Carabao Cup: The Musical

0:00There's never been a better time to get outside and experience the benefits of nature. Discover nearby trails and explore the outdoors with all trails. Download the free app today and find your outside. Hi, I'm Nick, co-host of The Best One Yet. You optimize your workouts, your portfolios, and that rando startup idea that hit you in the middle of the shower. But if you're not hydrated, you're already playing catch up. So we keep a stash of liquid IV in our studio. One stick mixed into 16 ounces of water is clinically demonstrated to hydrate faster than water alone with three times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink, plus eight vitamins and nutrients.

0:37Whether you're traveling, exercising, or podcasting, the best business news ever, Liquid IV makes it easy to stay hydrated wherever life takes you. So shop now at liquidiv.com. Liquid IV hydration that goes wherever life takes you. Most of us are one good deal away from finally replacing that worn out rug, fixing up the backyard, or getting the bedroom we actually want. Good news, that deal's almost here. Wayfair's Black Friday in July sale. Get up to 80 % off area rugs and up to 60 % off outdoor and bedroom furniture. Shop Wayfair's huge selection of styles and find the piece to fit your style, budget, and space.

1:11Plus, free shipping. Black Friday in July ends July 27th. Shop today at Wayfair.com. Wayfair, every style, every home. Where's your playlist taking you? Down the highway? To the mountains? or just into daydream mode while you're stuck in traffic. With over 4 ,000 hotels worldwide, Best Western is there to help you make the most of your getaway, wherever that is. Because the only thing better than a great playlist is a great trip. Life's the trip. Make the most of it at Best Western. Book direct and save at bestwestern.com. This message is brought to you by Coligard. If you recorded songs off the radio for a mixtape, it might be time to screen for colon cancer.

1:57The Cologuard test is non-invasive, requires no special prep or time off, and you start screening right from your home. It's just three simple steps. Set up, sample, and ship. If you're 45 or older and at average risk, ask your doctor about the Cologuard test. Available by prescription only. Learn more or request a prescription at Cologuard.com slash podcast. Evening. Buyer's remorse. Buy a new car? I'll be moving in. Let's get started. Uh, sorry, I think there's been a mistake. I bought it from Carvana. You what? Yeah, great price. I even have seven days to love it or return it. So there's no...

2:35No, no buyer's remorse. More like buyer's rejoice? Ugh, I guess I'll let myself out. Congratulations. I mean it. Buyer's rejoice. Buy your car today on Carvana. Limitations and exclusions may apply. See our seven-day return policy at Carvana.com.

2:52Luke Moore: Could have been the Willie Nelson. Could have been the wine, everybody. Welcome to the Football Ramble. Wolves won and Dembele's the best. It's Wednesday, 24th of September. I'm Marcus Speller. I'm Luke Moore. And I'm Pete Donaldson.

3:16Luke Moore: Well, hello, everybody. It's always a pleasure to see you. Thanks to Friend of the Ramble, Malk, for giving us that intro line. Big Malky. Malk your testes. Love it. Malk the talc. Malk your testes. That could be talc your testes or milk your testes. No, definitely the farmer. One after the other. Fair play. If you want to submit an intro line for a future episode, then become a Friend of the Ramble. Sign up for just five bucks a month. You'll also get an extended edition of today's Ramble. on last week's Ramble Uncut we spoke about my friend who accidentally broke a chair that was over a thousand years old he was the undertaker I can't believe that story exists and it wasn't Jim yeah yes I know incredible funny thing is he may well hear this podcast and I'm not sure if he's signed up so he'll be like was that mate yes that is you that is you on the off chance that you've got several friends that broke chairs that are over a thousand years old exactly my man possible head to patreon.com forward slash football ramble to get involved now Ooh Carabao Cup was going on last night Liverpool beat Southampton 2-1 another late winner for Liverpool Peter They just won't stop will they?

4:23Luke Moore: It's what they do Peter are you able to talk about this competition given that you are a monster family? You're a monster man a monster boy We're monster magnets But it's football team at the holders damn you Exactly yeah I don't care we've got nothing to fear of this competition got nothing to fear of this lot either What you should have done since Newcastle lifted it in that glorious moment you should have switched your allegiance publicly from monster to Carabao would have been the right to the dude a real statement yeah well sort of Alexander Azak switching allegiances from Newcastle go on a strike from caffeinated drinks all through the summer do you remember when we were big time and we had Jules on the show and I convinced Jules to say me love Carabao me drink Carabao and Carabao said there's two slabs of Carabao I know never happened since has it well go on then say something outrageous say something outrageous Carabao I'm thirsty and I want a small drink that's not going to satisfy me liquid wise but will give me heart palpitations no that's not going to do it I don't think they're going to be happy with that fine are they Marcus they're going to be happy with that probably I don't think so no Liverpool are happy though aren't they me like Bentleys I love Bentleys chuck it out there never got nowhere to park a Bentley they're too big imagine that there'll be one outside now by the end of the day will he be ours Marcus won number play there isn't a key they maybe want me to hotwire it yeah I tell you what though both sides miss chances did they not Southampton Oh, man.

5:43Luke Moore: That header from Scienza. That was a bad miss. He had to go some, crane his neck to miss that. Yeah, it was really, really difficult. I mean, the first one, it was a nice effort. Dinko obviously came off the bar. That was a great chance. You think, oh, they've got another one. But thank goodness the South Coast side are going to do something. But you want people to be ready for that eventuality. Presumably you're following in because you think there's going to be a save or a rebound. Visualise, getting it in the net. If you've grown up like we have playing knockout Wembley doubles, the rebounds are really important the goalkeepers are effectively coached to parry rebounds back into the area for us to get through to the next round it's like this guy spent all his time in the academy and not played in the knockout do they play knockout Wembley academies these days?

6:25I think it should be really important

6:25Luke Moore: part of a player's development, copies that's Mama Dash Willie you're talking about I know it is careful, careful that's Mama Dash Willie you're talking about man plays for Georgia he ripped a heart out of this community he's putting it back in he plays for a team who've got more St George's crosses than we do they do the beautiful state of Georgia in the southern United States the peach state he plays for Georgia straight out motherfucking Atlanta yeah heartwarming to see Ali Isak score his first goal for Liverpool it was especially after heartwarming isn't it it's what he deserves Pete he's carried himself impeccably warming my heart and what we've learnt there Peter is that if you behave in such a way you will eventually be rewarded But it is a good...

7:10It's romantic, isn't it?

7:11Luke Moore: You know, we're often, we're often, you know, especially to the younger generation, we're often told, stick to your principles. Exactly. Stick to your guns. Dig your heels in if you have to. Stop working if you think that's going to make a difference. Don't make... Don't let anyone diminish your light. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. You are enough, Alexander. You are enough. Do you know what I'd have said to Alexander Izak if I saw him when he was on strike? I'd have said to you, I'd have said, Alex, sit yourself down. Yeah. Live, laugh, love. Exactly. Yeah. He's living, he's laughing, he's loving. And after watching the bowling shoe ugly Newcastle-Bourmouth match, or Bournemouth-Newcastle match.

7:47Bowling shoe ugly. A whole new level of ugly. It was a terrible football match, contested by two pretty poor teams on the day. I was watching Alexander Azak's movement, finishing, and going, hmm, I remember those. Were you? I remember him just being the right place, right time, and being able to finish. It was nice.

8:08Luke Moore: I'll tell you what, though. he missed one early on he did but he got his goal and was taken off a couple of minutes after at half time and then he had to do some sprints at half time I know I saw that I ain't trained like no one's watching but everyone was watching Alexander it's not rolling subs it was so weird wasn't it because you saw the coach say to him he was going in at half time and he was like no no no you're going out he was like what in front of everybody I'm 125 million euros can I just do him up and down the corridor no you're unfit because of the way you behaved yes that got you a move here I understand oh what are you going to do Alex go on strike again get out there you fucking lazy prick that's what I'd have said fix the vending machines as well everyone Alex is threatening to go on strike again shall we make him do some runs let's make him do some sprints absolutely yeah last chance saloon Alexander Izak I love the idea of the fitness coach with Alex Izak's kicking off 20 press ups 30 40 press ups until he shuts up and gets on with it yeah yeah yeah well Alexander Izak of course will be playing a little bit more for Liverpool this weekend because Hugo's done him a solid Hugo Eckert have you ever seen anyone more angry than Jeremy Frimpong oh my goodness he knew he's like what are you doing what are you doing he had exactly the same face as a dad who's come home to see that his 15 year old son has taken his car he was like yeah what what are you doing he was like Chief Whip wasn't he he was gutted he was gutted Chief Whip he was absolutely got him.

9:38Luke Moore: Yeah, it was almost about, put it back on, he might not have seen it. Put it back on. Yeah, he did say that. He's still holding it up. He's got a red top. The referee's coming over, you're still holding your flipping top up. It was, because the first booking was ridiculous. Punching the ball in frustration or whatever he did. Arna Slott said it was stupid. And he was, I mean, that's what the game will be remembered for ultimately. It won't be Isak's first goal for Liverpool. It will be Hugo Iconicchi scoring the winning goal and getting sent off. Arna Slott didn't say it's not stupid because it's his second yellow.

10:07It's stupid even if you hadn't had a yellow. He was basically saying it's a whole new level of stupid. That's true. Okay, ladies to the stupidest. Yeah, he was saying, you know, he was obviously very disappointed. But what it potentially represents for Ekotike is actually possibly quite serious. Now, I don't think that this will necessarily come to pass because I feel like Ekotike can play slightly differently as well. And he may, because they've got so many games to play this season, so many fronts, they're kind of competing on. AFCON's a big loss. he'll have a role to play but you know it's almost like it's made a decision for Slott because Slott had this situation where he's actually getting back to fitness he of course scores Ekotike has really until last night been pretty flawless I mean he's hit the ground running he's scored goals he's been busy now he's got a perfect tailor made reason to go right I'm not going to pick you because I can't and if Isak goes in there against Crystal Palace at the weekend and does really well I mean depending on his fitness you think well Isak's going to be the guy Look, I think he probably would have been the number nine guy anyway.

11:08Everyone kind of thinks that, but it just makes things a little bit smoother for slot. So I wonder when he was talking about how stupid Eka-Tike's been. He wasn't slightly licking his lips a little bit. Oh, yeah. Having a little tickle of his testes in the pocket. Indeed. He's going to have to go back to that Michael Jackson song. You'd hope so. Eka-Tike, Eka-Tike, Hugo. Why don't they sing that on the terraces? There's several reasons. Hard to harmonize. He just sounds like the sort of thing that Michael Jackson would say. But how do you If you think about How a chant starts Someone's got to suggest it Yeah but they're always nerds And they're always like Sort of like posture On Twitter I started a chant today I don't think that's how it works though I think it's like It gets taken on by the crowd And caught in an organic way Alright here you go Liverpool fans We've had a spotted history Over the past few weeks Mainly about Virgin Van Dyke But I'd like to gift you The smooth To the tune of smooth criminal Hugo Eketike Eketike Hugo Do it again Hugo Eketike It does It's good Hugo Eketike Eketike Hugo Michael.

12:05Marcus, just let him cook. Do it again. You're a TK! Thank you. Get Hugo! There we go. That was good. It was quite good, actually. I think you won us over eventually.

12:14Luke Moore: You're really good. I'm more cooking up a sort of a Dirty Diana. For who? Anna Sloat. Dirty Diana. Diana. Dirty Diana. Sloat. Another Liverpool fan. Let me be down, down. Who plays guitar on that? Oh, I don't know. We shouldn't be talking about this. Eddie Van Haines beat it. Sorry. do you not think that Slash got involved Dangerous wasn't it oh yeah the album not that specific track we know our Jackson knowledge by the way is it Dangerous what the biopic's called it should be anyway moving on swiftly did you see how hard Chiesa hit that football at that goalkeeper yes in this football match he loved it didn't he he looks a bit like Emlyn Hughes I like that I do like that he's got the Hughes about him yeah I can see that they're great well Slott himself mentioned Chies didn't he when he was having a go at Ekotika after the game he said the goal was all about him didn't he Well, if I scored a goal like that, like he did tonight, I would turn to Chiesa and say, it's all about you, Federico.

13:09Luke Moore: Which was a lovely line. Emotionally, quite romantic. Yeah, we didn't maybe not say it like that. Usually not one to let emotions get the better of him. But I still quite liked it all the same. Now, your man, Virgil van Dijk, did say, the Carabao Cup will always have a special place in my heart. Is that the palpitations you were talking about? Maybe, yeah. Because, you know, scoring the winning goal in the final, Jurgen Klopp's last trophy for Liverpool. And they march on in the cup. Southampton have only won three of their nine games since Will Still took charge of the club in the summer. Will does Still?

13:39Luke Moore: Well, Still said before the game, Rome wasn't built in a day, and it also wasn't built on a load of rubble, which is what we were reduced to here last season. Yeah, I mean... Quite, I mean, it starts off very strong, and then just goes, and everyone else is crap. But do you not think that, like, Will Still's kind of in a situation where he's got the best, he's probably got the best squad in the league, but they're all tyre damaged from the bust that Russell Martin threw them under. They're just broken men. A lot of them. I do think there's something in that. They've obviously spent a lot of money as well, by the way.

14:12Luke Moore: Would you say they've spent the best? I don't know about that, but I know what Pete's getting at. They've spent a lot of money. They've got a good squad. But the problem is the way they performed last season is clearly so corrosive to the whole culture of the club. And so it's probably not as easy as just doing a hard reset in the summer and going again. And they found it tricky. Of course they have. And they're going to continue to find it tricky, I think. Also, Will still isn't that experienced as a manager. And he's young. He's not great in front of the camera either. He just hates post-matches.

14:49He famously made his reputation playing a football manager, didn't he? Which is where he kind of came from originally. So, you know, maybe a computer game-loving nerd isn't what they need. He does, he does, yeah, but he's got chops. Oh, because you're a computer game player. Yeah, exactly. You feel, you feel, you feel attacked by that. yeah. Have you got, have you got a song for Will Still? Uh, no, apart from the window still, window sill joke I did earlier on. It's not a song, is it? It's not a song. No, it's not a song. Because there are no songs about window sills. You're going to get a lot of messages now.

15:19Yeah,

15:20Luke Moore: yeah. Gentlemen, Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Everton 2-0 in their, uh, game in the Carabao Cup last night. Much needed win, for Wolves they've been alright in the cup obviously that's two wins from two much needed feel good vibe around Molineux and Vitor speaking of people who do or don't like post-match interviews Vitor's great in the interview he gives you fantastic copy he loves to have a good old chat he said he missed the players smiles I'm happy for my players because I miss their smiles I miss going into the dresser room and seeing their smile and the smiles of the supporters Very musical show today.

16:00I love your smile. Classic Carabao Cup show. Marcus didn't say on his catchphrase today, we've got a packed show today. We've got a Carabao Cup show today. The handbrake's off with Speller today. You're about five minutes away from some kind of anecdote about someone breaking a chair. We're talking about Michael Jackson,

16:20Luke Moore: we're having a sing-song, I can't believe my luck. I mean, this is great for Wolves, but it would have been better served that they got this in the league, wouldn't it, really? That's not how it works. Can we transfer this for the league? Well, they could just give them a cup atmosphere, pretend the Premier League doesn't exist and just play, you know, fucking Geordie Craddock invitationals every week. There we are, you see. It's not the Premier League, actually. Charge everyone a season ticket and extra fee. Yeah, I get it. It's unlikely they're going to try that. But you just say to the fans, do you want this three points or do you not?

16:51Yeah. We have to make this feel like a cup competition. Now give us 20 quid. Yeah. I know that's going to matter about anyone, isn't it? Really. Not really about anyone, is it? Are you nervous about your lung appointment this afternoon? Are you nervous about your doctor's appointment this afternoon? Be honest. It's the evening. Private, private. Oh, is it? 200 quid down the fucking Swanee. You go to Harley Street, are you? No. They only do tits and teeth, don't they? No. No. Harley Street do everything. All right.

17:15Luke Moore: Should have gone there, then. I just detected... Nobs, tits, and teeth. This is a very much a ramble on cut chat. He detected some tension. I think Pete's nervous right tonight Mark has been a bit kinder to him imagine if I got something terrible imagine how you'll feel and how I'll make you feel I'll feel gutted there'll just be more work for me we do have ramble uncut later so all this can just be going in there I'm not having an operation am I for the sake of the show you will well Wolves yes they've scored five goals against Premier League opposition in the Carabao Cup this season admittedly three of them were against West Ham but a 2-0 win against Everton okay they some changes and so on but Wolves made some changes themselves.

17:53Luke Moore: Andre, who hasn't started every game for Wolves this season, he's a good operator. He was excellent standing of Aish. He got at the end. And also, Ruben Amaru, if you're watching, Vita Pereira thought, let's switch to a back four. See how we get on. They won 2-0. They've also had two players in that back four called Bueno, which is very pleasing. Santiago Bueno and Hugo Bueno. Get a couple of Kinders in there. Yeah, Kinder Bueno. Get one in a pack. Put them in a packet, cover them in chocolate. Lovely stuff. Double wrapped. Was it Bruno Guimaraes who loved the Kinder Bueno? was it? Or Joe Linton.

18:22Luke Moore: Yeah. No, it was Bruno. Yeah. Well, careful. I love her, yeah. How can you not look like a kinder bueno? I love her. You can't buy one really in the shop because you're an adult, but they're nice. Yeah, I know what you mean. Yeah. Yeah, I know what you mean. Well, look. I've just got to get involved there, I thought. Football show. Yeah, well done. I'm helping. Well, Peter, Wolves, as you say, they want to get this kind of form in the league as well. But it is, you know, often people say, you know, treat the cup like it's a holiday, try and get a bit of feel-good factor. Gets the confidence going.

18:52Luke Moore: I mean, the two goals were a lovely one. The second one in particular, a lovely dinked finish. A beauty. Yeah. It was a beauty. And I think, am I being harsh by saying here, I think the goalkeeper made it slightly easy for him. Yeah. He left a lot of room to the goalkeeper's right. It wasn't Pickford in goal, yeah. Yeah, and he came out pretty fast. I mean, I think maybe I'm being harsh because I think the finish made the keeper look bad, which probably speaks more to it being a good finish more than anything else. but it was a lovely one. Lovely one indeed. It's 30 years since Everton last lifted major silverware.

19:25Yeah, but what's that contextually compared to other clubs though? Because the amount of trophies being won is now concentrated quite a small amount of clubs overall, isn't it? You've got the occasional anomaly here and there but really that's not a massive... Are you just saying because Everton are genuinely historically big clubs?

19:41Luke Moore: Well, that's where I just... I felt that... I mean, did Moyes need to... I mean, I know he brought on a couple of the bigger players. You know, Grealish and Injai came on, didn't they? And he said that the players... I mean, yeah, okay, so you're giving a start to Tyler Dibbling, for example. But Moyes himself said, you know, the players that came on, they need to get up to the level. You saw the level that the players brought when they came on. And I just think... Yeah, I remember being a bit harsh. I mean, it wasn't a bad side he put out, and Wolves haven't been great. I just think it's a little bit disappointing if you're a side who haven't won a trophy for a long time the cup is and they've started the season sort of pretty well they're not going to win the league it's unlikely they're going to qualify I think you're right I think you're right where you're going because they're a way to a Premier League so Fulham made a lot of changes against Cambridge United and only won 1-0 but they won and they're always going to beat Cambridge United really whereas this I felt and it showed you that when he brought the players on it was like no we do I know where you're going with it I think you're right to say it because I think that if you are a club the size of Everton realistically you're looking at only the League Cup or the FA Cup.

20:50Yeah. And I think what's also made that more of a stark bit of trivia to read is that Newcastle have won a trophy recently. West Ham won the Conference League. Yeah, he knows. Leicester won the Premier League. If it was the usual suspects, you wouldn't be talking about that. I mean, Villarreal haven't won anything since 96. They're an equivalent sized team. Well, indeed. So I think it's how it goes. I'm always, people listening to this show regularly will know I think I always am disappointed for clubs the size of Everton and actually clubs a little bit smaller than Everton who don't really give it some in the Cups because you can absolutely make progress there Yeah they're not going to get relegated Yeah That was the disappointment every year with Newcastle for 10 years they just did not they were just knocked out by Law League opposition It feels like they used to get knocked out in the third round of the FA Cup all the time Championship, League 1 opposition they just get knocked out and they'd usually be full strength as well that's what I couldn't figure out they just didn't they couldn't prioritise Was it something to do with Steve Bruce?

21:47Your lot normally just blame Steve Bruce, don't you? Well, I mean, he was there for quite a long time. Blame Brucie. Blame Brucie.

21:53Luke Moore: Blame Ashley as well. Can't blame him anymore. Bring him in. Well, talking of League One or lower league opposition, some Premier League sides had a bit of trouble with them. Not all, but Brighton beat League One Barnsley by six goals to nil. Oh, there were some goals in this game. Diego Gomez is doing very badly to be this far down the running road after his performance last time. My goodness me. What a way to get you out of the trick. The quality of the goals. It's different gravy grandules. Was it the second one where he rifles in the top corner? Not even the best one. Which then informs the third.

22:27Luke Moore: His third. Where the ball drops to him. Laces behind it. He's what? I don't know. 40 yards out from guard. Yeah, the keeper's off his line. Normally you try a little loopy side footer. And he's like, no. It was down the keeper's throat as well. But the pace and the swerve just took it past him. It was great. You are doing exactly what a Paraguayan attacking midfielders should be doing. Correct. Exactly what you should be doing. It's what we bought you for. It's exactly what you... Don't recycle play. No, no, no. Can you now please get sent off? For my bingo card to be ticked for this. Second yellow for a professional, please.

23:01Yeah, yeah, yeah.

23:02Luke Moore: And we won't hear of you until the World Cup comes around. Oh, there he is. There he is. That's what we're going to do. Incredible performance. There were some great goals all round in that game. What I love, though, is that when he started ripping them in from far out, Barnsley got involved. Yeah. So they hit the bar from like... Rising tide. 50 yarder. Rising tide is great goals. From about 25 yards. It's infectious. Yeah. This is what we want. It's fizzing. The Carabao was fizzing. Oh, it was. Absolutely fizzing. Yeah, I'll tell you what. It was fizzing at Lincoln City, wasn't it? Oh, big time.

23:29That was the one.

23:29Luke Moore: That was the one. Everyone's thinking, hang about. Something's going on. Then it was bang, bang. Yeah, no. Tyreek George's goal was nice as well. It was a beauty. But even then with the bang-bang, there was nearly another bang up the other end. There was. It was a bang bus. Oh, my goodness. Steady. All right, I won't ask any further questions on that. But with Lincoln City, the old imps, they perhaps... I think they're just called the imps, not the old imps. The old imps. Aren't these imps old? I'm thinking of the red imps in Gibraltar, is it? Yeah. So they would be the newer imps, wouldn't they?

24:01Didn't we have a scandal about the Lincoln red imps in Gibraltar when I said they got a result against Celtic and you denied it and it turned out they did and we never addressed it again. I'm pleased it came up again. But on the slid. I'm pretty sure they got a result against Brendan Rodgers Celtic and you denied it.

24:14Luke Moore: No, I think that was... Was that Jim? Jim Campbell, wasn't it? Was it Fish? It was probably Fish. I can't remember but I think you're thinking of like some sort of 80s or 90s crazy game show or something. No, no. I'm not. I'm not. I'm telling you. There we go. Disrespecting beat. I just threw him up there and he's straight on it. I'm Googling it. Right. UEFA Champions League qualifying second round. Here we go. Celtic beat Lincoln Red Ims of Gibraltar 3-0 on the first leg. Second leg... Oh, sorry, no. In the first leg, they lost 1-0. Right. What happened in the second leg? They won 3-0. There you go.

24:46But they had a result against them, is what I'm saying.

24:48Luke Moore: It was half-time, and you know that. I'd like to see Lincoln Red Ims in the Carabao. I would as well. They'd probably beat West Ham. But the Ims have gone out. They give a good account of themselves. And I'll tell you what, Philip Jorgensen, I know that the long throw is back. If you are playing Chelsea and easing goal, which he might be for a little bit. Long throw. He doesn't like crosses, does he? He doesn't like them. He doesn't like it up him. I like the fact that Chelsea, I mean, speaking about what we were saying earlier, re-Everton, Chelsea, I know they've got maybe a different kind of squad, i.e.

25:21a fucking massive squad, but they played quite a strong team. They did. And for them to go a goal down and for Enzo Fernandes to have a bit of a terrible time with it, felt a bit like there was a concentration issue there, really.

25:32Luke Moore: Well, he was saying to his players, he said, I said, how many of you have played League One opposition or the equivalent? He said a number of them. I said, this is a totally different game. You've got to respect this. And there is, having spoken to one or two people at the club, this was last season and I suspect it's probably not that different this season. There does seem to be a lack of maturity in some of the players simply because of ages and so on and leaders. And also the fact that they probably don't have one-on-one management all that much because they're such a huge squad. Well, maybe, but it doesn't seem to be too much, too many older heads, a very young side, Enzo Fernandes is the captain.

26:09Luke Moore: And I think some of the leadership of old, particularly with the likes of Cesar Asper-Lacueta and so on, when those guys left the club, as I say, they're all quite young. So I don't know, maybe this is the kind of thing where there's a little lack of concentration, which is why Maresca comes out with these things and he's saying to his players, I know we've turned up here and you're thinking, oh, who are this lot? You've got to knuckle down and concentrate. Because they were very nearly on the end of a very, very bad result or an embarrassing result. Fair enough. They got through. I understand that.

26:38Luke Moore: But like I say, Lincoln City will think, oh, blimey, we could have done a Grimsby year. You know, and they were still going towards the end. But anyway, Chelsea are through. As are Fulham. Yeah. You already mentioned that. Here we go. Speller and Emile Smith-Rowe. There we go. We're on the mark. Did you go to the game? I didn't need to. No. They called you up the day. They said, we'll probably be all right without you today. And they were. Judge them and me on our results. I'm not going to have you along tonight, Marcus. You're a big game fan. Save your legs. Yeah, exactly. Night off for Alex Iwobi.

27:10Luke Moore: Night off for you as well. Take your wife out for a lovely meal and we'll see you for the big game at the weekend. That's the spirit. Burnley lost a League One Cardiff City though. Was that a more predictable result? That felt more, yeah, if I was going to put it in, that's where I would put it. It's certainly a more boring one. Absolutely boring. Good for Cardiff though. They've been through the mill. It's always good to beat Premier League opposition when you're a League One side, Marcus. So they tell me. Well, well done to Burnley for getting a goal, but well done to Cardiff for getting two.

27:41Luke Moore: All right, coming up after this, Luminium L's dad has thrown a strop.

27:53This message is brought to you by Coligard. If you recorded songs off the radio for a mixtape, it might be time to scream for colon cancer. The Cologuard test is non-invasive, requires no special prep or time off, and you start screening right from your home. It's just three simple steps. Set up, sample, and ship. If you're 45 or older and at average risk, ask your doctor about the Cologuard test. Available by prescription only. Learn more or request a prescription at colaguard.com slash podcast. Ready to experience something new? AllTrails helps you find your next hike. Whether you're looking for something nearby or planning a trip, read reviews from real people like you to choose your trail and know what to expect.

28:39You can also download the map in case service gets spotty. Plan and experience your next hike with AllTrails, the app for exploring the outdoors. Download it today and find your outside. Hi, I'm Nick, co-host of The Best One Yet. You optimize your workouts, your portfolios, and that rando startup idea that hit you in the middle of the shower. But if you're not hydrated, you're already playing catch-up. So we keep a stash of Liquid IV in our studio. One stick mixed into 16 ounces of water is clinically demonstrated to hydrate faster than water alone with three times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink, plus eight vitamins and nutrients.

29:15Whether you're traveling, exercising, or podcasting, the best business news ever, Liquid IV makes it easy to stay hydrated wherever life takes you. So shop now at liquidiv.com. liquid IV hydration that goes wherever life takes you. This episode is sponsored by Michael's, your destination for all things birthday parties. We just had Lucky's first birthday, and it was so great to be able to go into Michael's and get everything. Of course, I knew they had craft supplies there, but I didn't realize how expansive their party supplies were. And Michael's really is where you can go to get everything for a party, whether you're planning a kid's birthday or even an adult celebration.

29:49They've got over 4 ,500 party supplies, more than 60 different themes, and prices starting at just 99 cents. Plus, they've recently lowered prices on hundreds of items. We found adorable decorations, balloons, everything we needed to pull the party together without making a bunch of different shopping trips. Plus, I always have a good time going to Michael's. I love shopping there. I could just browse the aisles forever. But if you're short on time, like I always seem to be, you can also get same-day delivery or buy online and pick up at the store. They even offer free helium inflation on select balloon styles, which is such a lifesaver and it was for our party truly so if you've got a birthday coming up or just a celebration remember michael's everything to celebrate anything visit michael's in store or shop online now

30:46Luke Moore: welcome back to the football ramble everybody it's great to hear ali mccoy you don't hear much for him these days. Massive heel turn on Ali. Yeah, big time. He deserves it. He deserves it. It's not his fault, it's the broadcaster. If you are going to spend that much time aiding and abetting Darren Fletcher, you cannot be blameless. You cannot be. I guess you get judged on your friendship. From the company you keep, which is why we're all fucked in. I love McCoy, but that is a strong argument you just said there. Well, now, it's official. Usman Adembele is the best player in the world. He was awarded the Ballon d 'Or for the first time in his career and he's done it.

31:24Luke Moore: Fair play to him, considering his career and how it's gone. Obviously going to Barcelona for an enormous amount of money. Terrible problems with injuries there, didn't they? Exactly, yeah. Was the heir apparent to, I suppose it would have been Neymar at the time maybe, or maybe even Messi going forward. Some may have thought in Messi ages that Dembele will come through. Didn't quite work out Obviously, it goes to PSG and Luis Enrique turns them into European championships and him into the best player on the planet, Luke Moore. Yeah, and I don't really know how I feel about this award more generally.

32:00There was a lot of chat around it. A lot of journalists have a lot of things to say about the quality of it and what it actually means. The merits of it. The merits of it, yeah. Messi and Ronaldo sort of killed it a little bit. I think so. I think that's a really good point. Yeah, I think that's fair. And I think also you do have a problem when you're talking about trying to deliver a kind of a comprehensive, complete verdict on an individual player in what is obviously most importantly a team sport. And you've also got so many different parameters with the quality of leagues that different players are playing in, the different positions they play in.

32:33It doesn't feel, it never quite sits right. And then Peake's point is a good one. You have this situation where, you know, the whole of the voting journalists were just obsessed with this Messi Ronaldo thing for so long that even in years when it was clear that neither of them should win it, they were still winning it. And so we're in this weird kind of post-Messi-Ronaldo world now, aren't we, where these journalists are choosing who to give the award to instead. Look, I think Dembele's a brilliant player. It doesn't make really a matter of... Not that it matters what I think anyway, really, but it doesn't make a huge amount of difference to me what I think about him as a player, the fact that he's won the Ballon d 'Or.

33:13The Ballon d 'Or wasn't a big deal back in the day anyway. it just seems to have taken a whole kind of world life of its own

33:18Luke Moore: well I mean you go all the way back to say probably the 90s when you had the FIFA World Player of the Year award and the Ballon d 'Or when I say it's not a big deal I understand it's a historic thing I think when they combined them it was always going to be sure it was always going to be massive and I think that I understand what you mean I think that but people didn't really used to take that much notice of it oh that's happened fine yeah because like Michael Owen won it one year didn't he in 2001 I think yeah which is which you know it's quite something but yeah you don't think of if someone was talking about Michael Owen's career, I know that he in particular is quite keen for people to have a more revised view of his career at the moment.

33:53Yeah, which is not really how it works.

33:55Luke Moore: But I don't think, yeah, I don't think you would say, ah, but he won that as a kind of an ace card. You would say, but remember this moment and that moment. You wouldn't say Wayne Rooney's career was missing a Ballon d 'Or, for example. No, no, but I suppose, no, completely. I suppose what I mean, though, is that it's hard to get excited about, oh, should it have been Dembele? Should it have been Lamin-Yamao? I do agree with that. The reality is that there's things in favour and against of all these different players. You look at Dembele, I mean, Miguel Delaney is fond of saying that the French league is so ridiculously skewed in favour of PSG.

34:33They're going to win the league as a matter of default, really, which then does that undermine the fact that he's won the treble? you know and then you've got these days as well you've got to factor in the fact that it was the club world cup so how does that affect things how highly do we rate that

34:46Luke Moore: well clearly quite highly because Cole Palmer finished 8th yeah I don't really understand that either well because I mean he scored two goals in the final of the club world cup sure you know I think people will go on these moments do you want to know where all the other Englishmen fitted into this list Peter not particularly but I would like you to sit more of a rhetorical question Peter I don't think you realistically can stop that I think that's got on long enough Peter Harry Kane 13th he's been done dirty there I think I think he should be much higher Jude Bellingham 23rd you got I mean Deke Rice 27th yeah and Scotland's Scott McTominay 18th that shows you that's a disgrace that genuinely is a disgrace mamma mia how can you be 18th if you're the best player in Serie A this is what we're doing we're highlighting the problems of this whole thing I don't think you can say that Harry Kane shouldn't be higher the amount of goals he scored the amount of but you see you're getting sucked into it now aren't you you've got to fit everyone in I suppose haven't you you've got to fit everyone in is that how they do it at the Ballon d 'Or but it's kind of like it used to be like either it used to be quite international wasn't it it's like what you did on an international stage now it's obviously Champions League and a bit of a mixture yeah but I mean that is an international and a narrative as well an international tournament definitely affects it Luka Modric when he won it for example that was a good one Cannavaro as well when they won the World Cup exactly can I just make one final point because you mentioned Cole Palmer there and that was the thing that interested me because that's a real matter of interpretation, isn't it?

36:11And we know it's voted for by journalists who take themselves very seriously. And they're French as well, which means they take themselves even more seriously. And so you've got to factor that in. But if the Carl Palmer example is definitely an interesting one because his numbers are much better the season before last, right? 23-24, his numbers are better. But Chelsea don't finish. Chelsea don't have European football that year. Last season, Palmer basically goes through about three months where he doesn't really do much. and his numbers are nowhere near as good, but they win the Conference League and the Club World Cup, neither of which are club tournaments that I think have that much respect at this point.

36:46So I guess it obviously clearly is just genuinely a matter of opinion. But to me, that seems quite odd because he finished much higher this year than he did last year. There are sort of metrics that you can sort of use to get over a certain line. I was reading a piece about it and they sort of said that Oliver Kahn, was passed over for Michael Owen the year that he won despite he saved three penalties in the Champions League final. And it's like, I mean, that is a metric. That's a tricky one though. That's a metric. I know goalkeepers never get in. Because they genuinely found someone who's more objectionable than Michael Owen as a person.

37:20So now I don't know how to feel. You could have named any other player there and I would have gone their side. No, that's a good point actually. Yeah, but Oliver Kahn, a tricky one. Yeah.

37:27Luke Moore: I wanted to say, by the way, just to clarify a point on how the voting works just in case nobody knows. Okay, yeah, sure. It is journalists from France Football and fellow French publication, Le Quip, they work together and they create a list of 30 official nominees. So you can't just say anything. And then one football journalist from each of the top 100 FIFA ranked nations is invited to cast votes for their top 10 players in order from that short. Yeah, but my point was the French journalists have a massive say in how it works. Of course. And you're right to say that. And I think if you are going to move away from the idea that it's weird to give an individual a vote in the team sport, which I find it difficult to get past, I'm sure other people don't and that's fine you also feel like the thing that Pete alluded to about it's kind of been undermined because they seemed desperate for a long time to make it this big head to head between Messi and Ronaldo and there were years it just served the fandom didn't it?

38:16well there were just years when I mean it was patently I mean Lewandowski should have won it in 2020 it never should have been cancelled Erling Haaland should have won it in 2023 and Messi got it when he was into Miami presumably because of the World Cup thing

38:27Luke Moore: it was solely because of the World Cup it's difficult I mean it's very very difficult Look, I think whenever you have these things, whether it's decided by a group of, a panel of five people, or you put it and everybody votes, it's all skewed. Like, it's none of it's perfect. We need AI to decide who should win the Ballon d 'Or. I think we can all agree on that. Probably give it to some, like, AI would give it to, like, an NFT of a monkey juggling on a unicycle. I hate to think. Did you see that lots of PSG fans lined the streets of Paris in celebration? Good on them. Fair enough, eh? I don't mind that.

39:00But it is quite funny that a lot of like quite worthy and quite wordsy, let's say, British journalists will have the same, you know, importance as like a San Marino journalist and stuff. Top 100 FIFA Nations. Top 100. Oh, you've been back to that. Oh, top 100. Do some research of your own. All right, 99. Who's 99th, Marcus?

39:20Luke Moore: It's not San Marino. It's not San Marino. No, it won't be San Marino. Yeah. It's the... Who's 99th in the FIFA? Yeah, we'll carry on. Well, obviously, Ismana Dembele, beat everybody else, including Lamin Yemal and Vettinha. And you would think that, look, Lamin Yemal is an incredible player. He's very, very young, of course. You would imagine it's not ridiculous to think that he may well win one in the future. His dad is all about the here and now. Mr. Yemal. Daddy Yemal was not happy. He said, with regard to his son, he is the greatest. I'm not going to say theft, but rather moral damage to a human being.

39:57Luke Moore: Lamin Yamel is the best player in the world by far yeah he's entered it's basically a new entrant into the weird parents of football phenomenon which for some reason has taken over yeah it's remarkable the mum's had it for a while didn't they Adrian Rabiot's mum she's as mad as a wet hen but the weird parents in football thing is here to stay I mean Aaron Ramsdale's dad doing a podcast that's right yes complaining about the way Michael Arteta treated his son so daddy Yamel is as mad as a dry cock yeah Yeah. Neymar's dad wanted an orgy. He did. Apparently. Right. Okay. Did he get one? Don't know.

40:34Don't want to know. No, that's true. Christian Pulisic's daddy kicked off, didn't he? What was that one? I don't remember that. He kicked off about, I think, some ex-pros in the US, I think, said that Pulisic's performances for the US men's national team weren't that good or he didn't care or something like that. So he went to bat. Went right into bat about that. So welcome, Laminia Mal's dad.

40:54Luke Moore: Yeah, exactly. Fancy saying that, though. your son your 18 year old son is voted the second best player in the world at the age of 18 at a remarkable time it's disgraceful because Ousmane Dembele has won it and it's his moment yes and it's not about you you fucking idiot and also I think everyone would kind of agree that I know whatever you think about this award and we've already talked about all that when Ousmane Dembele has given the award he was the favourite you kind of go yeah he's had a stunningly good time and also his mum came up on stage it was a lovely moment there we are She wasn't piping up.

41:27She didn't need to. She wasn't giving Laminia Mell's dad the two fingers, was she? I wish she did. That would have been super. Do you have to be, to be a footballer's dad, do you have to be a bit intense? I would posit that it seems to, competitive dad's kind of, you know, I remember the David Beckham documentary just made me go, uh, I would not want to be your son when he was talking to, when they interviewed his dad. I just sort of think that, I don't think I'd get, because I'm not a competitive person, I don't think I'd enjoy it. You're having to go back about dads, are you? You are. No, that's why I've failed at everything I've tried.

41:59So pick your poison. How does that reflect on us then? I'm just saying that you see competitive dads at football matches and stuff, and it's insane, but it's absolutely mad. Well, there's rules of governing it now. You've got to stand behind a rope and you can't shout or anything. Really? Right. Okay, I see.

42:16Luke Moore: It's got so bad. We've had to put a little rope there. Take a look at ourselves, human beings. A rope has had to be introduced. I like, is it Miles Lewis-Skelly's mum who does a podcast about being a footballer's mum? Does she? And she basically, she did a master's degree, I think, in football finance. She got FIFA accreditation to be an agent and she's just very good at sort of going, you know, you can have discussions for millions of pounds or whatever, but in the future. And like, she's really down to earth and she's really, she's made this sort of support network for other parents who are dealing with having football as sons or daughters and the pitfalls I think that people can sort of experience with agents and money and stuff like that.

42:57That's really interesting. As she ever said, the Rabios don't crumble in the soup and we never regret our choices. Like Adrian Rabios' mum.

43:05Luke Moore: Be surprised if she did. I didn't want my son to sign for Olympic de Marseille. It was my son who convinced me. Right. So I said if it were up to me, my son wouldn't have joined this club. Is it that kind of vibe? Yeah. Or what about the... You should never use an aggressive analogy involving soup. Do you know what I mean? It's not a strong image, is it? Marcus, have you ever crumbled in the soup? What about Ollie Watkins' mum Who said during Euro 2024 She was like There was a microphone in front of her She was boisterous though She was wonderfully boisterous She was right She said get my son on the effing pitch So what happened in the semi-final Let's listen to Ollie Watkins' mum more So more Marle Lewis-Lewis-Gelly mum And more Ollie Watkins' mum And less other mums Unless Laminia Marle's dad Although maybe for the sake of the ramble more.

43:53Luke Moore: Yeah, yeah. I don't know. What's bad for your family could be good for the football ramble. Coming up after this, can Big Ange get his first win as Nottingham Forest manager?

44:13We all belong outside. We're drawn to nature. It calls to us. Whether it's the recorded sounds of the ocean we doze off to, or the succulents that adorn our homes, nature makes all of our lives richer, calmer, and frankly, better. Despite all this, we often go about our busy lives removed from it. But the outdoors is closer than we realize. with AllTrails. You can discover trails nearby or trails worth traveling to and explore confidently with offline maps and on-trail navigation. Whether you're looking for a laid-back walk with family or something more adventurous to get your heart pumping, AllTrails gives you the tools you need to get out there and find your outside.

45:06Download the free app today and make the most of your summer with AllTrails. Hi, this is Kim and Penn Holderness from the Laugh Lines podcast. This episode is sponsored by Oli, your wellness partner for back to school and beyond. Back to school season is here. Packed backpacks, packed lunches and packed schedules are officially back. Oli Kids Sleep helps little dreamers wind down with a gentle blend of melatonin, L-theanine and botanicals for restful sleep. Translation, an easy way to put those school night negotiations to bed. And for the grownups, Ollie's sleep helps you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling refreshed.

45:44Because as you know, the morning mayhem comes early. Visit Ollie.com and stock up on back-to-school must-haves today. That's O-L-L-Y.com. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Hi, I'm Nick, co-host of The Best One Yet. You optimize your workouts, your portfolios, and that rando startup idea that hit you in the middle of the shower. But if you're not hydrated, you're already playing catch-up. So we keep a stash of Liquid IV in our studio. One stick mixed into 16 ounces of water is clinically demonstrated to hydrate faster than water alone with three times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink, plus eight vitamins and nutrients.

46:24Whether you're traveling, exercising, or podcasting, the best business news ever, Liquid IV makes it easy to stay hydrated wherever life takes you. So shop now at liquidiv.com. Liquid IV hydration that goes wherever life takes you.

46:42Luke Moore: Real Betis hosts Nottingham Forest tonight. I'll tell you what. I know they were disappointed they didn't get Champions League. Probably happy that they didn't get Europa Conference League in the end. They're in the Europa League. Away to Real Betis for starters. Come on. Come on. Where are we going? We're off to Seville. That's a lovely old job, Luke Moore. I don't think that's what they should be thinking about. The fans? The fans, they should have a whirl of a time more power to the fans elbows they should be having a lovely time and the trees there have oranges on them I don't think the players should be kicking back going lovely old job cheers Gafford do you mind if I go a few days early is that what NGP is going to say well I think I'd love to see Big Ang looking to get himself into that Europa League specialist seat that Unai Emery has probably vacated now well it's fascinating because Emery wins it the most recent time Emery won it in 2021 with Villarreal, right?

47:34He's the Europa League guy. His team are in the Europa League as well this season. So it could be a real passing of the baton. Would you love to see a Forest v Villa final and it's like a WWE belt? Right, okay. If Ange gets it and wins it back to back, he's got to be seen as a specialist.

47:50Luke Moore: You'd have to say he's a specialist. Based on watching both these teams so far this season, very unlikely to happen. Do you find it amusing though that Emery, yes, he was a specialist but he couldn't get Arsenal over the line. they were hammered by Chelsea in that final weren't they I would very much like to hear a football manager being told that he's a fucking old cunt in an Aussie accent in this match he'll be perfect back at Alcant oh sorry I'm sorry I'm thinking Nourai Emery but yes Mr Pellegrini Mr Pellegrini that would be enjoyable it would be and he's fairly old himself though to be fair is he?

48:20he's got the demeanour of a much younger man I think he's in his 60s is he?

48:24Luke Moore: Pardew was what three or four years younger than Pellegrini or something stupid like that when he said that yeah it doesn't matter you can do it it really doesn't matter well Forrest play their first game in Europe since their UEFA Cup quarterfinal defeat to Bayern Munich in 1996 so effectively in the same competition so they don't know it that well it was a long time ago but yeah Postacoglu still looking for his first win as Nottingham Forrest manages three games so far they lost to Arsenal well that was understandable lost to Swansea and then drew to Burnley so it's not been a great start for Ange as Forrest manager but as you say Luke Moore when it comes to the Europa League he does seem to know what to do which is don't play like you normally do based on one season based on one season we've been doing something completely different to what he said were his dearly held principles and this is just who we are until it's not who we are we want to be someone different like a fancy dress party basically Europa League is like a fancy dress party to Ange I wouldn't be surprised to see him turn up as Jason Voorhees on the touchline tonight Halloween's on the way as well so it could work festive Real Betis have started quite inconsistently from what I've seen as well in La Liga.

49:32So I think it's a tough assignment for them. You always, I think you do tend to see teams who don't have a recent history in European football take some time to work things out. It's not going to be helpful, obviously, that they've had a big amount of upheaval with their manager leaving, a new one coming in with question marks over him, the dodgy start that you've mentioned. The manner in which they lost to Swansea, for example, was very disappointing. So it's a big test for them. and that's before you take into account the idea that Real Betts' mascot was a palm tree. Well, should be orange trees, shouldn't it?

50:03Oh, I guess so. I think they're involved in quite a lot of reforestation kind of initiatives, I think. Right. And that's why they've gone for that. Quite a green club, I think. If you'd said to me which Spanish team mascot would be a palm tree, I would instantly say Las Palmas. Yeah, good point, actually, yeah. But I don't know what their mascot actually is. Well, the badge, I think. Coconuts. Yeah. Yeah,

50:23Luke Moore: anyway. A lovely bunch of coconuts. Real Betis, of course. One of their nicknames is Los Beticos. The supporters. Oh, really? Which are quite enjoyable. Other nicknames include El Glorioso. The Glorious. Which is quite good. Could have worked that one out, I reckon. Can the Tricky Trees get the better of those palm trees? It's the palm trees, yes, the Tricky Trees. Which I'm now nicknaming them. I don't like Carabao and European competitions happening on the same night. It's confusing for me. Right. I won't have it. Well, is this going to confuse you, then, if we look ahead to Arsenal travelling to Stoke-on-Trent to face Port Vale tonight in the Carabao.

50:58We're going back to the Carabao. Back to the Carabao. We're bookending this show with Carabao.

51:02Luke Moore: Yeah, we are, yeah. Sad to hear Noni Medueke has been ruled out of action for up to two months after sustaining a knee injury against Manchester City at the weekend, which is really, really annoying for everybody involved because he started the season very, very well. He did well for England. You hate to say it sort of this early as well. Yeah, trying to establish himself at a new club and I think he's done pretty well. Especially in the absence of Saka and so on. and slightly different to Hugo Ikotique and Isak is Maduweke, look, Saka's always going to start. He's probably Arsenal's best player, certainly one of them, without a doubt.

51:33Luke Moore: But with Maduweke, it's kind of like, make it really hard for Arteta to take you out of the team. And I think, by and large, he was on his way to doing that. But getting that injury, yeah. I felt sorry for Giovanni Leone in the Liverpool side because he played really well in that match and he looks like he's going to be out for a very, very long time because he looked very upset as he left the field last night. Awful. you're here to see it from Arsenal's point of view I suppose at least they're bringing Saka back from Madiweke's point of view of course it's really horrible tough but from Arsenal's point of view at least they've now got a strong squad and a key player coming back so they'll hopefully be able to accommodate it but you obviously don't want players to be injured when you're competing to win the league I mean they've been a lot of pressure put on them Arsenal because you've got all these pundits now saying they've probably got the best squad in the league and all the rest of it and the game against Man City was a really interesting one for lots of different reasons and you guys obviously covered it on Monday but I don't think they'll struggle too much going to Port Valle who I think might have the record they certainly did have the record for being the football league club for the longest amount of time without ever being in the top flight that always used to be the case so that's their claim to fame it's an underwhelming claim to fame I'll be honest but that is what I kind of know them for other than the fact that Robbie Williams supports them yes you forget about that don't you good old flobby well elsewhere in the Carabao Cup Manchester City travel to Huddersfield Pep Guardiola said he isn't prioritising the game and is instead looking ahead to Burnley Monaco and Brentford none of them sound that testing for a Manchester City squad do the right thing Huddersfield knock them out knock them out he's been even more disrespectful to the Carabao than we have I know they'll probably end up going quite far on it as well sleepwalking the final yes they've won it many many times I mean look again as Newcastle United will sound the Carabao is a gateway cup.

53:20Luke Moore: It's good eating. Arsenal need to take it seriously. You need the money a lot of the clubs, don't you? You need your best players absolutely ripped out of your soul. I mean, there is something about the prize money, isn't it? There isn't like 10 grand to go in the next one. The previous round was 7 grand to win it. Just don't bother. Do not bother. I don't think it's all about the money, Marcus. No. It's all about the glory. And the dum-dum-dum-dum-dum. Yeah, the game is about glory, Marcus. It is. It absolutely is. And what more glory can one imagine than a beautiful lifting of the Carabao Cup trophy.

53:49Luke Moore: Yeah, I can't. Now, will Gianluigi Donnarumma play in this match against Huddersfield? Perhaps not. Probably not, no. But if he does, is he going to be wearing his apparent replica shirt? Yeah, he doesn't like the... And I, as a man who looks like a fat-bellied frog these days, I don't like player-issue shirts because they're very tight. You actually look a bit like a replica of Pete Donaldson. So you're kind of wearing a replica version of yourself. Exactly, yeah. So that's why Donnarumma's doing it. Inanna used to do it as well. Inanna did as well, yeah. So apparently it's a slightly looser fitting jersey and then there's some very subtle...

54:26Luke Moore: A great pedigree. Inanna did it. Yeah, there's some very subtle details. Is he going to do the John Pansel one long arm, one short arm? That would be nice. Do you remember that in the World Cup? Because he had a dream. Nice for John Pansel to get in. Do you know what? I don't remember that. He had a dream that he won the World Cup or something with one long sleeve and one short sleeve. And I think he got special dispensation for having a long sleeve and a short sleeve. And we don't want to spoil anyone, but the end to that story is they didn't win the one half time. They didn't. No. But you grew up on Pansil doing a lap of honor didn't you at Craven Cottage?

54:56I was like grew up on it. Well you've got some fond memories for the memories of the John Pansil lap. I enjoyed John Pansil's

55:00Luke Moore: lap of honor. They should have made Ezek do that half time. In a way they did. Yeah he was doing his films. But it's it's a more interesting story than it seems this because there is a bit of a tradition of goalkeepers kind of amending and customising their shirts for more freedom of movement. I remember back in the day quite a lot of goalkeepers seen mainly in Europe used to cut the sleeves off didn't they? Yeah. To make it the freedom of movement to be better. Did Rafinha pin his he used to glue his armpits? What? I think Rafinha used to glue it with his armpits. First of all not a keeper second of all how is that helping him?

55:32Yeah but it's just I think he just liked the way it felt on his arms and Mikel Antonio used to cut his neck on his shirt because he's got a big fat neck. I can believe that. But then the team made him special shirts with a non-granddad colour. I don't think we should be letting you move on from someone gluing their armpits. I don't even know what you mean. He glued the shirt or basically pinned or sawed the shirt so it was a bit tighter under the pit because he just liked the way it feels like kinky devil. I'm thinking about you lasering your armpits now. Exactly, yeah. Another kinky devil. Is that still working?

56:08No.

56:10Luke Moore: Thanks for listening to the Football Ramble part of the Acast Creator Network. Patreon subscribers don't go anywhere. Keep listening for Ramble Uncut where we're going to be talking about Pete's pits, lungs, and more body parts. Just imagine how a name it's going to get after what you just listened to. If you're not a Patreon subscriber, make sure you head over to patreon.com forward slash footballamble to sign up now. Thank you, Luke Moore. Thank you very much. Thank you, Pete Donaldson. Fever-wrecking, so 99's Palestine. Yeah, leave that there. Okay. Why a 76 player in World Cup qualifiers when 33 can't?

56:48The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the ACAST Creator Network.

57:18of the leading sports drink, plus eight vitamins and nutrients. Whether you're traveling, exercising, or podcasting, the best business news ever, Liquid IV makes it easy to stay hydrated wherever life takes you. So shop now at liquidiv.com. Liquid IV hydration that goes wherever life takes you. Most of us are one good deal away from finally replacing that worn-out rug, fixing up the backyard, or getting the bedroom we actually want. Good news, that deal's almost here. Wayfair's Black Friday in July sale. Get up to 80 % off area rugs and up to 60 % off outdoor and bedroom furniture. Shop Wayfair's huge selection of styles and find the piece to fit your style, budget, and space.

57:55Plus, free shipping. Black Friday in July ends July 27th. Shop today at Wayfair.com. Wayfair, every style, every home. This episode is sponsored by Michaels, your destination for all things birthday parties. We just had Lucky's first birthday, and it was so great to be able to go into Michaels and get everything. Of course, I knew they had craft supplies there. But I didn't realize how expansive their party supplies were. And Michael's really is where you can go to get everything for a party, whether you're planning a kid's birthday or even an adult celebration. They've got over 4 ,500 party supplies, more than 60 different themes, and prices starting at just 99 cents.

58:30Plus, they've recently lowered prices on hundreds of items. We found adorable decorations, balloons, everything we needed to pull the party together without making a bunch of different shopping trips. Plus, I always have a good time going to Michael's. I love shopping there. I could just browse the aisles forever. But if you're short on time, like I always seem to be, you can also get same-day delivery or buy online and pick up at the store. They even offer free helium inflation on select balloon styles, which is such a lifesaver, and it was for our party, truly. So if you've got a birthday coming up or just a celebration, remember, Michael's, everything to celebrate anything.

59:07visit Michael's in-store or shop online now.

59:37Learn more or request a prescription at colaguard.com slash podcast.