January 6, 2025 • 51 mins
Welcome to the London Club Council! The FAN's Brett Blakemore and Robbie Rosenhaus are opposing fans in England's biggest rivalry. They talk about every council club dropping points, and the incoming NLD.
The guys on Twitter: @BrettKFAN @robbierosenhaus
The guys on Twitter: @BrettKFAN @robbierosenhaus
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
We're at it again. Welcome to another meeting of the
London Club Council. Now representing Tottenham Hotspur in this corner
we do have Brett Blakemore and repping Arsenal is Robbie Rosenhause.
So boys, let the banter begin.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
We welcome into another edition of the London Club Council,
back for the new year.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I'm Brett Blakemore.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I represent Tottenham Hotspur and with me, as always is
Robbie Rosenhounds, who represents the club that from the south
down south, the Arsenal.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Robbie, how are you.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Not as good as you? Brett? You look tan, you
look refreshed, You were under the you were under the
weather and now you you look full of life. But
your football team is anything but at the moment.
Speaker 5 (00:55):
So we'll get today follow something.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yeah, I was under the sun and then I was
under the weather and here we are afterwards. And I
got to tell you, I don't know if that's where
we want to start, because there's there is so much
to say about Spurs yet there's nothing to say because
it's been the same thing for months now and I
(01:20):
haven't changed my opinions either way, and especially with the
stuff that Ornstein has come out with and said that
and is one hundred percent safe and there's no issues
there whatsoever, which is how it should be, and anyone
thinking otherwise, in my opinion, as a fraud or a moron,
because you don't, just like I've said on this pot
(01:41):
of thousand times, you don't just you don't throw away
a project just because things get a little rocky in
the middle of it. I think they have something like
fourteen senior players injured right now. They just lost Destiny
Adogi for you know, a month and change. He did
his hammy as well, So I don't know. They We'll
see what happens in January.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Am I just crazy for thinking this about Spurs? Because
I know you think that injuries don't matter and you
can't use injuries as a crutch.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
How many is too many?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Before I can say, you know what, like this season
for the premise is done, Let's try to get a cup,
let's try to get a Europa and let's go.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Okay, So I'm going to bring this to current events
before we kind of get into the minutia of a
little bit of the handball as to what happened in
the match against Newcastle Tottenham dropping a two to one
decision to their cup match coming up. But to hone
(02:43):
in on what you just said about when is too
many injuries enough? And talking about current events just to
draw a correlation to a sporting event that took place
within twenty four hours of us taping this, and that's
going to American football, and that's the Minnesota Vikings against
the Detroit Lions.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Now you were just waiting to talk about this.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
The Detroit The Detroit Lions go into the game last
night and they're missing eleven starters on defense and they
put up the best defensive performance against the team that
was putting up thirty on everybody for the last two months.
(03:30):
And as much as you want to use injuries as
an excuse, you just can't at that level. And when
you're being paid all this money and you see backups
come in like the Lions had last night and played
(03:51):
at an exceedingly high level. And then you watched Tottenham
and you watch some of these players come in and
Ansthros's his arms up. Yes you shouldn't be playing an
eighteen year old at a position at center back, and
yes you're missing your first choice keeper, and yes, you're
missing your top two center back and the yes, and
(04:14):
the midfield is overrun with just ineffectiveness and injuries and
just guys in and out of the lineup and just
a complete kind of controlled chaos when it comes to
putting out a starting eleven for Ange, And it hasn't
(04:37):
been easy for him. So while I have a little
bit of sympathy there, it's also his job to recruit
better players that kind of form the foundation of the squad,
you know, the players that were there before he got there,
like like Son and Besuma, and guys like Romero, guys
(05:00):
back like those guys you know are are are kind
of older, kind of stalwarts of the team. I think
it was AND's job to kind of remake the outskirts
of the team so that when something like this did happen.
I mean bringing in your DOGI bring in Van Deven
I mean those were two your DOGI has fallen off
(05:23):
a bit, but vandovnt and for the most part has
been a Rolls Royce center back. I just think he
could have done a better job bringing in players and
then maybe you wouldn't be in this predicament Brett, where
you're putting in these in these in these performances and
you're not getting results. So maybe it is on the
manager for potentially, you know, recruitment and not being in
(05:44):
kind of sync with Levy and bringing in the right
players to get you the results that you want. Is
there any merit to what I just said?
Speaker 3 (05:51):
There almost zero? In my opinion?
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Is zero?
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Almost zero? You got?
Speaker 2 (05:56):
I mean, I think there is a difference between having
a lot of your d in football because you can
just outscore them. In American football, you can just have
a great offense.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
And outscore them.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
When you're in football that we're talking about on this podcast,
if you're down thirteen players and there's eleven on the pitch,
you know, and not even like some of the guys
he signed, like we signed Wilson Odebar and he hasn't
been seen light a day because he pulled his Handmi
(06:30):
Charlison hasn't played at all under Andy. He's been here
for two years. And then you talk about Romero and
Van Deven and a Doggie and the Carrio and now
then there's an illness going around. So Mikey Moore hasn't
been playing for months because of a virus, and now
there's an illness going around the club just normally with
(06:50):
Madison and Sonny being sick and they couldn't play full nineties.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
I mean we could go all day long.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I think this is a season in the prem that
is very much like Newcastle last year. I mean, did
anyone call for the head of how you know last
year when everyone was hurt and I mean he just
took them to the Champions League and then they had
a terrible year because literally their entire team got hurt
(07:16):
and no one was saying, boy, Eddie Howe doesn't know
how to recruit boy what a dumb manager? He doesn't
know the rules of the game, because I mean everyone
could see through that, but somehow, when it's Spurs happening,
it's somehow the manager's fault.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
So I don't agree with that at all. I think
we're in.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
The process right now of where they got rid of
a lot. They sent a lot of deadwood packing. I
don't think they reloaded the cupboards quite as much as
they thought they needed to. So that is partially on
and just partially on everybody Lang, It's partially on Levy,
(07:53):
it's the whole operation. But I think that's the phase
of the rebuild that they're in right now.
Speaker 6 (07:59):
Well, looking at kind of some of the deadwood that
went out, that was a lot of guys that were
older guys or veterans or guys that have been around
a while, and they brought in a lot of kind
of fresh faces, but younger talent like bergvall guys.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
Like that who are quote unquote for the future.
Speaker 6 (08:19):
So again back to the question of you know, the
the chicken or the egg. You know, there's a large
portion of the Tottenham fan base that thinks that they're
a quote unquote selling club where they'll, you know, bring
in these players and there and they brought them in
strictly to sell them because all lev wants to do
(08:40):
is make a profit. And you even make comments when
there's events held at the stadium or like a Vikings
game or a Packers game or something that's held at
the Tottenham hotspurre Stadium that brings in money and revenue
for the club, you'll thank you for the thank you.
Speaker 5 (08:55):
For the money.
Speaker 6 (08:58):
Well, yes, but even you're conscious of it because you
know how much that is at the forefront, whether it's
good or bad, of the fan base's kind of mentality
and that shouldn't be the way it is.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
Wins and.
Speaker 6 (09:15):
Success and trophies should be at the forefront. And this
is the same old, same old with your club. So
while it's not the number one issue right now, I
do think that it still kind of pops up every
now and then when it comes to the whenever they
have a bad run.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Yea.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
And I think that is entirely justified that what you
just said there. And I do think that is like
ninety percent true, that they are selling club and they
buy players to eventually turn to make a profit. I
could see them eventually if Lucas Bergwaller one of the
youngsters or Archie Gray becomes a star one day, that
(09:53):
they probably sell them for profit at some point on.
I mean, that is entirely true, and I disagree that
that should be the way it is, Like I would
disagree with that philosophy, is what I'm trying to say.
But what I will say in response that, though, is
you know, how long did they hold on to, you know,
to Harry Kane longer than they probably should have. I mean,
they could have cashed it on Harry Kane one hundred
(10:15):
times over, probably the same thing with Sonny. They're still
going to extend him. So I do think it's mostly true.
I don't think it's entirely true, but I'm certainly not
a Levy sympathizer. But I do want to talk about
the actual game that took place, because there's really not
a lot to go off of.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
With this club.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
I mean, I think injuries and just recent form have
a lot to do with that. I'm just happy that
Ang is the guy and they're sticking with him. But
I do want to talk about the handball because NBC's
coverage with Tim Howard and someone else whose name I
don't care enough to know, because he questioned whether Ange
(10:54):
knows the rules of the game. So he's kind of
a pos. He's on my fecal roster right now.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
That guy just he just does.
Speaker 4 (11:07):
It.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
They were so you know.
Speaker 6 (11:09):
What, even if you did know his name, which I'm
pretty sure I do, let's leave it off the podcast.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Yeah, in the off chance that his cousin listens.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
I don't care. He sucks.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
So they were so not never a handball. That's never
a handball. I mean, his arms in a natural position
that's outstretched from his body, never a handball. And I'm
here to tell you that is a handball every single
day of the Robbie.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Have you seen the play? U?
Speaker 5 (11:39):
Yeah, I was.
Speaker 6 (11:39):
I was very surprised that they did not call the
play dead because not only did it lead directly to
a goal, but I his his arm.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
I didn't think was in a natural position.
Speaker 6 (11:52):
I don't know what exactly you'd have to define natural
position for me, but no, I did think you were
aggrieved by that decision, without a doubt, not that they
should not have gone on with the play.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
Nice finish, but.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah, it was a nice finish.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
But Joel Lenton, Uh, he should have had about six
yellow cards in that game, by the way. I mean
he straight up slew foot Pedro Poro where the ball
was nowhere near him.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Not even a foul, not even a foul.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
But the handball, whether let's just say for argument's sake
that it was in a natural position, I think it's
gray whether it was or it wasn't. I think regardless,
and if it is, by the letter of the law,
if the argument that Tim Howard is making is well,
the letter of the law says, if it's a in
a natural position, then it's no handball and it should
(12:45):
go and that should be that, then I would argue
that the letter's law should be changed. I mean, this
is obviously not the stakes, because going back to American
football here, the stakes of this game were significantly lower
than the example I'm about to use. So this is
like the Rams Saints pass interference no call, you know
what I mean. Like it is just so blatantly obvious
(13:08):
that everyone's like, this rule's got to change because this
is it's a handball that hits him directly in the
hand stop and it changes the direction of the ball
a full one hundred and eighty degrees, a full change
of direction back the other way. I mean, that is
a hand pass in hockey. They would have blown it
dead for a hand pass in hockey. If that were
(13:30):
the case. It was ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
He may as.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Well have has closed his fist and hit it and
punched it going the other way in.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
For a chance.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
It was the most ridiculous chance I've ever seen. Now
they didn't just common sense should have called that goal enough.
Speaker 6 (13:46):
Well, Unfortunately, about ten or twelve years ago, Tierrian Ree
was involved in a qualifier. If you can believe it. Now,
France dominated and won World Cup in recent times, but
back then they had to qualify against Ireland to actually
(14:07):
make the World Cup, and there was a handball that
was so obvious and so egregious that was committed by
Henri right before he scored a goal right in the
six yard box.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
You'll you'll, I'm not sure if you've seen it.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
Yeah, just when I just when I think about handballs
and you're saying it's the most the worst handball I've
ever seen, that one just immediately popped into my head
and just just thinking about kind of changing the rule.
If they weren't going to change it after that, then
then never going to change it. But I do agree
with you that there's something wrong with it and that
(14:48):
goal should have not been allowed. It's it's almost the
same thing as if like when a ball ricochet's off
a ref, the ref in play and they stop play
because it's an unfair advantage that potentially could be given
to the attacking team.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
So not to get into.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
Too many x's and o's about it or the like
you said, the letter of the law, but I think
any common person watching the game thinks that that's a
handball and that that goal shouldn't have stood. Nevertheless, it
ended up being early enough where they should have, you know,
(15:30):
found time to get another one. You know, the first
goal they scored was nice. I mean they scored right away.
It's almost a blessing and a.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
Curse, Brett. When you score in the first five.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
Minutes, it really is. No, and I'm not doing this
for Tottenham. I'm not saying this for Arsenal. I'm just
saying this in general. It's it's almost it really is,
because it gives you a false sense of security and
it also potentially changes your game plan depending on what
manager you had.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
We not ours, no, and that's I like.
Speaker 6 (16:03):
Clearly that's what I was getting to obviously, not yours,
but or where the game is or or or what
the stakes are or or what. But I just think
that that it was. It was a terrible decision and
Tottenham sitting in the second half of the table right now.
But again, I had said this to you yesterday when
(16:26):
when we were talking off air on the phone, just
about what kind of rollercoaster of emotions it is.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
It's like.
Speaker 6 (16:34):
It's just like it's just like anybody in life. It's
like you have good days and bad days. You have
good things to look forward to, and you also have
bad memories that you want to repress. I mean, you know,
and that's and that's your football club in a dutchshell.
I mean, you could look forward to the Europa League
and what they're trying to do there, despite some some
(16:54):
interesting results away from home, but they're still in good
position to get the buy and not have to play
that two leg a tie. And then they're also in
a semi final of a domestic cup competition which they're
going to play in a couple of days, which you
may know the result of as you hear this, but
yes it is against the best domestic team, but still
it's a cup competition, so it's it's a one game,
(17:16):
it's not thirty eight.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (17:19):
So but then we look at the results like what
happened where you're aggrieved by the handball and you know,
they they lose to they give up six to Liverpool.
Speaker 5 (17:28):
So it's it's the best of times and worst at
the times.
Speaker 6 (17:31):
And I think at this point just to kind of
you know, sum up your club, I mean, you have
faith in the manager. It seems like from all the
reports that the club has faith in the manager and
they're just going to stick with him. And despite where
they sit in the table, you're just gonna quote on
a you know, ride it out.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Yeah, And I mean I'll say this Premier League is dead,
and not like not winning the league.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
That's I don't be ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
I mean like shooting for top four dead in my opinion,
like that is irrelevant to me if we stay up
in the prem Honestly, at this point in time, I
wouldn't have said this obviously the beginning of the season,
but in the situation that we're in right now, as
long as we just stay up and try to get
healthy again and maybe make a run in Europa or
maybe make a run in the FA Cup, or hopefully
(18:21):
we get healthy enough to where we can have one
of those games against Liverpool be with a healthy er side.
The new keeper signing hopefully helps as well. The check
kid I believe, so I don't know much about him yet,
but I will from Prague, yes, and more signings apparently
on the way. I think one attacker, one of defender
(18:42):
is the rumors someone going someone from PSG that I'll
also learn more from is the rumor. But once we
get here, we go, that's when I start doing my research.
Before I get my hopes up. So it's a project,
and I think it is a Newcastle of last year
till you have two years ago type season where just
everyone is hurt and you just gotta bite the bullet
(19:05):
and say it got us this time and let's just
move on and hope for the best going.
Speaker 6 (19:10):
It would it would be quite spursy for them to finish.
Let's say they completely capitulated in the league and finished fourteenth,
but one somehow won the Carabell or won Europa League.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
That's the conversation, right, right.
Speaker 6 (19:25):
And then won the Caravell Cup, or won the Champions
League or won the f A Cup, Like I mean
a Champions League, Well, that wouldn't happen, But I meant
the Europa League to get into Champions League. I mean, yeah,
those are the carrots that Tottenham has out there to
still play for this year.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
But I agree that the league is done in dust.
Speaker 6 (19:44):
The top four is over with, especially with a surprise
play of certain teams like Forrest, who are going to
get another.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Win to.
Speaker 5 (19:55):
Then move into and move back into second.
Speaker 6 (19:58):
So they're there on some sort of run, a Leser
type run of eight years ago, and it doesn't seem
like that's slowing down anytime soon. And the games aren't
slowing down anytime soon either, because I mean, as we
finish up basically halfway through the season here, I mean
(20:19):
the cup games are going to come midweek and then
we have the FA Cup coming up this weekend. Where
as we kind of put a bow on your squad here,
Tottenham will take on Tamworth. Who if you you got
to look down the football pyramid, you know you'd have
to dig deep enough to get to China to find them.
I mean, they're they're a non league side and you're
(20:41):
going there. And while it's a big day for their club,
for for your club, as you want to put it.
Speaker 7 (20:47):
It is a lose lose situation.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
It's a it's a low reward, high risk situation. And
you know what, for any other club, any other club,
if our if this was our and you played and
Sokka is hurt, you played anyone, you lose to Tamworth,
no one would care. No one would care. They It
would be a story for like a day and then
that'd be it. It would be a story for a
(21:13):
month if Spurs lost to maybe more because oh my god, it's.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
So spursy and blah, blah blah.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
And again, I'm so desensitized to it at this point
just because I know the situation that they're in. And
I'm also desensitized to it because I know that the
club is backing and what I want them to do,
so it doesn't really hurt me anymore. Just I'm just
so desensitized and disassociated until they start getting some form back.
(21:40):
But I believe in Big Ange, I'm loving Big and instead,
YadA YadA. Let's move on to your club, shall we.
That's enough talk on Spurs.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Let's talk about it. Was it a pen?
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Controversial calls for both North London clubs. This one, to
me is never a pen. I get there's head contact made,
but it's not.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
The ball's not. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
It's just for whatever reason, my gut just says it's
not a pet. I don't have a lot of logic
to back it up. That's just that's my gut reaction
to it. Didn't seem like there was much in it,
didn't seem like he was preventing him from getting a
chance or anything.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
Didn't feel like a pen to me. Robbie, your thoughts, no,
I mean that.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
Was other than the handball that we just talked about
in the Tottenham Newcastle match, that was, if not the
most controversial moment of the weekend, if one of the
more controversial moments. Arteta came out after the match and
said he has never seen that call before. If you
(22:42):
kind of just take a kind of expanded view, he
really hasn't come out and been just like Ange. I mean,
Ange this week.
Speaker 7 (22:54):
Was really really he was really smart after really.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
After the refts, and Arteta has not been when it
comes to things that he feels he's been agreed for
Dasar kicking the ball the way and getting a red card,
he didn't really he bit his tongue there, declared Rice
getting sent off. He bit his tongue there. So this
time he felt like it shouldn't have been And you
(23:20):
just said that it shouldn't have been a penalty. I agree.
It seems like most of the reaction in the postmatch
fallout and kind of punditry has been that it wasn't
a penalty, so they agree with you and I. But
again it's.
Speaker 5 (23:41):
Just there are some far for the course.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
The NBC coverage said it was a pen all day long,
which is so weird because that's on both these controversial
calls that happen to our clubs. We are on the
opposite side in my opinion of most of the commentary.
As far as like the actual pundits go, the online contary,
I think we're in the majority, But as far as
(24:04):
the pundits go, I think we're in the minority because
I heard that. I was just watching the highlights prepping
for this and they're like, yeah, it's a pen all
day long, that's a pen, and it's a foul anywhere
in the pitch. I'm like, he barely nicked him, Like,
come on, well they yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
They you know, they didn't play well for the entire match.
I mean Brighton had more and more expected goals than
they did from open play. I thought that they were
going to get a set piece winner towards the end.
I hate when they played party at right back, but
they're doing it because of injury. Their midfield was Georginio.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
Marino.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
It was just it wasn't a well put together. They
were holding out Odeguard for although he played the last
twenty minutes, they were holding him out for the for
the cup match to make sure that he was fit
and can play a full match against against Newcastle this week,
so Soka is hurt. So while the match was disappointing
(25:08):
and they dropped two points, I always knew that this
was a distinct possibility. Brightness a not an easy place
to go by. They have not been playing terribly, but
they've just been as I put in our chat before
the match, and I could correctly predicted that Arsenal would
drop points and that it would draw. And they they
(25:30):
had drawn I think five of their last seven or
seven of their last nine matches, something along those lines,
so I said, why not another one? And Arsenal have
not exactly set the world on fire on the road
against decent sides. I mean, yes, they went to west
Ham and thrashed them in places like that, but I
(25:51):
mean Brighton or a top top half of the table side.
And while I was disappointed with the effort, I was
not surprised by the dropping of points. And now they
sit further back, and thank goodness that Manchester United ended
up taking points off of Liverpool or else they'd sit
even further back. Now with Forrest looking like they're going
(26:14):
to get full points and Chelsea dropping points.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
As well, I still can't wrap my head around Nottingham Forest.
I still don't get it because Nuno is not like
I don't see obviously, I don't. I'm Spurs fan. I
don't see him as this great manager to turn. I
don't know what is going on, but they are just
finding ways to win their goal differential. If you look
at it, I mean Liverpool plus twenty eight, Arsenal plus
(26:39):
twenty one, Chelsea plus fifteen, and then nodding and Forest
plus nine, it's like nowhere near like hell. Even Spurs
have a better goal differential than them, and we're twelve
right now. So anyway, I just don't get how you're
doing it.
Speaker 4 (26:53):
The Forest have played very well at home and they've
also done very well against big sides. So when they so,
it makes it easy to grind out results against kind
of mid table to bottom rung sides when you're showing
up against the big teams, and that's what they've been doing.
They have an excellent keeper and seals. They have some
(27:14):
really good players up front, Anthony and Langa. Morgan gives
White is excellent, got booed when he scored at his
old club wolves In in the match on Monday. So
forrest Or are exceeding expectations and they are a contender
for the top four, which to some Arsenal fans you know,
(27:35):
may not be good enough, you know, to kind of
keep the keep the critics away from Arteta at this point, I.
Speaker 8 (27:42):
Mean, this is really yeah, because this is a year
now when again they're alive and kicking in all four competitions, right,
and if they come out of this season with just
the top four finish and no silverware, there's gonna be
people asking, you know what, what gives the last.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
Time they won silverware? And I know he likes to
say they want a community shield. I don't.
Speaker 7 (28:06):
I don't consider and I trust me I would know
no of course.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
But they but they did win an f A Cup
with him and with Obama Yang leading the line. They
beat Chelsea doing it, so that was a big, big
moment for them. But again that was you know, that
was a while ago. Yeah, sou just thinking towards the
future and knowing that there are teams that are on
the come, whether it be Forest, whether it be Chelsea.
(28:38):
At some point potentially your club gets things together Newcastle
with their financial backing. I just think that Arsenal cannot
be stuck in neutral and while I thought they were
going to win the league this year, and obviously Liverpool
with what they've done, they're not going anywhere with kind
of the retool that they have of their squad, and
(28:58):
they sit atop the league and a top the Champions
League right now. They look like, if not the best
club in Europe, one of the top two or three.
So they're not going anywhere. And even with City struggles,
Arsenal haven't taken advantage. So there is that seed of
doubt that are they ever going to get over the line.
That's a big British saying over to get them over
(29:19):
the line? Yeah, you know, you hear that towards the
end of matches. Can they get over the line? You know?
Speaker 5 (29:24):
Arsenal need to get over.
Speaker 4 (29:25):
The line in one of these competitions and a deep
running Champions League would certainly assuage some of the concerns.
But until I see that, or until I see them
get back in this title race, grinding out these draws
against Everton, against Brighton is not what I want to
see when I'm looking to make a charge at the
elusive Premier League trophy.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Now, there has been talk in the council, there's been rumors,
and we would like to ask a question, do you
think the window is closing on Arsenal?
Speaker 4 (30:00):
And no, absolutely, absolutely not, No, that's that is far from.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Because I felt like the last two years your window
was wide open, like is the open?
Speaker 3 (30:12):
And now I.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Feel like it's maybe maybe someone just flipped the latches
a little bit, you know.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
And they're starting to slowly pull it down.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
Kyosaka is like twenty three years old. Like, this is
not a team like yours that was built on guys
that were thirty plus with Cain and Son.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
We're not talking about my team.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
Well again, you want to talk about teams that peak.
This is a team that has a lot of young,
talented players and they're only going to get better when
they bring more players in. They have other players that
are out there that are coming up through the academy.
You saw one area we watched right before we went
on the air, scored an unbelievable goal to put them
(30:56):
up one nil. He's eighteen, eighteen years old to a
top three defender in the world. They keep clean sheets
all the time, and I just think that, uh, their
their arrow is pointed up. The question is is our
tet of the right man to get them over the
line because the the f A Cup he has not.
(31:21):
He has not delivered the goods when they could have
the last couple of seasons brought home something and unfortunately,
uh they did they did no such thing. But I
will say this, they're alive, like I said, in all
four competitions. They'll play in uh two of them this week,
the Caravell Cup, which is midweek, and then they'll take
(31:43):
on Manchester United, which is the Cup f A Cup
game which will be this uh this weekend, which will
take place right after Tamworth hosts your club. I'm not
thrilled with with what's going on right now, but I
I understand from an injury standpoint with Soccer out that
this was always going to be kind of a tough
(32:04):
patch for them.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
So soccer out it is okay for a tough patch.
That's like, that's justifiable with soccer out.
Speaker 4 (32:13):
Well, I'm not I'm not. I'm not angry at the
fact that you know, they drew against Brighton. I'm more
kind of anticipating how they're going to do this week
in these in these cup competitions because they've had really,
really good European form. Their Premier League form has been okay,
(32:36):
I would say a B to a B plus. You know,
it's it's been wobbly a bit, but for the most
part they've being I mean they're they're right in them
and they're they're firmly in the top four. Uh. And
I just think that these these cup competitions will go
a long way as to kind of what what progress
they've made and how he puts out the starting eleven
(32:59):
without because down that right side, I mean he's got
several options. Where Martinelli was on the left, he put
him on the right. Havertz is now potentially available for selections,
so he may come back into the fold.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Isn't it on the manwer to get depth though, to
replace that. They don't miss a beat without Socca. Isn't
that our Teta's fault.
Speaker 4 (33:21):
Well, I just think that he is so key to
what they do, and that's that may be on fundamentally
on them, but if you watch them intently like I do,
I mean, everything that they do is basically offensively is
channeled down that right flank.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
I mean, I would argue missing four out of your
five back five would would be fundamental as well. But
that's probably more fundamental, i'd say than losing your right winger.
Speaker 4 (33:52):
But I think I just think when you're contributing double
digit goals and assists, you are such an integral part
to what they do. And it was Odegard who was
out if you remember, and their forum dropped off. And
now Socca is going to be out for a couple
of months. And we'll see how they respond. Now they
(34:14):
obviously didn't. It didn't get the Now they they got
the three to one win against Ipswich, but they only
drew Brighton one to one. We'll see how they played
this week against Newcastle and Manchester United, and then next
Wednesday they'll take on Tottenham, which is just, I mean,
just so fitting that that it comes right in the
(34:38):
middle of when both teams are suffering some injury crisises
and neither one will be at full strength, and both
teams will have excuses to throw at the other one
and it's a midweek night time kickoff over in London,
and both fan bases will certainly well. We'll see what
(34:59):
happens in in the cups this week, but we'll see
what kind of moods they're in. Ten days from when
we're recording this as both of our clubs will take
on one another. But that's for Arsenal. I mean, I'm
not particularly thrilled with where they are in the league.
I think they should be a little bit closer, like
I said to Liverpool. Those the two draws, the Brighton draw,
(35:19):
which is a bit disappointing, but more the Everton draw.
I mean, not being able to beat Everton at home
when they're in a relegation battle is quite unacceptable for
a team that's in the title chase. So not to
go back too far, but that's kind of where I
am on them, and you're right, it is on them
to have the players to certainly fill in and we'll
(35:42):
see what happens when Havertz gets back. I'll tell you
one thing. One player we haven't mentioned, just to kind
of wrap up on Arsenal before we kind of go
around here, and I know you want to say something
else on Arsenal as well, is Gabrielle j Sus. I
mean we haven't mentioned him. He's come in and he
scored a hat trick, he scored two goals in another game.
(36:04):
He has been a breath of fresh air when everybody
was kind of sending him over to Dubai or Saudi
Arabia or overseas, and and I was I was hesitant
as to throw him out and get rid of him,
because I knew how how much how talented he was,
even though he had been on that terrible goal scoring
(36:26):
run where it was one goal in like thirty matches,
because he did so many good things off of the ball,
to equivalent to making another American sports reference, it's like
a hockey player that doesn't score goals, but you know
it does those things away from the puck that you
know that every coach loves.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
And he's a great locker room guy, brings character to
the team, and all what a good guy off the
icy is, Oh my goodness. N Anyone who dare make
fun of that guy is a punk, I'd say, I
don't know.
Speaker 4 (36:58):
I don't know exactly what car you'd be bringing by
cutting a guy who listening Jesus.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
So that's a good point.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
So that now all I all I wanted to say
is that you expected a little dip in form after
Sokka it went down, which we don't endorse here. But
I'm ridiculous for expecting a dip and form when we're
losing thirteen senior players. All I wanted to say, Box,
That's all I got for you.
Speaker 9 (37:26):
Okay, So so at no point and you'd have to
pull the audience box of any of our episodes where
I've basically said to you that they should be that
there's no excuse for injuries, like where you have to.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Pull believe it was a text. I believe it was
a text message. You said, I believe and I quote,
I will never use injuries as an excuse.
Speaker 4 (37:51):
Box, right, But I'm not. I'm not excuse. That's why
I said. I was a little bit disappointed in, but
not up set in the fact that they didn't grind
out a win against Brighton because I know it's going
to be difficult without Soccer And you asked me why,
and I told you because he is such an integral
part of what they do. I mean, he's got double
(38:13):
digit goals and assists, he takes most of their penalties,
and I just think that without him it's going to
be a struggle, just like I thought without out Guard
it was going to be a struggle. See without one guy,
we struggle without without thirteen guys. You know you struggle,
and you know you're you're valid to make. I used
it in the first two minutes of talking about the
(38:37):
talking about Tottenham was that they're missing their top two
center backs and that their first ants and the first
choice goalkeeper. And then you said and second.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
Choice goalkeeper and third choice center back because we're missing
Ben Davis as well.
Speaker 4 (38:50):
So so I I yeah, because he's been a worldview.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
I acknowledge he's better than Gray Well Archie is great,
but not I mean, he's that's not his natural position.
So anyways, I know, congratulations on your escape this.
Speaker 4 (39:13):
I will say that this has been a season full
of twists and turns and ups and more downs for
your squad, and some surprises as well. Because Brett, we've
we've hit the halfway mark and the next time that
you know, we speak, there'll be some cup matches in.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
The next Premier League matches North lind Derby.
Speaker 4 (39:35):
Yes that that is correct, in ten days from today,
and hopefully we'll have a special guest to preview that
as well. I think we've talked about I think we've
talked about our two clubs enough that Liverpool Man you
match which drew to two, and where where Liverpool sit
(39:56):
and where Man you sit. I think deserves a little
bit of attention before. I'm sure you have a quick
quick thought on Chelsea. But Liverpool, to me, I just
did not play a particularly great match. I watched a
lot of it against against United. Uh there they are
(40:16):
deadly going forward, but just tracking back I mean Trent
Alexander Arnold, it was yeah. I mean some some of
their defending, I mean leaving Martinez open for to make
that run. I mean it was a fantastic finish, don't
get me wrong, but just terrible, terrible defending. And if if,
(40:39):
if Liverpool are going to be caught, that's the one
thing that's going to do them in. It's going to
be the goals that they allow. I mean they're going
to keep scoring. I mean there's no doubt about it.
They come from all areas sala gock po. I mean
they are just fantastic the final, Yeah they are. Yeah.
I mean he's he's out of there, and I think
he wants to leave with it for me, another Premier League,
(41:01):
a second one.
Speaker 5 (41:02):
I think he will now, Yes, and you.
Speaker 4 (41:04):
Know, he'd be viewed as a top five Premier League
player of all time and and maybe the maybe the
greatest Premier League player one of the greatest Premier League
players of all time, up there with Sheer and Henri
and Drogba and Lampard and guys like that. So I
just think that I think Liverpool are right now firing
on all cylinders. They sit at the top of the
(41:25):
Premier League, they sit the top of the Champions League,
and their new coach has come in and they haven't
they haven't skipped to beat So it's been very impressive
to see. But before we get to manned So before
we get to man you just a quick thought on Liverpool.
Speaker 2 (41:41):
Well, both of these clubs in this matchup have their
new managers and their new projects going forward. I do
think that Ameron is going to be good long term
for United. I think he's a lot better than ten hog.
It just hasn't been showing. But I think he's going
to need, you know, at least a couple of transfer windows,
probably get people out that he doesn't quite liking. Rashford
(42:01):
surely is on the way out. And and then with Liverpool,
I think they're going to win the title, and I
think it's going to be clinched probably two weeks away,
three weeks away, maybe I do. I just see them pulling. Wow, Yeah,
I really do. I think they're they're that good to it.
Speaker 4 (42:19):
By February, you think they pull away?
Speaker 3 (42:22):
No no, no, no, no, no, no, no no no.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
I mean like three weeks out from the end of
the season. Yeah, I think three or two or three
weeks to go in the season, I think they clinch it.
Speaker 10 (42:34):
You think there's gonna be a guard of honor, which
which which is when a team has already won the
title and when they come out to the pitch, the
other the other team lines them as if it's as
if they're walking down the aisle at a wedding reception.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
Potentially, Yes, that's that's what I'm feeling. I think they're
just that good of a team. And then and they
got Alison back as well in that, which is good.
I just think they continue to roll. I think they're
so high powered, and I don't think City are near
good enough. And I just think that Arsenal and Chelsea
not that they're not good enough, but that level that
(43:15):
I'm talking about with Liverpool is just so high and
I'm just not sure if they can they can touch
that level. And Forest certainly, I mean if Forrests finish
in the top four, we'll have to think of some
good like punishment for the both of us. They because
I don't there's no way. I mean, I think they
finished in Europe. I think they get Conference League. But
the clock has to strike midnight on them eventually. But
(43:39):
that's kind of my prevailing thought on both of them.
I think long term United are good. I think they're
going to need a couple of transfer windows to get
Ameron's guys in. And as far as Liverpool goes, I
think they win the title and they clinch it with
three weeks to spare.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
That's my thing.
Speaker 4 (43:54):
No, that's you're not totally off base. But all these
teams unless you're Manchester City of the last couple of years,
where you're just completely unstoppable for the for the most part, Yeah,
they're gonna have dips. They're gonna have dips in form. Now,
if Liverpool don't have a dip, they're obviously gonna win,
and they're gonna win within a month ago. But their
(44:17):
dip in form is coming at some point. I mean,
that's what teams have to hold out hope for. Yeah,
and you obviously don't see it. I mean I just
think that.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
I think this. I think that is.
Speaker 4 (44:31):
I don't think it's over yet. I think it's too early.
I mean we're halfway through the season. I mean, get
to three quarters of the season and they have a
six to eight point lead, that we can start talking.
Speaker 2 (44:40):
Well, usually it's get the Christmas and get back to me,
and well we're past Christmas.
Speaker 3 (44:44):
The fan has learned.
Speaker 4 (44:44):
So no, that's true.
Speaker 2 (44:46):
That's my two cents worth. Quickly, can we get to
Chelsea because they've lost, They've dropped points in three straight matches,
losing to Fulham, losing to Ipswich, drawing to Palace, panic
ensuing in West London. I'm here to tell you I'm
not panicked at all. But them, I think they still
finished top four, probably fourth would.
Speaker 3 (45:07):
Be my guess. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
I just I feel like this is just a blip.
That's my I have no basis besides, that's my guttural,
first take, first reaction, that's my stephen a take. I
just think it's a blip and I think they'll be
totally fine. I think they're a really good team.
Speaker 4 (45:28):
No Chelsea again, talking about blips, I mean, this seems
to be theirs. I think that they they have been
better kind of generating chances in recent weeks. They just
haven't been putting them away. Look at the game against
(45:49):
the Palace where they should have put the game away.
It should have been two to three nil and instead
it once up one nil and when you leave it
a one goal game, you know, you get bit and
that's exactly what happened and they ended up dropping points.
Should they have won, yes, but it didn't. It didn't happen.
Look at look at what happened with Arsenal, they were
(46:10):
up one nil. Did they put the game away? No,
same thing on the road against the mid table side. Well,
put Palaser down towards the bottom this side but historically
a mid table side, and they didn't put them and
they didn't put the match away. So while I agree
with you in the sense that I don't think Chelsea
are going anywhere with would with the top four, it'll
(46:31):
be interesting. It'll be interesting to see kind of how
they navigate the next couple of months with their squad,
because their conference squad it's basically like a B team.
You know, they don't play Cole Palmer, they don't play
any of their first choice players pretty much in that
(46:53):
conference league, and they're probably gonna.
Speaker 5 (46:55):
Win that in a walk, there's no reason, right, and they.
Speaker 4 (47:02):
Can put their efforts into the FA Cup, which they
get a lower division side this weekend, so they should
be able to get through there against Morecambe, and then
they end up just kind of putting their A team
out for the last nineteen games of the season here
and just focusing all their energy on finishing in the
(47:24):
top four and making sure that they get in the
Champions League next year. I think that should be their focus.
Everybody wanted to put them in the title race, and
while it was a cute story for a couple of weeks,
I mean this blip has certainly kind of shocked everybody
back into coherence with they may be a little bit
ahead of schedule when it comes to the manager. He's
another first year manager and Jie Moresca came over from Leicester.
(47:47):
Yes he got them up in the Premier League, but
I just think it's a year two early for Chelsea
and with another transfer window or two coming into next season,
especially with Palmer a year older, getting another potentially attacking
player to kind of spell Jackson. I think with in
Kuku's form kind of falling off, I think Chelsea v
(48:10):
right back in the next next year, especially with the
boost of them playing potential Champions League football and being
able to attract those players who want Champions League football,
who bowdie will, who will shell.
Speaker 2 (48:24):
Out the doll for about to say they're not They're
not going to have being problem attracting players because they
just sign here's a lank check here, write a number.
There you go, there's your wages for whoever.
Speaker 3 (48:34):
Long you want. They have got all the money in
the world. Apparently.
Speaker 2 (48:37):
Lastly, on City looks like they're slightly backed. They had
a good game for one west Ham not a good team,
but still for Cities for him for one against anyone
looks good for them because they just had one of
the worst runs of the worst run of for him
since Pep got there. I think that's undoubtedly true. Holland
(48:57):
gets to Foden gets on the board. I do think
Grealish may be done and that would be a guy
that I wouldn't mind coming off the bench for Spurs.
If they're willing to just dump him off for for nothing,
that's that's someone I'd see the rumors. Wouldn't mind that,
just have an x another guy to come off the bench.
(49:18):
You know, maybe get a goal late or or whatever.
I just think I'd rather have him coming off the
bench than than Timo at this point.
Speaker 6 (49:24):
Unfortunately, Well, he was on the trouble winning team, so
he's won everything.
Speaker 5 (49:30):
I mean, yeah, he was a he was.
Speaker 4 (49:32):
A one hundred plus million pounds signing from aston Villa
that came in and has been it's been okay. I
wouldn't say that he's been great. He's been he's been okay.
So I thought he was gonna be really good, much
better than he has been. He has not been a disaster,
but he has not been great. I would say, I
(49:54):
would say he's been somewhere in the middle. To bring
him in on a cut rate wouldn't be the word
for Spurs if they're looking to cut bait with him,
But we'll see where it goes for Jack Realish.
Speaker 2 (50:06):
I would not be surprised if City are back in
the top four, you know, within the month. I mean,
I mean in the table. I mean they're only they're
what they're six points out. No, they're two points out
of Chelsea, but there's six points out of three and
two Forrest and Arsenal.
Speaker 3 (50:24):
I would not be.
Speaker 2 (50:25):
Surprised if they closed that gap within a couple of weeks.
Just because I'm always waiting for the other shoe to
drop with Spurs, I'm waiting for the other shoe to
drop with City, just.
Speaker 3 (50:35):
In the opposite sense.
Speaker 2 (50:36):
I'm just waiting for them to just pick up for
him and to become the super team that they are again.
So they're only one point ahead of Bournemouth right now,
so tough sledding for them, but I would expect them
to rebound very quickly just because that's who they are.
But other than that, we got a North London Darby
to preview. I think we'll do that next time. But
(50:56):
that wraps up everything we touched on the Big Six.
Looking forward to that North London Derby and the mystery
guests next week for Robby Rosenhouse.
Speaker 3 (51:04):
I'm Red Blakemore. This has been the London Club Council
Speaker 8 (51:11):
M
We're at it again. Welcome to another meeting of the
London Club Council. Now representing Tottenham Hotspur in this corner
we do have Brett Blakemore and repping Arsenal is Robbie Rosenhause.
So boys, let the banter begin.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
We welcome into another edition of the London Club Council,
back for the new year.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I'm Brett Blakemore.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I represent Tottenham Hotspur and with me, as always is
Robbie Rosenhounds, who represents the club that from the south
down south, the Arsenal.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Robbie, how are you.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Not as good as you? Brett? You look tan, you
look refreshed, You were under the you were under the
weather and now you you look full of life. But
your football team is anything but at the moment.
Speaker 5 (00:55):
So we'll get today follow something.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yeah, I was under the sun and then I was
under the weather and here we are afterwards. And I
got to tell you, I don't know if that's where
we want to start, because there's there is so much
to say about Spurs yet there's nothing to say because
it's been the same thing for months now and I
(01:20):
haven't changed my opinions either way, and especially with the
stuff that Ornstein has come out with and said that
and is one hundred percent safe and there's no issues
there whatsoever, which is how it should be, and anyone
thinking otherwise, in my opinion, as a fraud or a moron,
because you don't, just like I've said on this pot
(01:41):
of thousand times, you don't just you don't throw away
a project just because things get a little rocky in
the middle of it. I think they have something like
fourteen senior players injured right now. They just lost Destiny
Adogi for you know, a month and change. He did
his hammy as well, So I don't know. They We'll
see what happens in January.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Am I just crazy for thinking this about Spurs? Because
I know you think that injuries don't matter and you
can't use injuries as a crutch.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
How many is too many?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Before I can say, you know what, like this season
for the premise is done, Let's try to get a cup,
let's try to get a Europa and let's go.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Okay, So I'm going to bring this to current events
before we kind of get into the minutia of a
little bit of the handball as to what happened in
the match against Newcastle Tottenham dropping a two to one
decision to their cup match coming up. But to hone
(02:43):
in on what you just said about when is too
many injuries enough? And talking about current events just to
draw a correlation to a sporting event that took place
within twenty four hours of us taping this, and that's
going to American football, and that's the Minnesota Vikings against
the Detroit Lions.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Now you were just waiting to talk about this.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
The Detroit The Detroit Lions go into the game last
night and they're missing eleven starters on defense and they
put up the best defensive performance against the team that
was putting up thirty on everybody for the last two months.
(03:30):
And as much as you want to use injuries as
an excuse, you just can't at that level. And when
you're being paid all this money and you see backups
come in like the Lions had last night and played
(03:51):
at an exceedingly high level. And then you watched Tottenham
and you watch some of these players come in and
Ansthros's his arms up. Yes you shouldn't be playing an
eighteen year old at a position at center back, and
yes you're missing your first choice keeper, and yes, you're
missing your top two center back and the yes, and
(04:14):
the midfield is overrun with just ineffectiveness and injuries and
just guys in and out of the lineup and just
a complete kind of controlled chaos when it comes to
putting out a starting eleven for Ange, And it hasn't
(04:37):
been easy for him. So while I have a little
bit of sympathy there, it's also his job to recruit
better players that kind of form the foundation of the squad,
you know, the players that were there before he got there,
like like Son and Besuma, and guys like Romero, guys
(05:00):
back like those guys you know are are are kind
of older, kind of stalwarts of the team. I think
it was AND's job to kind of remake the outskirts
of the team so that when something like this did happen.
I mean bringing in your DOGI bring in Van Deven
I mean those were two your DOGI has fallen off
(05:23):
a bit, but vandovnt and for the most part has
been a Rolls Royce center back. I just think he
could have done a better job bringing in players and
then maybe you wouldn't be in this predicament Brett, where
you're putting in these in these in these performances and
you're not getting results. So maybe it is on the
manager for potentially, you know, recruitment and not being in
(05:44):
kind of sync with Levy and bringing in the right
players to get you the results that you want. Is
there any merit to what I just said?
Speaker 3 (05:51):
There almost zero? In my opinion?
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Is zero?
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Almost zero? You got?
Speaker 2 (05:56):
I mean, I think there is a difference between having
a lot of your d in football because you can
just outscore them. In American football, you can just have
a great offense.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
And outscore them.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
When you're in football that we're talking about on this podcast,
if you're down thirteen players and there's eleven on the pitch,
you know, and not even like some of the guys
he signed, like we signed Wilson Odebar and he hasn't
been seen light a day because he pulled his Handmi
(06:30):
Charlison hasn't played at all under Andy. He's been here
for two years. And then you talk about Romero and
Van Deven and a Doggie and the Carrio and now
then there's an illness going around. So Mikey Moore hasn't
been playing for months because of a virus, and now
there's an illness going around the club just normally with
(06:50):
Madison and Sonny being sick and they couldn't play full nineties.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
I mean we could go all day long.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I think this is a season in the prem that
is very much like Newcastle last year. I mean, did
anyone call for the head of how you know last
year when everyone was hurt and I mean he just
took them to the Champions League and then they had
a terrible year because literally their entire team got hurt
(07:16):
and no one was saying, boy, Eddie Howe doesn't know
how to recruit boy what a dumb manager? He doesn't
know the rules of the game, because I mean everyone
could see through that, but somehow, when it's Spurs happening,
it's somehow the manager's fault.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
So I don't agree with that at all. I think
we're in.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
The process right now of where they got rid of
a lot. They sent a lot of deadwood packing. I
don't think they reloaded the cupboards quite as much as
they thought they needed to. So that is partially on
and just partially on everybody Lang, It's partially on Levy,
(07:53):
it's the whole operation. But I think that's the phase
of the rebuild that they're in right now.
Speaker 6 (07:59):
Well, looking at kind of some of the deadwood that
went out, that was a lot of guys that were
older guys or veterans or guys that have been around
a while, and they brought in a lot of kind
of fresh faces, but younger talent like bergvall guys.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
Like that who are quote unquote for the future.
Speaker 6 (08:19):
So again back to the question of you know, the
the chicken or the egg. You know, there's a large
portion of the Tottenham fan base that thinks that they're
a quote unquote selling club where they'll, you know, bring
in these players and there and they brought them in
strictly to sell them because all lev wants to do
(08:40):
is make a profit. And you even make comments when
there's events held at the stadium or like a Vikings
game or a Packers game or something that's held at
the Tottenham hotspurre Stadium that brings in money and revenue
for the club, you'll thank you for the thank you.
Speaker 5 (08:55):
For the money.
Speaker 6 (08:58):
Well, yes, but even you're conscious of it because you
know how much that is at the forefront, whether it's
good or bad, of the fan base's kind of mentality
and that shouldn't be the way it is.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
Wins and.
Speaker 6 (09:15):
Success and trophies should be at the forefront. And this
is the same old, same old with your club. So
while it's not the number one issue right now, I
do think that it still kind of pops up every
now and then when it comes to the whenever they
have a bad run.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Yea.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
And I think that is entirely justified that what you
just said there. And I do think that is like
ninety percent true, that they are selling club and they
buy players to eventually turn to make a profit. I
could see them eventually if Lucas Bergwaller one of the
youngsters or Archie Gray becomes a star one day, that
(09:53):
they probably sell them for profit at some point on.
I mean, that is entirely true, and I disagree that
that should be the way it is, Like I would
disagree with that philosophy, is what I'm trying to say.
But what I will say in response that, though, is
you know, how long did they hold on to, you know,
to Harry Kane longer than they probably should have. I mean,
they could have cashed it on Harry Kane one hundred
(10:15):
times over, probably the same thing with Sonny. They're still
going to extend him. So I do think it's mostly true.
I don't think it's entirely true, but I'm certainly not
a Levy sympathizer. But I do want to talk about
the actual game that took place, because there's really not
a lot to go off of.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
With this club.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
I mean, I think injuries and just recent form have
a lot to do with that. I'm just happy that
Ang is the guy and they're sticking with him. But
I do want to talk about the handball because NBC's
coverage with Tim Howard and someone else whose name I
don't care enough to know, because he questioned whether Ange
(10:54):
knows the rules of the game. So he's kind of
a pos. He's on my fecal roster right now.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
That guy just he just does.
Speaker 4 (11:07):
It.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
They were so you know.
Speaker 6 (11:09):
What, even if you did know his name, which I'm
pretty sure I do, let's leave it off the podcast.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Yeah, in the off chance that his cousin listens.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
I don't care. He sucks.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
So they were so not never a handball. That's never
a handball. I mean, his arms in a natural position
that's outstretched from his body, never a handball. And I'm
here to tell you that is a handball every single
day of the Robbie.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Have you seen the play? U?
Speaker 5 (11:39):
Yeah, I was.
Speaker 6 (11:39):
I was very surprised that they did not call the
play dead because not only did it lead directly to
a goal, but I his his arm.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
I didn't think was in a natural position.
Speaker 6 (11:52):
I don't know what exactly you'd have to define natural
position for me, but no, I did think you were
aggrieved by that decision, without a doubt, not that they
should not have gone on with the play.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
Nice finish, but.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah, it was a nice finish.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
But Joel Lenton, Uh, he should have had about six
yellow cards in that game, by the way. I mean
he straight up slew foot Pedro Poro where the ball
was nowhere near him.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Not even a foul, not even a foul.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
But the handball, whether let's just say for argument's sake
that it was in a natural position, I think it's
gray whether it was or it wasn't. I think regardless,
and if it is, by the letter of the law,
if the argument that Tim Howard is making is well,
the letter of the law says, if it's a in
a natural position, then it's no handball and it should
(12:45):
go and that should be that, then I would argue
that the letter's law should be changed. I mean, this
is obviously not the stakes, because going back to American
football here, the stakes of this game were significantly lower
than the example I'm about to use. So this is
like the Rams Saints pass interference no call, you know
what I mean. Like it is just so blatantly obvious
(13:08):
that everyone's like, this rule's got to change because this
is it's a handball that hits him directly in the
hand stop and it changes the direction of the ball
a full one hundred and eighty degrees, a full change
of direction back the other way. I mean, that is
a hand pass in hockey. They would have blown it
dead for a hand pass in hockey. If that were
(13:30):
the case. It was ridiculous.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
He may as.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Well have has closed his fist and hit it and
punched it going the other way in.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
For a chance.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
It was the most ridiculous chance I've ever seen. Now
they didn't just common sense should have called that goal enough.
Speaker 6 (13:46):
Well, Unfortunately, about ten or twelve years ago, Tierrian Ree
was involved in a qualifier. If you can believe it. Now,
France dominated and won World Cup in recent times, but
back then they had to qualify against Ireland to actually
(14:07):
make the World Cup, and there was a handball that
was so obvious and so egregious that was committed by
Henri right before he scored a goal right in the
six yard box.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
You'll you'll, I'm not sure if you've seen it.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
Yeah, just when I just when I think about handballs
and you're saying it's the most the worst handball I've
ever seen, that one just immediately popped into my head
and just just thinking about kind of changing the rule.
If they weren't going to change it after that, then
then never going to change it. But I do agree
with you that there's something wrong with it and that
(14:48):
goal should have not been allowed. It's it's almost the
same thing as if like when a ball ricochet's off
a ref, the ref in play and they stop play
because it's an unfair advantage that potentially could be given
to the attacking team.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
So not to get into.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
Too many x's and o's about it or the like
you said, the letter of the law, but I think
any common person watching the game thinks that that's a
handball and that that goal shouldn't have stood. Nevertheless, it
ended up being early enough where they should have, you know,
(15:30):
found time to get another one. You know, the first
goal they scored was nice. I mean they scored right away.
It's almost a blessing and a.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
Curse, Brett. When you score in the first five.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
Minutes, it really is. No, and I'm not doing this
for Tottenham. I'm not saying this for Arsenal. I'm just
saying this in general. It's it's almost it really is,
because it gives you a false sense of security and
it also potentially changes your game plan depending on what
manager you had.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
We not ours, no, and that's I like.
Speaker 6 (16:03):
Clearly that's what I was getting to obviously, not yours,
but or where the game is or or or what
the stakes are or or what. But I just think
that that it was. It was a terrible decision and
Tottenham sitting in the second half of the table right now.
But again, I had said this to you yesterday when
(16:26):
when we were talking off air on the phone, just
about what kind of rollercoaster of emotions it is.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
It's like.
Speaker 6 (16:34):
It's just like it's just like anybody in life. It's
like you have good days and bad days. You have
good things to look forward to, and you also have
bad memories that you want to repress. I mean, you know,
and that's and that's your football club in a dutchshell.
I mean, you could look forward to the Europa League
and what they're trying to do there, despite some some
(16:54):
interesting results away from home, but they're still in good
position to get the buy and not have to play
that two leg a tie. And then they're also in
a semi final of a domestic cup competition which they're
going to play in a couple of days, which you
may know the result of as you hear this, but
yes it is against the best domestic team, but still
it's a cup competition, so it's it's a one game,
(17:16):
it's not thirty eight.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (17:19):
So but then we look at the results like what
happened where you're aggrieved by the handball and you know,
they they lose to they give up six to Liverpool.
Speaker 5 (17:28):
So it's it's the best of times and worst at
the times.
Speaker 6 (17:31):
And I think at this point just to kind of
you know, sum up your club, I mean, you have
faith in the manager. It seems like from all the
reports that the club has faith in the manager and
they're just going to stick with him. And despite where
they sit in the table, you're just gonna quote on
a you know, ride it out.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Yeah, And I mean I'll say this Premier League is dead,
and not like not winning the league.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
That's I don't be ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
I mean like shooting for top four dead in my opinion,
like that is irrelevant to me if we stay up
in the prem Honestly, at this point in time, I
wouldn't have said this obviously the beginning of the season,
but in the situation that we're in right now, as
long as we just stay up and try to get
healthy again and maybe make a run in Europa or
maybe make a run in the FA Cup, or hopefully
(18:21):
we get healthy enough to where we can have one
of those games against Liverpool be with a healthy er side.
The new keeper signing hopefully helps as well. The check
kid I believe, so I don't know much about him yet,
but I will from Prague, yes, and more signings apparently
on the way. I think one attacker, one of defender
(18:42):
is the rumors someone going someone from PSG that I'll
also learn more from is the rumor. But once we
get here, we go, that's when I start doing my research.
Before I get my hopes up. So it's a project,
and I think it is a Newcastle of last year
till you have two years ago type season where just
everyone is hurt and you just gotta bite the bullet
(19:05):
and say it got us this time and let's just
move on and hope for the best going.
Speaker 6 (19:10):
It would it would be quite spursy for them to finish.
Let's say they completely capitulated in the league and finished fourteenth,
but one somehow won the Carabell or won Europa League.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
That's the conversation, right, right.
Speaker 6 (19:25):
And then won the Caravell Cup, or won the Champions
League or won the f A Cup, Like I mean
a Champions League, Well, that wouldn't happen, But I meant
the Europa League to get into Champions League. I mean, yeah,
those are the carrots that Tottenham has out there to
still play for this year.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
But I agree that the league is done in dust.
Speaker 6 (19:44):
The top four is over with, especially with a surprise
play of certain teams like Forrest, who are going to
get another.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Win to.
Speaker 5 (19:55):
Then move into and move back into second.
Speaker 6 (19:58):
So they're there on some sort of run, a Leser
type run of eight years ago, and it doesn't seem
like that's slowing down anytime soon. And the games aren't
slowing down anytime soon either, because I mean, as we
finish up basically halfway through the season here, I mean
(20:19):
the cup games are going to come midweek and then
we have the FA Cup coming up this weekend. Where
as we kind of put a bow on your squad here,
Tottenham will take on Tamworth. Who if you you got
to look down the football pyramid, you know you'd have
to dig deep enough to get to China to find them.
I mean, they're they're a non league side and you're
(20:41):
going there. And while it's a big day for their club,
for for your club, as you want to put it.
Speaker 7 (20:47):
It is a lose lose situation.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
It's a it's a low reward, high risk situation. And
you know what, for any other club, any other club,
if our if this was our and you played and
Sokka is hurt, you played anyone, you lose to Tamworth,
no one would care. No one would care. They It
would be a story for like a day and then
that'd be it. It would be a story for a
(21:13):
month if Spurs lost to maybe more because oh my god, it's.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
So spursy and blah, blah blah.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
And again, I'm so desensitized to it at this point
just because I know the situation that they're in. And
I'm also desensitized to it because I know that the
club is backing and what I want them to do,
so it doesn't really hurt me anymore. Just I'm just
so desensitized and disassociated until they start getting some form back.
(21:40):
But I believe in Big Ange, I'm loving Big and instead,
YadA YadA. Let's move on to your club, shall we.
That's enough talk on Spurs.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Let's talk about it. Was it a pen?
Speaker 2 (21:50):
Controversial calls for both North London clubs. This one, to
me is never a pen. I get there's head contact made,
but it's not.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
The ball's not. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
It's just for whatever reason, my gut just says it's
not a pet. I don't have a lot of logic
to back it up. That's just that's my gut reaction
to it. Didn't seem like there was much in it,
didn't seem like he was preventing him from getting a
chance or anything.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
Didn't feel like a pen to me. Robbie, your thoughts, no,
I mean that.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
Was other than the handball that we just talked about
in the Tottenham Newcastle match, that was, if not the
most controversial moment of the weekend, if one of the
more controversial moments. Arteta came out after the match and
said he has never seen that call before. If you
(22:42):
kind of just take a kind of expanded view, he
really hasn't come out and been just like Ange. I mean,
Ange this week.
Speaker 7 (22:54):
Was really really he was really smart after really.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
After the refts, and Arteta has not been when it
comes to things that he feels he's been agreed for
Dasar kicking the ball the way and getting a red card,
he didn't really he bit his tongue there, declared Rice
getting sent off. He bit his tongue there. So this
time he felt like it shouldn't have been And you
(23:20):
just said that it shouldn't have been a penalty. I agree.
It seems like most of the reaction in the postmatch
fallout and kind of punditry has been that it wasn't
a penalty, so they agree with you and I. But
again it's.
Speaker 5 (23:41):
Just there are some far for the course.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
The NBC coverage said it was a pen all day long,
which is so weird because that's on both these controversial
calls that happen to our clubs. We are on the
opposite side in my opinion of most of the commentary.
As far as like the actual pundits go, the online contary,
I think we're in the majority, But as far as
(24:04):
the pundits go, I think we're in the minority because
I heard that. I was just watching the highlights prepping
for this and they're like, yeah, it's a pen all
day long, that's a pen, and it's a foul anywhere
in the pitch. I'm like, he barely nicked him, Like,
come on, well they yeah.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
They you know, they didn't play well for the entire match.
I mean Brighton had more and more expected goals than
they did from open play. I thought that they were
going to get a set piece winner towards the end.
I hate when they played party at right back, but
they're doing it because of injury. Their midfield was Georginio.
Speaker 5 (24:42):
Marino.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
It was just it wasn't a well put together. They
were holding out Odeguard for although he played the last
twenty minutes, they were holding him out for the for
the cup match to make sure that he was fit
and can play a full match against against Newcastle this week,
so Soka is hurt. So while the match was disappointing
(25:08):
and they dropped two points, I always knew that this
was a distinct possibility. Brightness a not an easy place
to go by. They have not been playing terribly, but
they've just been as I put in our chat before
the match, and I could correctly predicted that Arsenal would
drop points and that it would draw. And they they
(25:30):
had drawn I think five of their last seven or
seven of their last nine matches, something along those lines,
so I said, why not another one? And Arsenal have
not exactly set the world on fire on the road
against decent sides. I mean, yes, they went to west
Ham and thrashed them in places like that, but I
(25:51):
mean Brighton or a top top half of the table side.
And while I was disappointed with the effort, I was
not surprised by the dropping of points. And now they
sit further back, and thank goodness that Manchester United ended
up taking points off of Liverpool or else they'd sit
even further back. Now with Forrest looking like they're going
(26:14):
to get full points and Chelsea dropping points.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
As well, I still can't wrap my head around Nottingham Forest.
I still don't get it because Nuno is not like
I don't see obviously, I don't. I'm Spurs fan. I
don't see him as this great manager to turn. I
don't know what is going on, but they are just
finding ways to win their goal differential. If you look
at it, I mean Liverpool plus twenty eight, Arsenal plus
(26:39):
twenty one, Chelsea plus fifteen, and then nodding and Forest
plus nine, it's like nowhere near like hell. Even Spurs
have a better goal differential than them, and we're twelve
right now. So anyway, I just don't get how you're
doing it.
Speaker 4 (26:53):
The Forest have played very well at home and they've
also done very well against big sides. So when they so,
it makes it easy to grind out results against kind
of mid table to bottom rung sides when you're showing
up against the big teams, and that's what they've been doing.
They have an excellent keeper and seals. They have some
(27:14):
really good players up front, Anthony and Langa. Morgan gives
White is excellent, got booed when he scored at his
old club wolves In in the match on Monday. So
forrest Or are exceeding expectations and they are a contender
for the top four, which to some Arsenal fans you know,
(27:35):
may not be good enough, you know, to kind of
keep the keep the critics away from Arteta at this point, I.
Speaker 8 (27:42):
Mean, this is really yeah, because this is a year
now when again they're alive and kicking in all four competitions, right,
and if they come out of this season with just
the top four finish and no silverware, there's gonna be
people asking, you know what, what gives the last.
Speaker 4 (28:02):
Time they won silverware? And I know he likes to
say they want a community shield. I don't.
Speaker 7 (28:06):
I don't consider and I trust me I would know
no of course.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
But they but they did win an f A Cup
with him and with Obama Yang leading the line. They
beat Chelsea doing it, so that was a big, big
moment for them. But again that was you know, that
was a while ago. Yeah, sou just thinking towards the
future and knowing that there are teams that are on
the come, whether it be Forest, whether it be Chelsea.
(28:38):
At some point potentially your club gets things together Newcastle
with their financial backing. I just think that Arsenal cannot
be stuck in neutral and while I thought they were
going to win the league this year, and obviously Liverpool
with what they've done, they're not going anywhere with kind
of the retool that they have of their squad, and
(28:58):
they sit atop the league and a top the Champions
League right now. They look like, if not the best
club in Europe, one of the top two or three.
So they're not going anywhere. And even with City struggles,
Arsenal haven't taken advantage. So there is that seed of
doubt that are they ever going to get over the line.
That's a big British saying over to get them over
(29:19):
the line? Yeah, you know, you hear that towards the
end of matches. Can they get over the line? You know?
Speaker 5 (29:24):
Arsenal need to get over.
Speaker 4 (29:25):
The line in one of these competitions and a deep
running Champions League would certainly assuage some of the concerns.
But until I see that, or until I see them
get back in this title race, grinding out these draws
against Everton, against Brighton is not what I want to
see when I'm looking to make a charge at the
elusive Premier League trophy.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Now, there has been talk in the council, there's been rumors,
and we would like to ask a question, do you
think the window is closing on Arsenal?
Speaker 4 (30:00):
And no, absolutely, absolutely not, No, that's that is far from.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Because I felt like the last two years your window
was wide open, like is the open?
Speaker 3 (30:12):
And now I.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
Feel like it's maybe maybe someone just flipped the latches
a little bit, you know.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
And they're starting to slowly pull it down.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
Kyosaka is like twenty three years old. Like, this is
not a team like yours that was built on guys
that were thirty plus with Cain and Son.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
We're not talking about my team.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
Well again, you want to talk about teams that peak.
This is a team that has a lot of young,
talented players and they're only going to get better when
they bring more players in. They have other players that
are out there that are coming up through the academy.
You saw one area we watched right before we went
on the air, scored an unbelievable goal to put them
(30:56):
up one nil. He's eighteen, eighteen years old to a
top three defender in the world. They keep clean sheets
all the time, and I just think that, uh, their
their arrow is pointed up. The question is is our
tet of the right man to get them over the
line because the the f A Cup he has not.
(31:21):
He has not delivered the goods when they could have
the last couple of seasons brought home something and unfortunately,
uh they did they did no such thing. But I
will say this, they're alive, like I said, in all
four competitions. They'll play in uh two of them this week,
the Caravell Cup, which is midweek, and then they'll take
(31:43):
on Manchester United, which is the Cup f A Cup
game which will be this uh this weekend, which will
take place right after Tamworth hosts your club. I'm not
thrilled with with what's going on right now, but I
I understand from an injury standpoint with Soccer out that
this was always going to be kind of a tough
(32:04):
patch for them.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
So soccer out it is okay for a tough patch.
That's like, that's justifiable with soccer out.
Speaker 4 (32:13):
Well, I'm not I'm not. I'm not angry at the
fact that you know, they drew against Brighton. I'm more
kind of anticipating how they're going to do this week
in these in these cup competitions because they've had really,
really good European form. Their Premier League form has been okay,
(32:36):
I would say a B to a B plus. You know,
it's it's been wobbly a bit, but for the most
part they've being I mean they're they're right in them
and they're they're firmly in the top four. Uh. And
I just think that these these cup competitions will go
a long way as to kind of what what progress
they've made and how he puts out the starting eleven
(32:59):
without because down that right side, I mean he's got
several options. Where Martinelli was on the left, he put
him on the right. Havertz is now potentially available for selections,
so he may come back into the fold.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Isn't it on the manwer to get depth though, to
replace that. They don't miss a beat without Socca. Isn't
that our Teta's fault.
Speaker 4 (33:21):
Well, I just think that he is so key to
what they do, and that's that may be on fundamentally
on them, but if you watch them intently like I do,
I mean, everything that they do is basically offensively is
channeled down that right flank.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
I mean, I would argue missing four out of your
five back five would would be fundamental as well. But
that's probably more fundamental, i'd say than losing your right winger.
Speaker 4 (33:52):
But I think I just think when you're contributing double
digit goals and assists, you are such an integral part
to what they do. And it was Odegard who was
out if you remember, and their forum dropped off. And
now Socca is going to be out for a couple
of months. And we'll see how they respond. Now they
(34:14):
obviously didn't. It didn't get the Now they they got
the three to one win against Ipswich, but they only
drew Brighton one to one. We'll see how they played
this week against Newcastle and Manchester United, and then next
Wednesday they'll take on Tottenham, which is just, I mean,
just so fitting that that it comes right in the
(34:38):
middle of when both teams are suffering some injury crisises
and neither one will be at full strength, and both
teams will have excuses to throw at the other one
and it's a midweek night time kickoff over in London,
and both fan bases will certainly well. We'll see what
(34:59):
happens in in the cups this week, but we'll see
what kind of moods they're in. Ten days from when
we're recording this as both of our clubs will take
on one another. But that's for Arsenal. I mean, I'm
not particularly thrilled with where they are in the league.
I think they should be a little bit closer, like
I said to Liverpool. Those the two draws, the Brighton draw,
(35:19):
which is a bit disappointing, but more the Everton draw.
I mean, not being able to beat Everton at home
when they're in a relegation battle is quite unacceptable for
a team that's in the title chase. So not to
go back too far, but that's kind of where I
am on them, and you're right, it is on them
to have the players to certainly fill in and we'll
(35:42):
see what happens when Havertz gets back. I'll tell you
one thing. One player we haven't mentioned, just to kind
of wrap up on Arsenal before we kind of go
around here, and I know you want to say something
else on Arsenal as well, is Gabrielle j Sus. I
mean we haven't mentioned him. He's come in and he
scored a hat trick, he scored two goals in another game.
(36:04):
He has been a breath of fresh air when everybody
was kind of sending him over to Dubai or Saudi
Arabia or overseas, and and I was I was hesitant
as to throw him out and get rid of him,
because I knew how how much how talented he was,
even though he had been on that terrible goal scoring
(36:26):
run where it was one goal in like thirty matches,
because he did so many good things off of the ball,
to equivalent to making another American sports reference, it's like
a hockey player that doesn't score goals, but you know
it does those things away from the puck that you
know that every coach loves.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
And he's a great locker room guy, brings character to
the team, and all what a good guy off the
icy is, Oh my goodness. N Anyone who dare make
fun of that guy is a punk, I'd say, I
don't know.
Speaker 4 (36:58):
I don't know exactly what car you'd be bringing by
cutting a guy who listening Jesus.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
So that's a good point.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
So that now all I all I wanted to say
is that you expected a little dip in form after
Sokka it went down, which we don't endorse here. But
I'm ridiculous for expecting a dip and form when we're
losing thirteen senior players. All I wanted to say, Box,
That's all I got for you.
Speaker 9 (37:26):
Okay, So so at no point and you'd have to
pull the audience box of any of our episodes where
I've basically said to you that they should be that
there's no excuse for injuries, like where you have to.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Pull believe it was a text. I believe it was
a text message. You said, I believe and I quote,
I will never use injuries as an excuse.
Speaker 4 (37:51):
Box, right, But I'm not. I'm not excuse. That's why
I said. I was a little bit disappointed in, but
not up set in the fact that they didn't grind
out a win against Brighton because I know it's going
to be difficult without Soccer And you asked me why,
and I told you because he is such an integral
part of what they do. I mean, he's got double
(38:13):
digit goals and assists, he takes most of their penalties,
and I just think that without him it's going to
be a struggle, just like I thought without out Guard
it was going to be a struggle. See without one guy,
we struggle without without thirteen guys. You know you struggle,
and you know you're you're valid to make. I used
it in the first two minutes of talking about the
(38:37):
talking about Tottenham was that they're missing their top two
center backs and that their first ants and the first
choice goalkeeper. And then you said and second.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
Choice goalkeeper and third choice center back because we're missing
Ben Davis as well.
Speaker 4 (38:50):
So so I I yeah, because he's been a worldview.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
I acknowledge he's better than Gray Well Archie is great,
but not I mean, he's that's not his natural position.
So anyways, I know, congratulations on your escape this.
Speaker 4 (39:13):
I will say that this has been a season full
of twists and turns and ups and more downs for
your squad, and some surprises as well. Because Brett, we've
we've hit the halfway mark and the next time that
you know, we speak, there'll be some cup matches in.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
The next Premier League matches North lind Derby.
Speaker 4 (39:35):
Yes that that is correct, in ten days from today,
and hopefully we'll have a special guest to preview that
as well. I think we've talked about I think we've
talked about our two clubs enough that Liverpool Man you
match which drew to two, and where where Liverpool sit
(39:56):
and where Man you sit. I think deserves a little
bit of attention before. I'm sure you have a quick
quick thought on Chelsea. But Liverpool, to me, I just
did not play a particularly great match. I watched a
lot of it against against United. Uh there they are
(40:16):
deadly going forward, but just tracking back I mean Trent
Alexander Arnold, it was yeah. I mean some some of
their defending, I mean leaving Martinez open for to make
that run. I mean it was a fantastic finish, don't
get me wrong, but just terrible, terrible defending. And if if,
(40:39):
if Liverpool are going to be caught, that's the one
thing that's going to do them in. It's going to
be the goals that they allow. I mean they're going
to keep scoring. I mean there's no doubt about it.
They come from all areas sala gock po. I mean
they are just fantastic the final, Yeah they are. Yeah.
I mean he's he's out of there, and I think
he wants to leave with it for me, another Premier League,
(41:01):
a second one.
Speaker 5 (41:02):
I think he will now, Yes, and you.
Speaker 4 (41:04):
Know, he'd be viewed as a top five Premier League
player of all time and and maybe the maybe the
greatest Premier League player one of the greatest Premier League
players of all time, up there with Sheer and Henri
and Drogba and Lampard and guys like that. So I
just think that I think Liverpool are right now firing
on all cylinders. They sit at the top of the
(41:25):
Premier League, they sit the top of the Champions League,
and their new coach has come in and they haven't
they haven't skipped to beat So it's been very impressive
to see. But before we get to manned So before
we get to man you just a quick thought on Liverpool.
Speaker 2 (41:41):
Well, both of these clubs in this matchup have their
new managers and their new projects going forward. I do
think that Ameron is going to be good long term
for United. I think he's a lot better than ten hog.
It just hasn't been showing. But I think he's going
to need, you know, at least a couple of transfer windows,
probably get people out that he doesn't quite liking. Rashford
(42:01):
surely is on the way out. And and then with Liverpool,
I think they're going to win the title, and I
think it's going to be clinched probably two weeks away,
three weeks away, maybe I do. I just see them pulling. Wow, Yeah,
I really do. I think they're they're that good to it.
Speaker 4 (42:19):
By February, you think they pull away?
Speaker 3 (42:22):
No no, no, no, no, no, no, no no no.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
I mean like three weeks out from the end of
the season. Yeah, I think three or two or three
weeks to go in the season, I think they clinch it.
Speaker 10 (42:34):
You think there's gonna be a guard of honor, which
which which is when a team has already won the
title and when they come out to the pitch, the
other the other team lines them as if it's as
if they're walking down the aisle at a wedding reception.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
Potentially, Yes, that's that's what I'm feeling. I think they're
just that good of a team. And then and they
got Alison back as well in that, which is good.
I just think they continue to roll. I think they're
so high powered, and I don't think City are near
good enough. And I just think that Arsenal and Chelsea
not that they're not good enough, but that level that
(43:15):
I'm talking about with Liverpool is just so high and
I'm just not sure if they can they can touch
that level. And Forest certainly, I mean if Forrests finish
in the top four, we'll have to think of some
good like punishment for the both of us. They because
I don't there's no way. I mean, I think they
finished in Europe. I think they get Conference League. But
the clock has to strike midnight on them eventually. But
(43:39):
that's kind of my prevailing thought on both of them.
I think long term United are good. I think they're
going to need a couple of transfer windows to get
Ameron's guys in. And as far as Liverpool goes, I
think they win the title and they clinch it with
three weeks to spare.
Speaker 3 (43:52):
That's my thing.
Speaker 4 (43:54):
No, that's you're not totally off base. But all these
teams unless you're Manchester City of the last couple of years,
where you're just completely unstoppable for the for the most part, Yeah,
they're gonna have dips. They're gonna have dips in form. Now,
if Liverpool don't have a dip, they're obviously gonna win,
and they're gonna win within a month ago. But their
(44:17):
dip in form is coming at some point. I mean,
that's what teams have to hold out hope for. Yeah,
and you obviously don't see it. I mean I just
think that.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
I think this. I think that is.
Speaker 4 (44:31):
I don't think it's over yet. I think it's too early.
I mean we're halfway through the season. I mean, get
to three quarters of the season and they have a
six to eight point lead, that we can start talking.
Speaker 2 (44:40):
Well, usually it's get the Christmas and get back to me,
and well we're past Christmas.
Speaker 3 (44:44):
The fan has learned.
Speaker 4 (44:44):
So no, that's true.
Speaker 2 (44:46):
That's my two cents worth. Quickly, can we get to
Chelsea because they've lost, They've dropped points in three straight matches,
losing to Fulham, losing to Ipswich, drawing to Palace, panic
ensuing in West London. I'm here to tell you I'm
not panicked at all. But them, I think they still
finished top four, probably fourth would.
Speaker 3 (45:07):
Be my guess. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
I just I feel like this is just a blip.
That's my I have no basis besides, that's my guttural,
first take, first reaction, that's my stephen a take. I
just think it's a blip and I think they'll be
totally fine. I think they're a really good team.
Speaker 4 (45:28):
No Chelsea again, talking about blips, I mean, this seems
to be theirs. I think that they they have been
better kind of generating chances in recent weeks. They just
haven't been putting them away. Look at the game against
(45:49):
the Palace where they should have put the game away.
It should have been two to three nil and instead
it once up one nil and when you leave it
a one goal game, you know, you get bit and
that's exactly what happened and they ended up dropping points.
Should they have won, yes, but it didn't. It didn't happen.
Look at look at what happened with Arsenal, they were
(46:10):
up one nil. Did they put the game away? No,
same thing on the road against the mid table side. Well,
put Palaser down towards the bottom this side but historically
a mid table side, and they didn't put them and
they didn't put the match away. So while I agree
with you in the sense that I don't think Chelsea
are going anywhere with would with the top four, it'll
(46:31):
be interesting. It'll be interesting to see kind of how
they navigate the next couple of months with their squad,
because their conference squad it's basically like a B team.
You know, they don't play Cole Palmer, they don't play
any of their first choice players pretty much in that
(46:53):
conference league, and they're probably gonna.
Speaker 5 (46:55):
Win that in a walk, there's no reason, right, and they.
Speaker 4 (47:02):
Can put their efforts into the FA Cup, which they
get a lower division side this weekend, so they should
be able to get through there against Morecambe, and then
they end up just kind of putting their A team
out for the last nineteen games of the season here
and just focusing all their energy on finishing in the
(47:24):
top four and making sure that they get in the
Champions League next year. I think that should be their focus.
Everybody wanted to put them in the title race, and
while it was a cute story for a couple of weeks,
I mean this blip has certainly kind of shocked everybody
back into coherence with they may be a little bit
ahead of schedule when it comes to the manager. He's
another first year manager and Jie Moresca came over from Leicester.
(47:47):
Yes he got them up in the Premier League, but
I just think it's a year two early for Chelsea
and with another transfer window or two coming into next season,
especially with Palmer a year older, getting another potentially attacking
player to kind of spell Jackson. I think with in
Kuku's form kind of falling off, I think Chelsea v
(48:10):
right back in the next next year, especially with the
boost of them playing potential Champions League football and being
able to attract those players who want Champions League football,
who bowdie will, who will shell.
Speaker 2 (48:24):
Out the doll for about to say they're not They're
not going to have being problem attracting players because they
just sign here's a lank check here, write a number.
There you go, there's your wages for whoever.
Speaker 3 (48:34):
Long you want. They have got all the money in
the world. Apparently.
Speaker 2 (48:37):
Lastly, on City looks like they're slightly backed. They had
a good game for one west Ham not a good team,
but still for Cities for him for one against anyone
looks good for them because they just had one of
the worst runs of the worst run of for him
since Pep got there. I think that's undoubtedly true. Holland
(48:57):
gets to Foden gets on the board. I do think
Grealish may be done and that would be a guy
that I wouldn't mind coming off the bench for Spurs.
If they're willing to just dump him off for for nothing,
that's that's someone I'd see the rumors. Wouldn't mind that,
just have an x another guy to come off the bench.
(49:18):
You know, maybe get a goal late or or whatever.
I just think I'd rather have him coming off the
bench than than Timo at this point.
Speaker 6 (49:24):
Unfortunately, Well, he was on the trouble winning team, so
he's won everything.
Speaker 5 (49:30):
I mean, yeah, he was a he was.
Speaker 4 (49:32):
A one hundred plus million pounds signing from aston Villa
that came in and has been it's been okay. I
wouldn't say that he's been great. He's been he's been okay.
So I thought he was gonna be really good, much
better than he has been. He has not been a disaster,
but he has not been great. I would say, I
(49:54):
would say he's been somewhere in the middle. To bring
him in on a cut rate wouldn't be the word
for Spurs if they're looking to cut bait with him,
But we'll see where it goes for Jack Realish.
Speaker 2 (50:06):
I would not be surprised if City are back in
the top four, you know, within the month. I mean,
I mean in the table. I mean they're only they're
what they're six points out. No, they're two points out
of Chelsea, but there's six points out of three and
two Forrest and Arsenal.
Speaker 3 (50:24):
I would not be.
Speaker 2 (50:25):
Surprised if they closed that gap within a couple of weeks.
Just because I'm always waiting for the other shoe to
drop with Spurs, I'm waiting for the other shoe to
drop with City, just.
Speaker 3 (50:35):
In the opposite sense.
Speaker 2 (50:36):
I'm just waiting for them to just pick up for
him and to become the super team that they are again.
So they're only one point ahead of Bournemouth right now,
so tough sledding for them, but I would expect them
to rebound very quickly just because that's who they are.
But other than that, we got a North London Darby
to preview. I think we'll do that next time. But
(50:56):
that wraps up everything we touched on the Big Six.
Looking forward to that North London Derby and the mystery
guests next week for Robby Rosenhouse.
Speaker 3 (51:04):
I'm Red Blakemore. This has been the London Club Council
Speaker 8 (51:11):
M
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