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):
Welcome into another edition of the London Club Council. I
am Breb Blakemore, representing Tottenham Hotspur. Over there, representing the
club that we all despise known as Arsenal. It's Robbie Rosenhouse. Robbie,
how are you dealing with this cold weather? Well, it's
quite I see, it's change.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Yeah, it's quite a change from the seventy five degrees
that we had today on Monday here, Yeah, Tuesday here
in the Twin sinnies. Yeah, the first couple of days
of the week. We're brutal, amazing. And now we're into winter.
I mean this is we've just skipped fall. We've gone
right into winter. One to three inches of slushy snow
and I do not think we will see the sixty
(01:00):
degree mark for quite a while. So unfortunately it's the
weather's turning bad here. But the results, especially in the
Cup competition, as we look at the most recent results
for both clubs as we focus in on Tottenham. First,
Tottenham with the bigger result Arsenal getting through with the
three to naerl win over Preston North End as expected,
(01:21):
but Tottenham coming through with the two to one win
at home over Cities B squad. Wow, the performance was
fitting of I thought the occasion and I thought they
had to show up big and Brett, we'll get your
thoughts here. But you watch the game start to finish
and again City starting a lot of their backups, but
(01:45):
Tottenham getting the job done.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Well, that's where I was going with the weather bit.
I wasn't just asking just because because typically when the
weather turns, especially here in Minnesota, that means that the
fixtures are gonna come thick and fast. We're talking cup competitions,
We're talking important games in fixture. It's not just well,
we've got a long ways to go in the season.
So now once you start seeing the white stuff, things
are serious. And of course Spurs get the drug against
(02:09):
Man City. It had you know, a one nill I
remember FA Cup last year was one nill off of
a terrible goal that you would have set as rigged
had it been against Arsenal because they just open ice
body checked Vicario in the net and was a goal.
And that was that. Jesse text into our group to
our friend Jesse, is it Spurs a team? Is it
(02:31):
Spurs starters versus Man City complete backups? Now it's like
for the most part, yes, it wasn't entirely no sunny.
No Madison van deven was playing out. He only played
twelve minutes, but he played as a left back instead
of a center back, so they had three defenders no poro.
So it wasn't entirely that way, but it was definitely
(02:54):
light on the City end. I Voden played good to win, played,
but no, I mean Ortega was in net, none of
the big hitters. They had every chance to play Holland,
they were down a goal with like in the seventieth minute,
and he just decided not to play Holland. He subbed
on another defender and that was that. So City didn't
really try. I mean they did try. The players tried,
(03:17):
but Pep had other aces up his sleeve. He could
have played if he wanted to, and he didn't. Does
that make the result any less special? Maybe five percent
less special, but beating City at any competition is a
good thing. Moving on, a cup competition for Spurs is
a great thing, and the goals were just brilliant too,
(03:39):
so it was a big bounce back too. From Palace,
which we can talk about briefly was just such a dreadful.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Game and Tottenham eighth in the league, now tied with
Brentford of all teams for that eighth and ninth spot,
sitting a comfortable five points out of the top four
and ten points off the top spot, which is now
occupied by Manchester City thanks to the draw that Arsenal
and Liverpool suffered over the weekend. But back to Tottenham's
(04:06):
result against Crystal Palace. It was a mistake that was
the result of about I don't know four errors in
a row, won by several players. It was just it
was just a calamity of mistakes and unfortunately it resulted
in a in a goal against and Tottenham were never
(04:27):
able to get that equalizer nor get the winner and
they dropped to uh four wins in nine matches, which
just again not acceptable for a team that's looking for
the top four.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Yeah, I mean in the prem they've they've been hit
or miss I mean in the Europa league. Their top
of the league three matches in which is good. Their
goal differential is six four to one against uh, so
again there's there's a good thing. And we're in the
semi finals of the Carabell so there are quarterfinals. Sorry
I'm getting ahead of myself there quarterfinals. But yeah, the
(05:01):
game against there's just some that has just gotten away
from them in the Premier League and that was one
of them. Here's the thing with that. Like Lester, I
thought the performance was good Newcastle loss, I thought the
performance was good this against Pallace. The energy was there,
but it was just not a clean game. Whenever they
(05:22):
did to press and screw up our flow just worked
to perfection. It felt like every pass was getting intercepted.
It felt like just every passage of play was sloppy.
It was like it was like the first preseason game,
like they've never played with each other, Like it was
just bad touches, just overall just a slop fest. So yeah,
(05:42):
that that absolutely stunk. But I mean, Premier League's a
tough league and there's plenty of games to go, so
what twenty nine some games or whatever it is, So yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Hey, hey listen, yeah, listen, it's it's been a mixed
bag for them so far this year. There's no doubt
about it. As we hit in the press, as you said,
the cold kind of the cold season here in Minnesota. No,
and I expect it to be one way traffic in Europa.
I mean, they're playing teams that they're better than. The
Premier League is the best league in the world, and
(06:14):
they're annually a top six to eight side in the
league with with with an off year where they're going
to finish in the top four. This is as of
the last couple of years. I'm not going back to
six seven years ago when they were in the Champions
League final. That's that or nine years ago, whatever.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
It should don't think.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
No, No, there's the right, they're right, there's no correlation. Right,
there's no correlation. Right. I'm talking about the new and
group that you think is is a borderline top four
club that you thought and think and still think you're
going to finish in the top four where you know
they they clearly have some talent to dominate some lesser
European sides, which we all expect them to do. They're
the favorites, but they're the bookie's favorites to win it.
(06:53):
So they're they It's not like you and I are
an outlier here where it's like us against the world.
Like I thought this for ever. With Arsenal when they
were in Europa League. What happened. They came up against
Chelsea and they put in as I said to our
guests last week, Robbie Lyle in Baku uh Ozerbrajan, which
is the worst match I've seen them play in a
big in a big spot in in the last ten years.
(07:16):
And that was managed by Unyamor who now manages Villa,
So Tottenham on different levels. Yes, I would give them
so far a B grade, so because I can't give
them any more than that because of the fact that
they've thrown in some some real clunkers, I mean. But again,
the European form is good, the Cup form is good.
Clearly knocking out the top team in England and opening
(07:40):
the path. Now there's there's some still some big boys
in there. Liverpool's in there, Arsenal's in there. They're gonna
have to take on Manchester United, who just hung five
on Leicster yesterday. So they're clearly, you know, ready to
win this and they've won cups and in the last
couple of years. Yeah, so and and we're and we're
going to talk about them and there and their manager later.
But all in all, I think before we get to Arsenal,
(08:03):
just to wrap up Tottenham here, I think that your
club is moving in the right direction despite a couple
of blips here and there. And if you listen to
Ange after the match, he basically said as such that
that we're we're growing, and that there's gonna be some
bumps in the road and that you can't expect it
to be kind of just a smooth ride. That there's
(08:24):
gonna be some some mistakes and the fans are gonna
have to accept that.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
That's where I was going to go, is that this
is you can't in today's day and age, you can't
expect a project to be done year two, you know
what I mean. And and they're growing and they're developing,
and I think it's a team that will get better
and better. But yeah, there's there's gonna be stumbles. There's
I mean, people look back at that graphic all the
time of was it our Teta's first year, our TETA
second year where it was like eight losses in a
(08:48):
row or something like that, and people were furious and
wanted to get them out. They let them stay, they
let them develop, and look what happened. You've got a
really good squad. So I don't think anyone in that
Arsenal squad back in that day. I think they've turned
over the squad at least the time over. So it's
a project and you have to roll with the punches
and hopefully the path, even though it's going up and down,
(09:09):
overall is going in the right direction.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Yeah, and uh, it's just the the full faith and yeah,
and the makeup of the club and the players that
they brought in. We'll see if they have more of
an impact as the season goes on. Obviously a silanky
up front, Brendan Johnson has been off to an amazing start.
We'll see if Yeah, we'll see if he can if
he continues that as the weather gets colder, and we'll
(09:31):
see who can man up in this in this in
these conditions, as the temperature drops and the and the
precipitation picks up. Uh in England, as we move from
Tottenham to Arsenal and just going to uh a kind
of the cup match. Uh, you know, there's nothing really
to to talk about there they they won three to nil.
(09:52):
They draw Crystal Palace.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Your draws, by the way, Arsenal fans always leagues rigged
against us, that Johnstones go against Wolves, leagues rigged against us.
And here's your draw. You get Preston, you get Palace.
Who'd you play in the first round?
Speaker 3 (10:07):
I don't remember, but I'm going to go back historically
and tell you that over the last five to ten years,
I can tell you we've drawn Barcelona in the Champions
League when they were at the peak of their powers.
We've drawn Bayern Munich multiple times at the peak of
their powers. We've drawn so many teams in the FA
Cup to run into that were like City and Chelsea
(10:30):
when they were red hot sides and better than us.
So don't give me this stuff about recent times. This
is a team that live in the past. Listen. They
have the most FA Cups in history. We're not even
talking about the FA Cup. This is the Carabell Cup.
This is the last carry. This was the last trophy
that your squad won back in two thousand and eight
against the opponent that you will be taking on, Manchester United.
(10:50):
And we'll get to that in a couple of months time.
But getting to my club and again just clossing over
what they did. They'll take on Palace. We talked about
the draw, but moving on to their league form. Two
to two against UH against Liverpool UH in the Champions League.
I think I think they're I think they're moving along fine.
I think they're they're they're right where they need to
be and UH again with some with some tricky with
(11:14):
some tricky matches coming.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Ore ninth in the table. If the Champions League ended
right now, you would you know, you'd be in a playoff,
you wouldn't be in the round of six.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Yeah, but I think they'll be fine. They have they
won more home match than they do road match, UH
the rest of the way here in this UH, in
this group round robin stage. So their league form is
really what I wanted to focus on, because if you
talk to anybody with just a pulse over in England,
(11:44):
you know they the league is what they want. The
Champions League is great and that's but I really got
a sense when I got over there that the Premier
League is just it's it really is the crown jewel.
It's it's it's our super Bowl. You know, it's it's
the champ Like I said, the Champions League's fun, and
it's and it's great and and and it's prestigious and
(12:04):
it's obviously worldwide.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
And then you well, then you can't say Champions of Europe.
You'll never sing that you have to win the Champions League, yeah,
or in west Ham's case, the Conference.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
League, right, yes, exactly, or maybe in Tottenham's case Europa League.
This year you'd celebrate it like it was Champions League.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Who's the first team to ever win the Europa League?
Speaker 3 (12:22):
That I do not? Oh wow, okay, well there you go. Well,
there you go, a little history lesson midway through.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
The Champions of Europe in the sixties.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
You'll never sing, now you won the league in black
and white. You were a league in black and what.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
You weren't even born, you weren't even right.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
You won the league in the sixties. You won the
league in black and white. But Arsenal's league form not great.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
No point in two games.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
Not great. Ever since I came back and they came
back from the international break, they've put up yeah, one
point in two matches, not good at all. Saw them
beat Southampton, then they come back loose to Bournemouth where
they go down to ten men, and then obviously the
two two draw against Liverpool, where I really thought that
they were going to pull that win off and go
to the top of the table. I mean, it was
(13:05):
just so disheartening. Twice this year, two fixtures at home
against City and Liverpool, and both of them where wins
become draws. And they're going to look back at those
two matches later in the season and think about, thank
you for the math where those four points went. And
unfortunately right now they sit behind those two squads, ahead
(13:28):
of your squad. But that's not where what are aiming for.
I predicted that they were going to win the league
title this year at one point after the Southampton match
or just before, they were the bookie's favorites to win
the league, and they beat Southampton after going down one nail.
I was in the building. I never lost faith that
they were going to come back and score some goals,
and in boardmouth I did because down to ten minutes
(13:51):
not easy. And I know some analysts like Gary Neville
think that they should have went on and scored goals. Okay, well,
that's why you were fired as manager. Of Valencia after
I don't know, all about six weeks. Yeah, and let's
pray for the people of Valencia. I don't know if
you saw there were some massive floods there in Spain.
A lot of people perished over the last over the
last day or so. So just just awful news over there,
(14:12):
but uh, awful news also with uh with Arsenal just
drawing to too.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Can I bring the mood up.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
I wanted to win, really really wanted to win.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Yeah, I just have the press has one question here, Robbie, Yes, Robbie,
do you still have one hand on the trophy?
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Yeah? No, they're winning a trophy this year. You can,
you can. You can mark this down in permanent ink.
You can mark it down in invisible ink. Okay, you
can mark it down in whatever ink ink you want.
You could take out a feather penko okay and right
it and and and write it down like you're George Washington.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Now we're talking about just to clarify follow up question,
we're still talking about the Premier League.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Trophy, any any trophy, and there will be a trophy
that will be one. Yeah, there will be a trophy
that will be one. Yes, just like h yes, I
will that. That is what I've predicted. They will have
their hands on the trophy this season. Okay, all right,
all right, So there's my predictions for Arsenal. I'm still
very confident. Listen, they've been without Oda Guard, they were
without Saliba, who's the best, who's a top three center
(15:14):
back in the world, definitely in the league, maybe in
the world, and I just think that they're gonna go
on and do some good things.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Yes, Robbie, Yes, Robbie, yes, over here, I see you.
What do you think about your next matchup against Newcastle
at Saint James's Park. I hear it's a bad place
to go for away supporters.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Yeah, we'll see see what happens. Newcastle red hot off
of a win over Chelsea in the Cup this week,
but they've got some injuries of their own. I wouldn't
be surprised to see a draw up there, but I
expect to win. I expect to bounce back performance and
if they don't, then we're gonna have some other discussions
and it'll be a different tone on next week's episode.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Yes, Robby over here, Yes, your next three are Newcastle away,
inter away, Chelsea away. Is this the hardest three fixtures
in a row you've had this season.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Yeah, I would say so. I mean that there was
that there was that stretch earlier this season when they
played City and Tottenham in the span of a week.
But I would say that this is definitely the toughest
stretch because going to Italy is not going to be easy.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
I would agree with that. Let's talk Chelsea by the
way and move on from that press impromptu press conference,
because they are out. They lost in I would say
pretty convincing fashion yesterday to nil. They did have a
lot of possession, but the exty was about the same
seventeen shots. I know people were very critical of Felix's
(16:44):
finishing ability yesterday. So they're done of the Carabo Cup,
but they're still in the league. They're hanging around in
the table. There's still fifth or one point out of
the top four. This is still to me a team
that is very concerning and uh, they're They're a bigger
problem for me than a lot of teams to try
(17:04):
to get into the top four as a Spurs fan.
So uh, to me, the two nil doesn't really change anything,
uh as far as their outlook, and they just beat
them in the Premier League to one not too long
ago at the Bridge. So that's kind of my quick
thoughts on Chelsea. And they didn't really they it's a
carabol Cup. It's a it's a cup competition where you
don't put out a lot of you know, your your
(17:26):
top guys and and they paid for it.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
Yeah, yeah, no Chelsea. You know, they're they're kind of
juggling a lot of balls on on on different levels
when it comes to the Caravell Cup. Now they're going
to be out. But I think I think the Premier
League is really what they're that's where they found their
best form this year. I mean, yes, they only have
you know, five wins out of nine games, but a
(17:50):
lot of them have come recently. They've jumped ahead of
teams like Brighton and Tottenham and they sit currently in fifth,
one point out of that fourth spot behind Arsenal and
aston Villa. And they seem to have found their stride
up front. They're scoring goals. It seemed like there was
a large stretch of last season where they just weren't
scoring at all. There was that stretch in November and
(18:12):
December and January where they played all those it was
a gauntlet for them, it was basically all the top
eight sides in a row in a span of like
ten games that they just kind of ran out of gas.
And then you saw late in the season that they
hit their stride and that to start this season they
hit their stride again. Now where this goes from here,
I don't know. I don't know if they have enough
(18:33):
on the back end. I'm not sure if I trust
their keeper. But up front, it seems like they are
producing a lot more chances. They're finishing chances. They seem
to have gotten rid of some of the dead wood.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
And said hit the streets, buddy, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Exactly, yeah, exactly. So it seems like they're moving in
the right direction. And I just think out of the
big six clubs, you're right, they're definitely in danger.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Yeah, going back to because I said with Spurs, you
can't expect with two years, you know, you're building a
new project. But with the amount, and I get the well, yeah,
if they spend a billion dollars, they should be good.
But like it's undeniable that that talent is there somewhere
and you just have to put the pieces together in
the right spot. So you have to credit Enzo for
(19:21):
doing that. But also I think they're on a different
path and a different speed than maybe Spurs are with
the way you know what I mean. Like it's just
two different projects in two different ways.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
It'd be fascinating to see both. They might take a
step back, It'll be again they're in terms of talent
level and and kind of where they are competitive wise.
I think Chelsea and Tottenham are are in that same
bucket now. I think I think Chelsea have more a
more talented squad than than Tottenham do, and I think
(19:50):
that they're gonna finish higher than Tottenham do. But that
doesn't mean that Tottenham can't finish higher than them, and
that doesn't mean that they can't find somebody like, you know,
Mikey Moore or somebody to come out of you know,
out of the blue and really have an impact like
Cole Palmer did for Chelsea, where now he's you know,
a top player in.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
The league and now he's their gay.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Yeah exactly. So again a mixed bag there for Chelsea.
They're out of the Cup, but they seem full steam
ahead in in the Premier League and another club that's
full steam ahead in the now, yes, well, in the
Cup anyway, and they're gonna be taking on your squad.
After a dominant performance over Lester Bruno, the rat scored
(20:31):
a really really nice goal. Yeah, I scored a nice gool.
I think he may have had two actually, But they
get past Lester and we'll take on your club. But
in the meantime, fire Eric ten Hogs sack him out
of here, so we'll see what happens with United. But
I just think Brett, Rocky Road and Rocky Waters up
in Manchester.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
They this was such a long they dragged their feet
on sacking ten Hog for so long. We knew it
was coming. Everyone knew it was coming. And how in
my opinion, they should have probably sacked him after they
lost to Us and just got embarrassed at home and dominated.
I get the two trophies, bit, I really do, and
it goes to show you and Ange talked about this
(21:14):
a lot in those pregame press conferences before we played
United that you know, they say it spurs trophy would
solve everything. And he won two trophies for United and
he's still out of there because the Premier League is
where everything is at. So it's sad that two trophies
doesn't really get you any loyalty at all, but it
(21:35):
had to happen. And then the new guy, Rubert Amram
I believe I said that correctly. He's not officially their
manager yet, it's going.
Speaker 3 (21:46):
To be in another three games. Who Vannisiro is going
to be the manager for the next three games, and
then Amerim is going to succeed ten hog and United
have triggered the coach's ten million pound release clause at
Sporting in Portugal.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
So what I'm hoping is that the new manager Bounce
wears off by the time United them yeah to tons Mersadia.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
His first game in charge will be the Premier League
fixture against Ipswich on the road. However, on November twenty fourth,
just before American Thanksgiving, United are fourteenth in the Premier League,
having won just three of their first nine games. So
you can't be United fan and and and be more
enthusiastic about excuse me, less enthusiastic about the direction of
(22:30):
the team. So hopefully this will provide a spark for
them and they're fans, not for us. But yeah, I
just I just think I just think it was Yeah,
it was the it was the breaking point. There's no
doubt about it, so I needed to happen. Yeah, so
United sit there, but again, the Big Six a lot
of a lot of fun storylines going on here and
against City and Liverpool sit sit, sit towards the top.
(22:52):
Liverpool advances in the Cup and and and they'll take
on Southampton so they should get by them. So Liverpool
will be waiting for Arsenal or Tottenham should they get
by their respective opponents. You would think that they would
get by Southampton even though the game is on the road.
So that's going to be one big club that'll be
waiting in the semi finals for either of our club.
Shall we get there?
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Before we go here, I just want to preview next
week's action in the Premier League. To me, you're and
I hate the lunchtime kick. I'm sorry that you have
the lunchtime kick, but yeah, I'm not a fan. Well
actually no, that's right, yeah, because it.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Would be the players daylight yeah uh huh.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
So now I'm confused at the times that seven thirty
or six thirty.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
No, so so the daylight savings time doesn't go until Sunday.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
So I think England doesn't do it for another right, Yeah,
so I think it'd be seven Okay, all right, that's
not not bad, no exactly, Yeah, it's not six thirty
like like like it should be.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Yep, So it'll be seven thirty Arsenal taking on Newcastle
at Saint James's Park. Correct, And this is a Newcastle
team that just bout out of the cup competition, so
they'll be looking to rebound and Arsenal going on the
road clearly looking to rebound in the Premier League off
of lake goal allowed against Liverpool and slipping out of
(24:08):
the top two.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
I think there are a couple really good I mean,
I think there's a handful of really good fixtures this week.
Liverpool at home to Brighton. I think that's a great match.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Brighton is a high flying team that can be really
good when they want to be. But they're also very open,
semi like Spurs, although Spurs hasn't been that open, but
I digress. Forest against west Ham sleeper fun game. I
think there could be some goals in this game here.
I don't think it's gonna be a one to one
snooze fest. I think it would be an overwhelming game,
if you know what I mean. Overwhelming game. And then Sunday,
(24:41):
my club gets Asonville at home. Huge match, huge fixture.
Last time these two played, Spurs absolutely battered them in
Villa Park four nil. And then after that the main
event on Sunday, United at home to Chelsea Big six
matchup could be you know, at some point it could
be a six pointer. Right now, it's not because United stink,
but we'll see if their new kind of new manager
(25:03):
bounce works for them or if Chelsea continue to roll.
I think there's some good learning games this week, Robbie.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Yeah, no, it'll be and it'll be fun to recap
at all. I like when Big six clubs play each other.
Arsenal definitely has. This could go any I could see
a win, I could see a draw, and I could
see a loss. And it's not that often where I
go into a match where it's that mixed bag. It's
usually two of the three or really one of the three.
(25:30):
Very confident. Obviously Southampton at home, you would think that
I'd be supremely confident, even down one nail. I was
at the match. As we know, they end up coming
back and winning. But this match, I don't know, man,
I mean, I'm not going to make a prediction. As
I told you, I still think they're gonna get a
trophy this year, but right now the form they're in,
with the injuries that they have, I'm not sure Voda
Guard is going to be back, So we'll see. But
(25:50):
two big matches this week that could go either way
for any which way of three ways for our club,
So we'll be back to recap it all next week.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
Yeah, absolutely, Yeah, that wraps up. The Lindon Club Council
will preview and review all of the action next week thankfully,