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Arsenal Lose! & Football Wins? · Football is Life

0:24
From the terrace to the mic, football is... Hey
0:30
folks, welcome to our latest episode of Football
0:32
is Life. We're back and it's the best time of
0:35
the week for me. Where do we start? I think we
0:38
start with North London forever, whatever the
0:43
weather. Things you love to see, Wazza. Oh no,
0:48
it's Gabriel, the big man. He's ballooned it.
0:52
It is his penalty. He just can't make it up,
0:55
mate. Football won, was it? Did football win
0:57
at the weekend? Yeah, there was only one winner,
1:00
right? Waleed, I want to give you the mic in
1:03
this one. Look at the grin. He's ready. I don't
1:05
know if we've got questions from Patrick Malarkey
1:07
because I want them today. I really want them.
1:09
Oh, there is actually a question from Patrick
1:10
Malarkey. It's sort of an end of season roundup.
1:13
Like, okay, let me get this on the record because
1:15
the thing is that I respect Mike. I respect,
1:18
to an extent, Patrick Malarkey and all the other
1:20
Arsenal fans, to an extent, to an extent. Like,
1:22
I feel sad that their team lost, but I'm not
1:25
sad that Arsenal lost. I think that there's a
1:27
difference between the two things. And you can
1:29
live in that world because the thing is, do you
1:31
know what would be the worst thing in the world?
1:34
A team that has 28 % possession winning the Champions
1:37
League final. I think it was lower. 24, I think.
1:44
Dear God. That is just horrendous. Yeah, so that's
1:49
the thing. I want a team that actually plays
1:51
the game to win. So yeah, I'm not happy that
1:57
Arsenal lost, but at the same time, if you're
1:59
going to play like that, I really, really, really
2:02
wanted them to come out and actually do something.
2:04
Okay. Well, I... Yeah, I think your mic might
2:09
be a little bit muffled, mate, but yeah, just
2:11
check it. Yeah, no problem, mate. You're fine.
2:12
No, we still heard it all. Mike, I'm going to
2:16
bring you in next, Mike, because I want to genuinely
2:19
not being facetious here, which like I normally
2:22
am. How do you feel, obviously, like, bittersweet
2:26
end to the season? Like, I've been there before
2:28
with Liverpool. There is an element of, like,
2:30
you won the Premier League, there's elation.
2:32
You obviously were this close, a penalty, miss
2:36
away from, and then maybe going to sudden death
2:37
and winning it, from winning the Champions League
2:40
and having an unforgettable season. Like, give
2:45
me your honest reflection on the game, like,
2:47
as an Arsenal fan. Yeah, so, absolutely. gutted
2:52
that they weren't able to pull it out, especially
2:55
with the way it started. I mean, the Havertz
2:58
finish was insane and it was like, oh boy, here
3:01
we go. And yeah, I hate that it went to penalties.
3:08
It sucks, but it is what it is. That's the game,
3:12
right? The defense shut down the best offense
3:25
in the tournament. And so, for sure, the tactics
3:33
that we played prevented them from scoring the
3:38
900 goals that they've been scoring all season.
3:41
We did not finish a few key chances. You know,
3:46
it is unfortunate. It's frustrating. I don't
3:51
think either team imposed their will on the game.
3:54
It was very... I wonder where that was. I wonder
3:58
where that was. What is happening? What am I
4:00
hearing? What are you saying? Couldn't finish
4:02
a few key chances. Mike, I think you barely even
4:05
reached the term few in terms of chances. I think
4:08
that Arsenal had like maybe even two like actual
4:11
chances. Like what is... No, I'm sorry, but it
4:13
was like 0 .4 or something. I think it was two
4:17
decimal places. Like, Jesus, I feel like, yes,
4:20
you're right, Mike. Stoke could stop PSG, and
4:24
they almost did. But, like, it's a Champions
4:27
League final. Like, play the game. Like, this
4:31
is, like, if you want to, like, this is why,
4:34
like, I look at this season just with sadness.
4:38
It's not because City lost. Like, I've congratulated.
4:41
every single winner. And like, don't get me wrong,
4:43
like, I don't like City losing the league, but
4:46
God, it was better when Liverpool won it a couple
4:48
of years ago. Of course it is. We're better winners
4:51
than them. It's true. But yeah, but Mike, do
4:54
you, like, if you take a step back from your
4:56
Arsenal tinted glasses, do you not, like, having
5:01
watched the game, do you not understand how,
5:03
like, it's impossible to like anything about
5:06
Arsenal's performance as a football fan? Like,
5:08
it's just impossible. Like... it's it's because
5:11
it's it's it really i mean you talk about anti
5:13
-foot like do you know what the best moment in
5:14
the whole bloody final was wasn't the because
5:17
i was again the more i've watched arsehole the
5:20
more i'm just like i keep a timer and like they
5:22
take over 60 seconds to take any sort of set
5:25
piece any set piece so your favorite thing was
5:27
when the ref blew the whistle before sack 100
5:29
take what you get you bunch of arseholes you
5:32
want to be you want you want to be those shit
5:34
houses that's what you get and i and i loved
5:36
it because you know what it's like they they're
5:38
they're playing for those margins it's just there's
5:41
a horribleness in terms of like if you're as
5:43
a somebody you know i sat down with like calling
5:45
my nine -year -old like buzzing for the game
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he would he emptied out and started going to
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play his his console he's all to play fifa because
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it's just it's just so bad it's it's unforgivable
5:55
to me to play that way now look the problem is
5:58
like i know what arsenal fans will say look see
6:00
if you'd won it nobody really cared. You wouldn't
6:02
really care, right? You'd be like, well, so what?
6:04
It worked. Like Mourinho's done it sometimes
6:05
and it's like, it worked, you won the trophy.
6:08
But you can't, I think you've just got to accept
6:10
everyone's going to hate you because it's horrendous
6:12
to watch. It's not just, it's actually just like
6:15
pathetic. The difference, and the difference,
6:17
this is what I don't understand, right? So I
6:19
hear people like Simon Jordan talking about and
6:21
Arsenal, oh, if we went and had a go at them,
6:24
we'd get spanked 5 -0 like Bayern Munich did.
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I'm like, what? I'm like, So this is myth around
6:31
this. I go, wait a minute. Okay, so you've got
6:34
the best defense in world football. There's no
6:36
doubt, right? And I'm talking about, forget the
6:38
midfield, just the back four are capable of handling
6:41
that. Not that back four, but yes, the starting
6:44
back four. But you say that, mate. I tell you
6:46
what, Mosquera and Kapia played out of their
6:48
skin, right? They played out of their... I understand
6:51
being in the deepest low block known to man,
6:54
with every man behind playing a 6 -4 -0 like
6:58
Scotland did under Craig Levine. It's embarrassing.
7:00
As a Scotland fan, I've never been so embarrassed
7:02
in my life. It's horrendous. You just don't do
7:04
that. But my point is, Arsenal, I would understand
7:08
it if that was like Bournemouth getting to a
7:11
Champions League final against PSG. If you do
7:15
that, you will get slaughtered. The thing is
7:17
as well, Bayern Munich. We're close to putting
7:19
them out because Bayern Munich were scoring.
7:21
It was tit for tat. So it's not like this PSG
7:23
team. Their defense is weak, right? That's their
7:26
weakness. So the midfield to me is Arsenal. I
7:30
feel physically, like technically, Vatini and
7:32
that are good, but they're not big guys. And
7:34
I feel like Declan Rice is technically good and
7:36
he's physically dominant. I said it before the
7:38
game, Mike, what's the point in playing Martin
7:40
Odegaard? Anonymous, as usual, right? Because
7:43
I don't even know why you'd think about playing
7:45
him if you're going to play that way. Like, just
7:47
put... don't know put another center half in
7:49
there like honestly like what's the point so
7:51
it's just look it's one of those things it's
7:55
like it's it's you know it's impossible to even
7:58
remotely. Look, I should, my dad was an Arsenal
8:01
fan. I should have been watching Arsenal in that
8:03
game. And I kind of just wasn't trying to, but
8:05
when I watched them, I can't, it's impossible
8:07
because as much as PSG, don't get me wrong. I
8:09
said, I mean, it's halftime. This is incumbent
8:11
on PSG to be better and actually find a way to
8:14
break them down because they aren't going to
8:15
change because they're one nil up. Right. But
8:17
to be that, like to not to go for a second goal,
8:21
to have no ambition to do anything in the game,
8:23
except just, it's just like, it's not befitting
8:27
of. in my opinion. It's, especially with the
8:31
talent. Am I wrong, Mike? Do you not think, like,
8:35
Bakayo Saka, like, one -on -one with, like, Mendes,
8:39
he's not, I fancy Saka in that matchup every
8:42
day. Trossard, he's tricky, he's hard, but he
8:45
did well against Hakimi. Like, I just think you've
8:48
got guys that I don't like your strikers, okay?
8:50
I think Gokrez is pretty poor. He is a battering
8:53
ram, but you've got Jesus, you've got Havis,
8:56
you have options there. yeah but what you bring
8:58
is you've got like is it is like a quality attacking
9:02
player so so yeah and i i wondered why they didn't
9:06
start him and now that he's not traveling with
9:08
england that tells me something because of injury
9:11
so like there were some at timber wasn't ready
9:15
to go right so there was a few a few injuries
9:18
that prevented i think what his preferred starting
9:21
11 would have been Oh, no doubt. Like, yeah,
9:24
Calafiori as well. Yeah, yeah. I mean, when I
9:27
saw the wingbacks that started, I thought, shit.
9:31
Especially, like, I was stunned that Calafiori
9:33
didn't start because of just the, I mean, that
9:37
would have been a different story with the back
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four. And Calafiori and Timber are more attacking,
9:41
right? So, you know, there was some, you know,
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they didn't have the preferred starting limit.
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Now, look. Injuries are part of the game. They
9:51
have the deepest squad they've ever had. So I'm
9:53
not using that as an excuse. It's just the reality
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that a manager has a preferred starting 11. This
10:00
was not it. Yeah. So let's be clear. What we're
10:04
saying is that if Simba and Calafiori were on
10:07
the pitch. I guess I'd love a rough estimate
10:10
as to how much of an impact you think they would
10:13
have had there, Mike, because right now I'm looking.
10:15
If you look at Calafiori and Timber and what
10:19
they did in the Premier League and you look at
10:20
the goals that they scored and the attacks that
10:23
they brought in and the whipping the balls in
10:25
from the corners, significantly different. I
10:28
just don't think they used it. Significantly
10:30
different. But if that's not the game plan, Mike,
10:31
if the game plan has to sit in, then they don't
10:33
do that. I think the game plan was manufactured
10:36
by the starting 11. come on mate he's done it
10:39
all i'm sorry this is the thing like this is
10:41
why i don't buy it because the thing is right
10:42
now i'm looking at the stats 0 .35 xg 0 .35 that's
10:47
criminal four shots one on target and then like
10:52
just you didn't even outwin them on aerial duels
10:56
you you committed 17 fouls like it was just oh
11:02
God, seven shots, one on target, one off target,
11:05
two out of the box. I take the point that Timber...
11:07
They're not going to make that much of a difference.
11:09
No, no, if they play, I disagree in terms of
11:12
the game plan. They've been told to do the same
11:14
thing. And that's why I think Calafiori would
11:16
not have started regardless because Capi is more
11:18
of a stay -at -home, less offensive player. That's
11:21
why, to me, Calafiori doesn't start. Timber,
11:23
I think, he can do everything, so he would start.
11:26
There's no doubt. And then, you know, maybe when
11:28
they needed a goal, maybe he would have made
11:30
a difference. Like, you know, I know he's not
11:31
fit. But I think it's just that, you know, my
11:34
big issue is, again, it's just impossible to
11:37
root for. It really is. And I'm sure you'd be
11:39
saying the same if this was Chelsea or something
11:41
like that. I feel like you'd be like, this is
11:42
not what we want to be seeing. And also, it's
11:45
like, this team are too good. Like, remember
11:46
when Greece won the Euros? They had to play that
11:48
way because they couldn't win it any other way.
11:51
Like, I just think... I think part of the problem
11:53
is Arsenal's run to the Champions League final.
11:55
By the way, they might never win this, this group
11:57
of players now. I feel that was such a big missed
11:59
opportunity that will stick with them the rest
12:01
of their lives because I don't know you'll ever
12:03
get an easier run to the final, like ever, right?
12:06
And I just think it's really hard to win because
12:09
if you have to go through a Bayern Munich, a
12:11
Barcelona, like those types of teams. It's really
12:14
tough to get there. So I just think it's one
12:17
of those things that I think almost them scoring
12:19
early was the worst thing. I said that before
12:20
the game to Mike and Bill. It's the worst thing
12:22
that can happen for the game. The best thing
12:24
that could have happened is PSG scored early.
12:26
And then you would have seen, do you know what?
12:28
People realize, I don't understand this, Mike.
12:29
Please tell me, you don't believe in that game.
12:32
If Arsenal went out and decided to go, we're
12:36
going to go and have a go and we're going to
12:38
go and try and win the game. You're not worried
12:41
about getting tanked 5 -0, right? Not 5 -0, no.
12:44
You might get beat, but you also think we could...
12:47
Look at what Bayern Munich did to them in Paris.
12:51
You're a better team than Bayern Munich, in my
12:53
opinion. Don't get me wrong. Maybe their front
12:56
three is better, but your midfield and your defense
12:59
is, to me, light years ahead of theirs. In my
13:03
opinion. I don't think Bayern Munich's midfield
13:04
is anything special. I thought you meant PSG's.
13:08
No, no, no. And PSG is like... I mean, Dembele,
13:11
you can see, he didn't last... They were carrying
13:15
injuries. You could see that. They weren't at
13:16
their brilliant best either. I just think that
13:19
was... And I actually thought, seeing the first...
13:21
Myles Lewis -Skelly was the one player that came
13:22
out with any sort of respect for me in that game.
13:25
He was sensational in the first half, in my opinion,
13:27
in terms of... He was the only Arsenal player
13:30
that showed any quality on the ball. But, like...
13:34
I just look at it and go, I just felt like, see
13:36
when you were pressing them, you kind of pressed
13:38
the middle. I thought, okay, good. Like, go after
13:41
them now. Like, really go. I just thought, I
13:43
felt they were there for them. I really do think
13:46
people go, oh, you opened up. I just think, like,
13:49
Gabriel, look at something. I just think your
13:50
defense is playing so well. They find ways to
13:52
get in the way of shots. They find ways to win
13:55
the one -on -one battles. I just, it was just
13:58
so disappointing and like played. I think, do
14:01
you know what I mean? Maybe as an Arsenal fan,
14:02
like if I'm an Arsenal fan, I'm like, I'm just
14:04
so upset because it just keeps playing into this
14:05
narrative now that you almost can't deny where
14:08
you go, it's impossible to deny the negativity
14:12
and the time wasting. Like, it's just, it's just
14:16
so disappointing. And you just, the only hope
14:18
is like, just kick on now. Like, do you know
14:21
what I mean? Like, and I think people say like,
14:23
you know, I heard somebody saying that Arteta
14:24
was maybe Simon Jordan that. And that was my
14:27
theory. They tried winning it a different way.
14:28
They didn't quite get there. This is then he's
14:30
over -rotated. Like, I think, see if Arsenal
14:33
just played expansive football all year. They'd
14:35
have won the title two months earlier, like,
14:37
in my opinion, because the league was so, like,
14:39
City weren't, like, nobody was really elite this
14:41
year. And it wouldn't have ever got to the last
14:43
day or second last day. So I just think there's...
14:46
Maybe I just believe this Arsenal team are better
14:48
than they believe they are, or Arteta believe
14:50
they are. This is exactly how I felt this entire
14:53
season. I genuinely thought that Arsenal, if
14:55
they actually tried to play better football,
14:59
they would just absolutely demolish the league.
15:01
And it's been so frustrating seeing someone like
15:04
Saka completely waste a year. He had as many
15:08
goals and assists as Casemiro this year. And
15:11
he had a lot of injury this year. Sure, but he's
15:14
also a forward, right? He should be getting more
15:17
of the pitch. You put him, you put Jurgen Klopp
15:21
in charge of that team, you put Eriola, anyone
15:23
with an attack... To me, Saka's numbers double
15:26
overnight. Yeah. I think he is... I've said this
15:29
for years. I think he is quality. I think Trossard
15:32
is a quality Premier League player. I really
15:35
like him. Martinelli is just, he's an impact
15:37
sub guy. It's fine. You need them. Right. I think
15:40
between, even though I don't like any of their
15:43
three strikers that much between the three of
15:45
them, like, you know, they can all contribute
15:47
like 10 goals. Like, you know, I know Yorkers
15:50
has got more penalties, but it's like, so, so
15:53
I do think that's the one area, but, but, and
15:55
then look at their midfield and go like, God,
15:56
I'm just like, like, I know that. And I've seen
15:59
this, I've seen it when Arteta, when year two,
16:02
three. I was like, Arsenal, I love watching Arsenal
16:04
because they were brilliant to watch, right?
16:06
And they were just, they were foot in your throat.
16:08
And you remember, Mike, you were camped in other
16:10
teams' halves, Liverpool under Klopp, and you
16:12
just kept going at them, wave after wave after
16:15
wave. It was relentless and it was... Brilliant
16:17
to watch. And now we've got to this, like, just
16:20
being, like, and it's the, I don't even mind
16:22
the, see if it was, like, counter, like, I enjoy
16:25
counter -attacking football. Like, see if Arsenal,
16:27
some people want to sit in. It's basically the
16:30
entirety of Fogies United, right? Then you use
16:32
your quality to go, but you've always got that
16:34
intent when you win the ball back to go and hurt
16:36
them. Like, I don't mind that. Like, I'm fine
16:39
with that as well. I enjoy watching that, but
16:41
it's the 60 seconds for every throw and it's
16:44
just, like, it's just. It's brutal. Honestly,
16:49
again, I'm just glad they didn't win it. Not
16:52
because I don't want to, just because I think
16:53
it's the worst thing. I don't want teams like
16:55
that winning the biggest trophies because that's
16:58
not what I want to watch. And you always have
17:00
teams like that. I just don't expect it to be
17:01
the best teams in Europe. No one else that's
17:05
in that echelon, Barcelona, any of them, play
17:08
remotely like that. And I think the Gunners are
17:11
going to have to... I know they've got this great
17:12
defence and it's... You can argue it's worked.
17:15
I just don't think this is going to keep working.
17:17
I think they've got to make a change. They have
17:19
to flip the switch because they will become the
17:23
athletic... Everyone will just hate them forever
17:25
and be like... You almost waste a generation
17:28
of what is a crop of young in their prime. Mostly,
17:33
there's not many Arsenal players that I would...
17:35
I'm not a big Odegaard fan, right? Not a big
17:37
Jokeres fan. But outside of that... They've got
17:42
phenomenal players. Timber, so many of their
17:45
players that I just think are phenomenal. Calafiori
17:48
is incredible. They're all, genuinely, even Marino
17:54
is a really good player. He's a good, solid,
17:57
international player. He's a great player. Just
18:01
don't waste it. That's what I would say. But
18:03
anyway, listen, tough. Listen, I would say, Mike,
18:05
again, I've had heartbreak. it's brutal like
18:09
especially by the penalties like it's just i
18:11
don't know why that's such a horrible way in
18:14
any sport to lose such a big game um and this
18:17
is why i'd almost put it in the team to go don't
18:20
let it get to that i'd rather go out of my soul
18:21
and go do you know what the guy had a moment
18:24
of quality and it's like fair play then I just
18:27
think that's always brutal. I would have rather
18:29
lost in extra time than... 100%. Especially for
18:32
Gabriel. And to be fair, he seemed... I thought
18:34
Marquinhos was class. Consola, I think that just...
18:37
Yeah, that was absolutely class. Yes. And I think
18:40
PSG are classy winners. So Arsenal could maybe
18:42
learn something from them. Maybe. I don't like
18:45
some of the... Again, Mike, it's the, all the
18:48
stuff, even Declan Rice is doing it now where
18:49
they're kind of reacting to every little thing
18:51
that everyone's ever said about them. And just
18:52
like, guys, your players rise above it, mate.
18:54
You've, your profession, you've won the Premier
18:55
League. Just, you know, just have your moment.
18:59
Like do a Liverpool day, get Calvin Harris on
19:00
the bus, have a wee dance, have a good time.
19:03
Look, would I, so to sum all that up, would I,
19:07
would I prefer an attacking, you know, in the,
19:11
in the old days of beautiful Arsenal football?
19:14
Absolutely. The team's identity is defense right
19:17
now. And so I, you know, I don't, I don't disagree
19:21
that they have a lot of quality in the midfield
19:25
and that they should be a more attacking side.
19:28
Absolutely. The, the other thing that I will
19:31
say is this is not a year. of a single year of
19:38
just like dog piling on and shitting on arsenal
19:41
this is like a decade of this stuff so the team
19:46
and the fans fuck you all don't care it's called
19:52
like it's called karma because i don't know it's
19:55
that hear me out there's a club i don't even
19:58
heard of them they're called tottenham hotspur
19:59
um and i'm pretty sure your fan base have been
20:03
doing that to them for 20 plus years, I think,
20:06
if I'm not wrong. It's been, so look, you reap
20:09
what you sow, right? So you're going to isolate,
20:13
would you not say that the Merseyside Derby is
20:17
a blood fest and that you thrive as much in the
20:22
other team's loss as you do your own win? No,
20:25
not for us. Bullshit. It's not the same. Also,
20:29
I need to correct something. Arsenal have not
20:32
been relevant for the past 10 years, just maybe
20:34
the past few. I don't know. I think we need to
20:38
clarify that one too. I would say one thing,
20:42
to be fair. I've said this before. There is this...
20:49
I say pile on. There is a pile on, right? And
20:51
I totally understand it. So see from fans like
20:54
you, you come out swinging. I am okay with that.
20:57
I expect it, right? I would do a similar thing.
21:00
I'd defend my team. I just think, see the figure?
21:03
I don't know what it is. There's just something
21:07
about elite teams to me that the way that this
21:10
team behaves just doesn't sit right with me.
21:13
And it just doesn't. I just think they're the
21:16
people. that always have to be better than that.
21:19
And I think it's like, because I think it's almost
21:21
that like, what it shows me is they pay attention
21:24
to all this stuff. That's my issue. It's hard
21:27
to miss it when it's years and years of it. You
21:30
tune it out and you just go, you do your talk.
21:32
Okay, they're humans, Ross. They're humans. They're
21:35
not robots. And when you hear years of this shit,
21:39
finally, there's a breaking point. And like me,
21:41
fuck you. So basically what you're saying is
21:44
if Tottenham ever win the league, they can just
21:46
do what they want. 100%. Okay. 100%. Okay. Okay.
21:50
There we go. Listen, you heard it. You heard
21:51
it first from Boston Mike. The biggest good.
21:55
Listen, you know what I love is with Mike, he's
21:57
got this Gooner thing, but it's the Boston sports
21:59
fan. That's right. Listen, you try and go to
22:02
Boston and slate one of their sports teams. They
22:04
will run you out of that fucking. You don't leave
22:06
that town. You get buried in that town. Believe
22:08
me. We're not as bad as Philly. We're close.
22:12
But listen, look, the season comes to a climax.
22:17
The good news is we do have a World Cup to look
22:19
forward to in just over a week. We'll come to
22:20
that at the end of the show. What we wanted to
22:22
do is put a bookend in this season and do a little
22:24
bit of reflection. Obviously, we have work between
22:27
us now. We cover three teams. Obviously, I think
22:29
Pat lost the will to live with Tottenham, which
22:31
is fair enough. So not as much to speak about
22:34
there. But we want to reflect and look at maybe
22:36
what... you know, what the season means. And
22:39
then we'll talk a little bit about what we expect
22:41
from our teams in the off season. But before
22:43
we get to that, which will be our transition
22:44
is the big story right now. And obviously we
22:47
have this weird period where there tends to not
22:49
be a ton of transfers at this time, right? That's
22:51
looking for every, here we go. He can find. He's
22:55
trying to find anything. He can go, here we go.
22:57
Like somebody spotted somewhere. He doesn't have
22:59
anything, right? What we do have, though, is
23:01
a domino effect of this, the managerial medical
23:03
round. We now had Marco Silva. Obviously, Arnaz
23:06
Lot has been let go. Eriola is going to be appointed
23:09
there. There was rumors that Palace wanted him.
23:11
They might have to move on. There's talk of them
23:12
going, looking at the guy at Lens in France.
23:15
now Marco Silva departs, Fulham, he now becomes
23:17
available, right? So you can have this idea that
23:20
we're Glasners, he's out there. So there's these
23:22
teams that have lost managers, maybe looking
23:25
for other ones. We don't really know how this
23:27
is all going to play out. So I think that's the
23:29
thing to keep an eye on right now is, are they
23:31
always going to land at Liverpool? What's the
23:32
domino effect there in terms of what happens
23:34
at Fulham? What happens at Crystal Palace? What
23:36
happens at Bournemouth, right? So I think that's
23:39
going to be really interesting to kind of keep
23:41
an eye on and see. There's rumours of Akita McKenna
23:44
from Ipswich, newly promoted Ipswich, to Fulham.
23:47
So I think there's just, that to me is like the
23:49
main Premier League story right now that I'd
23:52
be keeping an eye on. But yes, one of those is...
23:55
is the new Liverpool boss. So I'll maybe start
23:59
with a reflection of, I mean, I'll keep the reflection
24:01
brief and I'll talk more about moving forward
24:03
because the Arnes Law era is over. And I'm a
24:07
bit mixed emotions about that. As I've said before,
24:10
I do feel like, I don't know, I think he did.
24:14
Maybe it's part of his own fault, but I just
24:16
don't love the fact he won the league a year
24:18
ago. And I just think people have short memories
24:20
and yeah, I'm not saying that he was the guy,
24:22
but. I thought he maybe deserved another year
24:25
but here we are and I'm happy with Areola because
24:27
my complaint has been it's been crap to watch
24:30
because I'm honest about my team and I just call
24:33
a spade a spade but no what I would like to see
24:38
is this is my hope now is I've actually been
24:41
thinking about like what do we need to do and
24:43
we're not going to do these things because some
24:45
dominoes have fallen but I just felt like to
24:48
me it was really simple I was thinking about
24:50
Where do we need to strengthen? What do I want
24:52
to happen? I want Alexis McAllister to have a
24:55
phenomenal World Cup and then we sell him because
24:58
I think his legs are gone. So Alexis, have a
25:00
big one out of you. Just like we did four years
25:01
ago, right? Yeah, just have a brilliant World
25:04
Cup. We'll sell you. We'll at least get our money
25:05
back and then we'll move on. I want us to move
25:09
Gravenberg forward. I want us to sign Fernandes
25:11
from West Ham. To me, it's the biggest no -brainer
25:13
transfer in the Premier League. I don't think
25:15
they need the money. I don't think the release
25:18
clause or the money is like... wild either it's
25:20
not like 100 million I heard there's something
25:22
about 40 they maybe want 80 so maybe you land
25:24
somewhere in the middle 50 million I think he
25:26
is a phenomenal player you also take Jared Bowen
25:30
who I've been saying for years and that is a
25:32
short term and I know Liverpool don't we probably
25:35
won't do it But it's a very immediate replacement
25:38
for Mo Salah, or at least some of that contribution.
25:41
You know Jared Bowen can do it. I think he's
25:43
a phenomenal player, character. So I would make
25:45
those two signings. We should have just taken
25:47
Senesi, and in hindsight, I don't know why in
25:49
a free goal, if Kanate is not signed up. I just
25:54
think the problem is with guys like Senesi or
25:56
Van Hecke at Brighton, I think there's always
25:58
a bit of risk with these guys that haven't played
26:00
at the top. So if you get them on a free, you
26:03
de -risk the transfer. So that's the other one
26:06
that I would... Their transfers, I think, they
26:09
are just complete no -brainer transfers to me
26:12
that just immediately improve your squad, that
26:15
allow you to play Gravenberg 1 -4 with Sbozlai.
26:18
And also, I would take Harvey Elliott back. and
26:21
keep him at Liverpool full -time. Because I just
26:22
think he's a... I mean, it's horrendous what's
26:24
happened to him this season. I know Emery's kind
26:26
of said that. I don't know what... I don't know
26:29
who's... where the more the portion of blame
26:31
lies in terms of the ins and outs of the contract
26:33
situation. But he's never let us down when he
26:38
can. I just think he adds something in centre
26:40
midfield where we're a bit light, especially
26:42
if Curtis Jones is leaving, Joe Gomez maybe moving
26:44
on. Yeah, and I think the other one I want is,
26:48
which becomes really spicy now, is Junior Kruppi.
26:50
I think, I don't, again, if it's a wild price,
26:53
no, but if you can get him for a reasonable price,
26:55
I like that he's young. I think he's dynamic.
26:58
I think he plugs that gap that Ekotiki is going
27:01
to leave being out till probably Christmas. So
27:04
they are, to me, really sensible, realistic moves.
27:08
And this is outside of a, let's go and get Adam
27:10
Wharton or let's go and get Elliot. You know,
27:12
these guys, it'll be a hundred, like they're
27:14
going to be big. money signings i'm not saying
27:16
we shouldn't do that or this guy diamante apparently
27:19
we're in this winger to me there's always a risk
27:21
those signings to me because they're in they're
27:24
kind of within the league they're just de -risked
27:26
more so they're the ones that i think if we did
27:29
something like that in the transfer window like
27:31
five players like that i would be i think that
27:34
just stabilizes the team quite well so that's
27:37
what i'd like to do but do you think that that's
27:39
that's actually realistic i mean i actually want
27:42
to bring it to Patrick Malarkey's question, which
27:45
is, I'm going to read to you a list of players,
27:49
and I'm going to ask you how much you got for
27:52
them in total as a result. And these are all
27:54
players that have left since 2020. Can I guess?
27:58
Ibu Kanate, Mo Salah, Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander.
28:02
Ten million. Ten million. So you have seen the
28:05
tweet, right? Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, Alex
28:07
Oxlade -Chamberlain, James Zanilna, Divock Origi,
28:10
Loris Karius, Ginny Wadmalden. Adam Olana and
28:13
Nathaniel Klein, 10 million. What's Patrick's
28:17
question? What is happening? Like, is that like,
28:20
what has happened to the transfer department
28:23
in your club to allow for just 10 million for
28:26
all of that to go out? Patrick, honestly, this
28:28
is again, we're just, we just go to the bottom
28:31
of the barrel, don't we? With like, you know,
28:32
again, Patrick, look, thank you for the question,
28:35
mate. Obviously, you know, and good luck. He's
28:37
doing a new venture on his own. Good luck with
28:39
that, mate. You'll do fabulous. if you put some
28:41
of the effort you put into your career that you
28:43
do into these questions, I would appreciate it
28:45
because that's just a poorly researched, you've
28:48
seen a tweet and you haven't even thought about
28:49
it, okay? So you just listed off a bunch of names,
28:52
Wazza, okay? And there's a common denominator,
28:54
right? Okay, what mistake do most teams, a lot
28:57
of teams make is you hold on to these guys too
28:59
long, right? And almost like 80, 90 % of those
29:03
guys, you're going like James Milner, end of
29:04
career, Firmino. It was all Robertson. Even though
29:08
I love him, I would love him to stay. He's coming.
29:10
He's on the decline, right? Salah on the decline.
29:13
And you move on. And look, yeah, if you can get
29:15
money for these guys, but I think part of that
29:17
is seeing these guys have been at the club so
29:18
long, having them go on a free gives them optionality
29:21
and a final payout. I just think this is part
29:23
of us partly looking after the players, but also
29:26
not getting into signing up guys that are past
29:29
their peak into long contracts. Because net -net,
29:33
you tend to not financially do well. So I have
29:35
no problem. Look, we sold Coutinho for a hundred
29:38
and whatever million. We absolutely stole that
29:40
from Barcelona, right? And put them into financial
29:42
turmoil. You love to see it, right? So I just
29:45
think that's just a poorly researched question.
29:47
I'd understand it if you go, oh, like the only
29:49
one was Trent. But if you read up what actually
29:52
happened is they offered to pay Trent a wedge.
29:55
He took less money. He just made his mind up.
29:57
I want to play for Real Madrid. fair enough mate
30:00
like there's nothing the club can do if a player
30:03
wants to run his contract down because Madrid
30:04
say we ain't paying 100 billion for you big boy
30:06
you're going to come at this price and you're
30:08
going to be in a free transfer do you know what
30:10
if that's what you want to do mate like you've
30:12
been brilliant for us so I have no problem so
30:15
I think again as usual with Patrick poorly researched
30:17
question but yeah anyway let's just be better
30:20
next time that's it There you go. Bit of radical
30:27
candour there, Mike. Yeah. Anyway, let's move
30:32
on to Manchester City. So, Maresca, is it confirmed?
30:37
I think it has been. I don't know that I've seen
30:40
anything official yet, actually. No? Yes? I think
30:44
it has been revealed, like, shortly after the
30:46
season ended. I think so, yeah. I mean... Let
30:52
me find out. It's not been fully confirmed yet,
30:54
actually, but I think that... I don't think it
30:57
is. No, I don't think it has been confirmed yet.
30:59
I know why. I remember now. Do you know why?
31:01
So here's the... Again, this is just a sidebar.
31:04
Real quick, I remember now. I think the challenge
31:07
is, it's one of those things where, obviously,
31:09
he was at Chelsea. Chelsea now believe, I remember
31:12
this, that I think that he was given a tap whenever,
31:15
just before he left, and was told, look, Pep's
31:19
decided to, like... we you know we want you know
31:21
little tap nudge nudge wink wink right hello
31:23
there He's then gone, right, I'll just do the
31:26
toys. Is that why he lit flames in London to
31:30
get out of Chelsea? Poured petrol over himself,
31:32
lit himself on fire, ran out the door. 116, ooh.
31:37
Yeah, exactly. I think the thing is, though,
31:40
the problem is, Mike, and we all work in business,
31:43
we know this, like you have non -competing stuff.
31:44
The problem is there is going to be money. I'm
31:47
told there is definitely money. And I think what
31:49
I've heard is, I think that's what's delaying
31:51
it because there's going to be... a wedge to
31:54
pay, I think, unless they can legally get their
31:57
way out of it like they do with these 115 charges.
32:00
So basically, your club's just sketchy. It's
32:03
a front for the mafia. I would love for clubs
32:06
to not be sketchy. Yeah. Listen, they play nice
32:10
football, Mike, but they're a front for criminal
32:12
activities. That's right. Pick your poison. You've
32:15
got to pick your poison. Not everyone can do
32:16
that. I'd rather win the trophy and be hated
32:18
because of the style of play than be financially
32:20
sketchy. I really disagree because I think there's
32:24
a beauty that we put out there. And also, Ross,
32:27
talk to me about all of the pure charitable deeds
32:30
that Redbird Financial do. They must be hearts
32:33
of gold, those guys. I mean, compared to you,
32:36
you make us look like fucking mother crazy. I
32:39
love an ethical billionaire. I love an ethical
32:46
billionaire. It's wonderful. Anyway. Maybe we
32:50
should stick to like going, yeah, I'll have this
32:51
company that the parent company sponsor all of
32:53
these things for like 10 billion pounds and then
32:56
fund all of our transfers. So look, at the end
32:58
of the day, mate. You know, your titles are hollow.
33:01
We all know that, right? Okay, they're shrouded
33:03
in that, you know, just like Arsenal's arm. I
33:05
mean, they're taking up a lot of space in our
33:06
trophy cabinet. Yeah, well, they might take them
33:08
all away and then there won't be any space. There'll
33:10
be no problem at all. The last pure Premier League
33:12
trophy, the last pure win was Jurgen Klopp's
33:14
Liverpool team. We all know it, right? You bunch
33:16
of suckers, right? But anyway... But what about
33:17
last season, just now? Like, Arsenal just won
33:20
the league. Let's rehash that conversation. They're
33:22
under a cloud for playing shite football and
33:24
being the worst team ever. to exist in the Premier
33:27
League. I love how you also completely dodged
33:29
slots win, but yeah, okay, that's fine. You're
33:31
a good... Nobody likes him now. Nobody likes
33:34
Arne. Classic not fickle Liverpool fans. Anyway,
33:39
what does my club need? We need to get a Fernandinho
33:43
back in the team. Fernandes at West Ham is the
33:47
answer for every team. Yeah, right? I honestly
33:52
believe that... I think that we're reasonably
33:56
okay on the fullbacks. Don't get me wrong, I'd
33:59
prefer not to have Matias Nunez at right back,
34:02
but I will survive with him. The thing that really
34:04
needs to be clogged up is the midfield. Gavardial's
34:07
coming back, so we've got a left back. Maybe
34:09
Nico O 'Reilly can actually be formed into Rodri's
34:13
errant successor. That could be a really... reasonable
34:16
shout obviously there's a lot there's a huge
34:18
delta there we need to do a thinning out as well
34:20
we need to get rid of savino we need to get rid
34:22
of nico gonzalez we need to get rid of rica lewis
34:25
i think we could probably do with maybe cutting
34:29
Phil Foden loose if we've got Ryan Cherky. Like,
34:31
there's no point in keeping him for no reason.
34:33
Like, there's a number of things that we can
34:34
do to try and thin down the squad a little bit
34:36
so that whoever, Maresca or whoever else comes
34:39
in, like, can actually do something. Like, I
34:41
still personally want Nagelsmann. I don't think
34:44
it's going to happen, but that would be great.
34:47
But I think, finally, we just need our midfield
34:50
to get a fresh look at paint. Our attack is fine.
34:52
Defence is reasonable, can improve. Some people
34:55
are still betting in, like, Gahee needs pre -season.
34:58
With the new manager, all of those things, they
35:01
can be handled. But the midfield is an absolute
35:03
liability. That's because Rodri's cooked, mate.
35:06
Rodri's cooked. After winning the Ballon d 'Or,
35:08
yes, he is absolutely cooked. But no, he's tired.
35:12
He's tired because he's just basically had to
35:14
carry that team for a long time. So we could
35:17
definitely do it. I'd rather we reformed Nico
35:20
O 'Reilly to be that role rather than go in the
35:23
transfer market. I think we have the people.
35:26
We just need them to actually fit the role. Yeah,
35:29
you need at least one full -back, I would say.
35:31
At least one. Nunes is not the guy. I think Nunes
35:33
is not the guy, but at left -back, we have Ait
35:35
Nouri, who's done well. We also have Gavadio,
35:37
who can play there, who's done well in that role
35:39
traditionally. He needs to be centre -half with
35:42
Gehi for me. No, but we've got Gehi, we've got
35:44
Diaz, we've got Kuzanov, we've got Gavadio. That's
35:48
a decent... I don't think we need any more centre
35:51
-backs. I think we're fine. No, full -backs.
35:54
You need at least one. At least one full -back.
35:56
The attack is fine. Yes, I agree. But the thing
35:59
is, the only right back that I would consider
36:03
us having is Trent. Yeah, maybe he won't go to
36:07
City, but he would go to Man City. You don't
36:09
know. I don't think that he'd go to Liverpool.
36:12
I think he would do that. I think he could go
36:16
to City. Stranger things have happened. You never
36:19
know. But honestly, I'm still not sold on Maresca.
36:25
I want to see how pre -season works. I wasn't
36:29
fully convinced with his style of play at Chelsea.
36:32
I mean, maybe he brings Enzo Fernandes with him
36:34
and they can do something good. But at the same
36:37
time, do I think we need Enzo Fernandes? No.
36:39
Is he good? Yes. But I'd still rather us sort
36:42
of stay within our squad who is actually there.
36:45
Like, there's no reason for us not to leverage
36:47
Nico O 'Reilly more effectively. Yeah, I mean,
36:49
it kind of feels like with Klopp, it feels like
36:51
Pep's left him in a decent... position right
36:53
and I know they're kind of not the force they
36:56
were but they were never going to be but it's
36:58
I think there's definitely players with upside
37:00
like I think Cherky can be better I think Marmush
37:03
can be better I think Doku's showing like he's
37:05
starting to find a bit of consistency obviously
37:07
Foden's a big one the big question mark can you
37:09
find him a role and get him get out of him what
37:12
you know you can get out of him I just think
37:14
you're right centre midfield seems to be the
37:17
the balance in there. And I think a lot of it
37:19
hinges on Rodri and what he's going to do. Obviously,
37:21
Bernardo Silva's away. Big, big miss, big character.
37:24
That's probably the biggest risk for me. It's
37:27
not just how good he is, it's the character he
37:30
is in that dressing room. So, yeah, you're right.
37:32
I think City, maybe they'll do a bit of business.
37:34
It's maybe two or three, a couple of midfielders,
37:36
maybe a right back. And then you're going in
37:39
going, yeah, although I still think Haaland has
37:42
been pretty poor recently. He tends to have a
37:46
case of the Salahs. Haaland and Salah do the
37:48
same thing every year, which is they start incredibly
37:50
bright and then they tail off mid -season for
37:52
a little bit and then they come back. I am actually,
37:55
to be honest, now that Bernardo Silva's left,
37:57
I'm excited for Gianni Rindis to actually come
37:59
back and play because Bernardo Silva kept him
38:03
out of the team completely. And that made sense
38:04
because he is Bernardo Silva and also he was
38:07
having Fantastic season. I thought you were going
38:09
to explain for Reinders to get transferred. I
38:11
was like, yeah. God, no, no. That guy is like
38:14
a hot knife through butter when he plays. You
38:16
like him because he's handsome, mate. That's
38:18
why. He basically looks like me. No, but what
38:23
I'm saying is like, I'm keen. I'm excited for
38:26
this season. I feel more optimistic about this
38:28
season than last season. There's also Cechi.
38:30
The end of the table can be really fun. Okay.
38:33
There you have it, Mike. What about your team?
38:34
Arsenal, Lagunas, they're already linked with,
38:36
you know, I've seen with Morgan Rogers is, is
38:39
a big rumor out there. We'd love to see that.
38:41
We'd love to see that. I think there's certainly
38:43
some attacking midfield capability in that young
38:45
man. Right. So don't worry. I'll coach that straight
38:48
out of them. Yeah, that's right. That's right.
38:50
So there's, there's three things I think that
38:53
I would like to see. I would love to see the
38:55
Morgan Rogers thing happen. I want to see Declan
38:57
Rice named the captain of the squad. And I want
39:01
to see, I still don't think we've solved the
39:05
striker problem. Yes. Correct. Correct. You're
39:08
with me. Jokers is not the guy, is he? I don't
39:11
think that he's the guy. I mean, look, we said
39:13
this at the start of the season that coming from
39:16
any league to the Premier League, it is a different
39:21
brand of football. And so the... I never expected
39:25
him to score 30 goals in his first season, right?
39:28
Like that just wasn't going to happen. I would
39:30
like to see another year behind it, but he's
39:33
just with the way the rest of the team is structured
39:36
and what he's good at. I just don't think it's
39:40
a match. I think he's a, he's a great havoc creator
39:43
for the last 30 minutes. What, because he's got
39:46
some wheels, but he's, he's also getting on.
39:48
I like, he's not young. So, yeah. If you want
39:51
to have it created, there's a guy, Darwin Nunes,
39:53
I could send him your way. He's the same. Screw
39:55
him. You know what the irony is? The irony is,
39:57
like you say, you're right, Gok isn't, his strengths
40:00
aren't, like, being good at football. They don't
40:02
match up with the way the rest of the team plays.
40:04
Like, guys like Reissner are actually good at
40:06
football, and he's not. So, it's like, he's,
40:08
no, listen, his touch, he's got an absolutely
40:11
woeful first touch. He's got the turning circle
40:13
of a tugboat. Yeah. Yeah, it's just, it's, look,
40:17
it. It's not. But I'm serious. Listen, if he's
40:22
a guy that's coming off the bench, you're happy.
40:24
Sure. 100%. Same as Havertz, right? Havertz coming
40:27
off the bench for me is an okay. I don't love
40:29
Havertz. He's an option. But you need the guy
40:32
is what you're saying. You need the guy. Yeah,
40:34
absolutely. And there was an early talk about
40:36
Julian Alvarez. I don't think that's happening.
40:39
And I don't think that he's the answer either.
40:42
But I think that those are the three things I
40:44
want. Rice to be captain. Well, and at fourth.
40:47
So sounds like Saliba is going to play for France
40:51
and then have back surgery. And so you might
40:56
need to know the centre -back. You have 17. What
40:59
the hell? I don't care. I don't care. Mike is
41:03
fully in on Mikel's master plan. Just more centre
41:06
-halves. This is how we do it now. This is how
41:08
we win. Long throws, corners, more centre -halves.
41:10
That's all they care about. That pairing is lethal.
41:14
And if he's going to have surgery after the World
41:16
Cup, he's not going to start with the team. Has
41:21
there ever been a situation where a team has
41:24
won the league with the same tactics two years
41:26
in a row? Yes. Man City have done it. Your team
41:29
did it. No, we actually do fiddle a little bit,
41:32
but the thing is that Arsenal just reinforces
41:34
the Tony Pulisic every year. No, I don't think
41:38
Arsenal won't win it playing the way they played
41:39
this year. No, I agree. They need to be more
41:43
attacking. Yeah, well, listen, I think, think
41:46
of how different it could have been. There was
41:48
rumours they almost signed Olly Watkins that
41:50
fell through. To me, he's a level above Giocares.
41:53
Yeah, I would love to see Gerard Bowen come to
41:55
Arsenal as well. Why, to sit on the bench? Yeah,
41:58
that's right. Just about to say that. There's
42:01
no way Art Leteco would start. I'm trying to
42:03
think who realistically... Ivan Toni, maybe?
42:07
I'm trying to think who realistically... Who
42:09
do you think, in terms of a striking option?
42:11
The boy Thiago at Brentford? Danny Welbeck? Let's
42:16
get Danny in for a laugh. You don't know who
42:20
the guy is then, no? I don't. I don't know. There's
42:23
not many of them. There's not many. That's the
42:29
spot that we still... Calvert -Lewin? Would you
42:33
take him? No. No? No. Too handsome. Yeah. Okay.
42:39
Well, listen, we'll see. Okay, well, that's the
42:41
rundown from the Arsenal fans. Here we go. There's
42:42
an end of season wrap. Let's look forward now.
42:45
Listen, we have a World Cup. So Mike's going
42:47
to do a wee bit of magic here. Look at this.
42:50
Something you prepared earlier. So yes, we are
42:54
going to switch focus. We're on to the World
42:56
Cup. That's right. Yes, that's it. Mike is out
42:59
in the States. Everyone's getting ready for it
43:02
out there. So lots of excitement. Yes, but we're
43:05
going to... Spend maybe five minutes or so closing
43:08
out, just kind of talking a little bit about
43:09
the World Cup. We'll talk about some of the rule
43:11
changes to the way the referees are going to
43:13
referee it, which is all born out of Arsenal
43:15
being shithouses. So, which you love to see them
43:19
just putting David Rye on every picture. So,
43:22
but yeah, so no, we have the World Cup. We're
43:24
going to start switching focus to that. Now we're
43:25
going to do a... deep dive episode next week
43:28
on the world cup we're going to talk through
43:30
who we think are the you know the runners and
43:32
races to win it who we think will win it dark
43:34
horses maybe banana skins and certain groups
43:36
of death top scorers etc we'll cover it all um
43:40
on our episode next week but uh yeah let's talk
43:42
a little bit about the world cup mike you're
43:44
out there um there's been a bit yeah people kind
43:47
of a bit like a lot around ticket prices usual
43:49
stuff like people aren't thrilled How is the,
43:52
is, is there a buildup? Do you feel locally in
43:54
this like excitement building? I mean, you're,
43:56
I don't know. Every year for as long as I can
44:00
remember, like the, it's always the fastest growing
44:03
sport. And you wonder like, how long can it be
44:05
the fastest growing sport? But it is. And so,
44:08
yes, there, and there are pockets in the country
44:11
where it resonates. Carolina's where I am is
44:14
a big one. right so there's there's a lot of
44:17
excitement here uh for sure you have any games
44:19
there no do you have any games in charlotte i
44:21
want to say okay there is okay i wasn't sure
44:23
because i know they're everywhere i have to check
44:25
i i i have to check that um but i i know atlanta's
44:30
not far like so there there's stuff that's close
44:32
to where i am for sure um but uh Not in Raleigh,
44:38
unfortunately, which is nice and close to me.
44:41
Yes, there is excitement. Now, that is balanced
44:45
with, like, Miller doing a whole bunch of ads
44:48
around, get excited for the American team. I'm
44:51
sorry. We are ass. You've got pouches at the
44:55
wheel, mate. You're good. Your Honor, the defense
44:58
rests. We've got a Spurs manager leading the
45:01
U .S. team. We're screwed. I don't think that,
45:08
you know, best case, we get out of the group
45:11
and then get embarrassed. And I just don't think
45:13
that there's a lot of hope there. So, but yes,
45:17
there is a lot of excitement. for it um ticket
45:20
prices are starting to calm down a little bit
45:22
you're starting to see him i saw that me and
45:23
mates were talking about myself your mates are
45:25
going to be in miami for the scotland brazil
45:27
game and they actually might get tickets i think
45:29
it has calmed down a bit i knew this would happen
45:32
where because what i didn't know mike is a guy
45:34
this guy marcus is this this guy i told you he
45:36
was a waiter in a restaurant atlanta and by the
45:38
way no games in north carolina mercedes -benz
45:41
in atlanta yes but he's going to give new york
45:44
he said if you win the lottery system in america
45:46
you can buy as many tickets as you want this
45:47
is what's driving the prices up what happens
45:49
now is People then go, they can't get rid of
45:51
the tickets and prices, you know, supply and
45:53
demand, right? So it might even out. What's interesting
45:56
is that, of course, you know, leave it to the
45:58
U .S. to do that. The matches in Canada, they
46:00
actually implemented legislation that you could
46:03
not scalp the tickets. I love that. So in Toronto,
46:06
there's no, you know, inflated price. And unfortunately,
46:09
Scotland are playing. Canada, well done you.
46:10
Yeah, Scotland are playing two games at Foxborough
46:12
and Boston and one in Miami, so I need to. But
46:15
anyway, look, we're going to enjoy it. Yeah,
46:16
I was out in Atlanta in the Stella Artois. I
46:18
got a free glass. world cup there's lots of i
46:20
do you know i love that i know it's like going
46:22
back in time you know mcdonald's did the coke
46:24
glasses like let's bring that back guys let's
46:26
just get lots of free stuff for the world cup
46:28
for everyone that's like i love that shit right
46:30
um but yeah um let's talk about what we'll do
46:33
just to preview a little bit we won't get into
46:34
the teams and stuff we'll do that next week because
46:36
that'll take more time but we will talk about
46:38
the rule changes because it's some it feels very
46:40
connected to what we've witnessed this year certainly
46:43
in the premier league but also in European football
46:45
with some of the rule changes that they're implementing.
46:49
So one interesting one is this VAR can look,
46:52
I think it's only with attacking players, and
46:56
this is for Arsenal blocking everyone, basically.
46:58
That's the genesis of this, this trend of blocking
47:01
players. They can punish that now. The VAR used
47:05
to not look at anything before the ball was sort
47:07
of played into the box. Whereas now if there's
47:09
like, if Mike blocks my... path to the ball deliberately
47:11
and it's deemed to be that then they can do it
47:14
which i i like that they're dealing with it but
47:16
i just think god we're gonna have so many viruses
47:17
over rotate so badly that it's going to be as
47:20
egregious as you could imagine for the game for
47:23
the for the group stage and then they'll calm
47:25
down but it's gonna it's gonna mess with some
47:27
group stage matches it is and then the other
47:30
rule the other big ones there's lots you can
47:32
sort of google this and we'll get into it more
47:33
next week but the other one that i think i love
47:35
is what we talked about in this podcast so boys
47:38
we do know what we're talking about ages ago
47:40
it's the five second they're doing a five second
47:43
rule for goal kicks and throw and somebody told
47:45
me it's corners but i checked it's not i said
47:46
that there's no way that's enough time for a
47:48
corner i said you need to give at least 20 seconds
47:50
maybe 30 because people have to get up the pitch
47:52
um but so like the referee what i've read is
47:56
they're going to be if the ball is ever thrown
47:57
they will then signal okay and i don't think
48:00
it'll be when the ball goes out i think it might
48:02
I don't know how they're going to manage players.
48:03
I think it's when they pick it up. Well, I think
48:05
that's a problem because they'll just walk slower
48:07
to get the fucking ball, right? But the point
48:08
is the referee just puts up signals five seconds,
48:10
and if you don't make the throw in, then it goes
48:13
the other way. Goal kick, same thing. A corner
48:15
gets awarded, I believe, if they don't take it
48:16
quick enough. That is, I mean, from a goal kick
48:20
to a corner is a big, like, throw in, okay, unless
48:22
you're close and you've got a long throw specialist.
48:25
But goal kick to a corner is a big deal. Big
48:27
swing. Is this why Raya wasn't selected for the
48:31
World Cup? Because they knew that he'd be largely
48:32
useless. He's selected, no? I don't think he
48:37
is. What? He must be in the squad. I'm pretty
48:40
sure he's not. He has to start, mate. He has
48:43
to start. He's the best goalkeeper in the world
48:46
right now. He is. I hate to say it, but he is.
48:48
He is actually there, but I don't think that
48:51
he is going to be starting. I'm pretty sure it's
48:53
Unai Simon. Well, Una Simone has been the starter,
48:57
but Raya surely has got to start. Can he actually
49:00
play without killing the ball for like 15 minutes?
49:04
I don't know. I think the form he's in this year,
49:06
you have to play. God. But yes, anyway, we'll
49:11
see. But yes, look, some interesting rule changes.
49:13
Look, it's going to be super exciting. Some of
49:15
the game time, the kickoff time, especially with
49:17
Scotland games, suck, which is the only downside.
49:21
I think the first game was like a 2 a .m. kickoff
49:23
here and then 11 p .m. The 11 p .m. ones are
49:25
fine, but the 2 a .m. is a little bit of a punch,
49:27
a kick in the teeth. But anyway, listen, it's
49:30
going to be fun. We're going to have a great
49:32
time. And yes, we will get into all in our next
49:35
episodes. We're going to preview the World Cup.
49:37
We're going to give you everything that we know.
49:38
We'll do a bunch of research. Yes, and we will
49:43
get into who we think, and we'll talk about our
49:44
own teams, respectively, apart from Waza, whose
49:46
team didn't make it. So do you want to take England
49:49
and Waza? God, no. Are you kidding? That's like
49:51
the last team that I want to take. I'm just going
49:54
through the list. You pick a team you like, you
49:57
can cover them for us, okay? But Mike and I's
49:59
teams are going to be there. Yeah, so love to
50:02
see it. I think I have to go for Norway, probably.
50:06
That's fine. Okay, you can preview Norway and
50:08
tell us how great they're going to be. Sure.
50:11
But yes. Okay, well, listen, I think with that,
50:14
look, that's a wrap to this episode and the Premier
50:18
League and European season. But the good news
50:22
is we don't have that long summer of nothingness,
50:24
right? We do. That's it. We don't have to go
50:26
away and have hot girl summers. We can just watch
50:28
the World Cup, get the beers out. looking forward
50:31
to doing that and yeah thanks to everyone for
50:34
listening Patrick Malarkey be better it's not
50:36
the first time I've said that so but yeah thanks
50:39
for listening and we will see you next week for
50:42
the World Cup preview episode see you then