocket Rebecca well I know I have a lot of players right now
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they've got Sacka we've got Harry Kane we got Jude we got gree-lices in the pocket as well I'm
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overflowing right now Glasm is always in the pocket he's like sewn into the pocket okay guys we've
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got to talk a bit about USA because going into this next international break Tyler Adams misses out
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because he's having baby number two well he's not his wife is Antley Robinson is back after
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knee surgery although he's struggling to really get into that full-on team what do you want Taylor
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to see this time from Piotr Tino side which has been up and down but it did finish well in the
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September break the last game in the September break he played three in the back and there was
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finally cohesion belief within the group this is the strongest camp he's called in in a while
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in a long time and rightfully so you have to there's not that many dates for the United States to
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prepare for World Cup goes World Cup qualifying all of this we've spoken about where it doesn't
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really exist and so you want to see some kind of progression within the system playing three in
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the back you Anthony Robinson this style this formation it suits him it plays into his strengths
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I'm a little surprised there's no Serginio DEST because he just played 68 plus minutes over the weekend
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and yet they're telling us that it was an injury concern but all in all I want to see some level
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of progression especially going forward and how dangerous they can be against the two opponents that
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they should be dangerous against you're facing Ecuador and Australia in friendly both
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friendly of course over the international break England just by the way I should have said this
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host Wales and a friendly then Latvia in a World Cup qualifier England should secure their place
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at 2026 World Cup where of course they might well go on to face the USA so we will have more to
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discuss between England and the USA in our international break episode that's going to be a little
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bit later next week it's going to come out I think on the Thursday of international break just so
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we can watch both of the games for both of the teams and then talk about it just real quick major
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league soccer tailor this week some big storylines Philadelphia Union winning the the supporter shield
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after firing their long term manager just tell us a bit about that it's a little surprising nobody
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would expect it I mean Jim Curtin was there for if I'm not mistaken 10 plus years yeah and when
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they fired him feel it was one of those where you're like hang on a minute this is coming out
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the blue then the rumors come out it was the sporting director or it was the head coach one had to
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go change was made and naturally the sporting director is going to say I get one more chance
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of as the coach the surprise was they went after Bradley Cardinal but Bradley Cardinal's pedigree
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is high energy Red Bull style the get after teams make it ugly turn him over and Rebecca they've
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punched above their weight they were fantastic on the season this is an eastern conference that is
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heavily heavily stronger than the western conference where there's a little bit more parity
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so the likes of Miami Cincinnati Columbus for Philadelphia to win this you're talking about the
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greatest moment of their franchise history now and saying that Bradley Cardinal with a chip on
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the shoulder last time he was manager in the playoffs he was the number one seed at St. Louis
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and they lost to sporting Kansas City as an eight seed so Philadelphia is going to have a bullseye
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on their back Bradley Cardinal's got to be better but honestly it's a huge surprise but that's
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what this league's built on surprises parity the ability to change it very quickly year after year
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and Philadelphia is a good example of that quick shout out to our friend of the show Phil
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Neville who has clinched a playoff spot with Portland Timbers well done Philip and San Diego FC my
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team think I'm right saying brother record for the most amount of points ever for a new team a new
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franchiseer for the new see I mean that's incredible Rebecca they also had the most wins so in my
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favorite part is if you actually if you actually track style points they're an unbelievable watch weekend
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and week out and they did so with real injuries to Chukilasano who missed some time
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unders dryers and MVP candidate he's been brilliant 30 goal contributions on the season
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but San Diego's got a style to them they go about their business they're going to play a very stubborn
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style possession high press their joy to watch but most wins most points in an expansion year
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kudos to them I love it I picked well you did always speaking of speaking of what it wait
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wouldn't do no picks this week no season no wait we're not doing picks this week I'm just glossing
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over that all right chaps so we're going to finish with question of the week this one is from
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Brandon and Albany new york yes Taylor you already have a question on the fact that I haven't
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even asked the question yet yeah just because I like how you're skipping over like should we
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give an update on the season standings for picks of the week Theo don't you think we should
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yeah well listen I just talk I just read everything that's in front of me and they have a
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put I never go off script ever not once ever ever and there's no picks of the week on my script so
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I couldn't tell you from memory what the table is so we'll reconvene on picks of the week
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obviously international break back to question of the week we have them Brandon I don't care
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from Albany new york right answer this Taylor you can go first just get you off the cent of picks
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of the week what is the funniest or craziest half-time team talk you've ever had nothing will ever
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beat Phil Brown and Hal but anyway when they had the team talk on the field remember that as
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amazing I was amazing when he did the team talk on the field if you haven't seen that look it up
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on youtube Phil Brown half-time halagence I can't remember kept his players out in the field in a
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circle and gave them a telling off and never they never went into the dressing room it was halagence
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man city it was unreal and then the next week Jimmy Bullard scored and then did that as a goal
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celebration and that nothing will ever beat the house really nothing will ever beat the house
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re okay give me your um funnest or crazy stuff time team talk today what's the rating of this show
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for you mean like uh is it like I don't know what that mean we do in England we do like you PG
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12 15 18 we don't know what are anything mean some time of 13 a okay so our our is 18 and older PG 13
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is 13 and under let's keep it PG okay um I played for Liverpool legend Stevie nickel um I played
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for him and his assistant coach was English and Ipswich legend Paul Mariner yeah why do I say that
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we had one half-time talk where neither one of them came into the came into the locker room
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so we just sat there what did they do we didn't know where they were right
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yes or then we're we're all doing you know you're sitting here and we're looking around like
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what time do we go back out and then we just we we want that they never addressed that
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that they never said it was never addressed it did do anything and it was amazing now it was
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it I've never been part of that much you know coaches and managers will yell at you that's not a
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great story but here's a great story real quick as Theo's gonna think about his crazy as half-time talk
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those two gentlemen Stevie nickel Paul Mariner they didn't tell the goalkeeper coach that they
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switched his boots out so he our goalkeeping coach was a size 10 of a 10 and a half they changed
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his boots to 9's but took out the tongue and wrote 10 and a half so about 10 days later
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he comes in and he's really limping and this is like at the half time of a game and he's sitting
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there going my toes are killing me we're laughing in those two jokers are the quarter of the
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locker of laughing they changed his boots to a size and a half down and gave our goalie coach
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gout they gave our goalie coach scouts yes some don't use for the best stories ever carry on
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I can't be anything weird anything weird at all a half-time ever something he played for
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something something something something so yeah our send he was not a man of many words a half-time
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really wasn't he was very yeah he was calculated so we just say and he would always walk in
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and be quiet so it's a very similar like just quiet no words said and everyone would be quiet
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and be like what are you going to say and they might just walk out the room and then come back in
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then says peace but however we played live Paul way one time and he came in we were all like
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there's just chatting he came in like effing and blinding oh really out of character couldn't
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believe what I was hearing what had driven it I mean the performance first half was awful
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and feel cross three balls out about I didn't even cross it I didn't get a chance I think you're the
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bull I need my midfield players to get me the ball it's not about the game and sesquil me
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I sent you guys all know but he came in and he was it just surprised us all and it shocked us and
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I can't repeat why you saying they sounded beautiful in French it really did didn't make you better
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second off did that one the game you see we gave a kick out the game and we won the game and
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after that he came in though and you said guys no words and then just walked out you have to be
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different in order to get a reaction yes if you if you do the same thing over and over the
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the players won't respond for arson to do that obviously you got a response if steving
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nico or paul mariner came in and didn't say the f word for an entire 15 minutes you would have
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got our attention because we would have been like wait a minute are they you know what I'm saying
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yeah except that we only can't react to that the only caveat that I would say is probably
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Sarai's Ferguson where I would have thought he would be full blown hair dryer when needed although to
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be fair it probably wasn't needed that much was it so actually when he did bring out that hair
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dryer for a key it would have been your right yeah it would have been a rarity and so it would have
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shocked them okay brilliant love it Brandon Albany thank you so much for sending us in your question
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that is all we've got time for guys this week's episode of it's called soccer is done and
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dusted we're going to be back next Thursday like I say so not Tuesday but next Thursday so we
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can take in all of the international games that we need to need to concerning England and the USA so
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we'll break down all those stories remember subscribe to the show YouTube Spotify Apple podcasts
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remember send us in your questions and we'll pick our community question of the week thank you
spk_0
for joining us chaps have a lovely international break bye
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season standings as follows oh no I said bye it's the end of the podcast
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stop recording oh I want to know you're still recording tell me you're at thea are you ready
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I want to direct some back it's a map well no I find it into no no it's it's it's actually
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because I'm so bored on this red eyes I was like you know what she's brought up some interesting
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points so system a two points for the result five points exact one point for the score
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right Theo would have 31 points right Taylor Twelman would have 29 Rebecca would have 15 now
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system b no it's not terrible system b this is one point result one point score one point score
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Theo Walcott 16 Taylor Twelman 15 Rebecca eight those are your season standings for it's called
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soccer after week seven for those of you that want to join us next week for our picks see you then
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bye bye for now