Gab & Juls Show: Is Pep leaving Man City?

14:07Gab Marcotti:it's weird because last season when they hit the crisis part of the narrative was Pep has never been in the situation before so he doesn't know how to react he's never had his you know his backside kick okay now he did last year yeah and he sort of found a way out of it last year but this year we're back to square one and I'm wondering is there something deeper going on is...

14:33Julien Laurens:I think it's the last season and I wonder if, because he knows it's the last season, I know he's got another year obviously on the contract, but I don't think he will be here next season. I really wonder if there's... Do you think he's decided he's not going to be here? I think he knows, yeah. I think he knows. And I think, to go back to your point that you made at the start of the show, I think what we see in press conferences, even what we see at times on the touchline, maybe he's a bit telling. Maybe he's just, I think I've got no nobody told me I just think he won't be there next season I would love him to stay because I think he's obviously amazing I don't think he would be that but I wonder if there's a bit of his body language that he's telling about about that and the fact that not that he doesn't want to be there now obviously not because there's still a lot of things to fight for there's a league cup final maybe coming up there's a Champions League there's still the league six points is not that much of a gap either blah blah all of that I just I don't know to me look there's something not right on the pitch but why he cannot clearly get them to do and that must frustrate the hell out of him because we know how he is as a coach and to not find solutions not finding answers must be really really annoying for him but also in his yeah off the field in his own communication i found the sarcasm that he uses every time um a bit strange to be fair uh so i i don't know they but it's you're right it's clearly something not working out it was also odd he missed the

15:57Gab Marcotti:pre-match press conference too he went to to barcelona to to accept the prize i know i think that was the day before he didn't come back in time i think which again it's kind of you know i don't know that i'm not suggesting he's checked out but no no no yeah yeah no me neither i would

16:13Julien Laurens:love him to stay there i just feel there's something i feel like it won't be the next season yeah i don't know this harkens back to when i sat down with pep god more than 20 years ago

16:25Gab Marcotti:When I saw him in Doha when he was still playing, he was thoroughly depressed and he said, there's no place for him in the world of football and players like him anymore. And, you know, this is going to be the end. He's here for the money and that. And then we know that actually he came back and he changed the world of football. But it did give off that kind of ultra negative vibe.

16:48Julien Laurens:He can be tormented at times, you know, with all the football and everything he wants to do if the team is not doing what he wants, you know, you could see on his face, remember last season, the famous crutches on his head and how difficult this whole period was, not just when they hit back form and the crisis in October, November, December, but also when they lost to Real Madrid in the playoff of the Champions League, the way they did and all of that. So, I don't know, I think this is another tough season and two tough seasons in a row has just never happened. I mean, even one only happened once, two in a row, you know, it's difficult, I think.

17:24Gab Marcotti:I wonder, too, this whole thing that he does with changing his number twos time and again. I don't know. I wonder if the solution isn't bring somebody back who he's worked with before. I have no idea what Juan Malillo is. I do know that other bald guy who was at Chelsea, Inso Madesca, probably has time on his hands right now. Yeah, true. I mean, I'm just throwing this stuff out there. I know, but I think... It's because this is a massive underachievement. And if I'm with Viana right now, I'm thinking, wait a minute. This is my first year here. This guy's having issues. How do I talk to him? Do I have the authority to get involved?

18:06Gab Marcotti:Does Ferran have the authority?

18:08Julien Laurens:But maybe he also misses Chiqui Beckerstein. You know, maybe Pep doesn't feel like this is the club that, you know, he kind of he built with them and took to the top of the top of the top of the top you know i don't know there's maybe that's part of it as well maybe it's also the fact that i don't know imagine if i mean this club and this team can't really afford a second season without any trophies or maybe it's just the end of this cycle you know the like okay the brown was left last summer but bernardo is going to leave this summer guardiola might leave as well and maybe it would feel like the end of this cycle and maybe Hugo Vianna is already preparing the next one, the next cycle.

18:49Julien Laurens:I think he already has.

18:50Gab Marcotti:Look at all the signings they've made in the last two years, right?

18:52Julien Laurens:Maybe going back to assistants because Fergie changed his number twos all the time, right? And that worked because I think in a way that just brought more ideas and different methods every time with Wenger kept the same ones throughout the whole career and maybe that just didn't work out the same way. But maybe part of the problem is that, okay, Kolo Toure, I'm not sure in this conversation, but certainly Pep Blinders on what he wants to do and maybe what the team had been doing before with Guardiola. How do you marry the two? Is that even marriable? I don't know if that's a word. Can you actually mix the Linder's philosophy of what he wants to bring to this team and the Guardiola methodology and what he's brought to this team for 10 years and maybe the fact that they are so vulnerable, unbalanced, not really sure what to do at times in position, out of position is maybe the result and the consequence of those two kind of different worlds in a way.

19:45Gab Marcotti:That's definitely a theory because you look at kind of what changed and that is one of the obvious changes. But, you know, Rodri is now fit, okay? Yeah. He may not be sparkling, but he's fit, right? Yeah. You look at what's different from last year. I mean, Rodri should be a plus. Linders, you assume, should be a plus, right? So, I don't know. It's a tough one to figure out. Certainly, it feels like this is one of the worst second-place teams. I'm not going to say worst, because they can hit incredible highs. Yeah, of course. One of the most underachieving. I think that's the part that's really kind of disappointing here.

20:23Gab Marcotti:And, you know, you keep talking about the bad Premier League. They haven't been good in the Champions League either. It's been inertia. And, yeah. Anyway, we'll see how this unfolds. And who did play at the weekend? Oh, yeah. We're at Liverpool on Sunday. So, yeah, just what the doctor ordered. And thank you, by the way, for not mentioning the 115 charges. Oh, look, I just did.

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21:58Gab Marcotti:All right, enough, Pep. How about some quick hits instead? Let's go, Gav. Kylian Mbappe's penalty in the 111th minute of injury time rescues Real Madrid and they beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 at home. Jules, they were booed before, during, and after. Never mind the three points. This continues to be toxic.

22:16Julien Laurens:Yeah, and if you were watching on television like us and you felt that it sounded like the music within the stadium was quite loud, louder than usually it's normal. They put up as much as they could to cover the boos.

22:26Gab Marcotti:And pay no attention, by the way, to the weirdos, Justin White behind the goal. They're paid to be there, right? Grata de animacion or whatever. It's the most contrived.

22:34Julien Laurens:Maybe not paid, but yeah. They work with the club, basically. 11th minute of added time, so 101th minute, not 101st minute, not 111th. It felt like the 111th. Yeah, I mean, there was 9 minutes of added time that got transformed into 15 minutes of added time in the end. Kylian scoring in the 11th minute of it. They didn't deserve to win. Arbe Loa saying, I'm not. Gandalf, is that in the Lords of the Ring? is that the name of it?

23:01Gab Marcotti:Gandalf, yeah, I think he's the wizard. I don't know. Yeah, he said, I'm not Gandalf,

23:04Julien Laurens:as in like, I'm not a magician. You know, if they don't want to run, I can't make them run. I mean, there was such a lack. That's a really helpful thing to say, by the way. Yeah, and there was such a lack of effort. And coming after the Benfica defeat, and for what Mbappe said after the game, and we mentioned it on the show on Thursday, for example, to then go back to this rubbish was incredible. He made it, oh, I'm sorry,

23:25Gab Marcotti:but on this one, this is one of the things that really struck me was, Okay Bellingham gets injured early Yeah Which is a blow It's fine So you lose a midfielder And you're Who does he replace him with? Not Dani Ceballos Who's on the bench He gave him a half time Because he clearly Realised he made a mistake Okay fine But you have other midfielders You have Kamavinga Who's playing left back And you have Fran Garcia Who's on the bench And Carreras on the bench as well What? And Carreras on the bench as well And Carreras And Dani Carvajal If you prefer Valverde midfield He doesn't do any of that Yeah What is And then late in the game He just keeps chucking on forwards.

23:59Gab Marcotti:Gonzalo Garcia. It was like when he was a kid and he would see Real Madrid in the great European ninth with Santillán and 10 other guys. I mean, it just made no sense. He looked like a person who has no control of what's going on. Rayo, I thought, look, in the end you can point to the XG's. Everything we saw in injury time, until that moron, Papi Mendi, I don't know what he's doing with that air kick to give away the penalty. injury time basically consisted of people running at defenders and falling over. Brian Diaz did it like five times. Kylian did it more than once. This is just so chaotic and so horrible to watch.

24:39Gab Marcotti:I don't know how he gets out of this.

24:41Julien Laurens:There was nothing with the ball. I don't know how you improve, where you go from here. I don't know. I know he doesn't have the time to work, really, because they've played every three days since he took over because they also had the Copa del Rey. disaster and all of that. Well, that's not a problem now.

24:58Gab Marcotti:So now you're on the training pitch for a whole week. Next time you come out, I want to see something serious. And you know what? All those people say Bellingham was a problem. Bellingham's a problem. Yeah. Now you don't have the Bellingham problem. Right? Sort it out. Yeah.

25:11Julien Laurens:Arsenal rolled to a 4-0 win away. Leeds United has Nani Madweke, who wasn't supposed to start, stepped in for Bukayo Saka and still the show gap.

25:19Gab Marcotti:Right. I said it at the time. The Nani Madweke transfer didn't make sense to me. But now I see, I'll hold my hand up, games like this, it makes sense. I think in the end, although nobody at Arsenal would admit it, obviously, is that the reason they signed Maduak isn't just because he can also play on the left, which is what they briefed. But hey, you know what? They already had two guys on the left. And he's so much better on the right. I think it was also to get insurance, get an expensive insurance policy for Bukayo Saka, and also give them leverage over his contract negotiation. Remember, he only extended his contract this January.

25:52Gab Marcotti:Now that's done, I think he's a fantastic addition. It allows you to manage Saka's minutes long-term. I mean, he's six months. Saka is six months older than him. I don't know if he's going to want to stick around long-term. But, you know, cross that bridge when you get to it. Bayern drop points in consecutive Bundesliga games for the first time in 10 months as they draw 2-2 with Hamburg. Jules, is this just a normal... Another blip?

26:15Julien Laurens:That's fine? I don't know if it's normal or natural to drop more points like that. aware okay i wear hamburg a team with a lot of intensity that to be fair i'm not at the level of buying haven't been all season long if you make yeah but if you make it a battle like that and concede 2.6 xg or 2.5 xg against a team like hamburg there's a problem one's a fugazi penalty though it's still still it will still be high of xg um i think that second half from a bian point of view is not acceptable but vinnie talked about the referee and everything like that instead instead of talking about the performance of his own team.

26:50Julien Laurens:So I'm not sure I really understood. Just give Leonard Karl some time off. A lot of them. I think the time off. Juventus rolled to a 4-1 win away to Parma and move into fourth place. Gap, 4.14 expected goals for Luciano Spalletti's team.

27:03Gab Marcotti:Okay, occasionally you have this. Juve don't have this very often. This was the highest expected. The last time, actually, I don't even know. It might have been their highest ever. But the only other time in recorded history that I could find where they got more than four was way back in March 2021. I think it was against Spitzia or some other band of Muppets during the COVID era. This was a performance and a half. They had the ball all the time. And they went and they tried to create. And this is how you play football. And they did it even after Kenan Yildiz came off injured. This is positive.

27:35Gab Marcotti:Again, I hold my hands up. Like two of these I was wrong on. Spalletti's doing it. He's making certain players better. Jonathan David, Locatelli, Wesson McKenney ripping it up. I mean, he's doing everything he's supposed to be doing. It's nervy early on, but Hugo Kitike and Florian Wurtz turn it around for Liverpool, who beat Newcastle 4-1. Jules, those guys are pretty good.

27:58Julien Laurens:They're pretty good. They're pretty good playing with each other, linking up together again. It's not the first time, but we've said it for weeks now. Their partnership is getting pretty special. This is very much their team now. It's probably Wirtz's team even more than Ekitike and Wirtz's team. and I have got an issue with Mo Salah still starting in this team. I don't really understand why he's there, but this is all about Aiketika and VIA. Certainly this win was. The defending from Newcastle, especially on Aiketika's second goal, was very poor, to say the least, but together on that kind of form, they're almost unstoppable.

28:30Gab Marcotti:Newcastle running on fumes, I think, again. I think the Champions League took a lot out of them. Maybe they're looking ahead to the League Cup or whatnot.

28:38Julien Laurens:It took a long time to bring on Volta Madre and Luisa, for sure.

28:41Gab Marcotti:Harvey Barnes sitting in the post early on. But defensive help is underway from Liverpool, but not for a while.

28:48Julien Laurens:No, until June, because Jeremy Jacquet, the most promising centre-back in the world right now, only 20 years old, is going to join Liverpool.

28:56Gab Marcotti:You called a couple of shows ago when he was being linked to Chelsea. You called on that and said, that is a big statement for a guy who's played a handful of games, Jules.

29:03Julien Laurens:Yeah, I mean, 30 league games in his career, which is not many. And when you pay 72 million pounds, or 72 million euros, sorry, all in all with the bonuses it's a lot of money but this is how good he is really and chelsea would have been very lucky to have him now i really think that liverpool up will be very lucky to have him he chose liverpool ahead of chelsea because both clubs agreed the same deal with with ren but randy don't want to let him go now that's the only reason why he's passing his medical right now as we record the show in liverpool he's taking his medical sorry taking his medical uh and hoping to passer, but only will arrive in the summer for the start of next season.

29:42Julien Laurens:Enzo Fernandez, he's the late three-pointer in injury time, and Chelsea come back from two goals down to beat West Ham 3-2, Gab. Liam Rossignor said he would have booed his own players at halftime. Yeah, and I wonder

29:54Gab Marcotti:if he did, because I was there, and it was massive booing for the crowd. I'm really, really unhappy. I like the fact that Rossignor is owning it. He says, it's on me. I'm making the decisions. They were terrible. I like his honesty from him. The comeback, you can say it showed spirit, and that's true, and belief, and whatever else. West Ham are not really good. You've got two forwards there who literally just arrived and don't look like they know each other. I think it's a lot simpler, though. He started the game with Gittins, Garnacho on the wings, Badia Shiel, and Jarrell Hato at the back. These players were replaced by Neto, Cucurea, Wesley Fofana, and joe pedro the four guys who came on are substantially better than the four guys who started and west ham are substantially not good yeah so there's a reason they're in the relegation zone so i think it's we don't need to over complicate this no no i think the players were

30:50Julien Laurens:embarrassed i thought you had to be honest on this one yeah before the coaching and and we're right we said he turned the game around with his coaching these were so and you and me would have done exactly the same substitutions anybody in the stadium would have done the same situation it It was not easy to do, basically. That's all I mean.

31:08Gab Marcotti:And one of the points, there was a brawl at the end. The brawl was started by Adama Traore, who on person, I mean, the guy looks like a refrigerator. Yeah, who just signed for West Ham. He has spent even more time in the gym while he was wherever he was, right? Yeah. He looks terrified. I mean, he's short. He's not that scary. But he's like a bowling ball. This whole brawl started with him tossing Cucurea aside. and it was really funny to me watching it because Cucurea then stands up, walks about five meters away as like both teams, both sets of teams shoving, pushing. In the end, we saw scary Todibo.

31:43Gab Marcotti:You said Todibo's very scary. Yeah, I love that. Todibo threatening to choke the life out of John Pedro. He got really scared by Adama as well, John Pedro go for so free time. Okay, can I say something? I don't understand. Why is it that Todibo's the only guy booked? Surely, Adama Traore, Surely you're not allowed. He's the only guy sent off. But Adam Atorari got booked too. Yeah, Andrew or Pedro. Adam Atorari should be sent off. There is no, it's not permitted in the laws of the game, even if it's Cucurea, who many people don't like, to take him and just chuck him into the air. Like, you're not allowed to do that.

32:17Gab Marcotti:I don't know. What's up at Old Trafford Jewels, but Benjamin Sesco's late winner means it's three wins on the spin for Michael Carrick.

32:25Julien Laurens:It is, and everything is still going his way. It was the case against City, the case against Arsenal, and in the case again yesterday on Sunday, everything going his way and United's way, which is good for them, obviously, but they were a bit fortunate, let's be honest.

32:38Gab Marcotti:A bit fortunate, but the Kevin goal was a royalty

32:41Julien Laurens:and you'd expect Harry Maguire to make better decisions. Harry Maguire is not very good. This is the way it is. It's a stupid tackle that he doesn't need to make. But United, I didn't think United were that good, which we expected because the way Fulham were playing. But you find a way. That's it, you find a way. Bruno does really well on that right-hand side. And the Cesco finish, for him who missed the header just before that he should have scored. When he hit the crossbar. Yeah, the post. The header on the post, he's easier to score than the goal that he actually scored 10 minutes later or so.

33:13Julien Laurens:But well done to United. They're good. They're on the rush.

33:15Gab Marcotti:I'm going to see Cesco start the next game.

33:17Julien Laurens:Yeah, let's see. Let's see. Barcelona beat Elche 3-1 away to stay top of La Liga. Begarde only tells part of the story.

33:24Gab Marcotti:It does. I compare Barcelona in my column to a Fabergé egg. Beautiful, but incredibly fragile. Barcelona had 4.56 expected goals at halftime, and they had two goals. They hit the woodwork three times. Fermín López had the miss of the millennium. They only go in 2-1 up, thanks to stupid high-line hijinks again. And Joan Garcia has to make a huge save. Otherwise, it's 2-2, and then maybe the bottom falls out. Didn't happen. Rashard scrambled home a third. but guys, you need to make your chances count. There's everything. It just looks like the wheels are going to come off at any time. Man, they miss Pedri.

34:03Gab Marcotti:Even when they generate so many chances. Paris Saint-Germain go down to 10 men away to Strasbourg as Ashraf Hakimi gets sent off, but Nuno Mendes gets the late winner for Luis Enrique. Yes. Jules, why did he drop Desiree Dwayne and Ousmane Dembele?

34:18Julien Laurens:Not good enough in the last few games. He didn't like it. And that's what happens. You're not good enough, you don't play. He's getting tough Okay

34:26Gab Marcotti:I'm sorry In normal conditions As I see football You have to have a belief In your star players Yeah And you make a big call Like this Actually I'm curious What would the reaction Have been If Strasburg had won And Strasburg could have won This game I mean

34:41Julien Laurens:Dembélé and Dwey Were not very good When they came on So it's not like If they changed the game Okay but then Would people then be Blaming Luis Enrique After laying No I don't think so No it's never his fault No no he won the Champions League I mean And what's got that to do with the Champions League? Nobody says it's his fault or not his fault, but they didn't lose this game. So they've lost games before.

35:01Gab Marcotti:If you lose a game and you drop two of your best players, right? In a situation where Kratzkeli Alzoa. They're not in good form. They're not in form, yes.

35:09Julien Laurens:It's Club World Cup fault again. I don't know. Nobody said it's the Club World Cup fault. It's just they're not in form. Oh, the guard is not in form. He's benched. Some of the players are not in form in other teams. They're benched. Why would he keep playing them if they're not performing?

35:21Gab Marcotti:Because they don't have a game for another week.

35:23Julien Laurens:It doesn't matter. They were not performing. Chevalier was not good in goal. He got replaced by Safonov. We can go on the list of players. I don't think there was anybody before the game saying, oh, that's the wrong team. Why is Dembele not on the pitch, really?

35:43Gab Marcotti:Okay, I would have been saying that unless there was something wrong with him, unless you know you can get the right reaction of it. Because you can look at it both ways. They had that terrible second half against Newcastle. Yeah. And you want to give them a shot to get back. And then you have a whole week to prepare for the Marseille game. Yeah, but that's exactly what's going to happen. I think that's what most coaches would have done. Luis Enrique, obviously, different from most coaches. But, hey, maybe it's normal.

36:06Julien Laurens:Inter sell past Cremonese 2-0 to stay top of Serie A. But, Gab, that was scary when the firecracker exploded near Emil Laudero.

36:13Gab Marcotti:Yeah, that was like a throwback to the bad old days of the ultras. to say something positive here about the ultras is the guy who threw the firecracker was immediately apprehended and beaten up before handed over to the police by the ultras themselves. So hopefully they realize stuff like this can't happen. It's dangerous. It's stupid. There's no reason for it. Quick timeout. Some breakfast intel you want to know about. Kodiak frozen power waffles and flapjacks are built for busy mornings. Heat it, eat it, and you're out the door. No long prep, No complicated game plan. They're packed with 12 to 14 grams of protein per serving, a good source of fiber, and crafted with 100 % whole grains, not refined white flour.

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38:47Julien Laurens:I see what you mean. Although I think it was the right call. The ball is out. I know there's 19 seconds between when the ball is out and then the goal and when they looked it up again. But that was the right decision. I'm really all sorry.

39:00Gab Marcotti:Why did it take so long? If it's so obviously the right decision?

39:03Julien Laurens:Yeah, I don't understand because we could clearly, very clearly see that the ball was definitely out. I mean, even on Madsen's face you could see that the ball, you know, No, it's not Mattson, Bailey, sorry. On Bailey's face, you know that he can see the ball is out. Everybody and Rico's reaction straight away is like, he smiles out and then still take them four or five minutes to rule it. But I know it's a bit crude because also we've rarely seen those VAR corrected incidents. But I think he's good in this case. Still a bad result for Villa and bad performance as well at home. Bouchard-Dormund are now just six points back behind Bayern Munich.

39:40Julien Laurens:they beat Einenheim 3-2 at home but God they made life difficult for themselves

39:44Gab Marcotti:oh my god I've been telling you all season long that this is a different Borussia Dortmund 9 9 but no poor Niko Kovac he's going to bring stability

39:53Julien Laurens:yeah

39:53Gab Marcotti:Kovac aged another 10 years in this game because they're 1-0 up Einenheim by the way for those who don't know they're the bottom of the Bundesliga right so it's second versus last place you're playing under the yellow wall you're winning 1-0 everything's easy then you give up super goals either side of halftime and then it's nervy. And it's unpleasant. And then, hey, here's Uncle Saru Gheirasi putting his differences aside. Scores a goal, converts a penalty, bish-bash-bosh, you're 3-2 up, you're at home, the other guys really stink. Easy. Easy peasy. No. This Ibrahimovic guy, Arion Ibrahimovic, no relation as far as I know?

40:32Gab Marcotti:No relation. Okay. Alright, one is like a wonder strike from a million yards out. Fine. Right? and you need a cobalt super save there. The other one, at one point, he takes the ball. He dribbles through eight guys like he's the real Ibrahimovic. Yeah, the real Ibrahimovic didn't even move that fast. Yeah, true. And then that other guy, Mikkel, what's his name, Mikkel Kaufmann, you cannot give up so many chances at the end and then you celebrate like you won the Champions League. This does not look like a team that's second on the table. Now, all that said, the classiker is in Dortmund at the West London Stadion.

41:07Gab Marcotti:win that it's only three points my problem is I don't see where they're going to make up three points anywhere else if they keep playing like this Levante hold Atletico Madrid to scoreless draw as Lucas Barrios Marcos Llorente and the only living so-loving captivity all go off injured Joao's Diego Simeone has an injury crisis he's very unhappy with his sporting director the lovable Matteo Alemani but I guess help is on the way in the form of Ademola Lukman

41:34Julien Laurens:yeah it is and Marcos Leonardo I think might also be coming from saudi uh lukeman at 35 million euros or 40 million euros i can't remember 42 i think 42.

41:43Gab Marcotti:uh oh sorry guys 35 rising to 40.

41:45Julien Laurens:yes so plus another big investment i mean i know it's not as big as what they paid for hood and alvarez for example but it's still big well they got 22 for

41:53Gab Marcotti:espadori only only after six months so like that you know yeah and it's the magic of amortization

41:58Julien Laurens:with this yeah that's right that's true even if respadori didn't stay there for long but um i don't know what kind of look man we could see there and if he could fit well in this kind of system and and um yeah yeah but like i don't know where if you play him on why he can't be on the right because obviously there's chelos on there but maybe on the left maybe up front as a second striker maybe that's a good idea griezmann is also injured um i don't know it'd be interesting to see but that was a nightmare afternoon between the draw that was a poor draw again a poor performance again, plus all the injuries.

42:33Gab Marcotti:And Alvarez, again, needs to pull his finger out.

42:36Julien Laurens:Speaking of injuries, Napoli by Fiorentina, 2-1, and Antonio Conte went on an absolute rant again.

42:41Gab Marcotti:Right. So this happened because Giovanni Di Lorenzo, and if you get a chance to watch this, you should see it, right? So he gets injured. And Di Lorenzo is the guy who, after Scott McTominay, who, Scott McTominay is like a cyborg, right? He's like a machine, right? Yeah, he's like a machine. But Di Lorenzo played the second most minutes because Napoli had an absolute injury crisis. 11 players out right now, and now Jorin's out too. And he basically, what happens is he jumps to contest the cross. He jumps with his arms behind his back, as you're taught to do these days. And because he jumps with his hands behind his back, he's kind of off balance, he lands funny on his knee, and everybody's like, oh my god, he did his cruciate.

43:19Gab Marcotti:Fortunately, early scans show it's not a cruciate injury. It's just a bit of a knee dislocation, so hopefully he'll be back in a month's time. Conte doesn't know that he goes in there and what does he do? He complains about fixture congestion. It's valid to complain about fixture congestion. I don't think fixture congestion necessarily other than the fact that you play more games there's more chance of getting an injury has a lot to do with an injury like this one. And I said the same thing with the Rodri one. But then he says and I just want to get your take on this. This is like we live in a world where football is no longer a sport.

43:57Gab Marcotti:It's entertainment. we worship the god of money i don't understand it i don't work i don't work i don't coach this team because i because of money yeah i don't need money i have more than enough money i do it out of passion okay out of like the lexicon of stupid things conte says this is one of the easiest to

44:20Julien Laurens:unpick unpick right yeah yeah i mean especially when he moans that he doesn't have enough recruitment and the club where he works for doesn't spend enough money to get him the players that he wants and the team that he wants.

44:30Gab Marcotti:You're doing it out of passion. Yeah. And you don't need money because you're already rich and he is very rich. Yeah. Yeah. Why don't you coach your free, right? Yeah, exactly.

44:38Julien Laurens:Isn't he the highest manager, highest paid manager in the league? By far.

44:41Gab Marcotti:Six million euros a year. That's a tidy pay package for someone, right? To bring in more bodies.

44:46Julien Laurens:I know.

44:46Gab Marcotti:Exactly. Like again, you want to talk about this stuff, have a serious talk about it. Let's have a serious talk with the top players because it really only concerns them. And let's find a solution. Don't just bring this up when it's convenient because one of your guys gets injured. It's another Marseille meltdown, Jules. Ilan Cabal's injury time penalty means they drop points away to Paris FC, a game they should have won.

45:11Julien Laurens:They should have won. They were in control for 79 minutes and then somehow crumbled. and you could watching it you knew that if somebody if if a goal came then they would be in trouble because they just have that vulnerability about them right now especially on the back of this incredible nightmarish week that they've had between the Champions League exit and then this game Iconi scored to make it 2-1 after a couple of mistakes defensively from Marseille Iconi obviously Paris bone and bread former PSG Academy product and player and then And Ilan Kebal, Marseille through and through, born and bred, to score that penalty that takes two points away from his favorite home team.

45:53Julien Laurens:They see Lyon coming back level with them in the table after they won on Sunday against Lille. Just capped a terrible week for De Zerbe and Marseille, who we thought De Zerbe would go. I think he thought about leaving and going. He's still there, but for how long? I don't know.

46:10Gab Marcotti:Are you sure he's going to throw his, because he's going to really damage his rep if he does that.

46:15Julien Laurens:I know, but I think, yeah, the trauma of the Bruges defeat and the exit in the Champions League was so big that I think he thought about quitting. In the end, he stays. He said, I've got another, I can go to war for another five or six years. Well, OK, let's just start about winning games again and see where war is.

46:30Gab Marcotti:And Paris FC getting a new center forward.

46:32Julien Laurens:And you know Paris FC, to be fair, yeah, Ciro Immobile. Ciro Immobile. 36, and he played nine games. Ciro Immobile. Come on, man. I know, I can't wait to see him there. They obviously beat PSG in the... Cup. In the French Cup. They drew with Marseille. They beat Monaco away. They have something against big teams, you know, big clubs.

46:52Gab Marcotti:Yeah, when you defend and counter it, sometimes it works. I know, but still.

46:55Julien Laurens:Nico Paz misses a penalty and Komo can't score despite playing 82 minutes against 10 men at Atlanta. Gav, they're human after all.

47:02Gab Marcotti:They are human. You know who's not humans? Marco Carnesechi. What a goalkeeper. Incredible. He's had some downs, but that was a tremendous penalty save. 5.05. Yeah, they need a number nine as well.

47:13Julien Laurens:You know, Duvica is not.

47:15Gab Marcotti:Come on, he scores his goals. He's doing a phenomenal job there. For a lot of people, I'm sorry, not to like Como because of the praise they get. Yeah, yeah. So there was some schadenfreude there. But yeah, two points dropped, which could cost them big time in the hunt for Europe. Let's go to the Chelsea. So let's go to the women's Super League jewels. Manchester City demolished Chelsea 5-1. And the Times report that Sonia Bampastor, your girl, her job is under review. Now, the last time Chelsea let it be known that their coach's job was under review was when they had a bald Italian guy named Gainzo Madesca.

47:55Gab Marcotti:And this was on New Year's Eve, by the way. And we know how that ended up.

47:59Julien Laurens:I know. I wouldn't be surprised if my Sonia doesn't last much longer. their back-to-back defeats at home against Arsenal, at Stamford Bridge as well and then away at City that 5-1 humiliation and there was not even a debate on how superior this City team was against arguably the best squad in Europe in Chelsea. Terrible, I don't know what's going on exactly, I don't know if she's lost that dressing room a little bit, maybe there's the Champions league coming up which is arguably more closely you said chelsea have the best squad in europe

48:36Gab Marcotti:not world champion arsenal not barcelona not far and barcelona definitely not not anymore

48:40Julien Laurens:it's between for me it's between them and arsenal uh but if everybody's fit i don't see anybody having a better squad than than this chelsea side so to be where they are now is disappointing absolutely disappointing they're still the champions league and she was brought in to win the champions league last season she she obviously failed they're still very much in it but in this kind of form there's no way they can win the Champions League and be better than Barcelona, City, this version of City or even Arsenal or even Lyon so I don't know.

49:08Gab Marcotti:I'm assuming the holders qualify automatically in the Women's Champions League like they do in the men's. Yeah. So is there a risk that they might not qualify via the league?

49:17Julien Laurens:No because they still should finish top three in the league anyway, top three goal. So I think they'd be fine but it's more where would they finish, how would they finish the season domestically to start with the WSL and then what's going to happen in the Champions League.

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50:26Julien Laurens:let's go back to Strasbourg Gabby because that was Mamba Dussar's last game as he's going back to Chelsea with Aaron Anselmino going the other way

50:34Gab Marcotti:I love the fact we've had Aaron Anselmino references a consecutive podcast last time he would be chuffed why are we talking about him for anybody who wonders and you can you know far more about this you can correct me on this about why Strasbourg fans don't like Blue Coat here you go again this is it this is the captain so after the Emiga thing now this business with SAR. I have to say, I called it with SAR. I don't understand why they waited this long, frankly. I know, obviously, they were looking at Jacquet and whatever earlier in the window. But come on. You need a body now. He's yours. You've loaned them to table base.

51:14Gab Marcotti:You're under a settlement agreement with UEFA, which means you have to generate funds. And I'm curious to see. Yeah. We've got so much talent and wheel and deal in the summer, blah, blah, blah, amortization. I don't know. Like, I'm going to ask you this serious question now from Chelsea's perspective. If they have to shift the guy for a lot of money, and they always seem to manage to do this, right? I didn't think they would get all that money from Adweka, but who can they shift who has a market? You think somebody's going to rock up and be like, oh, look, I really like that Jamie Gittins.

51:43Julien Laurens:Here's 60 million. No, Enzo would be the one, especially if he doesn't want to extend. But I don't even know how much money you're going to make off Enzo because the fee was so high, right?

51:52Gab Marcotti:Yeah, true, but with amortization. would have been with amortization like so what is the 100 million it was 100 million he has an enormous contract i'm guessing you'd be down to 70.

52:04Julien Laurens:so no hang on hundreds two years ago because you arrived january uh 2024 is that right or 2023 actually okay so yeah so there's a bit more time

52:13Gab Marcotti:all right so you can generate 40 50 million yeah but if you send him for 80.

52:18Julien Laurens:okay so you've made some you made some money there and then you're right yeah yeah that's true you know and frankly

52:24Gab Marcotti:i know andre santo stuff like that there's not much to write about in chelsea's midfield unless unless your name is moisis yeah uh pese eindhoven demolished feinord 3-0 and are now 17 points clear in the area divisi is it 17 points and we are recording this and what is it february 2nd today they're gonna win the title by Oh, you think so? Oh, sorry, I said by March. No, no, yeah, by March.

52:51Julien Laurens:I don't think anybody has... But remember last season, they were already so dominant? Is it even more dominant this year? Was it last season? Wasn't it the Fadioli meltdown last season? Yes, you're right. So the season before that, when they had those, they were unbeatable almost for most of them.

53:10Gab Marcotti:It's not surprising Peter Bosch is going to get a new deal.

53:14Julien Laurens:No, absolutely. Until 2028, he's earned it really the job that he's done it's pretty incredible right can we move him out of is it time to move him out of yeah i think so we have it's time to be to be nice to him we we've given him credit but we haven't been nice yeah peter you have you've won us over yes you were rubbish before but now you're much better you're out of the eric ten hagg ronald

53:37Gab Marcotti:yeah yeah yeah although jules might be putting arnie slot there soon and what about robin

53:43Julien Laurens:Von Persie because this is bad. I don't know how you recover from this. That defeat, what happened in Europe in midweek, what happened before that, you know, it's a tough time for Robin.

53:55Gab Marcotti:There were 3-0 left inside of, what, 20 minutes? Yeah, I know. There was no match.

53:59Julien Laurens:Lazio beat Genoa on Friday night with a late penalty from Danilo Cataldi, but Gab, that's not what we're talking about.

54:04Gab Marcotti:No, we're talking about, I love this story because it encapsulates a lot of stuff that we know about the transfer market. So Lazio defender Alessio Romagnoli, veteran defender, former Milan. You know, Lazio want to move him on because he still makes a lot of money and stuff. And he was a free transfer, so pure profit. And he's older. They get certain people, one of whom I know very well, to set up a deal to go to Qatar. Great, get the wages off the books. Romagnoli gets a tax-free contract. Great. El Saad, I'll take one for the team for a couple years, work on my golf game, whatever, right? So, but then Lassie's like, ah, wait.

54:49Gab Marcotti:We said you could have him for$2 million. We want$4 million. And so El Saad is like, oh, it's going to be difficult, blah, blah, blah. Okay, here's$4 million. Did I say$4 million? I meant$6 million. Did I say$6 million? I meant$8 million. Then eventually, they push it up to$10 million. Romagnoli's absolutely furious. He just wants to go. Yeah, yeah. He wants to GTFO. He's done, right? In the end, Al-Sahd said, okay, 10 million. But the paperwork comes over too late. The transfer window in Qatar, for weird reasons I don't understand, closed on Sunday. And now the deal's gone. Now Lazio don't have the 10 million.

55:30Gab Marcotti:They have to keep playing Romagnoli through the end of the season. Al-Sahd don't have the defender that they wanted. He didn't have his deal, yeah. And Romagnoli has to sit on his backside for six months. And this is how dysfunctional it is when you get too greedy and think you're too smart yeah oh and my friends are out of a commission but hey now of course yeah jeremy boga has had a tough rough time at nice yeah um what can he bring to

55:53Julien Laurens:you ventures yeah he hasn't played since that incident with the ultras in november was tell us what happened for those who don't remember they had lost away in lorient i think it was and when they came back to Nice and to go and collect their cars at the training ground. They were welcomed by around 400 ultra fans who basically attacked Teren Mofi, who just left the club to go to Porto and Boga and the sporting director Florian Morris to show them this content, I guess, about the form of the team and the performance of those players and etc. etc. Mofi and Boga didn't want to play ever for the club.

56:32Julien Laurens:they said that they had a doctor how do you call it like a medical certificate medical certificate not to go to work basically anymore so they had to find a solution if it's the bugger that we saw in Italy before I think Juve as a squad player is getting somebody interesting with pace with skills that you can use let's say to one-on-one abilities yeah when you want yield these who currently is injured but you know so I can say so to rest but bugger is more off the left than off the right, then it would be good. But I don't know if he can come back to that level, basically. Low risk. Yeah, low risk, for sure.

57:07Julien Laurens:Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace draw 1-1 the City Grand. But, yeah, Palace have a new centre forward.

57:13Gab Marcotti:Yes, it's Strand-Larsen. 48 million pounds. Ooh, yeah.

57:18Julien Laurens:You've paid a high price.

57:19Gab Marcotti:Again, a wise man says there are no bad assets, just incorrectly priced ones. I think this one is really, really incorrectly priced. in tall, Scandinavian forward, puts himself about. And you could say, oh, but that's what Mateta was when he first arrived and Glasner made it better. Yeah, that's right. Glasner ain't going to be there next year to make him better. And I wouldn't pay 48 million for Mateta.

57:45Julien Laurens:I like Stran Larsen. This is a ton of money. It is a lot of money, yeah. But they've got a lot of money to spend. They sell so well and they might get some money for Mateta.

57:55Gab Marcotti:Spend it on this guy.

57:56Julien Laurens:The interesting thing though

57:57Gab Marcotti:Get 350 million pound players

57:58Julien Laurens:If Mateta doesn't move What happens? You've got Mateta And Trent Larson And you can't play them both together Oh can you imagine? How would you defend against that? Play them together actually Do that Glasner I hope Mateta stays now

58:10Gab Marcotti:Eindrack Frankfurt Lose 3-1 To Bayer Leverkusen Because we're Hulman Bouncing back

58:15Julien Laurens:Yeah

58:16Gab Marcotti:But at least they now Have a new coach

58:19Julien Laurens:They have Remember Albert Yera Who used to play Used to be a decent player He played in the Premier League as well

58:25Gab Marcotti:He played for Liverpool Tricky winger, I think he played for Man City before Abu Dhabi.

58:30Julien Laurens:He played in France, then became a coach, coached at Bordeaux, that was very good. Recently, I have Rijeka, I think, in Croatia, and has replaced Dino Topmoller, who was obviously sacked a couple of weeks ago at Frankfurt after leaving every door and window open through the whole season for his team, who kept conceding goals and goals and goals. So let's see what Rijeka does at the club, but there's a good squad there with some talented players. it just has to probably make them a little bit more solid

58:57Gab Marcotti:alright odds that Thomas Frank is the new Eintracht Frankfurt manager next season after Riera scores the Pooch I like this idea very much so yeah Gab

59:05Julien Laurens:13 clubs in the Chinese Super League will begin the season with negative point totals after a massive match fixing scandal

59:11Gab Marcotti:yeah so Chinese football has gone pretty much off of everybody's radar except for stories like this but it wasn't that long ago right when they were spending money on Oscar and Bakambu and Hulk and Maran Fellaini and spending big on the coaches and Lippi and Cannavaro and Scolari. Probably Avram Grant. I don't know if Avram Grant went, but I'm sure it's the kind of place he would have gone. Absolutely. Avram Grant, by the way, has now got a role at Juve Stabia in the second division. Wow. He's like some sort of technical coordinator at Castellamara di Stabia, which is sort of an exurb of Naples.

59:45Gab Marcotti:Anyway, they've had one massive match-fixing scandal after the other in the last couple of years. I guess it's good that they're being investigated and prosecuted. So we can say that's a real positive there. Littier, who you may remember, former Crystal Palace midfielder, national team player, he's accused of pocketing something like $40 million over the years. In the end, there's 13 clubs that have been punished. In addition to all the punishments and fines to all the players, that means that nine of... I think there's 16 teams in the top flight. Nine of the 16 teams are going to start the season with a negative points battle total.

1:00:24Gab Marcotti:To me, it just shows how quickly things can go south, even when there is money in a large population and whatever. They have to get this under control. Arsenal women are world champions, Jules. That's right. I support this competition. Yeah, me too. It's a FIFA one, the Champions of Confederations. But I'll tell you what, it wasn't easy at all against the determined Corinthians. I was shocked how close this game was. I was shocked when Corinthians beat Gotham FC from NWSL. We were told that Europe and North America are so far ahead of everybody else, blah, blah, blah. So much of that. Clearly, that's not the case.

1:01:04Julien Laurens:No, and Corinthians took Arsene to extra time, which should have never happened because he was never a penalty. Vargas, a shocker there to make it 2-2. But they did in the 96 minutes. so he went to extra time and then Arsene was still the better team let's be honest and they played at home which may be something that FIFA need to rethink for the next time round I'm not sure how much you give an advantage to one of the teams in this competition by hosting the final in their own stadium I mean I loved it and I thought the crowd would make sense

1:01:33Gab Marcotti:the Corinthians fans I don't know how many there were but every time they played them

1:01:36Julien Laurens:they were going nuts in the stands I mean that is great television true and there's a big there's a big Brazilian community obviously in London as well which probably helped um but yeah great for an arsenal point of view it's another trophy it's a good one it's financially very rewarding as we said on thursday a big prize money there so i think this work again i don't think a like club world cup final if you want should be hosted in one of the stadiums of one of the two teams but that's a bit that's that that's a bit odd yeah

1:02:07Gab Marcotti:I'm guessing look they obviously wanted to be able to sell it out if they could and Spurs wasn't available I guess they could have played at West Ham Stadium if you wanted like a larger stadium

1:02:19Julien Laurens:Wembley would have been a bit too big obviously

1:02:22Gab Marcotti:but it was fantastic by what you say about the Brazilian community yes but you know obviously the rivalry between Brazilian clubs as such I don't

1:02:29Julien Laurens:I don't think

1:02:30Gab Marcotti:a Palmeiras fan was going to be like oh yeah look it's a Brazilian team you know true but

1:02:34Julien Laurens:considering I think the community is there might be a lot of Corinthians

1:02:37Gab Marcotti:fans who live in London no question about and the goalkeeper she's gonna be okay yeah I think so she was down for a long long time for a long time gab

1:02:45Julien Laurens:Christian Ronaldo was supposed to play with Al Nasser last now on Sunday in the Saudi Pro League but he didn't show up yeah and there's a bit of a mystery

1:02:53Gab Marcotti:Fabrizio Romano very close to Christianos people reporting that he's not unwell no and it's not a technical reason no he's just not playing yeah some people have gone further Abola in Portugal reporting that oh he's going on strike because he's unhappy with their transfers I'll tell you what I don't know I will reserve judgment until it comes out I would love the fact that Cristiano is so invested in Al Nasser winning the title that he's unhappy with the club's transfers and wants them to spend money although if he did he probably given the Saudi transfer window closes in a few hours, closes less than 24 hours before the game, maybe he could have gone on strike earlier, given a little more time to remedy it if this is what anyone is doing.

1:03:46Gab Marcotti:I'm pretty sure we're going to find out because Cristiano's too big a story to ignore. And one way or another, he'll let us know. Jules, this brings us to an end. Yeah. But we got to come back on Thursday because the transfer window will have closed. Lots of great moves. Some of them rumored, but we didn't talk about them today because we've seen moves fall apart. Yeah. And we'll have the League Cup semifinal and lots of other goodness. Until then, love the game. Love your neighbor. Love yourself.

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