July 18, 2020 • 53 mins
Martino Puccio and Davis Mattek are here to discuss all the major topics in soccer and breakdown all the major games. From Real Madrid Winning La Liga, to Man City's Ban being lifted, the guys have you covered for the best information and odds possible
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sports grid dot Com Betting insights and entertainment at your
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sports grid dot Com Fantasy sports today. I'm really not
(00:22):
sure how to feel about this because I still do
have weight concerns with this guy. I do. I don't
have the age concerns because I saw what Alvarez on
Houston did last year, and if he can just be that,
that's great. You know that, And I know that players
don't like to, especially young players, not be in the
field that throws him off the rhythm. It's a tough
transition to just hit four times. Maybe, but but Guerrero
(00:43):
doesn't look like Alvarez either. The Sports Grid Network, Hello everybody,
and welcome on into the Free Kick here on the
sports Grid TV Network. Martino Puccio and Davis Matt alongside you. Davis,
We're really just in the thick home stretch of things
(01:04):
for all these top leagues. As Premier League winds down, law,
legal winds down, Saria pretty much over. But you really
have to wrap it up this weekend. How how do
you think everything's gone. Um, I think it's been a
massive home run for the sport, especially over here in
the States. It's just been so much fun. It's kind
of made up for me at least for missing out
on March Madness and uh, half of the baseball season.
(01:27):
We'll get baseball back soon as well. But I loved it. Uh,
it's been great. So you know, we started with the
Buddhist League and that was all we had to you know,
for for our attention. But now we have every day.
I mean there are fifteen games on starting at you know,
seven o'clock in the morning. Where you are out in
New York, you have the MLS games going. For me,
(01:47):
it's a little bit later on in the day, and
then once that's over, you know, then you start thinking
about then the the EPL games start, and then the
Law League games are a little bit later in the afternoon.
We have Syria on the afternoon. I think that the
television rate things bear it out that, you know, this
is the most that Americans have ever watched soccer in continuity,
and it's been it's been great, I thought. I think
(02:08):
it's just been overall fantastic, and COVID is going to
be bad for the sport in terms of, you know,
it's taken some money away from the game. They're gonna
be teams that face huge financial difficulties as a result
of it. But I do think you could say it's
at least a slight positive that more people are watching
than I've ever watched before. Yeah, I would agree, And honestly,
(02:29):
it's great to see it not in a World Cup
year as well, because a lot of people really just
go with the World Cup and kind of get detached.
But now there's real you know, they don't have to
wait a week for each team to play. They could
just keep watching them. And you know, who knows where
more people are being fans of, whether it's Seriah with
the ESPN coverage, um, whether it was with FS one
(02:50):
in the Bundesliga, NBC in the Premier League, and even
you know, be in sports if you wanted to go
with La Liga. There's just been like so many different outlets,
and I think Sarah has probably benefited the most. They
have the biggest star, they play on the biggest platform
with ESPN and everyone has ESPN Plus compared to you know,
Fox and and all these other NBC stuff. Like I
(03:12):
was trying, I was struggling to find Arsenal Talk games.
It was. It was a total nightmare. You could only
watch it on your computer or your phone. You know,
there's not a PlayStation app. There's not a smart TV
app for it yet because it it just launched. So yeah,
I I totally agree with you that everyone has ESPN
Plus everyone and some of the games, you know, some
of the games have not even been on ESPN Plus.
(03:33):
They've just been on straight up ESPN. Like you could
go watch Atalanta on ESPN, which is like that that's
a really cool thing, Like that is That's awesome. It's
It's way better than watching fishing. I love I love
fishing because she's one of my favorite activities. But I'd
rather watched that early in the morning and all that stuff.
And they're doing a great job again all the teams
in there as well. But we got to talk about
(03:54):
the biggest news that's going on in the world of
the sport right now, and Manchester City gets away with
their band. I'm not shocked by this. I thought it
would have came down to a one season ban from
the Champions League or just to transfer window band because
ultimately c A S which is the court system of
appeals that clubs go through after FB and UEFA laid
(04:14):
down a ban or or punishment of whatever sorts. Again,
this is this is where a lot of fans from
a lot of clubs have a hard time taking this
seriously with FP because the original intention of FB, if
people don't know this, is to prevent other clubs from
going bankrupt because a lot of teams run at losses. Uh,
(04:36):
they amount crazy numbers of debt and their clubs go
bankrupt and we don't hear of these clubs. Again. But
at the same time, Davis, it's not really carrying out
the full intentions. It feels like the rules apply to
certain clubs at certain times. We've seen Chelsea getting bands.
We've seen my club a C Milan take a Europa
League band, Roma inter Milan all having to sell off
(04:57):
players to appease FP and turned green at the end
of the financial year. Where we have Manchester City, who
a lot of people don't know. Prior to round probably
the start of the we're absolutely nothing. They were nobody club.
They were just the you know, a spec on Manchester
United's rear view mirror. And now they're just this financial
(05:21):
superpower with endless amounts of money and they're just competing
for all the top trophies every single year, but somehow
there is no ban or anything. They're purchasing john Stones
for fifty million pounds. Who hasn't seen the light of day.
They're spending almost upwards of half a billion dollars on fullbacks,
which that situation is still not resolved there So to me,
(05:43):
it's just funny how they could do all this. Everyone
knows something is up because Manchester City is not this
titan of the sport that these other clubs were, and
yet there's no ban and all they have to do
is just pay ten million euros of a fine and
it's it. What have you thought about it? I think
it's a farce. Okay, so let me let me. I
(06:05):
think this is maybe a controversial, O pain and I'm wondering,
I'm wondering what your response to this would be. I
actually don't like the competition bands. I think that the
way these teams should be punished for breaking these very
clear laws is they should be financially punished because the
rules are actually not in place to keep Manchester City
from happening. The reason that financial fair play was, you know,
(06:29):
the reason it was originally thought of, the reason why
it was originally implemented was actually to keep teams from
doing like what leads did, which was spending money they
didn't have, you know, to spending money they didn't have
to make their club better, and then in the end
not being able to pay the players, not being able
to you know, uh, you know, pay their league fees
and everything. I actually think that the competition ban, I
(06:51):
think it punishes the players, and I think it means that, like,
you know, so if Manchester City, uh, you know, if
Manchester City were to at this competition band, what would
happen is you know, Kevin de Bryan would leave, and
Raheem Sterling would leave, and you know, maybe David Silva stays.
Maybe you know, some of these guys stay out of loyalty.
But it really punishes the players more than the owners.
(07:12):
And uh, I think that it should be huge financial penalties,
not necessarily competition bands. Sure, and I I agree with
what your sentiment is, but at the end of the day,
if they are giving these bands out, stick by them.
How many times have we seen bands or or anything
suspension wise over here in our sports get you know,
(07:33):
reverse to this. You know, if there's like a four
game band or whatever for someone in the NFL for
p E. D s that could appeal to get to
three games, right, it's really not that big of a
difference from the initial band. But I mean from two
year Champions League band from a half defined to just
ten million euros. It's basically like, you know, ten million
(07:53):
euros just for whatever you did, and that's that. And
it's just kind of like when other teams are having
to accept these penalties and sit out these competitions and
get um all these issues, it applies to them, but
it doesn't apply to a Manchester City of the world.
Like I understand where everyone's getting upset, and I'm upset
by it because it's just it's just not fair to
(08:15):
everyone else. And at the end of the day, I agree,
if Manchester City has the money to spend, then they
should be able to spend as much as they want.
Why should we hold restrictions to them. It's their money
they want to eventually, you know, potentially run at a
loss and go bankrupt. That's on them, right, But for me,
I don't like restricting other clubs from doing this, and
(08:37):
I don't like how it applies to certain clubs opposed
to others. And you know what, like I want to
know what's gonna happen with p s G. Is the
same thing going to apply to PSG. What a PSG
does get a ban at the end of the day,
and they do have to sell their players. For me,
I agree with you to an extent, but at the
end of the day, if you're gonna put out a
punishment like that, don't completely pull a one e D
and do nothing, because at the end of the day,
(08:58):
now it's saying you can appeal any punishment and you
can get away with it. Because it just seems to
me like it's this loophole that you have a set
down these rules for FP and you get these bands,
but as long as you go to the Court of
Appeals and you and you can get it reversed, then
no harm, no foul. Why not keep breaking the rules
if you could just keep on doing this and appeal
(09:21):
it all the time, because that's what it seems like. Yeah,
I mean that's so you're you're definitely you're definitely correct
in the sense of like nothing nothing changes, right, this
is this is just what world football is now. You know,
Manchester City, Manchester United, PSG Byron Munich and Real Madrid
can outspend everyone and everyone else is playing for you know,
kind of sixth place behind those teams, and this ruling
(09:42):
doesn't do anything to change that. Yeah, and then you
factor in how deep they get into the Champions League
Champions League. If you go so far into this competition,
there is ungodly amount of money that you can get
from TV rights, right because you keep going deeper into
the competition. It's kind of like a split amongst conferences
(10:03):
in March Madness. The more games you win and the
deeper you go into the tournament, the more of the
money uh pot you split between your conference. So it's
basically like that. Um, but let's talk about other countries
and clubs benefiting from stuff and and major clubs and that,
and the five subs are staying Davis, They're not going anywhere.
(10:23):
Five stubs are staying into next year. I totally get it.
I think it really does make a lot of sense
with the condensed schedule that we're gonna have to be
dealing with, considering the international competitions coming up, and then
that's even going to extend further into two which Qatar
announced their dates and all that stuff for that World
Cup which will be taking place from December November to December,
(10:45):
so that's a little bit different for everyone else. Um
good idea massive clubs will benefit from this, no doubt.
Um does that affect you and the way you're going
to bet futures in terms of, you know, potentially taking
some dogs to win some competitions of sorts, because to
me it's just I mean, usually the favorites always win.
(11:06):
But now I don't even think it's worth having a
conversation for some of these other clubs that might be
on the outside looking in. Um yeah, I mean I
actually think I would go the other way. I think
underdogs are now basically like just just drawing dead. Like
how how can underdogs rationally be favored when like, you know,
Manchester City can bring off a guy who's going to
(11:26):
get bow on door votes off the bench, you know,
and Sheffield United who might even get a European place
this year. I mean they're they're bench options are like
nineteen year old Norwegian kids. Like it's seriously, it's and
it's it's just totally it's unfair, especially in the English
Premier League. Do you think they should keep would you
how about this? Would you keep it to certain competitions,
(11:50):
so say f a cup, you know, cup matches and
all these domestic stuff. It's just five subs, but it's
not five subs all the time in the league games.
Would you rather it always be in the league games
but not in those cup matches because there has to
be like somewhere where you kind of be like, okay,
this this is an even playing field, because at the
(12:10):
end of the day, you know, like you're just worried
about when you play in Manchester City of the world,
like who are they going to bring off this time?
Is there gonna be Maras? If Maras isn't starting, and
what are there two other options? Like if there's an
injury substitution, we're lucky that they're going to use it
on a center back, but now you have to worry
about five guys that they could potentially bring off the bench.
And when it's a team like Manchester City, I mean
(12:31):
think about that making five subs at a time for them,
that's almost half their team um actually is half their
outfield players because if you're not counting the goalkeeper. Right,
to me, it's just like, oh my god, like why not.
Why wouldn't they spend more money on the transfer market
because now it appeals for more players to go to
bigger clubs because now they're going to have more playing
time because they're guaranteed to get into a game because
(12:53):
there's more substitutes. So for me, I think it really
affects the transfer market as well because I think more
of the younger stars are more inclined to go to
bigger clubs now because there is more of an opportunity
to play. Um. Yeah, no, I I totally agree. I
totally agree, you know, with with that logic. Um and
uh yeah, I just I think overall, like like Phil Foden,
(13:14):
actually great example, right, Like Phil Foden, he's never leaving
city now because he's just he's guaranteed minutes, right, He'll
never go anywhere, and why not because there's really good competitions.
He'll step in midweek, say there's a Champions League week, right,
they want to they want to arrest some of their fowards,
like a Bernardo Silva of the world. Just sit him down,
have them ready for the Champions League match. Put voting
in against Southampton. There you go. You could easily get
(13:37):
three points with voting in the lineup. I mean, he's
been one of the better youngsters that has come along
in recent weeks. But Davis, when week come back, we're
gonna be talking more about the Premier League here on
the free Kick sports grid dot Com, Betting insides and
entertainment at your fingertips seven as our team covers the
most important topics in sports wagering, real time odds, predictive
(13:57):
betting models, expert picks and more want the edge than
get on the grid sports grid dot Com. Hello everybody,
Welcome back into the Free Kick. Here on the sports
Grid TV network, Martino Puccio, Davis Mannic alongside me. Davis,
(14:19):
we're obviously talking about all the major topics in that
first segment regarding the world of football, and we know
all the rules that are going to be benefiting a
lot of the big clubs. But we're gonna be talking
about some of the big clubs over in law Liga.
Now it went down to the wire. Barsla gave it
a good fight. Um, you know, there's it's not the
(14:39):
best season for them, they could still salvage it. They
got to win the Champions League to make this, uh
anything worth their while. And you know they're really risking
Messy leaving. Um. Who knows if it's just another contract
leverage situation there. We'll get into that eventually, but top
four is locked. And let it Go made a nice
push late in the season after they had a disastrous start. Uh,
(15:00):
they really pulled themselves together. So credit to them. Diego
Simione finishing in third place, Seville lock up with fourth
a big season for them. Congratulations to getting back into
the Champions League. Um. Yeah, so what do you think
you think these were the four best teams all season long?
I think this is the way it deserves to be
played out. Um, just overall a full season, you know,
(15:22):
real Madrid Um rallying around all these injuries that they had.
Barcelona it was really just Messy carrying them until I
mean his last kick at the end of the day, Um,
and Let it Go rallying younger squad. There was so
much turnover, so he didn't really expect to for them
to compete for the title, even though I might have
put a futures bet on them to win it. But
(15:43):
we won't talk about that. Um se via finishing fourth
good for them. They have a lot of depth, so
it's nice to get back into the competition. Um yeah.
But at the end of the day, this this was
a weird lad Legal season. But it was nice to
see a race this late into the season for the title. Yeah,
very very a weird season. I mean, I actually think
low key the weirdest story of the law Leaga season
(16:06):
is Espanol was relegated with like many many games to
play they had. They finished on twenty four points, Leganes
thirty two. Majorca had thirty two as wells goal deferential. Yeah,
I mean Espanol is like one of these historic law
Lega teams, you know they are they are in the
same like they're in Barcelona as well, Like that's there,
(16:28):
that's their rival, and um you know, I heard someone
say on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast the other day,
like they haven't been they haven't been relegated in like
thirty or forty years or something like. It's a huge
it's a huge, you know, cultural thing for them to
go down to the second division there. Yeah, it really
impacts a lot of the communities. You can kind of
compare it in a sense to a lot of these
(16:49):
smaller communities here in America that lost their minor league
baseball teams for the season, and a lot of these
teams that are shutting down. It matters to them, It
matters to the community. Is a place to go. It
brings in a lot of money around the area. And
not having a Spaniol in there in the first flight,
it's tough and I and I feel bad, And you
know what, there's a lot of people who don't really
(17:10):
make it easy and stick to rooting for the best
teams that have the chance to win trophies all the time.
They stick by their local clubs. Um. It's always the
thing that happens in England like root free local, roof
free local um and all that stuff. So unfortunately for them,
they're going down. Yeah, hopefully they'll be back up eventually.
But again, is this a turning of the tide for
(17:31):
Real Madrid to just go off on like a few
years run for them of winning this lot League titled
because I think they're the favorites again going into next year.
There's no sign for me looking at Barcelona or even
heading into their transfer market where I could say, yeah,
I like barsa changing up what happened from last year
to this year, and no one Sufati can take over
(17:51):
a bigger role in this. But for me, you could
point a four to five different guys on Real Madrid
that will be doing that on top of a healthy
Aid and Hazzard for a full season. So for me,
Real Madrid heading in next year, well in a few
weeks as the favorites again. So uh, you know, I
think that, um, I think that one of the issues
that Madrid has is actually very similar to Barcelona, which
(18:13):
is a lot of their guys who played a ton
of minutes this year are old. However, I think the
younger players on Barcelona are probably are on Madrid, are
better than the guys that are in the part of
the pipeline at Barcelona. So Benzema thirty two years old,
Tony Cruz thirty, Luka Modrick thirty four, probably about done
for him at the top level. You know, wouldn't surprise
me to see him go back to play in Croatia
(18:35):
for Diana Mozzagreb or in the MLS next season. Marcelo
thirty two, he probably needs to be replaced. Bail probably
not going to be on the team next year, wouldn't
surprise me, uh if so. So, Like looking at the
guys who were going to be in their rotation next year,
We're gonna see a lot more minutes for Federico Valverde.
We're gonna see a lot of Ferland Mendy, a lot
(18:57):
of Vinisius Jr. Probably a lot of rod yougo Eader,
Milital Lucas Basquez. You know, maybe maybe they're able to
have a larger role for Hamas and uh you know,
like those are those are good young players. Those are
better young players than than Barcelona for sure. Who just
by the way, sold Arthur, you know, they're they're kind
of uh they're high upside, you know, playmaking midfielders, so
(19:19):
kind of a what. I just don't understand why they
did that. Yeah, I guess financial reasons. I know they
needed to make a lot of money back in the market. Um,
Frankie de Young needs to make a leap for sure
for them. Um. I think Marcos Asensio for real, andrewd
is going to be the guy that has to step up.
And I think they did a great job of not
rushing this guy back a lot of it. It's so
funny Davis. I don't know about your take on this.
(19:40):
Whenever we see a soccer player tear the a c L,
they come back with under two hundred days, it's just
insane and they're playing for like a full ninety minutes
and you're just like, I'm just always like biting my
nails and like, did this isn't safe? This isn't right.
The Usually you're taking too little time to come back
from an injury this severe, um, but they did. They
didn't do that with a Senseio. He's been so great
(20:01):
ever since he came back. He's got his conditioning up.
I thinks to Don's done an amazing job with rotating
the squad. I do think they do need to make
a move for a main striker again. I know Benzema
is nice. Luka Yovich was it was a fail of
a transfer, but they can get goal scoring from a
lot of different positions and players. A lot of that
will probably bank on Hazard's creativity and all that stuff.
(20:23):
But yeah, I think you're right. At the end of
the day, Barcelona, you could really just look at Frankie Deong,
maybe Ricky puig Um and then um On Sufati as
the young studs. To step up, and honestly, at the
end of the day, those three I'm not too sure
they're better than that whole young core that Real Madrid has,
and it might not be close, even though I do
(20:44):
like the young guys that Barcelona has, so they're gonna
have to step up alongside them. It'll be interesting to
see where Luka Modrid goes. I do want Gareth Bale
to return to the Premier League though, yeah, I mean
Bail is actually he's my favorite player. I love Gareth Bale.
I know the Madrid fans hate him, but I just
like I love his game. I love how powerful he is.
(21:05):
I love uh, you know, just like you know, so fast,
so technical on the ball, Like I just I think
Gareth Bale is incredible. I love to watch him play
for Wales and it it bums me out that really
he has not been able to play at his best
for like the last three years because of his relationship
with whoever happens to be coaching for Real Madrid at
the time. Yeah, I think it was. It was weird though,
(21:27):
because he had the moments of Real Madrid legend, but
he's not going to finish his one in a sense,
like him coming on in these Champions League finals. He
stepped up in two huge Champions League finals, right like,
that's that's as many as Juventus as one in its
entire history. And he stepped up. That Liverpool final was
just breathtaking, the goals he was scoring in that and
you're just like, where was this? Can you imagine if
(21:50):
he was this healthy, that integral of a piece to
Real Madrid while Cristiano was there, like the left and
the right side, you would never see a faster and
more clinical winger combination in the history of the sport, right.
I mean, that's how good and that's what the potential
was for it. We only saw a glimpse of it.
They did end up winning the trophies, but it's hard
(22:12):
for him to move to different places simply because of
his high wages. We'll see where he goes, and might
be China because we know he was close last summer,
but Sidan was kind of upset with him and he
didn't want him to leave, and then they started having
these injuries. Thomas Rodriguez, I hope he goes to another
club to get a better opportunity, because right now Real
Madrid wasn't the place to go for him. He's just
(22:33):
another one of those guys who kind of got lost
in the shuffle. Um did great at Byron Munich Um.
There was rumors of him going to Monopoly last summer.
Let's see where he goes now. I know he has
a good relationship with Carlo Ancelotti. So if Everton would
pony up the money, I don't know about that. Um.
So it'll be interesting to see where some of those
parts move for Real Madrid. But I'm excited for next year.
(22:54):
Do you think Athletico can challenge for the title? I
just don't think they. I just don't think they the
high end talent right like that. It just it just
seems I mean maybe maybe Joel Felix. You know, you
got to take a leap. Yeah, Like if if Joel
Felix becomes one of the ten best players in the world,
then then I think that's probably possible. But that that, uh,
that's the only way I would imagine it would happen. Yeh,
(23:17):
I agree with that too. I think them losing out
on Cavanium, according to all the reports, is a big
loss for them. I think they needed a better nine
to finish things off. UM Diego Coast is way past
it in my opinion, Morata is not this kind of
guy that you could win the league with as your main,
uh scoring piece. Uh So they definitely need to figure
some of those things out there. Um so yeah, I
(23:39):
mean it will be interesting for me. I think it
will finish the way it finished with this year with
the top three. I think it'll be real andrid Barcelona
and let it go. I can't discount Barcelona in the
long run because Messy is messy at the end of
the day, and if he plays a full thirty eight games,
is really hard to keep them out. They'll be in
uh un till the last second. But let's talk about
some Premier A League real quick, right, I mean we're
(24:01):
wrapping this up. F A Cup is wrapping up as well.
What are you looking forward to more of this weekend?
Is it the f A Cup? Because at the end
of the day, it kind of feels like Chelsea Manchester
United really just care about getting to the Champions League.
Within the league, Chelsea looks like they'll be safe, but
how seriously are they going to be taking this competition
this weekend? I mean the f A Cup is the
(24:23):
f A Cup? Is okay? I think the game we're
all looking forward to though, is Tottenham versus Leicester City.
We have Spurs who are there at fifty five and
then Lester sitting there at sixty two points. I think
Lester versus United like they pretty much need to be.
They have to win every game because United is on
this war path right now. And as of the time
you and I are talking, United has not kicked off
(24:45):
against Crystal Palace yet, but we imagine that, uh that
they will probably both be tied at sixty two points
here very shortly. And you know, we we love Jose
actually doesn't. He doesn't like to be happy himself. He
just likes to make other people unh happy. And uh,
you know, nothing would make Brendan Rodgers and lesser City
fans more unhappy than losing to the Spurs team. Yeah,
(25:07):
and and it would just be so Marino for them
to not ultimately make it into a European spot and
just challenge for that fourth spot. But they play spoiler,
and that's any time Jose Marino is able to just
ruin someone's day, like you said, I think it makes
his day a lot better. So I definitely see something
like that happening. But we have to talk about the
(25:28):
odds of this. I mean, do you like Spurs going
into this game, because there's just did They're so hard
to read sometimes and and I know the narrative that
we were just discussing was that Marino teams will play
up to the competition. In this scenario, Lester looks absolutely dreadful.
I know they had a really nice win against Sheffield United,
but there's something about them since the reboot. I mean,
(25:51):
both of these teams are the two teams I trust
the least, but Spurs of the favorite plus one thirty
five on the money line. Do you agree with that? Uh? No,
I would I would bet, I would bet Lester. I
guess one of the things though, is James Madison is
not played for two weeks now, and I mean he
is Lester City's best player. It's very hard for them
to create shots. It's very hard for them to cycle
(26:11):
the ball through the midfield without James Madison. So maybe
maybe I mean, and Spurs are they have better players,
they just are not coach as well. I guess now
Spurs are just in the weird flux situation. I'm not
even sure Marino finishes the season next year. With them.
I think he could be out around New Year's Hey again,
I just think that's just the way he goes these days.
(26:32):
So unfortunately for him, this might be one of his
matt last major coaching jobs in Europe in my opinion,
out of the top five leagues, I think this might
be it for Cholsea Marino at Spurs. We could see
imagine him in the United States. I know you and
I know him very well, but the personality in the
media would just be unbelievable in my opinion. Real quick, yeah,
(26:52):
I mean, I just just imagine him coaching in the
MLS game and dealing with MLS level defenders like he
would be. He just he would hate it. He would
hate everything, just like Ebra did when he was over here.
But when we come back, we'll talk more England. Sports
grid dot Com betting insights and entertainment at your fingertips
as our team covers the most important topics in sports, waging,
(27:13):
real time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks, and more.
Want the edge than Get on the grid sports grid
dot Com. You're watching sports grade. Get on the grid, alright,
(27:44):
everybody back here on the free kick. We got a
ton of f A Cup action this weekend the semifinals, Davis,
we have Arsenal versus man City, Chelsea versus Manchester United.
Let's start off with the first match, Arsenal City. These
two faced off earlier when the reboot happened. City thrashed Arsenal.
Arsenal lost the Brighton. Then they started rebounding. They played
(28:07):
very well. They recently beat Liverpool. I don't know how
much you're really gonna engage with that. Liverpool really has
nothing to play for, so that was one of the
bigger dog upsets of the week. Do you see it
happening again? I don't, because Manchester City, to me, this
is and what is mostly a lost season domestically. They
could salvage it with the f A Cup here and
then go out and try and win the Champions League,
(28:28):
which they're one of the favorites to do. I don't.
I don't see much of the chance of an upset here, though,
I I need to um, I need to give credit.
Arsenal has played much much better than a lot of
people thought they could under you know, under their new
under their new coach, they've been really stout, not really stubt.
(28:49):
They have been stouter defensively. They've not been quite as
enthusiastic offensively as they were during Arson Vegers you know,
great years or anything like that, but you know, defensive solidity.
I think you have to give them credit for being
better than like we'd like this game, uh two months ago,
you know, had the season still be going, we would
(29:09):
have been like, oh, you know, City is gonna score
five goals. It's gonna be another thrashing. And I think
that they will be able to compete. I think they'll
be able to get some shots in this game, but no,
I don't think they'll be able to win. Yeah, they're
massive dogs in this a triple money line. We're seeing
Manchester City at minus three seventy is it? Is it
worth anything at all? Though? Even though do you get
scared off of that or is that something you only
(29:30):
put in a parlay? Right? Because if that's really just
not something worth betting single game alone for the money line,
I mean, you know, there is certainly a there's certainly
a school of thought that says, you know, pretty much,
anytime your numbers say that a number is plus e v,
regardless of how much it is, you should bet it
would I would I be betting, you know, minus three seventy. No,
(29:53):
probably not. I think I probably would would let that one,
would let that one go. But you know, I don't,
I do not think that it is a terrible bet. Yeah.
For for me, it's just something that I don't really
see happening in terms of Arsenal upsetting them. They don't
have that much to play for. I think that win
against Liverpool just it just doesn't weigh here for me.
(30:15):
It really doesn't you see of a mistake from Virgil
van Dyke that's not gonna happen again, do you do
we really see a scenario in which they're going to
pounce on something like that, And what did Liverpool really
have to play for it at the end of the day,
just as many points as they can get a hundred
the centurions, which is something that you know, silly people
like to debate and argue, But at the end of
(30:36):
the day, Liverpool won the title, so it really doesn't
matter how many points they get, right, they finally won one.
Um for City, there's just there's just a lot to
play for and I think there's a lot off pressure
wise looming over their shoulders and the fact that they
needed to worry about this Champions League band. Who's staying,
Who's going? Is pet potentially going to leave because of
(30:56):
this band sticking out? We know the band's not sticking.
Just everything here is just going with City. Their minus
one ninety is the future in this It's just we
We talked about it when when the f A Cup
first came back with the reboot, we thought they were
the favorites. We we were discussing kind of others that
might have been in play for it. But as far
(31:18):
as single games go over three and a half goals
plus one twelve, that's something that I'd be interested in,
to be honest with you. Uh yeah, So I I
think for the futures market for the f A Cup,
it's It's United. It's United all the way. For me,
I I think that United is United is good enough
to go toe to toe and beat Manchester City right now.
(31:40):
I definitely think they're better than Chelsea and of course
I think they're better than Arsenal as well. If if
Arsenal somehow a couple of times this year. Yeah, I
mean they they have this um, they have this amazing
midfield now where they have uh you know, Pagba and
Bruno creating they and then they have mctom and air
Matach you know, kind of you know, stopping things up
back there. Now. We we've have talked on the show
(32:01):
about how we think they're defense is super susceptible. I
still think that, you know, I still don't think that
the defense is any good. Yeah, same with Chelsea and
but but also you know, I don't think Manchester City's
defense is all that impressive either, especially when they're gonna
be I mean this weekend they ran out John Snones
and Nicholas Automante together and uh like that. That's a
(32:22):
championship level defense at this point. And they paid over
ninety million pounds for both of them combined. So it
just goes to show again where some of this money
goes for. And it's just crazy what they've done. Yeah,
I would have to agree to. And I'm really on
Manchester United this weekend as well, and I understand they
have to be fighting for this fourth spot as well.
Chelsea they're out on the Champions League. They give up
(32:43):
three away goals to Byron Munich. There's really just no
hope for them there. I think they're transitioning into next
year when they get Warner and here Zac we've seen
him in the locker room talking to guys. Christian pulis
Witch has just been on fire. I think if Chelsea
ends up winning this game, it's gonna have something to
do with Christian Pulisitch because outside of Bruno Fernandez, Paul Polga,
a couple of the Liverpool guys and City guys, Pulistics
(33:05):
has been the best player in the Premier League since
the reboot. And you know what, I think he has
the capability of carrying them to win here. But at
the end of the day, just the way United is
playing is just so impressive and we really just haven't
seen this in years. We know Marino in that squad
finished second, but no one ever had that feeling in
the back of their head like that they were actually good. Yeah, exactly,
(33:28):
they were just like whatever, they're they're an okay, they're
an okay team, Like they score some goals. But you know,
at the end of the day, like this is to me,
this is the best, Uh, this is the best United
team since I really started following. For for me, it's
the best team they've had since Van Percy. I know
(33:49):
a lot of people will kind of say, like, oh,
it's a little bit of an outlier considering the time
frame and everything, but it's like it's not really fair
to United because they didn't get to have this score altogether. Right,
Ashford got hurt, Bruno was kind of carrying the load. Pogbo,
we know the issues that he had. They get all
those guys in there, and again, what you were talking about,
how players get just a little bit better every single day.
(34:11):
In terms of the youngsters, Mason Grinwood has been phenomenal.
I mean, the guy coming out of nowhere. I'm sure
his DFS prices have risen through the roof now um
and it's hard to get him and put him in
your lineups now. But just again, it's contributions from the
big money purchases, contributions from the guys that are the
experienced veterans on top of the youngsters that have come
up through the UTH system. And and it's just Marcus
(34:34):
Rashford is just so much off of his shoulders because
he was just carrying them to get those points that
they were grabbing earlier in the season. Now that he
doesn't have to be their best player weekend week out,
I think that just makes him a better player, It
makes United a better team and in turn it makes
them the best underdog in the f A Cup. So
if I'm going with an underdog to win this outside
(34:57):
of Manchester City obviously the pretty heavy thing, I think
it would be Manchester United. Uh. Yeah, No, I'm totally
with you, you know, I I am Uh. I don't
know if I'm a believer in oh A specifically, but
I I think maybe I am just a huge believer
in um you know I. I am just a huge
believer in Pagba and in Bruno. I think those guys are.
(35:19):
I think those guys are are both so phenomenal that
they have the ability to outclass Manchester City. Of course,
and plus three forty is pretty damn good value because
at the end of the day, like hey say, Arsenal
do pull off a miracle and they're getting into the
f A Cup Final, United take care of business against
Chelsea all of a sudden, United is looking like a
heavy favorite, and even then I think it will probably
(35:39):
be like a plus one seventy. I think the number
is going to be cut in half if United go
off against City, just because of the way they played them,
so well, and that was prior to United having all
their guys like this. I know City got a bit
healthier as well, but for me, it's just it's just
something about United right now that you like to ride
the hot wave. And I understand how they dropped that
(36:00):
one lead against Southampton, but at the end of the day,
this the aura around Manchester United, there's such positive vibes,
it's really hard to ruin it for them. So for me,
I love them as the underdog in that. Um, Chelsea,
they're too suspect. That game against Norwich is just really
concerning to me, It really is. And you know what,
(36:22):
I think we're gonna see a lot of that. And
we were talking about how they were susceptible to some
of these games, um, and it happened last week and
we saw them falter and you're like, what's coming on
with Chelsea because we see the version of them that's
like that should be the team competing for the Premier
League title next year. And then we get that performance
against Norwich where it's like, are they focusing enough at
(36:45):
their issues instead of just adding guys like Kai Havers? Right,
should the attention be paid towards the center back because
it feels like it should be a center back instead
of have warts. Uh, it should definitely be a center
back instead of have orts, I think. Uh. And you know,
it's it seems like they just have this this plan
to kind of be all in on their offense, and
(37:08):
you know, it just does not really make a ton
of sense to me looking at at what they need. Basically,
like I think, if you you look at what uh,
you look at what Chelsea needs, they just need a
super commanding center back, and they need they need kind
of like a version of Georgie well better keeper yet,
but they kind of also need like a version of
Georgino that is a little bit more capable of defensively.
(37:30):
So that like because well, actually maybe what they need
is they just need to play Content at his natural position.
They're they're playing Content kind of out of position in
a four three three when he's better in a four
two three one. And so maybe maybe actually instead of
Georgina with a better defensive player, you just play Mason
Mount at the ten and then get another d M,
you know, to play next to Conte. Yeah, and I
(37:53):
know a lot of it's just finishing off their chances
as well, and I think Warner is going to be
a huge acquisition in terms of that. But at the
end of the day, when you have these two glaring
issues and you're just reading the papers, you're reading these
reports that Chelsea is not really in on a top
center back or top goalkeeper, even another option to replace
Kepa with because Kepa is the most expensive goalkeeper transfer
(38:14):
of all time. It's just kind of looked like what
got Liverpool over the hump because they're right where Liverpool
was prior to the Van Dyke and the Allison transfers.
Those two transfers took him over the top and made
them one of the two best clubs in the world
at the moment, and probably the best club in the
world considering all the trophies and competitions that they've gotten
(38:34):
deep into. So for me, that's kind of where they
have to turn till I know there's still linked with
ben Chill Well, I think left back is definitely a
priority there. I think Reece James is something that they
could build off of in the future. Right back isn't
one of those things, but they need that superstar center back.
They have to, there's no doubt about it. And and
and at the end of the day, if Chelsea makes
that move, then we can start having this conversation of
(38:56):
how far off of the this Premier League title. But
as of right now, with the way they're currently constructed,
I don't really see that as a conversation being had,
and it's not something I feel safe taking them in
this future market for the f A Cup. So if
we get a Manchester final for the f A Cup,
who do you like winning it? Do you think City
is a deserved favorite and they will win it? Um
(39:17):
continuing their domestic dominance or is it United claiming back
the City Manchester? UM? I think City should probably be
like minus one fifth ish in that game, and if
they are one, and if they are any deeper than that,
and United is you know, plus two ten or whatever?
I will I would definitely be on the United side
(39:38):
of that game, just not not even necessarily saying like,
you know, City will win or City won't win, just
I think that those would be unfair odds to make
City a bigger favorite than that. I totally agree with that. UM.
Hard to at the end of the day, especially when
rivals like this play each other so tight. I think
it's a little bit unfair considering the form that United
is as well. Davis and I are in on interest
(40:00):
United to be the underdog winner in this f a couple.
When we come back, we're gonna be talking some more
Seria sports grid dot Com betting insights and entertainment at
your fingertips as our team covers the most important topics
in sports wagering, real time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks,
and more want the edge than get on the grid
(40:20):
sports grid dot Com. All right, welcome back games here
to the free kick. We're just gonna hop right into
Hultzio disappointing, very disappointing race since it came back, not
all that surprise considering Lazio's lack of death playing every
(40:42):
three days mobile essentially going cold Davis and not really
breaking Higwaine's record. He still has a chance. He needs
to bag about seven or eight goals with these few
games left. But they get hu A in this game.
They played him well, but they've been sucking so hard. Man,
they're burning me all the time. I thought they would
(41:02):
have gotten over two and a half in the game
against Udanas, they draw zero zero, getting smacked against Milan,
they just look lifeless and looked like a team who's
just barely holding on. And if it wasn't for the
sizeable league in the Champions League Rice for top four,
I would say they would have lost it by now
because they're just absolutely dreadful and they're hanging on by
a thread and h a rightfully so minus favorites plus
(41:26):
four hundred. Now, I didn't expect that at the start
of the reboot. Yeah, and I just you know, I
do not have um, I don't have an expectation for
or I don't have an explanation for what for what
is going on with them? Like, I think it is
as simple as they thought they were going to be
able to win the league. Uh, they're not going to
(41:47):
be able to win the league now, you know that's
become clear. Uh, they have a huge lead. You know,
there's basically no way that roma catches up unless they
I mean maybe they go absolutely winless the rest of
the time, then maybe that could happen. But I think
it's just as of they had the motivation, they lost
the motivation when they no longer had the goal to
work for. I think that they could be that simple.
(42:07):
The funny thing is we were talking about. All fair,
there is this scenario in which Latsio does not make
the Champions League. Guys, this would be a crazy scenario
for them. Lots would have to finish fourth, Romo would
have to win the Europa League and not only would
have to win the Champions League for fourth place in Italy.
So not go back. That would be insane and that
(42:28):
would be so how how would you feel? Like, what
is the compared is that blowing the three one lead
in the NBA finals? Like is it that? It might
even it might even be worse because of the financial implications,
Like NBA teams make money every year, no matter what.
If if Latsio blows this and doesn't get the Champions
League money, that that's just that's as bad as it gets.
(42:50):
I I would be devastated if I was a Latsio fan,
but I'm not obviously, so Unfortunately, now um underdogs do
they somehow rally in this Plus four hundred looks like
a good number on paper, but when we're really looking
at it from you know, just a pure analysis standpoint,
it's it's not even like worth it. And Huve is
(43:10):
not playing great either. But at the end of the day,
it's like pick your poison kind of If you want
to go with the money line here, I do think
it will be there's an opportunity for the over two
and a half. I like that's something that's safe. I
do like both teams to score as well. That's a
minus one fifty two in terms of Huve. Look, I
mean minus one fifty five. I don't even feel comfortable
taking them in that because it's just the way they've
(43:33):
been playing. They haven't looked convincing. They kind of got
lucky against South Atlanta as well, and that too to draw.
It took two handballs for them to draw against them.
They were completely outplayed at one point out the Atlanta
had seventy possession, which we're looking at prime Barcelona Tikitaka
soccer there um in that match. But but they, you know,
typical Huved, they just find a way to grab the point.
(43:55):
I don't know, I'm just I'm kind of a little
bit off on this game. I like the scoring numbers
in this In terms of picking a winner, I think
I'm gonna back off. Yeah, I I like I do.
I like UV in this game, and the kind of
the reasons, why are you know, one they have guys
who just have those creative moments of brilliance, right Ronaldo
(44:18):
um Debala, even some of those guys in the midfield,
you know, uh Pianoh, and you know Rodrigo Benton Curve.
Probably we should give him a little bit more credit. Yeah,
he's been. He's been, you know, kind of since the restart,
he has been one of the he's been one of
the better midfielder's kind of in the world in terms
of like someone who's just fun to watch that you
(44:38):
probably did not know of six months ago, and lots
of you kind of the exact opposite, right, like they're
their most creative players have just been stuck in a rut,
you know, Louis Alberto not having a great year. Uh so,
I I think I actually think I would I would
bet UV in this game kind of kind of like
catching the momentum stock on on the way down. They
(44:59):
got to wrap this up. They can't have this linger
on going into this and playing this poorly when they're
down already to leone in the Champions League in which
they don't have a goal. And by the way, that
got released after we've recorded, of course, the route that
they're going to have to go through there on the
hard side of the bracket. It's not easy. So in
(45:19):
terms of everything, they have a lot of stuff working
against them if they if they lose this somehow and
Slatsio Atalanta makes up pace again by winning, there's still
a handful of games where it's not that I think
Hub is going to lose the title, but they're making
this last a lot longer than they would like to.
And at the end of the day, when you have
(45:40):
Cristiano at his age, he's playing ninety minutes all the time,
his fitness is absolutely incredible. At some point, he's got
to be human and father time is gonna play a
part in this, not to the extent that he's useless,
but to the extent that they're not getting to him
at his best, and that's worried some in my opinion. Yeah,
so that is true. I mean, is the uvent is
(46:01):
kind of in that group of teams like Barcelona and
Real Madrid that we were talking about, where, you know,
it doesn't really seem like they have a youth movement
coming through, and with every passing year it seems more
likely that. I mean, I think that the transfer was
just huge for them. I think they do have a
good amount of young pieces. The move for Pianos and
(46:23):
Arthur Swapp played into their favor. That's a twenty three
year old midfielder that they have bent on curves pretty young.
I think they do need to and and Dibola is
right in his prime right now. I do think it
is very important, though, Davis, that they don't get caught
into this spot where Barsla is, where it's just you're
stacking up on so many guys trying to win this
(46:43):
one trophy that you kind of forget where your future is.
You're looking at the now too much and you're not
looking at two to three years down the road. Because
for them at this point in time, I think it's
imperative that they do get a young star. Guluzewski obviously
A Parma is another guy that we've talked about that
they're adding as well, but it's got to be the striker.
I think they need a number nine. And the rumor
(47:03):
to get Millick from Napoli, I don't think that's the move,
I really don't. I think they gotta look in in
another direction for this. I think they need to capitalize
on having Christiano Ronaldo for the time that he has
remaining here, because at the end of the day, if
you're looking at Huve, it's not that successful of a transfer.
If Christiano Ronaldo doesn't break that Champions League drought that
(47:26):
they have, they were winning the league's before that, that's fine.
Their brand has skyrocketed, that's great, it's a plus. It's
a success no matter what if you get Christiano Ronaldo
on his team. But at the end of the day,
they want him there because they wanted to win the
Mickey Mouse Trophy in the Champions League. And if they
don't do that, part of me feels like it's a failure,
but it isn't at the end of the day. Like,
(47:46):
I don't know how you feel about it. I think
part of me says his failure. No, I I agree.
I think anything that you know leaves like winning the
Seria can't be the goal for you, not anymore. No,
they have the most by far, exactly. It's just I mean,
it's nice when they win it. I'm sure the fans
like it. I'm sure you know, I like, I'm sure
(48:08):
it's a good thing. But the whole goal of that
operation should be, you know, to win the Champions League,
and every year they don't win the Champions League while
spending this much money on Ronaldo's contract. It's got I
I agree, it's got to be viewed as a failure,
just like just like the Lakers and Lebron James. We're
going to compare to American sports here, right, Lebron James,
if he goes through this whole tenure with the Lakers,
(48:29):
I do think he gets one, but they don't get
a title. There part of you says it's a failure, right,
even though he's playing amazing. No one's ever played this
well at his age this late, carrying a team like that,
being the best player Top five and m v P
voting again, one of the best player in the world. Still,
for my money, if you don't get that title, it
(48:49):
means a little bit less at the end of the day.
And you feel for them because much like Cristiano and
Lebron James, they're playing no player has ever played this
well at their age in the history of their sport. Right,
We've never seen an NBA player played this well at
age thirty six, um where Lebron is. We've never seen
a soccer player played this well at thirty five thirty
(49:11):
six Christiano or another right, Like, there's the bentential that
him any mobile they both get thirty goals. That is insane.
Like we said, there's only been three players since nineteen
sixty in the league itself to have scored that many
goals in the season. We might get two in one year,
but we gotta move on quickly. Inter Verse Roma inters
mind boggling. I don't know how Antonio Conte is really
(49:34):
keeping his composure right now in the media. Um, there's
been rumors that they might be selling a bunch of guys,
including milon Screenar, who was considered to be their future
for the next ten years at center back. Roma was stuttering.
Then they kind of picked themselves back up. They've had
a favorable fixture and schedule as of late. I don't
know who do you who do who do you feel
(49:55):
comfortable picking with here? It's it's another tough one for me.
I don't know if I fully trust in there anymore.
I think I'm kind of fading them for the rest
of the season. Man. I think I think Fiorentina is
pretty good. Uh they are. They have some really they
have some guys. They have some guys that I uh,
you know, they have some guys that I really like. Um,
you know, I think Federico Qusa, I think he is
(50:16):
a fantastic, um young player. I think Patrick Cutrone is
like he was kind of one of those guys who
was supposed to be the next talisman for the Italian
national team and for for Italy as a whole. Hasn't
hasn't quite gotten there, But I do think he's good.
And uh, you know also Frank Rubery. I mean like
he might be he might be old, but that like
there's just no one out there who can whip a
(50:38):
ball in the box like like that dude, Like, yeah,
I still love watching that guy play. I think he's
really good. Yeah, he's he's awesome. And it's like one
of those cool moves at the end of at the
end of you know, career. I mean, it didn't work
out as well, but it's kind of you just remember
when drel Rieves was like on the Chiefs, like, oh yeah,
he was like that was cool. You though he was
(50:58):
exactly he was double for them, but at the end
of the day, it's like that was cool that we
got to see him in and that uniform and performed there. Yeah,
if you were an Tina has some interesting guys. Their
owner is from New York. By the way, UM purchased
them for a hundred and seventy five million euros. You
know what's even funnier about that, Davis, You know how
much it costs for an MLS team to just get
into the league. The fee? I mean, I bet it's
(51:21):
like what million flat three million dollars American dollars to
get into the crazy? I mean good good for them
though it means they're they're not in a Wigan athletic situation. Yeah,
I mean there's that. UM look hopefully for them, they
kind of turned that around. UM. This game, this game
is it'll be interesting, it'll be fun. Um for me,
(51:43):
I think it'll go over two and a half goals.
I don't love it. And Jeco is just so bizarre, man.
I don't think he should be a guy that's starting
every three days for a team that wants to be
competing from European spots. I know he was linked to
enter last summer. I think he should be headed there
and if Romo was smart, that's something they would invest in. UM.
It's nice to see Nicolos and Yolo back in for them.
(52:04):
He scored um for Roma against sump Doria. That's a
guy Davis hundred and sixty five days coming back from
a torn a c L. That just terrifies me. That's
just you know, you know, in soccer though, I mean
if you really, if you really think about it, like
like you can come back early because one, you don't
have to play, like you don't have to play the
whole ninety minutes, right, you can come back and and
(52:24):
but also like at the end of the day, soccer
is mostly just running and to get your a c
L backing up to go, like, you gotta run a
ton because you gotta strengthen it, and you gotta strengthen
that whole stabilizing corps all throughout your leg, and especially
if it's your off leg, so like if it's not,
you're not your kicking leg, like there's even less stress
on It's like that's always not of course, obviously, I'm
(52:45):
not a I'm not a doctor. I don't understand why,
Like in the NFL, guys take a year to come back.
In soccer, guys come back and six because these guys
are lighter than the forty pounds or whatever, like Vince
will Fork tears his a c L. It's like big
boy is gonna take a good eighteen months to get back,
you know. So, I've been referencing Vince Willfork a lot,
(53:06):
just because I always found him flexing his biceps with
his his fat flat the funniest like celebration I've ever
seen in my life. But I'm Martino Puccio, MAT's Davis Maddick.
Thank you guys so much for watching the free kick
and made the winners beatles. Sports grid dot com betting
insights and entertainment at your fingertips as our team covers
(53:29):
the most important topics in sports wagering, real time odds,
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than get on the grid. Sports grid dot Com
Sports grid dot Com Betting insights and entertainment at your
fingertips as our team covers the most important topics in
sports wagering, real time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks,
and more want the edge than get on the grid
sports grid dot Com Fantasy sports today. I'm really not
(00:22):
sure how to feel about this because I still do
have weight concerns with this guy. I do. I don't
have the age concerns because I saw what Alvarez on
Houston did last year, and if he can just be that,
that's great. You know that, And I know that players
don't like to, especially young players, not be in the
field that throws him off the rhythm. It's a tough
transition to just hit four times. Maybe, but but Guerrero
(00:43):
doesn't look like Alvarez either. The Sports Grid Network, Hello everybody,
and welcome on into the Free Kick here on the
sports Grid TV Network. Martino Puccio and Davis Matt alongside you. Davis,
We're really just in the thick home stretch of things
(01:04):
for all these top leagues. As Premier League winds down, law,
legal winds down, Saria pretty much over. But you really
have to wrap it up this weekend. How how do
you think everything's gone. Um, I think it's been a
massive home run for the sport, especially over here in
the States. It's just been so much fun. It's kind
of made up for me at least for missing out
on March Madness and uh, half of the baseball season.
(01:27):
We'll get baseball back soon as well. But I loved it. Uh,
it's been great. So you know, we started with the
Buddhist League and that was all we had to you know,
for for our attention. But now we have every day.
I mean there are fifteen games on starting at you know,
seven o'clock in the morning. Where you are out in
New York, you have the MLS games going. For me,
(01:47):
it's a little bit later on in the day, and
then once that's over, you know, then you start thinking
about then the the EPL games start, and then the
Law League games are a little bit later in the afternoon.
We have Syria on the afternoon. I think that the
television rate things bear it out that, you know, this
is the most that Americans have ever watched soccer in continuity,
and it's been it's been great, I thought. I think
(02:08):
it's just been overall fantastic, and COVID is going to
be bad for the sport in terms of, you know,
it's taken some money away from the game. They're gonna
be teams that face huge financial difficulties as a result
of it. But I do think you could say it's
at least a slight positive that more people are watching
than I've ever watched before. Yeah, I would agree, And honestly,
(02:29):
it's great to see it not in a World Cup
year as well, because a lot of people really just
go with the World Cup and kind of get detached.
But now there's real you know, they don't have to
wait a week for each team to play. They could
just keep watching them. And you know, who knows where
more people are being fans of, whether it's Seriah with
the ESPN coverage, um, whether it was with FS one
(02:50):
in the Bundesliga, NBC in the Premier League, and even
you know, be in sports if you wanted to go
with La Liga. There's just been like so many different outlets,
and I think Sarah has probably benefited the most. They
have the biggest star, they play on the biggest platform
with ESPN and everyone has ESPN Plus compared to you know,
Fox and and all these other NBC stuff. Like I
(03:12):
was trying, I was struggling to find Arsenal Talk games.
It was. It was a total nightmare. You could only
watch it on your computer or your phone. You know,
there's not a PlayStation app. There's not a smart TV
app for it yet because it it just launched. So yeah,
I I totally agree with you that everyone has ESPN
Plus everyone and some of the games, you know, some
of the games have not even been on ESPN Plus.
(03:33):
They've just been on straight up ESPN. Like you could
go watch Atalanta on ESPN, which is like that that's
a really cool thing, Like that is That's awesome. It's
It's way better than watching fishing. I love I love
fishing because she's one of my favorite activities. But I'd
rather watched that early in the morning and all that stuff.
And they're doing a great job again all the teams
in there as well. But we got to talk about
(03:54):
the biggest news that's going on in the world of
the sport right now, and Manchester City gets away with
their band. I'm not shocked by this. I thought it
would have came down to a one season ban from
the Champions League or just to transfer window band because
ultimately c A S which is the court system of
appeals that clubs go through after FB and UEFA laid
(04:14):
down a ban or or punishment of whatever sorts. Again,
this is this is where a lot of fans from
a lot of clubs have a hard time taking this
seriously with FP because the original intention of FB, if
people don't know this, is to prevent other clubs from
going bankrupt because a lot of teams run at losses. Uh,
(04:36):
they amount crazy numbers of debt and their clubs go
bankrupt and we don't hear of these clubs. Again. But
at the same time, Davis, it's not really carrying out
the full intentions. It feels like the rules apply to
certain clubs at certain times. We've seen Chelsea getting bands.
We've seen my club a C Milan take a Europa
League band, Roma inter Milan all having to sell off
(04:57):
players to appease FP and turned green at the end
of the financial year. Where we have Manchester City, who
a lot of people don't know. Prior to round probably
the start of the we're absolutely nothing. They were nobody club.
They were just the you know, a spec on Manchester
United's rear view mirror. And now they're just this financial
(05:21):
superpower with endless amounts of money and they're just competing
for all the top trophies every single year, but somehow
there is no ban or anything. They're purchasing john Stones
for fifty million pounds. Who hasn't seen the light of day.
They're spending almost upwards of half a billion dollars on fullbacks,
which that situation is still not resolved there So to me,
(05:43):
it's just funny how they could do all this. Everyone
knows something is up because Manchester City is not this
titan of the sport that these other clubs were, and
yet there's no ban and all they have to do
is just pay ten million euros of a fine and
it's it. What have you thought about it? I think
it's a farce. Okay, so let me let me. I
(06:05):
think this is maybe a controversial, O pain and I'm wondering,
I'm wondering what your response to this would be. I
actually don't like the competition bands. I think that the
way these teams should be punished for breaking these very
clear laws is they should be financially punished because the
rules are actually not in place to keep Manchester City
from happening. The reason that financial fair play was, you know,
(06:29):
the reason it was originally thought of, the reason why
it was originally implemented was actually to keep teams from
doing like what leads did, which was spending money they
didn't have, you know, to spending money they didn't have
to make their club better, and then in the end
not being able to pay the players, not being able
to you know, uh, you know, pay their league fees
and everything. I actually think that the competition ban, I
(06:51):
think it punishes the players, and I think it means that, like,
you know, so if Manchester City, uh, you know, if
Manchester City were to at this competition band, what would
happen is you know, Kevin de Bryan would leave, and
Raheem Sterling would leave, and you know, maybe David Silva stays.
Maybe you know, some of these guys stay out of loyalty.
But it really punishes the players more than the owners.
(07:12):
And uh, I think that it should be huge financial penalties,
not necessarily competition bands. Sure, and I I agree with
what your sentiment is, but at the end of the day,
if they are giving these bands out, stick by them.
How many times have we seen bands or or anything
suspension wise over here in our sports get you know,
(07:33):
reverse to this. You know, if there's like a four
game band or whatever for someone in the NFL for
p E. D s that could appeal to get to
three games, right, it's really not that big of a
difference from the initial band. But I mean from two
year Champions League band from a half defined to just
ten million euros. It's basically like, you know, ten million
(07:53):
euros just for whatever you did, and that's that. And
it's just kind of like when other teams are having
to accept these penalties and sit out these competitions and
get um all these issues, it applies to them, but
it doesn't apply to a Manchester City of the world.
Like I understand where everyone's getting upset, and I'm upset
by it because it's just it's just not fair to
(08:15):
everyone else. And at the end of the day, I agree,
if Manchester City has the money to spend, then they
should be able to spend as much as they want.
Why should we hold restrictions to them. It's their money
they want to eventually, you know, potentially run at a
loss and go bankrupt. That's on them, right, But for me,
I don't like restricting other clubs from doing this, and
(08:37):
I don't like how it applies to certain clubs opposed
to others. And you know what, like I want to
know what's gonna happen with p s G. Is the
same thing going to apply to PSG. What a PSG
does get a ban at the end of the day,
and they do have to sell their players. For me,
I agree with you to an extent, but at the
end of the day, if you're gonna put out a
punishment like that, don't completely pull a one e D
and do nothing, because at the end of the day,
(08:58):
now it's saying you can appeal any punishment and you
can get away with it. Because it just seems to
me like it's this loophole that you have a set
down these rules for FP and you get these bands,
but as long as you go to the Court of
Appeals and you and you can get it reversed, then
no harm, no foul. Why not keep breaking the rules
if you could just keep on doing this and appeal
(09:21):
it all the time, because that's what it seems like. Yeah,
I mean that's so you're you're definitely you're definitely correct
in the sense of like nothing nothing changes, right, this
is this is just what world football is now. You know,
Manchester City, Manchester United, PSG Byron Munich and Real Madrid
can outspend everyone and everyone else is playing for you know,
kind of sixth place behind those teams, and this ruling
(09:42):
doesn't do anything to change that. Yeah, and then you
factor in how deep they get into the Champions League
Champions League. If you go so far into this competition,
there is ungodly amount of money that you can get
from TV rights, right because you keep going deeper into
the competition. It's kind of like a split amongst conferences
(10:03):
in March Madness. The more games you win and the
deeper you go into the tournament, the more of the
money uh pot you split between your conference. So it's
basically like that. Um, but let's talk about other countries
and clubs benefiting from stuff and and major clubs and that,
and the five subs are staying Davis, They're not going anywhere.
(10:23):
Five stubs are staying into next year. I totally get it.
I think it really does make a lot of sense
with the condensed schedule that we're gonna have to be
dealing with, considering the international competitions coming up, and then
that's even going to extend further into two which Qatar
announced their dates and all that stuff for that World
Cup which will be taking place from December November to December,
(10:45):
so that's a little bit different for everyone else. Um
good idea massive clubs will benefit from this, no doubt.
Um does that affect you and the way you're going
to bet futures in terms of, you know, potentially taking
some dogs to win some competitions of sorts, because to
me it's just I mean, usually the favorites always win.
(11:06):
But now I don't even think it's worth having a
conversation for some of these other clubs that might be
on the outside looking in. Um yeah, I mean I
actually think I would go the other way. I think
underdogs are now basically like just just drawing dead. Like
how how can underdogs rationally be favored when like, you know,
Manchester City can bring off a guy who's going to
(11:26):
get bow on door votes off the bench, you know,
and Sheffield United who might even get a European place
this year. I mean they're they're bench options are like
nineteen year old Norwegian kids. Like it's seriously, it's and
it's it's just totally it's unfair, especially in the English
Premier League. Do you think they should keep would you
how about this? Would you keep it to certain competitions,
(11:50):
so say f a cup, you know, cup matches and
all these domestic stuff. It's just five subs, but it's
not five subs all the time in the league games.
Would you rather it always be in the league games
but not in those cup matches because there has to
be like somewhere where you kind of be like, okay,
this this is an even playing field, because at the
(12:10):
end of the day, you know, like you're just worried
about when you play in Manchester City of the world,
like who are they going to bring off this time?
Is there gonna be Maras? If Maras isn't starting, and
what are there two other options? Like if there's an
injury substitution, we're lucky that they're going to use it
on a center back, but now you have to worry
about five guys that they could potentially bring off the bench.
And when it's a team like Manchester City, I mean
(12:31):
think about that making five subs at a time for them,
that's almost half their team um actually is half their
outfield players because if you're not counting the goalkeeper. Right,
to me, it's just like, oh my god, like why not.
Why wouldn't they spend more money on the transfer market
because now it appeals for more players to go to
bigger clubs because now they're going to have more playing
time because they're guaranteed to get into a game because
(12:53):
there's more substitutes. So for me, I think it really
affects the transfer market as well because I think more
of the younger stars are more inclined to go to
bigger clubs now because there is more of an opportunity
to play. Um. Yeah, no, I I totally agree. I
totally agree, you know, with with that logic. Um and
uh yeah, I just I think overall, like like Phil Foden,
(13:14):
actually great example, right, Like Phil Foden, he's never leaving
city now because he's just he's guaranteed minutes, right, He'll
never go anywhere, and why not because there's really good competitions.
He'll step in midweek, say there's a Champions League week, right,
they want to they want to arrest some of their fowards,
like a Bernardo Silva of the world. Just sit him down,
have them ready for the Champions League match. Put voting
in against Southampton. There you go. You could easily get
(13:37):
three points with voting in the lineup. I mean, he's
been one of the better youngsters that has come along
in recent weeks. But Davis, when week come back, we're
gonna be talking more about the Premier League here on
the free Kick sports grid dot Com, Betting insides and
entertainment at your fingertips seven as our team covers the
most important topics in sports wagering, real time odds, predictive
(13:57):
betting models, expert picks and more want the edge than
get on the grid sports grid dot Com. Hello everybody,
Welcome back into the Free Kick. Here on the sports
Grid TV network, Martino Puccio, Davis Mannic alongside me. Davis,
(14:19):
we're obviously talking about all the major topics in that
first segment regarding the world of football, and we know
all the rules that are going to be benefiting a
lot of the big clubs. But we're gonna be talking
about some of the big clubs over in law Liga.
Now it went down to the wire. Barsla gave it
a good fight. Um, you know, there's it's not the
(14:39):
best season for them, they could still salvage it. They
got to win the Champions League to make this, uh
anything worth their while. And you know they're really risking
Messy leaving. Um. Who knows if it's just another contract
leverage situation there. We'll get into that eventually, but top
four is locked. And let it Go made a nice
push late in the season after they had a disastrous start. Uh,
(15:00):
they really pulled themselves together. So credit to them. Diego
Simione finishing in third place, Seville lock up with fourth
a big season for them. Congratulations to getting back into
the Champions League. Um. Yeah, so what do you think
you think these were the four best teams all season long?
I think this is the way it deserves to be
played out. Um, just overall a full season, you know,
(15:22):
real Madrid Um rallying around all these injuries that they had.
Barcelona it was really just Messy carrying them until I
mean his last kick at the end of the day, Um,
and Let it Go rallying younger squad. There was so
much turnover, so he didn't really expect to for them
to compete for the title, even though I might have
put a futures bet on them to win it. But
(15:43):
we won't talk about that. Um se via finishing fourth
good for them. They have a lot of depth, so
it's nice to get back into the competition. Um yeah.
But at the end of the day, this this was
a weird lad Legal season. But it was nice to
see a race this late into the season for the title. Yeah,
very very a weird season. I mean, I actually think
low key the weirdest story of the law Leaga season
(16:06):
is Espanol was relegated with like many many games to
play they had. They finished on twenty four points, Leganes
thirty two. Majorca had thirty two as wells goal deferential. Yeah,
I mean Espanol is like one of these historic law
Lega teams, you know they are they are in the
same like they're in Barcelona as well, Like that's there,
(16:28):
that's their rival, and um you know, I heard someone
say on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast the other day,
like they haven't been they haven't been relegated in like
thirty or forty years or something like. It's a huge
it's a huge, you know, cultural thing for them to
go down to the second division there. Yeah, it really
impacts a lot of the communities. You can kind of
compare it in a sense to a lot of these
(16:49):
smaller communities here in America that lost their minor league
baseball teams for the season, and a lot of these
teams that are shutting down. It matters to them, It
matters to the community. Is a place to go. It
brings in a lot of money around the area. And
not having a Spaniol in there in the first flight,
it's tough and I and I feel bad, And you
know what, there's a lot of people who don't really
(17:10):
make it easy and stick to rooting for the best
teams that have the chance to win trophies all the time.
They stick by their local clubs. Um. It's always the
thing that happens in England like root free local, roof
free local um and all that stuff. So unfortunately for them,
they're going down. Yeah, hopefully they'll be back up eventually.
But again, is this a turning of the tide for
(17:31):
Real Madrid to just go off on like a few
years run for them of winning this lot League titled
because I think they're the favorites again going into next year.
There's no sign for me looking at Barcelona or even
heading into their transfer market where I could say, yeah,
I like barsa changing up what happened from last year
to this year, and no one Sufati can take over
(17:51):
a bigger role in this. But for me, you could
point a four to five different guys on Real Madrid
that will be doing that on top of a healthy
Aid and Hazzard for a full season. So for me,
Real Madrid heading in next year, well in a few
weeks as the favorites again. So uh, you know, I
think that, um, I think that one of the issues
that Madrid has is actually very similar to Barcelona, which
(18:13):
is a lot of their guys who played a ton
of minutes this year are old. However, I think the
younger players on Barcelona are probably are on Madrid, are
better than the guys that are in the part of
the pipeline at Barcelona. So Benzema thirty two years old,
Tony Cruz thirty, Luka Modrick thirty four, probably about done
for him at the top level. You know, wouldn't surprise
me to see him go back to play in Croatia
(18:35):
for Diana Mozzagreb or in the MLS next season. Marcelo
thirty two, he probably needs to be replaced. Bail probably
not going to be on the team next year, wouldn't
surprise me, uh if so. So, Like looking at the
guys who were going to be in their rotation next year,
We're gonna see a lot more minutes for Federico Valverde.
We're gonna see a lot of Ferland Mendy, a lot
(18:57):
of Vinisius Jr. Probably a lot of rod yougo Eader,
Milital Lucas Basquez. You know, maybe maybe they're able to
have a larger role for Hamas and uh you know,
like those are those are good young players. Those are
better young players than than Barcelona for sure. Who just
by the way, sold Arthur, you know, they're they're kind
of uh they're high upside, you know, playmaking midfielders, so
(19:19):
kind of a what. I just don't understand why they
did that. Yeah, I guess financial reasons. I know they
needed to make a lot of money back in the market. Um,
Frankie de Young needs to make a leap for sure
for them. Um. I think Marcos Asensio for real, andrewd
is going to be the guy that has to step up.
And I think they did a great job of not
rushing this guy back a lot of it. It's so
funny Davis. I don't know about your take on this.
(19:40):
Whenever we see a soccer player tear the a c L,
they come back with under two hundred days, it's just
insane and they're playing for like a full ninety minutes
and you're just like, I'm just always like biting my
nails and like, did this isn't safe? This isn't right.
The Usually you're taking too little time to come back
from an injury this severe, um, but they did. They
didn't do that with a Senseio. He's been so great
(20:01):
ever since he came back. He's got his conditioning up.
I thinks to Don's done an amazing job with rotating
the squad. I do think they do need to make
a move for a main striker again. I know Benzema
is nice. Luka Yovich was it was a fail of
a transfer, but they can get goal scoring from a
lot of different positions and players. A lot of that
will probably bank on Hazard's creativity and all that stuff.
(20:23):
But yeah, I think you're right. At the end of
the day, Barcelona, you could really just look at Frankie Deong,
maybe Ricky puig Um and then um On Sufati as
the young studs. To step up, and honestly, at the
end of the day, those three I'm not too sure
they're better than that whole young core that Real Madrid has,
and it might not be close, even though I do
(20:44):
like the young guys that Barcelona has, so they're gonna
have to step up alongside them. It'll be interesting to
see where Luka Modrid goes. I do want Gareth Bale
to return to the Premier League though, yeah, I mean
Bail is actually he's my favorite player. I love Gareth Bale.
I know the Madrid fans hate him, but I just
like I love his game. I love how powerful he is.
(21:05):
I love uh, you know, just like you know, so fast,
so technical on the ball, Like I just I think
Gareth Bale is incredible. I love to watch him play
for Wales and it it bums me out that really
he has not been able to play at his best
for like the last three years because of his relationship
with whoever happens to be coaching for Real Madrid at
the time. Yeah, I think it was. It was weird though,
(21:27):
because he had the moments of Real Madrid legend, but
he's not going to finish his one in a sense,
like him coming on in these Champions League finals. He
stepped up in two huge Champions League finals, right like,
that's that's as many as Juventus as one in its
entire history. And he stepped up. That Liverpool final was
just breathtaking, the goals he was scoring in that and
you're just like, where was this? Can you imagine if
(21:50):
he was this healthy, that integral of a piece to
Real Madrid while Cristiano was there, like the left and
the right side, you would never see a faster and
more clinical winger combination in the history of the sport, right.
I mean, that's how good and that's what the potential
was for it. We only saw a glimpse of it.
They did end up winning the trophies, but it's hard
(22:12):
for him to move to different places simply because of
his high wages. We'll see where he goes, and might
be China because we know he was close last summer,
but Sidan was kind of upset with him and he
didn't want him to leave, and then they started having
these injuries. Thomas Rodriguez, I hope he goes to another
club to get a better opportunity, because right now Real
Madrid wasn't the place to go for him. He's just
(22:33):
another one of those guys who kind of got lost
in the shuffle. Um did great at Byron Munich Um.
There was rumors of him going to Monopoly last summer.
Let's see where he goes now. I know he has
a good relationship with Carlo Ancelotti. So if Everton would
pony up the money, I don't know about that. Um.
So it'll be interesting to see where some of those
parts move for Real Madrid. But I'm excited for next year.
(22:54):
Do you think Athletico can challenge for the title? I
just don't think they. I just don't think they the
high end talent right like that. It just it just
seems I mean maybe maybe Joel Felix. You know, you
got to take a leap. Yeah, Like if if Joel
Felix becomes one of the ten best players in the world,
then then I think that's probably possible. But that that, uh,
that's the only way I would imagine it would happen. Yeh,
(23:17):
I agree with that too. I think them losing out
on Cavanium, according to all the reports, is a big
loss for them. I think they needed a better nine
to finish things off. UM Diego Coast is way past
it in my opinion, Morata is not this kind of
guy that you could win the league with as your main,
uh scoring piece. Uh So they definitely need to figure
some of those things out there. Um so yeah, I
(23:39):
mean it will be interesting for me. I think it
will finish the way it finished with this year with
the top three. I think it'll be real andrid Barcelona
and let it go. I can't discount Barcelona in the
long run because Messy is messy at the end of
the day, and if he plays a full thirty eight games,
is really hard to keep them out. They'll be in
uh un till the last second. But let's talk about
some Premier A League real quick, right, I mean we're
(24:01):
wrapping this up. F A Cup is wrapping up as well.
What are you looking forward to more of this weekend?
Is it the f A Cup? Because at the end
of the day, it kind of feels like Chelsea Manchester
United really just care about getting to the Champions League.
Within the league, Chelsea looks like they'll be safe, but
how seriously are they going to be taking this competition
this weekend? I mean the f A Cup is the
(24:23):
f A Cup? Is okay? I think the game we're
all looking forward to though, is Tottenham versus Leicester City.
We have Spurs who are there at fifty five and
then Lester sitting there at sixty two points. I think
Lester versus United like they pretty much need to be.
They have to win every game because United is on
this war path right now. And as of the time
you and I are talking, United has not kicked off
(24:45):
against Crystal Palace yet, but we imagine that, uh that
they will probably both be tied at sixty two points
here very shortly. And you know, we we love Jose
actually doesn't. He doesn't like to be happy himself. He
just likes to make other people unh happy. And uh,
you know, nothing would make Brendan Rodgers and lesser City
fans more unhappy than losing to the Spurs team. Yeah,
(25:07):
and and it would just be so Marino for them
to not ultimately make it into a European spot and
just challenge for that fourth spot. But they play spoiler,
and that's any time Jose Marino is able to just
ruin someone's day, like you said, I think it makes
his day a lot better. So I definitely see something
like that happening. But we have to talk about the
(25:28):
odds of this. I mean, do you like Spurs going
into this game, because there's just did They're so hard
to read sometimes and and I know the narrative that
we were just discussing was that Marino teams will play
up to the competition. In this scenario, Lester looks absolutely dreadful.
I know they had a really nice win against Sheffield United,
but there's something about them since the reboot. I mean,
(25:51):
both of these teams are the two teams I trust
the least, but Spurs of the favorite plus one thirty
five on the money line. Do you agree with that? Uh? No,
I would I would bet, I would bet Lester. I
guess one of the things though, is James Madison is
not played for two weeks now, and I mean he
is Lester City's best player. It's very hard for them
to create shots. It's very hard for them to cycle
(26:11):
the ball through the midfield without James Madison. So maybe
maybe I mean, and Spurs are they have better players,
they just are not coach as well. I guess now
Spurs are just in the weird flux situation. I'm not
even sure Marino finishes the season next year. With them.
I think he could be out around New Year's Hey again,
I just think that's just the way he goes these days.
(26:32):
So unfortunately for him, this might be one of his
matt last major coaching jobs in Europe in my opinion,
out of the top five leagues, I think this might
be it for Cholsea Marino at Spurs. We could see
imagine him in the United States. I know you and
I know him very well, but the personality in the
media would just be unbelievable in my opinion. Real quick, yeah,
(26:52):
I mean, I just just imagine him coaching in the
MLS game and dealing with MLS level defenders like he
would be. He just he would hate it. He would
hate everything, just like Ebra did when he was over here.
But when we come back, we'll talk more England. Sports
grid dot Com betting insights and entertainment at your fingertips
as our team covers the most important topics in sports, waging,
(27:13):
real time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks, and more.
Want the edge than Get on the grid sports grid
dot Com. You're watching sports grade. Get on the grid, alright,
(27:44):
everybody back here on the free kick. We got a
ton of f A Cup action this weekend the semifinals, Davis,
we have Arsenal versus man City, Chelsea versus Manchester United.
Let's start off with the first match, Arsenal City. These
two faced off earlier when the reboot happened. City thrashed Arsenal.
Arsenal lost the Brighton. Then they started rebounding. They played
(28:07):
very well. They recently beat Liverpool. I don't know how
much you're really gonna engage with that. Liverpool really has
nothing to play for, so that was one of the
bigger dog upsets of the week. Do you see it
happening again? I don't, because Manchester City, to me, this
is and what is mostly a lost season domestically. They
could salvage it with the f A Cup here and
then go out and try and win the Champions League,
(28:28):
which they're one of the favorites to do. I don't.
I don't see much of the chance of an upset here, though,
I I need to um, I need to give credit.
Arsenal has played much much better than a lot of
people thought they could under you know, under their new
under their new coach, they've been really stout, not really stubt.
(28:49):
They have been stouter defensively. They've not been quite as
enthusiastic offensively as they were during Arson Vegers you know,
great years or anything like that, but you know, defensive solidity.
I think you have to give them credit for being
better than like we'd like this game, uh two months ago,
you know, had the season still be going, we would
(29:09):
have been like, oh, you know, City is gonna score
five goals. It's gonna be another thrashing. And I think
that they will be able to compete. I think they'll
be able to get some shots in this game, but no,
I don't think they'll be able to win. Yeah, they're
massive dogs in this a triple money line. We're seeing
Manchester City at minus three seventy is it? Is it
worth anything at all? Though? Even though do you get
scared off of that or is that something you only
(29:30):
put in a parlay? Right? Because if that's really just
not something worth betting single game alone for the money line,
I mean, you know, there is certainly a there's certainly
a school of thought that says, you know, pretty much,
anytime your numbers say that a number is plus e v,
regardless of how much it is, you should bet it
would I would I be betting, you know, minus three seventy. No,
(29:53):
probably not. I think I probably would would let that one,
would let that one go. But you know, I don't,
I do not think that it is a terrible bet. Yeah.
For for me, it's just something that I don't really
see happening in terms of Arsenal upsetting them. They don't
have that much to play for. I think that win
against Liverpool just it just doesn't weigh here for me.
(30:15):
It really doesn't you see of a mistake from Virgil
van Dyke that's not gonna happen again, do you do
we really see a scenario in which they're going to
pounce on something like that, And what did Liverpool really
have to play for it at the end of the day,
just as many points as they can get a hundred
the centurions, which is something that you know, silly people
like to debate and argue, But at the end of
(30:36):
the day, Liverpool won the title, so it really doesn't
matter how many points they get, right, they finally won one.
Um for City, there's just there's just a lot to
play for and I think there's a lot off pressure
wise looming over their shoulders and the fact that they
needed to worry about this Champions League band. Who's staying,
Who's going? Is pet potentially going to leave because of
(30:56):
this band sticking out? We know the band's not sticking.
Just everything here is just going with City. Their minus
one ninety is the future in this It's just we
We talked about it when when the f A Cup
first came back with the reboot, we thought they were
the favorites. We we were discussing kind of others that
might have been in play for it. But as far
(31:18):
as single games go over three and a half goals
plus one twelve, that's something that I'd be interested in,
to be honest with you. Uh yeah, So I I
think for the futures market for the f A Cup,
it's It's United. It's United all the way. For me,
I I think that United is United is good enough
to go toe to toe and beat Manchester City right now.
(31:40):
I definitely think they're better than Chelsea and of course
I think they're better than Arsenal as well. If if
Arsenal somehow a couple of times this year. Yeah, I
mean they they have this um, they have this amazing
midfield now where they have uh you know, Pagba and
Bruno creating they and then they have mctom and air
Matach you know, kind of you know, stopping things up
back there. Now. We we've have talked on the show
(32:01):
about how we think they're defense is super susceptible. I
still think that, you know, I still don't think that
the defense is any good. Yeah, same with Chelsea and
but but also you know, I don't think Manchester City's
defense is all that impressive either, especially when they're gonna
be I mean this weekend they ran out John Snones
and Nicholas Automante together and uh like that. That's a
(32:22):
championship level defense at this point. And they paid over
ninety million pounds for both of them combined. So it
just goes to show again where some of this money
goes for. And it's just crazy what they've done. Yeah,
I would have to agree to. And I'm really on
Manchester United this weekend as well, and I understand they
have to be fighting for this fourth spot as well.
Chelsea they're out on the Champions League. They give up
(32:43):
three away goals to Byron Munich. There's really just no
hope for them there. I think they're transitioning into next
year when they get Warner and here Zac we've seen
him in the locker room talking to guys. Christian pulis
Witch has just been on fire. I think if Chelsea
ends up winning this game, it's gonna have something to
do with Christian Pulisitch because outside of Bruno Fernandez, Paul Polga,
a couple of the Liverpool guys and City guys, Pulistics
(33:05):
has been the best player in the Premier League since
the reboot. And you know what, I think he has
the capability of carrying them to win here. But at
the end of the day, just the way United is
playing is just so impressive and we really just haven't
seen this in years. We know Marino in that squad
finished second, but no one ever had that feeling in
the back of their head like that they were actually good. Yeah, exactly,
(33:28):
they were just like whatever, they're they're an okay, they're
an okay team, Like they score some goals. But you know,
at the end of the day, like this is to me,
this is the best, Uh, this is the best United
team since I really started following. For for me, it's
the best team they've had since Van Percy. I know
(33:49):
a lot of people will kind of say, like, oh,
it's a little bit of an outlier considering the time
frame and everything, but it's like it's not really fair
to United because they didn't get to have this score altogether. Right,
Ashford got hurt, Bruno was kind of carrying the load. Pogbo,
we know the issues that he had. They get all
those guys in there, and again, what you were talking about,
how players get just a little bit better every single day.
(34:11):
In terms of the youngsters, Mason Grinwood has been phenomenal.
I mean, the guy coming out of nowhere. I'm sure
his DFS prices have risen through the roof now um
and it's hard to get him and put him in
your lineups now. But just again, it's contributions from the
big money purchases, contributions from the guys that are the
experienced veterans on top of the youngsters that have come
up through the UTH system. And and it's just Marcus
(34:34):
Rashford is just so much off of his shoulders because
he was just carrying them to get those points that
they were grabbing earlier in the season. Now that he
doesn't have to be their best player weekend week out,
I think that just makes him a better player, It
makes United a better team and in turn it makes
them the best underdog in the f A Cup. So
if I'm going with an underdog to win this outside
(34:57):
of Manchester City obviously the pretty heavy thing, I think
it would be Manchester United. Uh. Yeah, No, I'm totally
with you, you know, I I am Uh. I don't
know if I'm a believer in oh A specifically, but
I I think maybe I am just a huge believer
in um you know I. I am just a huge
believer in Pagba and in Bruno. I think those guys are.
(35:19):
I think those guys are are both so phenomenal that
they have the ability to outclass Manchester City. Of course,
and plus three forty is pretty damn good value because
at the end of the day, like hey say, Arsenal
do pull off a miracle and they're getting into the
f A Cup Final, United take care of business against
Chelsea all of a sudden, United is looking like a
heavy favorite, and even then I think it will probably
(35:39):
be like a plus one seventy. I think the number
is going to be cut in half if United go
off against City, just because of the way they played them,
so well, and that was prior to United having all
their guys like this. I know City got a bit
healthier as well, but for me, it's just it's just
something about United right now that you like to ride
the hot wave. And I understand how they dropped that
(36:00):
one lead against Southampton, but at the end of the day,
this the aura around Manchester United, there's such positive vibes,
it's really hard to ruin it for them. So for me,
I love them as the underdog in that. Um, Chelsea,
they're too suspect. That game against Norwich is just really
concerning to me, It really is. And you know what,
(36:22):
I think we're gonna see a lot of that. And
we were talking about how they were susceptible to some
of these games, um, and it happened last week and
we saw them falter and you're like, what's coming on
with Chelsea because we see the version of them that's
like that should be the team competing for the Premier
League title next year. And then we get that performance
against Norwich where it's like, are they focusing enough at
(36:45):
their issues instead of just adding guys like Kai Havers? Right,
should the attention be paid towards the center back because
it feels like it should be a center back instead
of have warts. Uh, it should definitely be a center
back instead of have orts, I think. Uh. And you know,
it's it seems like they just have this this plan
to kind of be all in on their offense, and
(37:08):
you know, it just does not really make a ton
of sense to me looking at at what they need. Basically,
like I think, if you you look at what uh,
you look at what Chelsea needs, they just need a
super commanding center back, and they need they need kind
of like a version of Georgie well better keeper yet,
but they kind of also need like a version of
Georgino that is a little bit more capable of defensively.
(37:30):
So that like because well, actually maybe what they need
is they just need to play Content at his natural position.
They're they're playing Content kind of out of position in
a four three three when he's better in a four
two three one. And so maybe maybe actually instead of
Georgina with a better defensive player, you just play Mason
Mount at the ten and then get another d M,
you know, to play next to Conte. Yeah, and I
(37:53):
know a lot of it's just finishing off their chances
as well, and I think Warner is going to be
a huge acquisition in terms of that. But at the
end of the day, when you have these two glaring
issues and you're just reading the papers, you're reading these
reports that Chelsea is not really in on a top
center back or top goalkeeper, even another option to replace
Kepa with because Kepa is the most expensive goalkeeper transfer
(38:14):
of all time. It's just kind of looked like what
got Liverpool over the hump because they're right where Liverpool
was prior to the Van Dyke and the Allison transfers.
Those two transfers took him over the top and made
them one of the two best clubs in the world
at the moment, and probably the best club in the
world considering all the trophies and competitions that they've gotten
(38:34):
deep into. So for me, that's kind of where they
have to turn till I know there's still linked with
ben Chill Well, I think left back is definitely a
priority there. I think Reece James is something that they
could build off of in the future. Right back isn't
one of those things, but they need that superstar center back.
They have to, there's no doubt about it. And and
and at the end of the day, if Chelsea makes
that move, then we can start having this conversation of
(38:56):
how far off of the this Premier League title. But
as of right now, with the way they're currently constructed,
I don't really see that as a conversation being had,
and it's not something I feel safe taking them in
this future market for the f A Cup. So if
we get a Manchester final for the f A Cup,
who do you like winning it? Do you think City
is a deserved favorite and they will win it? Um
(39:17):
continuing their domestic dominance or is it United claiming back
the City Manchester? UM? I think City should probably be
like minus one fifth ish in that game, and if
they are one, and if they are any deeper than that,
and United is you know, plus two ten or whatever?
I will I would definitely be on the United side
(39:38):
of that game, just not not even necessarily saying like,
you know, City will win or City won't win, just
I think that those would be unfair odds to make
City a bigger favorite than that. I totally agree with that. UM.
Hard to at the end of the day, especially when
rivals like this play each other so tight. I think
it's a little bit unfair considering the form that United
is as well. Davis and I are in on interest
(40:00):
United to be the underdog winner in this f a couple.
When we come back, we're gonna be talking some more
Seria sports grid dot Com betting insights and entertainment at
your fingertips as our team covers the most important topics
in sports wagering, real time odds, predictive betting models, expert picks,
and more want the edge than get on the grid
(40:20):
sports grid dot Com. All right, welcome back games here
to the free kick. We're just gonna hop right into
Hultzio disappointing, very disappointing race since it came back, not
all that surprise considering Lazio's lack of death playing every
(40:42):
three days mobile essentially going cold Davis and not really
breaking Higwaine's record. He still has a chance. He needs
to bag about seven or eight goals with these few
games left. But they get hu A in this game.
They played him well, but they've been sucking so hard. Man,
they're burning me all the time. I thought they would
(41:02):
have gotten over two and a half in the game
against Udanas, they draw zero zero, getting smacked against Milan,
they just look lifeless and looked like a team who's
just barely holding on. And if it wasn't for the
sizeable league in the Champions League Rice for top four,
I would say they would have lost it by now
because they're just absolutely dreadful and they're hanging on by
a thread and h a rightfully so minus favorites plus
(41:26):
four hundred. Now, I didn't expect that at the start
of the reboot. Yeah, and I just you know, I
do not have um, I don't have an expectation for
or I don't have an explanation for what for what
is going on with them? Like, I think it is
as simple as they thought they were going to be
able to win the league. Uh, they're not going to
(41:47):
be able to win the league now, you know that's
become clear. Uh, they have a huge lead. You know,
there's basically no way that roma catches up unless they
I mean maybe they go absolutely winless the rest of
the time, then maybe that could happen. But I think
it's just as of they had the motivation, they lost
the motivation when they no longer had the goal to
work for. I think that they could be that simple.
(42:07):
The funny thing is we were talking about. All fair,
there is this scenario in which Latsio does not make
the Champions League. Guys, this would be a crazy scenario
for them. Lots would have to finish fourth, Romo would
have to win the Europa League and not only would
have to win the Champions League for fourth place in Italy.
So not go back. That would be insane and that
(42:28):
would be so how how would you feel? Like, what
is the compared is that blowing the three one lead
in the NBA finals? Like is it that? It might
even it might even be worse because of the financial implications,
Like NBA teams make money every year, no matter what.
If if Latsio blows this and doesn't get the Champions
League money, that that's just that's as bad as it gets.
(42:50):
I I would be devastated if I was a Latsio fan,
but I'm not obviously, so Unfortunately, now um underdogs do
they somehow rally in this Plus four hundred looks like
a good number on paper, but when we're really looking
at it from you know, just a pure analysis standpoint,
it's it's not even like worth it. And Huve is
(43:10):
not playing great either. But at the end of the day,
it's like pick your poison kind of If you want
to go with the money line here, I do think
it will be there's an opportunity for the over two
and a half. I like that's something that's safe. I
do like both teams to score as well. That's a
minus one fifty two in terms of Huve. Look, I
mean minus one fifty five. I don't even feel comfortable
taking them in that because it's just the way they've
(43:33):
been playing. They haven't looked convincing. They kind of got
lucky against South Atlanta as well, and that too to draw.
It took two handballs for them to draw against them.
They were completely outplayed at one point out the Atlanta
had seventy possession, which we're looking at prime Barcelona Tikitaka
soccer there um in that match. But but they, you know,
typical Huved, they just find a way to grab the point.
(43:55):
I don't know, I'm just I'm kind of a little
bit off on this game. I like the scoring numbers
in this In terms of picking a winner, I think
I'm gonna back off. Yeah, I I like I do.
I like UV in this game, and the kind of
the reasons, why are you know, one they have guys
who just have those creative moments of brilliance, right Ronaldo
(44:18):
um Debala, even some of those guys in the midfield,
you know, uh Pianoh, and you know Rodrigo Benton Curve.
Probably we should give him a little bit more credit. Yeah,
he's been. He's been, you know, kind of since the restart,
he has been one of the he's been one of
the better midfielder's kind of in the world in terms
of like someone who's just fun to watch that you
(44:38):
probably did not know of six months ago, and lots
of you kind of the exact opposite, right, like they're
their most creative players have just been stuck in a rut,
you know, Louis Alberto not having a great year. Uh so,
I I think I actually think I would I would
bet UV in this game kind of kind of like
catching the momentum stock on on the way down. They
(44:59):
got to wrap this up. They can't have this linger
on going into this and playing this poorly when they're
down already to leone in the Champions League in which
they don't have a goal. And by the way, that
got released after we've recorded, of course, the route that
they're going to have to go through there on the
hard side of the bracket. It's not easy. So in
(45:19):
terms of everything, they have a lot of stuff working
against them if they if they lose this somehow and
Slatsio Atalanta makes up pace again by winning, there's still
a handful of games where it's not that I think
Hub is going to lose the title, but they're making
this last a lot longer than they would like to.
And at the end of the day, when you have
(45:40):
Cristiano at his age, he's playing ninety minutes all the time,
his fitness is absolutely incredible. At some point, he's got
to be human and father time is gonna play a
part in this, not to the extent that he's useless,
but to the extent that they're not getting to him
at his best, and that's worried some in my opinion. Yeah,
so that is true. I mean, is the uvent is
(46:01):
kind of in that group of teams like Barcelona and
Real Madrid that we were talking about, where, you know,
it doesn't really seem like they have a youth movement
coming through, and with every passing year it seems more
likely that. I mean, I think that the transfer was
just huge for them. I think they do have a
good amount of young pieces. The move for Pianos and
(46:23):
Arthur Swapp played into their favor. That's a twenty three
year old midfielder that they have bent on curves pretty young.
I think they do need to and and Dibola is
right in his prime right now. I do think it
is very important, though, Davis, that they don't get caught
into this spot where Barsla is, where it's just you're
stacking up on so many guys trying to win this
(46:43):
one trophy that you kind of forget where your future is.
You're looking at the now too much and you're not
looking at two to three years down the road. Because
for them at this point in time, I think it's
imperative that they do get a young star. Guluzewski obviously
A Parma is another guy that we've talked about that
they're adding as well, but it's got to be the striker.
I think they need a number nine. And the rumor
(47:03):
to get Millick from Napoli, I don't think that's the move,
I really don't. I think they gotta look in in
another direction for this. I think they need to capitalize
on having Christiano Ronaldo for the time that he has
remaining here, because at the end of the day, if
you're looking at Huve, it's not that successful of a transfer.
If Christiano Ronaldo doesn't break that Champions League drought that
(47:26):
they have, they were winning the league's before that, that's fine.
Their brand has skyrocketed, that's great, it's a plus. It's
a success no matter what if you get Christiano Ronaldo
on his team. But at the end of the day,
they want him there because they wanted to win the
Mickey Mouse Trophy in the Champions League. And if they
don't do that, part of me feels like it's a failure,
but it isn't at the end of the day. Like,
(47:46):
I don't know how you feel about it. I think
part of me says his failure. No, I I agree.
I think anything that you know leaves like winning the
Seria can't be the goal for you, not anymore. No,
they have the most by far, exactly. It's just I mean,
it's nice when they win it. I'm sure the fans
like it. I'm sure you know, I like, I'm sure
(48:08):
it's a good thing. But the whole goal of that
operation should be, you know, to win the Champions League,
and every year they don't win the Champions League while
spending this much money on Ronaldo's contract. It's got I
I agree, it's got to be viewed as a failure,
just like just like the Lakers and Lebron James. We're
going to compare to American sports here, right, Lebron James,
if he goes through this whole tenure with the Lakers,
(48:29):
I do think he gets one, but they don't get
a title. There part of you says it's a failure, right,
even though he's playing amazing. No one's ever played this
well at his age this late, carrying a team like that,
being the best player Top five and m v P
voting again, one of the best player in the world. Still,
for my money, if you don't get that title, it
(48:49):
means a little bit less at the end of the day.
And you feel for them because much like Cristiano and
Lebron James, they're playing no player has ever played this
well at their age in the history of their sport. Right,
We've never seen an NBA player played this well at
age thirty six, um where Lebron is. We've never seen
a soccer player played this well at thirty five thirty
(49:11):
six Christiano or another right, Like, there's the bentential that
him any mobile they both get thirty goals. That is insane.
Like we said, there's only been three players since nineteen
sixty in the league itself to have scored that many
goals in the season. We might get two in one year,
but we gotta move on quickly. Inter Verse Roma inters
mind boggling. I don't know how Antonio Conte is really
(49:34):
keeping his composure right now in the media. Um, there's
been rumors that they might be selling a bunch of guys,
including milon Screenar, who was considered to be their future
for the next ten years at center back. Roma was stuttering.
Then they kind of picked themselves back up. They've had
a favorable fixture and schedule as of late. I don't
know who do you who do who do you feel
(49:55):
comfortable picking with here? It's it's another tough one for me.
I don't know if I fully trust in there anymore.
I think I'm kind of fading them for the rest
of the season. Man. I think I think Fiorentina is
pretty good. Uh they are. They have some really they
have some guys. They have some guys that I uh,
you know, they have some guys that I really like. Um,
you know, I think Federico Qusa, I think he is
(50:16):
a fantastic, um young player. I think Patrick Cutrone is
like he was kind of one of those guys who
was supposed to be the next talisman for the Italian
national team and for for Italy as a whole. Hasn't
hasn't quite gotten there, But I do think he's good.
And uh, you know also Frank Rubery. I mean like
he might be he might be old, but that like
there's just no one out there who can whip a
(50:38):
ball in the box like like that dude, Like, yeah,
I still love watching that guy play. I think he's
really good. Yeah, he's he's awesome. And it's like one
of those cool moves at the end of at the
end of you know, career. I mean, it didn't work
out as well, but it's kind of you just remember
when drel Rieves was like on the Chiefs, like, oh yeah,
he was like that was cool. You though he was
(50:58):
exactly he was double for them, but at the end
of the day, it's like that was cool that we
got to see him in and that uniform and performed there. Yeah,
if you were an Tina has some interesting guys. Their
owner is from New York. By the way, UM purchased
them for a hundred and seventy five million euros. You
know what's even funnier about that, Davis, You know how
much it costs for an MLS team to just get
into the league. The fee? I mean, I bet it's
(51:21):
like what million flat three million dollars American dollars to
get into the crazy? I mean good good for them
though it means they're they're not in a Wigan athletic situation. Yeah,
I mean there's that. UM look hopefully for them, they
kind of turned that around. UM. This game, this game
is it'll be interesting, it'll be fun. Um for me,
(51:43):
I think it'll go over two and a half goals.
I don't love it. And Jeco is just so bizarre, man.
I don't think he should be a guy that's starting
every three days for a team that wants to be
competing from European spots. I know he was linked to
enter last summer. I think he should be headed there
and if Romo was smart, that's something they would invest in. UM.
It's nice to see Nicolos and Yolo back in for them.
(52:04):
He scored um for Roma against sump Doria. That's a
guy Davis hundred and sixty five days coming back from
a torn a c L. That just terrifies me. That's
just you know, you know, in soccer though, I mean
if you really, if you really think about it, like
like you can come back early because one, you don't
have to play, like you don't have to play the
whole ninety minutes, right, you can come back and and
(52:24):
but also like at the end of the day, soccer
is mostly just running and to get your a c
L backing up to go, like, you gotta run a
ton because you gotta strengthen it, and you gotta strengthen
that whole stabilizing corps all throughout your leg, and especially
if it's your off leg, so like if it's not,
you're not your kicking leg, like there's even less stress
on It's like that's always not of course, obviously, I'm
(52:45):
not a I'm not a doctor. I don't understand why,
Like in the NFL, guys take a year to come back.
In soccer, guys come back and six because these guys
are lighter than the forty pounds or whatever, like Vince
will Fork tears his a c L. It's like big
boy is gonna take a good eighteen months to get back,
you know. So, I've been referencing Vince Willfork a lot,
(53:06):
just because I always found him flexing his biceps with
his his fat flat the funniest like celebration I've ever
seen in my life. But I'm Martino Puccio, MAT's Davis Maddick.
Thank you guys so much for watching the free kick
and made the winners beatles. Sports grid dot com betting
insights and entertainment at your fingertips as our team covers
(53:29):
the most important topics in sports wagering, real time odds,
predictive betting models, expert picks, and more. Want the edge
than get on the grid. Sports grid dot Com
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