Fulham end Liverpool’s unbeaten run and Southampton sink – Football Weekly podcast

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my front door so the kids don't wake up the pod was recorded before Ivan Urich left Southampton it was not deemed an emergency pod was required for this news but we wish him all the best.

Here's your podcast.

Hello, and welcome to the Guardian Football Weekly.

Liverpool's second defeat of the season.

A great performance from Fulham, three goals in 13 minutes.

A wonderful Rodrigo Moon is touched.

Are Arna Slotsmen going to win the title on the beach?

Southampton are relegated, the earliest a team has ever gone down in Premier League history.

They even let Spurs beat them.

Is this just the gulf between the championship and the top flight, or could Saints perhaps have made a better fist of things in the really good stuff?

The race for fifth place, a big win for Villa at home to Forest.

Brighton lose at Palace as everyone is sent off.

Wolves win at Ipswich, which means the bottom three is basically done.

Well, a good weekend for Arsenal conspiracy theorists as they concede an unbelievably soft penalty.

There's a big number nine to savour at West Ham, and then there's a Manchester Derby and a West London Derby where almost nothing happens, but there is some Kevin De Bruyne to talk about.

All that plus Barry's half marathon quest gathers pace.

Your questions, and that's today's Guardian Football Weekly.

On the panel today, new to Strava, running hero, Barry Glendenning.

Welcome.

Hello, Max.

Yeah, we'll get to that.

Noradine Chowdhury, hello.

Hello.

And welcome, John Bruin.

Hello, Max.

Let's start at Craven Cottage.

Fulham 3, Liverpool 2.

Liverpool's second defeat of the season.

Their first away defeat of the season.

They were unbeaten in 26 going into this.

John, you were at this one, and Fulham deserved it, didn't they?

Oh, yeah, 100%.

Fantastic performance from Fulham.

Quite a similar way of playing it against Liverpool as Newcastle at Wembley.

Have we found the key to Liverpool, but just a little bit late in the season?

Don't worry, Liverpool fans.

You're still going to win the league.

You've got West Ham coming up and Leicester after that.

You're soon.

It's going to happen.

It's going to happen.

Don't worry.

Don't worry.

But we have this question, don't we?

And it was a phrase Roy Keene came up with a couple of years ago.

Bad champions.

I'm not saying Liverpool are bad champions, but it's that debate that's out there, isn't there?

Of like, will Liverpool any good?

The truth is, Fulham showed that actually in the Premier League, there's a lot of good teams about.

Fulham were what, seventh, eighth, you know, ninth?

They've been floating around that all season.

And every team has just about every team, including Southampton, you know, the Italian Dibbling or whatever,

has a talented player.

This was Alex Iwobi's day for me and Rodrigo Munis as well, as you mentioned in the intro.

Just turning on the style.

It was like one of those afternoons where it was sunny but chilly.

I think that's an ideal footballing conditions, and it was a beautiful display.

I had to feel sorry for Curtis Jones playing at right back because he ain't a right back.

Some big questions to ask about what's going to happen to the right back position.

And actually,

one of the points is: no, Trent Alexander Arnold.

Mohamed Salah appears to disappear from matches when Trent's not around.

And Mohammed Salah, I wrote in my match report, gave Liverpool a a glimpse of what it will be like without him while actually being on the field.

It was incredible.

And then the other player whose contract

is up at the end of the season, we have Sudan Serie Future.

I've never seen Virgil Van Dijk get roughed up as he did by Munis.

And do you know what?

The thing about that was it was because we were sat quite close to the pitch, I was sat with Barney, you could see how annoyed he was.

And it's so funny to watch, you know, this cool guy.

He was so naky, he's screaming at his colleagues, and he's just muttering to himself, like, John, get me out of here, I've had enough of this.

But, but, yeah, great performance by uh Fulham, Liverpool, don't panic.

One of those days, it's only the second time they've lost all season.

Can I just ask John, what are the keys, if we've seen from Newcastle and Fulham, what are the keys to get at Liverpool, even if it's too long?

Well, it's do you know what?

I think it's something.

Remember, um, Pep Guardiola said a few weeks ago about how the new Premier League is about power, uh, it's about strength.

It's that, isn't it?

I think that the Premier League has shifted from, well, the Guardiola style of play, the transition game, to, and this is meet my approval and yours too, a bit of thud and blunder and just smash into people.

And people might say the refereeing allows that a little bit more, but, you know, this is the era of your Rodrigo Munis, your Dan Burns.

Let's have it.

Yeah, the Fulkrug era.

We'll get to that.

Barry, We'll get to that.

Yes.

Barry, you have at times in the past struggled to form an opinion on Fulham.

Did this game stir something from within?

Yeah, well, one of my more prescient predictions at the start of the season was that Fulham would just be Fulham.

They would do nothing of interest.

They would finish 12th.

And that would be that.

And they have been one of the more entertaining teams to watch this season.

They're a very good side.

I was surprised to learn yesterday there were only 10th going into the game.

I thought they were higher up the table.

They seem to have been playing better than 10th.

So they could still finish 12th.

But they've certainly had a lot more about them than I expected them to.

John says Liverpool will have...

There are questions over their right back position next season.

I think there are also going to be questions over their left back position.

Yes.

Because it looks like Andy Robertson, he might be done at Liverpool.

He's been a great, great servant for them.

I don't think anyone could have predicted how well he would do for them when he arrived from Hull.

Do you remember they signed him and then we didn't see him again for about a year or eight months or something and then he arrived and he's been a really, really good servant for Liverpool.

But it looks like now he might get sold on during the summer.

I think he only has a year left in his contract.

Anthony Robinson, who's been brilliant for Fulham this season, he has been linked with a move for Liverpool, so that he might be the heir to Andy Robertson.

Yeah, I was hugely impressed with Fulham in this game.

On Match of the Day 2, they highlighted Calvin Bassey's contribution.

He's had a great season.

Oh, yeah.

And

the manner in...

You know, a game like this, you'd sort of expect Fulham just to sit back, let Liverpool come at them and hope to catch them on a break.

But they were really aggressive.

They committed bodies forward and they showed no fear.

Now, sometimes against Liverpool, that's an approach that could backfire spectacularly and you could get hammered.

But it worked for them yesterday, and they were deserved winners, as John says.

I think I've done this line before, but I think it's worth repeating that if they do sign Anthony Robinson, they can just give him all of Andy Robertson's kit, you know, and save money on the embroidery, can't they?

Nas,

I loved the Moonies goal for two reasons.

One, Iwobi's assist, which is just punting it high in the air.

And two, the touch from Mooney's is absolutely amazing.

The awfulness of the assist with the beauty of

the first touch was amazing.

It kind of,

I know it's hardly the same thing, but do you know that...

Do you know that Frank Worthington goal where he kind of like hits it over himself and scores?

Yeah, yeah.

I know that was in slow motion, but like the olden days were in slow motion.

So this is like the modern version of it.

uh yeah and it was it was an amazing goal and and that was one moment i i agree with john that like uh van dijke uh was not at his best but uh like i i mean you can't blame van dijke for that goal because it was just it was just a thing of beauty but uh just in general like i agree that that that moon is just uh he was just enjoying himself and and again like

i think for different reasons the whole the whole weekend kind of felt like a last last day of the season in terms of relegations you had uh matches where both teams seemed happy happy with with like a draw and and and in this game you had the kind of flip of that where fullham kind of obviously fullum are playing for something but they they played as if they

there's no pressure and they and they were just enjoying themselves uh i thought burger was really good in midfield as well the way he carries the ball forward and uh like i said uh bassie was enjoying himself so yeah i i actually think

In terms of both

Liverpool's fullbacks,

I think both answers play today.

I think I agree that Robinson would be a natural

replacement for Robertson

at left back.

And I think

because

since Trent Alexander Arnold

sort of it was clear that he was leaving, there's been a lot of Liverpool fans that have been saying, oh, well, we don't need him.

We've got Connor Bradley.

And that feels as if it's them just trying to make the best of a bad lot.

But like, Connor Bradley's really, really good.

I've been so impressed with him.

And it's the way he doesn't,

obviously, he doesn't have Trent Alexander Arnold's passing range, but the way he sort of

overlaps and underlaps,

he's really, really good.

So I don't think they've got anything to worry about with him.

And actually, John, I mean, Liverpool could have easily got something in this game.

That Harvey Elliott, he's wheeling away to celebrate, isn't he?

When he's struck that ball, Kiesa had that chance as well.

Yeah, yeah, but I think Norstruck on a good point, which is that one of the things about that is that Fulham didn't, until those very, very last seconds, the last, you know, three or four minutes of time had it on, did not go back into that shell that teams do so often.

They were opening.

I mean, Harrison Reid nearly scored as well at the other end.

It was, it was just,

it was pretty end-to-end stuff.

And I think,

yeah, Liverpool could have got something out of the game, which is what Arna Slott said after.

And, you know, Arna Slott was not.

He pulled back from criticising his players.

I think, you know, after the season they've had, there's not really much you can say.

I mean, it's clear that Liverpool will have some kind of rebuild this summer.

And to get this far, to win the title in your first season, it's still a hell of an achievement.

And those players, he's changed the style a bit.

And I think one of the things about Liverpool is that the change from the clop style is that they are, and this is why they've stayed ahead of other teams, is being able to slow down a bit more compared to, say, the other teams that play at full pelts meant that there's that added durability.

His players have lasted the season better.

But at this point, even he is starting to show players that are tired or injured or, you know, Salah's not playing so well.

The forward line isn't going so well.

You know, Soberslai had a poor game.

It happens at any point of the season.

And, you know, the first away defeat of the season, I said before, come on.

It's still pretty amazing.

I mean,

it's been a brilliant season for Liverpool.

And it's just disingenuous, isn't it, to say, because it's kind of petering out.

Like, it's like, when do you win your games?

It doesn't matter when you win your games.

They're just so brilliant that they're allowed to just sort of like fluff their way to the end.

You know, like, good, good for them.

And Nas will remember, we're both Mad United fans.

United towards the end of the season, when they're cruising towards a title, would slip up at Southampton or something like that.

There'd just be some weird result that would happen, and you know, then you just get on with the next one.

That's what winning teams do.

Yeah, very hard to slip up at Southampton this season.

And let's move on to them.

Relegated the earliest in Premier League history, a team has gone down with seven games still to play.

In 31 games, they have two wins and four draws.

They've scored 23 goals, the fewest, conceded the most, 74.

Their current goal difference of minus 51.

Derby in that season was minus 69.

Having only been relegated twice in their first 45 seasons in the English top flight between 66-67 and 21-22, they've now been relegated in two successive Premier League campaigns.

And Ivan Urich has been in charge for 14 games, one win and and one draw in that time.

The win over Ipswich.

Obviously, there is a gulf barrier between the Premier League and the Championship, but

they could have done more, couldn't they?

I'm not sure,

to be honest.

Even though they have

become the first team to go down and they are

seven points behind Leicester, I remain convinced that Leicester are a far worse team than Southampton.

And I'm going on the evidence of my own eyes rather than the numbers and what I have seen.

I've seen Southampton play well

on a few occasions.

They gave Liverpool a couple of good games.

They played well against Manchester United.

I think they lost all those games.

They have played well against better teams.

So I suppose that supports your argument that they could have done more.

But they're really, really bad.

And,

you know, everyone's obsessing over whether they'll get more points than Derby or whether, you know, how early they've gone down.

They haven't gone down earliest in terms of the calendar, but they have gone down earliest in terms of the number.

It doesn't really matter.

It's all irrelevant, really.

No, but I suppose my point being, Nas, is like we started with Russell Martin.

Like, it's great to have a philosophy, but, like, they conceded so many goal, like, so many goals and so many, like, terrible goals.

It wasn't working.

And we're talking about teams higher at the table having to adapt like that

like there's a lot on him there's a lot on yours there's a lot on a lot of people but i just wonder like if they just

is that squad the worst in the division by this much or or had they just been a bit more pragmatic could they still be fighting because they've shown a bit more fight Yeah, I mean, it's difficult, isn't it?

Because, I mean, we've kind of made the Vincent Company argument before where it's a kind of situation where, are you doing what's best for the club to stay up or are you doing what's what will make you look like a dynamic progressive young manager who's who's who's sort of um guided by their philosophy and uh that was the slight concern with with with russell martin in terms of like just be pragmatic but again like like i'll go back i mean i agree with what barry said that they they're a functional team they're not like leicard who just seemed hopeless for so much of the season and i i know i know it's no sort of barometer but when manchester united played them they always they're such a tough team to play against, or they were for the tragic sort of

team that United are at the moment.

So they do have something about them.

So, and they definitely have something about them to a greater extent than a lot of teams that got relegated later in the season.

So it's such a strange one.

But

I think a true sort of like indication of how talented the players are is that there will still be.

four or five players that everyone will will want to pick off.

So there's got to be something wrong there, whether it's management or whatever.

But there's certainly talented players in there that loads of other teams will want.

Nos made a point I was going to make, which is: let's go back to that Derby team of 2007-08.

Who's in there?

Igor Steemach?

Who's in there?

Robbie Savage.

Robbie Savage was

a captain.

Yeah.

Kenny Miller.

Kenny Miller, yes.

Robert Earnshaw.

Danny Mills is no.

Robert Earnshaw, yes.

I mean, Barry, you're killing it here, man.

No, I'm.

To be fair, I did go back and look at that Derby team during last week.

There were a lot of players who never darkened the door of the Premier League again.

That's what I was going to say is that there is this when I look at those players and what became of them later, I mean, Kenny Miller played till about last week, didn't he?

Because he was still

playing for Rangers when he was 40, I think.

Even Darren Moore, I mean, that was pretty much it.

David Jones went to play for Wolves and Burnley.

He was quite a good player.

He went back to the Premier League.

Roy Carroll was always floating around.

But you've got the like of, you know, Mark Edworthy, Jay McEverly, Dean Leacock.

You know, these are the first-team players.

They just disappeared.

You know, they just sort of dropped down the leagues.

It was your association with that team was not a good thing.

And I think it was a, you know, Baul Jewell, the manager, did an interview recently, didn't he?

Saying that, you know, that was pretty much it for him.

What Nuz has said is correct is that I think there aren't a few players that will be picked off.

You know, Kyle Peters, Taylor Harwood Bellis, Tyler Dibling, of course.

Tyler Dibling, of course.

Yeah.

There is talent there.

Southampton has always been, because it's quite a big catchment area, is always able to turn out talent.

The thing is, the people that have run that club are trying to establish a Brighton, a Bournemouth, a Brentford.

That's their plan.

But it just shows the difficulty of trying to be one of those clubs because they've got it wrong.

I think that's, I mean, they got relegated with Nathan Jones and, you know, Ruben Selez.

They plumped for Russell Martin and they plumped that philosophy.

That went wrong.

Old Yorich, I think, is going to be a quiz question.

When you're

you show me a photo of him in five years, I'll recognize him, but I won't know his name.

And that's no disrespect to someone who's been a very good manager, but he is a Premier League passenger, isn't he?

Yeah, you'll be like, he was in the wire, but I just can't remember.

I can't remember which who he played.

I reckon it was homicide life on the streets.

I think it was.

Oh, old Yorich sounds like a Shakespeare character.

Sunderland will have to go some now to not be in the championship playoffs.

And I'm really torn between...

Yeah.

You want to see your team mixing it with the big boys in the top flight, but you also worry that

they will

probably just get massacred week in, week out.

if they were to walk through the playoffs.

And, you know, it's no fun watching a team get smashed every week.

It's just the novelty wears off very quickly.

Yeah.

I mean, Wilson made that interesting point about if Burnley go up, at least we'll see a gritty defensive team come up and see if they can, you know,

they can make their mark.

And Troy Deaniel matched the day yesterday was saying, you know, like Brentford came up and they just played solid football and have got progressively more progressive, which is probably the way to do it.

They went down because they lost to Tottenham.

Basin, I did wonder if Spurs could complete the quite incredible hat-trick of losing at home to Leicester, Ipswich, and Southampton this season, but they didn't.

Danny Wright's are Spurs back.

Perhaps

a little premature.

But they won this game.

Look, look,

the Chelsea game happened,

John, on Thursday night.

We haven't discussed the ear cupping, the Ange ear cupping,

which was so funny, wasn't it?

Come on, Ange.

Yeah, if you're doing that, you're losing, aren't you, really?

And also,

actually, one thing I noticed from the coverage yesterday was

obviously every set piece with Ange is him looking at the floor.

There's always a cough as well.

But he gave his sort of post-match answers like they put it on one and a half speed.

Like, he was just

get me out of here.

He was answering so quickly.

Yeah, we played well in the first half.

I don't really care what I'm saying.

And it's...

I mean, this is a doomed man, isn't it?

Unfortunately, I think we know that there will be a picture of a corner flag, Tottenham statement.

We would like to thank Ange for the hard work he's put in over the last two seasons.

What if they win the Europa League?

What if they beat Man United in the final of the Europa League?

Would that be enough?

Or do you think he still might go even if they did do that?

Well, funny enough, that's an interesting point, isn't it?

Does Daniel Levy look at what Big Sir Jim did in keeping 10 Haag and still sack him just to show that he is as ruthless as Big Sir Jim?

Because you've got your billionaire billionaire egos thrown around there, you know.

What's the hard man's move to make there?

You know, but also, having said that,

um, Daniel is not known for paying out when, so, well, who knows?

Who knows about that one?

Who knows?

Yeah, although Baz did suggest yesterday that you know, if I'm getting skeptical, you know, I'd be like the Japanese guy still fighting the Second World War 50 years later, or the string quartet on the Titanic going, no, he'll be fine.

Anyway, look, we'll discuss that big game for them, obviously, obviously, on Thursday night against Eintrek Frankfurt.

Could be make or break for Ange.

But part two will begin at Villa Park.

Hi, Pod fans of America.

Max here.

Barry's here, too.

Hello.

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Welcome to part two of the Guardian Football Weekly.

Seven straight wins then for Vida in all competitions.

FA Cup semi-final coming up.

Champions League quarterfinal to come two.

They beat Nottingham Forest 2-1.

Forest have never come back from two goals down in the Premier League, not even to draw a game, which is quite interesting, isn't it?

But in this game, Nas,

I don't think I've ever seen a team curl a ball just wide so many times in a game.

It was like every time you looked up, Forest was just bending one wide and you know, Anthony Langer or Callum Hudson and all is looking disappointed.

Yeah, it was so weird.

I actually think that Forrest thrashed Villa and lost 2-1.

It was such a weird game.

They should have won easily.

And again, Villa on a stunning runner-form.

But yeah, like the amount of chances that Forrest missed.

Even

Alanga sort of threatened to score another amazing solo goal.

But even the one he scored against United...

it wasn't a great finish.

It was more Inanna sort of like being badly positioned

that made it a goal.

So yeah,

it was a strange game, but it was an amazing game.

Gibbs White was amazing.

I think Morgan Morgan Rogers was

he's such a good player.

There's a few players, and again, like you had this with Chelsea, and now you've got this with Sissa, Manchester Sister, where you kind of think you should have kept him.

There's so many players now that City should have kept, uh, and uh, and there's, I think there's even talk about them being reinterested in him, and you can kind of see why, but uh, but yeah, it was it was a great game.

Um, I know you, uh, Max, noticed uh uh shin pad gates, yeah, uh, Murato

fiddling with the shin pads and then they mentioned our match of the day I was slightly annoyed because I was like I've seen this tiny little nugget it's very hard to see anything new isn't it so when I saw the ref say hello to the ball and I was so no one else had seen I was like this is my bit but that is that is such Sunday League defending it's unbelievable

it was it was but it was also like it took me back to to third eye classic third eye moment wasn't it and

and another moment i loved in the game was uh do you know the josser goal yeah it was i loved the way that he scored but he caused Anderson to do like this most ridiculously embarrassing uh like air shot yeah and and and and even because because I think I think Anderson was ready to be really annoyed and the fact that Jotter scored was just even more annoying because you because even after Jotter scored like Anderson did not celebrate just trudged away thinking you've made me look like a mug yeah totally the amount of times I've had that when you're screaming at a teammate going don't shoot oh well done Greg that was good what did you you make of this one, John?

I have to confess, I saw the second half of this.

Just say I watched it in the Bobels pub after West Ham.

Just eating jelly deals, just covered in jelly deals, were you?

And the chasm days.

I will make this point.

John to Silver, do you not think that Jack Grealish is one of the most influential

fashion figures in the Premier League?

There's a lot of like Jack Grealish lookalikes these days.

That sort of Alice band, the hair, the sort of socks rolled down, the sort of muscular thing.

I think I think Ipswich have actually got two of them.

Jack Clark is one of them, and that screens of mine, but just it's obviously you know, the young player setting out, it's like, who do I want to be like?

And it's Jack Grealish, yeah, Jota Silver, um, he's also uh one of those really annoying players that's always there ratting the ball out, isn't he?

Paul Dickoff style, Forrest, unlucky here, Villa.

Emery just goes on those streaks, doesn't he?

Sometimes, where it's just all clicking and things come off for him.

Great manager.

I should say, before

you know, West Ham and Tottenham fans yell at me, Chassendave obviously wouldn't be in the Bow Bells pub, would they?

Let's, you know, let's not that's not, they're not going to get a great ovation of Cockneys that they are from the West Ham faithful.

I think, I think I was at a birthday party in the Bow Bells pub many years ago.

Is it a real old-school boozer?

Great, great, great pub, great pub.

Recommended to anyone.

Recommended to anyone.

It's a very gay-friendly and all that.

It's just got a lot, and it's like your full old cockneys.

We had a, I was in there the other night and

in singer in drag, you know, just belting out, what's her name?

Oh, God, I'm terrible at this stuff now.

God, Gloria Gainer.

I want to say Gloria Gainer.

No, not Gloria Gainer.

A bit more modern than that.

You're the clichés we are.

We haven't been to a drag night for ages, Joey, have we?

No, a bit more modern than that.

What's it like?

Poker Face.

You a Leaper.

Poker Face is PokerFace.

Okay.

Lady Gaga.

Brilliant performance of Poker Face done down the Bowbell on Friday night.

Well, it sounds great.

All are welcome.

And

yeah, I'm glad you had a good night.

Let's go to South House Park.

Crystal Palace 2 Brighton 1.

First time there have been three red cards in a game in the Premier League for 12 years, which really surprised me.

I just felt that was sort of a more regular occurrence than that.

Do we need to run through them, Baz?

I mean, it was a kind of spicy affair, wasn't it?

There were so many yellow cards shown on Match of the Day, where you're like, oh, he's getting sent off.

And you'd have thought, well, how are they?

They're showing so many yellow cards.

These can't all turn into red.

The first one was Eddie Nketiah.

I thought his first yellow was a bit harsh.

He got booked for diving,

and it turned out he had actually

sort of tripped over Pervis Esteban.

And then he got his second one for a high boot on Jean-Paul Van Heke.

So that's fair enough.

The first one was unfair, but I could see why the ref was

not conned, but just didn't spot the contact.

The second one was Mark Gay

with a high boot on Braj and Grude, I think, near the Groin area.

Yeah, and he was already on a yellow for a bookable challenge on Jean-Paul Van Ecker.

But Jean-Paul Van Ecker was

he played a starring role in all three sendings off.

And then the third one was Vanecke himself, and he got a second yellow for a foul on Kamada

after being sold short with it by a terrible pass from Matt Sviffer.

He had no complaints.

I can't remember his first yellow, but he just trotted off the pitch.

Grand, no problem.

But I don't think it was a particularly dirty game, but yeah, it was spicy.

These teams do not like each other.

Loads of people don't really know why.

It's a sort of needle that dates back to the 1970s when Alan Mullery and Terry Venables were in charge of the two teams.

I think Christopher Palace were probably worthy winners.

They won two games, both games against Brighton this season, and Fabian Herzler was not happy afterwards.

Just Brighton's season is in danger of sort of petering out into a big bowl of meh after a really good first...

three quarters of the season.

Yeah, they're down to ninth, but 47 points.

I mean, they are still, what, just five points or fifth place so like like they definitely a good set of results could get them into the champions league but they have to turn it around a little bit producer joel writing it's a it's a shame that jean-phili metetta didn't uh cup his ear when he scored that that brilliant goal i mean it's an it is not an amazing finish isn't it and the ear contraption is something else oh yeah i mean i mean correct on both counts uh i mean i mean

I'm fascinated by that ear thing because I sometimes wonder like how do they get made because sometimes you can kind of see they've been been molded onto somebody's face if they've got like a cheekbone issue, whatever.

But what Mateta wears, it kind of feels as if like the kit man's gone into his shed and just seen what it's about and just fashioned something that

works.

B.A.

Barrackus.

B.A.

Barrackus is locked in a room and he's got a welding kit and some stuff.

Yeah, you're a bit of a montage.

Like he gets like, I don't know, like an old face mask from

COVID days and just sort of like gets some elastic bands and there you go.

So it was,

yeah, and I mean, the great thing about Mateta is

you've seen with other players who've had like head injuries or facial injuries and they, it's really natural for them to play within themselves and be very careful on the pitch.

And that's completely understandable.

But there's none of that from him.

He's going in for challenges, he's going in for headers.

So like the bravery he shows is

so impressive.

I mean, the only thing I'd say about what Barry said about uh nketia is is i actually thought the second yellow was was harsh as well yeah i think that's a yellow i know he doesn't mean it but intent you think his head you think van hecker's head is low well i i mean if you just take the defender out of the equation as far as in ketia is concerned like the ball's coming over from behind him all he's doing is reaching out and trying to control it and he's it's not as if his foot's really high is it it's not reckless yeah but you can't you can't take the defender out of the equation because his head is there yeah yeah yeah yeah so i i suppose it's like a driving test, like you need to have awareness, don't you?

But, um,

yeah, I don't think it was.

It reminded me a bit of a softer version of, do you remember that nanny sending off against Real Madrid where he kind of tried to set your ball down and he kind of accidentally got somebody in the ribs?

He did, he absolutely did not mean it.

I watched that again recently, Nas,

you know,

without the flush of extreme bias and thought that was actually probably a red card.

Do you remember the Fergus?

You know, years later, because I too was like smashing up the room, and remember, Ferguson refused to do the post-match because he knew it was his last chance, but that was a red.

Sorry, yeah.

Yeah, and we do yell intent doesn't matter so many times now.

So I just had to yell it at you, I'm afraid.

Oliver Glasner, linked with the move back to the Bundesliga, also linked to Spurs, like everyone else.

He says, on the speculation, he said, I don't read all the stories, but my mum messaged me and she said, I don't know.

I have to read so much.

I don't know where to start and where to end.

I can't sleep anymore.

I said, Come on, you're in your 70s.

It's not worth reading all this stuff.

So, nothing to tell from my side.

The only guy I was talking to in the last week was the palace chairman, Steve Parrish, and no one else.

But, yeah, he's done an absolutely marvellous job, hasn't he, at Crystal Palace?

Let's go to Portman Road, Ipswich on Wolves 2.

Obviously, Barry, the highlight of the game is Alex Palmer, who's come in for Murich

and missing that back pass and having to palm it just off the line, which meant an indirect free kick on the edge of the six-yard box with 11 Ipswich players on the line.

More of this, please.

He let a Darrow Shea back pass roll under his foot, managed to get down and slap the ball away from the line before it went in, which meant

Wolves had an indirect free kick on the edge of the six-yard box.

Ipswich had 11 players lined across their goal.

Emmanuel Agbadou took the shot, but the ball was rolled his way.

And I think it was Sam Morrisse, who is he another, or is it him or Jacob Greaves is another of the

Jack Greavish tribunal

footballers?

Jacob Greaves, yeah, yeah.

Jacob Greaves, yeah, yeah.

But it was Sam Morrissey who blocked the shot.

I'd imagine that hurt.

But yeah, I love those free kicks.

They're great fun.

And

I think maybe if some of the less egregious penalties that are given for handball were indirect free kicks instead, the world would be a far better place because you want to see more of those.

Daniel says, for the six-yard box indirect free kick, why doesn't someone just get it hit?

Like a half-distance penalty, no little touch, so the wall has a chance to smother the shot.

The chance of it going in without a deflection or a little nick must be minuscule.

And actually, no, it's a good point because then you just have all the players jumping out of the way like some sort of like it's a grenade.

It'll be even more exciting.

Essentially, what you're describing there is a little bit like British Bulldog, which I'm all in favour of.

I also think it like literally just boot it, like, like somebody just give it a minor touch and somebody boot it.

Because

from what I can remember, because I'm trying, I was trying to think, like,

who, like, what are the best indirect free kicks in the area that I've seen?

And I think, I think Shearer scored, I think Shearer scored a couple.

Shearer Sherringham.

Yeah, Sherringham to Shearer, top right against, well, I'm going to say Georgia, but I can't remember.

I think he also did one against in the league against

maybe it was West Brom or Norwich or someone, someone, but like also, um, isn't there a famous one where Batis Duta just absolutely batters it against AC Milan?

And I think it's the way to go.

Like, just some just roll the foot over it, and somebody else just absolutely twat it.

Yeah, but I think that's what they sort of try and do.

But the idea, I think, is, I think, just hit it.

Just, you know, just imagine Robert Hooth lining up, and you're one of the defenders and you can't get out of the way, and he's steaming in.

Who wouldn't watch that?

I think it was that first.

Remember the first season when the back pass law meant that we saw a lot of these

indirect free kicks as goalkeepers would suddenly panic and fall on their internet i think it was bepe signori from lazio was the master of that particular move of the ball smashed to him and he would just lash it into the back of the net the indirect free kick was it stuart pierce was denied by one in in some international tournament maybe the listeners can but it was just where he smashes it in and it's like oh it was an indirect one because

and it didn't hit someone on the, you know, it was in modern football and modern sport, they always try and borrow from other sports.

Why don't they get like somebody from hockey?

Do you know corners that they do?

Yeah, yeah, an indirect free kick.

Get Sean, but that'd be like get Sean Curley on the line.

There's only been there's only been one this season.

Like, are you putting that in your 25?

Like, the winner's like his only ever use him.

No, not a player.

He won't have his little stick.

I'm talking.

I'm talking about like a coach.

Ah, a coach.

A direct directly kick coach, right?

I see what you mean, yeah, who could come out who's like who 99% of the season had just sat on the bench.

That one moment is not a chance to shine.

What's Nicholas Jova going to say about that?

On the Austin flee of indirect free kicks.

Look, look, I suppose, look, also, it is worth pointing out from this game, John, that this means the relegation fight is done.

And look, talk about Ipswich, South Anton, Leicester, but Wolves and Vita Pereira has sort of quietly done an absolutely brilliant job.

He has, yes, yes, that's it.

And

he's done it the Portuguese way, which is, you know, Portuguese football is quite conservative, despite the amount of talented players that that league or

that culture turns out.

He's added solidity.

You've got Andre in midfield.

He's still managed to produce performances from

Matiscuno, but you've got Strudd Larson scoring goals.

It's just, you know, it's good, solid football, strong down the middle, plenty of use of the flanks.

And, you know, Ipswich going down, I mean, I saw Ipswich beat Bournemouth in midweek, just give themselves a chance, but it felt like they thought they were going to lose to Wolves because Wolves, again, have that power that a lot of teams have, and Ipswich have struggled to produce.

I mean, Sam Morsey, that Barry mentioned, may have the deportment of, you know, a rugby player, like a, you know, a lock forward or something, something, but there just isn't enough power in that Ipswich team.

And I think that, yes, there's another team that have come up trying to play the right way.

And funnily enough at Bournemouth, I noticed they were playing a lot more pragmatic football.

And I think if they had the time again, they might be a bit more pragmatic.

But that's what

remember Gary O'Neill, when he was at Wolves, tried to sort of turn the taps, make them play a bit more expressively, and paid the price for it.

They've just got in a, you know, essentially some sort of Portuguese, not Samandy's, but, you know, a very functional Portuguese manager that knows how to get the job done.

He's had about 85 clubs, but every one, I suspect, have probably played the same way, and it's been effective.

He's a good talker as well.

He's quite a funny chap.

Yeah, yeah, I agree.

All right, that'll do for part two.

Part three, we'll begin at Goodison Park.

Hi, Pod fans of America.

Max here.

Barry's here, too.

Hello.

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Welcome to part three of the Guardian Football Weekly.

Everton 1 Arsenal won.

So, you know, these points were dropped in the early kickoff before Liverpool went and lost.

So I suppose Arsenal will look back at this season and think they could be closer to Liverpool, I guess.

They did, Barry, concede a very soft penalty.

Arteta saying, we conceded a penalty that, in my opinion, was not a penalty.

Very clear, there is not enough contact, and the contact starts outside.

Inside, there is nothing.

This is

Miles Luiskelli on Jack Harrison.

Some Arsenal fans suggesting Luiskelli is already being refereed based on his reputation, which is he got a couple of red cards.

But

it is fuel to the fire for the Arsenal conspiracy theorists.

Yeah, a lot of grist to their particular mill.

I thought it was a baffling decision.

I

don't think it was a penalty at all.

But

the fact of the matter is Arsenal didn't do enough to win the game.

Now their fans will argue that they were in complete control of the game until that penalty was given and Everton equalized and then Everton, you know, that got the Goodison crowd going and

Darren England made a few, he had a weird game, not a good game, because he appeared to blow for full time and then Arsenal sort of persuaded him to let him take a free kick.

At least that's what seemed to happen right at the end.

I'm not quite sure.

Arsenal just didn't do enough to win it.

They're very good until they get in the final third and then a bit blunt.

I suppose the other highlights of this game, I mean there was Jordan Pickford made some superb saves, one of them absolutely sensational, which

ultimately counted for nothing.

It was a lash from Leandro Trossard, which he somehow kept up.

Trossard had fouled Jared Brantwood in the build-up so it wouldn't have counted if it had gone in.

That was one of several good saves Pickford made

and there was a very nice tribute to Kevin Campbell on the ninth minute which I found quite moving.

Yeah absolutely.

Lovely really just amazingly nice guy and served both those clubs brilliantly

had brilliant energy and yeah it's still very much missed.

And look for Arsenal and I think they made a lot of changes John didn't they?

They know the league is done and they know that is it Tuesday or Wednesday?

I'm not sure.

But they play Real Madrid, which is not very easy, is it?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, I mean, you can barely, you don't have time to sort of lick your wounds, do you, to think about what's going on?

You're playing Real Madrid.

And Real Madrid these days are Real Madrid.

You know, they're awesome.

I mean, they lost at the weekend, but I believe it's going to be such a big game.

And, you know, players like...

Do you risk Lewis Skelly in a game like that?

I suspect not.

Do you not think?

Do you not think?

I think he's played so well.

I think you'd play him.

Surely he's your best left back, isn't he?

Yeah, that's an interesting point.

I mean, was he playing at Everton because he isn't going to play in this game?

That would be the point.

You know,

it's whether Arteta sees it as a realistic prospect.

And, you know, he's a manager of

standing.

at this point you're looking at two matches if he pulls that off that's the greatest coup of your career isn't it it's absolutely sensational and it's you know if you're a fan of a club going into a match like the butterflies are already there aren't they you're just thinking of you know in a game like that it's like you you almost don't want it to start but yeah but because

it's the nerves are so big And actually, the point where you're most relaxed is when it's just started.

And it's just like, okay, I'm here now and I can't do anything about it.

But it's the bit before

it's just like, oh, God, oh, God.

Yeah, I agree with you.

And I feel the same about Arsenal, Emmajan, and,

you know, Villa against PSG.

Arsenal's on the Tuesday, Villa go to PSG on the Wednesday.

They are just two, they're so perfectly set for those sides.

And like,

to win one of those, yeah, for either side to get through would be a great achievement.

They both got a shot, but, you know, going to be very tricky.

Ollie says, hi, Max and the gang.

Has anyone else found Barry's recent accurate prognosis of the injuries to gabrielle and harlot as both impressive and unsettling is there something that mystic baz hasn't been telling us all if he can diagnose an injury just from a facial expression is this something that he could outsource to various clubs or even the nhs keep up the good work uh yeah uh i think you got i think you got gabrielle right did you got gabrielle get them both right

it's an interesting run I think it might be something to do with my veterinary background.

Obviously, I'm not a vet.

My dad was, and I spent long, long time during my youth youth working with him.

I suppose if he was at if he was at that end of the cow, you were at the head end of the cow, so you could see from the face of the cow if it was giving birth or not.

I mean, just to to clarify, the life of a vet is not in does not consist entirely of sticking your arm up cows

up

at the b the rear end of a cow, sticking your arm somewhere where other people would prefer not to.

But, um, you know, obviously animals can't tell you what's wrong with them, so you have to look at them and look at their faces, little faces, to try and figure things out.

So, maybe something to do with that.

I don't know.

I'll tell you who else was good at this, and maybe he was the son of a vet.

I don't know.

This is Andy Gray.

Do you remember Andy Gray in his Sky Sports pomp would diagnose injuries from a distance of 90 yards and be like,

and I would also say how long they've been out.

It's like, hamstring, six weeks.

Or, you know, or

that's looking like a medial, possibly three months.

And, you know,

I mean, I've always thought there's a big part of Andy Gray in Barry and Barry.

Well, we were both good in the area.

We both had impressive headers.

Good headers in the ball.

Yeah, go.

I also love the idea of Barry working for the NHS.

Just like, instead of triage, like in AE, you've just got Barry looking at people's faces saying, yeah, they're fine.

Except it could go too far and like somebody could go in with like a dislocated finger and like Barry would try and do the kind thing and just sort of like throttle them because like it's the kindest thing to do and it's like, no, no, I just, my face just looks like that.

To be fair, I don't think you need to be a genius to figure out that if a player pulls up very quickly, holds his hamstring and then looks sad that they're probably going to be out for at least six weeks.

Don't do yourself a disservice, Dr.

Baz.

Anyway, Andy says, how many hours has Max spent thinking about Fulkrug's header?

John, you were at the London Stadium to witness a big, a big number nine holding it up, laying it off, and planting a banging header into the net from a corner.

You must have had the time of your life watching Nicholas Fulkroog.

And thank God for that, for the rest of the game.

It wasn't very good.

But yeah, brilliant to see.

Brilliant to see.

And do you know what?

What West Ham have been missing all season?

What they signed him for.

What we saw last season in a Barusha Dortmund shirt.

You know, he became such a cult hero, didn't he?

And then, yeah.

um,

I mean,

I've often said this: one of my favourite sights in football used to be from the old Upton Park from the sort of tiered stand was the sight of Andy Carroll, the ball lashed up to him and him flying like a Viking into the air and nodding it home, crashing against often against a crossbar, actually, but you know, just brilliant.

And to see that again, it's what the London Stadium has been missing for a long time.

And it did wake up the London Stadium.

It happened about the time the Grand National was on, so I think a few people's attentions were

diverted.

But it's been a signing that was.

It's West Ham do this all the time.

They sign players who have a slightly dodgy injury record and then they appear at that club and get injured.

Slightly bad news for those that followed the Evan Ferguson story because Fulcook will probably play a bit more and they're going to play in the same position.

But

a good game, Bournemouth,

as I was going to say, a bad game in which

Bournemouth's hopes just keep dwindling away, don't they, after having such a great season.

A header like that is beautiful.

And James Ward Prouse,

the whip he gets on the ball, the way it just loops, and it's there to be.

Oh, that is poetry.

Let's do the Manchester Derby.

Chris says, Was this the most listless?

Was this the most listless Mancunions have felt since the release of Be Here Now?

The second coming for me.

Will the Manchester Derby highlights be the first ever to be shown on match of the day two after too good, too bad?

Um, the first 20 seconds were good, I thought.

Come on then, Nas, what did you make of it?

Just two bad teams.

Mohamed Ali's got like uh

he wrote various autobiographies, I think, but there's one where he where he starts it talking about him versus Norton in one of the later fights, and

he describes them as two dinosaurs just uh just trying to batter each other, well, trying to hug each other, really.

And that's kind of what that felt like.

It was just, I mean,

having watched a lot of Manchester United this season,

I know how bad they are, but I was so surprised at how bad City were, like, really, really bad.

And this is a city that has supposedly improved in recent months.

They had nothing to them to the extent that I think Manchester United were the better team and Manchester United should have won.

I do wonder about Pep Guardiola.

I know you have bad seasons and there's every likelihood that next season City are back challenging and doing what they do best.

But

there's a few things about this City team that are a little, it would be a little bit worrying for me if I was a City fan.

The first one is Foden.

I wonder whether if he's just having a bad season, fine and he's great again next season.

But I always thought that if City were doing badly,

he would be the guy as in like, oh, or there was injuries, like he would take up the mantle.

And a little bit like Bruno Fernandez, he would like lead the team.

But he, judging on this season and again I know it's just one season he doesn't seem to have that talismanic sort of leadership quality of like I will I will sort of like drag this team up it kind of feels more as if like if the whole city team are doing well and they're purring like he will he will be the cherry on top but he's a bit of a concern because you kind of think he's such a talented incredibly talented player for city and england that it will be uh it'll be a disappointment if he's not quite the player that that he looked like he could be.

And the other thing with City is I kind of worry about because you have these great managers and then they get to a point where

they are essentially too old.

And it's not like players where they run out of legs, but they become conservative and they kind of become a little bit sentimental.

Like it happened to Wenger, even happened to Klopp, I think, two sort of like loyalty players that have helped him out and given him glorious.

And I kind of wonder with Citter, like, is Guadiola a bit like that?

Because there were so many talented players on the bench that represent the new Cita and what City could become, like, and including new signings.

And yet, he plodded on with these players that are either over the hill or are going to leave.

Um, so yeah, there's a little bit of concern with that, but like that was that was my biggest takeout for me.

It was how poor City were, not

necessarily how poor United were because United weren't great, but

United have got a lower level, and and

the last few games you can see sort of the team

doing what Amarin Amarin wants them to do.

But with City,

it does feel as if

they need new ideas and

they need that old Guadiola back.

Kevin De Bruyne won't be there next season.

He announced that this week.

413 appearances, 174 assists, 106 goals, 16 trophies, six Premier League titles,

plus FA Cups and Champions Leagues and League Cups, etc.

Since his arrival at City, according to Opta, no player has created more chances, 827, more big chances, 193, or or provided more assists 117 in the Premier League in the conversation Barry for the best Premier League midfielder ever.

I mean it's not a podcast we'll ever do but he's he's up there.

We might Max if there's ever another pandemic.

No, no, you're absolutely right.

Great idea.

Write it down.

I've had an idea.

Here we are.

Yeah, he's right up there with the very best players ever to play in the Premier League, in my opinion.

Cited what he's won.

His ability to pick out a pass is second to none.

and the speed of his speed of thought is is amazing he's helped elevate the numbers of a lot of strikers their goal scoring

uh and he seems like a real interesting fellow off the pitch even though he's quite quiet uh when i he's the news that he would be leaving city it wasn't surprising but it still came as a bit of a jolt to me anyway and

I was reminded and went back and reread the interview Simon Hattonston did with him for The Guardian shortly before the last World Cup, which if anyone hasn't read it, it's worth digging out.

Where proviso for the interview was that Hattonston come round to his house and meet his wife, his kids, his mother-in-law, and his cat and get to know them all.

And it made for real good copy.

And that's most unfootball-like behaviour.

Most footballers...

do interviews under extreme duress or because they have to because it's part of their boot boot deal or whatever but uh that made for a great piece

not least because Hattonston's a a great interviewer and uh absolutely loves Kevin de Bruyne

he clearly isn't the force he once was and wherever he ends up next season maybe Saudi Arabia somewhere else whatever

there's you know he's a few seasons left in the tank yeah there is talk he may go to the MLS

he strikes me as the kind of guy who probably wouldn't fancy going to Saudi Arabia despite the

riches that would be an offer to him.

We will wait and see.

And I guess part of the reason,

I don't know if this is part of the reason it's so good, but it is kind of compared to some of the other great midfielders, Johnny, don't really look like a footballer.

Gives you a bit of hope that you might, you know, we were talking to Simon Baikovsky yesterday on the radio, the Manchester Evening News, Man City reporter.

He's saying, you know, and he's like, you know, he's ginger.

And, you know, a bit like Kevin De Bruyne.

So after five seconds, he was saying, like, De Bruyne looks absolutely knackered, and, you know, that's just not like elite footballers, and a bit like Thomas Muller, I guess, doesn't look like an elite footballer, but is so, so good.

Yeah, he's well, he's he, he, he's got the big bum of some of the best players, hasn't he?

That's the, you know, players bounce off him, you know, that's a Kenny Dalgleesh thing, that Lamarck Hughes.

And the thing is with De Bruyne is that, you know, you talk about those other great Premier League players.

The player that you compare him most to,

probably, because it's that sort of mix of power and artistry, is Stephen Gerrard.

But I suppose it's that with a bit more tactical discipline maybe than Stephen Gerrard had.

I'm not doing down to Stephen Gerrard.

He was a fantastic player, but De Bruyne just had that ability to fit into a team.

And also,

in those city teams in which, you know, it's a Pep Guardiola team, individuality doesn't really come into it unless you lean Lionel Messi.

De Bruyne was the one that sort of broke the mold a bit and would play those passes or take the shots that the rest of the players knew wasn't supposed to be in their remit.

And

he's just a fantastic footballer.

And

one of the funny things about the De Bruyne story is that he's a comeback kid as well because rejected by Chelsea, rejected by Jose Mourinho,

just like

Salah was rejected by Chelsea as well.

You know, two of the best players.

You know, we talked about Cities, certain of their rejects are floating around the Elsewhere in the Premier League.

Those players have come in and been the best around.

And De Bruyne, fantastic player.

I think injuries probably got some towards the end of his time.

We'll have to see what he does next.

And, you know, the type of bloke that you would have thought that likes a burger and a beer and is, you know, perfectly normal outside the field, does his own negotiations, has an interest in finance.

Often that's what separates some of the best players, isn't it?

Because

they are intelligent within themselves.

They have

a self-determination.

And even within

that tactical cage that Pep Guardiola had, De Bruyne always determined what he was going to do himself.

Brilliant player.

Speaking of Chelsea rejecting Kevin De Bruyne, we're also going to reject them today.

Just not enough time to discuss their goal of straw at Brentford, but it did happen.

Suffice to say, it was so bad it was on after the Manchester Derby.

I'm actually

at Leicester Newcastle tonight.

We'll talk about that on Wednesday's pods, along with the Champions League quarterfinals.

Hello to Nate, who stopped me in Northcote Plaza, and he just said, hello, Max.

Yes to Barry doing a half marathon.

So many emails on this, but Barry, we have heard from a running coach called Siobhan who says, while Jonathan Wilson's frankly questionable 78 minutes might be out of reach, no, I'd say Wilson did that.

I'd be very happy to offer my services as running coach to get Barry not only pounding the streets, but enjoying doing so too.

A half marathon could just be the start.

And Daryl from Great Almond Street Hospital, here's the pressure, says, hi team, long time listener, 2018, first time emailer.

Just want to drop a message as I joined Great Almond Street Hospital Children's Charity on Monday.

The only way to top my great first week would be supporting Barry's quest or request to run a half marathon.

Despite Barry's apparent reluctance, if Max's peer pressure is strong enough that this becomes a genuine event, it would be amazing to bring both my favourite podcast and new job together.

Please let me know if I can support in any way.

I wish the whole team my best.

Darrell,

will you run a half marathon for Great Ormond Street, Barry, or do you not care?

Do I not care about the children?

You bastard.

You absolute bastard.

That is unbelievable.

I can't say no, can I?

Max,

I've tipped over 17 stones for recently for the first time.

I can't run.

Can you, okay, at least talk, maybe talk to Siobhan.

I don't want you to die

in this attempt, but

I'm enjoying the pressure you feel.

You'll set up under now.

I guess you could donate your way out of it.

That's a possibility, isn't it?

No, no, no, no.

You would raise a lot of money from Football Weekly audience if you ran a half marathon.

Okay, I'll do it.

I'll do.

Right, so my mate Gav did the

London Sites Marathon or half marathon yesterday.

I'll do that next year.

And

producer Joel revealed the absolute gem of information before the pod that because of

an accident or some occurrence at Chancery Lane tube station yesterday.

The half marathon Gavin ran was reduced in length by 700 meters.

So he did a sub-two hours.

Well done, Gavin.

But it seems he didn't actually run a half marathon.

So it doesn't count.

Although I did leefully text him before we started recording.

He has texted me back.

And according to his Strava, he ran 13 miles, 13.29 miles.

So I'm guessing he knew he'd come up short and he just walked around for a bit at the finish before turning off his.

Once you've done it, I guess you can empathize, can't you?

Roll on a year.

Let's wish it away.

Here we go.

Finally, from Fiona, who says, Hi, Guardian Football Weekly, thanks for the podcast over the years.

A related but also entirely different email to the ongoing vasectomy topic of conversation.

I'm due to have a planned C-section tomorrow, and we can select a playlist to listen to during the surgery.

If the Monday pod is out in time, I'll probably select this to keep me distracted whilst they're rearranging my internal organs to remove my firstborn child.

If this is the case, there is a very high chance that Barry's smooth Irish accent could be the very first voice my baby hears.

Hopefully, his dulcet tones will keep the baby calm and lull her into eight hours of continuous sleep every night for at least the next two years.

Good luck with that.

Thanks again for the podcast.

I truly look forward to it twice a week.

Not three times a week, just twice.

Okay, Fiona, that's all right.

I wonder which one you don't, let's do.

And no doubt it's going to keep me entertained throughout countless sleepless nights when the reality of what we've let ourselves in for sinks in.

Well, look, good luck, Fiona.

Simultaneously, the greatest and worst thing you will ever do.

And that'll do for today.

Thanks, everybody.

Thanks, John.

Thank you, Max.

Thanks, Barry.

Thanks, Nos.

Thank you.

Thank you, Barry.

Thank you, Max.

Oh, it's a pleasure.

But the weekly is

produced by Joel Grove.

Our executive producer is Danielle Stevens.

We'll be back on Wednesday.

This is The Guardian.