Man City Revel as Victorious Villains at Anfield, Arsenal and Brighton Keep Pace: Men in Blazers 10/12/26

The one question I get most after all that football memory making we experienced across

America this summer is, how do I keep the magic going?

Let's start by saying, articulate what you love the most and then build on it.

First that, find a team that will most probably break your heart and then add all the supporting

necessities to build your weekend tradition, the key to so many of mine.

It's Walmart, the place that has it all, the snacks, the coffee, the pies.

You can also get the TV at Walmart, the hoodie to wear on your couch,

get the couch if you need it and wait, it gets better.

Because they're expressed delivery can get it right to your door so you're all set for kick off.

Whatever you match they need, you can find them at Walmart.com slash soccer.

Delivery-tombing varies by order size, traffic, weather and demand, subject to availability fees and

terms apply.

You're listening to the Men in Blazers media network. Subopt them all radio.

A brain melting weekend in which a brazenly smug Manchester City take advantage of a

little pool sending off to make it feel like Cheats Prosper in mere football.

Arsenal come back again against leads, bellowing nothing to see here.

Everyone stay calm, yeah. Rampant Chelsea, pit the cherries and no winner in Manchester United

against Spurs. Apart from those who like reminders that we're all going to die,

Rurie Smith, that international break 19 days, 17 hours, 56 minutes long, I can barely remember

what happened before the football kicks off again.

The first five games of the Premier League match as well never have happened.

This is where the season starts. Round six.

With a court procedural, let's dive right into the agony and try and make sense of Liverpool

Manchester City 3. Splitting narrative begins here.

Really football in purgatory, the guilty judgment,

by the independent commission that reveal Manchester City have essentially sham foundations to

use their words. The footballs really felt more besides the point, but also raw.

The interest in this game soared because the public love nothing more than the king dragged

up to the guillotine in the marketplace.

This was the real competition that was going on ahead of this one.

The reality that the Premier League is now in, it's twisted, it's most dominant super power club,

clubbing by a state who are one of the United Kingdom's most important investors.

In the dark, found guilty. Also mad, this could be Manchester City's last game and feel for a

long, long time. Enzy Mureska City manager said his players don't care about the noise he tried to

build an artfully PR-constructed message of unity and trust as if the club were under siege,

victims themselves, not guilty of 114 charges of their own doing. This game was off-tailed as a

most consequential and Premier League history. Simple question, was it?

I think in a sense, yeah, it was certainly the most anticipated game I can remember.

That is strange, because normally you'd use that term for a title beside it, for Arsenal Man City,

for Liverpool Man City in the club, Guadiolary area, whereas this was 16th game of the season,

team top of the table in Manchester City, against a team struggling to qualify for the Champions

League long term in Liverpool. It didn't feel like it was as weighty a game as those club,

Guadiolary battles. But because of the timing of the announcement, we had basically had two weeks

to look forward to the point at which City would have to face the music. It felt a little bit like

in the olden times when they taped the prisoner up to the pillory and everyone to throw fruit at

them. It felt like that kind of occasion. That would have felt better in the way. That's the

idea that should go into the Premier League suggestion box, man.

Sirius. Get it in section W. It needs to be in there, write it down.

Rotten vegetables only. But at the same time, Roger, I think it was really hard in the buildup

to remember that that's not how this works. Like this game was not part of the judicial process.

This wasn't the punishment that they had to go to Anfield. It was a totally separate thing.

Whether City won or lost an Anfield was not going to be decisive in terms of what the punishment

would be. It's not like if they won. We'd have to say, well, look, they have now, they've proved

all the charges wrong. Let's move on. And those twin narratives around it were I think

quite hard to hold in your head at the same time. It is, by the way, you're joking about the stocks,

the vegetables, like the ducking stool, those punishments. But that was the weird

discordance here. We know that they're currently guilty. And yet we had to watch them play dominant

football still. There was the lack of the punishment that's kind of holding over us.

It's like when someone's really good looking, there's a crime and then you see them in here.

Oh, they're still really good looking there, aren't they? 12 days on from that guilty verdict,

they play football for the first time. Essentially, what we watched, what we experienced,

what we shared together, what we're talking about. You could say it was trial washing.

And the pre-game scene was so weird. That's very good. That's very good to try.

Well, it was. I don't know how else to categorise it. You know, ultimately, watching the Manchester City

bus, if this wasn't a symbol, I don't know what it is, sneaking into the stage of through a back

access route of shame via the staff entrance to avoid the Liverpool fangirl, that the Manchester City

fans have been to be marched in the stadiums surrounded by police to separate them from the Liverpool

fans. The animosity really crackling around the stadium beforehand. Like echoes of it.

I've not seen a police contingent like that outside of Millwall since the 1980s hooligan peak.

You know, they were clutching their bananas itself for Clevver through back reference to the 80s

when the club plummeted into the third tier. The fans stayed massive and loyal almost severely

reveling in their diaper dickament. That was a statement. They waived cash in the air, carried their

incalduneeed trust banners, demonstrated really just an entire lack of remorse, which was also

we have to understand that the essence of Manchester, we want to have H, the man rapper come on our

show, Raw. And we asked into the squad. Can you describe the DNA of Manchester to America?

And he said this off the top of his head, he just goes, if you come across far strangers arguing,

and one of them as a Manchester accent, that one's right.

Yeah, I mean, I think you should say that that is probably true of all.

Terrible Manchester. Not the best mancax in I would say.

So I can't do it. If you come across far strangers, very naeze all the mancax.

Yeah, do it. Do it for me.

And they're all arguing. The one with a mancax and he's right.

It's like the Yorkshire accent, but they haven't learned to breathe properly.

The that's the problem. No, I think I think you can say that about all the northern cities in

England, to be honest, they're all like proudly local, they're all defiant, they're all given

towards protecting their own. And yeah, like I think on one level that the fact that city,

the fans walked into the stadium, chests out, you know, tubs being thumped, all that stuff is,

it's very mancunion. And in a way that's admirable, I think it's very football fan and that is admirable

too. You stand by your team. That is that's part of a fandom. You stand by your alternate truth,

Ru. You stand when increasingly standing by your team involves standing by your alternate truth,

right? But also it's pretty obviously a defense mechanism, isn't it? It's not that they want

their club's name to have been dragged through the mud. They don't want the name Manchester City

to be kind of associated with probably the greatest cheating stand in British sport in history.

But what are they doing to do? Go in with their, you know, kind of apologize in saying sorry.

That I think personally there is an alternative route that you could take that doesn't involve

chanting the name of the chairman. That suggests, as you say, that you're maybe not quite understanding

what's happened to you. But I think that he, I think the fact that they went in defiantly proud

to be Manchester City fans, that is being a football fan. That is that's that's part of the deal.

Yeah, there is a chant that they have involved a line until we're found guilty. I was like, oh my god,

that is like ultimate denial, repression, alternate fact. You know, City have been found guilty.

They are on appeal, but it is really important to know the difference. It's not still a judgment

is to come. You need to explain that to the British Prime Minister, Roch. Yeah, I mean, God bless,

I mean, it's an evident fan. We're a simple vote, Roar. We don't understand Roar. But God, I mean,

it is, it is amazing. All those think pieces, which you know, I've thought about, and the City

fans, maybe it will turn on their own owners. None of that. I mean, the city players are much

reveled as they entered the stadiums. They were called to a booze, grievance, hanging heavy in the

air. This is the new normal that we're going to be talking about week on week until that final

judgment is rendered. By the way, final judgment always seems theological. Final judgment is going

for sure. Liverpool fans sang cheats. You going down. And then a football match had to be played.

Again, back to normal, but this crazy surreal new normal, Roar, I wrote my game note and

Doni Irohola's first big test against the top team. I don't know. We already knew Liverpool would

be about the injured Gacpo and EZac. A Dominic Sosber Sly also ruled out of hamstring that 21-year-old

Lewis QS first Premier League start. And the truth was, Man City were top of the table. They were

quite perfect and they are an excellent football team. Liverpool began with hunger and desire,

a young Kumaas, Moonos, and Daunted Laneing with all the intensity of I guess nine years of

resentment that suddenly unleashed. And I don't know if you know this about me, Roar, but I'm

an Everton fan. You keep it quiet, Roach. I've never cheered for Liverpool before. And in this

game, as it kicked off, I found it quite emotional. I've got to be honest. Just I found myself

rooting for them with all of my heart. Just that sense of wrongdoing, that sense of true injustice.

Just hang so heavy, even touch me and I'm dead inside. It was like watching,

I'll answer them strong. Be able to carry on the tour de France again after being found guilty

of the doping. While I'm steroids, we're still flowing through his bloodstream.

Yeah, it's a strange reality to be in, isn't it, Roach? Because just City aren't top of the table.

They are, I mean, they're probably favourites for the lead at this stage. It's very early,

asked, obviously, the Rennie Champions, blah, blah, blah. But they are, they've got this incredibly

kind of super power, midfield. They've got the most devastating player in the lead. They've

got a manager that we know is tactically really adept. They've got this clear vision.

And yet, I'm not sure you can admire them on those simple terms anymore like that. They

went to Liverpool as kind of a leading Premier League superpower, but also kind of as a disgrace

to the lead. And I'm not quite sure how you marry those two things up.

Yeah, I mean, again, humanly, what I admired about Manchester City was the extent to which they

did not seem phased at all, did not almost they've leashed a lot of players who kind of thrive,

love chaos, Enzo Fernandez. That man runs on pure spite and will have played, I think the commentator

said in America, will have played in Argentina and atmosphere is 100 times kind of more haunting than

that. Turkey. He's come on our show, took about how he thrives off the heat. Tackle started to

fly. There was a rugby scrum. And when I was watching the pushy pushy, there was a piece of me.

You said earlier about the about the stocks. I was like, just let the players stop playing football.

Just let them fight. You know what I mean? Get it out of the ads out for all of us. Bloodletting,

Royal Rumble style, probably would have been more purifying, healing almost. I do think,

if we lived in medieval times, there'd be no Premier League tribunal in an independent tribunal,

they would have just been trial by combat. And I realised, not everything about modernities better.

I was trying to think what the parallel here is, Roger. Is it about the witchcraft trials?

Was it if they put them in the water and they flew? The ducking stall.

The ducking stall. So you think about this a lot? I was going to make it clear at this point.

I'm not drondoning this as a method of justice. I want to make that clear.

Anyway, since you're of Roger, we were taught this in our history lesson, the ducking stall.

You were tied into a chair, dumped in the water. And if you drowned, you were innocent because you

didn't have magical powers. And if you survived, you'd be put to death because you were clearly

a witch. I thought about that. I was like, what we were watching too, and it's then,

was city being given the ducking stall. And then, then flying out of it on a broomstick,

and was all going, what a great performance. That is.

Yeah, it's going to happen.

Yeah, but remember, if you fly out on the ducking stall, you're put to death because you're

clearly a witch. Unless you escape because you've got a broomstick. That's the trick.

And by a broomstick, we mean the ability to threaten the British economy to such an extent

that the Prime Minister folds. That's the obvious metaphor, Roger. That's the obvious metaphor.

Too dark, Royal, back to the football. God, honestly, and normally, and normally head into the

football to escape the darkness of the world somehow. The call is coming from inside the house

and football itself is now, oh, not feeling so good. Second half, Louisville, let's not forget,

began opening by shooting on site. You know, Baccholum Vert still zombie versions of their big

names and big transfer fees, but they were coming. You know, Semenio tried to assert himself,

crackling down the flank, Harlem, Mr. Wide Open, one on one, but then plot twist,

at the level of like the six cents, 56 minute, Doku came on within seven minutes, poor Graven

Burke, who by the way, had been excellent in this game carrying that football forward.

On the yellow, already, I thought that was super, super soft. Something the game didn't need,

contentious decision, going Manchester City's way, and on that yellow card,

on the break, Doku, Graven Burke stretching in to stop him, it was clumsy. Yeah, rationally,

it was a risk, but was it really, really worthy rule? I guess this is a leading question you're on,

of a second yellow card. I think it was a yellow card, yeah. I think in the certain, yeah, if you see

that as a, in the fifth minute, a game and no one's not any bookings yet, that's a yellow card.

The first one, I'm not even sure was a foul, to be perfectly honest, the fact he was booked for it,

I presume knowing the way that referees work, there was some sort of game management theory behind

what Chris Cavanae did in giving that first yellow card. I would have thought in those certain

sentences, given that they were both quite close together, you could easily instead of booking him

the second time sending him off, you maybe use that as a final warning, you could have done that.

Yeah, no more Ryan, stop it. Yeah. Just stop it, Ryan. You're letting yourself down, you cheating

everybody. You're the worthy boy. Yeah. You're the worst thing about this, yeah. What city have done

you've done? There are the same level. My mum used to get really angry when I was a kid.

Sometimes we just get lose her mind, she just gets you're worse than a murderer.

She's on me again. I'd be like, really? How am I?

I think worse than it feels a little bit like an incineration.

Yeah. Notting what you've done, Ryan, or what? Yeah, go.

So I think, yeah, so I think it could have been a final warning that might have been a,

a sort of logical thing to do, but I don't think the fact that the second yellow wasn't

controversial. The first yellow was, I mean, not even controversial, it wasn't a booking

in any world. It did, if you look at all the kind of momentum graphs of that game, not just the

I-test, that is the moment upon which the entire afternoon turns, Rutch. It's true, it's where we're

watched from momentum graphs, because man city, I think they've had one shot on goal before the

rape card, an XG of 0.16, everything changed. I kept thinking throughout the game of Ramsey

Boltons quoting Game of Thrones, if you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying

attention. We didn't even have time to think before Doku romped forward down the left against

her man, cut inside, I think the Calleaster block to shot, the bull inevitably just bobbled on towards

a hurling heart, and the dark night you, you've got blessed out to be verged, you was marking him,

he just reached out ahead, a millisecond of instinctive separation was all he needed,

swung that warhammer of a fort, smashed how, trotted off to the city fans, his face of

mirth, almost trying to repress the laughter, you know, only reinforced that exclamation point

darkness at the moment, city fans flung their bananas around in delight, and response,

whalers dad pumping his fist in the crowd, as if it was like brave hearts father or something,

and it would get worse for a little more, three minutes later, Doku again, just

mccurial wonder, cut inside again, maneuvered into space, did his Doku trademark finish the

the unsmashable loop into the corner, where that moment felt both transcendent and so deeply

violating an equal measure. Yeah, and it was on a purely footballing level, it was a finely

poised game-rage, and the red card sort of tilts it completely in city's favour, and a team with

the quality that they have, takes advantage of that really, really quickly. The first

goal, there's an element of good fortune about whether ball bobbles to, as you say, the second goal,

there is nothing anyone can do about that, that is an extraordinary piece of finishing,

and I suppose it shows it's important in really big games to keep all your players on the

pitch, that feels like the the key learning moment here. Children watch it. Yeah, I mean, I'll be

honest and we'll get back to this theme, I couldn't believe in the moment, the lack of humility,

I mean, I know footballers, well, and I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but I don't like

to be a footballer, I was telling you how to compare this moment, it felt like, you know,

Millie Vanelli, the 1980s band had just been found out to be lip-synchers, their fakes,

and then they go on a sold out tour in Madison Square Garden, it was just like, no, it just felt

this cordon, felt incredibly wrong, but it was nothing compared to that third goal. I think a minute,

50th position, Pekquadyola, always used to say the perfect goal is one in which every

old field player touches it. This then was the ultimate attribute, 41 passes, every outfield player,

so good, a turkey, who'd been just utterly impudent. You know, I watched him and thought about how

he wants to come on the show and talk about how he steps up his game when he defended his,

looking him in the eye, so you can imagine what this atmosphere must have done to him.

Anderson slashed the ball into the air, a dummied by turkey, Gvadyol read that moment incredibly

football around the corner. So the on-rushing turkey, who just manipulated it with a kind of

ease, an injurious ass in use to fling around the shackers, it was like watching a card shark,

bamboozle, poor frimpong, and then do all this. And turkey, roared away, the ultimate heel roar,

banging his city badge. It was a moment there was like both yes, yes, yes, incredible, and also

no, no, no. First of all, it's an amazing goal and it is kind of, it's almost an archetypal city

goal. That is what they have done. That is the beauty they've brought to the Premier League in the last

20 years, say, since the takeover. But the chest thumping, I've got to admit, I found it

I found it a little bit odd and I don't want to kind of criticise the players or the fans,

neither of whom are this group of players and the fans are not the people who have

committed the offences, they are not the people who are guilty of the offences.

But I do wonder to what extent they've kind of fully metabolised what is happening.

It's not an injury crisis, it's not even the everton situation where they have broken some rules

by a small margin and they feel a bit hard done to, or as the Prime Minister of Britain keeps saying

they were cheated and wronged, roged, cheated and wronged. Where's my backing stool?

When he's confusing whether he's running the country or whether he's posting on Toffee Web.

Like the club has been found guilty of cheating. I get that the fans want to show their

defiance. I get that the players want to show that they're togetherness. But it does feel a little

bit like you maybe shouldn't be using this as fuel for siege mentality stuff. The fans and the

players might not be the guilty parties. But we should be really clear, these are not the victims of

this. There is a way of kind of making a case that the fans have suffered, which I think is

legitimate. But this isn't a conspiracy, it don't suit you. You are the conspirators. That seems to

have been lost. And when you bang that badge, you are the saying like we're guilty, sham.

We're guilty and proud. Yeah, guilt, proud sham. I mean the optics are not what they think

it is in the moment. And I want to talk more about that in one second because for me,

I mean the post game experience needs to really be decoded. But a quick word on Liverpool. For

what it's worth, first loss of the Andonian era or the Liverpool era. If you treat this

purely as football, first league defeat for Andonian since January 23 game and beaten runners over.

He said post game or two different games, one until the red card. And then one after,

they were then run over by Manchester City. I mean the nagging problem if you care about football,

still buy colder and votes, still completely missing an action. But God and field playing sweet

little lies by Fleetwood Mac at the final whistle. Not always lost. Yeah, put it this way, Roger.

I kind of woke up this morning thinking well, it took you right out of the 10 games to get born

winning. And there are there are circumstances of that game that you have to football circumstances

that you have to take into account the red card, one of them, although obviously that's not,

that doesn't mean the result doesn't stand that you had a red card. But also missing,

Isaac Gapo, sobs like, and Eccateeke, so there's three maybe four starters there who are not in

the Liverpool team, which is a problem. There were a weaker team getting beaten by a better side.

That that happens more broadly. I think there is, I think the concerns oververts,

Isaac and even to an extent, Bartola, who it's looked, it's only four or five games or whatever,

but he has been really quiet since he since he joined. I think it's legitimate to think,

well, hang on, there is quite a lot of attacking talent in this squad, not all of it on the pitch

yesterday, of course, but but he's not really doing anything yet. And that is a, that's a problem.

God bless Brentford next. But let's talk about the scenes at the final whistle. City fans

positing in delight saying you're being more by a cheetah. Football puns never not funny.

Players took a victory lap, they swaggered around. No remorse. By the way,

Maresque, you're in particular, giving it the big one. Again, I normally love Liverpool losing,

just to be completely clear. But even I, horrible, horrible human being, found this sickening to

watch city paradeing around. It was the shamelessness, the smugness, no humility. The club,

remember again, they found guilty to be a sham operator. Almost laughing in our faces,

definitely in the Premier League's face. A team also, they learned about this judgment in the

summer and their reaction was to blow even more cashier they could reload. In the transfer

market, it's very brazen. It feels flagrant, it feels so discordant. And by the way, on one

level, again, it was humanly admirable not to crumble in a crushing shame and existential self-loving

on the other. This judgment is still to come. The foundation of all of this could be vaporised.

And Maresque said, we make our own noise. But my god, we are mistaken if we think this is something

that Manchester City can kind of tweet through the pain with siege mentality. We need to call this

when it is raw. This was like watching someone celebrating on the court steps after being found

guilty, putting in an appeal and then waiting for sentencing. Yeah, and I can't quite add to the

metaphor of that, Roge, but I was to think that the scenes of city celebrating as unfeeled empty

doubt in an atmosphere of almost apathy of, of, of, well, the okay, great, well done, lads.

Well, you know, there was, there were booze and obviously the fan Liverpool fans were unhappy

with their own performance. And I get that Liverpool, Liverpool fans have got their own stuff

going on. Seems to be quite a potent symbol of the general powerlessness, not just of the court

cases. We wait for the sentence, for the punishment, as we wait for that to be enacted, so that the

timelines kind of reunite effectively rather than this, this disjointed timeline where we've got

one where city are atop of the lead and one where they're in the championship or lead to or whatever.

Those two things are running in parallel at the moment and we're kind of ricochained between

the two of them. But also, it seemed to me to illustrate the powerlessness that the rest of the

Premier League kind of had throughout the period in question that this team over here is just doing

whatever they like and everyone else is just getting flattened by it. And they are reveling in that.

And I'm the same as you, Roger, I get that the fans want to show their loyalty, they want to

to spit defiant at the people they perceive as their critics. But the stuff that city's been

accused of, the fans should be ashamed of. It does, it does. And as you say, the verdict has been

passed, the process is over. City are appealing the legitimacy of that process, but the process itself

is over. Like it does tarnish the stuff they've won, it tarnishes all the stuff they've seen.

And as much as they protest that it doesn't, it's hard not to have that sense of my t-shirt saying

that I don't care about being accused of being cheats is prompting more questions than it's

should. It's not that kind of vibe about it. Like obviously it would tarnish your achievements,

just as like big Ben Johnson stands, probably don't ban on about the solar limpics or US Posts

or the Fissionados. Don't really like talking about the 1999 to 2005 Tour de France's. Like obviously

it tarnishes it. And as much as I get the instinct to take ownership of those words, to reclaim

them, to try and draw the sting, there is something quite gaulling about watching them revel in

the, in this sort of outlaw status that they are, their cheats and proud. That's a whole different

thing to deal with. I mean it is, it is the outlaw status that is that they've gone very, very black

out. You know, I watch it, I thought, you know, the city appeal, it may work, we have to say,

the irrefutable evidence may come in to save the day. But if it doesn't, when a punishment is

handed down after behaving like this, they are going to receive zero sympathy as a club. This is

the, in Greek drama, does that classic concept of what is in Nemesis Huberis?

Like, you know, where overconfident pride leads to just a self-destructive downfall that is

sure to follow, you know, Icarus, Narcissus, Murezka. Now I wrote my game notes, I wrote laugh now

cry later. That's what I felt watching all of this. And here's the challenge, it is the

existential challenge that we have to finish with. City won. Well done, they're on top, incredible,

they're perfect. But the damage of all of this is, it means everything, and it means nothing.

We don't know what it means. We don't know what's real right now in this purgatory. We don't know

what's real about the results. We don't know what's real about the entire table. We don't know what

city of one. We don't know what they did win. We don't know what they can win in the future. Are

they title challenges? Are they relegation further? When there's so much sham in the air, the stink of

sham, when the appeal is grinding on, football is the Premier League, it's in danger of losing all

of its meaning. Liverpool fans, I know, were angry, but they were saying, more a shrugging anger.

The Cop Banner Red, the generation of supporters have been cheated. And now we've got to try and

reconcile or live out split narratives, and it's humanly impossible to do that.

It wasn't my reaction as a fan, Raj, was wasn't quite what it would ordinarily be. I would normally,

in ordinary circumstances, if Liverpool lost three in a home to anybody, but particularly,

it seemed like Manchester City, a direct rival. I'd be furious, I'd be upset, I'd kind of

try and find reasons that actually it hadn't happened, and it wasn't legitimate. It didn't have

to do that this time, a lot easier. And this time I was a lot more trying to cold about it. It felt

okay, they lost Weldon City. Partly that's because we don't really know what that means for cities,

prospects this season, as you say. There's part of you thinking, well, obviously, because Liverpool

had to play Lewis Tumas up front, because all of their other strikers are injured. That's not

something Manchester City have had to do for 15 years, is play someone who's not quite, and I really

like Lewis Tumas, quite of the level required, because their squad is short. There's been a kind of

a galaxy brain take since the verdict dropped of it's not the same as Lance Armstrong, it's not

the same as Ben Johnson, it's not the same as physical doping. But I think there is a really clear

parallel, which is that when you dope in athletics or in cycling, it's not so you run faster while

you do the race, it's so you can train harder. And that is exactly what has happened with City,

that that billion dollars that they pumped in through the distraced funding schemes, that has

enabled them to make mistakes in the transfer market, and then just sort of ride through them,

and you just end up with, you know, find that like that 50 million pound left back didn't work,

like sign another one, let's keep going. Liverpool can't do that, even with being members of the Red

Carthell, Manchester United can't do that, they all pay for their mistakes, City Dump, they can

just keep on rolling all of the time. And what you saw on Sunday was the fruit of that, and obviously

this generation of players is not the generation that's at the centre of the case, it's 10

years later, but it is downstream of it, you can't argue that it's not. And City were

immeasurably stronger than Liverpool, because they don't have to play the 20 year old academy kid

upfront because all the other strikers are injured, they've got so many options, it's fine.

And so you lose to a team in that situation when you know how they're going to that situation,

it's very hard to think anything other than, well yeah, obviously.

Yeah, this is the ridiculousness of our current reality. This was the first of fully games

in which City will play three teams who've reserved the right to sue them. I mean,

what do you say at the end? We'll see you in court. Quick question for you, one of the Sham

title victories City had, 2013-14 campaign, the Stephen Gerard slip season, in which Liverpool

were agonisingly denied the title that we now know should have been theirs. If it had happened,

old history would be a moment, Rour. Brendan Rogers would have been a title winner. Would have

become a Liverpool legend, this giant teeth would have been amongst the cop legend manager,

Banner, and that flies before every home game, there never would have been a Yurgen Klopp

Liverpool era Rour. Let me ask you, Rour, would you take that history? We're still Rourge.

If Klopp hadn't lived Liverpool, he probably would have gone to Manchester United.

That is almost too much to bear, to be honest. He would have lasted eight months.

He'd have been sat to the year. At the time. At the time, yeah, 100%. Someone had said to me in the

middle of 2013-14, you win the lead this season and it means that Brendan Rogers is your manager

for the next five years. No one would have said, oh, that'd be terrible. Everyone liked Brendan

Rogers. He was good. That was a brilliant season for Liverpool. If you'd said, that means you miss

out on a generation defining coach who will re-energise the club in myriad different ways.

You would have had to change your stance. At the time, I would have absolutely taken it.

Looking back, probably not. The pain was worth the glory, I suppose. That's a good sport.

That's the other thing that's... It sounds really naive and romantic and stuff, but that's part of

the thing that's been lost in the city case. They wanted a shortcut. They wanted the glory without

the pain. It feels better if you suffer first. City didn't want to suffer. This idea that it's

to do with not being able to compete unless you're one of the red cartel you've established to lead.

That's not what the city case is about. There is a problem with that and that's legitimate.

The city case is about them taking a shortcut. It's not wanting to go through any of that stuff

that Villa and Newcastle and all the other team are trying to do. It's to say, well, actually,

we'll just ignore that completely and do what we want. That's not allowed. And it also kind of

undercuts the value of the achievements in the first place. So, a sense you're saying about

Brendan Rodgers, you just would have shouted. Gucci belts for everyone. I'm going to choose to

try and get out, Rodge, and say that there is a world in which Rodgers wins the title in 2014,

then has a terrible 2015, as Louis Suarez left, and Klopp gets appointed anyway. We have seen

from FSG recently that they are prepared to be ruthless with title winners who they think are not

up to it in the long run. So, maybe Liverpool get to be champions in 2014 and get Klopp.

You can have your Brendan Rodgers cake and eat it. To proper old school and blemish football,

Arsenal 2, Legionited 1, we all scream, how will Arsenal respond to the heaviest defeat in three and a

half years? The great C-Gold defenestration of 2026. By struggling, it can't say quite far to

get a team we hadn't won at Arsenal since 2003. This lead arrived and defeated the best start since

2002. So, well drilled backline lead just three times. League leading FUEST. How long will

gold standard ever to end? I could say the held Arsenal at Arms Length, with comfort in that

first half, had the temerity to break in moments. Beautiful, dominant Cavaloo and dangerous Raya

made the most important save in that first half. Arsenal looked like a team we were shattered.

They were already played 60 games this season. That was always the worry with Arsenal, wasn't it?

As much as they do have that depth that helped power them to the title last season, as much as they

have set the standard for what a Premier League squad should look like, certainly in terms of volume.

There's a psychological weariness that sets in after you've struddled for so long to win that

once you've dropped to the top of the hill, you tend to take a breath. And then that first half,

just as they did at Brighton, it was the first time we've maybe seen our tetas Arsenal look slightly

like they're getting a little bit leaky. They look a little bit gassed, I think. And that's after

a three-week international break, when there's no real reason to look quite as tired of it.

Although little asterisk, little caviar, first came back 1230 kickoff here. That's often a little bit,

that's kind of the sluddish performance window, I would say. So maybe that explains it a bit.

I mean, it is like the cumulative hangover, possibly, of last season. Whatever, this was a

two-night fight. You know, Tannaka Ampedo were fearless. I think the anxiety was, a lot of

Arsenal fans were expecting a big response to that seagull pecking. And the stadium was frustrated.

Almost numb, there's leads beginning to dominate possession. Wing backs pushing up,

an emboldened early second half. It's also continued to play like a cavalry bogging down in the mud.

Fifty-fifth minute, a goal. Honestly, I don't like to be hyperbolic. It was like watching

Arsenal be naifed in the soul. Goodminton, sliced down the bile, I pulled back a low baiting cross-ryer,

tried to intercept it, but waft in the ball, came out to James Justin, who had so much time to think,

but connected still with a precision of a master archer, thundered that ball in. Gabriela and the

laning god bless, just redirected it into the corner. This was a brightened PTSD moment, man.

If Brighton gave Arsenal what is it, a pecking. What did leads just give him?

Well, the leads are the whites. So a white washing, I suppose a blanching, did they blanch them?

We better leave that one. Go on, they're all, I mean, whatever, our tetalooks are slapped.

You never dropped a point against a fire beast for before.

Leads fans started to saying, I don't quite understand this, you just de-crap Crystal Palace,

I don't know either. Bogle sliced the ball across the face of the goal. They came again,

DCL couldn't connect agonizing, but that was a sliding door moment.

Because I think it is hard to keep pressing Arsenal. You do tire. Even though Arsenal were there in

body, but not spirit, God bless, that leads goal and the bum-clenching fear that had

had been drenalised. I can't believe I just said that.

Brought Arsenal to life, seven minutes later, response, mad waky, who was excellent here,

flushed into the area, white stretched every little bit of tattoo ink on his torso to snap it back

across goal. And there was Califuri to flush it home. I think James Trafford should get an assist,

he kind of pushed it into his net. The commentator called it an ugly goal rule.

How could it be ugly? When Califuri, the beautiful, beautiful Italian Jared Lito was a goal scorer.

Maybe it was ugly in relation to the fact that the ball itself is not as beautiful as Califuri.

Maybe in comparison to his shining beauty, everything is cast into shadow.

Oh, we all like, oh, we all like, there's Califuri and there's the rest of us.

Raff the substitutions by Michaela Teter, that's why they pay him the 26th million dollar a year

to work out with starters and his vaunted finishers, flung on timber, Yoccares and a quite snorling

Bruno Gimoression. That trio changed the game within eight minutes. Leeds suddenly could not live

with the physicality or speed of the game's attack or snap. The passes suddenly became calibrated

and then a truly, truly, parotic moment of football. Sacramento, the guard found right edge of the box.

He's backheeled it instinctively to Gimoress, who's played with him like for a couple of weeks,

but they know each other were already so well cut inside, drove the ball home with Venom,

first home goal. You've been goon by the gooners or what or cannon back up by the ass,

I can't even do it anymore, but it was, I'm going to stop.

You can't be, we can't be saying you've been goons by the dooners, that is not something that

we need to. No matter how many streams you're watching, that match on, that's not what's happening.

I don't know if they know goon in an America, but Google it.

They don't really know doon in Britain to be fair. I think it's an American concept.

Really? I'm deaf, I'm certain it's an American concept.

It's really? Yeah, that's like a northern thing.

No, no, no. Doon in in its modern incarnation is American. Anyway,

a testament, I think, to Arsenal's depth. There's lots and lots of things to like about Arsenal,

lots and lots of reasons they won the title last season, lots of lots of reasons. They are right in

the race for it. This season, but one of them is that depth. It's the fact that they can look to

the bench and bring on players of that quality who can turn the momentum of a game.

Bruno has done it a couple of times already since moving.

There will come a point where he is, I think, a key part of that midfield in a way that he hasn't

quite been yet. That may well have the effects of kind of lifting Arsenal to another level.

Yeah, I mean, I think they said credit leads. Just could not summon 90 minutes of the football

that they began where they felt valiant in defeat, almost like my beloved white socks.

Firstly, Gloss of the season, I think it lost their still draw strength from. They looked like

they were before kickoff at top five side for Reels, except for their Manchester United,

feast away. Roar Arsenal, Otetta, the beautiful phrase post game, he said his team, quote, had to

pinch our desire to win. We've talked about when they were a second place forever that you don't

know how to win the title until you win the title at Circular Catch 22, thinking which is ridiculous.

But this game was almost exhibited the opposite, which is title winners know what it takes to

title challenge. Yeah, and also it was one of those games, I think, in those years where Arsenal

were finishing second, where the panic would have been their primary obstacle, that they had this

tendency to, as soon as points look like they might be in peril, that Arsenal would think,

oh no, we're going to lose them. This is going to be when we, when it all falls apart and you

could sense that kind of urgency, that desperation, and it cost them. This time it looks a lot more

like a team that knew they were against it, that they were playing an opponent who were a genuine

threat, that they were in trouble, and they knew that they had it within them to get themselves

out of it. And that's quite a valuable psychological trait. We're all less one on Arsenal,

Otheta just signed last week a massive new contract until 2036 million dollars plus a year.

He's also now the big beast in the post-Pekquady, all the world, there's no clop, there's no Alex

Fergus, and he's the dominant one. Let me ask you this, this Otheta trajectory. If Michele Otheta

retains the trophy this season, do something that Arsenal Venger never did, does Otheta replace

Venger as the face, almost the spirit, the essence of Arsenal in this modern period?

I think that question is probably already been answered to be honest. As Venger was

nearly 10 years ago now, you know, there's a generation of fans who won't really remember

Venger's Arsenal, they certainly won't remember Tenepeat Venger's Arsenal, that stopped in 2004,

2006. That's a long time ago, and I think if you look at Arsenal now, the club that has been built

around Otheta is defined much more by Otheta's way of thinking than Venger's. There's not that many

elements of Venger's Arsenal that still remain to be perfectly honest to things that he was really

he was really associated with. So I think we are we are already past the point where Otheta is

the defining figure in like ultra modern Arsenal's identity. You know what, we got in Toronto in

our live show on Thursday, no, we got a manual petite coming, I'll ask him that question,

I'm going to get back to you rule. But I have a good news for Arsenal fans with him,

Celeba, out back on the grass today doing individual training.

Okay, to Saturday's Foscar, Derby, Manchester United won, Tolo Hotspur won, a game that English

Bant's merchants have coined, El Classica Deletto Elle, which sounds like a burn from the movie

8th grade this game. Pretty much was what it said on the box, a big six clash between

two teams bleeding out in 12th and 20th place before kick off. First half was what you would think

would be where teams that had combined I think one winning 10 before this one together,

it was diabolical to witness. The only highlight was Manchester United fans bringing back their

infamous banner, which counts down the year since Manchester City's last trip. I think this is

incredible. Hands in the strep for the end, the banner had been shelved after City had begun

winning trophies in 2011, but it's back with a vengeance, City have been found guilty.

Ruh, it is proof that no matter how bad things feel for you, your rivals misery just gives your life,

I've got to respect the pettiness and the creativity. There's no question that Manchester United's

best two weeks of the last couple of years have been the bit since the City verdict dropped,

like it's been nothing to distract them. United haven't had to play football,

they've just been able to revel in City's disgrace. It's taken away a lot of their own pain,

they would have gone into this international break. Genuinely worried about three weeks of

everyone pouring over Michael Carrey and wondering whether he's the right man for the job,

endless viral tweets and radio phonies and all that stuff. Instead, they got to do a little bit

of arts and crafts, they brought the banner back, they updated it so it says 51 years, that's nice,

it's a nice wholesome activity, family thing. It's inherently very funny and it is probably the

most eloquent statement that's been on the City situation is saying that, you know what,

in the eyes of your rival fans, all that stuff now doesn't count, we're putting the banner back

up and it now says 51 years. That's the judgment. That is the judgment of Manchester United fans,

and I was that old traffic on Saturday, Roger. Yeah, before the game, it wasn't just the

streffit ensuing you cheating, you know what you are. The Spurs fans joined in and that felt

quite potent as well. Yeah, J.Dubs texted me, he said, my producer, he said, football has not had

such a moment of unity since the first World War's Christmas Day truce game. That whole banner

thing, it doesn't remind me of Martin Amos's beautiful quote, the English feels shadden through

it even about themselves. But that was, you know, it's only first half. I like Spurs pressed them

from the off, and may new untilmans. Oh my god, just heavy leg wide open, wild stat, in the opening

20 minutes, you know, it had completed one pass in the finals there. I think it's up Bruno, 23

minutes before he made any kind of pass out. I'm old enough to remember attack, attack, attack,

Spurs, they've got blessed no nerve in front of gold. I miss chance I have to chance. First half

XG, United 0.05, boot off mercilessly at half time. In our discord at Tieri Onway came up with a great

suggestion. Referee should have a prerogative roar to add negative time when a game is terrible.

Just blew the whistle at 43 minute, point towards the locker room, put us all out of our misery.

There was a brilliant moment just as the 43 minute mark was passing where Connagalli did

through. I think Lucho, Mr. Header, Galli did drop through, sort of fell over his own feet.

The ball hit Lenny Euro, then Ritishade off-San-Elamon's hit Lenny Euro in the face,

and then rolled out of the box. And I thought, right, that's this game sorted. Although I would say,

Spurs were quite good in the first half. Spurs played genuinely quite well. The United were very poor,

but Spurs did not look like a team who started the weekend bottom. That's also true, but by the way,

we put that clip up on our Instagram. I think it's had half a million views. It makes me wonder

when we do that. Why do people watch? That clip did better than some wonder goals this weekend.

But God bless, with micro-carret listing, introduced 96 million dollar man, Brighton,

everything Brighton, coming up Trump's Carlos Belieber. I will say his surging intent is

confidence, was game changing. I was watching a game where the Spurs fan, I think I was in what

city was in DC. And he suddenly will watch, and he starts to coil over as if his appendix was

about to burst. I was like, what's wrong? And he goes, you know, it's gonna score. And that very

second, 73rd minute, pure and cut football suddenly broke out. Again, down the United Left,

Silver Surfer, Mateusz Kuhnja, cut inside, slipped it to a boomer, one touch, two touch,

and then the shot, ball blasted, passed Kinski, and after all the booze, the terrible XG.

You know what it seemed, bound for glory, and boomer wore seven goals in his last seven games

against Tottenham. I think he hates the Spurs, he's been more than ourself, fans, they.

He seems to enjoy playing Tottenham. He is, and boomer quite often is the shining light for

everything that Manchester United, that he's, I mean, he's not, Chris Yana Ronaldo, he's not

the only one I'm messy, but he carries a constant threat. And he's the one United player,

I think, who never really plays badly. Without him, I'm not sure quite where they

would be, not just in terms of his goals against Tottenham, but in terms of their lead position

generally, does so much relies on him, Buemo, and his kind of, his appetite, his work rate, his

enthusiasm, his doggedness, like his refusal to give in. He's been such a good sign in even

amid a sea of relative mediocrity. It's amazing. Brighton signing, changing United's game,

you know, and then a Brentford signing, changing United's game, it is fascinating, football, what is,

still decisive. By the way, Tottenham's reaction to that goal was to act as if they've been

listened to a Roberto De Zurbis version of the calm app because they just crackled to life,

tackles, flew in all over the play, 17 minute, Benton Coo tried to scissor tackle Luke Schoer,

an insensure, you know, he'd been terribly injured in his past a lot, and he chased after the

Ureguide, shoved him to the turf, Benton Coo got up and did that. I think he only called it like

the head-to-head thing that only rutting deer and footballers, they downwent Schoer, Red Car Benton

Coo, just a yellow to Schoer. I don't want to break this down too much because it's very boring,

but ultimately, Booth retaliated real. Yeah, I don't entirely know Raj, and it wasn't

said he wasn't clear during the game, where the Benton Coo was sent off for the tackle, which was

wild, but ultimately completely clean, or whether it was for the head nudge, which is the phrase

you're looking for, there's no gin in with the head. Routing deer looking for who taught that?

The footballer's got it from rutting deer, or rutting deer got it from footballers. The latter,

definitely. I think in ancient times, a lot of footballers did it, and the deer looked at it and

thought, do you know what, that'd be a great thing to do with antlers. It's going to be our thing.

Like the posler. Like city stole the posler. Yeah, exactly. Deer stole that from footballers.

But if it was for the head nudge, as much as Schoer was the adrift party with the tetral,

I don't quite see why. Why? I was a little bit surprised, Schoer and he got a yellow card,

because he did run over and push Benton to her over, which seems as bad as a head nudge to me,

if I'm completely honest. This is what we're reduced to, is grum and breaking down like not quite.

Should we talk about cheating instead? Yeah, I don't know what we're about anymore, but whatever

happened, it maybe it was Spurs plan, or God's plan, to go down to ten men, because you're not

just can't cope with it. They simply wouldn't let Spurs self sabotage, 90 second minutes,

Andriut and Ali whip to Ruteen Bull in the husk of Los Angeles. There should have snuffed out

the danger and clear, but somehow you know, they have to be flungicide and the ball wobbled in

off Salanki. A point snatch from the team who appeared to snatch it from them, it's earlier.

We're all repirty, deserved these reactions. It was too each ill and normal.

Yeah, absolutely. He's just a very relaxed man. He was hungry, rogge.

Yeah, when you're hungry. When you're hungry, it's dog.

Look, when you've been at work all afternoon, you sometimes want a snack.

Yeah, and that man enjoys sort of patent leather. That's not a problem. Leave him there.

Is it just me? Or is it like, does Erby start to look more like Charles Munson with every passing week?

They were, they were well worth the point, Tottenham. That's what I would say, is that he would have

known, deserve, another one who had a little bit of a, a bit of a break in terms of the timing

of the city announcement, because, you know, Spurs went into the international break bottom of

the table. Deserby would have been expecting three weeks of, is he going to get sacked?

And Spurs are the sort of club where, if there's lots of talk about whether you're going to get

sacked, you might get sacked. Deserby would have known that he needed to kind of use that reprieve

to, to turn Spurs' fortunes around pretty quickly. And, and they, they were the, they were the

better team to be perfectly honest. They played some really good stuff for the first hour, I would say.

They'd got a bit desperate after they went behind. But you could tell how much

getting the point, not losing the game meant to Deserby. Because he'd have known that, if they

lose at Ultrafford, it, it's a United team that are not regured. Then that takes them straight

back into crisis. So that point meant a lot to him. Still winnest, though, this is Tom. We're talking

about rule. I want to say the silver lining, Roger. Let me look at myself aligning. They've not

done this since 2008. When you know it, it themselves six points after six games. That's extraordinary.

Bood off again by their fans. Poor start to a season since 1986. When you break down their six

points, this meant to be an easy start to the season for them. They played two newly promoted

teams, face ten men at home, and got on a minus two gold difference twice. And they also played

the bottom team in the lead twice in Fullham and Sad Spurs. Which manager is actually in a more

tenuous position right now? Is it Michael Kerrick or Roberto Deserby and White? That's really difficult.

Because logically, it should be Deserby. Because Deserby has been there for six months. He's won one

home game. That's it. They are in the bottom three or close to it. They've not won at all this season.

They spent a load of money in the summer. It's not really worked. They're not getting any better.

Whereas Kerrick has got six months of good work on his side from the turnaround last season.

He's a beloved former player that the fans really want him to succeed. They are already bonded to him.

So strictly speaking, Deserby should be in the weaker position. But at the same time,

based on that performance, you can see what Deserby wants Spurs to be. And you can believe that

there's a pathway for them to be that. Whereas Kerrick's United do look really passive and a bit

listless, if I'm completely honest. So I wonder whether Kerrick is in the more is in the more tenuous

position. Two huge away days for you know, he's loading athletic and we're drilling the Champions

Ziegmid wheat and a dread trip to Yorkshire for ferro-anemey leads. Bring it on.

To happier teams or team Chelsea five, boom with one, a truly furious game in which Chelsea

tore into the flounder in cherries with the fury only seen when Kelly Clarks are the taxing

independent business on Twitter 65 seconds in. Fresh off signing a new contract until 24. It was

cold parmer wriggling around the dangers and you're all the defenders and rolled the ball to 36

year old Jordan Anderson. We've got to say, are to careless Whisper to finish home. Then 84 seconds

later, God, Hendrick turned from Scora to assist. The Morgan Rogers Cluck to range find a little

back lift, inoffered defender gobsmacking, 2-0. Raw, Chelsea scored. I think it's six goals in

the first seven minutes of a Premier League game this season. Is Shelby Alonso simplifying football

to such an extent that he's just wishing to call parmer's ear? Make sure the team scores on their

very first shot lad. It is weird isn't it? Like I was listening to this in the car on the way to

old traffic and as it kicked off I thought surely if you're Marco Rosa what you say is,

Chelsea are really good right at the start of games. Don't let anything happen. And then within

three minutes they were 2-0 down. And it does, that defines the game obviously like it changes the

circumstances completely. Everything else is, everything else that follows comes, comes because of that.

But surely the way to play Chelsea is just to set up for the first 10-15 minutes and say,

we're not going to, not literally nothing is going to happen in this football match.

Does we know that you really like storing early goals?

Ah, the play ever to next weekend. David Moe is listening to this pod baby. Chelsea,

about a 55% possession in that first half and characteristic high for them. And they look

that they were going to score every time they move forward. At not goalfinch,

Justin, are this good? What is this defensive solidity? This is not my Chelsea. The combination of

Henderson, you've got to say, respect is yabby. We all thought he'd just been brought into play

onk in training. But on his very first start, the Premier League season, the quite monstrous Moses,

Coyce, they go back to play dual winner in that midfield, Ecuadorian, come back from Carfinjury.

That honestly could be a complete narrative change for Chelsea season. Man, it's like a giant

security blanket for team that have cried out for one. Well, this is what Coyce said is 150

a game for Chelsea. With him in the side, they've went 48.1% of their Premier League games. Without him,

that figure plummets the 25% for all of their attacking cross. Is Moses Coyce, though, Chelsea's

most important player? He probably has to be because they are wonderful don't forward, Chelsea.

Obviously, the Premier League's great entertainers as things stand and that front three have really

clicked kind of immediately, to be honest. But they're still vulnerable defensively. And we saw

that, I don't know, it's born with to be honest. They still give up a load of chances. Without

Coyce, though, there they would be considering chances in such volume that all of the attacking

kind of output would be not immaterial, but it would probably not get them the rewards that

they're getting at the moment, other than they do it on Saturday. So yeah, he gives them that

balance. He makes the whole system work. And I wonder to what extent Alonso has known that,

almost from the start, that the prospect of Chelsea with Moses Coyce, though, in the team,

is totally different to the Chelsea that he produced in those early games where there was no

Moses Coyce. Yeah, Chelsea scored just 29 seconds into the second half. My dad always said it's

the most lethal time to score a goal because it makes the opposing managers half-time team talk

irrelevant. As Yao Pedro ended up scoring twice in this one, is it five goals in five games?

Jordan Henderson kept off a delirious day with a stunning three kick man's career is meant to be dead

when he went to get the bag from Saudi Arabia. So this is the Jordan Henderson resurrection. But

the XG, Chelsea 1.17, Bournemouth 1.67, but somehow ended up Chelsea 5, Bournemouth 1. Is

it a better front three in the Premier League than this Chelsea front three with that 1.17, XG?

A lot of those goals were testament to this being a group of really ruthless finishes.

Yao Pedro is in, I know, the hot streets are an illusion, Raj, they don't actually exist. Every

shot is different. Yao Pedro is definitely on a hot street. Jordan Henderson won't

won't store a lot of free kicks like that. That might be a bit of a one-off, but you know,

they all count. His first goal was a beautiful finish as well. Rodgers can store from range and

does it habitually. They carry so many different types of threat that front three. Whether there's

a better one in the Premier League on Saturday, it felt like no, which is when you texted me that

question. By Sunday, when Dr. Harland and Cherokee were tearing Liverpool apart, it did feel like maybe

that's up there as well. And you'd mention Sackier Havards and then the problem is who do you play on

the left if you're Arsenal? Does there's not anybody who really fits into that to make it a trio?

So I'd say it's between Chelsea and City for deadliest attacking Trident. Maybe it comes down to

who's got the best nickname? Does it's not JP Morgan? That's terrible.

But equally, you can't have to, Cherokee, Dr. and Harland, is that is, I mean, the CHD isn't really

a thing. If you throw some menu in there, you could have DHS, you take Cherokee out, and that's

the Department of Parliament of security. So maybe that could be City's. It's definitely

sure doesn't it children. Poor Bournemouth. Seventeenth. God, they've lost the quite vivacious Alex

got for four to five weeks, came back from England duty with a quad strain still searching for

the first league win. Marka Ruiz's boys. Oh God, this game is crazy next week. They play AC Milan

in the Europa League, which is crazy. Their battle against Sunderland, I think it's going to be a class

between two overachieving teams who are now battling not to be the sweet darling club in crisis.

I think for Chelsea, only frustration for Javier Lanzai, decided I'd gone 22 league games without

a clean sheet, but I do pity who may have a Chelsea play next. Check's knows it ever turned.

Ruhr after the game, Col Parma posted this incredible image of Jordan Henderson.

Tell me it's not AI Ruhr. Yeah, I mean, I think Col Parma has drawn that by hand, Roch.

I honestly think knowing that this is obviously original Ronaldo Prime,

Montoncho 2002 World Cup, when he formed. I honestly think about good money,

Col Parma thinks that this is actually his own haircut that people are posting on this

competition and we can't see the difference. Either way, Col Parma, Lanzai and Javier Lanzai and

Jail Pedro are on our many Blazers TV show, Chelsea Special, which is really uplifting. It's just

debuted on peacock available at the link below. I just mentioned Sunderland, Sunderland Nell Brighton,

too, a win that was not close to us fluid as that three-nil avian delight of deconstructing

Arsenal, but my lord. The statement fight on the road will almost give Fabian Hurtsler more joy.

It's 10 men, Stund, Brobulous, Sunderland, whose flabber was well and truly garrasted.

Algerian substitute had jammed over low into the corner in the 93rd minute to deliver victory.

Despite strike being sent off just before the hour mark, we had Hurtsler on YouTube this week rule.

I admire him so much. 33. Remember his team sold Colus Belieber to Manchester United for 93 million,

Jean-Paul van Hecht to Tottenham for 70, Danny Welbeck, Topscore of 13, Legos at Chelsea,

now Caram Matoma, you could be Minte injured, but somehow rule. They keep on keeping on.

Now this team, remember, big picture in the third tier just survived homelessness when

owner Tony Bloom took over in 2009. They're now soaring in third place, two points off Arsenal.

I'll brighten serious top five contenders for real. So I have two answers for this, Raj, one is

yes they are. Partly through their own excellence for the fact that Hurtsler's a great coach,

they've got some brilliant footballers, they just keep kind of regenerating. And partly,

there's at least four of the teams who you'd expect to be taking those positions, have kind of

got their own stuff going on. Spurs are in the bottom three, Villa haven't started very well,

United, you know, are kind of permanently both coming out of and going back into crisis.

Liverpool don't look great to be perfectly honest. It feels a bit like there's an opening for a

team in the top five. It might be one of those seasons where you can break into it. But the flipside

is, I've thought that about Brighton before and they do tend to be quite streaky.

Yeah, it's going to say when we spoke to Hurtsler, that episode linked below for his

full answer, but he talks about the big question is can his team some at a consistency which

has alluded him? You know, I think the challenges are in Europe. They're seeing growths for instance,

such a key player right now. He's 35 with that double workload, sustaining the energy,

sustaining the tactical flexibility is going to say it's going to be some feat.

Brown played Liverpool Manchester City away this month. I think they also play on beaten

Brentford at home. Let's wait to let to proclaim the Seagulls, New Lord and Savior, all I've got to say,

I would love it. Talking about Seagulls, I went on a bird watching wormhole while I watch this game,

where I did you know quickly Seagulls clever enough to stamp their little feet in rhythmic

dance on the grass and the vibrations trick earthworms into surfacing thinking it's raining

so that the girls can just go up them up. If that is not prime Pascal, growth behavior, I don't

know what it is. That is they've studied the data. They've kind of analyzed whether

the low-hanging fruit are they've gone for it. That is typical Brighton. Yeah, it is Tony Blue,

he's even managing nature. Ashton Villa 2, Brentford 2, really a tilting storm of a battle, both

tellers talk turns canceling each other out Yom Maloo, gop and the screwing for Brentford early,

but then that loose wire necklace jacks and equaliser. I think within was it 90 seconds,

second goal in two games. I'd love it to come good. Iconically big butter, John McEin,

putt, Villa in front, but the bees persevered. Some of them equalised for my eye.

And Brentford had the best chances to win a late, but could not take them. Let's start with Villa

for a second. In this one look capable going forward, but still consul us at the back and it just

looks, I say 11 goals leaked. I think an emery-esque is what I'd say. Ming's, Lindeloth,

a footballing charity, Suzuki still got to say credit and playing fearlessly. Emory said he

was, quote, sad after the game, but after the last home game was it the lost of foresty, he said

it was, quote, very SHIT. So was this progress, Rob? Yeah, a little bit. And Brentford are similar

to Brighton, then one of the form teams of the start of the season, they're a serious kind of

proposition. So I think drawing with them is not kind of what Villa necessarily wants given their

ambitions, but it's definitely not like a disgrace to draw with Brentford. Villa started slowly

last season, they have started slowly again, they are a work in progress just just as they've

got so many new faces and they got them all in so late that Emory's done and take a little bit

of time to try and piece things together, I think. Brentford and Dornford defiant a bean.

Best ever starts of Premier League season and continues its incredible stat.

Rob Brentford have spent a league leading me five minutes, 36 seconds behind in games this season.

It's pretty good. I have no other comment, but that's pretty good. It's not bad, there's it

in other games. Oh, Crystal Palace, three, not even for us one. What theatre? All of a glass

now. The manager who came to Crystal Palace and delivered four their fans, the only three trophies

they've ever worked in their 121 euro history returning after what can he say does a heel turn.

He ditched Palace for their hated rivals, new rivals, not even forrest. I can't say just an

incredibly legacy curdling decision. So I watch in a football version of Kanye West having to watch

Kim Kardashian move on with Pete Davidson. I don't know how to follow that Kardashian parallel

but on Glasner it did seem a little bit like he kind of mistimed his run effectively that there

was a point last season where he was probably in line to get one of the really big jobs and he ended

up going to Forrest which feels like a sideways step I guess from Palace. It wasn't I don't think

when he announced what last January that he would believe in Palace. I don't think he did that

thinking I'm going to do to not in him forrest. I'm not sure that's what he had in mind. And there's

a nice man on other Glasner but there's just a little bit of karma there maybe.

What do I want in life? I'd like to go and work for a club where the owner sits on a large throne.

I want a really unpredictable owner that feels like a nice challenge for my professional life.

Yeah I mean we were fined out that all of a glass is one of the world's great massacres.

It could be I mean it might be he might just be trying to live on the edge. Do you know I mean

that is that is something that is legitimate in this in this kind of pre-AI apocalypse.

It's environment that we live in like why not just go and kind of expose yourself to all sorts

of human experiences. That's so funny we all think he's like just the incredibly chill blessed

out guy doesn't take cause after 10pm that's his policy like he believes his mortal life

is a football tournament. It turns his phone off in the evening which is genuinely amazing but maybe

we're going to more wrong rule maybe he's that friend who loves chaos who loves pain who loves

suffering he did. Palace is probably loved him too much he didn't want that love I'm not worthy

of that love let me go into you know an utter bus or a club who will just be. Maybe he needs.

A little like a really kind of unpredictable volatile relationship maybe that's when he's

really he's never happier than when he's arguing maybe that's what it is with Oliver. Or

flagulating himself just like a you know a branch from a tree. And famously Roger we are not

here to kink shame this at this podcast does not kink shame. No, by the way you do you.

These are normal behavior whatever he returns I think we cracked it he returns to the side line

and let's say to loot warmer floors which is very big of the palace fans to be honest. Palace

then even gave him an early gift of a goal off a complete howler of a mistake but then had the

tenacity to fight back this go three times for his god bless 24 shots 15 which were from inside

the palace box but only five were on target listen to that bit again that's insane. As

palace fans just sang their new managers name god bless glassner will have headed home with the

chance of you getting sacked in the morning from the fans who used to love him ringing in his ears

but this was an enormous win for PSR joy and relief in equal measure the new crystal palace

managers first ever Premier League victory coming against the money replaced that must have made it

at a joy and that a relief for yeah because there was pressure starting to mount on sages well

that he he's another actually a third i'd forgotten about that because the first five games of

this premier season started in the pretacious period roger I had forgotten that that PSR was the

other manager who would have gone into the the international break under intense pressure there

was taught that palace were having meetings about whether to continue with his services he gets three

weeks off away from that pressure as well because of the Manchester City case and he comes back and

he uses the reset the reprieve to to kind of start again so I know at the I said at the start that

the Premier League season starts here but it it kind of has for quite a lot of the managers

it's so funny Ro I think you've just inadvertently revealed that the or identified who the three

men the unknown three men panel three there you go the unknown three person panel is the independent

commission it's character's Erbian PSR yeah and it's just as they wanted a break

it was what it broke what do we need this yeah we need this we need this we need this injustice

no team by the way I admire this greatly carry sensor grudge like a big state and crystal palace

god bless our next brighten um I just say palis fans I admire your hating without reason uh and in

this case we're incredible reason more than anything it's rich too full and one and another

incredibly tenacious side it's which bottom dwellers full on the way to the first three points of

the season Ryan Sessignon with the goal were 88 minute game flip first 20-year-old Ivorian

Abdul Dwattara unleashed a 30-yard pure and cup thunderclap if you've not seen it find it

pass-buent laneo to level things and 90 second-minute dead ball doro shea each dangly a shameless

Coleman the Irish captain headed home um absolutely giddy winner um Ro each of it switch three wins

this season has come thanks to a 90th minute or later winner man cardiac tractable

commit to the bit that's what I always say if you're if mate mate store in last minute winners

your thing which sounds silly but it also gives you a massive edge I think in games and it's

which I'll have a lot of times this season where things are quite finely finely balanced if you've

got a reputation amongst your own players for store and late goals and a reputation amongst your

opposition players for store and late goals as the clock starts to tick that that's worth something

so that's not a bad that's not a bad trait to have Gary O'Neal time doesn't quite have the same

reason as you're trying does it oh Neil trains tingly just trains like for three minutes like

glad to forget the first 90s go it's all about it's all about minutes 90 to 97 yeah see so long

record for team um do you know how many 90 plus minute winners five you're close it was four so I'm

not saying it switch go for it tonight comments we said you welcome new cast on which means

oh let's descend into the darkness my friends hold to Everton to my god this week Everton have

never more lived outpriced words we are healed of a suffering only by experiencing it to the full

news broke Friday that our American owners the three king group are quote open to full sale of the club

a Houston based owner swept into savor's December 2024 they're ready to cash out now within two

years the news came as a huge shock David Moise admitted everyone at the club was taken by

surprise but also when you look back raw you live through the trauma of that transfer window the 80

man squad with one striker that it left this with you learn that David Moise admittedly never

spoken to the owner um and it feels kind of clearer and clearer that despite being told the owners

were here for the long term the three can have always been operating this club with a kind of flip

for profit they finish the stadium what an incredible asset they maximize revenue to the season

ticket price raises they sold as many players as possible to make the books look as good as possible

you look at this you watch you dream you cheer but then you realise it's never been a real attempt

to challenge in the Premier League it's said what I've been watching is just a club prepared

for a flipped asset essentially the hill Dickinson's like it's like Carmella soprano spec house

so yeah yes and it is it's unsettling I think for any set of fans when when you learn that your

club is up for sale that your owners have kind of decided that right we've had enough

and it is unsettling in the extreme when that's after two years and as you say that the owners

appear to have done nothing really to try and improve everton station in life they've tried to

improve it as a as an asset for sale but not as a football club but I'm going to be a little

bit more positive than you roger and I realised that this might might sound a patronising and be

misplaced but I think the issue with having a bad owner and everton had a bad owner in

machinery machinery was bad at owning a football team the issue is that you you become a distressed

club and the only people who buy those distressed clubs are other bad owners the chances of going from

poor owner to good owner it does happen it happened at Liverpool but it doesn't happen very often

and it is really risky ordinarily what happens is you get somebody else in and that person is

even worse 777 who the worst people in my world told me 777 were the worst people in the world

that's where we were yeah exactly and at that point I worried you know you talked earlier about

supporting about wanting Liverpool to win or at least not lose for the first time ever that I

don't want to see everton go out of business I don't want to see everton suffer and Julie except

twice a year the risk after machinery was always that you get a charlatan and everton didn't get

that they got the Freedians who have been ruthless sort of uninterested to be perfectly honest not

really committed but they have at least kind of steadyed it and they've turned it into a viable

business so it is now possible that their kind of reign will be remembered not necessarily for any

glory that it brought it didn't but for the fact that it prepared everton to be sold to someone

who could do something with it and that maybe isn't a bad thing what 777 777 charge back in and

just fling us onto the rocks but there's no reason for that because as you say they've got the

boots in a position where they're they're not a distressed concern they're not a distressed asset

then there's no reason for for them to sort of leap at the first terrible offer that comes

it's possible that they sell it to somebody I mean it'll be some private equity hedge fund thing

just that's who buys clubs now but there's no reason to sell it to a to a full-on nightwear

operation. Well, she friends get flipped through portfolios raw and it's that future. Yeah.

Before we'll look the asking price is said to be just over a billion dollars long-term debt of

about 500 and 2 million means of three kins I think they've done disclosed but people in the

financial media said it was around the 500 million mark when they bought the club it's an incredible

flip it is meant to be a great time to sell because there's so many American investors after the

World Cup lining up to get into Premier League football it does feel crummy. Yeah, Moui said

this is his quote we thought they'd be here for 20 to 30 years to have your club just be kind

like a bargain in chip just an asset kind of flung between equity investors' books is it's tough

we are seeing one hundred darkness of a nation state owning a football club and it means

the evidence situation will not get the spotlight it needs but I am starting to think we're

a may star a go-fun me stay with me here viewers by the way email us at meninblades at gmail.com

tell me what your pledge would be if we did start a go-fun me let's go and save the good guys yeah

let's go and charge in how much of the billion dollars do you think I could raise will

from our listeners fire a go-fun me I'd take a stake in Everton roach I'd take a little bit

of a stake in Everton I'm not having you come in and I'm not I'm not sure that you to trust me

to make decisions in the best interest of the club but I'd take a look you know if someone

gave me control of Everton I think it's a first job a point and just pause the cogeley says Root

we'd bravely not play with the goalkeeper sack pitford the andjas manager the

the it's all it's all play make it be amazing the I think it was playing a red that I think

maybe it's ever played in red there Vincent Tan the owner of Cardiff City famously changed

them from Bluta red because red is a is a color associated in Malaysian culture by the way you're

not with braver you board me seeing post go-fun me to save your speeches I would know it you know my

first contribution would be lads sure should we play in red it would it be easier if we just played in

red so I think they'd like that it might it might have the two clubs again like the old days let's

heal that hundred and whatever you know look there was a gamer football north of the wall at whole

second half it came alive whole it gave say the light moorling by the time he gets by the

quite live wide gale heart hole hadn't considered home all seasons I thought was over but god bless

Everton persevered first kin and jujubeo stooped to finish off a beautiful navy mating

naz cross first ever header through a goal by king kina tino barry shockingly and fatically

finished to put us ahead man only scored so we could resurrect the dab at our in-nord in the

m.i.b discord screamed you're getting tooth decay from the toffee's lads but everton we can't

have nice things super subbalumi taunts through the field he needed a couple of minutes to just grab

a point with every everton defender seemingly collectively trying to synapse in a worse way than the

than the last one the agonia two points dropped raw somehow we are up to fifth this is so mad

despite all the three kin news you know everton under moys we are never better than when we're cold

shamed lying naked on the floor and natalie and brookley did that point for us to pleat our

squad to the bare bones have no strikers have our own as flippers like a cheap and dirty asset

and we'll roar it makes no sense it has been such an amazing start to the season for everton

like i know that there's a lot of draws in there but to be unbeaten six games in top five

challenging for your approach given the state the club were in at the start of the season given

how few players they have given the limited resources the lack of resources it is genuinely astonishing

and it is really kind of uplifting the everton doing that well it's not it's miserable because we

know from last season we won't be fooled again at a dui bright side 2276 said being an everton fan

is like walking across thin thin ice you can only celebrate every successful step so much because

you know what's coming just do you know what help rogge and i'm just trying to sound there

if they played in red sure yeah filthy mouth and i'm rejecting you go from the contribution

many blazers at gmr.com tell us how much can we get to a billion listeners we can do it

and by the way i can't think of anything worse than leaving the only of everton having to control

the thing the lull of so much i like having absolutely no control of my agony

but now it's time for a new segment you wait for champions league by yourself a segment where we

take a closer quick look at the wonder that's coming in the champions league round this week remember

stream every match live all tournament long on paramount plus roar we've got a scenario here we're

going to give our read on if we're going to buy or sell risk question for this week's headline

match up which is psg have officially surpassed Manchester City as your super team well i think they

have just they are you know two time raining European champions the champions these sort of dominant

force for the last couple of seasons but what's really interesting to me is the fact that the narrative

around these two teams has shifted completely so obviously both stay owned they are the two great

kind of arabic forces in football and for a long time the the narrative around them was city are

well-organized long-term thinkers you know kind of strategic operators whereas psg are buying

name are buying messy who can we sign they were the fun we they were the fun good time guys

and now you look at it and think well actually it's psg's strategy that has worked does not only

are they two time champions lead winners which is more than city but also they've kind of been

normalized because of that first 10 years of craziness we on they have gone on a journey and we

almost accept the journey they've gone on whereas we now look at city and think well not it wasn't

that you were the long-term strategic thinkers it's just that you were cheating and that I think

is fascinating and it's both dark and feel good for your own tournament stock evaluation stream

every UEFA champions league match highlights analysis and more on paramount plus quick look

at your sentiment table were table not by place but by emotion of the fan base let's start with

the happiest teams route I think Brighton have to be up there in the top in the top three given

the start to the season they've had it all feels once again like Brighton can do no wrong

I was tempted to put Everton in there just because they're they're above Liverpool and that is

the only thing that really matters to Everton but given the uncertainty maybe Brentford a

valuable point at Villa still on beaten also in the European spots as things stand also starting

brilliantly and at the top of my sentiment table Raj I have Manchester City who won at

Anfield and appeared to not care about the very strong allegations about their clubs activities

I have that the same one two three Manchester City Sham Joy is still joy in the short

term it's a sugar high two Brighton the 1B club to fill X to see this weekend and three Chelsea

I had there we back is a false friend at the bottom three rule so having been there to watch it

Manchester United booing their own team off at Neil Neil against Tottenham that's a club we're

unhappy it's starting to store to the corridors again I think full them because they they led

it switch it looked like our our our below and might get his first win they are now bottom of the

Premier League again and they are worried and bottom of my sentiment table are Manchester City because

does deep down their fans must know what they're accused of is really serious it's really bad

and they must they must on some level be an awareness and I get they don't want to show it in

public but there must be an awareness that not only is the fate of their club very much in the

balance but their effects on the lead on football in general this is really that this is serious

and it's bad Rure I had exactly the same we don't rehearse this people bottom three reverse all the

third class full ham sorry Americans with that great legacy is dark they're Manchester United

really working hard and probably to battle Manchester City is the most depressed team in the world

but you're right I had the team that are also top of the emotional table the bottom Manchester City the

joy is running on fumes the horizon is charging towards you and only doom awaits tears of a clown

roar the smaller my face it's only there just a fool of public you know okay you know on the

Titanic when they were dancing yeah I bet there was a point while the while the band were playing

the people were having a nice time god that incredible violin so they man and then

okay quick letter roll on this theme from gale public of Detroit Michigan big love gale

speaking for the public watching Manchester City parade around Anfield was shameless it felt

meaningless and unjust like watching a heel wrestler win or rogge hang on oh rogge in rogge in rogge

we all for business I know you like narcos when Pablo Estabard gets himself elected to the

the Colombian Parliament. So tell us this. What punishment do you think that Manchester City

deserve courage? I would elect them to the Colombian Parliament. That's what I do.

Oh, I mean, by the way, we've both got some profound legal expertise, listen, you know,

God, because you're a lot of... Yeah, yeah, yeah. This is how we manage our...

Great ambience, Jason, Roger Bennett. Legal punishment has got a balanced

retribution, optics to warn future potential cheatiers, but also in law anyway,

like the chance of rehabilitation, you normally look for a balance of those three

with legal punishments, but raw. What would he do? I think I've said before in one

of the podcasts we did over the course of the international break while the

verdicts were sort of coming out. I think that you have to think about stripping

them of titles. I wouldn't give those titles to anybody, does nobody else want them,

but I think if you haven't won titles fairly, you shouldn't be allowed to keep

them. So I think you have to start there. There then has to be a deterrent effect,

which I think, and I've seen this case made in lots of different contexts, has to

almost kind of hamstring my city for as long as they were... They benefited from the

artificial sort of inflation of their ambitions. I don't like the standard points

to doctrines, just I think... And I've definitely said this to you previously, Roger,

I think it is saying that the worst thing that can happen in football is that you get

to be everton, and I do not think that is the worst thing that can happen in football.

There can't just be one points deduction, which sees them relegated for a season,

make a great documentary about life in the championship and then come back. That is not

punishment enough. Yeah, there's like the city will make their own documentary,

just revenge, redemption. And that's not enough, they then get to come back and still be man city.

So I think there is an argument that they maybe have to be knocked down a couple more

leaves, that at least that way there's three or four years, and there will be a kind of

compound effect of that on their ambitions. And the other thing is, and I think the

independent football regulator, everyone loves regulators, may eventually get involved with this.

My guess is that it will be a material because the reputational damage is such that this decision

is sort of already made, or in this decision is already inevitable. I think the people who

oversaw this decade of sham contracts probably shouldn't be allowed to own a football club to be

perfectly honest. Well does that mean the ownership has to share? Not necessarily the ownership,

because the the the the document of the Premier League, the verdict to the Premier League is

very clear that Shake Man saw didn't know anything about it. Almost like that was very important

for everyone to make clear that a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family didn't know anything about

the cheating. So it's not necessarily the ownership itself, but I think the executive class definitely

and I think to be perfectly honest, once Abu Dhabi sort of looks at it through cooler eyes,

they will realise that they can't rehabilitate their reputation in football. There is a toxicity

therefore for the for the for the Emirates brand, they probably have to find a way to edge it

as quietly as possible, as quickly as possible. I think that's it practically. The whole point

it was never football, it was to me, these nation look great, not stigmatised. I mean they're

pariahs also, I think they will want to distance themselves from the club as quickly as possible.

I can say speaking to a couple of Premier League owners, like you are right, they don't want to be

in the director's box with with with the current human beings, you know, in this current reality

for ever stigmatised and can't hold, we are this good for your suggestions for punishment.

Leslie Belin said, mate, Mariska, wear a Manchini to pay at all times. Comedy shame. It's great,

I like that actually. Creative. Top top top said drop early in Harland before

us to play Alfie Harland. Interesting. And the incredible love this on Jordan Trin.

Roe Manchini's city's punishment should be to have to listen to carry on the word singing,

maybe next time he'll think before he cheats for perpetuity.

I don't know that song, Raj, but I would add it to various Premier League playlists for the rest

of the season. I did not know that song. I now listen to it a lot and it contains a line's rule.

I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights, both headlights, slashed a hole in all four tires,

maybe next time he'll think before he cheats, maybe that's the punishment rule.

Smash up their cars, we can't get on that, Raj. We can't get on that. Religators, don't smash

your barcars. And on that note, thank you, Kerry, on the wood. You've got this, have just this.

That's it. Where are we off to this week?

I think, Raj, I'll get the pleasure of going to at least one Manchester City home game to watch

the defiant bananas in person. Oh my god, Pep Guardiola is going to be there as well.

That means PSU, which is just so like, oh, we are all in this together.

Yeah, Club Ambassador and Manstalon UAE Salary, Pep Guardiola is determined to be there to be with

this people and not at all because he is still employed by the people. A bit of a system with the

fans that they did with. Oh yeah, 100% with like no doubt yet. Normalizing and now we're

still in this together. Yeah, all in this together. I'm going to fill a

dental for you. S1m is actual team show. Then to Toronto Thursday night, our first ever live show

in Canada, I've got honestly so excited. I can't wait. We'll be back Thursday for a very special

version of Big Weekend preview. This is Raj. So let's not take a second of watching football together

for granted. I need coverage.

With the American Express Platinum Card, I can unlock experiences like no other.

Since I'm always booking my next trip, I'd love that I can earn points on travel.

Plus, I get a rezi benefit so you know I'm hitting the restaurants everyone's talking about.

And you can find out your welcome offer after you apply, which could be as high as 175,000 points.

For experiences like no other, there's nothing like Platinum. Learn more at americanexpress.com

slash explore-platinum terms apply.