Manchester United lurch back into crisis and are Villa in title race? – Football Weekly

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Hello, and welcome to the Guardian Football Weekly to Old Trafford and the every other game crisis claxon for Eric Ten Hag, beaten so convincingly at home by Bournemouth.

Turns out Sid Lowe was right all along.

Then to Fortress Villa Park, beating Arsenal.

Who wants to hear Jordan Jarrett Bryan on that?

Even we wouldn't miss an open goal like that one.

Spurs get back on track with an emphatic victory over the empty husks of Newcastle.

Well, there's another good win for Everton over the perennial.

Absolutely no idea what's going to turn up.

Chelsea.

Manchester City squeeze past Andros' left foot at Kenilworth Road.

And Boy Fulham win every game, 5-0 for the rest of time.

There's a peach from Sheffield United's James McAtee and a standout performance from James Trafford for Burnley.

A huge comeback for Cambridge in a big football weekly derby.

We salute Michael Owens, apple-throwing bravery.

Take your questions.

And that's today's Guardian Football Weekly.

On the panel today, Troy Townsend, welcome.

Ah, welcome, Max.

Hello, Jordan Jarrett Bryan.

Morning, mate.

Hi, John Bruin.

Hello.

Let's get through these ones then.

Joe Akim, how afraid are you that Robin Cowan will be the Max Rushton to your Jimbo?

Jamie, when do we get to have Robin back?

Matt, can we have Robin back?

Tombo, has Max been firing out Graham Alexanders for the whole of Robin's excellent stint at the helm?

Producer Joel, Robin, did a brilliant job, and she was a joy to work with.

All right, mate.

Anyway, thank you, Robin.

I knew you'd be brilliant, and you were.

Let's go to Old Trafford.

Manchester United 0.

Bournemouth 3.

Last week, I wasn't here, so not my fault.

We called a Man United turnaround after

Robin, useless, after they beat Chelsea midweek.

And now this is...

objectively a hilarious result.

Ten Hager just got manager of the month.

Harry Maguire player of the month.

Bournemouth's first ever win at Old Trafford.

Mark says, is it too early for Sidlow to say, I told you so?

Oliver, how long until Andoni Iriola is sacked by Chelsea?

They were brilliant, Troy, Bournemouth, weren't they?

They had a plan.

It worked.

And even though it's their first ever win at Old Trafford,

it doesn't feel like a massive surprise.

You're absolutely right there.

What you've just said there, Max, they had a plan.

And there's two teams on this football pitch, isn't there?

And one looked like a well-coached team.

I wonder how quickly we get to Monday Night.

One was you know a well-coached football team,

knew the game plan, had an idea of how they were going to approach the game, going to old Trafford,

and played it out.

Whilst there's another team that just seems like they play off the cuff, they obviously have some kind of identity, but it doesn't mature itself very much.

They get rattled very quickly.

They're playing a defense that, that,

you know,

highlights the massive issues that are at that club with Luke Shaw only just returning and playing as a centre-back next to obviously the player of the month.

And it just doesn't work.

It doesn't look like a great fit.

Rashford benched again.

It just doesn't work.

But the focus should absolutely be on how incredibly well-drilled Bournemouth were, how they pressed really high.

They knew where the weak points were in that defence and they targeted the left side, Regilon, Shaw, won the ball high up the pitch, exposed United's Frauties, scored some really good goals, by the way, really good team goals, and came away with a victory that was fully deserved.

There was no,

you know, from the first minute almost to the end of the game, they were on top.

They were very polished and deserved the victory.

The interesting thing, Jordan, is with Iriola, isn't it, is that it's just another lesson in how quick we are.

We don't know how well they'll do this season because the season is long, but

you're so quick to sort of write people off.

Not you personally, I mean, you obviously are, but like we are.

And actually,

now you can see he's had some time.

And since shipping six at City, right, they've won for drawn one.

And the game they drew was against, you know, the future champions Aston Villa.

And

it's working.

What they're doing is working.

I think you're right.

I think he is an example in

patience, in belief in just giving a man time to do his job and and and work but i think it's also a bigger um example of just good recruitment from the club you know they've they've brought in a manager that i i'd heard of but not heard much about um and i think in the premier league a lot of us are conditioned to if we've not heard of a manager we kind of tend to i'm not sure about that and especially as they got rid of gary nil was there before but the way he left wasn't particularly uh a clean parting of the ways.

So just identifying this is the guy we want to bring into our club.

He's not a sexy name, but actually we've done our due diligence and we believe that this is the guy that can take us where we want to be.

And without getting to United too soon, I think they're the opposite.

So I think, A, there's an example of patience and belief in the guy and give him time to do his job.

But even before that, it's about who, what kind of club do we want to be?

Who's the club?

Who's the sort of manager that we think can achieve that?

And then it's about, okay, accepting that there's going to be some downtimes and some tricky periods, but we can ride this out.

And I think this is that they're reaping the rewards now at this point, anyway, of all of that work.

They were brilliant, and you know, first cliche of the pod alleures, it was 3-0, it could have been six, and that's not like an exaggeration, it genuinely could have been five or six.

Um, because they played that well, and I don't think they had to even play

that well to kind of do what they did.

So, all credit to Bournemouth.

My only thoughts on United, and I'm sure John's got got got lots but i people talk about marshall being the kind of symbolic being of of the state of manchester unister club i actually think fernandez is a bigger symbol for that club because

him getting booked it's deliberate

he knows he knows he's one yellow away from from missing the liverpool game it's deliberate he knows what he's doing and if he doesn't know what he's doing that's almost worse the fact that he can get such a cheap yellow card ahead of a game that is so important to that football club as captain, I think is absolutely disgusting.

I think it's so bad with what he did.

I'm convinced that he knew what he was doing.

He knew the game was coming up and he just didn't want to be a part of it.

That's my view.

And I think he's the symbol of what's good, but also really bad about that particular football club.

They're in embarrassment right now, United.

It's really, really bad.

And they've broken many of my Man United fan friends.

They're broken.

They're just like, we don't know what to do anymore.

We don't know how to feel about games coming up and games we're playing.

We don't know if we don't know what to do.

They genuinely feel like they've lost their club.

And that's an interesting point, actually, isn't it?

That there are teams that go through tough spells, but when they win, it's enjoyable.

It doesn't seem to be fun when United win or when they don't win.

Melvin says, Had I known in advance that John Bruin was going to be on, I would have lumped my life savings on a Bournemouth win.

He seems to be on when the opportunity to sigh and say, United a shite presents itself.

Mind you, given the season so far, with that, he could host the pod.

Here we go, John.

Off you go.

Okay, well, this game, watching it back, reminded me of two matches in particular.

One was when athletic Bill Barrow came to United in 2012, and Iriola was a player for Bielsa.

And I'd never seen, and this is the before times Manchester United with Alex Figs as manager.

They got absolutely mauled by a team playing this pressing football that pushed them back, took them apart.

I'd never seen a team quite like it.

Obviously, that team turned out to be quite influential in football as we moved a decade on.

And the other game it reminded me of was when United lost at Brentford at the start of last season against a team pressing high, running hard, and United looked completely all over the show.

I may as well say this: I was in Holland over the weekend, the Netherlands, and I went to see four matches in four days in a sort of ground-hopping experience.

On Friday night, I was at FC20,

where Steve McLaren is a legend, of course.

And his assistant in those days was Eric Ten Hag, also a legend in those parts, played for the club.

And they were talking about what a great guy he was.

When I was watching Dutch football over the weekend, I sort of thought where the problem is for a Ten Hague team is that in Dutch football, you get two touches of the ball before it's time to go, time to move, time to talk about what's the next thing to do.

But if you play against teams at Bournemouth that play at this high energy, high speed, pressing, you know, they launch the ball into the corner to start off to

push them back.

It was like almost old-style crazy gang football.

And the Manchester United under 10 Hag aren't equipped to deal with that.

One thing, Jordan said, it could have been five or six, should have been four.

That Atara goal.

Why was that ruled out?

Come on now.

Don't be silly.

Nothing about Dutch football.

They do have VAR there.

I didn't notice it.

There you go.

We should just focus on the era divisi, shouldn't we?

Yeah, El Afri says, talking about, you know, that Bill Bow game more than 10 years ago, he said, Saturday's loss was the 10-year anniversary of this tweet from Manchester United.

How many more years before this is no longer true of the club?

Yeah, Manchester United tweeted on the 10th of December 2013.

David Moyes says Man United must improve in a number of areas, including passing, creating chances, and defending.

It's the third time Troy they've lost 3-0 at home this season.

They've lost seven of their opening 16 Premier League games.

They've won the others with no draws.

So amid all of this, they are three points off fifth, which could get them a Champions League spot, which is ridiculous.

it's incredible isn't it when when um

they said the stat a couple of weeks ago about united and you know how they're the most formed team in the league and you just don't see it do you you can't visualize it because they seem to be being lambasted at every moment but actually they had a half decent run of form but the champions league form has been crazy and Is that systematic of what the league is at the moment?

You know, City are in fourth place.

They're four points off the top.

United are so close that if they beat liverpool next week you know and results go their way they can join those teams in and around the champions league positions but i i just look at a dysfunctional football club and whatever's going on and we shouldn't make excuses for what happens on the field of play but what is ever going on around the top table at that football club it is just as mad and as and as all over the place on the field of play as what it is at the top level.

So, but like you said, you know a win next week i don't see it but a win next week could potentially put them again us talking about them in a different way and all those fans as well but they're incredible football club at the moment that is just kamikaze would probably be the the phrase that i would use so it's the interesting thing jordan is you know when

you know people rumours about ten hog and whether he should go or not and whether that would make a difference because obviously they've had other managers in the past and it hasn't worked ever since ferguson left their recruitment because they are manchester united with players and managers they have to recruit at a different level right ten hag was almost like the lowest level they could pick and he'd been really super successful with iax they couldn't get irayola right or it would be different for him like that that is the sort of difficulty for this an enormous club that isn't well structured

has a sort of very limited set of people that they could go for.

Yes, it's a really good point, but they're at the point now, Max, whereby they may have to push against that and they may have to decide that actually we are a juggernaut of a football club but actually if we want to get back to being a successful football club we need to widen the net of the sort of managers that we we feel can bring that success back to us and that may well mean bringing in a manager that is unknown from the German, you know, Bundesliga in he's managing, I don't know, Samburg or a team that's in 14th.

But if that's the guy we feel can get us back to where we need to be, we need to kind of get over the fact that he's not a big name, sexy manager that we shouldn't be associated with.

So I get that, but I think they're at a point now where they need to almost break away from that and just now get the guy they think is right for the job.

I wouldn't sack Ten Haag.

His record at the moment is horrible.

His record, and I think there's a lot of responsibility he needs to shoulder for their demise.

I wouldn't fire him though.

I think he's a good manager.

I just think he's working

in a source of nonsense and makes it very difficult for him to do the job that he needs to do.

If they sack him and he moves on, he will be a success.

So I wouldn't sack him personally.

I would say there's 10 players going in the summer.

We won't name them.

Just get rid of them.

Take the financial hit and start again.

Bockham are 14th in the Bennett's League.

Their manager's handboard.

Thomas Letch.

Anyway, yes, yes, yes, John.

I was saying Danny Roll at Sheffield Wednesday.

He's won a couple of games since he's been there.

Steve Cosrill, why not?

Moving on, Luke says, I can't think of anyone better to be on the panel than Jordan after Villa beat Arsenal.

So, Villa are good, aren't they, Jordan?

Joey says, Was Jordan always scheduled for this pod?

Are other producers that sly?

Darren Astonville and Oni Emery are quite good, aren't they, Jordan?

This is the worst week you could appear on football weekly, Jordan, or do you, you know, you're here to take it?

Yeah, producer Joel knew exactly what he was doing.

Um, although, to be fair to him, if Arsenal had won the game, you know, I'd be crowing.

Um, on Friday, I just got a barrage of DMs from Villa fans messaging

like just talking absolute nonsense oh we're gonna stuff you when you're on the pod next just just chucking it something like okay i'm gonna save all those tweets because on monday i'm gonna don't sound like nonsense mate

um oh yeah this is painful um

all right so I think it's fair to say that the better performing team lost the match, right?

Over the 90 minutes, the better team lost, right?

Now, Villa, okay, they got the three points, boohoo, move on.

But I think on Villa first um I'll give him some credit the goal they scored um I thought was a brilliant goal I thought was a really well worked team goal I've watched it back several times and it's not the sort of goal I think you can defend apart from maybe Ben Wright got rolled a bit too easily the passing precision the movement is brilliant it's one of those very difficult goals um to to stop so I'll give him credit on the goal first of all McGinn, who I think is, I think you guys overrate McGinn massively, is playing well above his level.

Fair play to him.

He got the winner.

John McGinn is a good player, but the way you guys talk about John McGinn.

You're always saying he's overrated.

Who's doing the rating here that

you're kicking against, Jordan?

Everyone thinks John McGinn is brilliant, top class, top 10 midfielder in the Premier.

I'm like, he's good.

He's not that good.

He's playing above his station.

Right now, this is not his level, but again, fair play to him.

I was also going to kind of just debunk this title contenders tag that they seem to have, they seem to have, they applied on themselves they're not title contenders they're having a great run their home record form is insane right now they're playing brilliant football uneum is a brilliant manager i've praised their midfield in on previous pods but they're not title contenders it's december they're not even bankers for top four they're not bankers for top four so how can they be title contenders it's it's just insanity calm down villa fans calm down i'd written forget the pantomime for a second

in the script.

We will come back to you, Jordan.

But, you know, 15 wins in a row, John.

Six points from City and Arsenal within days of each other.

Whether they are in the, I mean, they are in the title race right now.

Whether they last the course is different.

It's seriously impressive.

And like very different victories.

I think Jordan is right.

Arsenal were good, but they batted City in the week.

But to get six points is just so impressive.

Yeah, I mean, these are Villa's best days since,

I don't know, big Ron Atkinson.

Savon Molossi.

I'm not sure.

Brian Little.

Yeah, so you've got Big Ron, Brian Little, Graham Taylor.

But even before that, you know, you're back to Ron Saunders and Tony Barton.

It's that sort of level of Villa.

I've always enjoyed going to Villa Park.

You feel that you're at a big and proper football club, and it's always punched under its weight.

And this is Villa back to, you know, Britain's, England's second city, the biggest club in.

And in Emre, they they have a duel of a manager who suits a club like that, which is not the big elite club of the type that you mentioned before.

Would Manchester United hire Uni Emery?

They probably should do, but they wouldn't do because he's not of that type.

Going to Aston Villa, he gets the chance to rebuild a club that's got ambition, they will spend money and he'll work with players who want to learn, who don't think they know it all, who don't think they've arrived at the elite.

And we're seeing the fruits of that in a season which is very topsy-turvy and some of the big teams have weaknesses.

A team like Aston Villa will come through and has come through.

And I've really, really enjoyed them this season.

I think they've been fantastic.

Max, I've heard of this feud between our learned friend on the pod here and the Villa fans.

I mean, learned is learned is

back on.

I wish the Villa fans could see his face right now because he's steaming.

Listen, I've got, as you well know, and that's why I was quite taken aback by they won't even finish fourth.

I've got them in fourth.

I thought they were going to be the team because of the manager and, you know, the way that he was disrespected at Arsenal and the way he's come back and proved that he's a top manager in this league and has been

in Spain as well.

And the fact that he coaches, and I've said it already today, he coaches his players.

It's quite clear.

It's quite obvious.

And the benefits of that are someone like John McGinn, who struggled under the previous manager, who has come here and is proving that he's a top player in a top club

who are going forward.

Yes, Arsenal dominated.

They weren't amazing.

So let's cut to the chase here.

Arsenal weren't amazing.

They dominated the Villa side who had put up.

so much into that victory against Man City.

I thought Villa Park was nervous.

I thought it was really nervous.

It was a great start.

I agree with Jordan.

It was an unbelievable goal when you look at the patience that they took to build that chance up.

And then Bailey, who obviously had a great game against City as well, then all of a sudden squared up Gabrielle, took him down the line, you know, ball into the box.

Lovely spin by that great player again, John McGinn, to put it into the back of the net.

And then it was all about Arsenal.

And it was all about, you know, could they take their chances?

I'm sure we'll bring up the penalty and we'll bring up the disallowed goal.

The pen, I actually think it's a pen.

Having watched Liverpool earlier on in the day, this is why we have so much controversy about refereeing and we have to tiptoe around it.

But you can't give one at Selhurst Park and then not give the same thing at Villa Park.

It's a pen.

It's full stop.

He's made no contact with a ball.

He's made contact with

Jesus' ankle.

It's a pen as far as I'm concerned.

So they can feel a little bit aggrieved there.

But did they do enough to get back in the game?

Did they do enough to to to to you know to yes and i'm hearing yes in my background i'm not sure where that's coming from it's coming from the clouds but um did they do enough so for me the result will stay villa one arsenal nil and that's what we should be focusing on sorry sorry max so i've just got to just kind of just just to take words of casting i can't have please be my be my guest bodegaard has missed two sitters i actually disagree with you i think the penalty i i'm not sure it was a penalty my bigger grievance is with the disallowed goal that's my That's the biggest issue, I think.

The really interesting thing is I could have watched that for five years and still not been sure.

And the other dumb thing about that law is, I think if Nketia pokes it in, and he could have done, right?

It's bouncing around.

That's a goal.

Then that goal is given.

Yeah.

Because it's not an intentional handball by Havertz.

You know, it just brushes his hand.

You know, it is a law where Cash can accidentally handball it.

And that's not a handball.

And Havertz can't because he scores it.

But it's a dumb law.

I agree with you, Jordan.

It's a dumb law.

And back to Troy.

Martinelli,

one off the line.

Saka, if he holds his run by a millisecond, he's through.

There's a lot of ifs in there, Jordan.

Well, okay.

But the point is, there were chances created to win the game.

I think Arsenal were very wasteful in front of goal.

And

I think that that's on Arsenal, of course.

But to say that Arsenal didn't create enough to win after Villa scored, they did nothing.

They did nothing.

And I think that's fair to say.

I just want to, on a serious point,

my final analogy to the game is i just want to just big up and dedicate um

uh the pod if you like to benjamin zephaniah the poet and writer who's a massive astonvilla fan um and you know the one villa fan who i actually like and he's a lovely guy he passed away last week and if there's one blessing um for villa winning that match that i would like to bestow on this podcast on the villa fans it was that hopefully he was looking down on that because i have no time for astonvilla fans but just to kind of dedicate that to him i think it was a great moment that he obviously didn't get to see well said uh that'll do for part one part two we'll begin at the tops first stadium

coach the energy out there felt different what changed for the team today it was the new game day scratchers from the california lottery play is everything Those games sent the team's energy through the roof.

Are you saying it was the off-field play that made the difference on the field?

Hey, a little play makes your day, and today it made the game.

That's all for now.

Coach, one more question.

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Welcome to part two of the Guardian Football Weekly.

So Spurs 4, Newcastle 1.

I mean, Spurs, Troy, were excellent.

You know, know, they scored early.

They scored the first goal, which they tend to do, but then they got the second one, which they haven't, they've sort of forgotten to do for the last five games.

But you do have to caveat it with the fact that Newcastle are just done,

aren't they?

They are just absolutely

shot.

There's nothing there.

There's nothing in their legs.

Yes and no, Max.

They've got a squad of players, and obviously that squad is decimated, but they've got some talent on the bench that Eddie Howe is refusing to use, although he did bring young Hall on yesterday, didn't he?

And yeah, the lads have played five games on the spin.

I get it.

They're in Champions League.

I get it.

But they knew this was coming.

They knew Champions League was there.

They knew that if they wanted to continue to be part of the top table,

that these games were coming.

The injuries have been unfortunate, but they're not the only side to have a number of injuries, as we've seen this season.

Listen, it might have been fatigue a little bit.

I thought Kieran Tripper had his worst game that I've seen him for a very long time in a defensive manner.

But I would praise Postagoglu for putting Son back out wide because

he was the one that showed up Kieran Trippier.

Trippier, who obviously gave Everton two opportunities the other night and

they punched them away.

But for me, this first performance, you've got to look at the two fullbacks.

I think Puro and Indogi were

sensational.

I thought they were absolute sensational.

Playing in positions,

you know, when we look at right backs and left backs and we see how advanced they both were at the same time, by the way.

So that first goal, which,

you know, set the tone of the game, you know, Poro picking it up just inside right-hand side, punching it into Ndogi, who's five yards outside the 18-yard box.

Undoggie, who whips it out to...

Undogi, sorry, who whips it out to...

I'm getting excited.

That's why I'm saying that.

There's no end anywhere.

There's no anywhere.

this I lose my ends and I lose my you's I'm really sorry who whips it out just trying to help on wide

and and there he is you know standing right next to the goalkeeper almost tapping the ball in

Poro's ball to Richarderson for the third goal which he miscontrolled which helped him as such because it just took him away from the keeper.

I think there was a lot to like about Spurs and there has been a lot to like about Spurs.

I do think Spurs fans have been getting excited too quick, but there was a lot to like about them because, you know, the defeat against West Ham would have been really damaging.

And the amount of times they have been one-up, like you said, Max, and lost games.

And there are side that have struggled with injuries, and they're getting a few back.

But listen, I actually thought this was a game that Newcastle would probably go and win because of the state of both sides.

And maybe I think that Newcastle would have had a stronger 11.

But I'll take it on board about the tiredness of the starting 11 and probably that's added to

this defeat.

But I think the praise has to go to Spurs here because of how well they played and exploited the Newcastle deficiencies on the day.

Yeah, I mean let's credit Ange here for picking out Trippier who I think has had not been playing very well for a while.

So Wolves a few weeks back had an absolute nightmare there.

Obviously you mentioned the mistakes in midfield.

But Son, who I didn't think was actually going to play in a game, remember, we saw that footage of him in tears on the bench.

Yeah, I do think Son is such a brilliant player for Tottenham.

I mean, you know, if I was a Tottenham fan, you'd love this guy.

He just gives everything, doesn't he?

He's so, and just the way that he plays with,

well, the fact you get the tears as well as the smiles, it's all there, isn't it?

He's just got so charismatic.

But this Newcastle team,

this under-strength Newcastle team, can I just run through this team?

Anthony Gordon cost, what, £60 million, was one of England's best players

under 21s.

Isak, 60 million.

Almiron, brilliant player for them.

Joe Linton, you know, again, multi-million, really good.

Gumarez was a brilliant player last season.

Lewis Miley, the new Gazza.

Liveramento, you know, a very talented player.

Fabian Shah has been really, really good for Newcastle.

Lascelles, come back into the team, has done well.

Trippier, okay, we mentioned that.

Dubravka, obviously, maybe you might want to goalie a bit better, but has been a good player for Newcastle.

That's a good Newcastle team.

Last season, they went to Tottenham.

They went to Tottenham last season and

Gubb Tottenham.

They absolutely blew them away.

And at this point, are you thinking that Eddie Howell has overcooked them?

They've used up too much energy.

They use up too much petrol in other

matches.

Or, you know, even the bench.

I mean, you've got Callum Wilson, you've got Matt Ritchie, you've got Lewis Hall, you've got Sean Longstaff.

That is a talented team, and it should not be getting rolled over like that.

I don't want to, I know, I'm certainly not a Newcastle United apologist.

I don't think anyone would expect me to that, but I, you know, fatigue is a thing, right?

If you're not at it, and you know, Spurs could bring Pape Saar back, and they brought in Richardson, who was fit again.

And, you know, they do attack.

I mean, I think Anne's got it totally right.

I agree with all of you moving Sun out wide.

And when those two and Johnson and Kulaseski are playing and they're on it, that's really hard for any defense.

I just think it is a legitimate excuse to say we're knackered.

But if you are knackered, you take steps against it, and I don't think he's taken enough steps against it.

Matthew says, as much as it would piss everyone off, rightly or wrongly, should Newcastle raid the Saudi League?

I mean, I guess it isn't that simple, is it?

Because,

you know, they are legitimate football teams who

are in a league.

You know, so

I mean, I don't know what the dynamic is between Newcastle United and the Saudi League.

Obviously, they can get players from that league on loan if they want to, because that vote was.

What, get Ben Zamar for a couple of weeks?

Like, surely his manager.

Jordan Henderson would be a laugh.

I mean, that would be a good idea.

He's a big son of a man in for a few weeks.

Is it not?

What was the guy that played for Wolf?

It was Nevez and Nevez.

He's come out and said he's not going.

Yeah, he's come out and said he's staying where he is.

He won't be very good for them either.

He's too slow.

I may say.

Can't talk about Christian Romero.

He threw himself in on Callum Wilson.

Wenspurs are 3-0 up.

Seemed very lucky, Troy.

And like, he's just missed three games where Spurs have lost them all, I think, or lost two and drawn one.

It's madness, right?

He's not trustworthy, Max.

He's not trustworthy.

There was no need to go and make the tackle.

He actually made the tackle with his right foot and then made sure he got him again with his left foot.

This is where

I'm trying to refrain from saying var, but I cannot understand that you look at that multiple times.

And there's a couple of incidents this weekend where I cannot understand you look at that multiple times and say cleared yeah and actually

jacob brown is the other one right for luton

how that is not how that is not a red card i cannot understand it max but spurs listen i like romero in regards to his footballing ability but he he loses it and if you're losing it and you're freeing it up comfortable Newcastle are not going to come back in that game and you put your side under pressure because let's say that that was a red he can't be trusted and he's part of the captain circle by the way so what did the other captain say to him when he does make those decisions where he obviously just thinks

I need to do something to roll this game up I don't understand it I don't get it but for me how you can look at that multiple times and say nothing I don't know I really don't know Profspur says is it finally time for Chelsea to dip into the transfer market inside some new players thank you very much James should Frank Lambard return for a third stint?

He knows the clock.

Yes, yes, yes, please.

Yes, please, please let this happen.

I mean, you could go back to Everton, but I think they're probably quite happy with Sean Dodge.

Everton to Chelsea-nil, Everton won their last three, four of their last five.

If it wasn't for the 10-point reduction, John, they would be comfortably above Chelsea.

Their third consecutive clean sheet.

They are good.

They're good, and they know how to do a goal celebration as well.

Yeah.

Do you see this?

Very true.

Yeah.

No, it's

I hate it.

Do you know what?

And they're the most authentic team in the Premier League as well.

That's

that is what matters.

That is what

forget Jordan's villa stuff, forget United being bad, forget all of it.

It's about being authentic, all right.

And that's what Sean Dice has told us, and that's what Everton are the most authentic.

I kind of get it, though.

Like, I mean, obviously, it doesn't make any sense.

But

bring back the pre-planned celebrations and and goals.

I want to see the dance.

I want to see the bring them back.

It's a travesty.

They've gone out of the game.

Actually, saying that, I thought one of my, I don't know if you mentioned this on the podium today.

Actually, Max, you were not here.

So maybe, maybe Robin did.

I didn't hear it.

My apologies, Robin.

Cole Palmer's non-celebration celebration against a team he never played for, United, because he was a United fan.

Come on, mate.

Come on.

I should say on this, Jordan, those are two brilliant finishes because those are so so easy to balloon over the bar, the Couray and Dobbin.

And there was just something so, I'll say it, authentic about that.

Yeah, brilliant.

Injury time.

We've won this game.

Celebration, young kid, first goal for Everton, which was just joyous.

No, they were great finishes.

And I'm not necessarily, I don't have an issue with a player authentically celebrating a goal, you know, in the corner.

I have an issue with Sean Daish pushing back on the idea that he doesn't want any more prepared celebrations.

That's my problem.

I think Nigel Cluffer, Nigel Clifford at Mansfield has told his players not to expend energy.

But from the same skill you see, you should be celebrating.

Well, that lent us to do the text topic.

Have you ever celebrated anything in Mansfield on the radio?

Not many people had.

Should we do Chelsea Troy?

Listen, I just wanted to say very quickly that I know young Lewis Dobbin and it was a great moment for him and his family.

You know, he's done the lone stuff, he's still on the cups of the team.

So, for him to get that opportunity and to put it away and to celebrate in the manner, everything just went loose, didn't it?

I'm really, really glad for him.

So, yeah, I just wanted to say that.

Chelsea, is there really much to say?

Honestly, Mats, they're a rotten team.

I feel there's a lot to say.

There are a lot to say, but it's not hard to see.

We haven't said already.

Not that we haven't said already.

They're a rotten team.

They've got no leadership.

Although they've got five captains, they've got no identity.

they've got no pattern, they've got no

authentic goal scorers.

They're a mess.

And Pochettino, did he say this week that we need to go back into the transfer market?

Which just shows you how much wastage they've spent on players anyway.

They're disorganised.

We say all that.

And I know he made, you know, he obviously thought that his senior players had not been giving him enough.

So out goes Silver, out goes Sterling.

There was a couple of others that went out jackson went out

but actually they were the better team by the way

they were the better team in the game they created the chances again

a bit fluffy like arsenal were at villa sorry to drop arsenal back in again and then um everton exploited them decore is an amazing player

who who obviously likes playing for dice he's getting in more advanced positions scores that scores the goal and then you know that everton are going to win i don't think chelsea have the the desire to get back into games like that, and it's got to be a massive worry for Poch because his sprinkling of gold dust is not working at all.

He's not working at all.

There's a lot of options there for him in regards to

stabilising that team.

And a few weeks ago, after the Man City game, everyone was, oh, Chelsea's back.

We've got our Chelsea back on whatever else.

And since then, they've stunk the place out.

I don't know.

I think Pochettino can't wait for January, maybe let a few go and then come back back again with a few more.

Well, Troy, you say that, but I mean, I don't, I'm always a bit uncomfortable in talking about managers losing their jobs.

But I've looked at their next few fixtures and their fixtures on paper that you could say are nice games.

Sheffield United, well, Wolves away,

I could see Luton away.

If he doesn't get results in those games, does he get is it is there any do we think there's any chance that he doesn't even make it to January?

Because

I don't think he will be fired.

But if those results results over Christmas don't go well, in the same way, I believe that the United, the main problem is the ownership.

But Ten Hark has to still show something.

I think the same is true here.

I think he's come into a bit of a mess, but he has to still show something.

And I don't think he is.

I like Poch, I'm a big fan of Fears, and I think he's probably the best thing about that club right now, but he's still got to show something.

And if those three or four games coming up over Christmas, he doesn't get results.

You know, there's Chelsea fans I know that are are talking about winning a relegation scrap potentially in the next 20 months.

Didn't you sack Ten Hag about 20 minutes ago?

But anyway,

I think what's so interesting about the really interesting thing about Chelsea's recruitment, John, is, you know, they've got problems at goalkeeper.

Obviously, Sanchez was injured,

subbed off, but he was a kind of felt like a bit of a stopgap.

Unkunku, of course, is injured, and that would make could make a massive difference up top.

But they still, they still

don't know about Unku.

We don't.

Unkunku is one of those players where it's like, oh, as soon as he comes back, and it's like, well, how do you know?

Yeah.

How do you know?

You could never know these things, can you?

They've spent a billion pounds or whatever it is, or half a billion, I can't remember.

And it's centre-midfield.

Okay, that is going to work.

You know, Caicedo Fernandez, you know, with, you know, Gallagher and a couple of others.

Is it though?

Is it though?

I mean, if you...

Well, you feel like they aren't bad, they're not bad signies, but how, but they don't seem to have depth at centre-back, depth up front, a keeper.

That's like the whole spine.

And they've spent all that money.

That's the sort of madness.

And surely they've got FFP, right?

And

aren't they run by people?

I think Adam Crafton was saying, you know, their investors will want a return on this at some point.

Well, they sort of sort of remind me of a superannuated Watford of a few years ago, where you're wondering where they're sourcing all the players from.

And they're all

because

the plan is, isn't it?

You pay high transfer fees and the wages are lower, so therefore you don't spend as much money.

That's essentially the plan.

I don't know if that even works in American sports.

I suspect not.

And so

it hasn't worked.

And as Jordan said, about Manchester United, about many other places, it goes to the ownership to say, what are you going to do to switch this around, change the culture of the club?

Because

it feels like they inherited the remnants of the Abramovich thing.

If you go down to Cobham, there's lots of building work and all this stuff going on.

Things are modernising.

But the thing is, the football team is not modernising.

What you've got now is what would, in the Abramovich era, would be a Gus Hiddink season, as in Gus would be taking over now and be trying to get them into the Europa League or whatever it was, or win a cup.

They're just listing badly.

And I think Gus Hiddink's probably a little bit too old to come in now.

So

Steve Costerill, maybe let's get back to the.

I mentioned Adam Crofton.

He tweeted at the weekend what an advert for chicken feet that was by Andros Townsend.

Sean, Will Troy hang that cross in the Lou, not the Louvre.

Louvre.

And Ben was quite a little surprised that Andros cut inside onto his left foot.

You were at Kenilworth Road.

Look, Man City won in the end.

It was a great cross from your son.

We can start there.

Luton were unlucky in this game, weren't they?

There was an obvious distance between the two sides.

City controlled the game from start to finish.

You know, they were good on the ball.

The movement was good.

Again, lack of finishing qualities, I suppose.

Luton's keeper who has just won save of the month was producing saves again

and then Luton come out there not out their shell they didn't you know

again they played so well against Arsenal I thought it'd be very very difficult to mirror that performance

again against another top side and yes City are struggling a little bit but they've got Rodri back and I suppose that's their spine that has obviously proved that they they cannot replace him.

So there was about three or four opportunities for City to start with.

And then Luton, in one of their isolated attacks, break out.

There's this magnificent cross from this young lad,

and there's a great header into the back of the net.

And all of a sudden, you know, the crowd go mad, the stadium's up, Pep's not happy.

Well, his whole bench were not happy for some reason.

And it looked like the impossible could happen.

But

the minute the second half started again, the status was there.

And it was just a matter of time.

The problem I have with Luton is that their concentration levels, whilst they are on it and they're zoned on it as well.

And,

you know,

Rob has got these players.

Rob, sorry, me and him are not that close.

Rob Edwards has got these players that are playing out of their skin, but concentrate for 90 minutes.

That's why they've not kept a clean sheet.

And the minute they conceded the first, you knew that the second wasn't far away.

A bit of controversy controversy about the second, but it wasn't hand ball.

And, you know, again, lack of concentration at the backstick.

And there's Jack Grealish to make it 2-1.

So, listen, great endeavor by Luton, as there has been since the time that I've been watching them.

They're scoring goals against the top sides, they're competing against them, but it's that little bit of quality and that little bit of discipline that is letting them down.

Troy, I was just going to ask that question.

Do you think that the fact that they're defensively they haven't been able to get those clean sheets is due to um concentration discipline or it's just they're just not good enough it's a quality thing because i watched the arsenal game and a lot of people were praising luton for being great i thought defensively they were they were competitive they were diligent they were disciplined offensively they gave nothing but i don't want to be harsh on them i think it's because i thought it was a quality issue they they feel like they're championship players in the premier league so what what do you think of the two it leans more towards i don't think they're starstruck because because they're competing so well, but I do think, I think they need Nick.

Tom Lockyer is a very good captain.

And when he wasn't there against Arsenal and they were exposed, but there needs to be a little bit of leadership there.

It's almost like, well, I won't do it, you do it.

And if you don't do it, who's going to do it?

Or we both won't do it, goal.

So

they need some leadership at the back because, like I said,

They're being very competitive.

And, you know, these are home games.

So you do worry about the weight games against Liverpool, against Arsenal, against you know, Manchester City at the moment.

So, they, you know, I don't know what they've got to spend in January, um, but if they could bring in, I don't know, a loan signing that is an experienced um Premier League player that can help at the back, I think that would help them massively.

There's so much rawness in there, it takes them so far and then it lets them down at the final moment.

So, look,

Rob Edwards has done a great job, you You know, he's brought them up first and foremost.

They got battered in the first game, didn't they, against Brighton?

They're now competing against sides who are in the top seven, but there's still no results out of there.

The results that have to come have to be against like the lights of Brentford when they were away and it was 0-0 and there was nothing happening in the game.

And then all of a sudden they lose focus and Brentford are 2-0 up without doing anything.

So it's those games at those moments that they've got to decide whether, you know, how they pick up their points.

Two things.

One, there was just a run from ross barkley where he just the balance that he had i mean he he put it wide in the end was so great and he's he's been a revelation for for luton and i don't know if any of you heard jack reedish after the game he was he is such a charming interviewee actually and he was talking about kenilworth road and he was i think he was at knotts county on loan you know he's played at sort of league one league two level at times and he just said

how much he loved going there and not in a patronizing way and also mentioning how like you know the some of the foreign lads at city were like did not have a clue.

Like, we're just like, what is this type thing?

And he was really funny.

And then he was quite good on whether City were in a crisis.

He was like,

we've just played four top teams.

And, and, you know, and he, and he couldn't remember one of them.

And it was Villa.

And he was like, and then he just burst out laughing.

How could I forget?

How could I forget that we asked him Villa for him?

Anyway, he was suspended, though, wasn't he?

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah.

It was charming.

And what makes his comments even better, Matt, is that he got battered by the fans.

The fans were really giving it to him.

So the fact that he could come out afterwards and say, do you know what I mean, be so complimentary about the ground and that sort of occasion, I think says a lot about him as well.

All right, that'll do for part two.

In part three, we'll rattle through the rest of the Premier League.

Coach, the energy out there felt different.

What changed for the team today?

It was the new game day scratchers from the California Lottery.

Play is everything.

Those games sent the team's energy through the roof.

Are you saying it was the off-field play that made the difference on the field?

Hey, a little play makes your day, and today, it made the game.

That's all for now.

Coach, one more question.

Play the the new Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams scratchers from the California Lottery.

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Please play responsibly, must be 18 years or older to purchase, play or claim.

Welcome to part three of the Guardian Football Weekly.

Fulham 5 West Ham 0 into the top 10, 10 goals in their last two games.

None conceded.

Doesn't really feel like Fulham to me, John.

I'm not quite sure what's happened.

Those two results feel like Fulham when they're in the championship, don't they?

When just they obliterated everybody in sight.

Yeah.

I think Marco Silver is so suited to Fulham in the way that he plays football the right way.

They play attacking football.

I do think Poligno is such an important player for them, obviously.

But I think the things that they take from this, obviously, is the continued form of Jimenez, which is one of those stories that we're all heart and by because,

and actually, I want to credit the managers that kept playing him and kept having faith in him because it did look at a certain point that his career would be over after what happened to him at the Emirates back in 2020.

And you can see the joy that his teammates take in the fact that this guy who's been through so much scoring is now scoring goals.

They're loving it.

And I do think Marco Silver

is not maybe the best publicist for himself because he just because someone saw the question asked him, you know

How come you're playing so well?

Oh, no, no, we've been playing this way always since the start, you know, it's not we've not changed anything and he's so proud and he's so defensive of himself He never quite lets himself go and just say come on I've really enjoyed this and

Maybe maybe you should enjoy it more because I think Fulham's a club where they do enjoy the football and he they've been brilliant and

let's not even mention West Ham.

They were shocking.

it was a great stat on sky fulham have scored 10 goals at home in the last four days in the 2021 relegation season season they only scored nine at home all season you're so right about raw him in and the thing is jordan it's like it's not just he's scoring goals like that's a brave header yeah that's and that was such a massive part of his game before he got that injury and that sort of makes it even more special It does.

And he's someone that I was really

liking at Wolves and to the point where I thought he may be a good alternative

at my club Arsenal, you know, looking at him at that point.

I'm really glad that he's

got back to school.

He's a really good forward, but he kind of mixes the old school with, you know, he's a big man with a good touch, all that sort of stuff, but he's actually a good football player as well.

And so, yeah, you know, the art of heading, I think, has been lost by many, but he's someone that still knows how to

put the ball in the back of the net with his noggin.

And Tom Kenny, who's come back in, who I think is a really brilliant footballer, and he's also a thoroughly nice chap.

And I think it's really good to see him.

Good hair, good guy, good captain, good leader, just good, a good footballer.

I've got a lot of time for Tom Kierney.

Yeah, I like him.

I like him.

And his ball, his vision and ball to Harry Wilson for that cracking goal was a delight.

It was an absolute delight.

I like the way the goals were spread at the goals.

The 10 goals have been spread around the team.

Awobi's coming into his own now as well, isn't he?

Willie Ann on the other side.

How old is Willie Ann again now?

Someone

pleases him.

75, I think.

75, yeah.

And he's playing like a teenager.

There's a lot to like about Fulham, and you often wonder, they are a hit and miss side.

And you now wonder where those two big, big victories at home, where it will take them because they're on the cusp of something, but they never seem to break through.

So they're a likable team, likable club.

And I hope that this is a start of them pushing on into that top 10.

Yeah, he's 35 is

Willian.

So I was the closest one.

You were, yeah.

Archie's on the pod on Thursday.

And when we did that full-in minute, you can just hear him already.

He'll really, you know, he'll really slow down.

He'll really, you could just, yeah, it'll just get really laboured and gushing.

But, you know, he deserves it.

He deserves it.

Liverpool are top of the league in a kind of no one's really talking about them way.

Is that, Jordan, because there have been some really interesting storylines this season.

You know, Spurs at the start of the season was really interesting.

Villa right now is interesting.

Arsenal have had, you know, the sort of Arteta rant.

City have had that mini crisis.

And Liverpool, okay, they had the VAR moment, didn't they?

That was their sort of big moment.

But really, they sort of just quietly top of the league without really being brilliant, but doing enough, getting a lot of, winning a lot of games from losing positions, doing the things that title winners need to do.

Yeah, they haven't really featured prominently in the minds of, I think, a lot of people.

And they're just kind of ticking along, doing their thing and racking the points up.

I think what's noticeable about them is the amount of late goals that they seem to be racking up.

And when it's applied to my club, people always come to discuss whether it's a good thing or a bad thing.

They have the firepower to kind of outscore anybody and always be in a game when you've got the five up front or the five options up front that they do have.

Defensively, I don't think they're particularly great.

I think they will need to work on

keeping a few more clean sheets.

It's weird because Van Dijk seems to be getting back to his best, yet defensively, they still seem to be conceding quite a lot of cheap goals.

Slobos lie in the middle.

I'm watching.

I hear a lot of good things about him.

He looks really, really good.

But I'm really keen to see how that midfield kind of forms.

So they are just kind of putting together the makings of a title-winning team, if not this year, for next year.

And I'm sure they won't mind going on the radar and just kind of going on with their business.

But yeah,

they're licking their lips this weekend against United.

And they'll definitely be on the radar then.

14 goals in the last 15 minutes of games this season.

So yeah, that's a good point.

John?

Jürgen, he's angry, isn't he?

There's a rage there.

He's very angry with Marcus Buckland.

Yes, yes, I guess, of course, yeah.

But

yeah, the sense of humor failure of

magnificent proportions, that one.

But the celebration of the goal, actually, Harvey Elliott's goal, I think it's with Pep Linders.

It was this sort of...

wasn't a hug, they just sort of ran into bounced puffer jackets against each other in this sort of aggressive.

it's like absorb yeah absorbing it like atoms in that large hadron collider just go yeah no arms on each other in any any sense of affection just this sort of smash into each other and yeah

just just pure manly aggression

it was a brilliant finish from harvey elliott and actually i i i don't know if the keeper's at fault troy just come on remy matthews he'd not really played a lot of football his weight goes the other way doesn't it just before he strikes it i thought he was at fault but then i i when i looked at it again and i saw that the i'm trying to remember who the two players were in front of him, Hughes, maybe Richards, they didn't do enough to block the shot.

The minute it's hit, they both turned their back, one stuck out a lazy leg.

And then I think,

you know, the goalkeeper is blindsided a little bit, but you have to, I would say that he has to do better.

But I just, I mean, there's a lot going on in this game, isn't there?

The IU sending off, the penalty, the, you know, the incident that I said replicate that was similar to the Jesus incident.

But seeing as John has mentioned, or Max, I think you mentioned fuming managers.

Did you see Roy Hodgson's interview?

Wow.

I mean, if ever there was a fuming manager, I felt sorry for Roy.

I really felt sorry for Roy.

But then I looked at him and thought,

is that the best you've got in regards to anger, Roy?

Do you know what I mean?

It was, I felt for him because, you know what?

You're saying he's not doing, he can't do anger well enough?

I don't think he does it well enough, Max.

I think if you're going to be angry, you've got to be throwing that microphone down and whatever else and adding a few expletives in there as well.

But what disappointed me for Roy, he got his game plan spot on, didn't he?

You know, the way that he approached the game, they were so unlucky.

He got his game plan spot on and he was obviously fuming.

The thing is, again, sorry.

I like when Roy shakes hands at the end.

He's just lost.

He's got this.

I don't know if that's a real smile or it's a pretend smile, but he's talking with Jurgen and he's smiling.

And then he comes and does his interview and said, I'm only out here because I've got to do it.

But he was angry because the penalty, because the red card, right?

Is that why he was...

I think there was a few bits to his anger, but he was angry.

I thought it was a bit harsh.

I thought it was a bit harsh.

But it wasn't both

yellows.

It was the right decision.

The soft yellows.

The first one is I was being stupid.

You don't stand in front of a ball.

You give the option for the player to do what Van Dijk did.

And there's all these ex-players going, oh, you know, Van Dijk getting a player booked.

You've all done it.

So let's forget about that.

I thought the second one was was harsh.

I honestly thought the second one was hit.

That was just a foul.

It was just a foul.

Roy acted as if someone had filled his green bin or something like that.

Someone did say

Bavarian Hammer says: if Roy Bricktop Hodgson gets a ref visit to apologise, make sure not to do it at his pig farm.

He's just going to murder.

David Coot is next.

Who's next?

To get done by Roy.

Drew says, anyone know what Hugh Jackman was up to at the weekend?

This obsession with panning to famous people at football matches.

It has to stop.

It doesn't change your enjoyment of a game to find out that Michael McIntyre is watching Spurs as well.

It doesn't matter.

Why does anybody care?

Anyway, very briefly, Sheffield United beating Brentford is a massive result for them.

And let us just spend a minute.

John, on James McAtee's finish, because it is perfection.

Oh, yeah.

Beautiful, beautiful.

Talented player as well.

First Premier League goal.

Really, really enjoyed himself.

Chris Wilder.

Can he pull it off?

Probably not.

But it's Sheffield United as we remember them.

It's good to see.

I'm going there over Christmas.

Looking forward to it.

Yeah, well done.

Well done.

Yeah, absolutely.

Beautiful finish.

And Chris Wilder beaming at the end was great.

Wolves won Forrest one.

I mean, the big story out of this one, Jordan, is that result keeps Steve Cooper in his job for now?

Which does seem odd, doesn't it?

Because, you know, Forrest could have won this game.

Harry Tofflow misses that header at the end.

Does that make Steve Cooper three times better?

Because they'd get three points, not one.

You know, Wolves could have won this game as well.

I thought Forrest, after the Fulham game, they showed a bit, they showed a bit about them.

But I think Steve Cooper, you know, he seems to be loved by the fans.

I think it'd be a mad thing to get rid of him.

I agree.

And I think it was Nedamanua

speaking about this on one of the last pods about if you're going to fire a manager, the the next two or three results shouldn't dictate that either you think he's good enough to have the job or he's not so this kind of prolonging waiting and seeing what the next man what the next result brings to determine whether you fire the manager or not for me is a bit bizarre i like steve cooper and as you said for the forest fans like him and this comes down to expectations what do they expect Forrest to be doing.

I think he's doing a very, very good job in the circumstances of what he's in.

So I wouldn't fire him, but I think he is on borrow time for sure.

Brighton won, Burnley won finally.

A word on James Trafford Troy, who had a superb game, didn't he, for Burnley?

Yeah, he did.

He did.

He's come under a bit of criticism, hasn't it?

Well, it's come under a lot of criticism, but he's got the backing of his manager and the confidence that that gives you, especially as a young man in goal, must be amazing.

And he's pulled off some absolutely tremendous saves that have kept him in the game.

He's obviously one for the future, but he's in there now.

And the trust and the belief that he has of those around him and and the gaffer um

is obviously giving him the confidence to perform in that way um look i felt he could have dipped out a little while ago to be honest to save him from the barrage of some of the abuse that he was receiving but like i said when you've got the manager backing you and and and saying that you are my number one like david rayer has got um then yeah he's done really really well important things we don't have time to talk about arsenal beating chelsea 4-1 in the wsl a massive result in the title race there uh listen to The Guardian.

Women's Football Weekly, please.

Absolutely brilliant for that title race.

That result, Bayern getting hit for five.

We will, of course, discuss that in the week.

Champions League week, they play Manchester United.

Neil Harris remains unbeaten as Cambridge United manager.

2-0 down at the valley at Producer Joel's Charter Athletic in the huge Football Weekly Derby.

And Gasanahadmi scored two, one in the 87th minute, a penalty in the 95th.

Absolute seams.

yes john max uh as part of my trip i went to go-ahead eagles yesterday lunchtime oh lovely and it reminded me of the abbey stadium oh there you go ah wonderful as in what like as in perfection of a football ground or you have to walk through a field of cows to get there

well they had to walk through a reasonably posture state it's quite a well-to-do area you have to sort of walk along the side of the pit so you're sort of people

you get in people's way when you're walking along.

But yeah, great.

Yeah, beautiful.

perfect we finished with this from mr crag he says have any of the panel been brave enough to throw an apple into a bin before

this is in relation to i'm not sure what michael owen was on it's a very funny sort of sub-high performance podcast it is

he's sort of trying to talk about his struggle and he refers to a moment as a child where he would repeatedly try and throw an apple into a bin even though his mum didn't want him to throw the apple into the bin but his dad would secretly be proud of him if he threw the apple into the bin and he said everything was a challenge i'd eat an apple while watching the tv at night and the bin would be by the tv six meters away and i would do it i would have the bravery to miss that was his quote um that's absolutely sensational stuff isn't it i've never considered that you know i what it makes me feel is that i'm much braver than i thought i always had myself down as a massive coward but now

throwing fruit in a bin from a modest distance is, you know, the epitome of.

You're quite good at it as well, though.

You've got quite a good aim.

You have got a good idea.

Well, I did throw

a paper cup into a bin in public.

I mean, my mum wasn't there to scold me if it hadn't gone in, and my dad wasn't there to nod an approval.

But I have tweeted that video out quite a lot of times because it is still, I think about that moment quite a lot.

Because it even had a bit of curl on it, you know, and it's, and it, and it was one of those bins, I presume, you know, I don't know what the bin that Michael Owen was, I presume it's like a waste paper basket if it's by the tv right so that is a fully open that's like a basketball hoop whereas the bin that i was throwing was a sort of typical london bin it's like a yeah it's like a it's like a letterbox you know you know that's you've got really not a lot to aim for so like the bravery i showed to take on that shot in public given also obviously you know like i'm a megastar like like people would have known i was throwing this paper cup uh into the bin anyway producer joel writes burnley fans are going to be delighted we gave more time to this than we did you know their credit creditable draw at the amex

um our apologies uh we will make it up to you i hope at some point and that'll do for today uh thank you troy absolute pleasure max uh thank you jordan cheers mate thanks john thanks for having me football weekly is produced by joel grove our executive producer is danielle stevens back for the champions league wednesday and thursday this week

this is the Guardian.